Hi CityLaw. Thank you for the very well though-out analysis!

Let me give you some more information that may help clarify a few things.

My fiancé will be moving wherever I go sometime within my first year. We have over four years long distance already under our belts, so a few months really is old hat. Also, depending on where it is we decide to go, she will be able to transfer within her company. She has already spoken with her employer and they support her 100%. Her company has offices in Ann Arbor and Washington DC, however, not in Nashville. Finally, we have an extremely strong network of friends and contacts in Nashville which will offer both of us a strong source of support. Of the three cities, we both love Nashville the most. Of the three law schools, we both love Michigan the most (student body, the "feel" of it, etc.).

Also, I already have several contacts to law firms and businesses in Miami. All of them, from smaller law firms to big ones, have encouraged me to go for one of these top schools. These are hiring partners that went to Miami, UF, and up to Harvard. Some of them have even hinted that, assuming I go to one of these top schools, they may be interested in at least taking me up for paid summer work.

As for staying in South Florida: If I was going to do this for the location and family, UF and FSU are off the table. From this perspective, the only schools worth it are Miami and FIU. Miami, as I noted in my above post, was going to cost too much money with too risky of a stipulation (not to mention for basically the same employment opportunities) in relation to FIU, so I withdrew. FIU's decision was much more difficult. In the end, we wanted the best chances for the best opportunity after law school. We are more than happy to live and work outside of Florida if we can't find solid work down here. FIU, in comparison to UMichigan for example, is just too limiting to work within Miami. FIU and UMichigan just don't compare in this regard. As far as the social factor, we are both more than okay with living away from our families, we would just prefer to live closer to them after law school if at all possible. Moreover, my fiance has expressed (several times) that she would like to live outside of Miami for the experience (she has never lived anywhere else). If we picked FIU, we would pretty much be here until retirement. Hah!

In the end, this is all moot because I already withdrew my application from FIU as well. Unless I withdraw my application from all the other schools and just start over next cycle, this option is pretty much off the table.

So in sum, it really is between UMichigan, Vanderbilt, and Georgetown.

Any more thoughts given the above is greatly appreciated. Note that I should hear back today or tomorrow regarding aid.

Thank you both for the above information! I really appreciate your perspectives in helping me decide.

If I can get it, I am certainly interested in at least starting my career in a large law firm in Miami (I have a few hiring partner contacts at the big ones). If not, I am also very interested in mid-sized law firms specializing in intellectual property or even working (eventually) as an in-house counsel.

Miami88, I did look at the repayment program, however, I am skeptical of it. I am not fully confident of its long term stability (10-25 years) given the current political climate. That is not to say anything bad about Michigan's program, I just don't see the validity of significantly founding my decision on the merits of a potential "conditional" scholarship (as you put it) that may very well be gone by the time I graduate or shortly thereafter. As of right now, their repayment program is a tie-breaker at best.

Maintain FL 350, I received a 2/3 tuition scholarship from University of Miami with the condition that I remain in the top half of my class. I tried to get more money or, at the very least, removal of the condition based on my other offers (which were the same amount of aid with no conditions from top 20 schools), however, they basically (and, sadly, somewhat smugly) said no. I in turn withdrew my application. I already have plenty of ties, education, and a few years of work experience in Miami, so I am not overly worried of trying to "break into the region/market."

My main goal is simply to have a solid, reliable job somewhere in south florida (where my family lives and my fiancé's family lives) without having to constantly worry about money. Michigan seems to have the best cache (as Maintain FL 350 put it) and may help open the most doors. I am also extremely impressed by their cooperative student body (as you said Miami88). But I'm still not sold on it being worth the extra $75,000. I am hoping they come through with aid, otherwise it might be Vanderbilt.

Any other thoughts?