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I was set for Northwestern (bought the plane tickets, signed the lease contract, etc. etc...) until this morning when GULC told me that their financial aid package contained some $18,000 a year grant. In many ways I'm more attracted to NU because: I love Chicago; have bunch of friends there; like the smaller class size; job placement in biglaw. Assuming that this Dean's tuition grant from GULC is renewable each year, I'm having trouble whether its $54,000 is enough to tip the scale. BTW, NU declined to up my scholarship offer

Please help me out!!

Cost of attendance?

54k is no joke

Edit: (interest)

I don't think the difference in quality is good enough to turn down 54k, presuming COL is similar.

bjsesq wrote:I don't think the difference in quality is good enough to turn down 54k, presuming COL is similar.

Baring a strong desire to work in Chicago after lawl school I agree.

Before someone says "I want the one person who voted for NU to explain themselves," I always vote for my team. Go wildcats beat the hoyas.

For your Biglaw and Chi preference, go NU

$54,000 is no joke, but given your obvious preference for NU (other things being equal) I'd make sure that you can be reasonably confident that you can expect to get 18k every year from Gtown before you jump ship from NU.

How gunner are you?

I would venture to guess that median at NU and median at GULC will end you up in quite different places. I would probably take the 54k if i were in your shoes, but i would also be prepared to wage war at GULC.

How different is it really, the biglaw prospects at NU and GULC? Anybody familiar with how they place in NYC & International arena?

goodcharles wrote:How different is it really, the biglaw prospects at NU and GULC? Anybody familiar with how they place in NYC & International arena?

The discrepancy is visible; however, it's likely that this is because of a clear difference in work experience & maturity between NU and GULC students. If you have less WE or are dramatically younger, you might be at a disadvantage @ NU.

International law is fairly nonexistent, (HYS takes these positions) but GULC's DC networking would provide some advantages.

As for NYC biglaw...both schools send a number of students there, but obv, NU's target market is Chicago. (and GULC's target is DC, though DC goes nationwide)

Dug up these stats for you - your welcome in advance

2010:
NU: 44.4% (rank 8 )
GULC: 37.6% (rank 13)

2009:
NU: 55.9% (rank 1)
GULC: 42.8% (rank 13)

2008:
NU: 62.9% (rank 5)
GULC: 49.0% (rank 13)

2007:
NU: 73.5% (rank 2)
GULC: 48.5% (rank 13)

Thanks for the NLJ250 stats! Where do u find all these? I've seen links to recent two years' data, but never found older ones.

Keep in mind that CoL will be a little higher in DC than it will in Evanston. Would you honestly be able to get out of your lease in Chicago? All things considered I would go to NU if you want to do firm work 100%.

BarbellDreams wrote:Keep in mind that CoL will be a little higher in DC than it will in Evanston. Would you honestly be able to get out of your lease in Chicago? All things considered I would go to NU if you want to do firm work 100%.

NU is in downtown Chicago, but COL will still be lower. Tuition at NU is higher though, so I doubt there is an appreciable difference in overall COA.

I would actually still go to NU if you want biglaw. GULC's NLJ250 placement is a joke for a T14.

BarbellDreams wrote:Keep in mind that CoL will be a little higher in DC than it will in Evanston. Would you honestly be able to get out of your lease in Chicago? All things considered I would go to NU if you want to do firm work 100%.

COL in DC is much higher than in Evanston, but as I keep winding up explaining to people in real life, NU law is not in Evanston. I just checked padmapper near GULC and prices for studios are a bit lower than prices near Northwestern Law School.

Northwestern is the better choice based on your preferences.

Bumi wrote:

BarbellDreams wrote:Keep in mind that CoL will be a little higher in DC than it will in Evanston. Would you honestly be able to get out of your lease in Chicago? All things considered I would go to NU if you want to do firm work 100%.

COL in DC is much higher than in Evanston, but as I keep winding up explaining to people in real life, NU law is not in Evanston. I just checked padmapper near GULC and prices for studios are a bit lower than prices near Northwestern Law School.

I doubt OP will make up his/her mind based on this, but whatever listings you were looking at were probably not near GULC in the sense that Streeterville is near NU. The Chinatown/Mass Ave area that GULC is in is very expensive. I think for an equal distance from campus NU will almost always have a cheaper COL option.

GULC student here.

Just FYI, in case you haven't decided yet -- the Dean's Tuition Grant at GULC is not renewable. So, the amount you get could change year to year depending on your finances/those of your parents (if you included them in your financial aid application). I speak from experience (though there are ways to leverage between 1L and 2L year too).

Thanks for all the feedbacks! I decided stay loyal to NU, though it wasn't hard to let go of GULC money. Can't wait to move back to Chicago and join NUIM Soccer!