USC ($$$$) v Cornell/UCLA ($$$) v Michigan ($$) Forum

[moneybagsphd]

I am fortunate enough that my parents will be covering most of my COL, so tuition is my biggest concern...
USC: 40k/year scholly
UCLA: 30k/year scholly
Cornell: 30k/ year scholly
Michigan: 18k/ year scholly
-Born and raised in SoCal.
-Ultimately, I would like to end up back in CA with a slight preference for NorCal. However, I am flexible about working elsewhere for a while.
-I don't consider myself the biglaw type-- pretty much a Type-B who enjoys learning. That said, I don't see many alternatives for a newly minted lawyer. It seems like the best jobs require the 2-3yr biglaw slog.

Anyways, I am leaning towards Michigan at the moment because 90k seems like a very reasonable price tag for a T10 education, and a degree with national reach. On the other hand, I would save a lot of money by going to UCLA/USC. TLS has led me to believe that the difference between MVPB and UCLA/USC is pretty massive, though. I am debt averse, but I think Michigan might actually be the least risky because of the better job prospects.
ETA: Scholarship info from Cornell as of today.

[Real Madrid]

Has USC given out all of its scholarships already?

[moneybagsphd]

Has USC given out all of its scholarships already?

I don't know. Are they still admitting people? If so, probably not.

[DaftAndDirect]

I am fortunate enough that my parents will be covering most of my COL, so tuition is my biggest concern...
Projected cost of tuition over 3 years
USC: 40k/year scholly = ~28k
UCLA: 30k/year scholly = ~45k
Michigan: 18k/ year scholly= ~90k
-Born and raised in SoCal.
-Ultimately, I would like to end up back in CA with a slight preference for NorCal. However, I am flexible about working elsewhere for a while.
-I don't consider myself the biglaw type-- pretty much a Type-B who enjoys learning. That said, I don't see many alternatives for a newly minted lawyer. It seems like the best jobs require the 2-3yr biglaw slog.

Anyways, I am leaning towards Michigan at the moment because 90k seems like a very reasonable price tag for a T10 education, and a degree with national reach. On the other hand, I would save a lot of money by going to UCLA/USC. TLS has led me to believe that the difference between MVPB and UCLA/USC is pretty massive, though. I am debt averse, but I think Michigan might actually be the least risky because of the better job prospects.

I had a thread with a poll going earlier about similar offers between Mich and UCLA. I have the same UCLA offer as you and even less at Michigan (10k per year) and the overwhelming response was to go to Michigan. However, since you have ties to and are interested in returning to California, it seems like the right choice for would be between UCLA/USC. I'm assuming you were dinged or waitlisted at Berzerkely?

Everyone raves about the Trojan alumni network, but I think you'd need to figure out if that network is worth the extra 30k. I can't really speak to that.

Afterthought - Have you tried getting UCLA to match USC's offer?

[Lincoln]

If you want to stay in CA, UCLA is probably the right choice. Michigan wouldn't exclude you from CA, but it would likely be harder, and unless you may want NYC, Chicago, or DC, not worth the extra cost.

[Real Madrid]

Has USC given out all of its scholarships already?

I don't know. Are they still admitting people? If so, probably not.

Well I mean I was admitted back in December and never received any notice of a scholarship despite filling out my financial aid information for them and the scholarship form pretty early on.

[moneybagsphd]

I am fortunate enough that my parents will be covering most of my COL, so tuition is my biggest concern...
Projected cost of tuition over 3 years
USC: 40k/year scholly = ~28k
UCLA: 30k/year scholly = ~45k
Michigan: 18k/ year scholly= ~90k
-Born and raised in SoCal.
-Ultimately, I would like to end up back in CA with a slight preference for NorCal. However, I am flexible about working elsewhere for a while.
-I don't consider myself the biglaw type-- pretty much a Type-B who enjoys learning. That said, I don't see many alternatives for a newly minted lawyer. It seems like the best jobs require the 2-3yr biglaw slog.

Anyways, I am leaning towards Michigan at the moment because 90k seems like a very reasonable price tag for a T10 education, and a degree with national reach. On the other hand, I would save a lot of money by going to UCLA/USC. TLS has led me to believe that the difference between MVPB and UCLA/USC is pretty massive, though. I am debt averse, but I think Michigan might actually be the least risky because of the better job prospects.

I had a thread with a poll going earlier about similar offers between Mich and UCLA. I have the same UCLA offer as you and even less at Michigan (10k per year) and the overwhelming response was to go to Michigan. However, since you have ties to and are interested in returning to California, it seems like the right choice for would be between UCLA/USC. I'm assuming you were dinged or waitlisted at Berzerkely?

Everyone raves about the Trojan alumni network, but I think you'd need to figure out if that network is worth the extra 30k. I can't really speak to that.

Afterthought - Have you tried getting UCLA to match USC's offer?

Yup, dinged at Berkeley (due in part, i think, to a very very late application). My impression from talking with other people is that UCLA/USC are much stronger in the SoCal than NorCal. I think a Michigan degree with NorCal ties might be more competitive in the Bay Area than UCLA/USC. I've also heard that Michigan at median is more competitive for the LA market than UCLA/USC at median. I am open to other markets. I think that, having never lived outside of CA, I'm being extra cautious about this decision.
I have not tried to leverage USC's offer against UCLA, but I suspect that UCLA would argue that it's 6k/year diff (after tuition difference) and that they're higher ranked. Still, I might try, and throw my Michigan scholly in for some added weight.

[moneybagsphd]

If you want to stay in CA, UCLA is probably the right choice. Michigan wouldn't exclude you from CA, but it would likely be harder, and unless you may want NYC, Chicago, or DC, not worth the extra cost.

From a 2010 UCLA/USC OCI thread:

Top 25% at UCLA here. Completely struck out at OCI. Just wondering how people did in general from USC/UCLA. I had 10 CBs with big firms in LA but I think my mistake was to be too focused on LA. 7 out of the 10 firms I had CBs with were only hiring 2-5 people even though they are huge firms nationally. I found that at the majority of my CBs I was competing with the likes of HYS and MVP. UCLA is a great school locally but we are not in the T14.

Did a majority of USC/UCLA students get biglaw positions?

[moneybagsphd]

Has USC given out all of its scholarships already?

I don't know. Are they still admitting people? If so, probably not.

Well I mean I was admitted back in December and never received any notice of a scholarship despite filling out my financial aid information for them and the scholarship form pretty early on.

PMd

[FryBreadPower]

I am fortunate enough that my parents will be covering most of my COL, so tuition is my biggest concern...
Projected cost of tuition over 3 years
USC: 40k/year scholly = ~28k
UCLA: 30k/year scholly = ~45k
Michigan: 18k/ year scholly= ~90k
-Born and raised in SoCal.
-Ultimately, I would like to end up back in CA with a slight preference for NorCal. However, I am flexible about working elsewhere for a while.
-I don't consider myself the biglaw type-- pretty much a Type-B who enjoys learning. That said, I don't see many alternatives for a newly minted lawyer. It seems like the best jobs require the 2-3yr biglaw slog.

Anyways, I am leaning towards Michigan at the moment because 90k seems like a very reasonable price tag for a T10 education, and a degree with national reach. On the other hand, I would save a lot of money by going to UCLA/USC. TLS has led me to believe that the difference between MVPB and UCLA/USC is pretty massive, though. I am debt averse, but I think Michigan might actually be the least risky because of the better job prospects.

I had a thread with a poll going earlier about similar offers between Mich and UCLA. I have the same UCLA offer as you and even less at Michigan (10k per year) and the overwhelming response was to go to Michigan. However, since you have ties to and are interested in returning to California, it seems like the right choice for would be between UCLA/USC. I'm assuming you were dinged or waitlisted at Berzerkely?

Everyone raves about the Trojan alumni network, but I think you'd need to figure out if that network is worth the extra 30k. I can't really speak to that.

Afterthought - Have you tried getting UCLA to match USC's offer?

Interesting that you received that response. I had a solid amount of money from NYU and the overwhelming response was still UCLA.

[moneybagsphd]

Interesting that you received that response. I had a solid amount of money from NYU and the overwhelming response was still UCLA.

Link? I'm curious what your goals/circumstances are. How much do you have at NYU/UCLA?

[bk1]

I had a thread with a poll going earlier about similar offers between Mich and UCLA. I have the same UCLA offer as you and even less at Michigan (10k per year) and the overwhelming response was to go to Michigan.

It's not really fair to compare your thread and OP's.

You: only kind of wanted CA, wanted biglaw, had to pay for your own CoL.
OP: has a stronger preference for CA, doesn't necessarily want biglaw, doesn't have to pay for CoL.

[Real Madrid]

Has USC given out all of its scholarships already?

I don't know. Are they still admitting people? If so, probably not.

Well I mean I was admitted back in December and never received any notice of a scholarship despite filling out my financial aid information for them and the scholarship form pretty early on.

PMd

Re-PMd!

[moneybagsphd]

I had a thread with a poll going earlier about similar offers between Mich and UCLA. I have the same UCLA offer as you and even less at Michigan (10k per year) and the overwhelming response was to go to Michigan.

It's not really fair to compare your thread and OP's.

You: only kind of wanted CA, wanted biglaw, had to pay for your own CoL.
OP: has a stronger preference for CA, doesn't necessarily want biglaw, doesn't have to pay for CoL.

I'm curious what my other options are...

[DaftAndDirect]

I had a thread with a poll going earlier about similar offers between Mich and UCLA. I have the same UCLA offer as you and even less at Michigan (10k per year) and the overwhelming response was to go to Michigan.

It's not really fair to compare your thread and OP's.

You: only kind of wanted CA, wanted biglaw, had to pay for your own CoL.
OP: has a stronger preference for CA, doesn't necessarily want biglaw, doesn't have to pay for CoL.

Agreed, but I called out this difference (not so obviously though I suppose) when I said UCLA and USC make more sense for OP given his interest in Cali.

[moneybagsphd]

I had a thread with a poll going earlier about similar offers between Mich and UCLA. I have the same UCLA offer as you and even less at Michigan (10k per year) and the overwhelming response was to go to Michigan.

It's not really fair to compare your thread and OP's.

You: only kind of wanted CA, wanted biglaw, had to pay for your own CoL.
OP: has a stronger preference for CA, doesn't necessarily want biglaw, doesn't have to pay for CoL.

Agreed, but I called out this difference (not so obviously though I suppose) when I said UCLA and USC make more sense for OP given his interest in Cali.

If you want to stay in CA, UCLA is probably the right choice. Michigan wouldn't exclude you from CA, but it would likely be harder, and unless you may want NYC, Chicago, or DC, not worth the extra cost.

From a 2010 UCLA/USC OCI thread:

Top 25% at UCLA here. Completely struck out at OCI. Just wondering how people did in general from USC/UCLA. I had 10 CBs with big firms in LA but I think my mistake was to be too focused on LA. 7 out of the 10 firms I had CBs with were only hiring 2-5 people even though they are huge firms nationally. I found that at the majority of my CBs I was competing with the likes of HYS and MVP. UCLA is a great school locally but we are not in the T14.

Did a majority of USC/UCLA students get biglaw positions?

[bk1]

I'm curious what my other options are...

What do you want to do?

[moneybagsphd]

I'm curious what my other options are...

What do you want to do?

I mean, I want a job with decent pay (100k) and manageable hours (50hr work week). I want a lifestyle firm.

[DaftAndDirect]

I didn't catch the strong preference for NorCal. I have heard similar things about Michigan at median being more likely for NorCal...but still not really that great.

[bk1]

I mean, I want a job with decent pay (100k) and manageable hours (50hr work week). I want a lifestyle firm.

I should have asked what you realistically want. Clearly it seems you don't want biglaw though are willing to suffer it if need be.

I guess it seems like you want something more like government or in-house counsel. I'd probably lean UMich since salary is important to you.

[071816]

If you want California, I'd go with Michigan. If not, I'd go with Michigan.

[FryBreadPower]

Interesting that you received that response. I had a solid amount of money from NYU and the overwhelming response was still UCLA.

Link? I'm curious what your goals/circumstances are. How much do you have at NYU/UCLA?

I just got home from being out for the night and my head is killing me. I'll PM you first thing tomorrow morning to explain my situation. Hopefully it will shed some light and help you make your decision.

[moneybagsphd]

If you want California, I'd go with Michigan. If not, I'd go with Michigan.

Hmm... How are things at USC? All things being equal, I'd prefer to go into less debt. Of course, If Michigan is a better investment, I'm willing to take the plunge.

[071816]

If you want California, I'd go with Michigan. If not, I'd go with Michigan.

Hmm... How are things at USC? All things being equal, I'd prefer to go into less debt. Of course, If Michigan is a better investment, I'm willing to take the plunge.

Things at USC are just fine. However, given the fact that you have a decent scholarship to Michigan, your cost of living is covered, and you have ties to California, Michigan should get you back here just fine, but will also open more doors for you overall than USC would. Not saying USC would be a bad choice here by any means, but just something to think about.

[moneybagsphd]

According to my poll, there are a lot of silent UCLA/USC voters out there. Anyone who'd care to argue for either of these schools? I'd appreciate another perspective. Thanks.