NYU ($$) vs Columbia ($$) Forum

[bklynlady]

Trying to decide between NYU and CLS.
Offered Butler at CLS and $35K/year at NYU (not much difference).
LSAT 174; GPA 3.8
COL for me will be the same. I am primarily interested in PI law, however, that could change. Was also accepted at HLS, but not really able to move to Boston this time.
Any thoughts on negotiating more money from either school vs the other? More money at one would tip the scale.
Any thoughts on if either school is better/different in any respect?
Thanks!

[PeanutsNJam]

Google image "NYU 1L" and "CLS 1L" and gauge the relative hotness of your preferred gender. Matriculate thus.

[DK21]

Trying to decide between NYU and CLS.
Offered Butler at CLS and $35K/year at NYU (not much difference).
LSAT 174; GPA 3.8
COL for me will be the same. I am primarily interested in PI law, however, that could change. Was also accepted at HLS, but not really able to move to Boston this time.
Any thoughts on negotiating more money from either school vs the other? More money at one would tip the scale.
Any thoughts on if either school is better/different in any respect?
Thanks!

That's awesome! Congrats! I'm currently struggling with the same choice - though with no money attached. Definitely ask them if they can increase their aid offer, I'm told they will compete with one another over students (I sure hope they will anyway for my own sake).

All that being said, I think it's so hard to say which school is better. Go to the Admitted Student Days, and see which you like more. Even then it's tough. I know more NYU people who've pushed me pretty hard that they liked it more there and that CLS is a little colder environment, but I don't know it to be true and it's from biased sources. Any difference between the two is splitting hairs. Frustrating to make a choice, but you also probably can't go wrong.

[Skool]

Maybe consider the potential differences in first year curriculum; does that make a difference to you?

[Winston1984]

Would probably lean NYU if you wanted to do public interest work. Obviously both are great options though.

[DK21]

I think their 1L curriculums are pretty similar. CLS has Legal Methods though and NYU has Lawyering. Hard to judge as a 0L the relative pedagogical benefits of either, though.

[Skool]

I believe there is one less mandatory doctrinal class at nyu. You have to take eventually just not necessarily first year.

The benefit is clearly a less stressful first year.

[bklynlady]

Trying to decide between NYU and CLS.
Offered Butler at CLS and $35K/year at NYU (not much difference).
LSAT 174; GPA 3.8
COL for me will be the same. I am primarily interested in PI law, however, that could change. Was also accepted at HLS, but not really able to move to Boston this time.
Any thoughts on negotiating more money from either school vs the other? More money at one would tip the scale.
Any thoughts on if either school is better/different in any respect?
Thanks!

That's awesome! Congrats! I'm currently struggling with the same choice - though with no money attached. Definitely ask them if they can increase their aid offer, I'm told they will compete with one another over students (I sure hope they will anyway for my own sake).

All that being said, I think it's so hard to say which school is better. Go to the Admitted Student Days, and see which you like more. Even then it's tough. I know more NYU people who've pushed me pretty hard that they liked it more there and that CLS is a little colder environment, but I don't know it to be true and it's from biased sources. Any difference between the two is splitting hairs. Frustrating to make a choice, but you also probably can't go wrong.

Any idea how to go about asking them to increase their offer? I don't want to sound like an ingrate. Is this done by e-mail?

[bklynlady]

I believe there is one less mandatory doctrinal class at nyu. You have to take eventually just not necessarily first year.

The benefit is clearly a less stressful first year.

Thanks! Any difference in their grading system?

[DK21]

Trying to decide between NYU and CLS.
Offered Butler at CLS and $35K/year at NYU (not much difference).
LSAT 174; GPA 3.8
COL for me will be the same. I am primarily interested in PI law, however, that could change. Was also accepted at HLS, but not really able to move to Boston this time.
Any thoughts on negotiating more money from either school vs the other? More money at one would tip the scale.
Any thoughts on if either school is better/different in any respect?
Thanks!

That's awesome! Congrats! I'm currently struggling with the same choice - though with no money attached. Definitely ask them if they can increase their aid offer, I'm told they will compete with one another over students (I sure hope they will anyway for my own sake).

All that being said, I think it's so hard to say which school is better. Go to the Admitted Student Days, and see which you like more. Even then it's tough. I know more NYU people who've pushed me pretty hard that they liked it more there and that CLS is a little colder environment, but I don't know it to be true and it's from biased sources. Any difference between the two is splitting hairs. Frustrating to make a choice, but you also probably can't go wrong.

Any idea how to go about asking them to increase their offer? I don't want to sound like an ingrate. Is this done by e-mail?

I think so. In your position, you could just ask if CLS is also considering you for need aid or something. I think you can approach it as sort of seeing if the conversation is over or not with the offers they've made, while using that as an excuse to let them know about the other school's offer. Of course, I have no idea if that's necessarily the best approach or not since I'm no expert, but I think that's an angle where you can let them know what they're competing with while not seeming ungrateful.

[DK21]

I believe there is one less mandatory doctrinal class at nyu. You have to take eventually just not necessarily first year.

The benefit is clearly a less stressful first year.

Thanks! Any difference in their grading system?

Someone also told me NYU's curve is more generous.

[Mack.Hambleton]

I would definitely lean NYU if you're interested in PI. Everything else is just up to your personal preferences of what part of the city you like, vibe of the schools etc.

[bklynlady]

Would probably lean NYU if you wanted to do public interest work. Obviously both are great options though.

I was thinking that since so many more people in NYU are doing PI, maybe in a way my opportunities would be better/more doing PI in CLS, i.e. less in-school competition for slots, etc.

[kcdc1]

In the event of a tie, taking a named scholarship is a resume bump. Not a big deal, but could be worth factoring in as a tiebreaker.

[Nekrowizard]

Post removed.

[bklynlady]

Would probably lean NYU if you wanted to do public interest work. Obviously both are great options though.

I was thinking that since so many more people in NYU are doing PI, maybe in a way my opportunities would be better/more doing PI in CLS, i.e. less in-school competition for slots, etc.

Is that how it works? I mean, if you wanted biglaw, I don't think it would make sense to forego a school that places better in biglaw in favor of a school that places worse simply because there might be less competition.

Perhaps...biglaw might be different. Just thinking that maybe CLS wants to increase their PI program and might work a little harder on that. Again, it was just a thought that may not be accurate. Thanks for your input!

[DK21]

Would probably lean NYU if you wanted to do public interest work. Obviously both are great options though.

I was thinking that since so many more people in NYU are doing PI, maybe in a way my opportunities would be better/more doing PI in CLS, i.e. less in-school competition for slots, etc.

Is that how it works? I mean, if you wanted biglaw, I don't think it would make sense to forego a school that places better in biglaw in favor of a school that places worse simply because there might be less competition.

Perhaps...biglaw might be different. Just thinking that maybe CLS wants to increase their PI program and might work a little harder on that. Again, it was just a thought that may not be accurate. Thanks for your input!

Something to consider also: if you know you want a PI career, it'll be good to have classmates who are interested in that as well because they will be a good professional network/resource for you years later.

[Nebby]

I'm a 2L PI-er at CLS and every single PI gig I applied to and interviewed at was converted into an offer. CLS also has a good PI public interest group, plus there's a lot of my friends here that are going to firms that are committed to doing PI-pro bono work (and many of them are in clinics, such as immigration).

NYU is for geeks.

[Nekrowizard]

Post removed.

[banjo]

I believe there is one less mandatory doctrinal class at nyu. You have to take eventually just not necessarily first year.

The benefit is clearly a less stressful first year.

Thanks! Any difference in their grading system?

Someone also told me NYU's curve is more generous.

I actually think they're pretty similar. One plus for CLS is that our curve does not require professors to hand out B- grades. Our grades are just A, A-, B+, B. It's a little less stressful knowing that even the worst exam in the class ends up with a B.

It's true that CLS requires one additional substantive class in the spring. To balance that out, our legal writing course only requires about 20-25 hours of work all semester (and I actually got a High Pass for doing even that much). NYU's legal writing seems more time-intensive. You also have to decide if you want to take Con Law and Property in 1L year (required at CLS) or Legislation and the Regulatory State (required at NYU).

edit: There is another advantage to having an extra course in the spring (like we do at CLS). If you don't do well in the fall, you have 4 exams to balance out your 3 mediocre ones.

You can't go wrong either way. I have friends at NYU and they seem like cool people. I think we're okay too.

[DK21]

I believe there is one less mandatory doctrinal class at nyu. You have to take eventually just not necessarily first year.

The benefit is clearly a less stressful first year.

Thanks! Any difference in their grading system?

Someone also told me NYU's curve is more generous.

I actually think they're pretty similar. One plus for CLS is that our curve does not require professors to hand out B- grades. Our grades are just A, A-, B+, B. It's a little less stressful knowing that even the worst exam in the class ends up with a B.

It's true that CLS requires one additional substantive class in the spring. To balance that out, our legal writing course only requires about 20-25 hours of work all semester (and I actually got a High Pass for doing even that much). NYU's legal writing seems more time-intensive. You also have to decide if you want to take Con Law and Property in 1L year (required at CLS) or Legislation and the Regulatory State (required at NYU).

edit: There is another advantage to having an extra course in the spring (like we do at CLS). If you don't do well in the fall, you have 4 exams to balance out your 3 mediocre ones.

You can't go wrong either way. I have friends at NYU and they seem like cool people. I think we're okay too.

Thanks for that! Sorry if I had the curve wrong, someone said I think they give a higher percentage of the kids B+'s or A's at NYU, but it was a small difference if any. All of these insights are really useful though!

[jbagelboy]

I believe there is one less mandatory doctrinal class at nyu. You have to take eventually just not necessarily first year.

The benefit is clearly a less stressful first year.

Thanks! Any difference in their grading system?

Someone also told me NYU's curve is more generous.

This is basically the opposite of the truth

[bklynlady]

I believe there is one less mandatory doctrinal class at nyu. You have to take eventually just not necessarily first year.

The benefit is clearly a less stressful first year.

Thanks! Any difference in their grading system?

Someone also told me NYU's curve is more generous.

This is basically the opposite of the truth

Could you elaborate on that?

[Nebby]

This is basically the opposite of the truth

Could you elaborate on that?

You have to be a literal failure at life to get a B- at CLS.

[bklynlady]

Anybody with thoughts about possibly negotiating more money from either school? And if so, whats the best way to go about it?