Let me first declare how blessed I feel to start a thread like this. I know its a great confusion to have but it still is a confusion that i cant get off, Please share your inputs on the above universities and the one you think is the best.
I agree that the rakings favor CLS and NYU but Penn along with the Whrton certificate program sounds lucrative too.

You can read some good comments about CLS in the Columbia v Chicago thread.

I think there are several factors that you need to take into consideration.

1) Your subject of interest. If you want to focus in taxation law, you should definitely go to NYU. CLS is much stronger in corporate finance.

2) Your career plan. If you also want to do anything else other than practicing law, the Wharton certificate is a plus. However, you should also look into policies of NYU and CLS whether they allow you to enroll in business classes outside the law schools and how much is the additional cost for Wharton certificate and whether you can finance it. I'm not familiar with UPenn but for LLM/Kellogg at Northwestern the fee is about $20K more than the normal LLM.

3) Class size and peers. Class size at NYU is huge (400+) and your friends tend to be newly-graduates. CLS' class is about 250 and includes more students with working experiences.

4) Cities. I am totally biased : P NYC is great!!! Philly is boring!!! and every time someone visits you in Philly, you have to take them to the Liberty Bell...

5) Money matter. Any waiver, grants and whether the amount matters.

Personally, I have a choice between CLS and NYU (didn't apply to UPenn) and I chose CLS. Good luck to you!!

Good post..

I just have to comment on 3. NYU class size is not 400... I checked the courses enrollment and you'll never be in a class larger than 100+ . Many class are 30-. NYU's LLM without the JD's doing TAX LLM is something like 300+. If CLS is about 250, then it's practically the same....

For my own benefit and for others in the same boat, I would take this discussion further basis Samata's great post.

1) Subject of Interest: I believe that if you are not pursuing the General LLM, its relatively easy to make a decision. In my case, I wish to pursue a General LLM (admitted for the same at NYU) with a bent towards Corporate laws. I am not very sure of this - but I hear that a General LLM also allows you to choose from subjects that you can carry all the way to your Bar exams. (Anyone with details, please fill us in on this). Its pretty even here for someone like me.

2) Career plan- I like the Penn/ Wharton combo and its relatively cheap at USD 5K, but it cannot be the deciding factor in choosing from these universities. NYU, too allows you to select courses from Stern.

3) Mnementh has already discussed the size of classes at NYU and CLS, but I believe that Penn might be the race-winner as far as the size of the classes are concerned.

4) Cannot agree more with Samata.

5) I am being sponsored by my current employer but for many of us this may be the deciding factor.

Another important factor thats discussed on one of the other posts was about the age/ background of fellow students. I am sure that the class at CLS will be loaded with lawyers with 2+ years of work ex, while the population elsewhere may be very scattered.

Brand name: Can anyone decide this for sure?? It surely varies and depends upon your country of practice.

Maths favouring NYU, my heart says CLS.
The battle goes on.

Good post..
I just have to comment on 3. NYU class size is not 400... I checked the courses enrollment and you'll never be in a class larger than 100+ . Many class are 30-. NYU's LLM without the JD's doing TAX LLM is something like 300+. If CLS is about 250, then it's practically the same....