Top Law Schools

The schools you are considering:
-UVA ($135k scholarship)
-Penn ($105k scholarship)
-Harvard (sticker)

The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships: Using LSTScoreReports, I came up with:

Harvard -~$300k
Penn - ~$192k
UVA - ~ $134k

Parental contribution may bring down the costs slightly (at most $30k over 3 years), but I'm not sure how much they'll be able to pay.

How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings: Mostly loans. Will have some family help, but not a lot.

Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any): Grew up outside DC and would ideally like to end up working here as soon as I can. I have "midlaw" and PI ties in Baltimore, DC, and MD, though they do not mean I have a guaranteed job after graduation.

Your general career goals: I want to do PI, although I'm not quite sure what kind. Right now I have my eyes on a job with the ACLU, a union or union-side firm, bigfed (DOJ Civil Rights Division or DOL would be sweet....but I want to be realistic), or any organization/firm that does similar work. If I have to do biglaw in order to pay back my loans or get work experience, I will also want to aim for DC.

Your LSAT/GPA numbers: 170/3.9x/URM

How many times you have taken the LSAT: Once

I'd be hesitant to do PI straight out of Penn or UVA since their LRAPs a) would require me to work in PI for 10 years b) assume PSLF will stay the same and c) are more restrictive than LIPP w/r/t the jobs I can get. Thus, if I go to either of those schools I'll be more likely to do biglaw in order to pay off my loans, though I still might do PI. Hard to predict as an 0L

At Harvard I'd theoretically be able to enter PI immediately thanks to LIPP's greater flexibility. However, if I end up in biglaw for loan repayment / work experience, would I just be better off going to UVA or Penn in the first place, even when consdiering my DC and "prestigious" PI goals? Would doing biglaw to pay off loans for 2-3 years and then relying on LIPP for the rest be a viable and reasonable option?

Just between UVA and Penn, would I be dumb to choose the latter? I applied to UVA mostly so I could use it to negotiate with Penn. I'd much prefer to live in an urban environment, plus I'd be able to see my UG friends if I lived in Philly.

I've applied to Yale but haven't heard back. Assuming I get admitted (big assumption), would it be worth going there?

Please tell me if you're an 0L, student, or graduate when you reply. Thanks all.

The decision is UVA (cost & DC connection) vs. Harvard (obvious advantage for your prestige goals) imho. Your reasons for Philly aren't strong enough.

I don't really understand what you're saying about LIPP vs. LRAP. You need to decide if you want to gun for PI hard, or if you're more likely to end up in biglaw straight out, as that will impact our decision.

I'm leaning toward UVA, because $166k is simply a ton of money. But your answer related to your PI goals will be helpful. If you want PI and would take nothing else, then go to Harvard, and get on LIPP straight after graduating (although this is riskier, there is no PI guarantee). If you would be okay doing biglaw for a few years and then trying to lateral into some other more PI-focused or gov't position, then go to UVA and gun for DC biglaw.