advice -- where to go?

[romancingthestone]

okay i'm still waiting on some schools but i think my decision is basically going to come down to cornell, northwestern or ut, which I am already in.  Still waiting but without much hope on berkeley, columbia, nyu, and uva.  Some background: completely committed to public interest work, probably international human rights, transitional democracies, refugee and asylum law, etc.  Also a strong interest in critical legal theory, jurisprudence, and hermeneutics.  Want to keep my options open for academia in the future.  Don't know where I'll practice in the future, maybe east coast or internationally.  Currently a Texas resident, which is the main reason for considering UT (price, convenience, awesome quality of life).  Prefer a relaxed atmosphere with less competition and urban nightmare living.  Suggestions PLEASE??  Oh, I'm not getting money anywhere. 

[Enzyme]

As for your choices now, I would take NW out of the mix given the other two, as Cornell and UT-Austin seem to be a better fit for your interests or location. UT's tuition savings, especially given the Pub Int. law you want to practice is not something to be looked over. Cornell, however, is ranked higher than UT and has stronger faculty in this area and more name recognition on the East Coast where you hope to practice. I have read in some book that Pub Int. firms can be the most pedigree-seeking of firms out there, so you want to go to the best school possible. But UT Austin is a storng school and you can work with it depending on how you market yourself anywhere. Paying less now will keep the necessity of BIGLAW from being needed to cover debt. You probably have already, but definitely check each school to see if they have Pub. Int. funds for internships (I know one of the schools you mentioned takes up a collection for those without the high paying summer associate jobs). If you get into Columbia or NYU, then they would be rated higher than the current two, but Cost of Living would be higher as well.

okay i'm still waiting on some schools but i think my decision is basically going to come down to cornell, northwestern or ut, which I am already in.  Still waiting but without much hope on berkeley, columbia, nyu, and uva.  Some background: completely committed to public interest work, probably international human rights, transitional democracies, refugee and asylum law, etc.  Also a strong interest in critical legal theory, jurisprudence, and hermeneutics.  Want to keep my options open for academia in the future.  Don't know where I'll practice in the future, maybe east coast or internationally.  Currently a Texas resident, which is the main reason for considering UT (price, convenience, awesome quality of life).  Prefer a relaxed atmosphere with less competition and urban nightmare living.  Suggestions PLEASE??  Oh, I'm not getting money anywhere.