CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin Forum

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Last minute offer

Wisconsin - $40K COA
17
57%
CU-Boulder - $60K
13
43%
 
Total votes: 30

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theavrock

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CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by theavrock » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:10 pm

Alright so I thought I would throw this out to TLS

I was all set to attend Wisconsin when CU let me in off the waitlist and I was lucky enough to get a great scholly that bring costs relatively in line for the two.

Thoughts

1. If UW and CU's offers had come at the same time I probably would have went to CU.

2. I think I would rather be in Colorado (better weather, mountains etc), but I have no qualms about being in Wisconsin and UW's employment stats seem better (although not by miles). Essentially I either market would be great to work in and offer different things but I want a job when I graduate.

3. That being said I feel like UW has a little better employment prospects (haven't gotten CU's final numbers yet), but CU has the larger market in general, although it is more of a destination that people are shooting for as opposed to Milwaukee/Madison.

4. Ideally would like to do Nat. Resources/Env Law which is what CU is very strong in, but don't know that this should be a consideration given how meaningless speciality rankings are.

5. If I go to UW and decide I want to stay in WI, I don't have to take the bar. Obviously this isn't the case for CU, but not sure if this should be a deciding factor or not.

The things that are holding me back is that my SO has accepted a job offer in Wisconsin, we have a lease signed and all of our family has been informed that we were moving back home to Wisconsin (we are both from WI). Essentially we were all set and now if I decided on CU it would be a scramble and total shift in gears.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I feel very lucky to have what I feel like are two good options, but I am very conflicted over which one to choose.

CanadianWolf

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by CanadianWolf » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:20 pm

Wisconsin.

kristyk

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by kristyk » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:21 pm

If time/cost allows, I say you and your SO should take a trip out to CO and see what you both think (the bringing along of the SO of course depending on how serious the relationship is...) I think at this point it's going to come down to where you feel most comfortable going to school / where you want to end up after graduation. If you really like CO THAT much more, then go there. If not, it sounds like you have a great thing going for you in WI.

Good luck!

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theavrock

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by theavrock » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:24 pm

Wolf: Why do you say Wisco?

We live in New Mexico right now, so we have taken a few trips up to CO and are going to Denver this weekend.

Definitely a serious relationship (3 years, moved across the country 2 years ago etc.)

I noticed you said "THAT much more." So if I like them the same it sounds like your suggestion is WI?

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Kronk

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by Kronk » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:26 pm

CU is the bomb, but unless your SO is excited to try to find a new job, sounds like a lot of give up from Wisconsin to go to a similar or slightly worse school.

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CanadianWolf

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by CanadianWolf » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:36 pm

I voted for Wisconsin based on the content of your original post in this thread. Both are excellent law schools in great locations. Madison, Berkeley & Boulder are arguably the three most exciting & most liberal college towns in the nation, yet all three are much more than just "college towns". In my opinion, you cannot make a wrong choice--it just seems as if you have already committed to Wisconsin.

The advantage of not having to sit for the Wisconsin bar exam allows you to sit for a neighboring state's bar exam or Colorado's.

Students & residents love both Madison & Boulder. In my opinion, tier one law schools are equal for the most part beyond the Top 17.

P.S. Even if you tried to base your selection on beer quality, it would be a tie. Better skiing in Colorado, but better fishing in Wisconsin. Trust me, your law school exams will be easier than this choice in your situation. :D

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by kristyk » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:39 pm

I wish there was a magic formula but IMO it's more of a "gut feeling" decision. Maybe it's the town that has better diversity in restaurants. Or the town that has more green space, more free concerts in parks or better weather. Or maybe your SO has better career options in one town over the other. I would see what makes you both happy (if you're making the decision together, which it sounds like you kind of are). Not sure if this helps but try making a pro/con chart. Even if it contains silly stuff like "# of bikepaths" -- if it's important to you, put it on the list. I don't think it's a huge deal if you have to tell your family/friends you've decided to change your mind and move to CO over WI -- in the grand scheme of things it will be a tiny blip on the radar.

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by kristyk » Fri Jul 01, 2011 12:42 pm

CanadianWolf wrote:In my opinion, you cannot make a wrong choice--it just seems as if you have already committed to Wisconsin.

The advantage of not having to sit for the Wisconsin bar exam allows you to sit for a neighboring state's bar exam or Colorado's.
Totally agree!

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by tspence13 » Fri Jul 01, 2011 3:35 pm

I live in Boulder, and while I think Madison is an equally progressive and hip city, it does not have 300 days of sunshine per year or access to a dozen ski resorts. Location wise, Boulder is probably the best college town in the country except Berkeley or Austin.

Also, if you are planning on Natural Resource law, CU has a better program and when you graduate the environmental work you would do in the West is more interesting and challenging.

Your point about the bar exam is, IMO, moot because over 95% of CU grads pass whatever bar exam they take.

Take Boulder.

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Hippononymous

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by Hippononymous » Fri Jul 01, 2011 3:49 pm

You gonna push me up the curve at Wisco or down it? If up, stay. If down, go to Boulder.



All kidding aside, I spent an afternoon in Boulder once and it seemed like a pretty cool place. Overall, Denver/Boulder/Colorado seem to be great for the outdoors-y people. I saw more than just skiing in Colorado. Lots of jogging, cycling, etc. And the scenery is great. Not hard at all to imagine spending three years there, except that I personally have no family ties.

How hard is it going to be to get out of your lease? That could cost you quite a bit...

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Kronk

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by Kronk » Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:15 pm

tspence13 wrote:I live in Boulder, and while I think Madison is an equally progressive and hip city, it does not have 300 days of sunshine per year or access to a dozen ski resorts. Location wise, Boulder is probably the best college town in the country except Berkeley or Austin.

Also, if you are planning on Natural Resource law, CU has a better program and when you graduate the environmental work you would do in the West is more interesting and challenging.

Your point about the bar exam is, IMO, moot because over 95% of CU grads pass whatever bar exam they take.

Take Boulder.
If $5,000 for a BarBri class is moot, then okay.

But seriously--I don't think the people saying Boulder are taking into account your situation. For me personally, if my girlfriend had a job and my entire family lived in another state, and by going to school at CU I wouldn't have a great chance at moving back to be around my family, I think that's a no-brainer.

If you don't care about being close to the fam and your wife can get another job easily and you can get out of your lease, then I would go to Boulder. Just seems like a lot of "ifs" for a school that isn't any better than Wisconsin.

mrwarre85

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by mrwarre85 » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:47 pm

Check the numbers, it is harder to get into CU than Wisconsin. Gets more apps with higher GPA/LSATS. Many Big 10 schools are slightly overrated. I think the only reason anyone would say Wisconsin was better than CU was based on USNEWS rankings, and that IMO is silly.

That said, I always thought I would really love Madison but wasn't allowed to apply because of how cold it is there.

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theavrock

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by theavrock » Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:37 pm

Agreed Kronk. I'm not worried about passing the bar, but paying for a prep course and the lost time studying for the test could make a big difference IF I decide I want to stay in WI.

I don't need to be back by my fam, but the SO really would like that. We came up with a pros and cons chart and individually ranked each one and then weighted them and the total scores for each school came less than a point from each other.

Yeesh!

And Hippy - You and I would be 1 and 2 so it wouldn't matter much :)

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Lord Randolph McDuff

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by Lord Randolph McDuff » Sat Jul 02, 2011 6:48 pm

You said yourself you would have taken CU if the offers would have come at the same time. Go to the school you want to go to--your SO will worry that you will regret the decision to go to UW and subsequently resent her. Be you and go to CU.

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theavrock

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by theavrock » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:16 pm

Thanks for all the thoughts people. I decided to stay at Wisconsin.

Although I loved the school and everything about CU, UW upped their scholly offer, it was just too much to give up.

Thanks again for the replies.

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JamMasterJ

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Re: CU Boulder vs. Wisconsin

Post by JamMasterJ » Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:31 am

theavrock wrote:Agreed Kronk. I'm not worried about passing the bar, but paying for a prep course and the lost time studying for the test could make a big difference IF I decide I want to stay in WI.

I don't need to be back by my fam, but the SO really would like that. We came up with a pros and cons chart and individually ranked each one and then weighted them and the total scores for each school came less than a point from each other.

Yeesh!

And Hippy - You and I would be 1 and 2 so it wouldn't matter much :)
outed as a gunner :wink:

But really, the schools are pretty similar, so go to whichever you would be comfortable staying in after graduation. Both will be fine in the local market, but difficult to transport

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