Vanderbilt waitlist

[Kevin83]

Did anyone else hear anything from Vanderbilt today?  I got a call around noon to notify me that I had been accepted off the watilist. 

I'm not sure Vanderbilt would be worth it at this point.  I decided over a month ago to head to Emory -- found an apartment and everything. 

I definitely want to practice in the South, and, like many kids, I'm paying for school completely.  Emory offered a nice chunk of change (you can see in my LSN profile if you want), while Vanderbilt (obviously) offered none.  Do you guys have any advice?

[midjeep]

Did anyone else hear anything from Vanderbilt today?  I got a call around noon to notify me that I had been accepted off the watilist. 

I'm not sure Vanderbilt would be worth it at this point.  I decided over a month ago to head to Emory -- found an apartment and everything. 

I definitely want to practice in the South, and, like many kids, I'm paying for school completely.  Emory offered a nice chunk of change (you can see in my LSN profile if you want), while Vanderbilt (obviously) offered none.  Do you guys have any advice?

Wow, Congrats. I would go with Emory. Not that I have any motives for that suggestions.

Vandy definitely has the better rep nationally and in the South, but I bet it has equally or lesser footing in the GA area compared with Emory. Vandy is very expensive but it might be worth the extra cost. If I was in the same position as you, I would go with Vandy but only because it would have better standing in Texas compared to Emory. If I were to live in GA or the FL area, I would save the money and go with Emory.

[cassise]

Vandy is on the brink of having a national rep, emory flat out doesn't have one, but if you no you want to stay regional then go for the money.

Edited for spelling

[FutureLawyerMiami]

I'd take the scholarship and go to Emory. I got into both with $8k/year from Vandy and $15k/year from Emory and I chose Emory. I just liked the school a lot and loved Atlanta, whereas I hated Nashville. The difference in perceived caliber is really a marginal one, so I'd rather go where I know I'll be happy.

[uvablue]

Congrats on hearing from Vandy. 

I'm actually in a similar position as you Kevin.  I'm kind of expecting to hear from Vandy waitlist eventually (but you never know with waitlists).  I'm planning on Emory right now because of the whole money thing (they gave me a scholarship as well), but I've been wondering what I should do if I hear from Vandy or another waitlist school.

I think I've decided that I would go to Vandy over Emory just because I don't know where I want to practice.  I grew up in Atlanta and went to college in Virginia...but I'm pretty sure I would practice in DC or Virginia before Atlanta.  Thus, Vandy's rep would be more helpful in those areas.  Of course, on the other hand, I would save about $30K by going to Emory...it's a tough decision, but I plan to go with Vandy.

Of course, you may want to practice in Atlanta or the South, and if that's the case, an Emory degree will carry plenty of clout.

[GoHuskies05]

Congrats on the acceptance.  Did you send in any further info, or just the WL card?

Thanks.

If you like ATL more than Nashville, then I think it's a tossup.  Otherwise, I would choose Vandy.  It is definitely a notch above Emory in my book.

Good luck.

[Kevin83]

Thanks for the advice/opinions... I think the range of responses thus far at least validates my confusion.

To answer the question above, I did not send in anything other than my final transcripts.  However, I have kept in contact with their admissions office over the past month or two, and I think that was helpful.  I remember hearing people suggest that calling is not something you should do; I strongly disagree.  I think that in the "post-waitlisted period" it is very important to continually confirm your interest in attending the school; it's something that everyone does at first, but it's not as prevalent come summer.  By no means did I call every week.  Instead, I made sure I talked to the same person in the admissions office each time I called.  I'd guess that he vouched for me when it came time to go to the waitlist.

Moving on...this issue would be much easier to tackle if I were sure of where I want to practice.  At this point, I definitely like the idea of Atlanta or Jacksonville, but I'm surely not ready to discount the prospect of other areas throughout the southeast.

I'm going to visit Vanderbilt in a couple weeks, and hopefully I'll have a gut feeling one way or the other.  If I had to decide today, I'd be at Emory come this fall.  I'd still welcome anyone else's opinions/advice -- it's all very helpful.

[Kevin83]

If anyone has advice I'd greatly appreciate it.  I'm stuck between Vandy and Emory.  I had my Vandy visit this past weekend, and the campus and the school are awesome.  Vanderbilt virtually matched Emory's financial package, so the cost difference is now negligible.

I'd guess I'm not the only one who finds the waitlist a tough place to be.  You wait for so long, but when it finally comes through you have a tough decision of leaving behind a decision you made months ago and have since grown comfortable with -- for me that decision was Emory.

Anyone have any opinions on the 2 schools?  I love the southern draw of Vanderbilt, and the town seems like a great place -- but I've long since convinced myself that Emory would be a perfect place to spend 3 years.  Do yall think that Vanderbilt is that far above Emory as far as career prospects in the southeast go?

[sadie2005]

Go to the best school you get into.     my $0.02

[HeatFan]

The lawyers I have talked to from Florida, when I asked about Emory most just thought it was a good school but weren't too impressed.  They didn't think a degree from Emory carries that much weight. They said if I wanted to work in Georgia I should go there, otherwise it wasn't worth it.  I don't know much about Vanderbilt, but I'd imagine it opens up more doors than an Emory degree.