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I'm settled in Durham, and I love the area. What would you do?

I want biglaw, but I don't really want to work in the city. Legal academia is intriguing to (but i'll definitely want to head to a firm first)

PureEnergy wrote:I'm settled in Durham, and I love the area.

There's your answer.

I'll say Duke. With the scholly and lower COL you'll have more flexibility earlier in your career.

and +1 to the above. Maybe you could try and finangle a bit more money out of duke with the new acceptance?

Tough one, would be tougher if you weren't already settled in Durham or had a lifelong dream of attending nyu. I'd stick with duke.

You've answered your own question in your first post.

Keep in mind that NYU COL is higher also. Your difference is more than 60K. Add the new bullshit the government did to student loans and this choice seems fairly obv

PureEnergy wrote:I'm settled in Durham, and I love the area. What would you do?

I want biglaw, but I don't really want to work in the city. Legal academia is intriguing to (but i'll definitely want to head to a firm first)

This is why I am not at NYU. I was told that NYU was extremely valuable if you want to work in NYC, but that it had little advantage over other T14 outside of the NY market.

Outside of NYC, it is HYS and then non-HYS T14. Stay where you are and enjoy a lower COL with no snow in the winter (I know I am looking forward to it already).

See you tomorrow.

lawyerwannabe wrote:Outside of NYC, it is HYS and then non-HYS T14. Stay where you are and enjoy a lower COL with no snow in the winter (I know I am looking forward to it already).

See you tomorrow.

+1 to both

would the advice be the same if I was just "meh" on Durham?

PureEnergy wrote:would the advice be the same if I was just "meh" on Durham?

60k is nothing to scoff at, especially with the cost of living differences. If you are relatively sure you will not be bidding NYC for OCI then I think the advice will remain the same no matter how you feel about Durham.

bdubs wrote:

PureEnergy wrote:would the advice be the same if I was just "meh" on Durham?

60k is nothing to scoff at, especially with the cost of living differences. If you are relatively sure you will not be bidding NYC for OCI then I think the advice will remain the same no matter how you feel about Durham.

+1.

Also, keep in mind, by going to NYU you are doing two things:

- increasing debt by about $80k
- not increasing, possibly decreasing, your chances at non-NYC markets

lawyerwannabe wrote:- not increasing, possibly decreasing, your chances at non-NYC markets

I'm kind of sick of reading this crap. Do you really think people in SF/SV, LA, DC, Chicago, etc., don't know what NYU is?

Do you want to work for firms that don't know what NYU is?

All that being said, NYU is a superior school, but you're getting a lot of money from Duke. These are good options to have.

ahduth wrote:

lawyerwannabe wrote:- not increasing, possibly decreasing, your chances at non-NYC markets

I'm kind of sick of reading this crap. Do you really think people in SF/SV, LA, DC, Chicago, etc., don't know what NYU is?

Do you want to work for firms that don't know what NYU is?

All that being said, NYU is a superior school, but you're getting a lot of money from Duke. These are good options to have.

I think he's referring to the lack of a tie to a particular area. If OP wanted to work in a southern market and had no ties, going to NYU would probably hurt their chances of securing a job. Other markets recognize NYU is a good school, but I was told that they don't split hairs over non-HYS T14.

OP: Look at the prospects of making law review at both schools. Is the fraction of the class on LR at Duke larger? My guess is yes.

60,000k?!! Woah! Id have to go Duke with that scholly.

bdubs wrote:

ahduth wrote:

lawyerwannabe wrote:- not increasing, possibly decreasing, your chances at non-NYC markets

I'm kind of sick of reading this crap. Do you really think people in SF/SV, LA, DC, Chicago, etc., don't know what NYU is?

Do you want to work for firms that don't know what NYU is?

All that being said, NYU is a superior school, but you're getting a lot of money from Duke. These are good options to have.

I think he's referring to the lack of a tie to a particular area. If OP wanted to work in a southern market and had no ties, going to NYU would probably hurt their chances of securing a job. Other markets recognize NYU is a good school, but I was told that they don't split hairs over non-HYS T14.

OP: Look at the prospects of making law review at both schools. Is the fraction of the class on LR at Duke larger? My guess is yes.

Meh. I should've applied to Northwestern. I'm going to be hitting all of you up for info on how to OCI into Sidley, Kirkland, etc.

ahduth wrote:Meh. I should've applied to Northwestern. I'm going to be hitting all of you up for info on how to OCI into Sidley, Kirkland, etc.

IIRC you already have Chicago ties, right? I think you'll be just fine.

FYI - Duke LR takes ~39 students (~20%) from each class based, with grade on, write on, and combo. NYU is closer to 10% of the class IIRC and has diversity slots (good if you're diverse, bad if you're not)

bdubs wrote:

ahduth wrote:Meh. I should've applied to Northwestern. I'm going to be hitting all of you up for info on how to OCI into Sidley, Kirkland, etc.

IIRC you already have Chicago ties, right? I think you'll be just fine.

You're a networking contact. Pre-notification.

dont really want to be in the "deep south" Would be fine with texas or atl though

thecilent wrote:60,000k?!! Woah! Id have to go Duke with that scholly.

Hells yeah! With that kind of scholly, you could retire upon graduation.

i don't see any reason for you to go to duke. go buy yourself a luxury car

The poll is way more one-sided than I could have ever expected.

You are totally settled in Durham, love the area, don't want to be in the city, and have a sweet scholarship to Duke. Cmon man. I go to NYU, and this is an easy "Duke" choice.

NYU will give you slightly better prospects, but not enough to to be worth the extra $60,000 plus COL. Duke is the easy choice IMO, even without considering the fact that you like Durham and have no desire to work in New York.

Duke. Easy. There's a reason it's dominating the poll.