Vandy $$$, UGA $, or Emory $$$? Forum

[Sombrero191]

So I realize that there are a few UGA vs. Emory threads floating around, but I would like to throw mine into the mix because I think it's a unique situation since Vandy is involved. Any insight would be very much appreciated.

Given my scholarship situation, total cost of attendance at Emory and Vandy would break down to roughly the same number (Emory would actually cost a bit more), while UGA would come in about 25k cheaper. Again, we're talking total cost of attendance, not just tuition. I'm not interested in biglaw but I am 99% sure that I want to wind up working in Atlanta. In my case, where would you guys go? I realize that I've been offered a huge opportunity to attend Vandy (and Emory to some extent) for so cheap, but given my career goals I don't know that it's the best choice for me to spend the extra money or to move out of state. If I wanted biglaw the obvious choice would be Vandy, but since that's not a concern I'm just not sure. If I'm being overly ambiguous let me know and I can toss in some more details. Thoughts?

[JustE]

So I realize that there are a few UGA vs. Emory threads floating around, but I would like to throw mine into the mix because I think it's a unique situation since Vandy is involved. Any insight would be very much appreciated.

Given my scholarship situation, total cost of attendance at Emory and Vandy would break down to roughly the same number (Emory would actually cost a bit more), while UGA would come in about 25k cheaper. Again, we're talking total cost of attendance, not just tuition. I'm not interested in biglaw but I am 99% sure that I want to wind up working in Atlanta. In my case, where would you guys go? I realize that I've been offered a huge opportunity to attend Vandy (and Emory to some extent) for so cheap, but given my career goals I don't know that it's the best choice for me to spend the extra money or to move out of state. If I wanted biglaw the obvious choice would be Vandy, but since that's not a concern I'm just not sure. If I'm being overly ambiguous let me know and I can toss in some more details. Thoughts?

Errr... You've told us what you DONT want to do, but you haven't told us what you'd like to do... We're really going to need to hear that in order to make a decision. If you still want to do firm work, but you're just not set on biglaw, I would likely pick Vandy or UGA. With only a $25k difference between them, you prob just want to visit them all and go to the one you like the most.

[Sombrero191]

To be completely honest, I'm not sure what I want to do. I think I would be most happy working in PI, but firm work at a medium/small firm would fit me as well I think.

[thexfactor]

"I'm not interested in biglaw but I am 99% sure that I want to wind up working in Atlanta."

Let me guess, you want a lifestyle midlaw firm? 90-100k with 50hrs a week? aka the midlaw unicorn

There aren't a whole lot of those animals out there. However, Vandy will give you a much better chance at catching one of those beasts. 25k is a great deal at much better placement.

Furthermore GOOD PI jobs are extremely hard to find these days. Vandy will also give a better chance at those jobs.

Vandy by a long mile....

[JustE]

"I'm not interested in biglaw but I am 99% sure that I want to wind up working in Atlanta."

Let me guess, you want a lifestyle midlaw firm? 90-100k with 50hrs a week? aka the midlaw unicorn

There aren't a whole lot of those animals out there. However, Vandy will give you a much better chance at catching one of those beasts. 25k is a great deal at much better placement.

Vandy by a long mile....

^agreed.

[t14fanboy]

Vandy. Not even close.

[flem]

Vandy. Not even close.

[Sombrero191]

Thanks for the responses so far. So everybody is convinced that Vandy grads do better than UGA/Emory grads even in the ATL market?

[duckmoney]

Thanks for the responses so far. So everybody is convinced that Vandy grads do better than UGA/Emory grads even in the ATL market?

Yes. Without a doubt.

Also, whatever you do, don't go to Emory. Vandy beats Emory at equal cost 100% of the time.

The fact that UGA is cheaper is nice, but Vandy is probably worth the extra money.

[flem]

Thanks for the responses so far. So everybody is convinced that Vandy grads do better than UGA/Emory grads even in the ATL market?

For what it's worth, here are the stats from the firm I work for in Atlanta, which is a vault 50:

UGA: 86 (though about 30-40 are project/staff attorneys, so that number is inflated)

Emory: 35, 5 of which are project attorneys

Vanderbilt: 30, 1 of which is a project attorney

Digging further:

25 associates came from UGA

16 associates came from Emory

11 came from Vanderbilt

Digging even further:

UGA has 14 associates hired since 2009

Emory has 10

Vanderbilt has 6

Granted, UGA kids are ONLY bidding Atlanta, pretty much, whereas Emory and Vandy kids are self selecting out sometimes. Also, places are going to be digging deeper into the talent pool at Emory and Vandy than they would at UGA.

Since Vandy and Emory are the same cost of attendance, Vandy by a long shot. It gives you the greatest amount of mobility if you decide that Atlanta is a shithole (spoiler alert: it is!)

[freaknroll]

Thanks for the responses so far. So everybody is convinced that Vandy grads do better than UGA/Emory grads even in the ATL market?

For what it's worth, here are the stats from the firm I work for in Atlanta, which is a vault 50:

UGA: 86 (though about 30-40 are project/staff attorneys, so that number is inflated)

Emory: 35, 5 of which are project attorneys

Vanderbilt: 30, 1 of which is a project attorney

Digging further:

25 associates came from UGA

16 associates came from Emory

11 came from Vanderbilt

Digging even further:

UGA has 14 associates hired since 2009

Emory has 10

Vanderbilt has 6

Granted, UGA kids are ONLY bidding Atlanta, pretty much, whereas Emory and Vandy kids are self selecting out sometimes. Also, places are going to be digging deeper into the talent pool at Emory and Vandy than they would at UGA.

Since Vandy and Emory are the same cost of attendance, Vandy by a long shot. It gives you the greatest amount of mobility if you decide that Atlanta is a shithole (spoiler alert: it is!)

Thats a pretty crappy showing from Emory. Is this indicative of BigLaw hiring by all firms in Atlanta? If so, what do you attribute this to?

[flem]

Thats a pretty crappy showing from Emory. Is this indicative of BigLaw hiring by all firms in Atlanta? If so, what do you attribute this to?

Emory's career services office eats ass. HTH

[duckmoney]

Vandy will also maximize your chances of getting any job, even one outside of Atlanta. At UGA, if miss the boat in Atlanta, you're unemployed.

[flem]

Vandy will also maximize your chances of getting any job, even one outside of Atlanta. At UGA, if miss the boat in Atlanta, you're unemployed.

or doing DUI defense in warner robbins.

[duckmoney]

Vandy will also maximize your chances of getting any job, even one outside of Atlanta. At UGA, if miss the boat in Atlanta, you're unemployed.

or doing DUI defense in warner robbins.

Tomato, Tomahto

[CanadianWolf]

Strong arguments can be made for all three schools, in my opinion. Vanderbilt because it places well in a variety of locations & is a small law school with a big reputation; Emory because it offers access to internships/externships in your target market of Atlanta; Georgia because it costs the least & places well in your target market. Try to visit all three before deciding.

P.S. Ask Emory & Georgia for more scholarship money based on your Vanderbilt acceptance. If nothing changes, then Vanderbilt seems to be the wisest choice regarding job prospects.

[Sombrero191]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm heading to Vandy's ASW next Friday and I've been to both Emory and UGA. I really think that this is going to come down to "best fit." That being said - I do wonder whether or not ATL interviewers would prefer someone from UGA/Emory over a grad from Vandy despite the rank difference.

[de5igual]

Strong arguments can be made for all three schools, in my opinion. Vanderbilt because it places well in a variety of locations & is a small law school with a big reputation; Emory because it offers access to internships/externships in your target market of Atlanta; Georgia because it costs the least & places well in your target market. Try to visit all three before deciding.

P.S. Ask Emory & Georgia for more scholarship money based on your Vanderbilt acceptance. If nothing changes, then Vanderbilt seems to be the wisest choice regarding job prospects.

there really isn't a strong argument for emory, especially when vanderbilt comes out cheaper. in almost all respects, vanderbilt will outperform emory...even in atlanta. ITE it's harder to compare since the atl market is a shitshow and is pretty much requiring top grades from most everyone. nonetheless, even now, someone just above median at a vandy-level school can still expect to be preselected at most atl biglaw firms while to get those same interviews at emory/uga, you'd pretty much need to be law review/top of the class.

[spets]

Thanks for the responses so far. So everybody is convinced that Vandy grads do better than UGA/Emory grads even in the ATL market?

For what it's worth, here are the stats from the firm I work for in Atlanta, which is a vault 50:

K&S, huh?

[JustE]

Agreed. Vandy will outperform Emory and UGA in Atlanta any day.

Enjoy the visit!

[BruceWayne]

People are exaggerating the Vandy over UGA thing for the non law firm jobs. The truth is we really need more information from you in terms of what you want to do. Honestly, if you TRULY want PI in Georgia then you should go to UGA. Vandy isn't going to outperform UGA for PI work in Georgia; that's just not how PI works. However, like some posters have pointed out it sounds like you are interested in working for a law firm, just not the King and Spaldings or Alston and Birds of the world. Here's the issue with that. Atlanta is a bloodbath--particularly for firms in the tier that you would be interested in. And although Vandy would be better for those types of firms, probably only if you are from Georgia. Those types of firms would definitely hire from Vandy, but they are going to be more concerned about ties than the Alstons and King and Spaldings of the world.

Further, although Vandy is respected in the Atlanta market, don't be misled. You will still need VERY high grades to get a firm job in Atlanta from Vandy. At worst you will have to be top 1/3 (i.e you're going to have to at least beat out 70 percent of your classmates at Vandy to get an Atlanta firm job). Honestly Atlanta is a brutal market for anyone except someone from Georgia who is at HYS.

[flem]

I do wonder whether or not ATL interviewers would prefer someone from UGA/Emory over a grad from Vandy despite the rank difference.

Nope, Atlanta firms are complete and total grade whores

People are exaggerating the Vandy over UGA thing for the non law firm jobs. The truth is we really need more information from you in terms of what you want to do. Honestly, if you TRULY want PI in Georgia then you should go to UGA. Vandy isn't going to outperform UGA for PI work in Georgia; that's just not how PI works. However, like some posters have pointed out it sounds like you are interested in working for a law firm, just not the King and Spaldings or Alston and Birds of the world. Here's the issue with that. Atlanta is a bloodbath--particularly for firms in the tier that you would be interested in. And although Vandy would be better for those types of firms, probably only if you are from Georgia. Those types of firms would definitely hire from Vandy, but they are going to be more concerned about ties than the Alstons and King and Spaldings of the world.

Further, although Vandy is respected in the Atlanta market, don't be misled. You will still need VERY high grades to get a firm job in Atlanta from Vandy. At worst you will have to be top 1/3 (i.e you're going to have to at least beat out 70 percent of your classmates at Vandy to get an Atlanta firm job). Honestly Atlanta is a brutal market for anyone except someone from Georgia who is at HYS.

All of this is credited

[flem]

Thanks for the responses so far. So everybody is convinced that Vandy grads do better than UGA/Emory grads even in the ATL market?

For what it's worth, here are the stats from the firm I work for in Atlanta, which is a vault 50:

K&S, huh?

Could be. Or it could be Alston. Or I could be fudging the numbers as to not out myself.

Or I could be lying about the whole thing.

[JustE]

Thanks for the responses so far. So everybody is convinced that Vandy grads do better than UGA/Emory grads even in the ATL market?

For what it's worth, here are the stats from the firm I work for in Atlanta, which is a vault 50:

K&S, huh?

Could be. Or it could be Alston. Or I could be fudging the numbers as to not out myself.

Or I could be lying about the whole thing.

LOL. No worries. We won't tell.