Top Law Schools

What would you do in my position...?

Top 15-20% at BC/BU, accepted at CN. On law review. Half scholarship currently and school might offer more, now that they're notified that I have options.

Spouse is locked into Boston for at least one year, maybe two or more--a Boston area rising-3L, with a biglaw Boston area job offer for next year. Going would mean long-distance, which we've done before, but not since we've been married. I really want to go and I think spouse would give me blessing if I insist on going, but I also think it would make both of us very sad/lonely to be apart.

I'm in the fortunate and privileged position that finances do not have to play into this decision, but I also don't want to be unreasonable if going is ridiculous. We estimate the difference to be in the $150K range, between difference in tuition and paying rent/living expenses in both Boston and NYC.

Legal academia aspirations and/or desiring to return for PhD in gov't/policy field at a later date.

Thank you in advance for any thoughts.

Stay, in my opinion you have too much to lose and not much to gain.

I think it depends on how clear you are about your legal/other academia aspirations. Obviously NYU/Columbia are better for those goals in a vacuum (at last wrt legal academia--if you've already decided for sure that you want to go into policy or gov that's different, but be aware that you might change your mind in which case USNWR comes into play again). Think about: (1) can you get onto law review at CN (2) do you plan to clerk/apply for fellowships (2b) do you have some profs at BU/BC who will write great letters in case you don't manage to click with profs at your new school quickly enough (3) do you have moderately coherent research interests (4) have you and spouse talked about the oh-so-long road (and likely inevitable long-distance) involved in making a serious bid for academia (whether legal or not).

Basically, I think it requires an honest look at how serious you are about academia because it sounds like that would be the only justification for moving in your context.