CCN ($) or Mich/Duke ($$$)? Forum

[SUPERCHEF]

(Would prefer if you didn’t quote, thanks)
As the title states, CCN at +/-50K (bit more at NYU, bit less at Chi, waiting on C) or Mich at 120K/Duke at ~110K?

Goals:
- Top choice would be art. III clerkship -> fedgov/biglaw lit -> maybe eventually AUSA. Would love to do appellate litigation if possible, I know it’s a bit of a pipe dream.
- Also interested in corporate M&A/PE/cap markets biglaw for 2-5 years, depending on debt/insanity, and then try to exit to in-house
- Don't mind too much about location as long as the degree has nat’l recognition (not a problem with these options?). If I ended up doing corporate, however, I think I’d like to practice either in London or SF/SV from what I’ve heard talking to current associates.

Other notes:
- COL will mostly be funded by v generous parents, so I’d just be responsible for debt financing tuition.
- Obviously trying to bump up CCN's offers but am not holding my breath here.
- WL at H, silence from YS (again, not holding my breath lol). If I got into Y or S the decision would be easy.
- Prefer not to retake as my score (172) was right in the middle of my PT averages (170-174). Feels like the risk of getting a lower score is unacceptable.

The thing I'm having trouble deciding between is CCN tier at higher debt or lower t13/14 at lower debt, as I think I have my preferences (fit-wise) within each group.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

[shadowfax]

Chicago or Michigan. Flip a coin. 70K is just about the right representation of the value difference. And if you get H at cost you will have set up the perfect conundrum. Congrats on these great options.

[proteinshake]

so if you got like 40K at Chi and ~110K at Duke, I'm gonna say Duke. Duke places better than Michigan and I don't think Chicago is worth that much more (i'm gonna guess Chicago is ~80K more when you factor in the higher COL. though I don't know if you care about the COL difference since your parents are covering it).

[grades??]

clearly Duke, this one isn't even hard. Duke has better weather and better placement than Michigan, and CCN is not worth that much more.

[quigleyest]

What would people say about cls 60k v. Duke 110k? Lrap play a role in consideration if interest in plaintiffs firm?

[grades??]

Im not an expert on LRAP, but if you work for a plaintiffs firm, wont you be not eligible for LRAP? If thats the case, then why are you even considering it?

[Nebby]

P side firm doesn't usually count as LRAP eligible. It also isn't PSLF eligible

[grades??]

P side firm doesn't usually count as LRAP eligible. It also isn't PSLF eligible

Thats what I thought. Given that, another easy Duke decision.

[cavalier1138]

P side firm doesn't usually count as LRAP eligible. It also isn't PSLF eligible

I think there are a handful of plaintiff's firms that are technically PI, but they don't qualify for PSLF. So they might be covered under Columbia's LRAP (the non-PSLF option), but not Duke's.

That said, even if I'm right about that, the goal of working for one of those without some kind of existing tie to the firm would be a bit too hyper-specific, even for top school.

[quigleyest]

P side firm doesn't usually count as LRAP eligible. It also isn't PSLF eligible

I think there are a handful of plaintiff's firms that are technically PI, but they don't qualify for PSLF. So they might be covered under Columbia's LRAP (the non-PSLF option), but not Duke's.

That said, even if I'm right about that, the goal of working for one of those without some kind of existing tie to the firm would be a bit too hyper-specific, even for top school.

Thanks for the replies to the above-question. Sounds like it would be a good idea to go into biglaw litigation first then is what I gather?

[Tiago Splitter]

What would people say about cls 60k v. Duke 110k?

For this OP I'd go Duke but CLS is somewhat defensible. For someone who has to shoulder the burden of the full COL difference between the two I'd definitely say Duke.

[ithrowds]

(Would prefer if you didn’t quote, thanks)
As the title states, CCN at +/-50K (bit more at NYU, bit less at Chi, waiting on C) or Mich at 120K/Duke at ~110K?

Goals:
- Top choice would be art. III clerkship -> fedgov/biglaw lit -> maybe eventually AUSA. Would love to do appellate litigation if possible, I know it’s a bit of a pipe dream.
- Also interested in corporate M&A/PE/cap markets biglaw for 2-5 years, depending on debt/insanity, and then try to exit to in-house
- Don't mind too much about location as long as the degree has nat’l recognition (not a problem with these options?). If I ended up doing corporate, however, I think I’d like to practice either in London or SF/SV from what I’ve heard talking to current associates.

Other notes:
- COL will mostly be funded by v generous parents, so I’d just be responsible for debt financing tuition.
- Obviously trying to bump up CCN's offers but am not holding my breath here.
- WL at H, silence from YS (again, not holding my breath lol). If I got into Y or S the decision would be easy.
- Prefer not to retake as my score (172) was right in the middle of my PT averages (170-174). Feels like the risk of getting a lower score is unacceptable.

The thing I'm having trouble deciding between is CCN tier at higher debt or lower t13/14 at lower debt, as I think I have my preferences (fit-wise) within each group.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

Duke for sure. Lower COA and similar (if not better - according to c/o 2016 employment stats) chances of attaining your goals...