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It looks like my cycle is pretty much over and I have a tough decision to make. Any advice is welcome.

USC has offered 120k and cornell 60k.

Wherever we move, my SO will find a job to help mitigate COL.

From the Bay Area and want to move back after school is done. PI with no big law interest. Have been making connections in the area to try and get my foot in the door.

Thanks for the help!

USC easy.

1. You will HATE Ithaca if you're from the bay.
2. Your SO will have trouble finding work in Ithaca if they are a professional.
3. COA is so much less at USC.
4. You'll be better prepared for the California bar if you go to USC.

masked kavana wrote:It looks like my cycle is pretty much over and I have a tough decision to make. Any advice is welcome.

USC has offered 120k and cornell 60k.

Wherever we move, my SO will find a job to help mitigate COL.

From the Bay Area and want to move back after school is done. PI with no big law interest. Have been making connections in the area to try and get my foot in the door.
Thanks for the help!

USC -- especially since you are from CA and want to go back, plus no great interest in big law. Go USC and enjoy the extra scholarship and better weather!

1. You will HATE Ithaca if you're from the bay.
2. Your SO will have trouble finding work in Ithaca if they are a professional.
3. COA is so much less at USC.
4. You'll be better prepared for the California bar if you go to USC.

I disagree with #1 and #4.

Like all small towns, Ithaca is a personal preference. (I'm from the Bay Area and love Ithaca. But if you are a city person, any rural town sux.) And, wrt 4, LS doesn't prepare you for the bar.

Big Dog wrote:

1. You will HATE Ithaca if you're from the bay.
2. Your SO will have trouble finding work in Ithaca if they are a professional.
3. COA is so much less at USC.
4. You'll be better prepared for the California bar if you go to USC.

I disagree with #1 and #4.

Like all small towns, Ithaca is a personal preference. (I'm from the Bay Area and love Ithaca. But if you are a city person, any rural town sux.) And, wrt 4, LS doesn't prepare you for the bar.

Have you been to Ithaca in January? How about live there? I'm from the west and moved to Chicago and I will be moving back west. The weather is worse in Ithaca. I stand by my claim that you will hate Ithaca. Sure it's pretty but there isn't much to do socially and you'll want to be inside 2/3 of the year.

As for the bar, there is a reason students at USC are successful on their state bar. I am a 0L and have no idea but I'd assume its being aware of state laws.

Big Dog wrote:

1. You will HATE Ithaca if you're from the bay.
2. Your SO will have trouble finding work in Ithaca if they are a professional.
3. COA is so much less at USC.
4. You'll be better prepared for the California bar if you go to USC.

I disagree with #1 and #4.

Like all small towns, Ithaca is a personal preference. (I'm from the Bay Area and love Ithaca. But if you are a city person, any rural town sux.) And, wrt 4, LS doesn't prepare you for the bar.

I'm actually from somewhere that would be considered a "small town" in the Bay Area so not having the big city isn't too big of a deal for me.

I'm concerned that USC only has pull in Southern California. I haven't seen too many USC grads in public interest positions here and don't know how far the Trojan name will take me.

If you want to work in southern california, go to USC. They will get you a job, and their network is great.

If you want to work in most other places and you don't mind moving, go to Cornell -- it will open up more doors.

Cornell WILL open up more doors but hardly at a price of twice what you would have you pay at USC.

Despite USC being stronger in SoCal than NorCal, I'd imagine USC will allow you to better network within CA both during and after LS. Meanwhile, most Cornell folks end up in NY. Hence, your will be leaving your network in the East if you move back West.

USC if you ask me.

If you want PI in CA, little reason not to take USC. I think if you wanted big law, Cornell would be an easy choice. However, you'll want as little debt as possible for PI, even with LRAP.

Career goals could change during your 1st year or beyond. It would be hard for me to turn down the prestige and national reach Cornell has to offer. Either way there seems to be no wrong choice. I would love to see you at SC next year tho.

I'm trying to negotiate with cornell, don't know if it will work since USC is lower ranked. Is there a point at which cornell would make sense (75k, 90k, etc)?

masked kavana wrote:I'm trying to negotiate with cornell, don't know if it will work since USC is lower ranked. Is there a point at which cornell would make sense (75k, 90k, etc)?

Maybe a full ride? Or enough to the point where the debt won't force you into biglaw.

If Cornell won't budge, enjoy USC!