Alabama $$$$ vs NYU vs army of waitlists Forum

[airwrecka]

Ok I got my aid offer from NYU. They gave it a name (Dean's Scholarship Award) that makes it sound like merit aid, but they wouldn't give it to me until I showed them my tax returns and bank statements, so it's need-based aid. Still, money is money, right?

It's $25k a year. The third year gets reduced to $15k if I make more than $15k during 2L summer.

From what I remember of watching NYU applicants this cycle (on TLS at least), that is an amazing aid award, especially off the WL. Congrats! And if you end up at NYU I'll see you there.

[DriveLikeNashvillian]

I've been getting more and more invested in this storyline since the beginning and am very happy at the ending. Congrats, OP!

[lavarman84]

Ok I got my aid offer from NYU. They gave it a name (Dean's Scholarship Award) that makes it sound like merit aid, but they wouldn't give it to me until I showed them my tax returns and bank statements, so it's need-based aid. Still, money is money, right?

It's $25k a year. The third year gets reduced to $15k if I make more than $15k during 2L summer.

Stegosaurus, get that LOCI email sent to NYU ASAP. Enjoy your acceptance. Kill it in law school. And enjoy KD winning a ring.

You got this hombre. Seal the deal.

Three out of four down, Stego. The last one is on you. Congrats, man, take that offer and enjoy NYU!

[michlaw]

Sorry to burst your bubble but beating NYU at full boat is pretty easy. The 5 better schools and any T-13 with good money. Good luck with that 3 year prediction. Interestingly Harvard appointed a conservative today as the new Dean. Amazing guy. Clerked for Scalia.

The dude got bounced everywhere else from what I gather. And apparently his terrible app was so bad, that even if he reapplied, they would likely hold it against him because they have the file still. NYU and other waitlists might be the best option. To be honest, if OP applied to Cornell, they would probably pull him from the waitlist and throw at least 105k his way if he showed them a ton of interest

So we think that somehow NYU looked through the bad app and saw the truth of it. More likely they are hungry for his numbers at sticker. They are great numbers after all. Hold out for a better deal.

Isn't it nice to go from persona non grata to having them pay for your presence? Ain't love grand.

Pretty amazing how much more of a desirable person you have become since hanging around with us. Congratulations.

[stego]

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice, support and encouragement throughout this long and at times trying process.

Right now I'm trying to convince my dad (a retired prosecutor) that NYU is worth $150k or $200k more debt than Alabama. He went to law school in I want to say the early 80s and has literally lived in our home state in New England his entire life except for the three years he spent at (random regional state flagship law school in the South). I sent him some info on NYU's LRAP.

[stego]

Can anyone recommend a good COA calculator? I tried this one but (a) pretty sure the tuition figure they display for NYU is wrong and (b) it doesn't let you change the amount manually so what even is the point.

http://www.admissionsdean.com/paying_fo ... calculator

[runinthefront]

Can anyone recommend a good COA calculator? I tried this one but (a) pretty sure the tuition figure they display for NYU is wrong and (b) it doesn't let you change the amount manually so what even is the point.

http://www.admissionsdean.com/paying_fo ... calculator

https://www.law.georgetown.edu/admissio ... eid=112745

[Barrred]

I swear, if OP's dad ruins this great TLS-comeback story...

[stego]

Can anyone recommend a good COA calculator? I tried this one but (a) pretty sure the tuition figure they display for NYU is wrong and (b) it doesn't let you change the amount manually so what even is the point.

http://www.admissionsdean.com/paying_fo ... calculator

https://www.law.georgetown.edu/admissio ... eid=112745

ty ty

It says the total owed at repayment would be $235,793. I think it might be a little less than that since I didn't factor in any income from funded PI internships 1L or 2L summers (no idea how much those pay). I also think (but could be wrong) that NYU has a better LRAP than Georgetown.

[lavarman84]

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice, support and encouragement throughout this long and at times trying process.

Right now I'm trying to convince my dad (a retired prosecutor) that NYU is worth $150k or $200k more debt than Alabama. He went to law school in I want to say the early 80s and has literally lived in our home state in New England his entire life except for the three years he spent at (random regional state flagship law school in the South). I sent him some info on NYU's LRAP.

Listen, I have a lawyer for a father too. Sometimes, you just can't convince them that they're wrong. What I've learned is that I should just nod my head while my dad gives his opinion, and then, I do what I want to do. It's my life. I am going to do what's best for me.

Do what's best for you (whether that's Bama or NYU).

[A. Nony Mouse]

Funded summer PI internships are not going to move the needle on your debt.

[stego]

I swear, if OP's dad ruins this great TLS-comeback story...

lol, it's funny to me because to most of TLS the choice seems obvious to go to NYU but if either my dad (thinks NYC is too crowded, afraid of debt, randomly went to South Carolina Law) or my ex (hates cold weather, family in several southern states, lived in AL for 1.5 years) were facing this choice, it would be an easy decision to go to Alabama. Neither one would have ever applied to NYU in the first place though.

[stego]

Funded summer PI internships are not going to move the needle on your debt.

Fair. I just literally put zero for that. What do you think they might be? Like 2k for a summer?

[runinthefront]

Funded summer PI internships are not going to move the needle on your debt.

Fair. I just literally put zero for that. What do you think they might be? Like 2k for a summer?

2-7k for the summer, depending on the school, and you'll almost certainly use all of it.

[Nebby]

Funded summer PI internships are not going to move the needle on your debt.

Fair. I just literally put zero for that. What do you think they might be? Like 2k for a summer?

2-7k for the summer, depending on the school, and you'll almost certainly use all of it.

Yup

[runinthefront]

Can anyone recommend a good COA calculator? I tried this one but (a) pretty sure the tuition figure they display for NYU is wrong and (b) it doesn't let you change the amount manually so what even is the point.

http://www.admissionsdean.com/paying_fo ... calculator

https://www.law.georgetown.edu/admissio ... eid=112745

ty ty

It says the total owed at repayment would be $235,793. I think it might be a little less than that since I didn't factor in any income from funded PI internships 1L or 2L summers (no idea how much those pay). I also think (but could be wrong) that NYU has a better LRAP than Georgetown.

At $235k, I probably wouldn't go to NYU (read: "law school at all," because Alabama is still the wrong choice) unless you are absolutely sure and convinced that PI is in your future; You won't be persuaded by the dreams of biglaw fat stacks; you're completely content with following in the footsteps of your dad or a similar, public-interest path (who, from your posts, seems like very smart and reasonable guy for balking at $200k for a school when the alternative is a full ride); you trust that NYU's LRAP and fed loan repayment options will be there for you once you graduate; and you're okay that that kind of debt hanging over your head for at least a decade, and maybe two.

If you're uncomfortable with any of this, you just shouldn't go, Stego. But if you comfortable with the above, then go to NYU.

[stego]

Funded summer PI internships are not going to move the needle on your debt.

Fair. I just literally put zero for that. What do you think they might be? Like 2k for a summer?

2-7k for the summer, depending on the school, and you'll almost certainly use all of it.

Yup

For living expenses, or something else?

[runinthefront]

For living expenses, or something else?

Living expenses. Trust me, it's not that much money. Students aren't wining and dining on the PI stipends by any means.

[Nebby]

Funded summer PI internships are not going to move the needle on your debt.

Fair. I just literally put zero for that. What do you think they might be? Like 2k for a summer?

2-7k for the summer, depending on the school, and you'll almost certainly use all of it.

Yup

For living expenses, or something else?

Living expenses

[stego]

For living expenses, or something else?

Living expenses. Trust me, it's not that much money. Students aren't wining and dining on the PI stipends by any means.

Well, sure, but if the alternative is taking out loans to cover those very same living expenses, it does help hold down debt at repayment a little bit

[runinthefront]

For living expenses, or something else?

Living expenses. Trust me, it's not that much money. Students aren't wining and dining on the PI stipends by any means.

Well, sure, but if the alternative is taking out loans to cover those very same living expenses, it does help hold down debt at repayment a little bit

My response was the way it was because your question seemed to be aimed at challenging Nony's statement, i.e., that the internship funds won't move the needle on your debt. Basically, your original approach to calculating COA was correct: there's no need to factor in your 1L/2L summer PI stipends because they won't really move the needle on your debt.

If you intern in the City, yeah, maybe you'd save some money by just staying at home and pocketing the cash/not taking out more loans. But if you end up interning in DC or Wyoming or LA or Miami (and you have no real way of knowing where you'd be), then it's a wash.

[runinthefront]

But even $10k over the course of two years won't change your loan balance in any meaningful sense. It's still > $200k.

[stego]

ugh really stressing out this, NYU wants a decision today

my dad told me he talked to my aunt (his sister-in-law) (a non-lawyer who grew up in NYC) and she apparently is of the opinion that I shouldn't live in NYC

but really is there any con to NYU in this situation other than the price tag (which factors in the higher COL)?

like NYU has a much larger class size and I would have a dean's fellowship at Alabama so I guess more personal attention at Alabama but idk if that really matters

[Anon-e-miss]

ugh really stressing out this, NYU wants a decision today

my dad told me he talked to my aunt (his sister-in-law) (a non-lawyer who grew up in NYC) and she apparently is of the opinion that I shouldn't live in NYC

but really is there any con to NYU in this situation other than the price tag (which factors in the higher COL)?

like NYU has a much larger class size and I would have a dean's fellowship at Alabama so I guess more personal attention at Alabama but idk if that really matters

I think that the pros/cons of each choice have been well-articulated throughout this thread so there isn't much new info to add.
I just wanted to chime in by saying that you shouldn't let your dad's opinion determine your decision. He clearly is underinformed or misinformed about this decision.

[41262]

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