NYU vs UVA ($) vs Duke ($$) Forum

[BillF*ckingMurray]

NYU: sticker (3yr COA $250k)
UVA: $24k scholarship (3yr COA $208k)
Duke: $60k scholarship (3yr COA $162k)

Goals: clerkship, followed by biglaw job somewhere on the eastern seaboard (NY/DC/etc) that will hopefully allow me to pay back the mountain of debt I am about to take on

I'm not really concerned with prestige. I also don't care whether I'm in NYC/Charlottesville/Durham for the next three years. I just want to put myself in the best long term financial situation possible. I'm debt averse and I also have a significant other who will be in DC for the foreseeable future. Advice?

[sinfiery]

UVA to be near your SO in LS or Duke for best financial position. If you are that debt averse and just want to be debt free as soon as possible, NYU doesn't make sense.

[Doorkeeper]

Negotiate with UVA to see if they will increase for Duke. Otherwise, probably Duke.

Charlottesville is 2.5hrs away from DC. Durham and NYC are both 4 hours. It's not as big of a travel jump as one might think. There are also quick 1hr flights from NYC and Durham to DC.

[BillF*ckingMurray]

Negotiate with UVA to see if they will increase for Duke. Otherwise, probably Duke.

Charlottesville is 2.5hrs away from DC. Durham and NYC are both 4 hours. It's not as big of a travel jump as one might think. There are also quick 1hr flights from NYC and Durham to DC.

Already tried negotiating, unfortunately they wouldn't budge

[dawyzest1]

Duke's my vote here.

[Bronck]

Duke

[totoro]

Do you already have a car/did you include it in your COA for Duke? I think Duke does not include the cost of a car on its website. So, there might not be that much of a cost difference for you between Duke v UVA

[Legen..waitforit]

It's between uva and duke. Depending on how significant your SO is, I'd say go with Duke for financial reasons given.

[megagnarley]

Make a poll breh.

[BillF*ckingMurray]

Do you already have a car/did you include it in your COA for Duke? I think Duke does not include the cost of a car on its website. So, there might not be that much of a cost difference for you between Duke v UVA

I do already own a car, which I factored into COA. I also don't qualify for in-state at Virginia, so no help there.

My real question is whether the additional cost of NYU/UVA is merited by superior postgrad employment opportunities there compared to Duke. I get that impression that because it's t6 and in New York, NYU will give me statistically better odds at getting that biglaw job, but is it worth 90/100k for that slight boost? I'm not certain.

What terrifies me most is the possibility of below-median grades in LS, which means not landing a legal job ITE, which means graduating with crushing debt and no way to repay it. Whatever law school gives me the best chances of avoiding this scenario is the one I want to go to. Not that I expect to do poorly, but I can't know as a 0L whether I'll be at the top of my class or the bottom.

[rad lulz]

It's between uva and duke. Depending on how significant your SO is, I'd say go with Duke for financial reasons given.

[jbagelboy]

Do you already have a car/did you include it in your COA for Duke? I think Duke does not include the cost of a car on its website. So, there might not be that much of a cost difference for you between Duke v UVA

I do already own a car, which I factored into COA. I also don't qualify for in-state at Virginia, so no help there.

My real question is whether the additional cost of NYU/UVA is merited by superior postgrad employment opportunities there compared to Duke. I get that impression that because it's t6 and in New York, NYU will give me statistically better odds at getting that biglaw job, but is it worth 90/100k for that slight boost? I'm not certain.

What terrifies me most is the possibility of below-median grades in LS, which means not landing a legal job ITE, which means graduating with crushing debt and no way to repay it. Whatever law school gives me the best chances of avoiding this scenario is the one I want to go to. Not that I expect to do poorly, but I can't know as a 0L whether I'll be at the top of my class or the bottom.

NYU might not help you much if your SO is really in DC for an extended period of time. I mean, hopefully, if he/she was going to be there after you graduated from LS, you would be able to move to DC and join him/her. In this scenario, whatever perceived advantages NYU would provide in the NYC market are neutralized by your personal goals. So then its a question of UVA v Duke. I don't think UVA places $45K better than Duke in general (many years they are tied) --however, considering UVA is 1) closer to DC and 2) your in biglaw-debt territory either way, my final bet would hedge towards UVA.

Lastly, I think there's some potential to get that UVA scholarship raised to maybe a $45K level, making an even more enviable choice.

[dixiecupdrinking]

I dunno, I'd actually say Duke or NYU. A $24k scholarship isn't enough to go UVA over NYU. Live off-campus and the cost of living differences don't have to be as large as you might think.

[Clearly]

I'd go Duke personally.

[bruin91]

I'd go with Duke here, OP.

[willwilliams1334]

if your really debt-averse, you'll pick NYU; although, prob UVA to be near SO

[Clearly]

if your really debt-averse, you'll pick NYU; although, prob UVA to be near SO

How is the most expensive option, with the highest COL the debt-averse option???

[PRgradBYU]

I'd go with Duke, OP.

if your really debt-averse, you'll pick NYU; although, prob UVA to be near SO

What?

[rickgrimes69]

if your really debt-averse, you'll pick NYU; although, prob UVA to be near SO

2/10 NYU trolling try harder next time.

Or don't; you haven't really added anything useful to the TLS dialogue thus far.

[jbagelboy]

if your really debt-averse, you'll pick NYU; although, prob UVA to be near SO

2/10 NYU trolling try harder next time.

Or don't; you haven't really added anything useful to the TLS dialogue thus far.

the statement doesn't even make any sense from any perspective.

[y2zipper]

You're in a spot where all your options are good and you should take the cheapest, AKA Duke.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

I think all of these options are pretty bad. I turned down 60k at duke to avoid $200k debt noose I would advise the same.

[sinfiery]

I think all of these options are pretty bad. I turned down 60k at duke to avoid $200k debt noose I would advise the same.

I disagree.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

I think all of these options are pretty bad. I turned down 60k at duke to avoid $200k debt noose I would advise the same.

I disagree.

Haha. Evidence? So over three years you have $20-30k in income (assume paid 2L summer). And then post grad you have three years to pay off, or four years, at which poing you are likely either fired or on the verge?

[KingFish]

I think all of these options are pretty bad. I turned down 60k at duke to avoid $200k debt noose I would advise the same.

I disagree.

Haha. Evidence? So over three years you have $20-30k in income (assume paid 2L summer). And then post grad you have three years to pay off, or four years, at which poing you are likely either fired or on the verge?

And then no income the rest of your life.