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Hi TLSers,

As you can tell by the meager amount of scholly money, I don't have that many great options. I'm an international student looking to do biglaw in NYC as I heard that it is hard for international students to find a biglaw job in Chicago (although I'm open to any market). I visited UMich for their ASW and loved it. Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of visiting NU for their ASW so I cannot speak much of their school. I was hoping that Michigan will increase their offer with my negotiation but they did not. I'm wondering if 15K difference is enough to convince me to choose NU considering Chicago's high COL and my preference for NYC market and school. Please help!

Update: Michigan increased their offer from 45K to 60K lol

The credited answer is you should not attend either of these schools at these price points.

My follow-up answer is a realist's nod to the fact you're probably going to do what you're going to do anyway so, absent begging you and convincing you to retake/reapply, I'd take NU. 30K is not a negligible amount and, unlike DC/NYC, you can live somewhat cheaply in Chicago so the COL differences between Chicago and Ann Arbor aren't "stark" and won't eat up the entire difference in scholarship money. Also, if you want Chicago, small as your chances of making that happen are as an international student, NU is preferable. Finally, fwiw, I think Northwestern has a better international reputation than Mich, which will be viewed as StateU #124 from a international employer's perspective. And, since it's highly likely you'll be trying to find work outside the US given your current trajectory, that name-brand recognition difference (while small) might be a player.

But seriously though, don't matriculate at either of these schools. Swing and miss, strike one. Try again.

eastring wrote:Hi TLSers,

As you can tell by the meager amount of scholly money, I don't have that many great options. I'm an international student looking to do biglaw in NYC as I heard that it is hard for international students to find a biglaw job in Chicago (although I'm open to any market). I visited UMich for their ASW and loved it. Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of visiting NU for their ASW so I cannot speak much of their school. I was hoping that Michigan will increase their offer with my negotiation but they did not. I'm wondering if 30K difference is enough to convince me to choose NU considering Chicago's high COL and my preference for NYC market and school. Please help!

I went to NU undergrad and love the area the law school is in, as well as the interactions I had with the school and alumni when I was thinking about attending last cycle. I'm also a strong city person tho and couldn't picture living in ann arbor for 3 years, but that's me. I think some of your decision is where do you want to live, set down roots, make connections? I loved living in chicago and it's a pretty happening/ fun/ active place. also my old room in an apartment a short train ride from prtizker was originally $430 a month until I moved to the "nice" room in the apt and paid $600 - there are some pretty good deals in chi, though im sure moving without connections/ roots makes finding those good deals a bit tougher. not sure about housing in ann arbor tho, although i assume general COL is higher in chi

If you won't consider retaking, I'd take Michigan (but i'm biased). The Costs are probably pretty close after you consider living expenses in Chicago against Ann Arbor. And I know lots of internationals at Michigan who got biglaw.

I'd actually say the opposite of the above poster, with the disclaimer that I go to NU. You can live relatively cheaply in Chicago, particularly if you're willing to live with a roommate, so especially if you prefer living in a city I think the 30k difference is worth it. NY biglaw is going to be very attainable from either school.

ILoveYou wrote:I'd actually say the opposite of the above poster, with the disclaimer that I go to NU. You can live relatively cheaply in Chicago, particularly if you're willing to live with a roommate, so especially if you prefer living in a city I think the 30k difference is worth it. NY biglaw is going to be very attainable from either school.

Do you know if a lot of students from NU go into NYC biglaw?

eck456 wrote:

eastring wrote:Hi TLSers,

As you can tell by the meager amount of scholly money, I don't have that many great options. I'm an international student looking to do biglaw in NYC as I heard that it is hard for international students to find a biglaw job in Chicago (although I'm open to any market). I visited UMich for their ASW and loved it. Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of visiting NU for their ASW so I cannot speak much of their school. I was hoping that Michigan will increase their offer with my negotiation but they did not. I'm wondering if 30K difference is enough to convince me to choose NU considering Chicago's high COL and my preference for NYC market and school. Please help!

I went to NU undergrad and love the area the law school is in, as well as the interactions I had with the school and alumni when I was thinking about attending last cycle. I'm also a strong city person tho and couldn't picture living in ann arbor for 3 years, but that's me. I think some of your decision is where do you want to live, set down roots, make connections? I loved living in chicago and it's a pretty happening/ fun/ active place. also my old room in an apartment a short train ride from prtizker was originally $430 a month until I moved to the "nice" room in the apt and paid $600 - there are some pretty good deals in chi, though im sure moving without connections/ roots makes finding those good deals a bit tougher. not sure about housing in ann arbor tho, although i assume general COL is higher in chi

How long was the commute for your $600 suite?

eastring wrote:

eck456 wrote:

eastring wrote:Hi TLSers,

As you can tell by the meager amount of scholly money, I don't have that many great options. I'm an international student looking to do biglaw in NYC as I heard that it is hard for international students to find a biglaw job in Chicago (although I'm open to any market). I visited UMich for their ASW and loved it. Unfortunately, I did not have the luxury of visiting NU for their ASW so I cannot speak much of their school. I was hoping that Michigan will increase their offer with my negotiation but they did not. I'm wondering if 30K difference is enough to convince me to choose NU considering Chicago's high COL and my preference for NYC market and school. Please help!

I went to NU undergrad and love the area the law school is in, as well as the interactions I had with the school and alumni when I was thinking about attending last cycle. I'm also a strong city person tho and couldn't picture living in ann arbor for 3 years, but that's me. I think some of your decision is where do you want to live, set down roots, make connections? I loved living in chicago and it's a pretty happening/ fun/ active place. also my old room in an apartment a short train ride from prtizker was originally $430 a month until I moved to the "nice" room in the apt and paid $600 - there are some pretty good deals in chi, though im sure moving without connections/ roots makes finding those good deals a bit tougher. not sure about housing in ann arbor tho, although i assume general COL is higher in chi

How long was the commute for your $600 suite?

So I was working at the time in the south loop so a bit further, but I went to class once a week on the law school campus and it was less than 25 min door to door

what is your gpa/lsat. how many takes?

Either option will leave you with a ton of debt, so if you can sit out, retake and get more $ that might be your best bet. If you can't retake and have to choose, I guess NU if it's cheaper

Pure Applesauce wrote:what is your gpa/lsat. how many takes?

Either option will leave you with a ton of debt, so if you can sit out, retake and get more $ that might be your best bet. If you can't retake and have to choose, I guess NU if it's cheaper

International students usually can't take out loans without a U.S. co-signer, so they're paying cash.

goldenbear2020 wrote:

Pure Applesauce wrote:what is your gpa/lsat. how many takes?

Either option will leave you with a ton of debt, so if you can sit out, retake and get more $ that might be your best bet. If you can't retake and have to choose, I guess NU if it's cheaper

International students usually can't take out loans without a U.S. co-signer, so they're paying cash.

Not unless you take out loans from your own country and get someone from your country as a co-signer

eastring wrote:

ILoveYou wrote:I'd actually say the opposite of the above poster, with the disclaimer that I go to NU. You can live relatively cheaply in Chicago, particularly if you're willing to live with a roommate, so especially if you prefer living in a city I think the 30k difference is worth it. NY biglaw is going to be very attainable from either school.

Do you know if a lot of students from NU go into NYC biglaw?

Yeah, about 20% of the class goes to NYC biglaw. The number could easily be higher imo, but most want to stay in the Midwest and a good chunk go to CA. Going through OCI, it is generally known that it's easiest to get NY biglaw, so most of us bid both NY and our preferred market. It is pretty common for people to be holding an NY offer while they wait to hear from firms in DC or Chicago, for example. Obviously not everyone wants or could probably get biglaw at all, but that's the path of most of us.