NYU (112.5K), Chicago (90K), Columbia (75K) Forum

[noggo10]

I know....a great problem to have. Columbia is my dream school I absolutely love it there and fell in love with it at the ASW. They saw my offers from Chicago and NYU and took them into account when calculating my award. I know 75K is A LOT from Columbia without a Butler or Hamilton. I feel like despite the lower COL, Chicago is pretty much out of the running here for me, even though it is also a great choice. I want NYC Big Law as a number one career goal and am going to try to renegotiate with CLS to see if they will go up to 90k because I think I could justify going there for that.

I guess my questions are:

1). Even though 75k is a lot from CLS, it would be insane for me to go there while NYU is offering me $112,500, correct?

2). What should I make of the slightly different NLJ250 placement numbers between the schools (I think Columbia is at 50% and NYU 40%)? Is this just self-selection into PI, etc. on the part of NYU students? I've been told hiring partners from NYC Big Law have basically same grade cutoffs from both schools. Again Columbia is my dream school, but I'm a realistic person and want to make the soundest financial decision for my future.

Thanks!

[dixiecupdrinking]

IMO it would be pretty silly to turn down that money at NYU if you want NYC BigLaw. The schools' OCSs report that pretty much identical numbers of people get jobs out of EIP/EIW if that makes you feel better. Why do you like CLS so much more? No one else can put a price tag on that preference but you, but if you're trying to be purely rational then I don't see any argument whatsoever for CLS.

[kaiser]

If you are deciding between CLS and NYU and NYC biglaw, then the schools are essentially equal. Both schools have every big major firm come to interview and students at both schools can pretty easily be placed into some amazing firms. Columbia typically has a slight edge in biglaw hiring, likely due to a bit of PI bias at NYU. Without that I'm pretty certain the schools would be within just a few percentage points of one another. But all things equal, Columbia has a slight edge.

But for you, its not an "all things equal" situation. NYU is offering you nearly $40K additional money, and that is certainly enough to offset the very slight difference in biglaw placement. Thus, I think NYU is the right choice here. Many admitted students look for grounds of differentiation between the schools, but most of them are manufactured by 0L's who need to make tough choices. The schools are far more similar than dissimilar. While preference should certainly factor in, I think choosing based on scholarship is the wisest course of action, especially since you want biglaw, which is easy from either school (if last year's OCI was any indication).

[Dany]

NYU.

[gaud]

NYU.

+1. I do believe you'd be crazy to turn down that much at NYU.

[Flash]

NYU.

+1. I do believe you'd be crazy to turn down that much at NYU.

+2

[quiver]

They're peer schools (especially for NYC biglaw). There's no way Columbia is objectively worth 37.5k more than NYU but the real question is whether your preference for Columbia is worth 37.5k plus interest.

Oh, and I would pick NYU.

[chickenalfredo]

You can't go wrong. If Columbia is you dream school tale the 75k and run with it. Columbia wih 75k is a great deal

[noggo10]

Thanks everyone this is pretty much how I am feeling as well. Anyone make an argument for Chicago? I think the thing that swayed me is someone telling me if you really want NYC BigLaw Chicago can get you there but to have the networking opportunities of constantly being in NYC really helps. So, all things considered I am definitely leaning toward NYU in this one and it's an amazing choice.

[Dany]

The only argument I can make for Chicago is to try negotiating with them and see if they'll bump your scholarship. If they beat NYU it'd be closer, but as things stand just go to NYU.

[JasonR]

The only argument I can make for Chicago is to try negotiating with them and see if they'll bump your scholarship. If they beat NYU it'd be closer, but as things stand just go to NYU.

+1

As things stand, this is only a decision between Columbia and NYU. And I vote for NYU.

[Emma.]

Thanks everyone this is pretty much how I am feeling as well. Anyone make an argument for Chicago? I think the thing that swayed me is someone telling me if you really want NYC BigLaw Chicago can get you there but to have the networking opportunities of constantly being in NYC really helps. So, all things considered I am definitely leaning toward NYU in this one and it's an amazing choice.

It sounds like you want to be in NY so I don't think Chi is the best choice for you, but I have to say that getting NYC biglaw out of UChi is really easy. I'd be very surprised if there were any disadvantage for UChi grads as compared to CLS and NYU. We are sending several students to Wachtell this summer, and a bunch of kids to the rest of the V5 as well.

[quiver]

but I have to say that getting NYC biglaw out of UChi is really easy. I'd be very surprised if there were any disadvantage for UChi grads as compared to CLS and NYU. We are sending several students to Wachtell this summer, and a bunch of kids to the rest of the V5 as well.

I mean, those anecdotes don't really show that getting NYC biglaw out of Chicago is easy. Those Wachtell people probably had at least top 15% grades. I agree that Chicago probably = CLS/NYU in the ability to get NYC biglaw but I doubt someone from median at Chicago is walking into Wachtell just because they go to Chicago. If you were just trying to say that it's possible for Chicago students to get top NYC firms just like at CLS/NYU then I agree, I don't think anyone would debate that. I just feel like saying it's really easy to get NYC biglaw followed by those anecdotes imply that Chicago students with poor grades are just collecting V5 offers.

[thederangedwang]

Pretty simple in my opinion, NYU and CLS are equal.

So gauge your interest in CLS

If your happiness is worth more than 35K, go to CLS, if not, go to NYU. Since it seems like you really CLS, an extra 35K seems negligible...go for it.

[kaiser]

If NYC biglaw is the goal, there is something to be said for the ability to email/call hundreds of alums at any given firm to network, go to callbacks and be back in time for lunch, go to firm receptions and events without any need for travel, etc.

During EIW time, I simply emailed NYU folks at various firms where I didn't have an OCI interview (but had at least sent in an app), and within an hour, I would get a call from recruiting to set up an interview. This happened a good 4 or 5 times. There is something to be said for having alums in essentially every single firm you could possibly be interested in. And not that one token alum, but a huge pool of them.

Yes, I'm sure the NYC firms love the Chicago kids since they are more rare and there are fewer of them. But the extensiveness and strength of the alumni networks of NYU and CLS in NYC simply can't be matched.

[moneybagsphd]

You can't go wrong. If Columbia is you dream school tale the 75k and run with it. Columbia wih 75k is a great deal you should still go to NYU.

FTFY.

[rad lulz]

NYU.

[Bronck]

NYU.

[CanadianWolf]

Assuming that you have visited all three law schools & that Columbia remains your "dream law school", then Columbia is the best choice for you, in my opinion.

[kwais]

agree with CW. If your dream school gives you 75k, you can feel ok just pulling the trigger. The pure cost/benefit analysis is a little short-sighted IMO. If you want to spend three years at CLS and want to be a CLS alum for the remainder of your life, then you would not be crazy to go. That said, NYU is awesome and will help you achieve your goals, so you can't go wrong

[TaipeiMort]

I know....a great problem to have. Columbia is my dream school I absolutely love it there and fell in love with it at the ASW. They saw my offers from Chicago and NYU and took them into account when calculating my award. I know 75K is A LOT from Columbia without a Butler or Hamilton. I feel like despite the lower COL, Chicago is pretty much out of the running here for me, even though it is also a great choice. I want NYC Big Law as a number one career goal and am going to try to renegotiate with CLS to see if they will go up to 90k because I think I could justify going there for that.

I guess my questions are:

1). Even though 75k is a lot from CLS, it would be insane for me to go there while NYU is offering me $112,500, correct?

2). What should I make of the slightly different NLJ250 placement numbers between the schools (I think Columbia is at 50% and NYU 40%)? Is this just self-selection into PI, etc. on the part of NYU students? I've been told hiring partners from NYC Big Law have basically same grade cutoffs from both schools. Again Columbia is my dream school, but I'm a realistic person and want to make the soundest financial decision for my future.

Thanks!

I could go on a rant about how Chicago's small class size makes getting NYC easy, but that would be ignoring the obviousness of your choice. Go to NYU.

[izy223]

2). What should I make of the slightly different NLJ250 placement numbers between the schools (I think Columbia is at 50% and NYU 40%)? Is this just self-selection into PI, etc. on the part of NYU students?
Thanks!

the answer can be found on NYU's website http://www.law.nyu.edu/news/REBUTTAL

[timbs4339]

NYU and don't even look back (or uptown).

I go to CLS (3L).

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

NYU

[Br3v]

NYU