Duke vs. NYU PLEASE HELP!

[Special Agent Dana Scully]

- NYU: When I attended the admitted students day at NYU, I have to admit it kinda freaked me out a little, seeing all the competition, or as Scott Turow would state in "One L", "meeting the enemy"...there were people there who got accepted to Yale and Harvard and NYU had offered them like a full ride or something so they were deciding on NYU. My question: Is it better to graduate at the top of my class at Duke or to end up way at the bottom from NYU struggling for Bs and Cs?

LOL this is a laughable assumption I'm sorry to say.  Duke has a lot of profile acceptees that went to ivies and such too ya know.  ANd there is no way to assume, just by the caliber of the ug, that you will be the top of your class at Duke or median at NYU.  The curve is there for a reason and it screws ppl over regardless of ug.

Lol..are you attending Duke or something in the fall..I wasn't trying to appear smug- I'm not by any means saying that I will definitely end up in the top of my class at Duke- just saying that I probably have more of a shot given the GPA and LSAT range of people who attend Duke compared to those that attend NYU. Thought that might have been obvious.

the bolded is false assumption... never make a decision based on where you *think* you will end up in the class, because the curve is there for a reason and can mess you up.

and no i'm not going to Duke.

[lawchica]

Point taken

[lawchica]

Keep in mind this is based on general impressions, and I have no evidence to back any of it up...but I think your opportunities coming out of NYU will be better in almost any field you decide to go into (big firms, clerkships, academia, whatever)....if you're not 100% sure what you want to do now, I would go to the school that gives you the greatest opportunities across the board.

More superficial reasons... it would be pretty cool to go to school in NYC for 3 years...I would have chosen NYU over Chicago, but I kinda wanted to get away from home for 3 years, because I'll likely be back in NYC after I graduate...but I'm on NYU's campus all the time, and to put it plainly, it's just really cool....that said, the weather is obviously much nicer in NC, and the COL is a lot lower.

By the way, congrats on your acceptances.   Did you retake the LSAT in Feb. or something?  It seems weird that you'd get into NYU but waitlisted at Duke.

Sorry, getting a lot of responses and trying to have the courtesy of answering everyone who is answering me back- no, i took the LSAT in September...thanks for the congrats- its a good dilemma to have but one whose solution I wish was a little more obvious..ah well

[lawchica]

unfortunately, never visited UVa- didn't apply to any schools in Virginia.

1st year won't make much of a difference b/c this chica will not be doing anything but studying no matter where she is

but, I just don't want to look back as a 2/3L if I choose Duke and think "wow, wouldn't it have been nice to live in a city."

I've applied for a LOT of scholarships (female/minority) but right now, nothing is promised. Cost of Living in NYC is crazy expensive so I don't know if those 2 years of 'experience'- (what it entails i'm not quite sure) is going to be worth the tradeoff of potentially being unbelievably broke.

At this point, if Duke offers no $$$, I guess I'd be crazy to turn down NYU which is offering no $$$ but again this goes back to the quality of life issue at Duke (a.k.a not living in a closet, being able to eat etc.)

Assuming you get no money from Duke (although I hope you do), what do you think the difference in debt will be for you @ the two schools?

Thanks..I hope I do too...I don't think by much..I'm looking up a bunch of stuff on the Duke and NYU sites- NYU w/ everything all 3 years will probably be close to $200K...Duke maybe $160-170K?...not sure..just ballparking..student budgets on the school sites usually don't include everything

[lawchica]

Thanks

After thoroughly looking at the Duke and NYU site, I think I like Duke's program better but NYU's location is unparalleled..I could see myself working in the city as a 2L or 3L...hmmm...I will have to see what Duke responds with

regardless, thank you EVERYONE for the advice!

[JosuaHalpern]

Go for NYU if you want to make 145k asap. Top 5 law firms don't like duke as much as a NYU. If you don't believe me then check out shearman and sterlings website(http://www.shearman.com/) Click on lawyers and then check out the associates. Nearly all of them go to top 5 schools.If you want to separate yourself from other law students, then you should go to a top 5 school. Don't worry about the money, location, or program details. All that matters in the end is your NYU degree. Top 5 law firms don't care how well you did in a top 5 school. If you graduate in the bottom half of your class at NYU you will still be guaranteed a position as an associate at a top 5 firm. You could get a job with them as an associate while going to duke, but they eventually only want you if you graduate in the top of your class. If you think you will graduate in the top 10 percent of your class then duke will be fine. If you want big money and you don't think that will happen, then go to NYU. Unless it's a family thing, then you really have no reason to go to duke. Many people who get into duke only dream of being able to go to NYU. Do yourself the favor of accepting the wonderful offer from NYU and you will appreciate it much more when you get your degree.

[bamf]

Go for NYU if you want to make 145k asap. Top 5 law firms don't like duke as much as a NYU. If you don't believe me then check out shearman and sterlings website(http://www.shearman.com/) Click on lawyers and then check out the associates. Nearly all of them go to top 5 schools.If you want to separate yourself from other law students, then you should go to a top 5 school. Don't worry about the money, location, or program details. All that matters in the end is your NYU degree. Top 5 law firms don't care how well you did in a top 5 school. If you graduate in the bottom half of your class at NYU you will still be guaranteed a position as an associate at a top 5 firm. You could get a job with them as an associate while going to duke, but they eventually only want you if you graduate in the top of your class. If you think you will graduate in the top 10 percent of your class then duke will be fine. If you want big money and you don't think that will happen, then go to NYU. Unless it's a family thing, then you really have no reason to go to duke. Many people who get into duke only dream of being able to go to NYU. Do yourself the favor of accepting the wonderful offer from NYU and you will appreciate it much more when you get your degree.

Wow, you win the "please stop posting until you know WTF you are talking about" award for the day.
This post is SO f-ing wrong.  Bottom half of NYU to V5?  V100 yes, V50 with a good interview, but if you think Cravath would rather take a 75% from NYU than a top 1/3 from duke you are duuuuumb.  And buddy, 145k is old news, illustrating just how little you know about placement.  A lot more than top 10% will make 160k from Duke.  OP, you should go where you are most comfortable.


edit:  the kid is a freaking sophomore in UG.  Study for the LSAT, and stop giving bad advice.

[JosuaHalpern]

Go for NYU if you want to make 145k asap. Top 5 law firms don't like duke as much as a NYU. If you don't believe me then check out shearman and sterlings website(http://www.shearman.com/) Click on lawyers and then check out the associates. Nearly all of them go to top 5 schools.If you want to separate yourself from other law students, then you should go to a top 5 school. Don't worry about the money, location, or program details. All that matters in the end is your NYU degree. Top 5 law firms don't care how well you did in a top 5 school. If you graduate in the bottom half of your class at NYU you will still be guaranteed a position as an associate at a top 5 firm. You could get a job with them as an associate while going to duke, but they eventually only want you if you graduate in the top of your class. If you think you will graduate in the top 10 percent of your class then duke will be fine. If you want big money and you don't think that will happen, then go to NYU.

 Unless it's a family thing, then you really have no reason to go to duke. Many people who get into duke only dream of being able to go to NYU. Do yourself the favor of accepting the wonderful offer from NYU and you will appreciate it much more when you get your degree.

Wow, you win the "please stop posting until you know WTF you are talking about" award for the day.
This post is SO f-ing wrong.  Bottom half of NYU to V5?  V100 yes, V50 with a good interview, but if you think Cravath would rather take a 75% from NYU than a top 1/3 from duke you are duuuuumb.  And buddy, 145k is old news, illustrating just how little you know about placement.  A lot more than top 10% will make 160k from Duke.  OP, you should go where you are most comfortable.



edit:  the kid is a freaking sophomore in UG.  Study for the LSAT, and stop giving bad advice.

Look at the stats from top 5 firms. Browse through their associates. The ratio of people from top 5 schools to top 10 schools is significantly higher. Almost 80 percent of top 5 NYC law firm associates are from top 5 schools. Again, refer to the law firms websites that post this information. Spend about a half hour picking random associates on top 5 law firm websites and tell me how many times you saw duke compared to columbia or NYU. The ratio will probably be about 1/20. Also, when you do see lower ranked universities such as duke or georgetown listed with associates, you will most likely see an honorary award along with it, demonstrating the firms desire for top 10 percent grads of lower ranked schools.

[JosuaHalpern]

How do you make the leap from browsing these website and finding that "The ratio of people from top 5 schools to top 10 schools is significantly higher"......to.... "Top 5 law firms don't care how well you did in a top 5 school. If you graduate in the bottom half of your class at NYU you will still be guaranteed a position as an associate at a top 5 firm"

I didn't. I made that correlation based on recent grads I have spoken to.

[IF]

There is some generally good advice on here.  IMO, NYU is better than Duke, though not by much, and certainly nothing like what JosuaHalpern is contending.  Either school will do you fine.  Go to the one you fel more comfortable at.