Top Law Schools

Hi all, would really really appreciate any insight or advice here:

The lowdown:
3.7 gpa / 168
Northwestern (90K)
NYU (75K)

I am interested in corporate law and both schools are great biglaw feeders. Originally from the Midwest, though, so moving to Chicago would be easier and cheaper, not to mention lower COA. I am not sure where I would like to relocate after graduation so would like a school that gives me the recruiting opportunities and prestige to find a job in either Chicago or NYC. I am currently leaning towards NYU but can I have the same prospects with NU for less debt (considering how high COL is in NYC)? Should I consider how I might stack up at the school as a factor (i.e. top half, median, bottom half of the class)?

Need a decision very soon! Thanks in advance!

I think you're going to have to decide whether you really, really want to do NYC biglaw. If you don't, then go with NU.

You can still get NYC offers from Northwestern, but it's much better situated to get you a job in Chicago.

I assume it's pretty easy to get NY big law from NU.

existentialcrisis wrote:I assume it's pretty easy to get NY big law from NU.

I wouldn't be entirely sure about that. An even split of NU students go to NY and California, and those two groups together aren't equal to the number that end up in Illinois (presumably Chicago).

I'm not even saying that it's rare for NU students to land jobs in NY. But if we're comparing Northwestern to NYU, then NYU obviously places more graduates in New York.

Edit: And the same is true in reverse. If you want to work in Chicago, then Northwestern is obviously going to be better for that than NYU.

cavalier1138 wrote:

existentialcrisis wrote:I assume it's pretty easy to get NY big law from NU.

I wouldn't be entirely sure about that. An even split of NU students go to NY and California, and those two groups together aren't equal to the number that end up in Illinois (presumably Chicago).

I'm not even saying that it's rare for NU students to land jobs in NY. But if we're comparing Northwestern to NYU, then NYU obviously places more graduates in New York.

Edit: And the same is true in reverse. If you want to work in Chicago, then Northwestern is obviously going to be better for that than NYU.

Yea, but that doesn't say much about its placement power. NY doesn't care about ties and, from what I understand, seems to be pretty much the easiest market to crack from any T14.

There are almost assuredly a bunch of NY firms coming to NU OCI.

Even from NU. New York is the easiest market to place into, hands down. Chicago is actually a little difficult. You'll have no problems at median from here.