WUSTL vs. Vandy vs. Duke for St. Louis employment Forum

[cbp3443]

Help me out TLS!

I'm a St. Louis girl at heart, born and raised there and went to a Missouri undergrad. Would love to end up at one of the larger firms in St. Louis, and as market here is less than some of the bigger cities, am somewhat debt-adverse.

If I stayed at home and went the Wustl route, I would have significantly lower cost of living expenses, as I could live at home for as long as I wanted, mooching off my parents, etc.

Understandably, TLS wisdom would say Vandy or Duke in most cases, but if I know I love StL, is WashU the best option?

For full disclosure, I've been waitlisted at UVA, Michigan and Chicago, and am on hold at Columbia and Harvard. 173 3.85.

Poll numbers are scholarship numbers, not total cost of attendance.

[duckmoney]

Email some hiring partners at big firms in St. Louis you might be interested in, and ask them if (knowing you have ties) they would rather see someone from WUSTL or Duke. Vandy should be out of the question.

[BeachandRun23]

WUSTL for free with no cost of living is pretty unbeatable here especially if you are dead set on st. louis. You can network in the city while in school and take whatever job you want when you graduate because you will be debtless.

[northwood]

I say WUSTL- you are going to school in your target city. You have many opportunities to network and get experience within the st.louis legal community. Plus your debt will be very minimal so you have moreoptions when you graduate. congrats!

[Flips88]

I voted WUSTL. You'd already be in your goal market and have 3 years to build connections within STL. You'd come out basically debt free. I'd probably not recommend living with your parents in law school (it's grad school, time to be independent). So living costs for three years with free tuition at a T-20 isn't a bad gig.

[beachbum]

woah, this topic could have been started by me. But yeah, I think WUSTL is the clear winner here, with Duke a somewhat-distant second. It's just tough to beat a free ride to a great school in your target market.

[cbp3443]

woah, this topic could have been started by me. But yeah, I think WUSTL is the clear winner here, with Duke a somewhat-distant second. It's just tough to beat a free ride to a great school in your target market.

Haha beachbum I definitely creeped on your cycle a little bit prior to your ED acceptance. Congrats on Duke and (if I read the Duke 2014 thread right) a surprise scholarship to top it off!

[Attorney]

If I stayed at home and went the Wustl route, I would have significantly lower cost of living expenses, as I could live at home for as long as I wanted, mooching off my parents, etc.

Just for curiosity's sake... if I went to WUSTL, could I live with you and mooch off your parents too?

FYI: I'm mostly clean, and completely housebroken.

[jockinjay-z]

Don't rule out Vandy! I'm also from STL, went to school there for undergrad, and made a similar decision last year. The firms that I interviewed with back at home I think like the fact that I didnt go to WUSTL just like almost everyone else. I think Vandy/Duke it makes you stand out more especially if you have ties to STL.

[beachbum]

woah, this topic could have been started by me. But yeah, I think WUSTL is the clear winner here, with Duke a somewhat-distant second. It's just tough to beat a free ride to a great school in your target market.

Haha beachbum I definitely creeped on your cycle a little bit prior to your ED acceptance. Congrats on Duke and (if I read the Duke 2014 thread right) a surprise scholarship to top it off!

haha, thanks a lot. (And I'm a St. Louisan, too!) You've got some great choices here, and I think it would be worth visiting Duke (and Vandy if you can swing it) just to make sure you're going to the best school for you. Any of these schools will get you back to STL, so a lot of it's gonna come down to debt aversion and personal fit. (But I still think WUSTL with a full ride is tough to beat). Good luck!

[Bumi]

Understandable, TLS wisdom would say Vandy or Duke in most cases

Yet WUSTL is crushing the poll. It is interesting to me how often TLS wisdom does not match the perception of TLS wisdom.

[handlesthetruth]

Understandable, TLS wisdom would say Vandy or Duke in most cases

Yet WUSTL is crushing the poll. It is interesting to me how often TLS wisdom does not match the perception of TLS wisdom.

TLS seems to be friendly to T30s when op wants their region though..

[EdmundBurke23]

I'm a little surprised to see that you're waitlisted on those schools. Did you apply late by any chance?

[handlesthetruth]

Also:

Is reapplying early this fall an option? U should be getting full tuition at a T14 with those numbers, no?

[cbp3443]

I'm a little surprised to see that you're waitlisted on those schools. Did you apply late by any chance?

yep, the 173 is a December retake, so while I submitted to Duke and Washu with my initial (much lower score) after October, most of the rest of my apps went January 10-15 ish. I honestly don't think for my purposes waiting an entire year would be worth it as I'm not heartbroken about the schools I've been waitlisted at.

[bearsfan1]

I'm a little surprised to see that you're waitlisted on those schools. Did you apply late by any chance?

yep, the 173 is a December retake, so while I submitted to Duke and Washu with my initial (much lower score) after October, most of the rest of my apps went January 10-15 ish. I honestly don't think for my purposes waiting an entire year would be worth it, not heartbroken about the schools I've been waitlisted at.

I'd definitely take WashU. STL is an awesome city and if you want to end up there, why leave for three years? I wouldn't live at home though, esp since you have a full scholarship, I'd take out a nice little loan and find a nice apartment.

[Grizz]

Is St. Louis the only market you want to work in? If so, go to WUSTL. But it might not be a bad idea to hedge and go to Duke if St. Louis doesn't work out for whatever reason and you want a better shot at major market.

[cbp3443]

Is St. Louis the only market you want to work in? If so, go to WUSTL. But it might not be a bad idea to hedge and go to Duke if St. Louis doesn't work out for whatever reason and you want a better shot at major market.

I realize it's a little naive to go into school thinking that I only want a specific market, especially a secondary one. So I'm trying to resist saying St. Louis or bust, but my family is here, the cost of living is awesome, plus, go Cards! I wouldn't rule out other possibilities if they opened up, but I can honestly say I'd be 100% happy if i settled in StL for the rest of my career.

There's always the fact that only 10 % of the class will be in the top 10% sort of thing, and would I have better opportunities being median at Duke than median at Wustl. Probably. That's why I'm so grateful for everyone's advice/perspectives!

Thanks so much for the help everyone! I think the poll definitely backs up what I was thinking!

[uzpakalis]

Not sure if you made a decision yet, but I say Duke. Duke can get you somewhere warm in the winter!

[Rock Chalk]

.

[mattviphky]

If I were you, then WUSTL all the way. If I were me with your numbers, type great personal essay, apply first day, and enjoy Harvard.

[cbp3443]

Thanks for the additional response everyone!

[PleaseHelpThanks]

The firms that I interviewed with back at home I think like the fact that I didnt go to WUSTL just like almost everyone else. I think Vandy/Duke it makes you stand out more especially if you have ties to STL.

[thexfactor]

duke/vandy or reapply.
Your numbers are really good and can get ccn next cycle without any problems.
Don't sell yourself short. You might even get a full scholarship at a lower t14 or vandy.
There is a HUGE difference between t14 schools and wustl.
Getting a job should be more important than location right now.

[Slevin Kelevra 2011]

duke/vandy or reapply.
Your numbers are really good and can get ccn next cycle without any problems.
Don't sell yourself short. You might even get a full scholarship at a lower t14 or vandy.
There is a HUGE difference between t14 schools and wustl.
Getting a job should be more important than location right now.

This. WUSTL doesn't guarantee you employment in St. Louis. If anything, you are going to be competing with every other WUSTL student for the same jobs. Coming from a better law school, you will stand out amongst the WUSTL applicants and have an edge they don't. Duke would be my pick. If you ever decide to leave MO, you can other places from Duke. The same can't be said for WUSTL.