Northwestern (Sticker) vs. USC ($60k total) Forum

[Seasaltcoffee]

-From Southern California, never lived out of state.
-USC COA: Roughly $100K pre-interest
-Northwestern COA: Roughly $150-160K pre-interest
-Want to work biglaw in Cali

[Tiago Splitter]

Northwestern provides you with a much better chance of BigLaw, but not necessarily California BigLaw. Would you rather work BigLaw in NYC/Chicago or small law/non-legal work in California if the California BigLaw thing doesn't work out?

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

I worry about reflexively telling everyone to retake, but stats?

[jbagelboy]

USC used to be a decent bet at CA biglaw, but now its numbers are a little depressing. Something like 22% of USC's graduating class was underemployed last year.

In raw terms, NU is easily worth $60K more than USC IMO. Your "pre-interest" calculations with no CoL are pretty useless here when it comes to comparing cost. At a certain point, NU becomes inadvisable as well.

[Big Dog]

I concur that NU is easily worth $60k more than 'SC, but not necessarily for someone who solely wants California, and was born and raised in SoCal. The Trojan Family is huge in SoCal, and I voted for USC for that reason.

[09042014]

USC wouldn't be the worst choice, but northwestern is considerably better at job placement and 60k isn't enough to overcome it.

[rickgrimes69]

Do you have outside funding? I don't understand how your COA figures are so low. I wouldn't attend either school at the prices you're paying, but your total debt load is low enough that either is a viable option. I'd vote for NU out of these two options (although retaking for more $$ is the best answer).

[PRgradBYU]

USC wouldn't be the worst choice, but northwestern is considerably better at job placement and 60k isn't enough to overcome it.

+1, although IMHO, retake > NU > USC.

[Dr. Dre]

usc is atrocious compared to NU

[Big Dog]

^^well, I guess that is better than your description of UCI.

[Micdiddy]

Please make sure you know you're true COA at each school before making a decision. NU at sticker will be roughly 290k according to their own estimates.
Are you getting free COL at USC? Because that would change things significantly. As it stands, though, NU is probably the better choice as long as you will take big law anywhere, but not sure either choice is objectively good.

[Ti Malice]

Your poll results are probably going to skew more toward USC than they should. You list NU in terms of total COA, but then you list USC with the scholarship amount rather than in terms of COA. Some drive-by voters will probably think you're saying USC will cost you $60K total.

How are you calculating COA? Are you accounting for COL?

[Seasaltcoffee]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

[Micdiddy]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

Mind if I ask how COL is covered?

[jbagelboy]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

[Micdiddy]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

and it's still wholly relevant to total COA and should be considered when weighing your options. If it is parents cash, then weigh it appropriately with how much of a burden it'll place on your parents (if they are seriously flush, then dismiss it entirely, but if they are this rich why are they not paying total COA?).
If it's savings, then treat it equally to loan amount you will be taking out (same dollars being paid either way).

[ManoftheHour]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

and it's still wholly relevant to total COA and should be considered when weighing your options. If it is parents cash, then weigh it appropriately with how much of a burden it'll place on your parents (if they are seriously flush, then dismiss it entirely, but if they are this rich why are they not paying total COA?).
If it's savings, then treat it equally to loan amount you will be taking out (same dollars being paid either way).

They probably don't want to. My parents have enough to and are willing (and currently are) wiring $2000 each to mine and my brother's bank accounts every month, but it doesn't mean they want to pay our tuition. My brother got a new car but he's paying for his own masters of education through loans.

[jbagelboy]

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

and it's still wholly relevant to total COA and should be considered when weighing your options. If it is parents cash, then weigh it appropriately with how much of a burden it'll place on your parents (if they are seriously flush, then dismiss it entirely, but if they are this rich why are they not paying total COA?).
If it's savings, then treat it equally to loan amount you will be taking out (same dollars being paid either way).

They probably don't want to. My parents have enough to and are willing (and currently are) wiring $2000 each to mine and my brother's bank accounts every month, but it doesn't mean they want to pay our tuition. My brother got a new car but he's paying for his own masters of education through loans.

Hmm lol. No offense, but I never understand families that operate on this basis. Obviously, given that's roughly CoL in law school/grad school, you are extremely fortunate, but if I was a parent, I would never give money for my son to buy a new car in lieu of paying for his education. That just screams entitlement right there (and fiscal insolvency).

[ManoftheHour]

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

and it's still wholly relevant to total COA and should be considered when weighing your options. If it is parents cash, then weigh it appropriately with how much of a burden it'll place on your parents (if they are seriously flush, then dismiss it entirely, but if they are this rich why are they not paying total COA?).
If it's savings, then treat it equally to loan amount you will be taking out (same dollars being paid either way).

They probably don't want to. My parents have enough to and are willing (and currently are) wiring $2000 each to mine and my brother's bank accounts every month, but it doesn't mean they want to pay our tuition. My brother got a new car but he's paying for his own masters of education through loans.

Hmm lol. No offense, but I never understand families that operate on this basis. Obviously, given that's roughly CoL in law school/grad school, you are extremely fortunate, but if I was a parent, I would never give money for my son to buy a new car in lieu of paying for his education. That just screams entitlement right there (and fiscal insolvency).

None taken because I agree, my brother agrees, my mom's brother agrees. He wasn't kicking and screaming when they bought him a new car but he didn't ask for one in the first place. They're honestly lucky they're jobs that affords them a good amount of fiscal irresponsibility.

[Doorkeeper]

Northwestern at $195k isn't horrible, but retake might be warranted here.

USC at $122k with only a 33% chance at biglaw is a no go, imo.

[Seasaltcoffee]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

How is it 195$K? Are you including interest?

[jbagelboy]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

How is it 195$K? Are you including interest?

yes, without interest it is not the true cost of attendance. If you are paying with federal loans, you have loan origination fees and interest that compounds immediately and gets added to the principal, hence, nearly $200K upon graduation from NU and between $120-125K at USC. IF you are not paying with loans, then your parents are paying for it -- that is why people kept asking you how you are funding CoA.

[Seasaltcoffee]

COA is around $159K pre-interest b/c I only need tuition covered. Housing, etc is covered. Same thing applies for USC. paying for tuition only

Thanks, but this doesn't fully answer the question.

Assuming you are loaning tuition, your COA at NU is: ~$195K.
At USC: ~122K.

So you are really looking at a $60K $73K difference. this is why posters were asking about COA and relative value.

If you are paying the remainder with parents cash/savings, then its ~$60K difference.

How is it 195$K? Are you including interest?

yes, without interest it is not the true cost of attendance. If you are paying with federal loans, you have loan origination fees and interest that compounds immediately and gets added to the principal, hence, nearly $200K upon graduation from NU and between $120-125K at USC. IF you are not paying with loans, then your parents are paying for it -- that is why people kept asking you how you are funding CoA.

Yes, that is why I explicitly stated "pre-interest". Of course that is really a misrepresentation of true CoA. So you are saying that if I take out loans on tuition ONLY, that it would be nearly $200K in debt upon graduation? Just want to understand this correctly. So basically close to $41,000 in interest, origination fees, etc. (btw I'm legitimately asking you right now, not being sarcastic, cant crunch numbers at work right now)

[Tiago Splitter]

So you are saying that if I take out loans on tuition ONLY, that it would be nearly $200K in debt upon graduation? Just want to understand this correctly. So basically close to $41,000 in interest, origination fees, etc. (btw I'm legitimately asking you right now, not being sarcastic, cant crunch numbers at work right now)

Yes.

http://www.law.georgetown.edu/admission ... geid=61621