Top Law Schools

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I don't know if any of those schools are worth the extra 100+K.

I think you may be underestimating your COA at Michigan.

Did you use this: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &t=225195=

If I were to guess, I would think you'd be looking at about 140k after you subtract your 30k savings.

I wouldn't pay ~$100k more for any of those for biglaw.

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a) Your paying it back after inflation, so the numbers are a little questionable.
b) If your Michigan cost is low, so are all the other schools. With the possible exceptions of UVA and Duke, cost of living is significantly higher anywhere else. $16,000 a year in Ann Arbor can work, especially with Obamacare.

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Is the scholly you're getting from mich need-based? If it's merit-based, I could sort of see the point of this thread. If it's need-based, I don't see why you wouldn't get the same assistance from the other schools, if accepted.

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I'd stay on the waitlists if one of the other options appeals to you more. I got off of one of those waitlists (NYU) with 50k last year and know plenty of others who got off other t14 waitlists with $$$ as well.... so it's definitely possible that any of them could put themselves in the conversation with a decent offer.

That being said, you should definitely go to M as is.

You seem fixated on Columbia. If you got CLS within $80k of Michigan then I think it's justified. If Columbia is more expensive then that - which it looks like it definitely would be at sticker - probably not worth the extra cost. People take Columbia at upwards of $100k over lower t14, but I'm "meh" on that choice.

Harvard might be worth $100k over Michigan, depending on goals.

The others fall between $0 (Duke and Michigan are peers) and $75kish in value.

The above is all somewhat silly, I'm just trying to provide some analytic framework to your decision but really the important thing is to keep debt low without sacrificing employment opportunity. Don't follow big names into the grad plus wilderness.