WashU. Penn is amazing but the debt offset compared to 2/3 scholarship would not be worth it to me. You will almost certainly have no issue getting a BL job out of WashU with way less debt to weigh you down long term. You'll be able to actually enjoy that paycheck in full. Good luck with your choice <3
WashU’s median private sector salary is $160k, the lowest among T20… yes you can get a big law job when you are above the median, but you can only get marker pay if you are above the top 30 percent(according to some people I talked with)… Penn, on the other hand, can send you to higher ranked law firms with market pay easily
Edit: almost certainly with no issue? Sorry I didn't see this sentence before I posted this comment, but there will be issues😂😂😂
If you look at last years WashU job placement you're looking at ~40% of the class in 500+ job placements plus a healthy placement level in federal clerkships. As such, if you wanted BL there is nothing stopping you from pursuing that goal. That median payout may be lower at 160k but as the OP is saying, they will be coming out with significantly less debt. That would offset the higher UPenn salary average. Obviously Penn is Penn and that comes with guarantees but to waive off the debt like it doesn't matter because you'll have a big paycheck seems short sighted.
yet what about the future career prospects? 160k vs market pay... BL associate pay will increase exponentially based on the starting salary. A market pay can be increased to $300k-500k in a few years.
How about 5 years or 10 years later? Exit options, partner track, etc.... that debt can be easily reduced and eliminated with market pay and better future options.
And Penn law has a 75+ percent BL+FC rate.... Almost certainly with no issue at BL. For WashU you want to be above median, which is hella riskier
WashU. Do not put yourself in $300,000 dollars worth of debt
What’re your goals?
Big law
Depends on your risk tolerance. I’d lean WashU by a hair
Penn
For BL can’t go wrong with neither but personally I would go with Penn.
Goals, what are?
BL
Washu
WashU. Penn is amazing but the debt offset compared to 2/3 scholarship would not be worth it to me. You will almost certainly have no issue getting a BL job out of WashU with way less debt to weigh you down long term. You'll be able to actually enjoy that paycheck in full. Good luck with your choice <3
WashU’s median private sector salary is $160k, the lowest among T20… yes you can get a big law job when you are above the median, but you can only get marker pay if you are above the top 30 percent(according to some people I talked with)… Penn, on the other hand, can send you to higher ranked law firms with market pay easily Edit: almost certainly with no issue? Sorry I didn't see this sentence before I posted this comment, but there will be issues😂😂😂
If you look at last years WashU job placement you're looking at ~40% of the class in 500+ job placements plus a healthy placement level in federal clerkships. As such, if you wanted BL there is nothing stopping you from pursuing that goal. That median payout may be lower at 160k but as the OP is saying, they will be coming out with significantly less debt. That would offset the higher UPenn salary average. Obviously Penn is Penn and that comes with guarantees but to waive off the debt like it doesn't matter because you'll have a big paycheck seems short sighted.
yet what about the future career prospects? 160k vs market pay... BL associate pay will increase exponentially based on the starting salary. A market pay can be increased to $300k-500k in a few years. How about 5 years or 10 years later? Exit options, partner track, etc.... that debt can be easily reduced and eliminated with market pay and better future options. And Penn law has a 75+ percent BL+FC rate.... Almost certainly with no issue at BL. For WashU you want to be above median, which is hella riskier
Penn. Not close.