Top Law Schools

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:55 pm

Got the Hamilton today, Darrow yesterday. Interested in practicing transactional big law. Should I withdraw from lower ranked schools or wait for their offers as well?

By lower ranked schools, I mean I'd be withdrawing from UCLA, Georgetown, Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, Berkeley, and NYU.

Dcc617 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:03 pm

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:55 pm

Got the Hamilton today, Darrow yesterday. Interested in practicing transactional big law. Should I withdraw from lower ranked schools or wait for their offers as well?

By lower ranked schools, I mean I'd be withdrawing from UCLA, Georgetown, Cornell, Duke, Northwestern, Berkeley, and NYU.

If you got a full ride from those schools would you accept them over your current offers? If not you should withdraw.

Dcc617 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:15 pm

You can get biglaw from any of those schools. You'll have pretty minimal debt from any of them (but due to COL, some debt, so factor that in). On the margins, Columbia will give you better outcomes, but that won't be the case for most people (you'll end up a first year with a bunch of people from those schools).

For straight transactional biglaw you can't really go wrong taking a full ride at a T14.

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:23 pm

Dcc617 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:15 pm

You can get biglaw from any of those schools. You'll have pretty minimal debt from any of them (but due to COL, some debt, so factor that in). On the margins, Columbia will give you better outcomes, but that won't be the case for most people (you'll end up a first year with a bunch of people from those schools).

For straight transactional biglaw you can't really go wrong taking a full ride at a T14.

Oh alright, got it. A question about the cost of living though, LST says Columbia's COL is 25k but that NYUs is 30k, aren't the two schools in pretty much the same place? Are those COL numbers accurate?

aegor wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 23, 2021 12:11 pm

The fact that you did not just accept the Hamilton means your OP lacks relevant details about your preferences because Hamilton is the obvious choice if the only consideration is transactional biglaw.

Feel fee to PM me. I am on a Hamilton fellowship.

AJordan wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 23, 2021 10:36 am

I mean, do your own calculations. What kind of living/commute situation are you trying to have? Do you cook at home/eat out/vulture every free food option available? If you're trying to live alone relatively close to the school I think $30k sounds low honestly. If you're willing to share a place and cook most of your meals, 30k sounds reasonable if you're trying to have any kind of social life. 25k sounds pretty low to me but seems doable if you're a pariah.

Internationalist wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 23, 2021 5:25 pm

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:23 pm

Dcc617 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:15 pm

You can get biglaw from any of those schools. You'll have pretty minimal debt from any of them (but due to COL, some debt, so factor that in). On the margins, Columbia will give you better outcomes, but that won't be the case for most people (you'll end up a first year with a bunch of people from those schools).

For straight transactional biglaw you can't really go wrong taking a full ride at a T14.

Oh alright, got it. A question about the cost of living though, LST says Columbia's COL is 25k but that NYUs is 30k, aren't the two schools in pretty much the same place? Are those COL numbers accurate?

NYU is in Greenwich Village ($$$) and Columbia is in Morningside Heights ($). You can obviously choose to live wherever you want but NYU and Columbia are in different parts of Manhattan and the COL accurately reflects the cost to live near each campus.

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 11:20 am

AJordan wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 23, 2021 10:36 am

I mean, do your own calculations. What kind of living/commute situation are you trying to have? Do you cook at home/eat out/vulture every free food option available? If you're trying to live alone relatively close to the school I think $30k sounds low honestly. If you're willing to share a place and cook most of your meals, 30k sounds reasonable if you're trying to have any kind of social life. 25k sounds pretty low to me but seems doable if you're a pariah.

Oh this is really interesting, I hadn’t made all of these considerations. I live at home with my parents now, haven’t learned how to cook yet but I plan to do do once I head off to law school. I’m down to have a roommate if it means saving that much money, and I’ve also been commuting via. public transit for most of my life so I’m down to continue doing so as well. I would want to be able to network and attend social events whenever possible, so I guess 30k would be a reasonable estimate for my COL? Is there housing available on Columbia’s campus? And is that cheaper than finding a place elsewhere near the city?

logan3000 wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 12:14 pm

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 11:20 am

AJordan wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 23, 2021 10:36 am

I mean, do your own calculations. What kind of living/commute situation are you trying to have? Do you cook at home/eat out/vulture every free food option available? If you're trying to live alone relatively close to the school I think $30k sounds low honestly. If you're willing to share a place and cook most of your meals, 30k sounds reasonable if you're trying to have any kind of social life. 25k sounds pretty low to me but seems doable if you're a pariah.

Oh this is really interesting, I hadn’t made all of these considerations. I live at home with my parents now, haven’t learned how to cook yet but I plan to do do once I head off to law school. I’m down to have a roommate if it means saving that much money, and I’ve also been commuting via. public transit for most of my life so I’m down to continue doing so as well. I would want to be able to network and attend social events whenever possible, so I guess 30k would be a reasonable estimate for my COL? Is there housing available on Columbia’s campus? And is that cheaper than finding a place elsewhere near the city?

$25-30k is definitely reasonable.

$1300-1500/mo for shared CLS apartment = $13k for 9 months, or $2000-2500 for a CLS studio = $20k for 9 months. In normal years I believe this is cheaper than off-campus but since COVID it's comparable/a more expensive.
(Summer expenses would likely be funded by GSF if you don't get a 1L SA so not considering those three months, then 2L SA can cover second year summer)
Leaves you with anywhere from $10-20k for other living expenses, so plenty of cushion for eating out and living well if you want, or saving a little bit if you're trying to be especially frugal.

Certainly not a bad idea to stay home 1L though if you have the option, but if you're on the Hamilton *and* planning on BL... $20k is truly a drop in the bucket and should not be a determinative factor here

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 11:20 am

I’m down to have a roommate if it means saving that much money, and I’ve also been commuting via. public transit for most of my life so I’m down to continue doing so as well. I would want to be able to network and attend social events whenever possible, so I guess 30k would be a reasonable estimate for my COL? Is there housing available on Columbia’s campus? And is that cheaper than finding a place elsewhere near the city?

aegor wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 3:37 pm

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 11:20 am

I’m down to have a roommate if it means saving that much money, and I’ve also been commuting via. public transit for most of my life so I’m down to continue doing so as well. I would want to be able to network and attend social events whenever possible, so I guess 30k would be a reasonable estimate for my COL? Is there housing available on Columbia’s campus? And is that cheaper than finding a place elsewhere near the city?

The breakdown provided by the other user is correct and reflects rent in CLS/Columbia buildings. You can get even cheaper rent through non-Columbia apartments, which some students do. Your COL skyrockets if you eat out frequently. I get groceries delivered from Whole Foods for a pretty reasonable price and make really easy recipes (Instant Pot, slow cooker)--you can make food in batches, portion it out, and freeze. Cheap and really easy--some recipes just require you to toss everything in the slow cooker and let it sit.

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:23 pm

Oh interesting, where can I find out more about non-Columbia apartments?

Also got it, meal planning sounds like a really good idea! I was also thinking of getting a rice cooker and try to do as many lunch/dinner meals based around rice as possible, just to keep my costs ultra low. I’ve heard that whole foods can be pretty expensive, is that just some incorrect rumours or are there actually significantly cheaper grocery shopping options available?

aegor wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:35 pm

cookiemonsterok wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:23 pm

Oh interesting, where can I find out more about non-Columbia apartments?

Craigslist and stuff, I assume. TBH I just went through CLS and have not lived in apartments previously, so I am not sure what the best resources are.

Also got it, meal planning sounds like a really good idea! I was also thinking of getting a rice cooker and try to do as many lunch/dinner meals based around rice as possible, just to keep my costs ultra low. I’ve heard that whole foods can be pretty expensive, is that just some incorrect rumours or are there actually significantly cheaper grocery shopping options available?

Instant Pots cook both rice and pretty much everything else, so you do not need a separate rice cooker unless you want one. I use my IP for rice.

There are plenty of groceries near campus. I use Whole Foods for several reasons:

1) Time--I save a lot of time just going to my building's lobby rather than going shopping. Because law students are busy, this can actually make a difference.

2) Selection--most of the local grocery stores are limited. Sometimes I cannot find what I would consider basic spices. A lot of them have small sections for meat but no actual meat counter. Produce is hit-or-miss. Based on where I have lived, I am used to pretty spacious stores with massive selection. Whole Foods in the only reliable store for this as far as I have discovered.

3) Price--Whole Foods is not actually much more expensive than other stores for what you get. I also get things on sale there to reduce costs further. I do not think that Whole Foods is particular expensive, but I also want to eat produce and at least some healthful foods. Trust me--it is worth paying for high-quality food given the stress and other difficulties of law school. You should do everything you can to stay healthy. It is ridiculous to pinch pennies with something as basic as food when you are going to be making $190k right after graduation.