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Hey all---would really appreciate your input! Will probably do patent law ("hard science" PhD), but not 100% sure. In any case, would like to work in firms, ideally big law. Want to live in Cali, or Chicago, D.C., or some other med-large cities with dog-friendly climate in the east coast. Wouldn't mind Austin either, I guess, but not other places in Texas. Sticker option at UVA, already withdrew from Cornell and Georgetown, on hold @ HYS and Columbia. Currently no debt.

COA minus scholarship:
U Chi: 197K
U Mich: 142K
NU: 149K
UCLA: 103K
Vandy: 106K
UT: 106K

Many thanks!!!

lawedu2013 wrote:Hey all---would really appreciate your input! Will probably do patent law ("hard science" PhD), but not 100% sure. In any case, would like to work in firms, ideally big law. Want to live in Cali, or Chicago, D.C., or some other med-large cities with dog-friendly climate in the east coast. Wouldn't mind Austin either, I guess, but not other places in Texas. Sticker option at UVA, already withdrew from Cornell and Georgetown, on hold @ HYS and Columbia. Currently no debt.

COA minus scholarship:
U Chi: 197K
U Mich: 142K
NU: 149K
UCLA: 103K
Vandy: 106K
UT: 106K

Many thanks!!!

In my opinion, it should be in between NU and UCLA. A lot of people will say cross at UCLA though. On a side note, didn't realize how much more expensive NU is to U Chi. Since you are not set in stone with California, I would personally go to NU, although seeing as you have a PHD, you may like U Chi's background just as much.... So I guess I changed my mind, I would do NU or U Chi, but I am not sure Chicago is worth 50k more to me.

I voted Cornell with 120K. But seriously why did you withdraw? Did they lowball you?

Of these options, NU. Where do you have ties?

Probably Mich at 142k or NU at 149k since you have the requisite background to be in good position for patent biglaw.

The mostly caps title was excessive, honestly, not necessary.

If you're set on patent law, I'd pick the one out of UT/Vandy/UCLA that you like the best. With a hard-science PhD, you can probably get a good IP job from any of those schools assuming that you work at it (proper mass mailing/PLIP) and don't bomb 1L.

Doorkeeper wrote:Probably Mich at 142k or NU at 149k since you have the requisite background to be in good position for patent biglaw.

This

ImNoScar wrote:

Doorkeeper wrote:Probably Mich at 142k or NU at 149k since you have the requisite background to be in good position for patent biglaw.

This

+1, although I'd personally go with Mich.

NU for great IP clinics and biglaw IP placement

NU

BigZuck wrote:I voted Cornell with 120K. But seriously why did you withdraw? Did they lowball you?

Of these options, NU. Where do you have ties?

Thanks so much for your comments. Mind letting me know why your preference for Cornell?

I was actually offered the optional essay to compete for a full ride by Cornell, but then I missed my deadline due to a surgery. I thought I would still qualify for smaller scholarships, but it turned out that they just counted me out completely. Oh well, my own fault.

TX resident, but I donot have any real geographical ties.

Doorkeeper wrote:Probably Mich at 142k or NU at 149k since you have the requisite background to be in good position for patent biglaw.

Thanks! So U Chi would not be as good for patent biglaw? Or it's just that the effective COA difference is not worth it?

jbagelboy wrote:NU for great IP clinics and biglaw IP placement

Thanks! And U Chi is does not have as good biglaw IP placement as NU?

Thanks to all of you for your kind comments!

One more sub-question: if disregarding the difference in financial cost and only judging from potential IP biglaw placement, which school would you pick? Please also add NYU to the list.

thanks again!

Where did you get your COA estimates? If you are paying for every single thing through debt I feel like your estimates should a little higher.
For reference, I have 90k at Mich and 120k at NU and estimates for either is ~150k (not a humble brag, I have not gotten the time of day from UChi so congrats on that).

If estimates are correct, I don't thing many people, if anyone, here can give you specific well researched advice because you have a hard science phd and a lot of us aren't used to that. Does anyone know what employment stats are like for a hard science old from UCLA/UT? I imagine they're still pretty darn good. I would research how many hard science guys are unemployed, if any, and then choose between the lowest COA, cause you'll be almost gaurantees a job, or NU if it turns out hard science guys are still struggling like the test of us.