Last minute waitlist decision...help! Forum

[Merylian]

Hi all. Here's my question:

-The schools you are considering
UC Irvine vs. Duke. Duke is and always has been my top choice school, so I am thrilled to even be forced to make this decision.

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.
$150,000 scholarship at UCI vs. $67,500 at Duke. Total COA at UCI is ballpark 60k, total at Duke would probably be 120-150k

-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
Loans

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
From PA, have lived in NC. I would love to live and work in the south, or in DC. I am also okay with CA though. Really, I'm fairly flexible on location as long as it's not in the middle of the country...sorry Midwest is Best bros.

-Your general career goals
Military law, government work, public interest, anything that pays the bills. In that order.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
170/3.5x

-How many times you have taken the LSAT
Twice

Husband and I are currently leaning towards Duke. If you're going to tell me not to go to UCI, please give me solid reasons and not "It's TTT."

What I'm thinking is that Duke would give me a better chance at landing the sort of job I want, and that their LRAP would make the debt workable. Failing that, I've got a better shot from Duke at landing the sort of job that I would need to cover any amount of debt anyway, which is a total gamble at UCI. Am I right in feeling this way, or should I take the money at UCI and run?

[jselson]

Duke and it's not even close.

[Robespierre]

Duke. Vastly more placement power and your debt, while high, will not be out of control. Not even close.

[bananasplit19]

Duke. You want to be in DC/South, and you got decent money from Durham. Anecdotally, I know a couple UCI kids on track for Navy JAG (maybe from their proximity to San Diego?), but I have to believe Duke should have decent pull in Annapolis. Can't speak for the other branches. Congrats on the 11th-hour breakthrough!

[ArtistOfManliness]

Duke.

Please refrain from making any other dumb threads

[DorianGray89]

Duke.

[TheThriller]

DUKE

[jbagelboy]

Duke holy shit. This is no question.

[guano]

T14 vs chimera

[Ti Malice]

Duke. This is not a real question.

[JamMasterJ]

Duke and it's not even close.

[ManoftheHour]

You'd be crazy to choose UCI over Duke at those prices.

Dre. Back me up.

[ArtistOfManliness]

You'd be crazy to choose UCI over Duke at those prices.

Dre. Back me up.

Seriously... what is Dre waiting for, an engraved invitation?

[Redfactor]

.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

I chose a similar school to UCI over Duke with these exact prices last year. It wasn't an easy call. It couldn't have worked out better for me. Graded onto law review, got 1L SA, have offer in hand from 1L SA, many interviews lined up and a guaranteed safety net. It's not an open an shut case. If you end up in bottom half at Duke you can be anywhere from mid law to unemployed to maybe get lucky and land big law. I would personally go UC Irvine probably, but obviously only if you have ties to CA.

[Redfactor]

.

[ArtistOfManliness]

I chose a similar school to UCI over Duke with these exact prices last year. It wasn't an easy call. It couldn't have worked out better for me. Graded onto law review, got 1L SA, have offer in hand from 1L SA, many interviews lined up and a guaranteed safety net. It's not an open an shut case. If you end up in bottom half at Duke you can be anywhere from mid law to unemployed to maybe get lucky and land big law. I would personally go UC Irvine probably, but obviously only if you have ties to CA.

You're an idiot. Seriously the dumbest person I have come across on this here internet.

[Legen..waitforit]

Duke w/o "?"

[JamMasterJ]

I chose a similar school to UCI over Duke with these exact prices last year. It wasn't an easy call. It couldn't have worked out better for me. Graded onto law review, got 1L SA, have offer in hand from 1L SA, many interviews lined up and a guaranteed safety net. It's not an open an shut case. If you end up in bottom half at Duke you can be anywhere from mid law to unemployed to maybe get lucky and land big law. I would personally go UC Irvine probably, but obviously only if you have ties to CA.

congrats you got lucky. For everyone else, Duke

[dstars823]

Duke holy shit. This is no question.

[dstars823]

I chose a similar school to UCI over Duke with these exact prices last year. It wasn't an easy call. It couldn't have worked out better for me. Graded onto law review, got 1L SA, have offer in hand from 1L SA, many interviews lined up and a guaranteed safety net. It's not an open an shut case. If you end up in bottom half at Duke you can be anywhere from mid law to unemployed to maybe get lucky and land big law. I would personally go UC Irvine probably, but obviously only if you have ties to CA.

much easier to be median at duke and land solid job than to grade onto law review. Also if you want to stay in the south esp NC, for the few Duke grads that actually stay they pretty much have the pick of the litter here in NC.

[dr123]

I chose a similar school to UCI over Duke with these exact prices last year. It wasn't an easy call. It couldn't have worked out better for me. Graded onto law review, got 1L SA, have offer in hand from 1L SA, many interviews lined up and a guaranteed safety net. It's not an open an shut case. If you end up in bottom half at Duke you can be anywhere from mid law to unemployed to maybe get lucky and land big law. I would personally go UC Irvine probably, but obviously only if you have ties to CA.

Whats a school similar to UCI? Davis or Hastings?

[Doorkeeper]

For the love of god, go to Duke.

[Merylian]

Thanks for the input folks I had already come to this conclusion myself, I just needed to hear I wasn't crazy for walking away from a full ride. I will officially be headed to Duke in a few days.

[hephaestus]

Duke holy shit. This is no question.