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I was just accepted as a transfer to Northwestern from a local Chicago school. I have a $10k/yr scholarship at my current school. The difference in cost per year would be slightly over $20k. Is it worth it to attend Northwestern? Any thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks!

**UPDATE****UPDATE****UPDATE**

My current school just offered me additional scholarship money (now totaling slightly less than 1/2 tuition), which would now bring the difference in cost to almost $30k per year, or $60k over my remaining 2 years. I don't feel that this is significant enough to change my initial thoughts about wanting to attend NU, but I wanted to get some feedback from everyone (to confirm that I'm not crazy). I know it is ultimately a personal decision, but different perspectives are certainly helpful. Thanks again!

yes. /thread.

Congrats on Northwestern!

Depaul/ Kent/Loyala are real crappy law schools with bad career prospects. Go to NW and you will actually have a shot at being financially successful.

Good luck!

dukelawguy144 wrote:Congrats on Northwestern!

Depaul/ Kent/Loyala are real crappy law schools with bad career prospects. Go to NW and you will actually have a shot at being financially successful.

Good luck!

Yes, congrats on Northwestern. I wouldn't say that Depaul/Kent/Loyola are "real crappy law schools with bad career prospects" but they certainly don't hold a candle to Northwestern.


I suspect that any of your goals will be made easier by attending Northwestern. 20k/year isn't chump change, but I imagine it is more than worth it.

Congratulations on being able to make the choice and enjoy Northwestern!

HOw is this even a question. Obv NU

I agree for the most part.. but Depaul has the most alumni on the bench in Chicago. They give out Clerkships like candy.

Uchicago kids never stay.
Northwestern kids almost always stay.
So, Depaul places well right after Northwestern.
I think if you're ok with finishing wherever in your class at Northwestern... then go to Northwestern.

If you're at Loyola or John Marshall, I'd seriously considering leaving.
If you're at Depaul... that's a rough one.... If you're in the top 10% of your class.. I'd probably stay.

OnaWing&aPrayer09 wrote:I agree for the most part.. but Depaul has the most alumni on the bench in Chicago. They give out Clerkships like candy.

Uchicago kids never stay.
Northwestern kids almost always stay.
So, Depaul places well right after Northwestern.
I think if you're ok with finishing wherever in your class at Northwestern... then go to Northwestern.

If you're at Loyola or John Marshall, I'd seriously considering leaving.
If you're at Depaul... that's a rough one.... If you're in the top 10% of your class.. I'd probably stay.

You think Depaul grads do better than Loyola or Kent? Wow.

OnaWing&aPrayer09 wrote:I agree for the most part.. but Depaul has the most alumni on the bench in Chicago. They give out Clerkships like candy.

Uchicago kids never stay.
Northwestern kids almost always stay.
So, Depaul places well right after Northwestern.
I think if you're ok with finishing wherever in your class at Northwestern... then go to Northwestern.

If you're at Loyola or John Marshall, I'd seriously considering leaving.
If you're at Depaul... that's a rough one.... If you're in the top 10% of your class.. I'd probably stay.

Do not listen to this, he's simply trying to be contrarian and its irresponsible. GO TO NW.

naterj wrote:

OnaWing&aPrayer09 wrote:I agree for the most part.. but Depaul has the most alumni on the bench in Chicago. They give out Clerkships like candy.

Uchicago kids never stay.
Northwestern kids almost always stay.
So, Depaul places well right after Northwestern.
I think if you're ok with finishing wherever in your class at Northwestern... then go to Northwestern.

If you're at Loyola or John Marshall, I'd seriously considering leaving.
If you're at Depaul... that's a rough one.... If you're in the top 10% of your class.. I'd probably stay.

Do not listen to this, he's simply trying to be contrarian and its irresponsible. GO TO NW.

Yeah, it's hard to justify passing up the opportunity to go to NW. The grads I know are doing well.

OnaWing&aPrayer09 wrote:I agree for the most part.. but Depaul has the most alumni on the bench in Chicago. They give out Clerkships like candy.

Uchicago kids never stay.
Northwestern kids almost always stay.
So, Depaul places well right after Northwestern.
I think if you're ok with finishing wherever in your class at Northwestern... then go to Northwestern.

If you're at Loyola or John Marshall, I'd seriously considering leaving.
If you're at Depaul... that's a rough one.... If you're in the top 10% of your class.. I'd probably stay.

Congrats on the acceptance and come to NU!

OnaWing&aPrayer09 wrote:I agree for the most part.. but Depaul has the most alumni on the bench in Chicago. They give out Clerkships like candy.

Uchicago kids never stay.
Northwestern kids almost always stay.
So, Depaul places well right after Northwestern.
I think if you're ok with finishing wherever in your class at Northwestern... then go to Northwestern.

If you're at Loyola or John Marshall, I'd seriously considering leaving.
If you're at Depaul... that's a rough one.... If you're in the top 10% of your class.. I'd probably stay.

You think Depaul does better than Illinois, Michigan, WashU? I might be willing to give the Depaul/Loyola/Kent tier an edge over Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, though...but that's just a "might." I am close with a Depaul grad who is a partner at a large, well known, firm in Chicago and even she says that she has hired far more partners from each of NW, Illinois, and Michigan than she has from DePaul, Loyola, and Kent combined.

Give yourself the best opportunities. Sure, it's possible to do well from Depaul, but it's more likely you'll do well from Northwestern. Go to Northwestern.

I appreciate everyone's input. My gut tells me this is a no-brainer, but I want to think this through and not make a rash decision. NW for $20k more/year is significant, but I assume that the cost will be made up in dollars and experience/opportunities.

Thanks again for your replies, they are very helpful.

JohnnyKilroy wrote:NW for $20k more/year is significant, but I assume that the cost will be made up shortly after graduation.

Not this.

Congrats on NU. Go and reap the benefits. But in no way, shape, or form will your additional debt pay itself off without some effort. You will still need to do relatively well. It's still a no brainer, though.

congrats!

Dude, as someone at one of those schools (I am transferring, likely to Michigan) and someone who wants to get accepted to NW, I have no clue how this is even a question. Unless it was full scholarship or something, I see no question.

(Honestly, I have a bias as you taking that spot is one less spot for me, especially coming from a peer school, and I am still saying do it.)

Do people with your grades get big law at your school? If you are pretty sure you will, transferring might not be the best idea. Does your school give more scholarships to those who stay?

I mean, we're talking about 20k plus interest versus the amount of money a NW degree would add to your career over the course of 40 years. It's perfectly conceivable that that number is as much as 80k in the first year alone. Odds are very good that you'd make hundreds of thousands more over your lifetime by switching.

Desert Fox wrote:Do people with your grades get big law at your school? If you are pretty sure you will, transferring might not be the best idea. Does your school give more scholarships to those who stay?

Im sure big law is possible, but I know at at least 1 of those schools...there were ZERO offers from OCI for big law. ZERO. Last year obviously was a bad year for SA's etc. but still.

blurbz wrote:

OnaWing&aPrayer09 wrote:I agree for the most part.. but Depaul has the most alumni on the bench in Chicago. They give out Clerkships like candy.

Uchicago kids never stay.
Northwestern kids almost always stay.
So, Depaul places well right after Northwestern.
I think if you're ok with finishing wherever in your class at Northwestern... then go to Northwestern.

If you're at Loyola or John Marshall, I'd seriously considering leaving.
If you're at Depaul... that's a rough one.... If you're in the top 10% of your class.. I'd probably stay.

You think Depaul does better than Illinois, Michigan, WashU? I might be willing to give the Depaul/Loyola/Kent tier an edge over Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, though...but that's just a "might."

Im not sure about this. If the person has ties to Chicago and goes to one of the midwestern schools you mentioned, they are probably better off than the Kent/Loyola/DePaul crowd. If they have no ties, they are probably still better off. If you do a NALP search, there are few if any firms that do OCI at Kent/Loyola/DePaul that dont also do it at Wisconsin/Iowa/Indiana.

stinger35 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Do people with your grades get big law at your school? If you are pretty sure you will, transferring might not be the best idea. Does your school give more scholarships to those who stay?

Im sure big law is possible, but I know at at least 1 of those schools...there were ZERO offers from OCI for big law. ZERO. Last year obviously was a bad year for SA's etc. but still.

I suspected that. I know in the old economy I would have kept top 5% at Depaul, but ITE NU might be the better choice.

Desert Fox wrote:Do people with your grades get big law at your school? If you are pretty sure you will, transferring might not be the best idea. Does your school give more scholarships to those who stay?

Transfers get to OCI at the new school, right?

You still have the grades/transcript from the other school, but OP will have access to the firms at NU's OCI , which has got to be significantly better than those at DePaul/Loyola/Kent.

D-hops wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Do people with your grades get big law at your school? If you are pretty sure you will, transferring might not be the best idea. Does your school give more scholarships to those who stay?

Transfers get to OCI at the new school, right?

You still have the grades/transcript from the other school, but OP will have access to the firms at NU's OCI , which has got to be significantly better than those at DePaul/Loyola/Kent.

I do get OCI at Northwestern, but there are no scholarships or grants available for transfer students. I am leaning heavily towards transferring and taking the extra $20k/yr in loans.

The current 28/2 ration should say it all. There is literally no reason to stay.

...

dood wrote:i talked to a family friend lawyer in big law firm chicago before i knew much about law school - i told him i was thinking of schools in chicago:

"well if dont get into NU or UoC, I can always go to depaul/loyola/kent"
"um, if you dont get into NU or UoC, you're better off not going to law school"

this was in 2006 when the economy was good.

I recognize that the job market is tough, but this is simply ignorant.

If you had a full ride at DePaul, then staying there might have been an option. But 30k a year or so at Depaul vs. NW? Easy decision. Go to NW and don't look back.