Cornell / Northwestern / Duke / Penn / Retake Forum

[Rigo]

If you get Penn at $105k, I'd probably do that. Otherwise Cornell.

You really think it's worth $50k more for NYC biglaw?

[mtf612]

If you get Penn at $105k, I'd probably do that. Otherwise Cornell.

I received the 105k today. Going to ask for a bit more. They want an answer by Monday with withdrawal everywhere else I have been admitted. I honestly liked Penn's ASW more than the other three schools and it felt like the best "fit." I'm a city guy, from a sunny state, and being isolated in Ithaca does not seem like a healthy choice for me personally.

If I end up getting an admit off hold at CLS, ever hear a decision from NYU, or get off the Chicago/Harvard waitlist then my decision tree will obviously change. As much as I want biglaw now, the clerkship/networtking/lay prestige opportunities afforded by HLS make it worth the extra $110k of cost over Penn IMHO.

For those advising retake -I'm spending this saturday taking PT80 to find out where I stand. If I'm not totally rusty, I'll register for June and try to crank out a couple of more points...no better way to spend my birthday than taking the June LSAT

[melmelcoolj]

Why would you be mistaken? Cornell at nearly a full ride for NYC big law seems like a no brainer.

I know people on here can be prestige whores, but from talking to real life lawyers and the lawyers on here, everyone is going to say take the money and a lower t13 rather than pay sticker at Columbia, NYU, etc.

I'm most likely turning down my t6 offers @ sticker to go to Duke or Cornell depending which one will scholarship match, and I was at Cornell's ASW and was very impressed. Their employment offers & Big law stats are very good, though apparently only Columbia and up will get you Watchell etc.

You cannot get into Wachtell from NYU? That just seems a little weird given Wachtell's partners often serve on NYU Law's board.

[ernie]

Why would you be mistaken? Cornell at nearly a full ride for NYC big law seems like a no brainer.

I know people on here can be prestige whores, but from talking to real life lawyers and the lawyers on here, everyone is going to say take the money and a lower t13 rather than pay sticker at Columbia, NYU, etc.

I'm most likely turning down my t6 offers @ sticker to go to Duke or Cornell depending which one will scholarship match, and I was at Cornell's ASW and was very impressed. Their employment offers & Big law stats are very good, though apparently only Columbia and up will get you Watchell etc.

You cannot get into Wachtell from NYU? That just seems a little weird given Wachtell's partners often serve on NYU Law's board.

Of course WLRK takes NYU people. And Columbia people. Is it likely from either? No.

[cavalier1138]

Why would you be mistaken? Cornell at nearly a full ride for NYC big law seems like a no brainer.

I know people on here can be prestige whores, but from talking to real life lawyers and the lawyers on here, everyone is going to say take the money and a lower t13 rather than pay sticker at Columbia, NYU, etc.

I'm most likely turning down my t6 offers @ sticker to go to Duke or Cornell depending which one will scholarship match, and I was at Cornell's ASW and was very impressed. Their employment offers & Big law stats are very good, though apparently only Columbia and up will get you Watchell etc.

You cannot get into Wachtell from NYU? That just seems a little weird given Wachtell's partners often serve on NYU Law's board.

Of course WLRK takes NYU people. And Columbia people. Is it likely from either? No.

It's not likely from Yale. Wachtell only takes the top of the class from a very small grouping of schools, and it's a pointless metric to use.

[mtf612]

Penn came up to 126. Depositing there and withdrawing elsewhere happily!

[lilitiger99]

Why would you be mistaken? Cornell at nearly a full ride for NYC big law seems like a no brainer.

I know people on here can be prestige whores, but from talking to real life lawyers and the lawyers on here, everyone is going to say take the money and a lower t13 rather than pay sticker at Columbia, NYU, etc.

I'm most likely turning down my t6 offers @ sticker to go to Duke or Cornell depending which one will scholarship match, and I was at Cornell's ASW and was very impressed. Their employment offers & Big law stats are very good, though apparently only Columbia and up will get you Watchell etc.

You cannot get into Wachtell from NYU? That just seems a little weird given Wachtell's partners often serve on NYU Law's board.

Of course WLRK takes NYU people. And Columbia people. Is it likely from either? No.

It's not likely from Yale. Wachtell only takes the top of the class from a very small grouping of schools, and it's a pointless metric to use.

I have no dog in this fight. OP seems to care a lot about prestige though, so that might translate into firms/where they take people from, etc. Just echoing what I've heard from various partners/friends of friends around the area.

Not sure why a 0L would be any firm or bust anyway, but if he cares about rankings & such, might matter to him.

[jbagelboy]

Penn came up to 126. Depositing there and withdrawing elsewhere happily!

congrats. I think that's the right choice.

I also think this is the right choice over "higher ranked" schools that would make you pay sticker price, btw. Don't be flippant about your goals and fall into that classic law school trap of chasing whatever goal seems most sparkly just because you "can." You have a terrific outcome right now.

[mtf612]

Penn came up to 126. Depositing there and withdrawing elsewhere happily!

congrats. I think that's the right choice.

I also think this is the right choice over "higher ranked" schools that would make you pay sticker price, btw. Don't be flippant about your goals and fall into that classic law school trap of chasing whatever goal seems most sparkly just because you "can." You have a terrific outcome right now.

Thanks! I will standby and say that if HLS calls in June that I would seriously consider it. I'm first gen and have a no name undergrad degree so I am a bit of a prestige whore. But I'm stoked on penn right now!

[ernie]

Thanks! I will standby and say that if HLS calls in June that I would seriously consider it. I'm first gen and have a no name undergrad degree so I am a bit of a prestige whore. But I'm stoked on penn right now!

Penn is plenty prestigious. In any event, if HLS calls in June, call Penn back and get them to up their offer. That's the smart move.

[mtf612]

Thanks! I will standby and say that if HLS calls in June that I would seriously consider it. I'm first gen and have a no name undergrad degree so I am a bit of a prestige whore. But I'm stoked on penn right now!

Penn is plenty prestigious. In any event, if HLS calls in June, call Penn back and get them to up their offer. That's the smart move.

Haha also definitely a consideration

[Pragmatic Gun]

Wachtell's founding partners are NYU graduates and founded the firm relatively recently (1965). Why wouldn't they have a pipeline from their alma mater which is prestigious to begin with?