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Alright, so my goal has always been to go to school and then work in NYC. In that regard, NYU is really a dream come true, and I love it even more after ASW. Penn has complicated things by offering scholarship $.

Not entirely sure whether I want to pursue PI or Biglaw, both seem attractive to me for different reasons.

So, random internet strangers, please tell me I'm not completely insane for forgoing scholarship money at Penn to pay sticker at NYU.

What is Penn offering?

60k over 3 years

take the money

You know what. **** it. Take NYU. You want to work in NYC, NYU will give you a boost, the value of which will become apparent over the course of your career. T6 is a defensible call here.

In any case, congrats on your choices!

Enjoy Penn.

Dream come true huh? You'll have a lot to pay off afterwards. So much, that I don't know if an extra $60K (still a sizable amount) should cause you to forego your dream.

TLS is very debt adverse, and rightly so. Most comments will tell you to take the money: TICR Is your plan to do big law? If so, I'd take NYU. Get great grades. Get that 2L SA.

I'm an 0L, so keep that in mind. I hear being a junior associate at a big law firm is fairly miserable, according to threads here.

Regardless, if you're going to be kicking yourself in the ass at Penn (have you visited?) thinking you should have just done NYU.... well....


ETA: my suggestion was dependent on you doing BL. Also, have you tried to negotiate with NYU? If you can negotiate, as another poster wrote, at Penn for more $$$, then Penn.

Look at job placement stats for Penn in the NY area (I'm sure they're great).
If they are comparable to NYU's, then take the $.

I would take the 60k at Penn every time. NYU at sticker debt is crazy. NEGOTIATE obvi.

Take Penn. "T6" isn't even a thing. You'll end up working in NYC anyway.

I am at NYU and Penn is the only way to go here. Don't throw away 60k. NYC will be here waiting for you after. Also, negotiate hard with both.

EnormousCheese wrote:You know what. **** it. Take NYU. You want to work in NYC, NYU will give you a boost, the value of which will become apparent over the course of your career. T6 is a defensible call here.

In any case, congrats on your choices!

So easy to be cavalier with other people's money.

And apparently easy to just make shit up too.

jenesaislaw wrote:

EnormousCheese wrote:You know what. **** it. Take NYU. You want to work in NYC, NYU will give you a boost, the value of which will become apparent over the course of your career. T6 is a defensible call here.

In any case, congrats on your choices!

So easy to be cavalier with other people's money.

And apparently easy to just make shit up too.

Spoken like a true Penn student. I kid, I kid. On the real though, we can debate the merits of whether CCN is a thing or not (I think it is), but I don't think a 60k discount makes Penn an obvious choice for someone with their heart set on New York.

And cavalier with what money? It's a forum board. I seriously doubt anyone would base a life altering decision off of one solitary opinion.

For what it's worth, I was in a similar position, and picked CCN. Don't regret it.

EnormousCheese wrote:

jenesaislaw wrote:

EnormousCheese wrote:You know what. **** it. Take NYU. You want to work in NYC, NYU will give you a boost, the value of which will become apparent over the course of your career. T6 is a defensible call here.

In any case, congrats on your choices!

So easy to be cavalier with other people's money.

And apparently easy to just make shit up too.

Spoken like a true Penn student. I kid, I kid. On the real though, we can debate the merits of whether CCN is a thing or not (I think it is), but I don't think a 60k discount makes Penn an obvious choice for someone with their heart set on New York.

where do you think most Penn grads work lol. also they are clearly peer schools:
Penn Biglaw+Fed Clerk: 69.1%
NYU Biglaw+Fed Clerk: 67%

obviously take the money if NYU won't give you anything.

Take Penn. 60k over 3 years could easily be ~90-100k once you factor in interest/NY COL. Have you calculated debt at graduation? NYU and Penn are some of the most comparable schools in the T14 when it comes to placement.

james.bungles wrote:

EnormousCheese wrote:

jenesaislaw wrote:

EnormousCheese wrote:You know what. **** it. Take NYU. You want to work in NYC, NYU will give you a boost, the value of which will become apparent over the course of your career. T6 is a defensible call here.

In any case, congrats on your choices!

So easy to be cavalier with other people's money.

And apparently easy to just make shit up too.

Spoken like a true Penn student. I kid, I kid. On the real though, we can debate the merits of whether CCN is a thing or not (I think it is), but I don't think a 60k discount makes Penn an obvious choice for someone with their heart set on New York.

where do you think most Penn grads work lol. also they are clearly peer schools:
Penn Biglaw+Fed Clerk: 69.1%
NYU Biglaw+Fed Clerk: 67%

obviously take the money if NYU won't give you anything.

I used to be a die hard Penn fan. However, I think NYU has a slight edge. I didn't realize how many people were skipping EIW and were dead set on PI until I got here (of course this might be an NYU bias). In fact I know of 2 people who are top 5% or greater and are skipping EIW altogether.

I would probably add another 5-10% to NYU's "biglaw+FedClerk" figure to give a rough estimate based on the PI bias but I'm not too sure if that would be accurate.

However, 60k is a lot of money. Factoring in interest and cost of living, you're giving up around 80k or more to live in NYC for 3 years.
Basically, TAKE PENN

OP wants big law or PI. Both schools do just fine in NJL250 placement overall. Factoring in the difference in class sizes, NYU has had better V30 placement. If you go the PI route, it's likely you'll find more like-minded classmates and more institutional support at NYU.

I don't think those advantages are worth $60k, focusing solely on employment outcomes. That's basically how I feel about all T14s outside of HYS and GULC; I wouldn't pay sticker at any if my COA was $60k lower at another.

Keep in mind that with interest, Penn is actually 80-90k cheaper.

twenty wrote:Keep in mind that with interest, Penn is actually 80-90k cheaper.

lower COL as well

james.bungles wrote:

twenty wrote:Keep in mind that with interest, Penn is actually 80-90k cheaper.

lower COL as well

Penn is 240k, NYU is 280k (interest, CoL taken into account).

40k difference + 60k = 100k (also interest on that 60k); so it's a 100k+ difference.
That's huge. No way in hell should you take NYU unless you're deadset on PI

iliketurtles123 wrote:

james.bungles wrote:

twenty wrote:Keep in mind that with interest, Penn is actually 80-90k cheaper.

lower COL as well

Penn is 240k, NYU is 280k (interest, CoL taken into account).

40k difference + 60k = 100k (also interest on that 60k); so it's a 100k+ difference.
That's huge. No way in hell should you take NYU unless you're deadset on PI

Even with PI, I was at ASW for Penn and it seemed like Penn is really trying to go the PI route. There is a lot of help finding PI jobs, but little competition for the openings, because most people at Penn want to go into Biglaw. But that was just my impression. I could be wrong.

The idea that NYU places better in biglaw is just a holdover. NYU stands a better chance of getting you a V10, but the perceived difference between chances at one market paying firm and the next is not worth $80k+.

The "non-participation in EIW to cover lower stats" at NYU is window-dressing. Every T14 has a ~10% faction which skips on campus firm recruiting.

UPenn.

jbagelboy wrote:The idea that NYU places better in biglaw is just a holdover. NYU stands a better chance of getting you a V10, but the perceived difference between chances at one market paying firm and the next is not worth $80k+.

The "non-participation in EIW to cover lower stats" at NYU is window-dressing. Every T14 has a ~10% faction which skips on campus firm recruiting.

UPenn.

I agree Penn is definitely the right call here, given the cost difference, but the whole window-dressing thing is a bit of an exaggeration. NYU probs does have a larger PI contingent than most of the T14.

Even then, Penn and NYU are clearly peer schools. I think CCNP has been a thing for a while now, and the idea of paying 60k-100k more for a nonexistent to 2-3% boost in biglaw prospects is crazy. That goes for the rest of the non-YHS T14 too.