GULC$$$ v.s Cornell $$ v.s NYU $ Forum

[Nlawsing]

So I had already posted before about help picking between GULC and Cornell but now Ive recently been accepted to NYU which has made the decision that much more difficult. I was able to negotiate my scholarship to 45K a year at GULC and I am from the DC area so I would be commuting to school paying nothing in housing, Id live with my parents. Using the Law School Cost Calculator I would graduate 47K in debt (not bad).
Cornell offered 30K a year with COL and tuition Im looking at 188K in debt after graduation.
NYU offered me 20K a year leaving me at 220K in debt after graduation.

Career Goals: Interested in International law in the long term but very much so want to get big law after graduation more specifically large New York firms with a strong focus on International Arbitration. However my options are wide and I haven't stuck to anything yet. Would maybe like the possibility to clerk as well. I definitely want to live in NYC but DC is an option as well.

Other Info: Having a hard time on deciding how important ranking is versus taking on more debt. I definitely won't be trying to aggressively pay down my debt in 5 years or anything like that, probably not even 10 . But also don't like the idea of swimming in it. I've lived in NYC for the last 4 years and hope to live here for a very long time so being at a school that places well in Ny is really important to me.


Cant retake please don't suggest that.Already taken 3 times.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[barkschool]

140k in extra debt to gain a maybe 10-20% advantage in getting a biglaw NY job would be the ultimate calculus for you.

Someone else knows the stats better, but 40-45% shot at biglaw from GULC and 55-65% at Cornell.

I don't see GULC as an awful decision here, as opposed to not attending at all.

[Goldchain]

I would take GULC in your situation over anything other than the Ruby at Chicago, Vanderbilt at NYU or Darrow at Michigan (outside of HYS). If you get a 1L and/or 2L SA you could potentially graduate debt free or be able to afford an apartment so you can move out your parents place. GULC is a solid school and the financial leverage would aid you much more than the minimal benefits of attending the other options. If you are t-14 and bust and don't get into HYS (which is likely considering the options) take the offer that gives you the most money on top-14 and hustle!

[Rigo]

Georgetown.
Also, take the placement numbers with a grain of salt because of Georgetown students self-selecting out of biglaw for PI/Govt careers. If money were close to equal, I'd say Cornell, but it's not even close here.

[Glasseyes]

Considering cost of living is effectively nil and the fact that you got a stellar scholarship, this is pretty straightforward. GULC's biglaw + fed clerk numbers are slightly under representative due to the PI self selection and admittedly ungodly amount of transfer we take (who seem to get biglaw and clerkships in slightly lower percentages). Whereas Cornell's numbers get a boost due to the fact that the school is more biglaw focused and most of the class wants to land in NYC (where hiring is significantly easier than most other markets), unlike GULC kids who are just as likely to try for DC or anything else before NY.

All that is a long way of saying Cornell is probably slightly better in a vacuum but not as much as the raw numbers would suggest.

[Nlawsing]

Wow! Really surprised by the pushing for GULC considering most people on TLS seem to rag on GULC due to their slipping employment stats. Especially for a desire to get big law after graduation do you think it's really the best option? Also love to hear what you guys have to say about NYU. Do you think it's worth it with that amount of debt

[TheRealSantaClaus]

.

[rpupkin]

GULC.

[Rigo]

Also love to hear what you guys have to say about NYU. Do you think it's worth it with that amount of debt

No.

[NUDad]

Slam dunk for Georgetown. It's not even close with those numbers.

[Nlawsing]

I would take GULC in your situation over anything other than the Ruby at Chicago, Vanderbilt at NYU or Darrow at Michigan (outside of HYS). If you get a 1L and/or 2L SA you could potentially graduate debt free or be able to afford an apartment so you can move out your parents place. GULC is a solid school and the financial leverage would aid you much more than the minimal benefits of attending the other options. If you are t-14 and bust and don't get into HYS (which is likely considering the options) take the offer that gives you the most money on top-14 and hustle!

Thanks for your input! I'm currently on the Waitlist at Harvard , didn't apply to Stanford and was rejected at Yale. Would your opinion change if HLS is added to the mix, most likely at sticker.

[bretby]

I would take GULC in your situation over anything other than the Ruby at Chicago, Vanderbilt at NYU or Darrow at Michigan (outside of HYS). If you get a 1L and/or 2L SA you could potentially graduate debt free or be able to afford an apartment so you can move out your parents place. GULC is a solid school and the financial leverage would aid you much more than the minimal benefits of attending the other options. If you are t-14 and bust and don't get into HYS (which is likely considering the options) take the offer that gives you the most money on top-14 and hustle!

Thanks for your input! I'm currently on the Waitlist at Harvard , didn't apply to Stanford and was rejected at Yale. Would your opinion change if HLS is added to the mix, most likely at sticker.

I don't think Harvard is worth such a crushing amount of debt.

[Rigo]

I'm currently on the Waitlist at Harvard , didn't apply to Stanford and was rejected at Yale. Would your opinion change if HLS is added to the mix, most likely at sticker.

You just want biglaw so no.

[Goldchain]

i am nearly in the same situation as you (will be attending a top tier school and graduating with a moderate amount of debt). If I were you, I would ask my law school to give me more money if I got into Harvard because then you'd be more valuable to them. Every top-14 school wants to have a graduate on their website who says, "I turned down Harvard because I felt that GULC or insert good school was the right choice for me". If they said no I would go to Harvard without hesitation. If you get into Harvard the choices should be full ride vs Harvard and honestly those choices are equal. I'm happy with my school but the allure of Harvard would be difficult for someone of my modest background and connections to turn down. Debt is real though so it would probably be more financially prudent to take the huge money. If you don't get into HYS then take GULC without hesitation.

[rachb00k]

Wow! Really surprised by the pushing for GULC considering most people on TLS seem to rag on GULC due to their slipping employment stats. Especially for a desire to get big law after graduation do you think it's really the best option? Also love to hear what you guys have to say about NYU. Do you think it's worth it with that amount of debt

So I'm in a pretty similar position to you--just got into NYU off the waitlist, have already deposited at a lower ranked school where I got a much larger scholarship. Living and making connections in New York is a huge priority for me, and I have a few small family contributions that have been promised that make the additional debt a teeny bit less scary. But the bottom line is I'm leaning towards taking on an additional debt load for NYU that probably no one around here would advise.

What I'm trying to say is that these decisions are really personal too! What's best for a lot of folks isn't best for me, and that may be true for you too.

[Glasseyes]

To the OP: follow your dreams or whatever, but just recognize that the only people telling you to consider unconscionable levels of debt are 0Ls.

[Londonbear]

If you want NY Biglaw, GULC will get you NY Biglaw easily for so much less debt (disclaimer: still need to be at least median), especially if you're going to be saving on like 3 years of NY rent. A lot of students choose NOT to do NY Biglaw.

If you want something else like clerking, then it's another story. I feel GULC kind of sucks at it.

[landshoes]

To the OP: follow your dreams or whatever, but just recognize that the only people telling you to consider unconscionable levels of debt are 0Ls.

[runinthefront]

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