Top Law Schools

I think a UCLA degree will travel east, but if your primary market is the northeast, I couldn't see picking UCLA over T14 in that situation, unless there were a huge financial difference and you want to do PI. My understanding is that you do as well as your grades out east: so median or so probably wouldn't travel to east coast biglaw, although NY is such a huge market that you never know. Honestly, I don't know all that much about eastern placement, as I just don't care.

As far as UCLA's future - I agree that it's a school on the rise, but it's pretty tough to rise above where they are without some significant things happening. UCLA's been in the 15-16 range for quite a long time now. They're pretty clearly in that next in line Vandy/UT/UCLA group that is clearly distinct from #18 and below (although some put USC in that group as well). I think it's a legitimately elite law school, a top flight program and always will be, but I don't know that it will take that next step to move ahead of Georgetown or Cornell. I will be very interested to see where the numbers end up this year, and obviously am rooting for my new school. I just wouldn't bank on UCLA cracking the T14 in USNews, although I think their placement is strong enough that they're on the cusp of being as good as the lowest T14s.

rward2007 wrote:I got into Weyburn two nights ago. Dean Schwartz was incredibly helpful, and called me personally with the good news. Anyone need a roommate?

I'm looking forward to meeting you all. We should have a TLS get together before classes start.

Need a roommate? YES!! Did you get a two bedroom? I talked to Rob (aka dean schwartz who insists on being called Rob, have you met him?) but was too late to secure housing.

ari20dal7 wrote:I think a UCLA degree will travel east, but if your primary market is the northeast, I couldn't see picking UCLA over T14 in that situation, unless there were a huge financial difference and you want to do PI. My understanding is that you do as well as your grades out east: so median or so probably wouldn't travel to east coast biglaw, although NY is such a huge market that you never know. Honestly, I don't know all that much about eastern placement, as I just don't care.

As far as UCLA's future - I agree that it's a school on the rise, but it's pretty tough to rise above where they are without some significant things happening. UCLA's been in the 15-16 range for quite a long time now. They're pretty clearly in that next in line Vandy/UT/UCLA group that is clearly distinct from #18 and below (although some put USC in that group as well). I think it's a legitimately elite law school, a top flight program and always will be, but I don't know that it will take that next step to move ahead of Georgetown or Cornell. I will be very interested to see where the numbers end up this year, and obviously am rooting for my new school. I just wouldn't bank on UCLA cracking the T14 in USNews, although I think their placement is strong enough that they're on the cusp of being as good as the lowest T14s.

[note to all: I am not a member of the UCLA class of 2011, just a visitor]

I think this post makes some very good points (as do most of yours ari), and I think it would be difficult for UCLA to break into the T14, just because those schools have NEVER left the T14, according to wikipedia:

There are exactly fourteen schools that have ever earned a top ten spot. These schools, listed below, have seen their ranking within the top fourteen spots shift frequently, but have not placed outside of the top fourteen since the inception of the annual rankings.

But it's very good to know that UCLA gives the lower T-14 schools a real run for their money. After all, it may be my home in 09

Been in town for about a week, but just got around to campus earlier today while I was looking for an apartment. Overall, the campus looks great. The law school building looks pretty nice, though the few classrooms I peeked into weren't all that impressive. Anyway, hope to see everyone soon.

Yeah, the classrooms are classrooms. I wouldn't really expect different. I mean, I'd love a professor at a fireplace with leather couches that all have outlets built into them, but that doesn't really exist (even though the schools kinda try to make you feel like that's what you've got).

I actually liked UCLA's classrooms better than Michigan's. Michigan has that very classic feeling, but it's also kind of stiff and uncomfortable. The UCLA classrooms are more modern and comfy. Also, they're clean. This is kind of a big deal for me, as a lot of places just aren't all that clean. OU's classrooms were sometimes a bit dusty and felt somewhat grimy - not everywhere or even most places, but often enough to notice. When I was at UCLA and Michigan, neither school had that problem at all, which was good to see.

I completely agree with Aridal on the feeling at Michigan. I also chose UCLA over UM (even though I really had no choice because I kind of had to be in LA for LS). UM's law campus seemed way too stuffy for my tastes. The people were fine, but I just had a weird feeling about that building. It's really odd to see laptops and ipods juxtaposed with a building that feels like a cathedral. It's beautiful to say the least; but it's more like something you take a picture in front of on vacation than where I'd want to go every day.

Another weird thing about UM was that I felt like I was about a thousand miles from nowhere. I grew up in rural North Idaho, so this was very odd for me to feel in a town of 110k+. I'd like to err on the other side and LA foots that bill nicely.

The main reason for my choice (other than my fiancee having a good job in Westwood):

Ann Arbor on my visit in November: snow; wind; 15 degrees with windchill.
Westwood on my visit in November: clear; calm; 76 degrees.

Again, I've walked to class in -25 degree weather before, but it's not something I'd like to continue. All in all, UCLA was/is a much better fit for me. I've never been much for prestige, so it wasn't tough to make this decision after the visits.

three more weeks!

I've recently been admitted to UCLA, but I haven't received an admissions packet yet. I have created my lawnet account and URSA account, but I was wondering if anybody knows how I can go about:

- applying for on-campus housing
- applying for student health insurance
- finding out whether there are summer reading assignments

Thanks in advance!

Student health insurance is a part of your fees. You have to actively opt out by producing evidence of alternative coverage. They're releasing orientation info in early August, so I'm guessing that would include any tasks that we're expected to accomplish before that time. Student housing is probably full or becoming full, but you can contact Rob Schwartz and ask him to be sure. He was a big help to me.

And congrats on joining us at UCLA! I'll be looking forward to meeting you.

vsting wrote:I've recently been admitted to UCLA, but I haven't received an admissions packet yet. I have created my lawnet account and URSA account, but I was wondering if anybody knows how I can go about:

- applying for on-campus housing
- applying for student health insurance
- finding out whether there are summer reading assignments

Thanks in advance!

hi! the lawnet links have much more info than the admissions packet so you're not really missing anything. im pretty sure its too late to apply for on campus housing but you might want to ask the law school about on campus parking if youre interested in that. the deadline for it was july 25st but you can probably do a late petition app since you were admitted late.

People, I am a fat man. Just a reminder - PM me if you want in on the workout group. I'm going to need a full staff to shave my man-boobs and bulging jowls. I'll be heading out to LA on Friday. The forecasted high that day is 88, which will be at least a fifteen degree drop from what I'm dealing with now. Couldn't be happier.

Well, guess I missed some action today. I'd rather keep my tornadoes and leave the quakes alone.

ari20dal7 wrote:Well, guess I missed some action today. I'd rather keep my tornadoes and leave the quakes alone.

Indeed, if only you'd been here a week sooner! Although I'd rather take an earthquake over a tornado personally. Although both can be destructive I've yet to experience an earthquake in my 27+ years in SoCal that had anywhere close to the utter devastation of some of the tornadoes I've seen reported on TV. And tornadoes seem to happen much more regularly (isn't it a seasonal phenomenon like hurricanes?), whereas we can go 5-10 years between significant quakes, and even less frequently for quakes big enough to cause any real damage/injury.

Today's quake was a little unnerving but not big enough to cause any major damage or alarm. Nothing fell down in my office for one thing! 20 seconds of movement and it was practically over before you even knew what happened...

vsting wrote:I've recently been admitted to UCLA, but I haven't received an admissions packet yet. I have created my lawnet account and URSA account, but I was wondering if anybody knows how I can go about:

- applying for on-campus housing
- applying for student health insurance
- finding out whether there are summer reading assignments

Thanks in advance!

Congrats and welcome!

You can file the student health insurance waiver now. I did mine last week.
--LinkRemoved--

You will be redirected to login to URSA and you have to provide proof of insurance details, so have your insurance card handy.

I haven't seen anything about summer reading. For that matter, I haven't seen anything about what classes/sections we are assigned to for Fall, and what books we will need.... which I find a little frustrating because I want to start ordering books online!

EDIT: Fall 2008 Booklist is on the lawnet site now, as is the schedule (although it doesn't say which section you're in...)

It wasn't that bad. It was my first earthquake, so I didn't really know what was going on at first. My apartment building shook for about 15-20 seconds, and has been still (as in not moving) ever since (knock on wood). Nothing fell off of the walls or broke, it was just really weird for awhile. Tornadoes sound really scary, but I'm sure it's not as bad as I think having never seen one.

My bed felt like a waterbed (in Ventura County, not LA at the moment) but that was about it.

Nothing like Northridge a while back.

Tornadoes are seasonal in a sense, but they can happen anytime between March and October in Oklahoma, and very occasionally during the winter months as well. They can be quite terrifying, especially at night: I remember running across a hundred yards of open field to get to a shelter in a terrible storm, and that was no fun. I saw a tornado on the interstate and took cover in a ditch. Generally speaking, we now have enough warning that a tornado should never surprise anyone who's informed the way an earthquake would. That's why I'd take them: I know something about tornadic cells, but nobody knows anything about quakes.....

I went to UCLA for undergrad and want to go for law school.. I only live an hour away but now I miss it a little bit seeing some of the pics and reading all these posts!

Thanks to ari20dal7, bruinbear, and Phoenix Wright for the informative replies .

FYI, according to UCLA Law Admissions and UCLA Housing, as of yesterday, all spots in Weyburn have been filled. Also, the University South apartments for single graduate students (Keystone-Mentone, Venice-Barry, etc.) have a TWO YEAR waitinglist! Boo.

I've also confirmed with Admissions that we do not have any assigned summer reading.

I think we should be expecting the schedules and section assignments to arrive very soon, hopefully this week.

I'm looking foward to meeting you all!

I'm guessing a lot of people are moving in around August 1st. I'll be in and out of Westwood from 8/1 on. Anyone up for meeting up before orientation?

Always - we'll just have to schedule it around the Cards. I'm going to have to sprint from the airport to the apartment so that I don't miss the game on Friday night.

bruinbear wrote:I'm guessing a lot of people are moving in around August 1st. I'll be in and out of Westwood from 8/1 on. Anyone up for meeting up before orientation?

Totally.

PM me and I'll add you on the facespace.

i'm down for meeting with some people - however, i'm not moving into weyburn until the 15th.

Okay so far those down for meeting up before school starts are:

bruinbear
ari20dal7
washdc23
sarahs5
snlink

I guess if you're interested PM me your info and when you'll be in town as well as times of important games you can't miss

I just arrived in Westwood tonight, moving into my apartment this weekend so I'm down for meeting up anytime!