UVa ($75k), Duke ($90k), NYU ($37.5k), Columbia Forum

[lameslice57]

.

[kaiser]

If you want to work in DC, I'd probably just go with Duke, especially if they offered you 90K. UVA also seems like it would be a solid choice.

P.S. Make a poll

[skrillt]

UVA.

[Dany]

I would probably take the $75k from UVA.

[ihhwap1]

FWIW, Duke has a program where you can spend the semester in Washington D.C. I believe you take one or two classes while doing an externship for credit (you have to find your own externship beforehand). So presumably you'd be getting experience while having a chance to network. Here's more information: http://www.law.duke.edu/curriculum/dukedc/index

But these are all First World Problems so I'm sure you'll be fine where ever you go. Good luck!

[dixiecupdrinking]

Objectively, CLS is not worth close to $40k more than NYU, so I would scratch it off unless you get scholarship money or really loved it there.

The CLS/NYU advantage is probably mitigated if you don't prefer to work in NYC, and they aren't appreciably stronger in clerkship placement than UVA or Duke (I suspect because those two are highly regarded by judges in the southeast, which isn't a region with the same saturation of elite law schools as the northeast). Actually don't recall offhand but UVA/Duke may even place more in clerkships; in any event, they're all probably going to give you roughly the same clerkship odds.

Basically I'd go with the money at UVA. Don't see a huge reason to do Duke here and I think $15k is a reasonable premium to pay for Virginia.

[lameslice57]

.

[envisciguy]

If you want DC with a chance to go back to the Southeast where you've lived all your life, UVA sounds like the perfect choice. Duke would probably be pretty interchangeable too though. I'd say make sure you visit Duke and compare it to UVA. Then go to whichever one you feel better about.

[bdubs]

It's between UVA and NYU. NYU and UVA should place similarly in DC, with maybe a slight edge to UVA (esp. if you're willing to slide down the prestige scale). NYU will obviously offer better opportunities in NYC. Both schools will do well in clerkships, but the edge probably goes to NYU there.

[dabbadon8]

Definitely wouldn't pay 15k more for UVA over Duke (don't know the total difference in COA). The placement between the two is essentially the same and the difference (if there is any) isn't worth 15k. However that being said, if you happen to like UVA 15k more, then go there. Just saying that 15k for similar/same placement, prestige, weather, etc. isn't inherently worth it. If you have a big preference yes, but a couple spots in the USNEWS ranking per se, I don't think so.