Top Law Schools

I want to study environmental or energy law, and work in the southeast (TN, NC, SC, GA).

I'm currently committed to Emory, and have a lease signed in Georgia. I just got news that I was admitted to Vanderbilt, and this was always my top choice.

Emory: My tuition I'd owe: $41,500/year.
Ranking: 22
Private/public starting salary: $130k/$61k (US News)
Size: 853
Employed @ graduation and 9 mo after grad: 60%, 90% (different sites report different %)
Envi. Law program: Yes, 'Envi. and Natural Resource Law http://law.emory.edu/academics/academic ... s-law.html

Vanderbilt: My tuition I'd owe: $56,980/year
Ranking: 17
Private/public starting salary: $157k/$58k (US News)
Employment w/i 90 days of grad: 93%
Size: 557
Employed @ graduation and 9 mo after grad: 90%, 92% (different sites report different %)
Envi. Law program: Yes, 'Energy, Envi, and Land Use' https://law.vanderbilt.edu/academics/ac ... /index.php

Advice?

Honestly, the amount of debt you would be taking out to go to either one is way too much.

Have you negotiated with either one and asked for scholarship? At this late date, I assume vandy wouldn't give, but go to them first and see if they would at least match Emory. Then go to Emory and ask for more money. If your grades and LSAT are at least at median for Emory you should be getting more money.

Vandy is a great school, but there are only a couple of schools worth going $300,000 in debt and Vandy isn't one of them. With all that said, Vandy is probably worth an extra $40-50k in total than Emory