Cornell or Vanderbilt?

[CTloser]

Do you want to work for a big corporate law firm?  Personally, I'm not sure but I'd hate to limit my options. 

For me, the main obstacle to making a choice between Vanderbilt and Cornell is the green stuff (Vanderbilt will cost around 40,000 bucks less total).  And I think you're probably mistaken in not expecting a scholarship from Vanderbilt...unlike Cornell, they really do give out a great deal of scholarship money to qualified students. 

Upon visiting Vanderbilt, I found the school to be very warm and fuzzy...very welcoming.  Cornell was more academic-feeling (if you know what I mean).  But beyond atmosphere, I found the schools rather similar...both are small law schools with friendly students and faculty...although the Cornell students did seem a bit more driven and serious but that might just be the effects of the weather. 

I haven't made my choice yet, but I'm trying to be adult about it and look beyond the three years of actual school.  While I think I would undoubtably have a better time at Vanderbilt, I also think that, unless I want to work in the South, it is probable that Cornell will take me farther in terms of my career.  So its 3 years and 40,000 bucks versus 50 years and an unknown career trajectory. 

I'm in a similar position, and in my case I've tried to break down both schools on a number of factors.

Hiring:
Vandy - better in the south mid-west, but still reputable in NYC or DC
Cornell - solid everywhere but generally stronger at east coast biglaw

Location:
Vandy - Pretty Urban with a pretty campus, warm and friendly enviroment
Cornell - Ithaca seems both beutiful and isolated, I'll be visiting soon

Prestige:
Vandy - very strong in the south, but not as highly regarded on the coasts
Cornell - and ivy law school and a t-14

Money:
Vandy - still waiting to hear but I'm expecting a lot of loans and a cheap cost of living
Cornell - the same, but Cornell also gives out need based grants

Personal:
Vandy - I have a long-time girlfriend who I could be with in a city Nashville's size, also I'm intrested in KY politics and Vandy seems pretty strong here.  Importantly I really enjoyed the "feel" of vanderbilt.
Cornell - I currently go to school in the east and Cornell would be an easy lifestyle transition.  My girlfriend could work in NYC and we could travel, but a four hour drive every couple weekedns doesn't sound appealing.  As I said before I'm still waiting to visit, we'll see.

Comments?

[LawBoundGlory]

Personal:
Vandy - I have a long-time girlfriend who I could be with in a city Nashville's size, also I'm intrested in KY politics and Vandy seems pretty strong here.  Importantly I really enjoyed the "feel" of vanderbilt.
Cornell - I currently go to school in the east and Cornell would be an easy lifestyle transition.  My girlfriend could work in NYC and we could travel, but a four hour drive every couple weekedns doesn't sound appealing.  As I said before I'm still waiting to visit, we'll see.

Comments?

It's not four hours to NYC from Cornell - try five hours.  Go to Vandy.  Save some money and it's pretty much the same school, academically and in terms of reputation (based upon reputation surveys in USNWR). 

[CTloser]

Well, I finally got my financial aid package from Cornell.  $7,100 a year grant.  So, Cornell will end up costing me, in total, about $41,000 more than Vanderbilt.  Is it worth that kind of money? In the grand scheme of things, is 41,000 bucks not all that much moola for a slightly more prestigous education/degree?  Sounds like a butt-load of bucks to my ears since I barely eke out 20 grand a year income.  $100,000 in debt already seems comparable to the fruits of a lifetime of labor...an additional 40,000 just makes it seem like I'll be working well past my death just to keep up my payments.  The pre-law advisor at my undergrad alma mater thinks I would be making a big mistake in not going to Cornell but he teaches at a New England school so his perspective might be too heavily regional.  Maybe he's right, maybe not.  Who knows.

[jdw112]

Anyone think he can leverage the Vandy offer? I doubt it, but it might be worth a try. They have already accepted you, they won't take back the offer because you asked for cash.

Cornell beats Vandy by knockout, 12 seconds into the first round

[the REAL desi]

$40k is petty change in comparison to going to Cornell over Vandy.  you'll be able to pay it off - plus, there will be a better chance of getting one of those $2400/wk summer gigs in NYC so you'll be able to save some $$$ for living expenses over the year.

[EPH05]

I got my offer from Cornell too, $10,400 in grants per year.  Opposite of CTIoser I'm really hoping Vandy matches or beats this as I'm starting to lean towards that school.  As IU have almost no intrest of staying in the Northeast, where I'm in school, and I'd like to move back to KY work for awhile and nrun for office.  Of course, I haven't visited Cornell yet so things could change.

[BC 3L]

i am also struggling with a similiar situation, but not quite as drastic (minnesota vs. BC).

as far as how far you will go in your career with a vandy vs. cornell degree i think it is minimal.  cornell is clearly a better regarded school, the degree to how far is certainly debatable.  usually, the prestige of your school will get you your first opportunities after law school.  thus, cornell probably will offer more choices looking for summer employment and your first firm position.  with that said, i think that in 5-10 years, your degee granting institution becomes less important (especially in the situation between a school in the 10-14 range and a school in the 15-25 range).  certainly a harvard degree would mean more than a vandy degree, but cornell is certainly no harvard. 

if you do well at vandy, i would assume you would have great options.  if you are middle of the pack, it probably gets a bit harder to land a great position at a firm.  this is less true to an extant at cornell, where i am sure the middle of the pack can still get their choice of firm positions.  that puts a lot of pressure on doing well, which can be difficult since no one know exactly how they will do in law school until they are there.

with all those caveots, i would probably choose cornell.  40K isn't that much when you are talking 100K.  in my situation i see a big difference between 70K debt and a 130K debt.  this is still huge, but not as noticable as a 100K debt and a 140K debt.  (although i am also on cornell reserve and hope you decide on vandy!  )

[Rockie]

 i see vandy as a school that's gaining recognition while cornell can only go remain stagnant or go down, particularly if people start actually choosing vandy over cornell. 

This statement is puzzling. How can Cornell "only go down?" As far as I can tell, once a t14 school, you're pretty much grandfathered into that spot, barring some sort of complete school scandal/disaster. Cornell remaining "stagnant" isn't exactly a negative. It can't really go up any farther, unless you mean up to the Harvard level or thereabouts which you can say the same for every school besides about 6.
Similarly I don't see how Vanderbilt can expect to gain any further, since it's just as improbable that a school would break into the t14, as a school currently there to drop off, and so Vandy being in that 15-20 place range, is the one that has really no place to go.

Not meant as a flame, just don't understand the suggestion that somehow Vanderbilt is on its way to passing Cornell in ranking/prestige.

[Rockie]

good luck. did you put down deposits at both schools, or is this thread no longer relevant?

You do realize you bumped a 2 year old thread, right?

[Ravynous Elegance]

The T-14 is the comprehensive list of the schools that have held a place in the top 10 at some point in USNews rankings history. Because they were in the top ten, they tend to have more national reach. Also, I think all the ivy law schools are there... It is pretty static by virtue of the top ten thing, but UCLA and Vandy seem like they might be starting to make a move to change that...

That being said, I couldnt have been paid to go to Cornell. I just wouldnt be happy in Ithaca. It is a great school, but its not the place for me. I didnt even apply because I tend to need to be happy where I am in order to succeed.

Yeah I'm deciding between WUSTL and Vandy, but I know I'd be happier at Vandy, and I'm approaching the point of giving my boyfriend the ultimadum of "I'm going to Vandy" because he is annoying me with concerns about the med school prestige difference. Mostly annoying since Medical School prestige counts for about a 10th of the consideration for residency.