UCLA $ v. USC $$ v. Cornell $ v. WashU $$$ Forum

[RBlackLaw]

Conflicted about where I want to go and would love to hear opinions and/or advice! All COA (Cost of attendance) amounts include cost of living and tuition based on the school's most recent budget estimates.

Cornell: $25k a year -> total COA: $254k.

UCLA: $10K a year -> total COA: $276k.

USC: $40k a year -> total COA: $227k.

WashU: $60k a year -> $126k total COA.

Goals:

From the west coast and want to work in California after graduation. Open to other large markets (NYC, DC, Chicago, etc..) if need be, but California is the end goal so I would go in planning to lateral a few years in.

Looking to start in big law for a few years to pay down debt and build up a nest egg before moving on to an exit option with better WLB. Undecided on practice area as of now but have interests across litigation, corporate, and regulatory groups.

Have some undergraduate debt left over, but a manageable amount. Not sure if I will familial financial support during school but i would say let's assume not (it's a complicated situation).

Bc of my goals and the costs of everything, I'm leaning USC or UCLA (Probably leaning towards USC more) but am interested in hearing what perspectives people have.

[Crazysnackaroo]

Conflicted about where I want to go and would love to hear opinions and/or advice! All COA (Cost of attendance) amounts include cost of living and tuition based on the school's most recent budget estimates.

Cornell: $25k a year -> total COA: $254k.

UCLA: $10K a year -> total COA: $276k.

USC: $40k a year -> total COA: $227k.

WashU: $60k a year -> $126k total COA.

Goals:

From the west coast and want to work in California after graduation. Open to other large markets (NYC, DC, Chicago, etc..) if need be, but California is the end goal so I would go in planning to lateral a few years in.

Looking to start in big law for a few years to pay down debt and build up a nest egg before moving on to an exit option with better WLB. Undecided on practice area as of now but have interests across litigation, corporate, and regulatory groups.

Have some undergraduate debt left over, but a manageable amount. Not sure if I will familial financial support during school but i would say let's assume not (it's a complicated situation).

Bc of my goals and the costs of everything, I'm leaning USC or UCLA (Probably leaning towards USC more) but am interested in hearing what perspectives people have.

I'd take any of them aside from UCLA. USC if you want to be in Cali off the bat. WashU seems like the best deal, but you might take awhile to get back to CA. Cornell will give you that opportunity for sure, and I lean towards it; if the economy tanks i'd rather have the Cornell degree.

[siri949]

Conflicted about where I want to go and would love to hear opinions and/or advice! All COA (Cost of attendance) amounts include cost of living and tuition based on the school's most recent budget estimates.

Cornell: $25k a year -> total COA: $254k.

UCLA: $10K a year -> total COA: $276k.

USC: $40k a year -> total COA: $227k.

WashU: $60k a year -> $126k total COA.

Goals:

From the west coast and want to work in California after graduation. Open to other large markets (NYC, DC, Chicago, etc..) if need be, but California is the end goal so I would go in planning to lateral a few years in.

Looking to start in big law for a few years to pay down debt and build up a nest egg before moving on to an exit option with better WLB. Undecided on practice area as of now but have interests across litigation, corporate, and regulatory groups.

Have some undergraduate debt left over, but a manageable amount. Not sure if I will familial financial support during school but i would say let's assume not (it's a complicated situation).

Bc of my goals and the costs of everything, I'm leaning USC or UCLA (Probably leaning towards USC more) but am interested in hearing what perspectives people have.

Personally I would do UCLA over USC just because T14 vs non-T14 is a distinction that will follow you for your entire career, and relative to your overall debt, $50k isn't the end of the world. BUT, I think both are great options and would completely understand if it's worth the $50k to you to go to USC. Totally personal preference. I do think that you're right about the best choices being USC and UCLA, given how intent you are on being in CA.

[CanadianWolf]

Assuming that you have already tried to negotiate for more scholarship money from each school, Then throw a dart unless interested in practicing tax law. If interested in tax law, the lowest COA school would allow for another year to earn an LLM in Taxation at NYU or Georgetown or Northwestern.

If not interested in tax law/LLM, then USC or UCLA since you want to be in California.

If you want NYC, then Cornell is, by far, your best option.