Harvard/NYU/Penn/Duke Forum

[lashley]

Hi TLS! I’m at the point where I need advice from people other than my family, so I’ve come here. I haven’t been offered the RTK yet, but since I’ll only have 72 hours to accept it I want to start thinking about it now. I’m also incredibly fortunate to have significant family support from both parents and grandparents so pretty much every school is doable from a debt perspective. I also have no undergraduate debt (went to my school on a scholarship).

Current Options:
-Harvard (90k at graduation)
-NYU RTK (0 at graduation)
-Penn James Wilson (0 at graduation)
-Duke Mordecai (0 at graduation)

Haven’t heard back from:
-UVA
-Chicago
-Columbia (Held)
-Stanford
-Yale

Goals:
I have fairly broad public interest aspirations, and can say definitely that Biglaw is not an option. I’m interested in too many things - would love to work for DOJ, other federal government agencies, national orgs like ACLU, Brennan Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. I am also potentially interested in holding elected office or working in politics someday.

Basically, I’m wondering if I would be stupid to turn down an RTK and come out with zero debt. I can also see it being stupid to turn down graduating Harvard for 90k. I’m not considering Duke or Penn too seriously unless someone has a good reason for me to do so.

Thanks in advance for any advice or insight!

[jbagelboy]

RTK if you get it. Otherwise Harvard

[mr.hands]

The non-harvard schools do very well at biglaw placement. That's their game. If you don't want biglaw, don't go there.

Harvard for less than 100k is a great deal. Do that.

[Hand]

90K is a big pile of debt for someone on a typical public interest salary. Sure, there's LRAP (and PSLF, if you get the right type of job) but the freedom to go work at a small plaintiff side firm (say) is nothing to sniff at. If you get it, I'd go with RTK if I were you. But it also depends on where you want to work, of course - the Harvard brand name will make a bigger difference in some parts than in others.

[BigZuck]

RTK if you get it. Otherwise Harvard

This feels right. I like it.

[Winston1984]

RTK if you get it. Otherwise Harvard

This feels right. I like it.

+1

[banjo]

RTK if you get it. Otherwise Harvard

This feels right. I like it.

+1

[Mack.Hambleton]

RTK if you get it. Otherwise Harvard

This feels right. I like it.

[lashley]

Thanks for the replies!

Can someone who voted for Harvard in the poll tell me why they voted that way? Seems to be a silent majority voting for Harvard right now

[BigZuck]

Thanks for the replies!

Can someone who voted for Harvard in the poll tell me why they voted that way? Seems to be a silent majority voting for Harvard right now

If I had to take a guess, my guess would be because it's Harvard

[Mack.Hambleton]

0Ls and lurkers tend to vote prestige on most polls

[secadc11]

0Ls and lurkers tend to vote prestige on most polls

For me it's a little bit of this, but also the fact that you just haven't heard on RTK yet. If you get that, then I vote NYU.

[lashley]

0Ls and lurkers tend to vote prestige on most polls

Yeah I thought that might be it. Well if anyone has a legitimate reason to choose HLS, please message me

[Sirius Blackstone]

I voted HLS because I think the sort of prestige PI/DOJ jobs you're looking for will go to people lower in the class at HLS than at NYU, and I think 90k more is worth it for that purpose. I may be wrong about this, and its possible the RTK gives you something that other NYU students won't have. Other posters can correct me.

[03152016]

I voted HLS because I think the sort of prestige PI/DOJ jobs you're looking for will go to people lower in the class at HLS than at NYU, and I think 90k more is worth it for that purpose. I may be wrong about this, and its possible the RTK gives you something that other NYU students won't have. Other posters can correct me.

rtk has a really serious alumni network. been around forever. it's well known in pi circles, definitely not just another named scholly and isn't treated like one
(also, it's a full program w/ mentoring, networking, etc. and nyu takes the pi stuff very seriously, pilc is a big deal)

[Mack.Hambleton]

I voted HLS because I think the sort of prestige PI/DOJ jobs you're looking for will go to people lower in the class at HLS than at NYU, and I think 90k more is worth it for that purpose. I may be wrong about this, and its possible the RTK gives you something that other NYU students won't have. Other posters can correct me.

rtk has a really serious alumni network. been around forever. it's well known in pi circles, definitely not just another named scholly and isn't treated like one
(also, it's a full program w/ mentoring, networking, etc. and nyu takes the pi stuff very seriously, pilc is a big deal)

this is what ive heard as well (although I dont go to NYU)

[BizBro]

I voted HLS because I think the sort of prestige PI/DOJ jobs you're looking for will go to people lower in the class at HLS than at NYU, and I think 90k more is worth it for that purpose. I may be wrong about this, and its possible the RTK gives you something that other NYU students won't have. Other posters can correct me.

rtk has a really serious alumni network. been around forever. it's well known in pi circles, definitely not just another named scholly and isn't treated like one
(also, it's a full program w/ mentoring, networking, etc. and nyu takes the pi stuff very seriously, pilc is a big deal)

I go to nyu and let me tell you that RTK is ridiculously prestigious. Huge alumni network, and many of them in DC. I'd go to NYU for free. Also you'll find so many PI oriented people at NYU.

[jbagelboy]

A lot of ppl vote straight down usnwr, also a lot of ppl are probably voting h because you don't have rtk yet