UT ($$) v. Columbia ($) Forum

[gizmo1024]

COUNTERPOINT: Breakfast tacos

Check and mate

Austin has garbage breakfast tacos tho

wtf have you not had Veracruz migas tacos?

You are probably eating the packaged Tacodeli that is in every gas station in town.

For real though I am a little confused as to how OP's COA at UT is 115k (presumbably in state too?) and he still gets into Columbia with $60k off? Then he doesn't get in anywhere else in T14?

In my personal experience going to UT: I didn't come close to an acceptance at Columbia and I had a "slightly" worse *out of state* scholarship offer. I feel like a Columbia acceptance should basically guarantee a sub 100k tuition at UT at the least.

Just seems like an odd situation to me, or maybe OP applied super late in the cycle?

I did apply late. Applied in mid-January and was waitlisted everywhere in T13 except Columbia and Cornell. Definitely got lucky w/ CLS, so that's why it'd kill me to let it go.

I think I'll negotiate with UT and try to get COA under 100k. That would help me make the decision. I haven't received merit aid from them, but I'm assuming it'll be really low if anything. I can count on getting 2/3 tuition paid w/ Hazelwood at least.

[gizmo1024]

COUNTERPOINT: Breakfast tacos

Check and mate

Austin has garbage breakfast tacos tho

MODS

Ok whatever San Antonio is so great blah blah. SPARE US. If you want to go to St. Mary's then be our guest but we're talking Austin vs NYC here.

But serious: I know Bags tried to sufficiently qualify his statements to head me off at the pass but I'll say it anyway- that stuff is subjective and/or it doesn't matter. Supreme Court justices come to Texas. As often as Columbia? Probably not. Does it matter? No. There's clinics, you can study abroad in Australia if you want, your professor probably went to Yale and wrote the casebook, etc. None of it really matters in the end anyway. Go out there and live the life you want. And ideally if you're going to choose a law school go to one that will get you the job you want at an appropriate cost.

just jonesing, Zuck. the NYC alternative would be to fill up a suitcase HEB tortillas and make 'em yourself. Anyway, actual point taken. Gizmo, you seem noncommittal about your post-grad interests, so in your case I'd choose Texas. I know some Texas Law folks who landed at awesome firms in DC (don't personally know any in NYC/CA/other, smaller markets but I'm sure they're there) so it's not impossible to leave the state if you decide that's what you want later. Farnsworth seems pretty connected to alumni all over the place, so you can use that to your advantage. CLS is simply not worth sticker, but if you do receive some aid from CLS and still can't pull the trigger on a decision, i would take my eventual CLS financial aid package and ask Farnsworth directly if there's anything he can do to make it easier to choose Texas.

This sounds like a plan. If Texas shows me the $$ (under 100k COA), I'm there. If not, and CLS gives me something decent, looks like this Texan is headed to the east coast!

[Pure Applesauce]

Never pay $300k to go to law school. Columbia is out in my opinion.

I wish the price were a little lower, but UT at COA of $100k is defensible. it seems like you should have something in between. Could always consider a retake (unless i missed that you are out of takes)

[siyuanff]

In exact same boat with OP, also applied in mid-January and waitlisted everywhere else, but I am an international applicant without reportable UGPA, so it hurts even more. I end up choosing Columbia over UT, mostly because my long term goal is to come back to China and go to academia. And sadly, prestige makes a difference on the other side of the globe If I were a Texan, I would probably choosing UT, because I would love to stay in Texas (no state tax, checked; Biglaw hours not as crazy as NYC's, checked). But without tie, and with all the visa issues, it is extremely hard to stay

[BigZuck]

I'm sure it varies by practice area, group, and firm but assuming big law hours in TX are lower than NYC is a dangerous assumption to make IMO.

[favabeansoup]

I'm sure it varies by practice area, group, and firm but assuming big law hours in TX are lower than NYC is a dangerous assumption to make IMO.

I think the hours on average are only slightly better or the same for most places. Generally less facetime requirements though and people can usually leave around 6:30-8 to work later at home.

This is not exclusive to Texas at all though, and this is true in a lot of markets other than NYC.

[AnonymousAlterEgoC]

COUNTERPOINT: Breakfast tacos

Check and mate

Austin has garbage breakfast tacos tho

wtf have you not had Veracruz migas tacos?

Everything except cost favors Columbia. At the end of the day, I guess you have to ask whether you think you're worth it

[jbagelboy]

Everything except cost favors Columbia. At the end of the day, I guess you have to ask whether you think you're worth it

what does this mean

[existentialcrisis]

COUNTERPOINT: Breakfast tacos

Check and mate

Austin has garbage breakfast tacos tho

wtf have you not had Veracruz migas tacos?

Everything except cost favors Columbia. At the end of the day, I guess you have to ask whether you think you're worth it

Worth paying upwards of 2500 month towards loans? Don't do that.

[Pure Applesauce]

COUNTERPOINT: Breakfast tacos

Check and mate

Austin has garbage breakfast tacos tho

wtf have you not had Veracruz migas tacos?

Everything except cost favors Columbia. At the end of the day, I guess you have to ask whether you think you're worth it

lolwat

[Rigo]

UT.

[arose928]

This is highly simplified math but ballpark paying loans off in 10 years:

100,000/120 = $830/month
250,000/120 = $2083/month

Can you think of something else you'd rather do with an extra $1,250/month for 10 years besides flushing it down the toilet to a bank?

[jbagelboy]

This is highly simplified math but ballpark paying loans off in 10 years:

100,000/120 = $830/month
250,000/120 = $2083/month

Can you think of something else you'd rather do with an extra $1,250/month for 10 years besides flushing it down the toilet to a bank?

in fairness, the debt differences were actually $110,000 to $220,000, so suppose we incorporate 6% annual interest, you're actually at:

UT: $146,547/120 = $1,221.23
Columbia: $293,094/120 = $2,442.45

So UT is 50% of the Columbia payment instead of ~40% (although it's still an extra ~$1200/month).

Also, while we all understand that the money is being spent, and there's a reasonable debate to be had about whether it's being spent wisely, no one ITT would urge that its being "flush[ed] down the toilet" (I'm also not sure what the upshot of your mixed metaphor is there). It's not in dispute that Columbia offers superior employment opportunities and more resources, so your money is not being wholly wasted or 'flushed'; just perhaps poorly spent.