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Hello there, my anonymous comrades. I have a really hard decision to make and I would appreciate it if any of you could offer some opinions.

I accepted an offer at UVA Law and was given roughly $60,000. I was (and am) pretty happy about that, as I enjoyed my time there during the Admitted Students Weekend and came away with solid impressions concerning their job placement statistics.

However, I was also accepted off the waitlist at Penn Law with nearly the exact same amount of money. I visited the school last week and really liked it and similarly came away with sold impressions about the job numbers. (Though, the cost of attendance at Virginia would still be lower by about three grand (according to the information present on each school's website and blogs here) because of the C'Ville/Philly difference)

I think that if I had to make this decision before the first deposit deadlines passed, I would have selected Penn. Unfortunately, I feel that I am already acclimated and committed to UVA. I already signed a lease down there and it's not like choosing Penn over Virginia is an easy decision. It's hard.

Nevertheless, I understand that I am in a great position.

A bit about me:

- Graduated from BU and spent a year working as a paralegal at a Boston law firm.
- Originally from New Jersey and am interested in BigLaw somewhere in the Northeast, preferably in New York (but possibly in Washington or Boston as well).
- Interested in litigation, unsure as to what kind

If any of you want any more information about me, message me.

basically the same shit imo. if you wont mind living in VA for a few years, go for it. if you would pref philly / proximity to family/nyc/boston, then take penn. I can't imagine it's hard to get rid of a lease at this point, so that shouldnt be a huge concern.

i voted penn btw, since i would choose big city over college town. also, penn is marginally better in stats.

Penn, if you don't mind eating the deposit and finding a new apartment. We have an awesome time here, our employment numbers have a significant advantage over UVA's, and Philly is a hell of a lot better place to live than Charlottesville.

Obvious bias, but I turned down UVA so it's not like I'm bitter or anything.

Charlottesville is beautiful

withoutapaddle wrote:Charlottesville is beautiful

So is 90% of Montana, yet you don't see droves of people flocking to live there.

Given your goals I think Penn offers you a real employment advantage that is worth the change, especially since the cost will be similar.

Yeah I would take Penn and eat the (rather modest) costs you've incurred.

FWIW you should also consider social "fit". UVA student body has a much different vibe than Penn. Students who attended these two can elaborate.

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Penn, if only for the fact that UVA waitlisted my pitooty.

You should see whether Penn will up your scholly a hair to cover that lost deposit.

bizzike wrote:FWIW you should also consider social "fit". UVA student body has a much different vibe than Penn. Students who attended these two can elaborate.

Have never attended UVA, but from visiting and friend testimony there is certainly a larger percentage of fratty bro types at UVA compared to more bookish geeky types at Penn. Of course each school has both, just not in the same ratios. Penn also has a lot more (6:4) work-experience folks than K-JDs, if that matters to you. Not sure about UVA.

Also I don't think it is controversial to say that Penn is extremely Jewish, much moreso than one would guess based on Philadelphia/Pennsylvania demographics. It's basically a given that accommodations will be made for all major holidays and kosher stuff at every event, if that's relevant to you.

Oh, and Penn is pretty alcoholic but this may be universally true of law schools, IDK.

If you want NYC or Boston biglaw, RUN, don't walk, to Penn.

If you have ties to the south or really want to work in Virginia/DC, RUN, don't walk, to UVA.

twenty wrote:If you want NYC or Boston biglaw, RUN, don't walk, to Penn.

If you have ties to the south or really want to work in Virginia/DC, RUN, don't walk, to UVA.

That is definitely exaggerating the difference in NYC/DC placement between the two, but hyperbole aside probably a valid consideration.

ymmv wrote:

bizzike wrote:FWIW you should also consider social "fit". UVA student body has a much different vibe than Penn. Students who attended these two can elaborate.

Have never attended UVA, but from visiting and friend testimony there is certainly a larger percentage of fratty bro types at UVA compared to more bookish geeky types at Penn. Of course each school has both, just not in the same ratios. Penn also has a lot more (6:4) work-experience folks than K-JDs, if that matters to you. Not sure about UVA.

Also I don't think it is controversial to say that Penn is extremely Jewish, much moreso than one would guess based on Philadelphia/Pennsylvania demographics. It's basically a given that accommodations will be made for all major holidays and kosher stuff at every event, if that's relevant to you.

Oh, and Penn is pretty alcoholic but this may be universally true of law schools, IDK.

That's what I had heard as well. I think it really depends on the OPs personality and him making a decision on whether he wants NYC or to gun for DC. I. Granted, Penn has better numbers, but I don't think they blow UVA out of the water.

Thanks for all of your input! I forgot to mention that I would ideally like to obtain a clerkship. Would this change any minds (as I know Virginia's clerkship placement rate is slightly higher than Penn's).

I've visited both schools (UVA ASW, waitlisted at Penn), and while I think UVA seems like a more fun school to attend for three years, Penn is definitely the better choice for NYC biglaw. You're not getting a federal clerkship unless you do very well in either school, so I wouldn't put too much weight in that.

Are these offers final? Can you take the Penn offer to UVA or mention the UVA offer to Penn (if you haven't already)? Maybe if one of them increases their offer significantly it might help you make a decision?

In the interest of disclosure, I'm on the waitlist for both of these schools, so you can ignore my advice if you want =P. I didn't vote though.

Fort Kickass wrote:Thanks for all of your input! I forgot to mention that I would ideally like to obtain a clerkship. Would this change any minds (as I know Virginia's clerkship placement rate is slightly higher than Penn's).

JFC they're peer schools. Pick the school you like better. Picking one over the other based on a one year job you have a 90% chance of not getting is dumb.

You preferred Penn and now have a chance to go. Why the struggle?

Eh, I got more and more into the idea of going to UVA since depositing. Though, I think now that I have to choose between UVA and another school again, I'm beginning to view it in a more reasoned light.

That's a good point about the clerkship numbers.

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