Penn or Duke Law? Forum

[badgalriri9]

[ponderingmeerkat]

I'd take Duke. Slightly cheaper given COL and almost the same hiring stats.

[grades??]

Duke will be cheaper, better weather, and has better employment stats? Seems like an easy decision

[CR7]

How are you financing the cost? If you have savings to cover the difference I would go to Penn...if not go to duke

[badgalriri9]

How are you financing the cost? If you have savings to cover the difference I would go to Penn...if not go to duke

I'll be taking loans. I guess my problem is that I love cities and I thought Philly was fun and affordable. Also I'm not K-JD but I did ask my family for advice and they're all about rankings and want me to take Chicago or Columbia over the money. So even though I know ranking won't matter in my career (standard big law to in house counsel), my family keeps making me consider it, which is why I'm still having trouble deciding.

[grades??]

How are you financing the cost? If you have savings to cover the difference I would go to Penn...if not go to duke

I'll be taking loans. I guess my problem is that I love cities and I thought Philly was fun and affordable. Also I'm not K-JD but I did ask my family for advice and they're all about rankings and want me to take Chicago or Columbia over the money. So even though I know ranking won't matter in my career (standard big law to in house counsel), my family keeps making me consider it, which is why I'm still having trouble deciding.

Penn is going to end up costing you at least 60k+ more because of COL differences and the tuition differences. That is a year of tuition. Rankings don't really matter. What matters is maximizing your employment outcomes with what are the likely outcomes. Duke has the 2nd highest employment rate in the t13 (total employment) and the 3rd highest BL+FC rate, both being above Penns rates. Penn isn't that far behind, but it will cost you significantly more for slightly worse possible outcome.

Its your money, do what you want, but I rather take the better likely outcomes and save a boatload of cash while doing it.

[badgalriri9]

How are you financing the cost? If you have savings to cover the difference I would go to Penn...if not go to duke

I'll be taking loans. I guess my problem is that I love cities and I thought Philly was fun and affordable. Also I'm not K-JD but I did ask my family for advice and they're all about rankings and want me to take Chicago or Columbia over the money. So even though I know ranking won't matter in my career (standard big law to in house counsel), my family keeps making me consider it, which is why I'm still having trouble deciding.

Penn is going to end up costing you at least 60k+ more because of COL differences and the tuition differences. That is a year of tuition. Rankings don't really matter. What matters is maximizing your employment outcomes with what are the likely outcomes. Duke has the 2nd highest employment rate in the t13 (total employment) and the 3rd highest BL+FC rate, both being above Penns rates. Penn isn't that far behind, but it will cost you significantly more for slightly worse possible outcome.

Its your money, do what you want, but I rather take the better likely outcomes and save a boatload of cash while doing it.

Thanks for the insight! I know Penn isn't worth more than Duke at the end of the day. Also, all my non-legal acquaintances seem to dislike Penn for some reason. Just wondering though, how did you get the 60k figure? I've been using the figure on both schools' websites, which are similar. Also I won't need health insurance so I've been cutting that out as well.

[Po$eidon]

How are you financing the cost? If you have savings to cover the difference I would go to Penn...if not go to duke

I'll be taking loans. I guess my problem is that I love cities and I thought Philly was fun and affordable. Also I'm not K-JD but I did ask my family for advice and they're all about rankings and want me to take Chicago or Columbia over the money. So even though I know ranking won't matter in my career (standard big law to in house counsel), my family keeps making me consider it, which is why I'm still having trouble deciding.

Penn is going to end up costing you at least 60k+ more because of COL differences and the tuition differences. That is a year of tuition. Rankings don't really matter. What matters is maximizing your employment outcomes with what are the likely outcomes. Duke has the 2nd highest employment rate in the t13 (total employment) and the 3rd highest BL+FC rate, both being above Penns rates. Penn isn't that far behind, but it will cost you significantly more for slightly worse possible outcome.

Its your money, do what you want, but I rather take the better likely outcomes and save a boatload of cash while doing it.

Thanks for the insight! I know Penn isn't worth more than Duke at the end of the day. Also, all my non-legal acquaintances seem to dislike Penn for some reason. Just wondering though, how did you get the 60k figure? I've been using the figure on both schools' websites, which are similar. Also I won't need health insurance so I've been cutting that out as well.

Mixing it up with Penn State?

[CR7]

How are you financing the cost? If you have savings to cover the difference I would go to Penn...if not go to duke

I'll be taking loans. I guess my problem is that I love cities and I thought Philly was fun and affordable. Also I'm not K-JD but I did ask my family for advice and they're all about rankings and want me to take Chicago or Columbia over the money. So even though I know ranking won't matter in my career (standard big law to in house counsel), my family keeps making me consider it, which is why I'm still having trouble deciding.

Depends on what your career track is, Penn is respected as highly as those two schools and slightly above duke in the legal world (based on my experience at east coast firms)

[rpupkin]

How are you financing the cost? If you have savings to cover the difference I would go to Penn...if not go to duke

I'll be taking loans. I guess my problem is that I love cities and I thought Philly was fun and affordable. Also I'm not K-JD but I did ask my family for advice and they're all about rankings and want me to take Chicago or Columbia over the money. So even though I know ranking won't matter in my career (standard big law to in house counsel), my family keeps making me consider it, which is why I'm still having trouble deciding.

Depends on what your career track is, Penn is respected as highly as those two schools and slightly above duke in the legal world (based on my experience at east coast firms)

I disagree with this. It's easier to see daylight between Penn and Chicago/CLS than it is to see separation between Penn and Duke. All those schools are fairly close, though, as OP has correctly recognized.

[OhBoyOhBortles]

Duke will be cheaper, better weather, and has better employment stats? Seems like an easy decision

Biased, but +1

[chargers21]

If it helps, I'm taking the money at Duke over UChicago, and I'm from near Chicago.

[badgalriri9]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I know Duke is the better option. Just wondering if someone could help me understand why the difference between the two schools would be $60,000, when I calculated it to be $23,000 (I subtracted medical insurance from the costs because I'll be under my parents').

If someone could help me see how the difference is $60k, I wouldn't even think for a second before depositing at Duke. I just used the COA listed on each schools' website.

Thank you!

[grades??]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I know Duke is the better option. Just wondering if someone could help me understand why the difference between the two schools would be $60,000, when I calculated it to be $23,000 (I subtracted medical insurance from the costs because I'll be under my parents').

If someone could help me see how the difference is $60k, I wouldn't even think for a second before depositing at Duke. I just used the COA listed on each schools' website.

Thank you!

Duke overestimates their COA so students can take out more money in loans than necessary because emergencies happen. You can share a great house in durham for 600 a month. Doubt that can happen in philly. Over three years, you will almost assuredly pay 36k less in rent than philly.

[badgalriri9]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I know Duke is the better option. Just wondering if someone could help me understand why the difference between the two schools would be $60,000, when I calculated it to be $23,000 (I subtracted medical insurance from the costs because I'll be under my parents').

If someone could help me see how the difference is $60k, I wouldn't even think for a second before depositing at Duke. I just used the COA listed on each schools' website.

Thank you!

Hi people! I asked about this in the Northwestern thread but got mixed responses. Despite everyone telling me Duke was the better option, I deposited at Penn due to personal reasons (sorry). But Northwestern just gave me a full ride, and now this is a $100k scholarship at Penn versus a $180k at Northwestern.

Again, I'm from the D.C. metro area so I want to return to D.C. to practice Big Law and then go in-house somewhere (I'm open to fed gov but I don't know if I'd do that). If I can't get DC, I'd be okay with New York. I hate, hate (hate hate hate) the cold (60 degree weather is making me upset) so that makes me wary of Northwestern, but I don't think Penn is worth the extra money. My family hates me for going for the money but......that post-top-law-schools.com would look better. That being said, I don't know if I'm worrying a little too much about loans. I also really want job security.

Any advice would help! Thanks!

[UVA2B]

Go to Northwestern. Like deposit right now.

[Rigo]

Go to Northwestern. Like deposit right now.

[chargers21]

T13 full ride is the home run. Gives you a lot of post graduation freedom

[twiix]

Yeah the freedom of a full ride is nothing to write off. Even if you finance 80k, you'd be looking at probably close to 100k after graduation (im rounding and estimating). With 100k in loans you will still be paying around 1200 a month for 10 years. Which is obviously not that big of a deal when you consider biglaw salary.. but once you take the step down by going in house it'll make financing a house and saving for retirement a million times easier.

[Npret]

Yeah the freedom of a full ride is nothing to write off. Even if you finance 80k, you'd be looking at probably close to 100k after graduation (im rounding and estimating). With 100k in loans you will still be paying around 1200 a month for 10 years. Which is obviously not that big of a deal when you consider biglaw salary.. but once you take the step down by going in house it'll make financing a house and saving for retirement a million times easier.

I hate it when people say debt is no big deal when you look at a biglaw salary. You guys haven't even had a class yet. Try to keep some perspective.

[twiix]

Yeah the freedom of a full ride is nothing to write off. Even if you finance 80k, you'd be looking at probably close to 100k after graduation (im rounding and estimating). With 100k in loans you will still be paying around 1200 a month for 10 years. Which is obviously not that big of a deal when you consider biglaw salary.. but once you take the step down by going in house it'll make financing a house and saving for retirement a million times easier.

I hate it when people say debt is no big deal when you look at a biglaw salary. You guys haven't even had a class yet. Try to keep some perspective.

That's kind of my point.. People can't sustain biglaw. Everyone justifies taking HYS/X at sticker or at 100k more than Z because "I'll pay 80k a year in biglaw and gg, ez". But it doesn't work that way in reality because most wont last past 2 years.

I've paid off probably half of my 110k of UG debt in 3 years. And thankfully I have a good job and it let me do that, but if I took a less stressful/competitive job.. I'd be on the 20 year repayment period where >50% of my expendable income goes down the pisser.

[existentialcrisis]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I know Duke is the better option. Just wondering if someone could help me understand why the difference between the two schools would be $60,000, when I calculated it to be $23,000 (I subtracted medical insurance from the costs because I'll be under my parents').

If someone could help me see how the difference is $60k, I wouldn't even think for a second before depositing at Duke. I just used the COA listed on each schools' website.

Thank you!

Hi people! I asked about this in the Northwestern thread but got mixed responses. Despite everyone telling me Duke was the better option, I deposited at Penn due to personal reasons (sorry). But Northwestern just gave me a full ride, and now this is a $100k scholarship at Penn versus a $180k at Northwestern.

Again, I'm from the D.C. metro area so I want to return to D.C. to practice Big Law and then go in-house somewhere (I'm open to fed gov but I don't know if I'd do that). If I can't get DC, I'd be okay with New York. I hate, hate (hate hate hate) the cold (60 degree weather is making me upset) so that makes me wary of Northwestern, but I don't think Penn is worth the extra money. My family hates me for going for the money but......that post-top-law-schools.com would look better. That being said, I don't know if I'm worrying a little too much about loans. I also really want job security.

Any advice would help! Thanks!

Go to NU and don't look back.

-A Penn student

[badgalriri9]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I know Duke is the better option. Just wondering if someone could help me understand why the difference between the two schools would be $60,000, when I calculated it to be $23,000 (I subtracted medical insurance from the costs because I'll be under my parents').

If someone could help me see how the difference is $60k, I wouldn't even think for a second before depositing at Duke. I just used the COA listed on each schools' website.

Thank you!

Hi people! I asked about this in the Northwestern thread but got mixed responses. Despite everyone telling me Duke was the better option, I deposited at Penn due to personal reasons (sorry). But Northwestern just gave me a full ride, and now this is a $100k scholarship at Penn versus a $180k at Northwestern.

Again, I'm from the D.C. metro area so I want to return to D.C. to practice Big Law and then go in-house somewhere (I'm open to fed gov but I don't know if I'd do that). If I can't get DC, I'd be okay with New York. I hate, hate (hate hate hate) the cold (60 degree weather is making me upset) so that makes me wary of Northwestern, but I don't think Penn is worth the extra money. My family hates me for going for the money but......that post-top-law-schools.com would look better. That being said, I don't know if I'm worrying a little too much about loans. I also really want job security.

Any advice would help! Thanks!

Go to NU and don't look back.

-A Penn student

Thanks for the advice (/reassurance) guys! I'm visiting NU next weekend before I finalize my decision to be cold AF for the next 3 years