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Thanks for the help!

I think it's pretty much between Michigan and UCLA (assuming you can get residency). Michigan will give you the best biglaw opportunities in the markets you're interested in. UCLA will limit your market choice, but will also give you a good shot at biglaw for about half the price. I think either one is acceptable, depending on how much the debt worries you. Michigan should also give you a better shot at selective clerkships.

If you don't care where you practice, I'd go with Texas or vandy, whichever you like better when visiting. If those regions don't appeal to you, I'd go with Michigan.

I voted for UCLA right now. Your goal is NY or LA- and this is right in the heart of LA- so you should be able to network a lot more. With the scholarship ( and lets assume you are out of state all 3 years) you are at a low total cost of attendance. Get the in state- then its 100k total for undergrad and law school. I think keeping your debts low would help you tremendously. You might not get academia- but if you keep your costs down- you will be farther ahead at the end of the day by taking on less debt. While texas would also do this- I think you would have a more difficult time getting to NYC or LA.( can be done, but just a bit more difficult).

just my 2 cents. Congrats on the acceptances!!!

I think you need to try and come up with a better idea of where you want to work and live after graduation.
If CA-->UCLA
If TX-->UT

If you are unsure, then it's a harder question. Michigan will keep more doors open and maximize your chances at big law and a clerkship, if you're willing to pay a little extra. Vanderbilt allows you to keep close to your family and friend base while in school.

Based on what you said in the OP, I would say Michigan.

Also- You're right about how difficult it is to establish residency in TX. You basically have to live here for a year first, before starting school. There was a land-owning loophole, but I think state legislature closed it off.

Thanks for the response!

Your interested in Biglaw go with Michigan. It will be worth the extra 70,000 with the greatly improved job prospects. The only other option I would consider is UCLA, but you will have to graduate higher in your class compared to Michigan for prospects even in CA.

ATR wrote:Thanks for the responses so far! I hope the visits help me get a better idea of where to go.

Richie Tenenbaum wrote:Also- You're right about how difficult it is to establish residency in TX. You basically have to live here for a year first, before starting school. There was a land-owning loophole, but I think state legislature closed it off.

I messed up in the OP -- I have in-state tuition at Texas, so residency's a moot point. My mistake.

ETA: kinda surprised at Michigan's domination in the poll.

Texas is not a bad option, but I wouldn't take it if you weren't pretty sure you wanted to work in Texas.

Thanks for the response!

I voted Michigan. Echoing what others have said, I think Michigan is worth the extra coin, based on your career aspirations, over the other options. If you were sure you wanted LA or Texas, I would vote UCLA or UT, respectively. But given your desire for geographic mobility, Michigan is probably the best option.

At the end of the day, I don't think you can make a bad decision here. Congrats on an awesome cycle!

Oh, and looks like I'll see you at the epic TLS gathering at Vandy's ASD in April...

fatduck wrote:I think it's pretty much between Michigan and UCLA (assuming you can get residency). Michigan will give you the best biglaw opportunities in the markets you're interested in. UCLA will limit your market choice, but will also give you a good shot at biglaw for about half the price. I think either one is acceptable, depending on how much the debt worries you. Michigan should also give you a better shot at selective clerkships.

This. You can also cross Vandy and Texas off the list.

Richie Tenenbaum wrote:I think you need to try and come up with a better idea of where you want to work and live after graduation.
If CA-->UCLA
If TX-->UT

If you are unsure, then it's a harder question. Michigan will keep more doors open and maximize your chances at big law and a clerkship, if you're willing to pay a little extra. Vanderbilt allows you to keep close to your family and friend base while in school.

A lot of good thoughts in the above. Not necessarily endorsing all of it, but I think you definitely need to think about how bad you want to be in California. Feel free to PM me if you want more specific thoughts.

Texas should be out i think (sorry). But Michigan places well in CA, and you will likely have less competition with your peers, which is another benefit. I think Michigan is the best choice here, with UCLA in a slightly distant second, but thats just me.

Im at UT finishing UG at the moment (last semester). Feel free to PM any questions. I have two classes in the law school as well (UG classes). Though I cannot answer about law school classes, I know the facilities, area, and people rather well. As well as the rest of campus and the Austin area.

Thanks for the input, everyone. For those willing to communicate via PM, I may take you up on that offer. Any other opinions?

You don't know where you want to go, you haven't spent significant time in California, and you aren't sure if you want to be in the south? That means definitly go to Michigan.

Mich is worth the extra cash and will give you the most portability for if you decide you want out of the South.

Patriot1208 wrote:You don't know where you want to go, you haven't spent significant time in California, and you aren't sure if you want to be in the south? That means definitly go to Michigan.

to piggyback off patriot OP: itsounds like you need to do some visiting and travelling to these schools.

Patriot1208 wrote:You don't know where you want to go, you haven't spent significant time in California, and you aren't sure if you want to be in the south? That means definitly go to Michigan.

This. I'm amazed the responses in this thread haven't more closely matched the poll - they should.

/Michigan trolling - but seriously, biglaw and clerkships? Geographic mobility? Michigan is TCR here.

FlightoftheEarls wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:You don't know where you want to go, you haven't spent significant time in California, and you aren't sure if you want to be in the south? That means definitly go to Michigan.

This. I'm amazed the responses in this thread haven't more closely matched the poll - they should.

/Michigan trolling - but seriously, biglaw and clerkships? Geographic mobility? Michigan is TCR here.

It's totally respectable to pick Michigan in this situation, but explain "geographic mobility," and what you think that means exactly. Where (geographically) does Michigan allow OP to go (other than Detroit) that he can't go from Vandy (and probably Texas/UCLA as well--I just know more about Vandy)?

drylo wrote:

FlightoftheEarls wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:You don't know where you want to go, you haven't spent significant time in California, and you aren't sure if you want to be in the south? That means definitly go to Michigan.

This. I'm amazed the responses in this thread haven't more closely matched the poll - they should.

/Michigan trolling - but seriously, biglaw and clerkships? Geographic mobility? Michigan is TCR here.

It's totally respectable to pick Michigan in this situation, but explain "geographic mobility," and what you think that means exactly. Where (geographically) does Michigan allow OP to go (other than Detroit) that he can't go from Vandy (and probably Texas/UCLA as well--I just know more about Vandy)?

Michigan has more firms from across the country than any of the other three do. The other three all have very region oriented OCI.

Also, this is interesting: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=150843

Patriot1208 wrote:

drylo wrote:

FlightoftheEarls wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:You don't know where you want to go, you haven't spent significant time in California, and you aren't sure if you want to be in the south? That means definitly go to Michigan.

This. I'm amazed the responses in this thread haven't more closely matched the poll - they should.

/Michigan trolling - but seriously, biglaw and clerkships? Geographic mobility? Michigan is TCR here.

It's totally respectable to pick Michigan in this situation, but explain "geographic mobility," and what you think that means exactly. Where (geographically) does Michigan allow OP to go (other than Detroit) that he can't go from Vandy (and probably Texas/UCLA as well--I just know more about Vandy)?

Michigan has more firms from across the country than any of the other three do. The other three all have very region oriented OCI.

Also, this is interesting: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=150843

Yeah, I understand that. And it is interesting that Michigan grads disperse so much, but you're not trying to tell me that Notre Dame is a secret key to get into markets that you otherwise couldn't get into, so I'm not sure why it means that for Michigan. We are talking specifically about the OP's prospects. Name some markets that Michigan will get him into that those other schools will not.

drylo wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:

drylo wrote:

FlightoftheEarls wrote:This. I'm amazed the responses in this thread haven't more closely matched the poll - they should.

/Michigan trolling - but seriously, biglaw and clerkships? Geographic mobility? Michigan is TCR here.

It's totally respectable to pick Michigan in this situation, but explain "geographic mobility," and what you think that means exactly. Where (geographically) does Michigan allow OP to go (other than Detroit) that he can't go from Vandy (and probably Texas/UCLA as well--I just know more about Vandy)?

Michigan has more firms from across the country than any of the other three do. The other three all have very region oriented OCI.

Also, this is interesting: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=150843

Yeah, I understand that. And it is interesting that Michigan grads disperse so much, but you're not trying to tell me that Notre Dame is a secret key to get into markets that you otherwise couldn't get into, so I'm not sure why it means that for Michigan. We are talking specifically about the OP's prospects. Name some markets that Michigan will get him into that those other schools will not.

The point is not that it will get him somewhere the others won't. The point is that Michigan provides that easiest opportunity to keep his options open. If OP goes to UCLA, he'll have a harder time getting to Dallas and it will require a lot more legwork. If OP goes to texas he'll have to do more leg work to get to LA. If OP goes to Michigan he has provided himself with the an easier time to reach out to all the regions he is interested in.

Patriot1208 wrote:

drylo wrote:Yeah, I understand that. And it is interesting that Michigan grads disperse so much, but you're not trying to tell me that Notre Dame is a secret key to get into markets that you otherwise couldn't get into, so I'm not sure why it means that for Michigan. We are talking specifically about the OP's prospects. Name some markets that Michigan will get him into that those other schools will not.

The point is not that it will get him somewhere the others won't. The point is that Michigan provides that easiest opportunity to keep his options open. If OP goes to UCLA, he'll have a harder time getting to Dallas and it will require a lot more legwork. If OP goes to texas he'll have to do more leg work to get to LA. If OP goes to Michigan he has provided himself with the an easier time to reach out to all the regions he is interested in.

You're a 0L, no? (Your post gives it away.) I should have been more clear: I want somebody who knows what they are talking about to name some markets that OP could not break into from Vandy/etc., but could break into from Michigan.

drylo wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:

drylo wrote:Yeah, I understand that. And it is interesting that Michigan grads disperse so much, but you're not trying to tell me that Notre Dame is a secret key to get into markets that you otherwise couldn't get into, so I'm not sure why it means that for Michigan. We are talking specifically about the OP's prospects. Name some markets that Michigan will get him into that those other schools will not.

The point is not that it will get him somewhere the others won't. The point is that Michigan provides that easiest opportunity to keep his options open. If OP goes to UCLA, he'll have a harder time getting to Dallas and it will require a lot more legwork. If OP goes to texas he'll have to do more leg work to get to LA. If OP goes to Michigan he has provided himself with the an easier time to reach out to all the regions he is interested in.

You're a 0L, no? (Your post gives it away.) I should have been more clear: I want somebody who knows what they are talking about to name some markets that OP could not break into from Vandy/etc., but could break into from Michigan.

you're right: there is probably no legal market that would hire a michigan grad but would never consider a vandy grad. this ignores the question of op's class rank, which is stupid. for most markets, firms will reach deeper into michigan's class than vandy's.

disclaimer: i'm an idiot 0L who doesn't know anything, and for that matter, it's a miracle that i've figured out how to type and use the internet and stuff

drylo wrote:

Patriot1208 wrote:

drylo wrote:Yeah, I understand that. And it is interesting that Michigan grads disperse so much, but you're not trying to tell me that Notre Dame is a secret key to get into markets that you otherwise couldn't get into, so I'm not sure why it means that for Michigan. We are talking specifically about the OP's prospects. Name some markets that Michigan will get him into that those other schools will not.

The point is not that it will get him somewhere the others won't. The point is that Michigan provides that easiest opportunity to keep his options open. If OP goes to UCLA, he'll have a harder time getting to Dallas and it will require a lot more legwork. If OP goes to texas he'll have to do more leg work to get to LA. If OP goes to Michigan he has provided himself with the an easier time to reach out to all the regions he is interested in.

You're a 0L, no? (Your post gives it away.) I should have been more clear: I want somebody who knows what they are talking about to name some markets that OP could not break into from Vandy/etc., but could break into from Michigan.

I don't know why you made it personal, as his point is completely valid. But if you want to be a dick about it, that's fine, so let me be clear - being at Michigan, I got offers in NYC, SF (quite possibly the hardest market during 2010's OCI, maybe even above DC), and Arizona, all through OCI. You want to talk about keeping options open, please try to get offers in all of those markets through OCI at Vandy, UCLA, or Texas, and let me know how it works out for you.