Fordham$$ vs Duke $ Forum

[thk29]

Hello everyone this is my first time posting and I could really use some advice. Right now the two offers I am seriously considering are 135k at Fordham and 81k at Duke, I will be financing my education with loans. I am from New Jersey, have strong ties to the area, and hope to practice in New York after graduation. Living expense at the two kind of evens out for me because if I attend Fordham I will be living with my mother in Jersey paying utilities and other bills while if I went to Duke I would be paying rent. I've calculated that with living expense loans my overall debt at Duke would be approximately 154k while at Fordham it would be approximately 84k. While I realize Duke is the better school with better employment prospects, I am leaning toward Fordham because spending 3 years away from family and friends during what will certainly be the most rigorous academic challenge of my life does not sound too enticing. Would I be crazy to turn down 81k at Duke for 135k at Fordham?
Also as far as career goals I want to clerk for a year after school and then would like to work in a mid-sized or big law firm. My GPA is 3.74 and my LSAT is 170. Thank you for your help in advance!

So update everyone, I just got offered 105k (35/year) at GULC and am strongly considering this offer. For me it seems like the perfect intermediate because it is much closer to home than Duke and will come with a lower debt load, and it has significantly better employment prospects than Fordham for only 10k more a year. I'm sure most will still recommend Duke but for personal reasons staying close to home and being in a city with public transportation are optimal conditions for me so right now Georgetown is at the top of my list.

[grades??]

You would be stupid for taking Fordham

[LawTweet]

Hello everyone this is my first time posting and I could really use some advice. Right now the two offers I am seriously considering are 135k at Fordham and 81k at Duke, I will be financing my education with loans. I am from New Jersey, have strong ties to the area, and hope to practice in New York after graduation. Living expense at the two kind of evens out for me because if I attend Fordham I will be living with my mother in Jersey paying utilities and other bills while if I went to Duke I would be paying rent. I've calculated that with living expense loans my overall debt at Duke would be approximately 154k while at Fordham it would be approximately 84k. While I realize Duke is the better school with better employment prospects, I am leaning toward Fordham because spending 3 years away from family and friends during what will certainly be the most rigorous academic challenge of my life does not sound too enticing. Would I be crazy to turn down 81k at Duke for 135k at Fordham?
Also as far as career goals I want to clerk for a year after school and then would like to work in a mid-sized or big law firm. My GPA is 3.74 and my LSAT is 170. Thank you for your help in advance!

Yes. Also did you not get any money comparable to Duke at other T13 schools?

[luckyirish13]

Would I be crazy to turn down 81k at Duke for 135k at Fordham?

Yes.

Your career goals are able to be served at a top school that sets you up with contacts and opportunities. Fordham is not a bad school, but they are not in the same discussion as Duke, which is a highly respected T-14 school with national recognition.

[proteinshake]

go to Duke.

[UVA2B]

Hello everyone this is my first time posting and I could really use some advice. Right now the two offers I am seriously considering are 135k at Fordham and 81k at Duke, I will be financing my education with loans. I am from New Jersey, have strong ties to the area, and hope to practice in New York after graduation. Living expense at the two kind of evens out for me because if I attend Fordham I will be living with my mother in Jersey paying utilities and other bills while if I went to Duke I would be paying rent. I've calculated that with living expense loans my overall debt at Duke would be approximately 154k while at Fordham it would be approximately 84k. While I realize Duke is the better school with better employment prospects, I am leaning toward Fordham because spending 3 years away from family and friends during what will certainly be the most rigorous academic challenge of my life does not sound too enticing. Would I be crazy to turn down 81k at Duke for 135k at Fordham?
Also as far as career goals I want to clerk for a year after school and then would like to work in a mid-sized or big law firm. My GPA is 3.74 and my LSAT is 170. Thank you for your help in advance!

Yes. Also did you not get any money comparable to Duke at other T13 schools?

For negotiation purposes or something else?

If you want NYC Biglaw (midlaw is less predictable), Duke is a defensible option if your debt isn't astronomical. Fordham, like milk, would be a bad choice.

[Lavitz]

Go to Duke. Make new friends.

[LawTweet]

I'm just surprised there wasn't similar money at higher T13. Not that Duke is a bad option. I'm just wondering why OP is down to it and Fordham.

[proteinshake]

I'm just surprised there wasn't similar money at higher T13. Not that Duke is a bad option. I'm just wondering why OP is down to it and Fordham.

I got more money than OP at Duke and no other T13 options. happens

[hamilton&burr]

I'm just surprised there wasn't similar money at higher T13. Not that Duke is a bad option. I'm just wondering why OP is down to it and Fordham.

Not all of us are getting Darrows with a 3.7X/170

[UVA2B]

I'm just surprised there wasn't similar money at higher T13. Not that Duke is a bad option. I'm just wondering why OP is down to it and Fordham.

What is the in-between here you're imagining? Obvious suspect would be Cornell, but I'm not sure Cornell would give any more money than Duke did, and I'm not sure Cornell places better in NYC than Duke. It's unlikely OP is dealing with Fordham at $135k, Duke at $81k, and NYU at $30k, but even so, Duke would still be the right call, so long as the student loan debt isn't excessive.

[LawTweet]

I'm just surprised there wasn't similar money at higher T13. Not that Duke is a bad option. I'm just wondering why OP is down to it and Fordham.

What is the in-between here you're imagining? Obvious suspect would be Cornell, but I'm not sure Cornell would give any more money than Duke did, and I'm not sure Cornell places better in NYC than Duke. It's unlikely OP is dealing with Fordham at $135k, Duke at $81k, and NYU at $30k, but even so, Duke would still be the right call, so long as the student loan debt isn't excessive.

Michigan and Cornell seem fairly generous with those stats. But I don't know. Just asking.

[Pragmatic Gun]

Go to Duke. Make new friends.

Yeah, it's pretty easy to make new friends. IF you are worried about family, you can always make one of your friends your honorary brother. Problem solved. Also, the area around Duke has a lot of attractions. Go develop a taste for BBQ, dude.

[Rigo]

I'd go Duke.
Did you get snubbed by Cornell? Penn?

[thk29]

Hello everyone and thank you for the advice. to answer your questions about other offers, I was WL at Penn and Michigan, denied at Cornell, have not heard back from NYU or Columbia and was only offered 45k by Georgetown.

[Pragmatic Gun]

Hello everyone and thank you for the advice. to answer your questions about other offers, I was WL at Penn and Michigan, denied at Cornell, have not heard back from NYU or Columbia and was only offered 45k by Georgetown.

I don't understand how Cornell could have denied you.

[thk29]

Hello everyone and thank you for the advice. to answer your questions about other offers, I was WL at Penn and Michigan, denied at Cornell, have not heard back from NYU or Columbia and was only offered 45k by Georgetown.

I don't understand how Cornell could have denied you.

That would make two of us

[existentialcrisis]

With those goals you would indeed be crazy to pick Fordham over Duke here. But I also think it might be a good idea to reapply and write a bunch of convincing "Why X" essays.

[Rigo]

Hello everyone and thank you for the advice. to answer your questions about other offers, I was WL at Penn and Michigan, denied at Cornell, have not heard back from NYU or Columbia and was only offered 45k by Georgetown.

I don't understand how Cornell could have denied you.

People have been complaining about how weird they've been this cycle.
I don't get it either, but OP probably just fell victim to their new strategy this year (whatever it may be). YP to some degree.