Michigan ($$) vs. Columbia ($)
Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 5:25 pm
Would appreciate any advice on this. I visited Michigan and really liked AA and both the current and prospective students I met. Haven’t visited CLS specifically, but have visited Columbia twice before I was planning on LS.
I’ve already deposited at Michigan – CLS just made this offer in the past few days so I’ll try to get more money from Michigan based on this.
The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.
Columbia - $25,000/year scholarship = $222,000 estimated debt at repayment
Michigan - $40,000/year scholarship = $126,000 estimated debt at repayment
How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
Financing COA with loans. Have a decent amount in personal savings (`$20k) but I’m planning on using this to cover 1L summer living expenses (assuming unpaid) and the remainder as an emergency fund.
Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
Have significant ties to both DC & Boston. I would like to work in either, with DC being my top choice (I know this will be hard from either school). Would be open to working in NYC or Chicago too.
Your general career goals
BigLaw, leaning towards transactional. Would like to go in-house after a few years (3-5) in BL.
Your LSAT/GPA numbers
LSAT: 172, GPA: 3.49
How many times you have taken the LSAT
1 time. I’m open to postponing a year & retaking, I’m just not sure how much this would help given my numbers/the fact that I’m already above the 75th for most of the T14.
I’ve already deposited at Michigan – CLS just made this offer in the past few days so I’ll try to get more money from Michigan based on this.
The total Cost of Attendance (COA) of each. COA = cost of tuition + fees + books + cost of living (COL) + accumulated interest - scholarships.
Columbia - $25,000/year scholarship = $222,000 estimated debt at repayment
Michigan - $40,000/year scholarship = $126,000 estimated debt at repayment
How you will be financing your COA, i.e. loans, family, or savings
Financing COA with loans. Have a decent amount in personal savings (`$20k) but I’m planning on using this to cover 1L summer living expenses (assuming unpaid) and the remainder as an emergency fund.
Where you are from and where you want to work, and other places where you have significant ties (if any)
Have significant ties to both DC & Boston. I would like to work in either, with DC being my top choice (I know this will be hard from either school). Would be open to working in NYC or Chicago too.
Your general career goals
BigLaw, leaning towards transactional. Would like to go in-house after a few years (3-5) in BL.
Your LSAT/GPA numbers
LSAT: 172, GPA: 3.49
How many times you have taken the LSAT
1 time. I’m open to postponing a year & retaking, I’m just not sure how much this would help given my numbers/the fact that I’m already above the 75th for most of the T14.