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I've been offered the Hamilton at Columbia and the Vanderbilt (also full ride) at NYU. If my career preferences are academia>public interest>>>>>>biglaw, is NYU the better choice?

My understanding is that NYU has an edge on Columbia in terms of PI, and vice versa for biglaw, but I'm unclear if either is preferable for academia.

(I've been lucky to also have been accepted at Harvard and Stanford, but I probably won't get much need-based aid, and I'm inclined to take the route that involves no debt - the exception being that if I'm admitted to Yale, since I'd pay sticker price for the opportunities in academia.)

*recognition that I'm extremely fortunate and have no bad choices*

I think the only slight advantage NYU would have in academia is if you were in the furman program or whatever the one is thats related to academia, but either way they are both comparable and odds are extremely low coming from both, so I wouldnt base any decision based on that factor alone.

also nate wolters sucks

Mack.Hambleton wrote:
also nate wolters sucks

how would you compare the odds of achieving a career in academia from either of those schools to the odds of nate wolters being in the NBA in two years

natewoltersgoat wrote:

Mack.Hambleton wrote:
also nate wolters sucks

how would you compare the odds of achieving a career in academia from either of those schools to the odds of nate wolters being in the NBA in two years

youll be on the supreme court before that. idk how he got so much pt his rookie year

I think opportunities would be comparable. Columbia traditionally produces more tenure track faculty and its journals/law reviews are more regularly cited, as leiter/W&L data indicate, but NYU has a more advanced academic track program -- although this is due in part to the Furman. At any school academia will be an upward battle but I think it's smart of you to take the low debt option here since that ultimately presents the most career opportunity/flexibility.

jbagelboy wrote:I think opportunities would be comparable. Columbia traditionally produces more tenure track faculty and its journals/law reviews are more regularly cited, as leiter/W&L data indicate, but NYU has a more advanced academic track program -- although this is due in part to the Furman. At any school academia will be an upward battle but I think it's smart of you to take the low debt option here since that ultimately presents the most career opportunity/flexibility.

thank you - this is quite helpful.

Hiring in the legal academy is very prestigious-conscious, so Columbia might give you a slight edge there. Since you're more interested in PI than private practice, the path to PI is often considered easier from NYU, as they have more established connections to facilitate that. But you really can't go wrong with either option.