NYU v. USC ($$$) Forum

sdphill · Post by **sdphill** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:32 pm

I have a nice scholarship from USC and I have enrolled, but I received a WL offer from NYU and I have to decide today. NYU did not offer me any money, and I don't know where I want to practice yet. I am kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place because ~80K a year for NYU seems scary for me.

tourdeforcex · Post by **tourdeforcex** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:41 pm

initial gut reaction: take USC.

it's better to be debt-averse in this economy

izzy2977 · Post by **izzy2977** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:42 pm

USC kid. Nothing beats being a trojan, especially with a good scholly.

Samara · Post by **Samara** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:43 pm

How much of a scholarship? What are your employment goals? Biglaw? CA or NY or elsewhere?

sdphill · Post by **sdphill** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:44 pm

$35K/yr...

I am thinking about doing big law a while, then go into the public sector. I don't care where I end up as long as it is in a big city.

Samara · Post by **Samara** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:49 pm

sdphill wrote:$35K/yr...

I am thinking about doing big law a while, then go into the public sector. I don't care where I end up as long as it is in a big city.

Hmm...that is pretty substantial. That would put you at just under $100k in debt, right? That's low enough that you could pay it off if you miss out on biglaw or an LRAP job.

Given that you aren't biglaw or bust, I would stay put at USC. Do know, however, that your geographic options are more limited at USC. You're basically looking at CA or NY. Biglaw will be far from a guarantee, but attainable. At NYU, biglaw isn't guaranteed, but it's fairly close. So, balance your risk aversion with your desire for biglaw.

TheThriller · Post by **TheThriller** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:49 pm

sdphill wrote:$35K/yr...

I am thinking about doing big law a while, then go into the public sector. I don't care where I end up as long as it is in a big city.

I would like to say USC but the bolded should make you think twice about NYU

Ozymandias · Post by **Ozymandias** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:51 pm

What's the total cost of attendance for each school with scholarships factored in?

sdphill · Post by **sdphill** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:53 pm

Ozymandias wrote:What's the total cost of attendance for each school with scholarships factored in?

~79K/yr at NYU (not counting increases)
~40K/yr at USC

I also have debt from undergrad

Doorkeeper · Post by **Doorkeeper** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 1:57 pm

sdphill wrote:
Ozymandias wrote:What's the total cost of attendance for each school with scholarships factored in?
~79K/yr at NYU (not counting increases)
~40K/yr at USC

Do you qualify for NYU's LRAP program? I would call Financial Aid to ask.

If so, you can go biglaw for a few years, then enter LRAP if/when you transition to public sector.

USC is going to be a tough sell if you want to work outside of LA. If you go USC you're almost de facto committing yourself to living in SoCal after school. 83% of their 2010 graduates are working in California.

Also, full time employment numbers are really different:
NYU = 90% (with 12% school funded)
USC = 64% (with 5% school funded)

I'm actually thinking NYU might be good here if you're not committed to LA market.

You already tried to use the USC scholly for negotiating purposes?

rickgrimes69 · Post by **rickgrimes69** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 3:41 pm

USC is worth about 120k Max IMO which is just about what you're looking at, but the fact that you have UG debt complicates things. Unless you're 100% sold on SoCal, do NYU and get ready for biglaw should you strike out at PI.

(Was lower T14 with $$ not an option?)

mr.hands · Post by **mr.hands** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 3:53 pm

Go with USC because its under 100k and you have undergrad debt.

Sticker at NYU is about 272k, according to law school transparency. That's nuts

PolySuyGuy · Post by **PolySuyGuy** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:05 pm

What did you decide?

BruceWayne · Post by **BruceWayne** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:22 pm

Whoever said biglaw is "close to guaranteed" at NYU is dead wrong. Biglaw isn't "close to guaranteed" at ANY non HYS school.

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