T14 v. T20 w/ Scholarship

[eyeoftheligrr]

In the same breath, isn't it alot more stressful when you have $150,000 in debt to worry about when you are looking for a job? I would take no debt, with very limited but still OK options, (GW) over the likelihood that I will hate my biglaw life, or the possibility that after taking out that much money, I may not want to go into big law or law at all.

This is how I'm playing.  Of course, I don't intend to pursue biglaw.  If biglaw is your absolute priority, then you have to go with the security of the T14.

[flyaway]

In the same breath, isn't it alot more stressful when you have $150,000 in debt to worry about when you are looking for a job? I would take no debt, with very limited but still OK options, (GW) over the likelihood that I will hate my biglaw life, or the possibility that after taking out that much money, I may not want to go into big law or law at all.

This is how I'm playing.  Of course, I don't intend to pursue biglaw.  If biglaw is your absolute priority, then you have to go with the security of the T14.

The people who will get a full ride at GW don't generally pay sticker at T14.  There are middle ground options.  Even if you don't want to do biglaw, a lot of public interest jobs are extremely prestige-driven, and a lot of people are better off getting their JD from a top school and using the LRAP program to help with their loans.

[vap]

What I would do:

1) HYS
2) Full ride at any T14
3) Columbia, NYU (if you want NYC); Chicago, Penn, Michigan, Virginia, Berkeley (if you don't want NYC, Chicago is probably best but they're all good; choose based on location preference, keeping in mind they are all national).
4) Full ride at Vanderbilt, Texas, UCLA, USC, GWU.
5) Cornell, Northwestern, Duke, GULC.

Don't apply ED to GWU unless a) you want DC, b) you will graduate with little or no debt (you mostly have housing covered or the scholarship covers), and c) renewal of scholarship is unconditional.

[thepickle]

Thanks very much for that list; I think it serves as a pretty good guideline. Interesting that there seems to be a difference between the T8 (or so) and the T14...funny, when I started this process, GULC was like my dream school - and now I'm really hoping it doesn't come down to GULC (and having missed out on full ride at GW). Well, let's hope I get an admit to Chicago, NYU, Mich, or UVA!

[vap]

Thanks very much for that list; I think it serves as a pretty good guideline. Interesting that there seems to be a difference between the T8 (or so) and the T14...funny, when I started this process, GULC was like my dream school - and now I'm really hoping it doesn't come down to GULC (and having missed out on full ride at GW). Well, let's hope I get an admit to Chicago, NYU, Mich, or UVA!

They're all good options.  It shouldn't be a really tough decision because all the options will serve you well. The main point of the list, I think, is to recognize that "T14" is not black and white - there are shades of gray (and not just based on rankings).

But, your numbers are so good you shouldn't have a problem choosing between several great schools.  Good luck!