I have an offer from NYU, Columbia and Berkeley, with no financial aid from Columbia, and decisions on financial aid pending from NYU and Berkeley.
It seems NYU will only send out their financial aid decisions in April (even though I've requested them to expedite, they've responded in negative). This may be too late as the last date to accept Columbia's offer is 1st April.

I want to study Banking & Finance Laws as well as Tech Laws, and would also seek opportunities to work in the US.

Some thoughts on LLM from Columbia, NYU and Berkeley comparisons would be very useful and helpful.

From what I know, Columbia is a good school for banking and finance. Even for tech laws, they have some very good faculty - Tim Wu and Eben Moglen, for example. Faced with the same choice, especially for tech law, I would have chosen between Columbia and Berkeley. That is a tough choice because Berkeley also has a great tech law program (you'll have to check for banking and finance), whereas Columbia is in NYC.

[Edited by darthsid on Mar 16, 2018]

From what I know, Columbia is a good school for banking and finance. Even for tech laws, they have some very good faculty - Tim Wu and Eben Moglen, for example. Faced with the same choice, especially for tech law, I would have chosen between Columbia and Berkeley. That is a tough choice because Berkeley also has a great tech law program (you'll have to check for banking and finance), whereas Columbia is in NYC.

From what I know, Columbia is a good school for banking and finance. Even for tech laws, they have some very good faculty - Tim Wu and Eben Moglen, for example. Faced with the same choice, especially for tech law, I would have chosen between Columbia and Berkeley. That is a tough choice because Berkeley also has a great tech law program (you'll have to check for banking and finance), whereas Columbia is in NYC.

Thanks and Congrats on Stanford!

What did NYU respond to your request? I thought they are intending to release scholarship info through the beginning of April and not necessarily in April. I also have a deadline on 1st April and hoped for info rather soon...

What did NYU respond to your request? I thought they are intending to release scholarship info through the beginning of April and not necessarily in April. I also have a deadline on 1st April and hoped for info rather soon...

Just a little update. I have been offered the Dean Scholarship by NYU for 15k.

Can I get some responses on how one should make a decision between Columbia (no financial aid) vs. NYU (15k scholarship). I'll be taking a loan for the entire tuition fee and expenditure.

Try leveraging NYU for Columbia. Tell them you got an offer of scholarship from NYU but you’re really keen to attend Columbia and without scholarship that won’t be possible. See if they come back to you with some fin aid. If not, I would really suggest going with NYU particularly if you’re taking a loan.

Try leveraging NYU for Columbia. Tell them you got an offer of scholarship from NYU but you’re really keen to attend Columbia and without scholarship that won’t be possible. See if they come back to you with some fin aid. If not, I would really suggest going with NYU particularly if you’re taking a loan.

In fact the tuition at CLS is higher by 3.5k. Assuming that housing and all other costs are roughly the same, you’re looking at a price difference of 18.5k. Let that sink in and calculate how long it would take you to pay off that loan with your current income. Only you can tell of that’s financially sound.

Financials aside, I sense that CLS has the better course offering for your interests.

In fact the tuition at CLS is higher by 3.5k. Assuming that housing and all other costs are roughly the same, you’re looking at a price difference of 18.5k. Let that sink in and calculate how long it would take you to pay off that loan with your current income. Only you can tell of that’s financially sound.

Financials aside, I sense that CLS has the better course offering for your interests.