Duke Placement in Cali

[510climb]

Does anyone know how Duke grads do for job placement in California?  The reason that I ask is because I'm pretty sure that I want to work in California and I have been admitted to Stanford, but Duke is offering a full tuition scholarship.  I would be well over 100K in debt out of Stanford and am not sure that I'm cut out for a big law job.  Any thoughts?

[Aonghus]

Man, conventional wisdom says go for the best you can get into.... But in this case that is a TOUGH call! 

Honestly, if I was you, I would go to Duke, they are still top 15, and graduating with no private loans means you can do just about ANYTHING you want.

Talk to Dukes career services dept and find out who does OCI there.  If there is a decent list of California firms....

In this case Id take the money, I doubt anyone is ever going to look down at your degree... Its not like we are talking about the difference beween harvard and Florida Coastal.

[Anti_Ivy]

Call/meet with a financial advisor at Stanford.  After informing her/him that Stanford is your first choice (it does not have to be the truth), tell her/him that you have received a full tuition scholarship from Duke.  Make sure to mention that Duke's ranking is close to that of Stanford, and, although you would prefer to attend Stanford, finances are very important.  Do not beg for money; just ask the advisor if Stanford could offer you some aid. 

If you get no money from Stanford, you are screwed.  After all, Stanford is a TOP FIVE school, whereas Duke is ranked between the top 10 and top 15.  Also, in California, a degree from Stanford is considered more prestigious than a degree from Duke.  However, graduating with no debt would be wonderful.  So, again, you're screwed.  If you want financial security, I say Duke.  But, if you want national/local (Cali) acclaim, I say Stanford. 

If you get no money from Stanford, visit both schools.  If you already have, do it again. 

Also, ask yourself a lot of questions, such as:

-  Imagine that you could never leave either campus for three years.  Which campus would you rather be confined to? 

-  Do you have friends?  If you do, do you like spending time with them?  Would you leave all of your friends by attending either school? 


Ultimately, I cannot help you.  All I can do is remind you that you are a lucky bastard who's screwed.

[planejane]

Congrats with Duke!!!

How in the hell did you get a full scholarship with Duke?  Not only do you have a full ride, but it is with a great school.

Duke all the way!!

[Enzyme]

Must be a Mordecai scholarship winner (name of Duke Full Tuition scholarship)!

Make your pick on which team stays in the NCAA Tourney longer, and Stanford is gone!

Seriously, as another poster has said, you should open communication with the Stanford Admissions/Fin. Aid dept to see what type of aid they may be able to offer as incentive, although, they really have no obligation to do so. If it was the other way around, I am sure Duke would pony up more money, but given Stanford's position in the big three (Y, H, S) they dont have to do anything.

Some other questions you may want to ask yourself depending on your future interests is what type of placement do they have with prestigous clerkships and in academia placement.

One tough choice that I hope to have to make next year Congrats and good luck!

Does anyone know how Duke grads do for job placement in California?  The reason that I ask is because I'm pretty sure that I want to work in California and I have been admitted to Stanford, but Duke is offering a full tuition scholarship.  I would be well over 100K in debt out of Stanford and am not sure that I'm cut out for a big law job.  Any thoughts?

[inRDU]

I'm a current student at Duke (second year) originally from California. Although I decided not to take a job in California, I was offered one and I can say that most of my classmates who wanted to go work in California were able to get jobs in California, especially Los Angeles. San Francisco remains a tough market owing to the fact that it's still coming out of the tech-rebound-recession.

Nonetheless, there were a large number of employers who came to Duke for on-campus interviewing from California, and supplementing that with a decent-sized letterwriting campaign, finding a job in California - even being at Duke - is not going to be overwhelmingly difficult. Even though it's not as highly ranked as Stanford, Duke benefits from having a highly recognized and respected nationwide reputation. And for free tuition? How could you refuse!

[mizzkes]

Does anyone know how Duke grads do for job placement in California?  The reason that I ask is because I'm pretty sure that I want to work in California and I have been admitted to Stanford, but Duke is offering a full tuition scholarship.  I would be well over 100K in debt out of Stanford and am not sure that I'm cut out for a big law job.  Any thoughts?

Go to Stanford! I'm waitlisted at Duke and I want your spot 

[L1]

I think that you should see what Stanford can do. Yet, if they don't offer you $ I wouldn't say that you're screwed. Full tuition at Duke is really a fantastic offer. Go for it!

[out of oregon]

My vote is for Duke, too.  Are you coming right out of college?  Having a $100K weight around your neck will be devastating.  You may be forced to take a job for the $ instead of the experience.  I have been working for 5 years as an insurance broker and work with counsel inside and out.  Everyone I talk to says if they were to do it over again, they would go to a cheaper school.  Plus, when I visited Stanford everyone was so f-ing pretentious I wanted to puke.  The only thing beautiful about that school is the campus.  The students and faculty that I met were among the snobbiest people I've ever encountered.  I did not find that at any of the other Cali schools I visited.

Go to Duke, graduate top 5% and take some snobby Stanford grads job.

[Lawschool2005]

I agree with Out of oregon. Go to duke, i mean its not like you have Stanford and a tier 4 school to choose from. Duke is an awesome school and with them paying 100% tuition you are made. I looked at a lot of California based lawfirms websites and alot interview at Duke. Goodluck in yor decision!!