Need Help Choosing CCN + Debt or UVA, Duke, Vandy w/ $ Forum

[mylifeis24]

Heard from everyone except Columbia with regards to money at this point. All money is pre-negotiation.

-Schools I am considering: NYU, Columbia, Chicago, UVA, Duke, Vandy

-Scholarship awards: NYU ($0K), Columbia (still waiting), Chicago ($45K), UVA ($75K), Duke ($90K), Vandy ($110K)

-Total debt at repayment: NYU ($301K), Columbia ($308K), Chicago ($236K), UVA ($183K), Duke ($170K), Vandy ($140K)

-How you will be financing your COA: Loans. I'm K-JD. No savings to speak of.

-Where you are from and where you want to work: From NY, want to work in NYC or DC.

-Your general career goals: Clerkship after graduation with deferred offer for BigLaw for 5ish years to pay down debt. Then BigFed or move to a firm to work in appellate litigation.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers: 172, 3.71

-How many times you have taken the LSAT: Once

-Other info: Waitlisted at UPenn, Waiting on money from Columbia. Sent in appeal to NYU- it is my first choice and I fell in love with the school at ASW, but I can't justify $300K in debt when I have compelling offers from UVA, Duke, Vandy and Chicago. My family is in NY and I was looking forward to moving back to be closer to them. Also accepted to GULC with $60K, but haven't been impressed by them. Visited NYU, visiting Columbia and UChicago next week. Thinking about making a trip down to UVA for the day since I live in DC sometime this month.

Thank you in advanced to the fantastic TLS community for your insight and assistance.

[twenty]

Would go with Duke right now, probably, but you should be able to play a lot of these offers off eachother. Get UVA to match Duke, and then your top choice is UVA. Get NYU/Columbia to give you 60/75k, oh look, you can live with your folks, and now that's your best option. Rinse and repeat.

[mylifeis24]

Would go with Duke right now, probably, but you should be able to play a lot of these offers off eachother. Get UVA to match Duke, and then your top choice is UVA. Get NYU/Columbia to give you 60/75k, oh look, you can live with your folks, and now that's your best option. Rinse and repeat.

I've heard that UVA isn't too receptive to negotiations, but obviously I will try that. You think the 15K is enough to warrant Duke over UVA? I was personally thinking that was an acceptable difference.

If I could get 60/75 from NYU or Columbia, I would be thrilled and the question would be settled. Living with parents is not an option, not only because I would kill myself, but because they live out on Long Island- not community 45-60 minutes a day.

Thanks for your advice twenty!

[2014]

For NYC/DC/Clerking, Chicago is worth 50-60k more than UVA or Duke in my opinion. Chi>Duke>UVA>NYU=Columbia based on your current options.

[3L2014]

UVA and Duke are peer schools, and employment numbers might even lean in Duke's favor. I would choose between those two and just choose whichever you like best.

[arklaw13]

Vandy 1L here. NYC is doable from here, but definitely not the ideal place to be if you want NYC. DC is always a crapshoot because you'll need really good grades wherever you go outside HYS. I'd do UVA if I were you.

[mylifeis24]

I'm a bit surprised by the lean towards Duke over UVA. What's the reasoning behind this?

[Tiago Splitter]

I'm a bit surprised by the lean towards Duke over UVA. What's the reasoning behind this?

One is 13k cheaper.

[mylifeis24]

I'm a bit surprised by the lean towards Duke over UVA. What's the reasoning behind this?

One is 13k cheaper.

Fair enough. If I was able to get the 90K at Duke matched by UVA, how would the comparison play out then?

[Tiago Splitter]

I'm a bit surprised by the lean towards Duke over UVA. What's the reasoning behind this?

One is 13k cheaper.

Fair enough. If I was able to get the 90K at Duke matched by UVA, how would the comparison play out then?

Whichever one you liked more. It's very likely you'd end up in the same job from either one.

[cotiger]

I'm a bit surprised by the lean towards Duke over UVA. What's the reasoning behind this?

One is 13k cheaper.

Fair enough. If I was able to get the 90K at Duke matched by UVA, how would the comparison play out then?

Then whichever one you like better.

[JCougar]

I'm kind of a fan of Chicago here. That's kind of a high total debt number for the money you got there. It actually is possible to live comfortably in Chicago for probably less than they allot for COL. Especially on the South Side. I live here now and pay $635/month for a master bedroom with a master bath. It's new construction, too. I do have roommates, but my utilities including internet are included. Of course, the neighborhood is a bit sketchy for most people, but I like it here.

I think Chicago's small class size has advantages, too.

[Nyclawyer618]

It actually is possible to live comfortably in Chicago for probably less than they allot for COL. Especially on the South Side. I live here now

[mylifeis24]

So that I can manage my expectations, how much money from NYU or Columbia would I need to be offered to make them viable options? I really had my heart set on moving back to NY, and while I know that UVA, Duke and Chicago are all great schools that will offer me similar prospects, NYU and Columbia are definitely my top choices.

[mylifeis24]

Update! $90K from Columbia! I'm pretty sure that will end my cycle, but I'm going to send around negotiation emails.