Top Law Schools

Could use some TLS wisdom here. First things first - I will have some family support, equaling 40k per year. That will have an impact on the COA numbers below.

-The schools you are considering: Columbia, NYU, Duke, Cornell.

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each.
Columbia = 170k (zero scholarship money)
NYU = 165k (zero scholarship money)
Duke = 46k (74k in scholarship money)
Cornell = 0K (150k in scholarship money)

-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
- As stated above, some family help, then loans.

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
- Ties in NYC and northeast, and want to remain there for work. NYC > Boston > DC

-Your general career goals
- Public Interest, all the way. Most likely criminal, prosecutor work. Have work experienced at an international NGO, so could potentially try that route as well (yes, I'm well aware international law is difficult at best to get into). I am not the biglaw type, and will not participate in OCI. Significant lawyers/judges in the family.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers
- 172, 3.6x

-How many times you have taken the LSAT
- Once

One additional caveat - significant other is in NYC, and both she and my family are pushing for an NYC re-location. Please vote in the poll; I know many of you will say the Cornell for free or Duke for 46k is a steal, but I wanted to see if the discounted price of NYU/Columbia (combined with a solid LRAP for a PI guy) would draw a few votes.

Cornell and this isn't debatable. Duke isn't really defensible in this situation because it's more expensive with no advantage for your goals or market. NYU is a bad choice because the bump in PI programs and great LRAP just isn't worth that much $$. Choosing Columbia would be completely insane. Deal with the distance for a few years and then enjoy the freedom of a T14 JD with no debt.

Pick Cornell. You and your SO can meet halfway in Scranton for some lovely weekends at the Anthracite Coal Museum.

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Ithaca is Gorges

Anyone else find it amusing how utterly assured we are in our responses concerning other people's situations? Why, for the life of me, can't I be certain as to the correct course of action when I am the poor schmuck having to choose between $ at MVP vs $$$ at G vs $$$$ at a T30 regional with ties?

Could someone please digest my options and then post a "Help Me Choose" thread so that I can be totally blase and offhand about my own life for a change?

Egad.

And Cornell, hands down. There is a squash court attached to the library.