Texas ($) / Vandy ($$) / Duke Forum

[bb85]

First post on here, appreciate any advice you could give me.

-The schools you are considering
I am currently in at Texas, Vandy, and Duke. I am wait listed at Columbia, UVA, and Georgetown. I have not heard anything back yet from NYU and Cornell.

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships. Here is a helpful calculator.

My SO will be working and paying the bills so at this point my only costs will be tuition / books. I also have a year and half of full post 9/11 GI Bill benefits that I am factoring into my COA. This will cover my first three semesters and also provide a living stipend. I have received scholarships from Texas and Vandy (also factored in), still waiting on offer from Duke.

Current COA at accepted schools.

Texas - 20k
Vandy - 50k
Duke - 86K

Assuming I get in off the wait list at and of the other schools I would be likely looking at sticker for my last three semesters with my first three being covered by my GI Bill.

-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
I will be taking out loans supplemented with any summer earnings and / or additional income from my SO that can be spared.

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)

Currently living in Texas with ties in the southeast (NC/VA). My SO is from Texas and I would ideally like to work in DC or Texas.

-Your general career goals

Clerk then Big Fed / Big Law.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers

165 / 3.87 - Believe that I have slightly outperformed my numbers due to my military resume / PS / solid letters of rec.

-How many times you have taken the LSAT

Twice- 165 both times

[retaking23]

Dooook.

Easily. Especially bc they'll at least give you something in the next couple of weeks. Plus they do alright with clerkships and have decent DC placement for bigfed. They actually have an Duke in DC externship so you might want to look into that if you weren't already aware.

Disclaimer: I promise I'm not advertising

[Captain Rodeo]

I voted TX just among those schools you listed. But, if you get into Columbia, NYU, UVA, then that's different. The GI bill pays for the tuition, right? So you'd pay 1.5 years of law school at one of those schools. You'd have to take out loans, but that seems like a great deal. Just depends how much you want to pay after schools is out. If you're going to do big law, I don't think I'd pass up Columbia and NYU with the use of a GI Bill

[BigZuck]

Of these, Duke. I would retake June for a shot at Harvard however

[arklaw13]

Duke at 86k is hard to turn down. If your figures are accurate, do that.

[El Principe]

I'm inclined to vote Texas, but I'll give Duke the not for the low COA + marginal clerkship boosts + significantly more opportunities for DC.