Top Law Schools

-The schools you are considering

Vandy with $110k
USC with $105k
Cornell with $60k

I am still waiting on UCLA/Duke. I've been waitlisted across the board at the T14 minus HYS where I didn't apply. I am actively negotiating with Cornell and USC, but haven't had much luck in getting scholarship movement.

All things being equal my location preference is USC > Vandy > Cornell

-The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.

This is my estimated total debt at graduation, using conservative calculations (factoring in my savings and scholarships):
Vandy: 98k
USC: 120k
Cornell: 194k


-How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings

Loans + savings

-Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)

Strongest ties are to CA (Bay Area). Also have solid ties into the south.

-Your general career goals

Leaning towards big law, and would love to clerk. Unsure if the greater debt load at Cornell is worth the much more likely big law outcome. I am not tied to any one region geographically.

-Your LSAT/GPA numbers

168/3.6x. Strong, but not game changing softs. non-urm, 3 years work experience.

-How many times you have taken the LSAT

2x (Dec/Feb)

Is the roughly 100k more debt at Cornell worth it? My current job has an expiration date, and I'd likely be in for a somewhat difficult job search if I decide to sit out a year, so I don't really consider postponing a strong option for me.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but none of these are options that I would be particularly comfortable with.

Cornell

If you're positive you want BigLaw (though that's a difficult thing to be positive of as a 0L) then this is your school. Cornell places well in NYC BigLaw (overall BigLaw placement is ~64%, Fed. Clerkships at ~10%)) so you would likely be able to land a job there provided you don't bomb your finals. However, it's just not worth $194k. I'm not one to preach "retake" but if you want Cornell then retaking is your only option.
Bottom line: Cornell for $194k is a bad idea and one you'll regret.

USC

Again, I'd be hesitant about any of these options, but out of the choices you've listed my vote would go to USC. They're a strong CA school (~38% BigLaw, but only ~3% Fed. Clerkship) and you already have ties to CA. Provided you do decently in school, you'd stand a decent shot at CA BigLaw; however, it's hard to gauge in advance how you'll do in law school so that's a big "if". 120k is a bit steep for USC in my opinion, but it would be possible to pay that debt down assuming you get BigLaw.
Bottom line: 120k is a bit too much for USC, but if you're deadset on going to law school next year then this is your best bet because the debt isn't quite as insane as Cornell but you have a better shot at BigLaw from USC than Vandy.

Vandy

Best price, but still too much. You might be able to score BigLaw but it's a crapshoot (~30% BigLaw and ~11% Fed. Clerkship). I'm honestly not entirely sure how much having ties to an area matters, but for the $20k price difference you're better off gambling with USC based on their BigLaw placement and your CA ties. Vandy does seem a little more flexible in terms of geographic mobility (more access to NY/DC markets) but if you don't get BigLaw at all then that possible mobility is basically useless.
Bottom line: Still better than Cornell, but you're less likely to get BigLaw so if you're convinced you want to gamble with $100k, then gamble at USC because you have a better shot of hitting the BigLaw jackpot.