Hi everyone, I got accepted to Columbia and NYU, both Corporate law LLM programs. Since I'm from Europe, I'm also looking for a university that is strong in the EU Law department, apart from corporate law. Does anyone have a suggestion as to which one should I choose? I would also like to take into account the accommodation, overall campus life, etc.

Many thanks! :)

Does scholarship/financial assistance matter to you? That may be a big factor.

I think Columbia/NYU law students can choose courses from the other institution. So if you will focus more on corporate law and less on EU law, I would recommend Columbia. You can always take the advantage of choosing comparative/EU law courses at NYU but Columbia should have a better overall reputation.

NYU hasn't mentioned it, and I'm still waiting for Columbia's decision on financial aid.

Go for columbia if the price is similar. It is really an easy choice. Columbia has the more selective program, the better career service and a stronger reputation.
Ps: if you are looking for a goodeducation in eu lae then you really are on the wrong continent. Both will be significantly weaker then the top french, german and even uk law schools. Also dont expect too much from us law schools,. The system is totally different here. You ll learn much more about their way of legal thinking then the subject matter.

I have the same decision to make as OP. Any other views would be very welcome. I will also be focusing on corporate law, and the price would be pretty similar for me. The upsides I perceive in favour of NYU are its location (closer to the law firms and other businesses in NYC), the number of LLM students (which presumably means there is a more extensive alumnus network that can help you find a job afterwards) and that its LLM may be a little more practical in nature (i.e. less academic than Columbia) and significantly more NY bar focused (I would be looking to take the NY bar and work at a corporate law firm in NYC post-LLM). I don't know about Columbia having the better career service, but I agree that it would appear to be the more selective program and have a stronger reputation.

You have a totally wrong perception. Nyu is a great school but job chances are less then half from what you get with columbia. Basically every asummption you made is wrong. Alumni network in big law is stronger in columbia, you ll be invvited to more events if you are in columbia and the bar exam is con3cted to any law school course so litlte you could take guitar lessons instead

Consider the following criteria:

1. Prestige, reputation and ranking: Columbia (Ivy League)

2. Reputation per subject: Columbia (Columbia is undisputed #1 for corporate law, way ahead of Harvard, U.Penn and the likes)

3. Selectiveness: Columbia (200 places, NYU has 450)
Location: Equal (although I slightly prefer NYU's campus)

4. Course list: I assume they're equal (I have to admit I'm not familiar with NYU's corporate courses. I've read that you can take advanced corporate classes at Columbia from their business school too).

5. Financial: depends on your financial aid decisions.

6. Alumni facilities: equal from what I've heard.

7. ...

To be honest, you can add as much criteria as you want, but I don't know if it'd make any difference. They're both great schools. And, although most people will slightly prefer Columbia over NYU, the difference isn't all that great. Chosing Columbia over NYU certainly wouldn't guarantee you any more success in your carreer, nor will the opposit. I'd suggest you follow your gut and chose the school you feel most comfortable with. Whatever you chose, there isn't a bad choice, really.

If both choices are financially balanced, I would definitely choose Columbia.

Thanks, all. I really appreciate it. I am at least 90% convinced!

Best,

James

Thank you all for your responses! They've been a very big help! Columbia here I come! James, see you there? :)

Does anyone know the deadline for accepting Columbia's offer? I also applied for financial aid and was told that after I receive the decision on financial aid I will be given an additional deadline to accept/decline. I was admitted in Early Review, but still no financial aid decision... is that weird and should I be worried? Regardless of that - what's the normal deadline?

Many thanks :)

Hey!

I'm in the same boat. Was admitted in early review and no communication after that on the deadline for acceptance or financial aid. I sent them an e-mail about two weeks back. They responded saying that they are still considering my financial aid application and will communicate that decision together with the acceptance deadline once they have decided.

Hey!

I'm in the same boat. Was admitted in early review and no communication after that on the deadline for acceptance or financial aid. I sent them an e-mail about two weeks back. They responded saying that they are still considering my financial aid application and will communicate that decision together with the acceptance deadline once they have decided.

Hi. I am in a similar position, got accepted to Columbia in February (no early admission, normal procedure), there was no metion of fianncial aid (I applied for a specific fellowship), and they told me that decisions on fellowships are part of the financial aid decisions that will be made in March. Am still waiting on NYU, so the longer Columbia takes, the better, but I am getting slightly anxious as to whether I'm not missing the deadline for accepting Columbia. In any case, I hope they give financial aid decisions BEFORE the deadline for accepting...

April 1st is my deadline for accepting and paying a deposit of $500. I have third party funding and so didn't apply for financial aid or any fellowship. I guess I was therefore given the 'normal' deadline for accepting.

but where do you find this info? it is neither in the e-mail, nor in the paper version I received...

It was in the e-mail I received informing me of my admission... I also received a paper letter that more or less repeated the e-mail. Two deposits are due to confirm my acceptance - one is due by April 1st and the other by May 16th. You will therefore presumably have until at least April 1st and the most likely scenario is that you'll receive something between now and April 1st that will give you a deadline some time later in April.

Yes, that's what I think also: I got more or less the same letter but without indication of deadline, instead there is some information on financial aid. I guess they will be more precise when they say whether or not one gets financial aid.
In any case, thanks a lot! Congratulations, again

Now that I am at stake between Columbia and NYU with 50% dean's scholarship, I was wondering how you know that CLS has a better alumni network, makes more events with better chances of employment post LLM etc.. I talked to a US Partner at my firm residing in London who claimed that NYU's job market was better than CLS's (together with its career services). I am just stuck in between with the tempting offer of scholarship, and obviously I am in the mood of questioning the accuracy and precision of every piece of info

You have a totally wrong perception. Nyu is a great school but job chances are less then half from what you get with columbia. Basically every asummption you made is wrong. Alumni network in big law is stronger in columbia, you ll be invvited to more events if you are in columbia and the bar exam is con3cted to any law school course so litlte you could take guitar lessons instead

No answer from one of those two yet...
Someone got an answer today?