Top Law Schools

So deposits are due this Friday. I have a few solid choices and I'd like your advice on what to take.

The listed $ amounts are scholarship over 3 years.
BU - 85k
GWU - 105k
Fordham - 75k
Texas - 21k (OOS tuition)
Cornell - Pending but expect to hear back this week or early next week. Will probably have to pay sticker if I get in.

I've been in NY for highschool+undergrad and I have strong connections here. Would like to practice in the northeast region when I graduate.

What would be my best option? Biglaw to in house is the ideal career trajectory for me but since I am a clueless 0L who knows what can happen.

I'm seriously tempted to go to Cornell at sticker but 210k is daunting considering my family is lower middle class and I have a sibling who will be enrolling in med school next year. Family will contribute as much as they can but not nearly enough to make a big impact.

edit: Numbers are 168/3.8 if that makes any difference.

if you're set on working in the NE, it's BU, GWU, or Fordham.

if CoA factors in, GWU might be the cheaper option as COL in Boston and NYC, esp NYC is high.

have you visited these 3? what did you think?

tourdeforcex wrote:if you're set on working in the NE, it's BU, GWU, or Fordham.

if CoA factors in, GWU might be the cheaper option as COL in Boston and NYC, esp NYC is high.

have you visited these 3? what did you think?

GW tuition is higher and DC CoA is higher than in Boston, but not higher than NYC. Trust me on that.

tourdeforcex wrote:if you're set on working in the NE, it's BU, GWU, or Fordham.

if CoA factors in, GWU might be the cheaper option as COL in Boston and NYC, esp NYC is high.

have you visited these 3? what did you think?

Haven't visited. I've visited the Boston area but never been to DC.

I think BU comes out to be a bit cheaper than GWU even with less $.

FiveSermon wrote:

tourdeforcex wrote:if you're set on working in the NE, it's BU, GWU, or Fordham.

if CoA factors in, GWU might be the cheaper option as COL in Boston and NYC, esp NYC is high.

have you visited these 3? what did you think?

Haven't visited. I've visited the Boston area but never been to DC.

I think BU comes out to be a bit cheaper than GWU even with less $.

then the credited response seems to be BU. connections in NE, options for biglaw, cheaper

tourdeforcex wrote:if you're set on working in the NE, it's BU, GWU, or Fordham.

if CoA factors in, GWU might be the cheaper option as COL in Boston and NYC, esp NYC is high.

have you visited these 3? what did you think?

Probably not true because living in DC is EXPENSIVE! Boston may actually be the cheapest for COL. If you really want the NE (presuming NYC) its really Cornell, Fordham, and BU as GW will probably keep u in the mid atlantic after graduation. As for those 3, Cornell is definitely the best bet for BigLaw (something like 55% of their students went to NLJ250 firms and ranked 2nd only behind Chicago I think, someone may have to check those numbers) but if you are really really debt averse then its Fordham or BU. BU is obviously best for Boston and can get you back to NY but Fordham >> BU in NYC.

BU or Fordham, depending on whether you'd prefer one of the top two schools for Boston (Harvard doesn't count) or a school with two competitors that are much stronger for NYC (as well as random T14 people looking for NYC).
Bottom line: BU will almost certainly get you Boston while Fordham only might get you New York

.

Cornell's LRAP seems to be much better than all of these other schools though.

Since no word from Cornell, I'm going to send in a deposit.

Should I send it to BU or GW?