Help an indecisive dumb CA blonde decide Emory vs. W&M Forum

[DJ Siris]

Never visited Georgia or Virginia in my life but looking for a change from CA. Initally drawn to Emory because of proximity to CDC and joint degree (JD/MPH). Work in public health now (syringe exchange/HIV test counselor/drug counselor) but want more of a legal twist. Offered 75k from Emory, though $ not an issue (thanks mommy/daddy). Ratings drop has scared me. Should I be considering the 45k William and Mary offered? Love Boston, so really not committing until I hear from BC (thanks BU for crushing my dreams). Do I go with Emory's health law program I'm looking for (and easy employment with disease prevention as I work for model HIV services program here in SD) and forget about the ratings? W&M stable #28/27 rating is so tempting.
Waitlisted at BU
Waitlisted at Notre Dame
Still waiting from BC

Please help! Does Emory suck? Afraid of being laughed at on East Coast for my inability to make an informed decision.

[fatduck]

do not worry about the rankings

sounds like you have good reasons to go to emory, and are interested in working in atlanta post-grad

atlanta rocks, you'll be fine, find yourself a nice boy in a cardigan

[firemed]

My advice: If money doesn't matter go with W&M and get your MPH in one year via the MANY MANY programs available to do that.

[Knock]

Emory

[fatduck]

also: don't tell your parents about the scholarship, and take a $75k trip to vegas

[fathergoose]

Picture or it didn't happen

[birdlaw117]

also: don't tell your parents about the scholarship, and take a $75k trip to vegas

Definitely TCR

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

Never visited Georgia or Virginia in my life but looking for a change from CA. Initally drawn to Emory because of proximity to CDC and joint degree (JD/MPH). Work in public health now (syringe exchange/HIV test counselor/drug counselor) but want more of a legal twist. Offered 75k from Emory, though $ not an issue (thanks mommy/daddy). Ratings drop has scared me. Should I be considering the 45k William and Mary offered? Love Boston, so really not committing until I hear from BC (thanks BU for crushing my dreams). Do I go with Emory's health law program I'm looking for (and easy employment with disease prevention as I work for model HIV services program here in SD) and forget about the ratings? W&M stable #28/27 rating is so tempting.
Waitlisted at BU
Waitlisted at Notre Dame
Still waiting from BC

Please help! Does Emory suck? Afraid of being laughed at on East Coast for my inability to make an informed decision.

1. You want an MPH, and you obviously know your stuff, so I won't have to tell you about how awesome Emory's medical facilities and the CDC are.
2. You have 30k more from Emory than you do from W&M (though it's probably less than that when you factor in tuition differences)
3. Have you seen Emory's rank over the past 5 years? The school's drop this year can be pretty well accounted for.
4. Emory is still significantly better than W&M at putting kids in biglaw, as evidenced by the NLJ stats that were just released which are one year more recent than the data used to calculate the USNews rankings

Emory sounds like a no brainer assuming you don't get into a Boston school.

Also, going for a guy who wears cardigans is a great idea.

[crumpetsandtea]

atlanta rocks, you'll be fine, find yourself a nice boy in a cardigan

pagingmickeyquicknumbers.... LOL just saw that he commented RIGHT before me.

In other news, TTIWWOP.

[firemed]

1. You want an MPH, and you obviously know your stuff, so I won't have to tell you about how awesome Emory's medical facilities and the CDC are.
2. You have 30k more from Emory than you do from W&M (though it's probably less than that when you factor in tuition differences)
3. Have you seen Emory's rank over the past 5 years? The school's drop this year can be pretty well accounted for.
4. Emory is still significantly better than W&M at putting kids in biglaw, as evidenced by the NLJ stats that were just released which are one year more recent than the data used to calculate the USNews rankings

Emory sounds like a no brainer assuming you don't get into a Boston school.

Also, going for a guy who wears cardigans is a great idea.

Hadn't considered:

a) the CDC. Emory's MPH is arguably in the top 3 in the nation.

b) the biglaw placements

c) the cardigans possibilities

I hereby change my vote to second MickeyQuick

[DJ Siris]

What are these cardigans you speak of? Similar to scarlet letters I suppose. Plus, if I total in the cost of buying closed-toe shoes, W&M has offered me really no $ at all.

[ballpop]

Go to Emory---I am actually in a similar situation (waiting on BC, WL at BU/Fordham, into Emory with a smallish scholly, but my other school is Cardozo with a nearly full scholarship, and I want to really work in the NE, preferably NYC, school paid for) and pretty much have decided on Emory unless I get into BC---also interested in leveraging my science background with an MPH possibly (or going environmental at BC)

But I am just getting into blondes finally, soooo

[ballpop]

Oh and also, as a Northeasterner who has lived in the coldest major city in North America---you Cali people can't handle the cold---I'd be worried about Boston

[Knock]

Oh and also, as a Northeasterner who has lived in the coldest major city in North America---you Cali people can't handle the cold---I'd be worried about Boston

Dammit.

[ballpop]

Oh and also, as a Northeasterner who has lived in the coldest major city in North America---you Cali people can't handle the cold---I'd be worried about Boston

Dammit.

LoL

Maybe we can have a test---can you last in a walk in fridge in a tshirt and jeans for more than 30 minutes or something---also do you consider numbness in your extremities a bad thing?

[Knock]

Oh and also, as a Northeasterner who has lived in the coldest major city in North America---you Cali people can't handle the cold---I'd be worried about Boston

Dammit.

LoL

Maybe we can have a test---can you last in a walk in fridge in a tshirt and jeans for more than 30 minutes or something---also do you consider numbness in your extremities a bad thing?

No and yes, i'm screwed. Is Chicago colder than Boston?

[ballpop]

Oh and also, as a Northeasterner who has lived in the coldest major city in North America---you Cali people can't handle the cold---I'd be worried about Boston

Dammit.

LoL

Maybe we can have a test---can you last in a walk in fridge in a tshirt and jeans for more than 30 minutes or something---also do you consider numbness in your extremities a bad thing?

No and yes, i'm screwed. Is Chicago colder than Boston?

Not sure...certainly relatively similar---neither scare me after 4 years in Montreal though

Probably Chicago is colder though because of the Arctic wind/cold lake effect versus the warmer Atlantic winds

Not much of a difference---but Chicago is IMO a way cooler, more affordable and more cosmopolitan city---but in Boston you have nice NE summering spots in NH, VT and Maine and a 15 dollar or so bus to NYC

[Danteshek]

Sounds like someone needs an adventure. I suggest you indulge those fantasies BEFORE entering law school. Then be a good girl and find a nice CA school to attend.

[snapdragon]

Oh and also, as a Northeasterner who has lived in the coldest major city in North America---you Cali people can't handle the cold---I'd be worried about Boston

Dammit.

LoL

Maybe we can have a test---can you last in a walk in fridge in a tshirt and jeans for more than 30 minutes or something---also do you consider numbness in your extremities a bad thing?

No and yes, i'm screwed. Is Chicago colder than Boston?

I don't know if Chicago is technically colder, but I've lived in the Northeast all my life and Chicago winter winds almost made me cry.

[treeey86]

Emory also has an awesome field placement program set up to intern during the school year for academic credit. Some placements include the CDC, pharmaceutical companies, and other health regulatory agencies. http://www.law.emory.edu/academics/acad ... ments.html

I am an Emory 2L who had W&M as an option. I am connected to VA (wont specify since I dont want to out myself), so knew that I didnt need a W&M degree to go back. Furthermore, Atlanta >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Williamsburg. Atlanta gives you the big city life ( but the burbs are also available to live in since Emory campus borders both). Whereas at W&M you are stuck in a colonial town w/ 1 deli/bar ( yes I wrote deli slash bar), an amusement park, and historical reenactments everyday. Was a no-brainer for me.

As for the rankings. Yeah the drop sucks. But once you go to law school you get a sense of the range of opportunities your school gives you. Although Emory dropped 8 ranks, its reputation and opportunities are still the same as it was last year when it was ranked 22, the year before when it was ranked 20, and the year before that when it was ranked 21. I could go on but you get the point. A school like Georgia State that has steadily increased its rankings the last 5 years likely has better opportunities now than it did 5 years ago. For the most part, Emory remains stuck in the 20-30 range, and its opportunities have thus remained quite constant. Emory gives a great education, and the degree carries well up/down the east coast.

best of luck.

[AreJay711]

I don't know if Chicago is technically colder, but I've lived in the Northeast all my life and Chicago winter winds almost made me cry.

Shit, Baltimore winter winds make me cry. I will probably die in Michigan.