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I was wondering how well UCLA stacks against Columbia if I want to work in SoCal after graduation? Columbia is an awesome school with amazing opportunities. On the other hand, UCLA is more convenient since it's close to home and I'm familiar with the area. UCLA is also cheaper to attend.

Decision deadline is today. I'm still up at 3am and I'm completely torn!

Any insight would be helpful. Thanks!

Surely there's a money difference? If it's both sticker, Columbia all the way imo.

Kabuo wrote:Surely there's a money difference? If it's both sticker, Columbia all the way imo.

OP's from LA, wants to live in LA, obviously likes cities like LA, and your advice is to "Move to New York!" Smart.

Yo Mac,

That is the correct advice. Even if OP wishes to be in LA in the long run, the Columbia name is going to be worth the three years he would have to spend in NYC to earn that degree.

This is of course, assuming they are both at sticker price. If you have no scholarship from either, the smart decision is Columbia. Unless you have something chaining you to LA for the next three years, move to NYC, enjoy a new experience, then move back to LA and make your 150+.

JumboPaperClips wrote:UCLA is also cheaper to attend.

We're gonna need more details on this, champ.

If both at sticker, this decision isn't even remotely close. Enjoy NYC.

If UCLA's giving you money (I'd imagine they are, but maybe not)...well, it depends on how much they're giving you and your personal aversion to debt. fwiw I'm about 95% sure I'm taking Columbia over USC with 90k with similar goals to yours.

lawfuture10 wrote:, then move back to LA and make your 150+.

Advice in this thread: getting stupider.

MrKappus wrote:

lawfuture10 wrote:, then move back to LA and make your 150+.

Advice in this thread: getting stupider.

Can you help us understand why you think anyone should choose UCLA over Columbia at the same price (which is what you seem to be arguing, given that you chimed in before any scholarship info was revealed)? I know you mentioned something about liking LA up above, but that's not even close to sufficient. It's not that big of a deal to live in NYC for three years and then come back to LA (which Columbia enables you to do with essentially no penalty). So could you explain? I'm genuinely curious how someone so wrong could be so stridently abrasive about it.

MrKappus wrote:

Kabuo wrote:Surely there's a money difference? If it's both sticker, Columbia all the way imo.

OP's from LA, wants to live in LA, obviously likes cities like LA, and your advice is to "Move to New York!" Smart.

So we can agree he has ties to LA, yes? As long as he's not bottom of the barrel he can get LA biglaw from Columbia with worse grades than he can at UCLA. Maybe this changes if he doesn't want biglaw, but he's not been that specific. So yeah, totally stupid.

Need more info on $$$.

If UCLA gives you money, go to UCLA.