NYU ($) v. Duke ($$$) and Northwestern ($$$$) Forum

[thebroteinshake]

Hi everyone,

I am deciding between the following scholarships):

NYU (50K)
Duke (120K)
Northwestern (Full-ride)

My goal is to practice internationally (arbitration), but I am also open to starting out in domestic litigation for big law. NYU has obviously better placement in big law, but is it worth the debt? I saw a post back in 2010 saying how most associates get pushed out of big law after only 3 years, so paying back debt when out of a big job would be tough. Furthermore, it seems like no one has a good gauge for how well they would do at a law school, since you are pooled with students who have similar GPA and LSAT.

With those risks in mind, would money from Duke and NW be worth it? Admittedly, I'd have to place higher in my class to get the big law jobs than I would at NYU, but at least I won't be in debt if I happen to not be at the top portion of the class or I'm out of a big law job soon after graduation.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Dr. Nefario]

BigLaw+FC placement for these three seem to be pretty similar (at least for last year), Duke actually had the edge last year. Where do you ultimately want to practice? I think this comes down to personal preference, but if BigLaw is just the goal, knowing your unicorn job will be very tough to land, I'd say NU or Duke, leaning strongly toward NU. You sound slightly debt averse, and NU for free would definitely be the right decision if that's the case IMO.

[Lincoln]

Make a poll.

I would take the NU money and run to Chicago.

[Rigo]

Northwestern.

[Pomeranian]

Take money! There's a high chance you won't last more than 2-3 years in big law, which makes NYU risky with that massive Tuition+COL loan bill.

[somethingElse]

Take money! There's a high chance you won't last more than 2-3 years in big law, which makes NYU risky with that massive Tuition+COL loan bill.

[Rigo]

69% of Northwestern's c/o 2015 got Biglaw or Fed Clerkship.
67% at NYU.

Granted there is a healthy amount of self-selection into PI at NYU, but the point is you stand a great shot at landing BigLaw at Northwestern and aren't really giving much up by not attending NYU.
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=262376

[Mikey]

Northwestern!

[NUDad]

Another vote for the full ride at Northwestern. That's $130K better than NYU and $60K better than Duke.

[michlaw]

Northwestern all the way. It would take HYS and maybe not even then. Congrats.

[existentialcrisis]

I'd take NU and never look back. Also I think you're overestimating how well you'd need to do at NU. The bottom 25% of the class might be in some trouble, but well over half the class is still getting big law and some people are definitely self-selecting out.

[FlowBro]

Was in your exact situation and chose Duke a few years ago. Is your NU scholarship full including tuition increases during your 3 years? If not, then it is a very similar offer TO Duke after factoring in COL.

[Rigo]

What's the Duke COA versus Northwestern COA?