Duke ($$) vs. Vandy/UT/GULC vs. UGA or UNC vs. TTT (Penn State, Northeastern, or Cardozo) Forum

[Stephylynette]

I already kind of know which way I'm leaning but I'd like some perspective so I can be less anxious about whether or not I'm making the right decision.

160LSAT, 3.7GPA, AA URM. 1 year work experience at a non-profit. UG @ top public state school.

Here are my results so far. I will be financing everything through loans (no COL help from parents).

IN
UGA ($7500/yr),
GA State ($5000/yr, plus $2000 stipend and full tuition 2L and 3L),
Michigan (0),
Duke ($105K scholly, $150K debt @ repayment),
BU ($105K scholly, $108K @repayment ),
Vandy ($105k scholly, $139K @ repayment),
UT (In-State Waiver +$7000, $213K @ repayment),
GWU ($75k),
GULC (?),
American ($105K),
UNC ($17500)
Full Rides @ Penn State, Temple, Northeastern, Pitt, and Cardozo

WAITLISTED
Penn

DINGED
N/A (yet)

RADIO SILENCE
Emory, WUSTL (interviewed), and NYU

Most likely contenders are Duke, Vandy, & UGA. I want to do PI and/or Gov't work in Educational Policy w/ a clerkship right after graduation and an EJW/Skadden fellowship following that. Will most likely be relying on PSLF/IBR/LRAP/PAYE for repyament. Would ideally like to stay in the Southern region of US (GA, NC, TN, or Texas) but I am open to doing some PI work in CA or DC or even NYC for resume building. But in the long run, the south is where I will most likely end up laying down roots. I'd be willing to pursue Big Law for a few years to pay off a good chunk of my loans but that's a last resort.

Also, not retaking.

My main concern is this: I want to go to Duke, I've gotten a decent scholarship, most of my extended family is from there, and the COL if fantastic. But I'd be about $150K in debt at the end of it and though I'm not really that debt averse but I dont want to get in over my head with debt either. Quality of life is important to me and if I feel like I'm in a hopeless situation with debt, it won't be pretty.

I think that covers all info you guys need but let me know if I missed something.

What should I do? Please say go to Duke so I can feel better and put down a seat deposit immediately after ASD.tysm

Thanks in advance for y'alls help and advice!

[curry1]

I already kind of know which way I'm leaning but I'd like some perspective so I can be less anxious about whether or not I'm making the right decision.

160LSAT, 3.7GPA, AA URM. 1 year work experience at a non-profit. UG @ top public state school.

Here are my results so far. I will be financing everything through loans (no COL help from parents).

IN
UGA ($7500/yr),
GA State ($5000/yr, plus $2000 stipend and full tuition 2L and 3L),
Michigan (0), Duke ($105K scholly, $150K debt @ repayment),
BU ($105K scholly, $108K @repayment ),
Vandy ($105k scholly, $139K @ repayment),
UT (In-State Waiver +$7000, $213K @ repayment),
GWU ($75k),
GULC (?),
American ($105K),
UNC ($17500)
Full Rides @ Penn State, Temple, Northeastern, Pitt, and Cardozo

WAITLISTED
Penn

DINGED
N/A (yet)

RADIO SILENCE
Emory, WUSTL (interviewed), and NYU

Most likely contenders are Duke, Vandy, & UGA. I want to do PI and/or Gov't work in Educational Policy w/ a clerkship right after graduation and an EJW/Skadden fellowship following that. Will most likely be relying on PSLF/IBR/LRAP/PAYE for repyament. Would ideally like to stay in the Southern region of US (GA, NC, TN, or Texas) but I am open to doing some PI work in CA or DC or even NYC for resume building. But in the long run, the south is where I will most likely end up laying down roots. I'd be willing to pursue Big Law for a few years to pay off a good chunk of my loans but that's a last resort.

Also, not retaking.

My main concern is this: I want to go to Duke, I've gotten a decent scholarship, most of my extended family is from there, and the COL if fantastic. But I'd be about $150K in debt at the end of it and though I'm not really that debt averse but I dont want to get in over my head with debt either. Quality of life is important to me and if I feel like I'm in a hopeless situation with debt, it won't be pretty.

I think that covers all info you guys need but let me know if I missed something.

What should I do? Please say go to Duke so I can feel better and put down a seat deposit immediately after ASD.tysm

Thanks in advance for y'alls help and advice!

enjoy durham. 150k for duke is totally fine and a much better bet than your other options.

[futago]

Of the options you have now, Duke is the best for wanting to stay in the South. Absolutely no reason to consider Vanderbilt over Duke for the same price. Have you negotiated?

[Future Ex-Engineer]

I already kind of know which way I'm leaning but I'd like some perspective so I can be less anxious about whether or not I'm making the right decision.

160LSAT, 3.7GPA, AA URM. 1 year work experience at a non-profit. UG @ top public state school.

Here are my results so far. I will be financing everything through loans (no COL help from parents).

IN
UGA ($7500/yr),
GA State ($5000/yr, plus $2000 stipend and full tuition 2L and 3L),
Michigan (0), Duke ($105K scholly, $150K debt @ repayment),
BU ($105K scholly, $108K @repayment ),
Vandy ($105k scholly, $139K @ repayment),
UT (In-State Waiver +$7000, $213K @ repayment),
GWU ($75k),
GULC (?),
American ($105K),
UNC ($17500)
Full Rides @ Penn State, Temple, Northeastern, Pitt, and Cardozo

WAITLISTED
Penn

DINGED
N/A (yet)

RADIO SILENCE
Emory, WUSTL (interviewed), and NYU

Most likely contenders are Duke, Vandy, & UGA. I want to do PI and/or Gov't work in Educational Policy w/ a clerkship right after graduation and an EJW/Skadden fellowship following that. Will most likely be relying on PSLF/IBR/LRAP/PAYE for repyament. Would ideally like to stay in the Southern region of US (GA, NC, TN, or Texas) but I am open to doing some PI work in CA or DC or even NYC for resume building. But in the long run, the south is where I will most likely end up laying down roots. I'd be willing to pursue Big Law for a few years to pay off a good chunk of my loans but that's a last resort.

Also, not retaking.

My main concern is this: I want to go to Duke, I've gotten a decent scholarship, most of my extended family is from there, and the COL if fantastic. But I'd be about $150K in debt at the end of it and though I'm not really that debt averse but I dont want to get in over my head with debt either. Quality of life is important to me and if I feel like I'm in a hopeless situation with debt, it won't be pretty.

I think that covers all info you guys need but let me know if I missed something.

What should I do? Please say go to Duke so I can feel better and put down a seat deposit immediately after ASD.tysm

Thanks in advance for y'alls help and advice!

enjoy durham. 150k for duke is totally fine and a much better bet than your other options.

Completely agree. Given your stats and other outcomes, Duke is the very obvious choice here

[favabeansoup]

I mean Duke here for ~150k COA is pretty good.

Best option it seems for long term goals. You got seem weird numbers and stats here though.

UT seriously lowballed you if you are looking at ~200k debt.

[zot1]

Go to Duke and never look back. It's what you want to do anyway. Just don't get hit by Grayson Allen.

[Stephylynette]

Of the options you have now, Duke is the best for wanting to stay in the South. Absolutely no reason to consider Vanderbilt over Duke for the same price. Have you negotiated?

No I have not negotiated yet. Duke has already been extremely generous but I plan on negotiating with Michigan then, along with some other offers, making an attempt to up Duke some.

[Rigo]

Enjoy Duke.

[Stephylynette]

Enjoy Duke.

Lol thank you!

So the general consensus is that I'm not crazy for going $150K in debt for Duke?

[Rigo]

I mean you'd probably have less debt if you retake the LSAT and score higher.
I'd def pick Duke at that price point over your other current options though, especially since you want Duke for personal reasons.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

Duke is by far the best option.

[proteinshake]

Dook

[futago]

Enjoy Duke.

Lol thank you!

So the general consensus is that I'm not crazy for going $150K in debt for Duke?

Well personally I think it is the best option of your current options. Definitely negotiate first and see what happens. Maybe you can use an offer to get Duke to offer more, or maybe a school like Vanderbilt will give you enough to consider it. I mean Vanderbilt with $$$ is another good option for the South in my opinion and one that I would personally take over $150k for Duke if I wanted to do PI work. $150k doesn't seem insane for Duke for someone who wants to be in the South, but I would definitely negotiate and see what the other options are first, it is still a lot of money, especially for someone set on PI work.

[BigZuck]

Have you taken the LSAT 3 times already? It'd be silly not to retake June and try to squeeze more money out of Duke, even if you're 100% committed to attending Duke this cycle

And by silly I mean not doing so would probably be in the top 10 worst decisions you end up making in your entire life. Not taking a freeroll to eliminate a literal buttload of debt would so, so silly.

[Stephylynette]

Enjoy Duke.

Lol thank you!

So the general consensus is that I'm not crazy for going $150K in debt for Duke?

Well personally I think it is the best option of your current options. Definitely negotiate first and see what happens. Maybe you can use an offer to get Duke to offer more, or maybe a school like Vanderbilt will give you enough to consider it. I mean Vanderbilt with $$$ is another good option for the South in my opinion and one that I would personally take over $150k for Duke if I wanted to do PI work. $150k doesn't seem insane for Duke for someone who wants to be in the South, but I would definitely negotiate and see what the other options are first, it is still a lot of money, especially for someone set on PI work.

Vandy only gave me the same amount as Duke so as of right now, it's not toooo enticing. I'm definitely going to try negotiating though and hopefully I'll be able to get more out of both.

[Stephylynette]

Have you taken the LSAT 3 times already? It'd be silly not to retake June and try to squeeze more money out of Duke, even if you're 100% committed to attending Duke this cycle

And by silly I mean not doing so would probably be in the top 10 worst decisions you end up making in your entire life. Not taking a freeroll to eliminate a literal buttload of debt would so, so silly.

I'm going to try negotiating first. But if I completely strike out, I might consider retaking one last time in June.

[futago]

Enjoy Duke.

Lol thank you!

So the general consensus is that I'm not crazy for going $150K in debt for Duke?

Well personally I think it is the best option of your current options. Definitely negotiate first and see what happens. Maybe you can use an offer to get Duke to offer more, or maybe a school like Vanderbilt will give you enough to consider it. I mean Vanderbilt with $$$ is another good option for the South in my opinion and one that I would personally take over $150k for Duke if I wanted to do PI work. $150k doesn't seem insane for Duke for someone who wants to be in the South, but I would definitely negotiate and see what the other options are first, it is still a lot of money, especially for someone set on PI work.

Vandy only gave me the same amount as Duke so as of right now, it's not toooo enticing. I'm definitely going to try negotiating though and hopefully I'll be able to get more out of both.

I agree, I meant maybe that will change after negotiations. Who knows.

[chargers21]

Dook

hands down, no ifs, ands or buts about it. I would do horrible, unspeakable things for that scholly