Chicago (45k) vs NYU (sticker) vs NU (150k) Forum

[lsacqueen]

Northwestern's deposit deadline for scholarship recipients is April 12, so I'd like to get any advice on the right decision.

I'm currently negotiating with NYU with my Chicago offer, and I'm really hoping they throw some money my way because NYU was my top choice.

Some info:
I'm hoping to get a federal clerkship after law school, then work in some government position or in "international law." I am passionate about public interest, but have very little interest in BigLaw. In terms of living and working, I'd prefer NYC > Chicago > West Coast > South (though I am from the South)

Very nervous about having to make a decision on NU so quickly, when I'm still waiting to hear back from UChic and NYU on increasing their scholarship offers, so I'd appreciate any anecdotes or other pearls of wisdom from TLS!!

[enigmabk]

NU and enjoy life

[moonman157]

NYU was pretty quick with getting back about appeals, so hopefully you hear back from them soon. Still, it would take a huge amount from them to beat at NU offer.

[lsacqueen]

NYU was pretty quick with getting back about appeals, so hopefully you hear back from them soon. Still, it would take a huge amount from them to beat at NU offer.

How much would it take from NYU to justify picking it over NU?

[twenty]

NYU was pretty quick with getting back about appeals, so hopefully you hear back from them soon. Still, it would take a huge amount from them to beat at NU offer.

How much would it take from NYU to justify picking it over NU?

At least 100k, a strong desire to live in New York, and a healthy contempt for Chicago.

You're basically not getting a federal clerkship right out of school, and NYU's PI reputation is definitely not worth ignoring 150k from NU.

[jbagelboy]

NYU was pretty quick with getting back about appeals, so hopefully you hear back from them soon. Still, it would take a huge amount from them to beat at NU offer.

How much would it take from NYU to justify picking it over NU?

At least 100k, a strong desire to live in New York, and a healthy contempt for Chicago.

You're basically not getting a federal clerkship right out of school, and NYU's PI reputation is definitely not worth ignoring 150k from NU.

As it stands, NU hands down. Given your career goals and stated preferences though, Id go NYU @ 25K/yr over NUs offer, and Chicago at 30K/yr. Whatever debt aversion you might have, outside biglaw (which OP isnt interested on) there is a substantial enough difference between the chi/nyu opportunities for clerking/PI and the NU ones.

[dissonance1848]

Whoever voted for NYU here is trolling. Whoever voted for Chicago here is trolling. Go to NU, unless Chicago or NYU get back to you and offer at least 100k. Also, do you have WE?

[untar614]

I seriously doubt you'll get enough from NYU to justify it over 150k from NW unless you applied for and got one of those public interest/diversity named scholarships which you had to write essays for (have those people all heard back yet?) Don't forget that at NYU, CoL will be much higher as well.

At either school, you will still need to be in the upper end of the class to land a clerkship coming out, and last year, according to LST, NW had slightly higher % federal clerkships (6.4 vs 5.6). It seems like anywhere outside of HYS (particularly Y) has a pretty low federal clerkship %, so I wouldnt get too hung up on that unless you were accepted to Yale.

If NYU gives you 100k, then it might be worth it if you just have a really strong personal preference, but short of that, I'd say it really isn't worth it.

[lsacqueen]

Thanks everyone for the responses so far. I basically agree with everything that's been posted here, although I think the chances of getting serious money from NYU are nil, and I'd be lucky if Chicago bumped up my offer to 75k.

[FlowBro]

Wasn't there someone last year who got Chicago to match over 6 figures from NU? I remember seeing it on LSN maybe?

[lsacqueen]

Wasn't there someone last year who got Chicago to match over 6 figures from NU? I remember seeing it on LSN maybe?

I saw someone on TLS last year who had a 60k offer from Chicago and 120k from Northwestern. The Chicago offer was increased to 90k. I wrote a very nice (at least I hope) letter to Chicago including my NU offer, so hopefully they give me a lot more money.

[FlowBro]

Wasn't there someone last year who got Chicago to match over 6 figures from NU? I remember seeing it on LSN maybe?

I saw someone on TLS last year who had a 60k offer from Chicago and 120k from Northwestern. The Chicago offer was increased to 90k. I wrote a very nice (at least I hope) letter to Chicago including my NU offer, so hopefully they give me a lot more money.

I hope they can get you some more $$, one would think they dislike losing students to their in city rival

[IAFG]

NU isn't very good at supporting PI people, and I've heard NYU is great. I'd rather have NYU support + NYU LRAP if I were trying to give myself the best possible shot at PI.

[lsacqueen]

NU isn't very good at supporting PI people, and I've heard NYU is great. I'd rather have NYU support + NYU LRAP if I were trying to give myself the best possible shot at PI.

Since you go to NU, could you elaborate on your statement about how NYU doesn't support PI people?

[IAFG]

NU isn't very good at supporting PI people, and I've heard NYU is great. I'd rather have NYU support + NYU LRAP if I were trying to give myself the best possible shot at PI.

Since you go to NU, could you elaborate on your statement about how NYU doesn't support PI people?

Most of the people I know who wanted PI were underwhelmed by NU's support in helping people find PI gigs, including sometimes pressuring people to accept biglaw spots. A few found a friend at NYU to guide them through the process to make up what they weren't getting here.

[lsacqueen]

NU isn't very good at supporting PI people, and I've heard NYU is great. I'd rather have NYU support + NYU LRAP if I were trying to give myself the best possible shot at PI.

Since you go to NU, could you elaborate on your statement about how NYU doesn't support PI people?

Most of the people I know who wanted PI were underwhelmed by NU's support in helping people find PI gigs, including sometimes pressuring people to accept biglaw spots. A few found a friend at NYU to guide them through the process to make up what they weren't getting here.

That is disappointing to hear, but thanks. I don't think most of the people who voted in the poll even read my original post, which specifies my PI interest. A friend of mine encouraged me to take longer-term perspective on choosing a law school, i.e. focusing more on the school that will help me achieve my goals longer term rather than the price tag. Even though NYU and Chicago both have great LRAP, doesn't that amount of debt still hurt your quality of life for a long time?

[bk1]

People who say they are passionate about PI yet only seem to want gov confuse me. Maybe you need to clarify what you're looking for. Gov positions don't really seem public-interesty to me for the most part (save for PDs and maybe other exceptions). Working as a prosecutor might by PI-esque, but it definitely seems different than PI to me. And other gov positions (e.g. IRS, Treasury, CIA, etc) seem even further removed from PI than do prosecutors. There might be some exceptions (PDs, EEOC maybe, etc), but it seems to me that PI and gov are often quite different.

I think there are some caveats to keep in mind. You are almost assuredly not getting a clerkship from any of these schools, the market is just that tough. Another point is that gov agencies aren't really hiring that many people either.

[IAFG]

NU isn't very good at supporting PI people, and I've heard NYU is great. I'd rather have NYU support + NYU LRAP if I were trying to give myself the best possible shot at PI.

Since you go to NU, could you elaborate on your statement about how NYU doesn't support PI people?

Most of the people I know who wanted PI were underwhelmed by NU's support in helping people find PI gigs, including sometimes pressuring people to accept biglaw spots. A few found a friend at NYU to guide them through the process to make up what they weren't getting here.

That is disappointing to hear, but thanks. I don't think most of the people who voted in the poll even read my original post, which specifies my PI interest. A friend of mine encouraged me to take longer-term perspective on choosing a law school, i.e. focusing more on the school that will help me achieve my goals longer term rather than the price tag. Even though NYU and Chicago both have great LRAP, doesn't that amount of debt still hurt your quality of life for a long time?

You're really going to have to dig into the specifics of the programs to answer that (e.g. what happens if you get married? Get a PI gig paying $100k? etc.).

I didn't read your OP before I voted. Sorry.

[IAFG]

You are almost assuredly not getting a clerkship from any of these schools, the market is just that tough.

I respectfully disagree, though it may be a matter of definitions. If you land in the top 1/4 or so and really want it and will apply widely, your odds are quite good.

[bk1]

You are almost assuredly not getting a clerkship from any of these schools, the market is just that tough.

I respectfully disagree, though it may be a matter of definitions. If you land in the top 1/4 or so and really want it and will apply widely, your odds are quite good.

I think it is a matter of definitions. Your hypo doesn't apply to 75% of possible outcomes which is why A3 clerkships strike me as being quite unlikely.

[lsacqueen]

It's no surprise that A3 clerkships are competitive, but it is intriguing that more than one person ITT has dismissed the possibility entirely for these schools.

[IAFG]

It's no surprise that A3 clerkships are competitive, but it is intriguing that more than one person ITT has dismissed the possibility entirely for these schools.

It's just a risk aversion thing. If it's your #1 reason for going to LS, don't. If it's a nice-to-have, any of these is probably fine, because it'll come down to your performance.

[bk1]

It's no surprise that A3 clerkships are competitive, but it is intriguing that more than one person ITT has dismissed the possibility entirely for these schools.

It's the same reason why people don't suggest going to a tier 2 school for people who want to work in biglaw.

[TripTrip]

I don't think most of the people who voted in the poll even read my original post, which specifies my PI interest.

That's because free school is better than LRAP, and you don't need NYU to go PI. If you know what you want to do, you shouldn't need significant school support to find a PI gig.

A friend of mine encouraged me to take longer-term perspective on choosing a law school, i.e. focusing more on the school that will help me achieve my goals longer term rather than the price tag.

From what I've read, your long-term goals align with graduating without $200k debt. Price is definitely relevant.

IMO anyone voting for anything other than NU is trying to get you to free up that scholarship money so they can get it.

[IAFG]

I don't think most of the people who voted in the poll even read my original post, which specifies my PI interest.

That's because free school is better than LRAP, and you don't need NYU to go PI. If you know what you want to do, you shouldn't need significant school support to find a PI gig.

I don't agree with this at all. PI gigs are tricky. Unlike biglaw, where you just show up at OCI, PI gigs require a lot more research and inside knowledge on the process.