UCLA $$$ v. NYU/Columbia Forum

[MousAnony]

Considering:
UCLA or NYU/Columbia. Not so much asking for a rehash of the unending NYU v. Columbia debate, more of NYC vs. LA.

COA:
Full ride with no cost of living (due to family support) at UCLA. Literally nothing. Sticker price and paying my own cost of living at NYU/Columbia--which comes out to $288,027 according to the GULC calculator (LST NYU:$309,177, Columbia: $313,097)

How I'm financing:
Scholarship and family support for UCLA. Loans for NYU/Columbia, plus whatever little merit or need based comes my way.

From/Ties:
Where I'm from is irrelevant. Currently LA based. I have equal ties and professional connections in NYC and LA. Ultimately want to raise a family in Boston.

Goals:
Biglaw transitioning into in-house.

LSAT/GPA:
174/3.59

Times LSAT:
Once

[GreenEggs]

Full debt sticker vs. absolutely no debt?

Makes sense to do UCLA. The fact that you have equal ties means UCLA probably makes even more sense.

Did you try an app at Harvard? If you're willing to pay sticker and want Boston anyway that's worth a shot.

Just saw your username. Flame?

[MousAnony]

Full debt sticker vs. absolutely no debt?

Makes sense to do UCLA. The fact that you have equal ties means UCLA probably makes even more sense.

Did you try an app at Harvard? If you're willing to pay sticker and want Boston anyway that's worth a shot.

Just saw your username. Flame?

UCLA:Well I'm sure that there's some expenses (textbooks/fees). But tuition is covered and so is cost of living, just from different sources.
NYU/Columbia: Waiting to hear back on aid but I don't think I will get much if any.

Had my JS1, still waiting to hear back. But not holding my breath.

No flame.

[Ron Don Volante]

Absolutely UCLA. If you kill it 1L, then you can consider transferring to one of the two and only pay for two years. If you don't kill it, bfd -- you have no debt.

[BigZuck]

Enjoy UCLA

[03152016]

ljfl @ those of you in the poll telling op to debt finance sticker

op, i'm assuming you blanketed the t14
with your numbers, i bet you'll see $$/$$$ from cornell
that's the right move here, imo

[UnicornHunter]

ljfl @ those of you in the poll telling op to debt finance sticker

op, i'm assuming you blanketed the t14
with your numbers, i bet you'll see $$/$$$ from cornell
that's the right move here, imo

Pretty much this. There's got to be a middle ground here.

[JFO1833]

OP, would is the family support in LA living at home? If not, why wouldn't you get the same support in NYC?

To the board, if the goal is living in Boston wouldn't Columbia/NYU make placement there much more likely?

[Ron Don Volante]

To the board, if the goal is living in Boston wouldn't Columbia/NYU make placement there much more likely?

more likely but not so likely as to be worth 300K

[Tiago Splitter]

UCLA if worthless is Boston is the goal

You'll probably get some money at least at NYU but you should just shoot for a job in LA out of UCLA

[rpupkin]

Considering:
Ultimately want to raise a family in Boston.

You might need to deemphasize this goal. UCLA is a good law school, but it's definitely a regional one. You're probably going to work in SoCal for at least a few years.

If you're really set on Boston for some good reason (like if your finance teaches at Harvard or something), then you probably should be pursuing full rides at BC/BU. But if the Boston thing is just a whim ("it's always been my dream to live in Boston!"), just go to UCLA and forget about Boston.

[dabigchina]

UCLA if worthless is Boston is the goal

You'll probably get some money at least at NYU but you should just shoot for a job in LA out of UCLA

How effective is a full ride/ near full ride at ucla for negotiating wih ccn?

[jbagelboy]

I moved to New York for law school from SoCal and would be happy to answer questions you might have about CLS or job options. I didn't go at sticker cost, mind you, and with a 174 I doubt you'll have to either. Wait for your CLS aid or if HLS offers any need based. These schools are dangerous at sticker for the same reasons (QoL tradeoffs) and UCLA is a good school so I think this is one of the tougher choices for a mid-range GPA candidate.

[MousAnony]

OP Here.

OP, would is the family support in LA living at home? If not, why wouldn't you get the same support in NYC?

Yes. In LA I have people and resources I can rely on, unlike in NYC.

How effective is a full ride/ near full ride at ucla for negotiating wih ccn?

I'm interested in this too and can update--in the appropriate forum--once my NYU/Columbia packages (if any) arrive and I've had a chance to wheel and deal. I think NYU will be more receptive than Columbia but that neither will do much about it. No way are they comparable schools like USC v. UCLA. Still it can't hurt to try and I'm looking forward to it. Fingers crossed.

UCLA if worthless is Boston is the goal

It's a gamble and a risk, but I don't think it's worthless. I see where you're coming from though. T6 from NYC gets further in Boston than a T20 regional school from far away.

this is one of the tougher choices for a mid-range GPA candidate.

I lean towards NYU/Columbia over UCLA. Any money from the NYC schools--either as an initial offer or the result of negotiations--just pulls me further. The response from the poll is the other way--along with most of the comments.

I'm as debt-averse as the next TLSer, if not moreso. The thought of paying $300k for a school, even ones as good as Columbia and NYU, is a sobering one. It's like a mortgage without the benefit of a house. Nevertheless, in my mind the $300k (NYU/Columbia) vs. no debt (UCLA) is short-term consideration. Whereas the difference between the schools is a longterm consideration. Someday, insha'Allah, I will be debt free, whether that day is the first day after I graduate or five, ten, maybe fifteen years after I graduate. And when that day comes all that will be left to consider is UCLA vs. NYU/Columbia on my resume. I think that NYU/Columbia afford far greater opportunities and open more doors.

Many thanks for posting your input.

[BigZuck]

Sounds like you would be perfect for Harvard in so many ways, I hope that one comes through for you

[Ron Don Volante]

Sounds like you would be perfect for Harvard in so many ways, I hope that one comes through for you

[UnicornHunter]

Forget God's will, it's you that's writing a check that your body can't cash. There's just no way that your choices should come down to CLS or NYU at sticker vs. UCLA for free given your numbers and goals. If you only applied to schools in big cities, sit out a cycle and come back next year with a better plan of attack. If you blanketed the T14, you should be looking at $$ from schools like Cornell or NU vs. a full-ride from BC/BU, which given your goals would put you in a much better position.

[ub3r]

Interested to see how this thread turns out. I'm in a very very similar position, with the main difference (and it's a huge one) being that I want to practice in CA.

[jbagelboy]

Forget God's will, it's you that's writing a check that your body can't cash. There's just no way that your choices should come down to CLS or NYU at sticker vs. UCLA for free given your numbers and goals. If you only applied to schools in big cities, sit out a cycle and come back next year with a better plan of attack. If you blanketed the T14, you should be looking at $$ from schools like Cornell or NU vs. a full-ride from BC/BU, which given your goals would put you in a much better position.

for lower GPAs there won't be any lower T14 full rides. A 3.8/171 is in a better position for that than a 3.5/174, who can scrape CLS and HLS but won't see as much $$ at Duke, Cornell, ect. It can be a sticky spot unless you get lucky (or you come from very low income family and cop enough need based aid to take the plunge)

[UnicornHunter]

Forget God's will, it's you that's writing a check that your body can't cash. There's just no way that your choices should come down to CLS or NYU at sticker vs. UCLA for free given your numbers and goals. If you only applied to schools in big cities, sit out a cycle and come back next year with a better plan of attack. If you blanketed the T14, you should be looking at $$ from schools like Cornell or NU vs. a full-ride from BC/BU, which given your goals would put you in a much better position.

for lower GPAs there won't be any lower T14 full rides. A 3.8/171 is in a better position for that than a 3.5/174, who can scrape CLS and HLS but won't see as much $$ at Duke, Cornell, ect. It can be a sticky spot unless you get lucky (or you come from very low income family and cop enough need based aid to take the plunge)

I'm not suggesting a full ride, but I'm willing to be there's a T-14 out there that would charge less than 100%.

[Helioze]

Its a choice I'm currently entertaining, I think I'd go with UCLA.

[Tiago Splitter]

UCLA if worthless is Boston is the goal

It's a gamble and a risk, but I don't think it's worthless. I see where you're coming from though. T6 from NYC gets further in Boston than a T20 regional school from far away.

The primary means of obtaining biglaw is through the school's on campus interview program. If you want Boston biglaw, you need to go to a school where Boston firms come to you. From what I can tell, that's not UCLA. The word "Boston" comes up just twice, both times for small satellite offices, on this list of firms that came to UCLA's 2014 OCI.

[Atmosphere]

.

[BigZuck]

UCLA if worthless is Boston is the goal

It's a gamble and a risk, but I don't think it's worthless. I see where you're coming from though. T6 from NYC gets further in Boston than a T20 regional school from far away.

The primary means of obtaining biglaw is through the school's on campus interview program. If you want Boston biglaw, you need to go to a school where Boston firms come to you. From what I can tell, that's not UCLA. The word "Boston" comes up just twice, both times for small satellite offices, on this list of firms that came to UCLA's 2014 OCI.

Do they come to Columbia Tiago? I know there are some big firms like Latham that have Boston offices but I would assume they would send mostly NYC folks with a smattering of CA. Do firms with Boston headquarters come to OCI?

[Tiago Splitter]

Do they come to Columbia Tiago? I know there are some big firms like Latham that have Boston offices but I would assume they would send mostly NYC folks with a smattering of CA. Do firms with Boston headquarters come to OCI?

Yeah all the Boston firms come to CLS and NYU. But as with any other market if you come to one of the New York schools you gotta be willing to end up in NYC for a little while after graduation, especially if you're taking on anything close to sticker debt.

Not to hijack OPs thread, but I'm facing this same decision with Boalt. Would the advice be the same?

Boalt vs UCLA or Boalt vs CLS/NYU? And where do you want to end up? Might want to start your own thread.