Emory or Vanderbilt Forum

[weagle_weagle]

GPA/LSAT: 3.8/167 (twice)

Total loan debt at repayment (using the calculator):

Emory: $50k
Vandy: $105k

I'm from Atlanta and would like to work here after. Biglaw is the goal but understand it's going to be very tough from either place. If I don't retake for UVA/Duke, are either of these outcomes worth it, and which is better?

Thanks everyone.

[existentialcrisis]

I think retake is your best move, but I think Vandy is defensible at 105k. That's about the max I would be willing to pay for it though. I think Emory is rarely a good option.

[Jchance]

Vandy

[Vandy2bforrealz]

.

[stretchedtoothin]

Vandy is a good choice here

[weagle_weagle]

Thanks for the feedback. So Vandy at $105k is manageable? Would anyone choose Vandy > retake? I'm 27 if that helps.

[californiauser]

I wouldn't go 100k+ into debt for a less than 50% chance of big law. I would retake.

[A@M_or_bust]

Vandy is defensible at that price. I would suggest retaking in June and see what kind of increase (potentially) you get. If you get an increase, see if Vandy can give you more money. If you get a two point increase or more and they don't give you more money, I would suggest sitting out a year and reapply to Duke/UVA. If you don't get an increase, Vandy is alright for 105k if you are not too debt adverse and recognize that big law will still be difficult.

[A@M_or_bust]

Vandy is defensible at that price. I would suggest retaking in June and see what kind of increase (potentially) you get. If you get an increase, see if Vandy can give you more money. If you get a two point increase or more and they don't give you more money, I would suggest sitting out a year and reapply to Duke/UVA. If you don't get an increase, Vandy is alright for 105k if you are not too debt adverse and recognize that big law will still be difficult.

But given you are from Atlanta, if your debt would really only be 50k, Emory doesn't sound bad at all. Would you be living at home?

BL+FC = 30% Emory
Bl+FC = 41% Vandy

It comes down to (ideally) whether you think 55k is worth the extra 11%.
Also, I would think that since you are from Atlanta and want to work there after graduation, that Emory might give you just as good of a shot as Vandy at cracking big law in Atlanta. But again, this is me speculating. I am not particularly familiar with the legal market in Atlanta and how they view these schools relative to one another.

[weagle_weagle]

I would be living at home which is driving most of the difference in COA.

I thought that might be the case but TLS consensus is that Vandy is significantly better in the ATL market.

[A@M_or_bust]

I would be living at home which is driving most of the difference in COA.

I thought that might be the case but TLS consensus is that Vandy is significantly better in the ATL market.

Hmmm okay. I just find it hard to believe that Vandy would be significantly better given that their overall placement isn't significantly better than Emory's and given that Emory is the home school making recruiting significantly easier for law firms in Atlanta. But again, my intuition does not trump those who have experience in the Atlanta legal market. I am just surprised to hear this.

[arklaw13]

Vandy 3L here.

I think either choice is probably defensible if your calculations are right. The real question is how all-in you are on ATL. If you want a better shot at other markets, Vandy might be worth it. If you really just want ATL biglaw, Vandy probably isn't going to give you a $55k benefit over Emory in getting those jobs.

Both schools are viewed well by ATL firms, but the only real benefit Vandy might give you is that fewer people are gunning for ATL so there's less intraschool competition. But I imagine you'll need about the same grades at either school. Someone from Emory should probably chime in on how difficult it is to get ATL biglaw from there.

Feel free to pm me if you have questions.