Northwestern w/ 90k v.s. Penn with no money

[piggy-buttercup]

Assuming the worst case scinario with no $$ from penn, is Northwestern a valid choice? I was really into taking some business classes at Wharton. It seems that NU can satisfy this goal as well w/ Kellogg. I was heavily leaning towards penn before I got the scholarship offer from nu.

Penn does seem to have a slight bit of advantage in placement - but that seems to be focused in NY.

I ultimately want to end up in CA upon graduation if possible.. (this might change of course)

Would NU be a right choice for me?

Thanks for any feedback/thoughts! 

[Slow Blues]

I would think you'd want to wait on Columbia, Harvard, Chicago, NYU, and probably Berkeley before making a decision, right?

You should prob. visit Northwestern before committing, but $90K is hard as hell to turn down. Any stipulations on the money?

[jnc18]

I have to tell you, this would be a no-brainer for me.

Northwestern and Penn are very comparable and NU has been on a very real, steady ascension.  I could even completely understand someone choosing NU over Penn without money at either.

And you're talking about business school, Kellogg is right there with Wharton.

Of course, the most important thing is to visit both schools and see how you like them.  Also talk to attorneys in CA and get their opinion on how those schools are viewed there.  And as Slow Blues suggested, your pending decisions could render this choice obsolete anyway 

[merkina]

I got into Penn and NU and I'll most likely choose NU over it (and probably over Chicago, Michigan and UVA) unless I get into Berkeley or Stanford of course.

[jnc18]

I got into Penn and NU and I'll most likely choose NU over it (and probably over Chicago, Michigan and UVA) unless I get into Berkeley or Stanford of course.

I can understand that Did you get $$$?  What are your particular reasons/preferences that would lead you to choose NU?

[merkina]

I haven't gotten any money, I just think NU seems like a more pleasant environment in which to learn.  I really appreciate their emphasis on prior work experience (b/c I think it's crazy to go to any grad school without taking time off after college to have some post-college work experience) and their dedication to make law school less competitive.

[jnc18]

Yeah, I've heard good things and I'm actually going to go visit this weekend.  (They're taking us to a Bulls-Pistons game in the owner's boxes!)  I graduated in '03 and have been working in NYC since.  I'm really glad I decided to work for a few years before going back to school.

[merkina]

What kind of work have you been doing?  Is NU your 1st choice as of now?  What other schools are you looking at?

[yoyos]

I am in the same position as the OP. Only i was offered $66,000. (believe me, i am not complaining.) I was admitted to the following schools: UVA, Umich, Penn, and NYU. i have not recieved any financial aid packets from these schools. but i am guessing that my aid wont be as much as the offer from NW. What yould u guys do in this situation? Would u attend a less prestigious T14 school with money over higher ranked T14?

[merkina]

depends on what kind of law you want to practice.  since i know i'll never be making big money i would take NU.  unless my family had a lot of money, then i would go somewhere more prestigious in a place that i liked.