UCLA ($$) vs. Duke ($) & others
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 12:38 am
Hi all! I'm strongly leaning towards UCLA in my decision, but I'm not sure if California weather is worth the cost of giving up the other options. (I really hate winter, though. Like, an absurd amount.) I thought I'd offer this up to the wisdom of TLS and see what comes of it. Thank you in advance! 
The schools you are considering (scholarships) & COA:
UCLA ($120k), 108k: I'd like to explore legal scholarship in critical race theory, which makes UCLA very strong (critical race specialization). There's also some UCLA professors I met whom I liked a lot and whose research is something I am very interested in. Strong preference for LA for personal reasons, but unsure if it matters all that much unless there's a tie, in which case I'll be more specific.
Duke ($67.5k), 116k: I'm taking a law class for honors credit at my university, and my professors advised against Duke because the faculty are not very represented in terms of my academic interests, and it'd be harder for me to publish/do research. I also don't drive and would probably not have a car, and after years of asking people for rides to go grocery shopping, I am strongly averse to being in a non-pedestrian-friendly town. But T14 definitely has its merits.
Penn (?), 220k: I like Penn a lot, but I haven't heard back about merit aid yet. As such, its place in my consideration is mercurial. Will update.
NYU ($0), 243k: I am in love with NYU. My research this semester deals with at least three of their faculty's research, the fact that their dorms are directly across from their law school, my preference for huge cities, and their strong public interest programs are everything I ever wanted. But they didn't give me any money. I'm a little leery of financing them at sticker, but feel free to use NYU as the reason why I should retake.
Vanderbilt ($110k) and Georgetown ($105k) are also options, but I'm not strongly considering them. (Unless you tell me I should!)
How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
Loans, with a bit of help from family, although not enough to substantially impact anything.
Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
Want to work in California or New York; no ties to either places. Strong preference to live in LA, as mentioned.
Your general career goals
Public interest, international human rights. UCLA has more Skadden Fellows than Duke does, but I'm not sure how this data should impact my consideration? What other data points would you recommend looking into?
Your LSAT/GPA numbers
169/3.98
How many times you have taken the LSAT
Once. Retaking might be an option, but I'd prefer to go ahead and choose, since my job prospects are pretty much limited to minimum wage jobs and I don't know how that might impact my second application. (If I can even land a job...)
The schools you are considering (scholarships) & COA:
UCLA ($120k), 108k: I'd like to explore legal scholarship in critical race theory, which makes UCLA very strong (critical race specialization). There's also some UCLA professors I met whom I liked a lot and whose research is something I am very interested in. Strong preference for LA for personal reasons, but unsure if it matters all that much unless there's a tie, in which case I'll be more specific.
Duke ($67.5k), 116k: I'm taking a law class for honors credit at my university, and my professors advised against Duke because the faculty are not very represented in terms of my academic interests, and it'd be harder for me to publish/do research. I also don't drive and would probably not have a car, and after years of asking people for rides to go grocery shopping, I am strongly averse to being in a non-pedestrian-friendly town. But T14 definitely has its merits.
Penn (?), 220k: I like Penn a lot, but I haven't heard back about merit aid yet. As such, its place in my consideration is mercurial. Will update.
NYU ($0), 243k: I am in love with NYU. My research this semester deals with at least three of their faculty's research, the fact that their dorms are directly across from their law school, my preference for huge cities, and their strong public interest programs are everything I ever wanted. But they didn't give me any money. I'm a little leery of financing them at sticker, but feel free to use NYU as the reason why I should retake.
Vanderbilt ($110k) and Georgetown ($105k) are also options, but I'm not strongly considering them. (Unless you tell me I should!)
How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
Loans, with a bit of help from family, although not enough to substantially impact anything.
Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
Want to work in California or New York; no ties to either places. Strong preference to live in LA, as mentioned.
Your general career goals
Public interest, international human rights. UCLA has more Skadden Fellows than Duke does, but I'm not sure how this data should impact my consideration? What other data points would you recommend looking into?
Your LSAT/GPA numbers
169/3.98
How many times you have taken the LSAT
Once. Retaking might be an option, but I'd prefer to go ahead and choose, since my job prospects are pretty much limited to minimum wage jobs and I don't know how that might impact my second application. (If I can even land a job...)