NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law Forum

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Which?

NYU (assuming sticker)
2
6%
Michigan (90k scholly)
18
55%
WUSTL (180k scholly)
6
18%
Retake Apply Next Cycle
7
21%
 
Total votes: 33

duckthugz

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NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by duckthugz » Sat Apr 22, 2017 7:52 pm

*Edit: Took poll down to add Retake option. Last time I checked Michigan had 18 responses, NYU 3, WUSTL 0.

Narrowed down my choices to three schools. Also admitted at Cornell ($$), Northwestern ($$), Texas ($$$), and Georgetown ($$). Waitlisted at Chicago, UVA, Duke. Admitted at NYU in the past two weeks and am still waiting to hear back about financial aid although I anticipate it being close to sticker.

Scholarship/COA after Scholly:
NYU (0/270k)
Michigan (90k/140k)
WUSTL (180k [tuition/stipend]/40k)


COA for both Michigan and WUSTL are high estimates based on schools' websites. I will be financing education through loans/LRAP.

Career wise, the plan is to clerk for two years and then go into international public interest law. Given the competitiveness of the field, it seems as though WUSTL would be out (although I would be an RA for a professor with connections to the ICC). I am about 85% sure I want to do PI with the other 15% going into Big Law. If Big Law, I would want to work in Chicago or DC.

Visited Michigan and WUSTL; preferred Michigan. If I was 100% sure about going into PI, NYU seems to be the best choice based off of the better LRAP and clinical opportunities but seems like it would be the worst option if I chose Big Law. Michigan seems to give me the most flexibility for both career options while not having too high of a debt burden. WUSTL minimizes debt and would allow me to do Big Law in Chicago but the likelihood of getting the PI jobs I would want are low.

*Edit: Already have ~$45k in student loans

LSAT/GPA: 168/3.9
LSAT Attempts: 1
Prefer not to take LSAT again because I would have to live at home for another year and find a new job.

Thanks in advance for the input.
Last edited by duckthugz on Sun Apr 23, 2017 12:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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presidentspivey

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by presidentspivey » Sat Apr 22, 2017 8:06 pm

It seems like you are pretty sure of the answer already. Michigan

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UVA2B

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by UVA2B » Sat Apr 22, 2017 8:09 pm

You've thought this through well. You liked Michigan better than WUSTL. You have fairly lofty goals that would make WUSTL, even with that little debt, a professionally risky decision (unless you were comfortable with more modest outcomes as well, in which case limiting debt has a ton of merit to it).

Michigan at $140k/on LRAP in your situation is probably the best of both worlds. Good luck in Ann Arbor.

duckthugz

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by duckthugz » Sat Apr 22, 2017 8:27 pm

I am definitely leaning towards Michigan just not sure it is worth $100k more. I guess my hesitancy to committing towards Michigan is uncertainty around IBR and PSLF. I feel like Michigan is the best option given my indecisiveness about future career but would not be the best option if I was certain about PI or Big Law.

I don't think it matters that much but how does being an RA for a "renowned" human rights expert at WUSTL impacts my prospects of PI goals?

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UVA2B

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by UVA2B » Sat Apr 22, 2017 8:38 pm

duckthugz wrote:I am definitely leaning towards Michigan just not sure it is worth $100k more. I guess my hesitancy to committing towards Michigan is uncertainty around IBR and PSLF. I feel like Michigan is the best option given my indecisiveness about future career but would not be the best option if I was certain about PI or Big Law.

I don't think it matters that much but how does being an RA for a "renowned" human rights expert at WUSTL impacts my prospects of PI goals?
Sadly, it likely won't. They might have contacts they can put you in touch with who do the work that interests you, but that type of hiring is so elite and idiosyncratic as to not make a significant difference. But hopefully you can cultivate a relationship with that professor to get solid clerkship recs and who can ideally help you navigate the job market in your chosen area of PI. It'll be a good relationship for you to have, but being an influential academic in a discipline that is that highly specialized perhaps counterfactually makes their ability to help you get into the field less likely than an influential academic in a broader area of law.

You should absolutely try to RA for that prof if you're interested in their area of academia, but international PI is tough, and it'll take a good dollop of luck covering doing everything else right.

Edited out "human rights" from international PI because I realized you never said human rights specifically

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duckthugz

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by duckthugz » Sun Apr 23, 2017 12:09 pm

I haven't had a lot of time to speak to people at NYU but I would appreciate any opinions for/against NYU compared to Michigan

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by 01panm » Sun Apr 23, 2017 1:35 pm

duckthugz wrote:I haven't had a lot of time to speak to people at NYU but I would appreciate any opinions for/against NYU compared to Michigan
Not worth it. NYU is better than Michigan at biglaw and PI, but nowhere near 130k better.

duckthugz

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by duckthugz » Sun Apr 23, 2017 2:26 pm

01panm wrote:
duckthugz wrote:I haven't had a lot of time to speak to people at NYU but I would appreciate any opinions for/against NYU compared to Michigan
Not worth it. NYU is better than Michigan at biglaw and PI, but nowhere near 130k better.
That was my thinking. The only thing that has me considering NYU over Michigan is that from reading "LRAP's Compared" on here and talking to alumni from both schools it seems that NYU's LRAP is vastly superior to Michigan's that it would make NYU cheaper than Michigan. I am going to be talking to financial aid from both schools this week so hopefully that will bring more clarity. Also, there is the long shot that I will get money from NYU or a little more money from Michigan.

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by Npret » Sun Apr 23, 2017 3:01 pm

duckthugz wrote:
01panm wrote:
duckthugz wrote:I haven't had a lot of time to speak to people at NYU but I would appreciate any opinions for/against NYU compared to Michigan
Not worth it. NYU is better than Michigan at biglaw and PI, but nowhere near 130k better.
That was my thinking. The only thing that has me considering NYU over Michigan is that from reading "LRAP's Compared" on here and talking to alumni from both schools it seems that NYU's LRAP is vastly superior to Michigan's that it would make NYU cheaper than Michigan. I am going to be talking to financial aid from both schools this week so hopefully that will bring more clarity. Also, there is the long shot that I will get money from NYU or a little more money from Michigan.
How does it work that NYU is cheaper if comparing LRAP? I don't understand what you mean.

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Re: NYU (sticker) v Michigan ($$) v WUSTL ($$$$) PI/Big Law

Post by duckthugz » Sun Apr 23, 2017 3:12 pm

Npret wrote:
duckthugz wrote:
01panm wrote:
duckthugz wrote:I haven't had a lot of time to speak to people at NYU but I would appreciate any opinions for/against NYU compared to Michigan
Not worth it. NYU is better than Michigan at biglaw and PI, but nowhere near 130k better.
That was my thinking. The only thing that has me considering NYU over Michigan is that from reading "LRAP's Compared" on here and talking to alumni from both schools it seems that NYU's LRAP is vastly superior to Michigan's that it would make NYU cheaper than Michigan. I am going to be talking to financial aid from both schools this week so hopefully that will bring more clarity. Also, there is the long shot that I will get money from NYU or a little more money from Michigan.
How does it work that NYU is cheaper if comparing LRAP? I don't understand what you mean.
That was my response too. I may be misunderstanding information that I have been reading but NYU has a higher income threshold to contribute towards repayment as well as more flexibility in covering positions that are not covered by PSLF (United Nations or ICC). I am talking to an NYU alumnus who is almost finished paying off his law school debt (~$250k) and he has been paying under $100 a month towards his debt. Again, I will be talking to reps from NYU and Michigan to gain more clarity but from my initial understanding is my monthly loan payments would be lower at NYU than at Michigan.

*Edit: NYU also allows clerkships to count towards LRAP and Michigan does not.

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