USC$ vs. Cornell Sticker Forum

[gpwak]

I'm getting $20,000 from USC (so $60,000 for three years).
I got accepted at Cornell but at a sticker price.

I don't really know for sure what I exactly wanna do but I'm hoping to end up in big law...in a big city, and maybe return to asia later where I'm originally from.

I am torn between the two schools right now...If I end up going to cornell, I'd have to pay $70,000 for three years (private loans with my US citizen uncle as a cosigner (im an international)) and that's a lot of money and I'm wondering if cornell law is all worth it...

Any advice?

[Bronck]

That's a pretty small scholarship from USC. It'd likely still put you at $180-200k debt at graduation. In other words, you'd need big law to pay it off. I don't think USC gives you a good enough shot at that to make it a worthwhile bet.

Cornell's debt will be pretty soul-crushing at sticker, but at least it gives you a reasonable chance of getting a big law job. I don't know if you know what big law entails, but most people are out after only a few years in, so the most likely scenario is you'd still be saddled with a lot of debt.

[pinkynobrain]

That's a pretty small scholarship from USC. It'd likely still put you at $180-200k debt at graduation. In other words, you'd need big law to pay it off. I don't think USC gives you a good enough shot at that to make it a worthwhile bet.

Cornell's debt will be pretty soul-crushing at sticker, but at least it gives you a reasonable chance of getting a big law job. I don't know if you know what big law entails, but most people are out after only a few years in, so the most likely scenario is you'd still be saddled with a lot of debt.

TITCR

but just another thought: have you considered other options outside of law school? I don't know if you are straight from undergrad, but you might want to take a couple years off and work first to make sure law is something you really want to do.