Top Law Schools

So I just got admitted to Columbia off the reserve list and I just wanted to post real quick to see what people thought. Columbia would be at sticker vs. Michigan with 54K total for all three years. Facts about me are I have ties to southern California, I would prefer to work biglaw here in California after law school although I'm not opposed to other options, I would like a more collegial student body, not a fan of debt but at this point I really have no choice haha, and I want the degree that will keep the most doors open for me. Any feedback would be great, thanks everybody.

Columbia maximizes your chance at biglaw. Both can, theoretically, bring you back to California. Depends how much that 54k is worth to you with a smaller chance at biglaw. NLJ has it at 52% vs. 31%. That number is definitely overblown, but there's a difference

Also keep in mind that the cost difference is more than 54k. I don't know the total cost of attendance for both, but the cost of living is definitely going to be more at Columbia, and I think tuition is as well. Add up the total it would cost you and consider that number not just the scholly.

Yeah I understand there is a large difference in the cost of attendance between the two schools, I just wanted to see what people had to say to support either choice.

Do people that are voting for Columbia want to elaborate so I can better understand the reasons why Columbia is a better decision?

Are you dead-set on coming back to California? Would you be willing to work someplace else (probably NYC)?

Edit: Okay so you're open to other options. I guess it depends on how much you want a biglaw job, and also how focused you are on things like Vault rankings and "prestigious" firms. I think Columbia right now probably offers a somewhat better shot at the former (10% better maybe?), and significantly better shot at the latter. COA difference will probably be around 80-85K.

I don't really know about things other than biglaw; they're probably similar in most other respects.

Two great choices. I think one way to conceptualize this choice is like this: If you are bottom of your class at Michigan, you'll be glad you went to Michigan. If you are top of your class at Michigan you'll be glad you went to Michigan. In the previous two scenarios, you'll have similar options as you would have had at Columbia. Now imagine yourself, let's say, a hair below median at Michigan, and missing the biglaw boat while your counterparts at Columbia are mostly getting biglaw. In that situation, could you see yourself saying, "no biggie, I saved 54k" or "wtf, why didn't I go to Columbia." The answer to this could help you decide. Remember that grades in the murky middle is the statistically most likely outcome.

OP, keep in mind that at least some people may be voting because they are on Wait-lists at Columbia or Michigan. That said, Michigan is cheaper, Columbia gives you better jerb prospects. Michigan is known for having a collegial student body, and my experience was in line with expectations in that regard. I can't speak to the nature of Columbia's student body, hopefully a student there can chime in.

I know it's late in the game but the best thing to do may be to visit Ann Arbor or NYC, it's a bit harder to get a feel for the schools in the summer, but there is a significant difference between living in Ann Arbor and NYC. If you are on the fence regarding debt, job prospects, etc., whether you prefer a large city or small town could provide you with a means to make a decision.

Good luck, hope to see you in Ann Arbor this fall.

What is the actual COA for these two schools for you.

pizzaguy1 wrote:Do people that are voting for Columbia want to elaborate so I can better understand the reasons why Columbia is a better decision?

You might as well be asking, Harvard or Michigan. Columbia is in the same league as Harvard/Yale given its Ivy foundation. That pretty much sums it up.

Pate wrote:

pizzaguy1 wrote:Do people that are voting for Columbia want to elaborate so I can better understand the reasons why Columbia is a better decision?

You might as well be asking, Harvard or Michigan. Columbia is in the same league as Harvard/Yale given its Ivy foundation. That pretty much sums it up.

Yup. This is why we often see people contemplating Columbia at sticker vs Harvard with some money....

Pate wrote:

pizzaguy1 wrote:Do people that are voting for Columbia want to elaborate so I can better understand the reasons why Columbia is a better decision?

You might as well be asking, Harvard or Michigan. Columbia is in the same league as Harvard/Yale given its Ivy foundation. That pretty much sums it up.

Are you being sarcastic?

kwais wrote:Two great choices. I think one way to conceptualize this choice is like this: If you are bottom of your class at Michigan, you'll be glad you went to Michigan. If you are top of your class at Michigan you'll be glad you went to Michigan. In the previous two scenarios, you'll have similar options as you would have had at Columbia. Now imagine yourself, let's say, a hair below median at Michigan, and missing the biglaw boat while your counterparts at Columbia are mostly getting biglaw. In that situation, could you see yourself saying, "no biggie, I saved 54k" or "wtf, why didn't I go to Columbia." The answer to this could help you decide. Remember that grades in the murky middle is the statistically most likely outcome.

I'm just an 0L, but I voted Columbia because I found this argument persuasive. The extra cushion that a median student at Columbia gets is worth the money, IMO.

Pate wrote:

pizzaguy1 wrote:Do people that are voting for Columbia want to elaborate so I can better understand the reasons why Columbia is a better decision?

You might as well be asking, Harvard or Michigan. Columbia is in the same league as Harvard/Yale given its Ivy foundation. That pretty much sums it up.

So I guess by the "Ivy foundation" argument, OP would also be wise to take Cornell at sticker over Michigan with 54k?

It would be a close call because they are peers. My guess is most believe [correctly] that HYS are without peers, but Columbia is darn close. The point, whenever you can reach higher, do it.

Pate wrote:It would be a close call because they are peers.

No. They're not.

OP, this all depends on whether the additional security of going to Columbia is worth the jump in cost of attendance. I'd rather be median at Columbia than Michigan, but I don't know if that's worth an extra 80-100K to you.

Pate wrote:It would be a close call because they are peers.

That's why everyone says HYSC amirite?

In the new world order it is actually, Y S H C. But you were close. (You got "C" right.)

Pate wrote:In the new world order it is actually, Y S H C. But you were close. (You got "C" right.)

lulz

Pate wrote:

pizzaguy1 wrote:Do people that are voting for Columbia want to elaborate so I can better understand the reasons why Columbia is a better decision?

You might as well be asking, Harvard or Michigan. Columbia is in the same league as Harvard/Yale given its Ivy foundation. That pretty much sums it up.

Cornell and Penn are ivies, yet they are Michigan's peers, not HYS'. Nice logic.

Without the $54k, we wouldn’t be discussing this. OP should try Georgetown with $100k. . . GTown and Mich are definitely peers.

Pate wrote:Without the $54k, we wouldn’t be discussing this. OP should try Georgetown with $100k. . . GTown and Mich are definitely peers.

lol more like MichiGONE amirite

+1. I never have understood the whole Mich LS thing. Way too far to drop by any NYC LF mixers, in an icy tiny town, nearest big city to visit is Detroit (I will make it out alive, right?). I can see why Mich would be offering $$.

Pate wrote:+1. I never have understood the whole Mich LS thing. Way too far to drop by any NYC LF mixers, in an icy tiny town, nearest big city to visit is Detroit (I will make it out alive, right?). I can see why Mich would be offering $$.

such a fucking TTT in decline

Columbia. It's worth at least 200K more to be able to say you go to a T4 school.

Think of the lay prestige.