decision Forum

[itsalmostover]

150k at Georgetown

75K at NYU

(other- full ride to UVA (contingent upon 1 year deferral), 150K to Michigan, Full to Cornell)

Definitely want to do public interest, not nearly as interested in government work as non-profit work. Focus on environment, corporate accountability, human rights.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Basic question - Is the extra debt at NYU worth it, and if so, why?

[CAJOLER]

No. Take UVA and never look back.

[gamerish]

Go to UVA wtf

[Biglaw1990]

UVA and it's not even close

[lemonparty]

UVA and don't look back

[itsalmostover]

Meant to include that UVA offer is contingent upon 1 year deferral, not a huge deal but certainly a consideration. Will update original post.

Part of me definitely wants UVA but my concern is that UVA's human rights program is in huge flux, its environmental program is substantially smaller than NYU and Georgetown as well, and I wouldn't have the opportunity for hardly any internships during the term.

[gamerish]

Meant to include that UVA offer is contingent upon 1 year deferral, not a huge deal but certainly a consideration. Will update original post.

Part of me definitely wants UVA but my concern is that UVA's human rights program is in huge flux, its environmental program is substantially smaller than NYU and Georgetown as well, and I wouldn't have the opportunity for hardly any internships during the term.

GTown is not defensible with these options as far as I'm concerned, especially since you don't even want a gov job.

Take the UVA offer and work or go to Ibiza for a year.

[Biglaw1990]

.

[ponderingmeerkat]

This post has got to be flame. Who the fuck doesn't know you take the one-year-deferred full-ride at UVA???

Seriously, OP. If this is a trolling attempt, well played, sir. If it's not, grundle punch yourself for wasting everyone's time, go find a hovel in Amsterdam to inhabit for a year whist smoking a garbage bag full of drugs and then get thee to UVA while hanging your head in shame for being a raging, aspie dipshit.

Fucking "the environmental clinic's is a fraction of the moot court preftige's public interest placement statistical statistics" *as heard in Martin Prince's voice*

[Mikey]

UVA for sure

[pittsburghpirates]

UVA and don't look back

This. Full ride to UVA is an awesome outcome

[Nebby]

UVA and don't look back

This. Full ride to UVA is an awesome outcome

You can definitely attain your goals from UVA. And at no debt omg!

[Clemenceau]

UVA and don't look back

This. Full ride to UVA is an awesome outcome

You can definitely attain your goals from UVA. And at no debt omg!

Agreed. Fantastic outcome.

[cron1834]

The best part is that UVA was buried in "other options" here.

[itsalmostover]

I can understand why you're all incredulous about this, and of course I am very grateful for UVA's offer.

Here's my concern: Getting a public interest job is a lot about connections (especially outside government), and with a very small pi alumni network and it's remote location (taking term time internships out of the equation for the most part), my understanding is that UVA would have much more limited opportunity. Financially I'd have very little debt from UVA for sure, but I wouldn't have much more from georgetown and either way I'll have debt from cost of living expenses. UVA has a significantly worse lrap than Georgetown (or NYU for that matter), so it's conceivable that the finances could be worse there. I totally get that a full ride to uva is a great outcome and I don't mean to be ungrateful in any way, but if I were to come out of UVA and not actually be able to do the work I went to school to do, I'd be pretty unhappy. Does any of this makes sense?

[blind squirrel]

I can understand why you're all incredulous about this, and of course I am very grateful for UVA's offer.

Here's my concern: Getting a public interest job is a lot about connections (especially outside government), and with a very small pi alumni network and it's remote location (taking term time internships out of the equation for the most part), my understanding is that UVA would have much more limited opportunity. Financially I'd have very little debt from UVA for sure, but I wouldn't have much more from georgetown and either way I'll have debt from cost of living expenses. UVA has a significantly worse lrap than Georgetown (or NYU for that matter), so it's conceivable that the finances could be worse there. I totally get that a full ride to uva is a great outcome and I don't mean to be ungrateful in any way, but if I were to come out of UVA and not actually be able to do the work I went to school to do, I'd be pretty unhappy. Does any of this makes sense?

Apologies if I miss any of your points here but I will try and respond. UVA still has a solid LRAP program and I don't think that will really come into play here since you would be going to UVA with a big old scholarship. I also really think you are overthinking the connections part. If you ever just send someone an email in an organization you are interested in and explain that you go to UVA and are super interested in the work they do, I bet they would be happy to spend 30 minutes on the phone with you. UVA is an elite school, they will want to meet you like you want to meet them. Finally this year deferment could actually be a huge blessing. If you are truly concerned about connections, go intern for an organization in a field you are really interested in. Or even better go to Thailand/Ibiza/backpacking/anything fun at all. Part of this is pure jealousy from myself and the posters above, but I also think, in this case, you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, and should go to UVA.

[blind squirrel]

I can understand why you're all incredulous about this, and of course I am very grateful for UVA's offer.

Here's my concern: Getting a public interest job is a lot about connections (especially outside government), and with a very small pi alumni network and it's remote location (taking term time internships out of the equation for the most part), my understanding is that UVA would have much more limited opportunity. Financially I'd have very little debt from UVA for sure, but I wouldn't have much more from georgetown and either way I'll have debt from cost of living expenses. UVA has a significantly worse lrap than Georgetown (or NYU for that matter), so it's conceivable that the finances could be worse there. I totally get that a full ride to uva is a great outcome and I don't mean to be ungrateful in any way, but if I were to come out of UVA and not actually be able to do the work I went to school to do, I'd be pretty unhappy. Does any of this makes sense?

Apologies if I miss any of your points here but I will try and respond. UVA still has a solid LRAP program and I don't think that will really come into play here since you would be going to UVA with a big old scholarship. I also really think you are overthinking the connections part. If you ever just send someone an email in an organization you are interested in and explain that you go to UVA and are super interested in the work they do, I bet they would be happy to spend 30 minutes on the phone with you. UVA is an elite school, they will want to meet you like you want to meet them. Finally this year deferment could actually be a huge blessing. If you are truly concerned about connections, go intern for an organization in a field you are really interested in. Or even better go to Thailand/Ibiza/backpacking/anything fun at all. Part of this is pure jealousy from myself and the posters above, but I also think, in this case, you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, and should go to UVA.

Oh I missed remote location. Two hours from DC and about a 1 or 2 hour flight from NYU, Philly, and Chicago is hardly remote in my mind. Granted I am used to traveling but still, that really is not very far.

[cron1834]

UVA doesn't have a tiny PI footprint. It's only small in comparison to, like, NYU. It's an elite school, and for your purposes it's the peer of anything outside of HYS-NYU. Maybe a Berkeley for zero tuition (does that even exist?) would be preferable, but it's a pretty short list for better outcomes dude. I agree with squirrel - if you're that worried about being in a college town for school, go intern somewhere this year and extern during law school.

If you had a more specific job in mind, with some background in the field, maybe the PI experts here could advise you more specifically as to whether or not you really need $200k+ worth of debt at Harvard or Columbia or NYU for it to happen. But, given your vague nonprofit agenda, an excellent school with a good PI record for full-tuition is as good as the outcomes are going to get, imo.

[Nebby]

I can understand why you're all incredulous about this, and of course I am very grateful for UVA's offer.

Here's my concern: Getting a public interest job is a lot about connections (especially outside government), and with a very small pi alumni network and it's remote location (taking term time internships out of the equation for the most part), my understanding is that UVA would have much more limited opportunity. Financially I'd have very little debt from UVA for sure, but I wouldn't have much more from georgetown and either way I'll have debt from cost of living expenses. UVA has a significantly worse lrap than Georgetown (or NYU for that matter), so it's conceivable that the finances could be worse there. I totally get that a full ride to uva is a great outcome and I don't mean to be ungrateful in any way, but if I were to come out of UVA and not actually be able to do the work I went to school to do, I'd be pretty unhappy. Does any of this makes sense?

I didn't spend (literally) hours compiling this data just for you to walk in here and say that UVA has no PI placement power: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 1&t=262810

[sprezz]

you have a year to dick around as a bartender or whatever for rent money and volunteer in PI circles literally wherever you want and you're worried about opportunity cost of connections? it's not like you can't start hustling and laying down a network until you sit in your first torts class. this is the easiest decision i've seen on this forum in the approximately 2 days since i remembered it existed. enjoy charlottesville

[itsalmostover]

Thanks to all for the input, I appreciate the advice and the obvious consensus of those who contributed.

Since posting this I was awarded a Mordecai Scholarship at Duke, plus 15k summer stipend to do environmental work. Financially it's the best deal I've received and I liked Duke a fair bit better than UVA when I visited. But Duke's PI placement seems significantly worse than UVA's from what I can tell (thanks for the PI info, Nebby). I'm not sure how worried I should be about this. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Nebby]

Thanks to all for the input, I appreciate the advice and the obvious consensus of those who contributed.

Since posting this I was awarded a Mordecai Scholarship at Duke, plus 15k summer stipend to do environmental work. Financially it's the best deal I've received and I liked Duke a fair bit better than UVA when I visited. But Duke's PI placement seems significantly worse than UVA's from what I can tell (thanks for the PI info, Nebby). I'm not sure how worried I should be about this. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

You can get PI from Duke of you plan accordingly and are self-sufficient. Shoot me a PM, describe your PI aspirations in more detail, and I can give some more advice

[gazorpazorp]

Duke or UVA.

[mogwli]

OP. There may be legitimate distinctions between UVA or Duke that can sway you a certain way. I don't know enough specifics about those schools and that is better left to students who go there.

But for the love of God, if you do not make use of those full ride scholarships, my ghost will haunt you. Going to either of those schools and $0 debt is literally a gift from heaven. You underestimate how much your school > connections you may make in regards to any starting employment (including Public interest).