George Mason Class of 2012 Forum

[jdhead]

From what I've heard the social life can be more like high school than college. I would guess this is because of the smaller overall class size and therefore everyone knowing everybody else/ everybody else's business. Regardless of what it is I know Im going to treat it like a damn job. If anyone what's to ruin their day start crunching numbers on Mason taking into account cost of living, ouch.

[byu85]

Bye, all. I am defecting to the Wake Forest Class of 2012 thread. Good luck!

Good luck. I am torn between Pepperdine and George Mason at the moment. I think that Mason definitely has better job prospects but I know I want to end up in SoCal. Flying out to LA this weekend to check out Pepperdine, hopefully that'll help me figure things out. Either way I'll be in DC for the summer for an internship so I will check out GM again to get some questions answered before I decide. I'll be sending in my 1st seat deposit to both schools if I haven't made a decision by the 15th, which is coming FAST.

[AbsolutLax]

I'm sending in my seat deposit, so for now it looks like i'll be a Patriot

[jdhead]

Congrats man, I'll be sending in my seat deposit next week. I tried to read a book on law and economics last night and fell instantly asleep.

[reidmacharg]

I am surprised that everyone thinks it is going to be so difficult to stay in the top 25% of the class. For me personally, I will do whatever it takes to stay in the top 25% regardless of whether I had my scholarship riding on it or not. I mean isn't it imperative to stay ranked in this top 1/4th of the class to make law review and/or get 1L summer work?

I don't know about imperative. And even the top ten percent don't necessarily get good paid 1L summer work. I don't even think this is true of t14 schools. You're just not marketable enough after your first year.

Kiki, you very well may be in the top quarter, and a lot of effort will certainly push you farther into the tail. My only point is that it's not solely a function of effort.

Remember that there are a decent amount of UVa and William and Mary grads who didn't take an LSAT course, scored in the mid 160s cold, and didn't want to go to Williamsburg or Lexington. Had they studied their asses off like everyone else, they'd be at t14 schools with their 170+s. Instead, they come to Mason cause it's a damn good deal.

[pomona]

I am surprised that everyone thinks it is going to be so difficult to stay in the top 25% of the class. For me personally, I will do whatever it takes to stay in the top 25% regardless of whether I had my scholarship riding on it or not. I mean isn't it imperative to stay ranked in this top 1/4th of the class to make law review and/or get 1L summer work?

I don't know about imperative. And even the top ten percent don't necessarily get good paid 1L summer work. I don't even think this is true of t14 schools. You're just not marketable enough after your first year.

Kiki, you very well may be in the top quarter, and a lot of effort will certainly push you farther into the tail. My only point is that it's not solely a function of effort.

Remember that there are a decent amount of UVa and William and Mary grads who didn't take an LSAT course, scored in the mid 160s cold, and didn't want to go to Williamsburg or Lexington. Had they studied their asses off like everyone else, they'd be at t14 schools with their 170+s. Instead, they come to Mason cause it's a damn good deal.

And presumably they're going to do better in law school because of where they went to undergrad?

[AbsolutLax]

No, but I think his point is that there are variables that you might not take into consideration when sizing up a law class. Of course just because someone went to a certain school it doesn't make them that much smarter, but their LSAT scores could be some indicator of potential for success.

[*kiki*]

I have always had a difficult time really believing that the LSAT is a true indicator of potential success. I personally think it is more accurate to try and guage a person's potential for success by assessing their GPA and LSAT taken together. I think looking at either one can be misleading, especially since there are so many splitters.

But I do agree that there are other variables to consider other than effort. I think it is ultimately difficult to really size up the class until we actually get into the law school environment with them. There are so many circumstances that play into so many of the variables. For instance, I went to a not so great Oklahoma undergrad, but for very specific reasons that really have nothing to do with academics.

No, but I think his point is that there are variables that you might not take into consideration when sizing up a law class. Of course just because someone went to a certain school it doesn't make them that much smarter, but their LSAT scores could be some indicator of potential for success.

[Bankhead]

I understand that it won't be an easy task by any means to remain in the top 25% of the class. I just have to tell myself that it has to happen, or I won't have the discipline to do whatever it takes. Plus, I got the feeling from the ASW that it might be easier at GMU to stay in the top than I had initially expected. I went into the ASW expecting that everyone at the law school would have grades as their top priority. However, hardly anyone stressed the importance of grades. To me it seemed that students had taken on the attitude that they were going to make some bad grades regardless of what they did, so there was no reason to try and avoid it. Plus people seemed way more concerned with networking with their peers than focusing on grades. This may have been a show to not scare off potential students, but that was just the vibe that I got.

I got a similar vibe as you at ASW. However, I think one other potential explanation is that it might have had something to do with the students participating in that type of event; they're more social and spend more time participating in extracurriculars than studying in the library, being concerned about grades.

Also, although the current students at ASW didn't seem to be focused on grades, they made a point of showing the ranking list and list of class grades on the tour. I was SHOCKED by this, as I hadn't noticed or had this pointed out to me on tours at other law schools. It indicated to me that overall, the culture at GMU is to be concerned about grades.

It just means the administration is concerned with grades. This isn't necessarily indicative of the students being grade-conscious, but more just pointing out an aspect of the school.

It JUST means the admin. is concerned with grades and doesn't necessarily reflect anything on the student body? I find that pretty hard to believe.

If the administration sees fit to post individual ranked grades on the wall, that doesn't NECESSARILY (since you seem to want to splice words) reflect anything about the student body. To me, it seemed that many weren't too concerned it. One student, in fact, told me that grades don't matter as much as many 0L's think they do.

[goober]

I know this whole "conservative" thing has been addressed before ... but, sorry, I need a little more reassurance/input!

I haven't gotten a response from GMU yet due to a fairly late (and perhaps fairly mediocre!) app, but if I got in, I'm thinking I'd go in a heartbeat because of the value (hopefully I qualify for instate - kind of complicated because I've lived overseas for 8 years but my mom is based in VA) and 2, because it seems to have really good quality of education, although admittedly the reputation hasn't quite caught up yet. (As an aside, my mom works at the top IP law firm in the US, and she says that lots of the attorneys there are from GMU - sadly, probably of no bearing for me, as I have zero interest in IP)

In any case, do you think it would be painful for a vegan, tax-loving (haha), bleeding-heart-liberal like myself to go?

Also, does anyone think that the strong economic focus is going to be affected by the current economic disaster? (Not that there is a focus, but perhaps the content of it?)

[pomona]

I know this whole "conservative" thing has been addressed before ... but, sorry, I need a little more reassurance/input!

I haven't gotten a response from GMU yet due to a fairly late (and perhaps fairly mediocre!) app, but if I got in, I'm thinking I'd go in a heartbeat because of the value (hopefully I qualify for instate - kind of complicated because I've lived overseas for 8 years but my mom is based in VA) and 2, because it seems to have really good quality of education, although admittedly the reputation hasn't quite caught up yet. (As an aside, my mom works at the top IP law firm in the US, and she says that lots of the attorneys there are from GMU - sadly, probably of no bearing for me, as I have zero interest in IP)

In any case, do you think it would be painful for a vegan, tax-loving (haha), bleeding-heart-liberal like myself to go?

Also, does anyone think that the strong economic focus is going to be affected by the current economic disaster? (Not that there is a focus, but perhaps the content of it?)

At the ASD, there was a Q&A session with current students to ask questions about what it's like at GMU. About 1/2 the people on the panel were left-leaning (one is heavily involved in the Mason Law Dem group) and they talked about this extensively. Essentially they said, yes, there are more conservatives and libertarians (faculty and students) at Mason than at other schools, but they emphasized that everyone is very receptive to hearing other points of view and the professors are not political in the classroom.

There is a strong emphasis on economics. I don't know if that means it will be more emphasized in the classroom given the current economic crisis, but I suppose there would be more current-day examples to discuss.

[goober]

Thanks, Pomona!

[KristaLyn]

Ok, seat deposit was FINALLY sent out today! See everyone in the Fall!

[AbsolutLax]

You all may have seen this before, but I thought i'd post it here anyways. If for nothing else it shows that GMU law is really working to improve itself as a whole.

https://docushare.gmu.edu/dsweb/Get/Doc ... 67/SOL.pdf

[AbsolutLax]

Here's another one relating to the construction of the new building, Founders Hall.

http://www.gmu.edu/arlington/newconstruction.html

[pomona]

You all may have seen this before, but I thought i'd post it here anyways. If for nothing else it shows that GMU law is really working to improve itself as a whole.

https://docushare.gmu.edu/dsweb/Get/Doc ... 67/SOL.pdf

Ranked 38th and 2004 and the same five years later in 2009...when is it going to bump up to top 30? I'm really excited about Mason, but I'm concerned that they're not going to be able to meet this goal as 2010 rankings will be coming out in a couple weeks.

[AbsolutLax]

I think it shows that you don't always meet every goal you set. George Mason has a ways to go, but I am a firm believer that they will continue to rise.

[AbsolutLax]

I think it shows that you don't always meet every goal you set. George Mason has a ways to go, but I am a firm believer that they will continue to rise.

Remember Mason was ranked 34 for some time, but got bumped back down because of the flux of a few other schools- can't remember exactly.

[pomona]

I think it shows that you don't always meet every goal you set. George Mason has a ways to go, but I am a firm believer that they will continue to rise.

I hope so too! I may not end up going there, but they have an amazing program and faculty and I would love to see them rise in prominence regardless.

[*kiki*]

Ok, seat deposit was FINALLY sent out today! See everyone in the Fall!

Yay!! This makes me happy!! Can't wait to hang out again!

[KristaLyn]

Ok, seat deposit was FINALLY sent out today! See everyone in the Fall!

Yay!! This makes me happy!! Can't wait to hang out again!

Me too! When are you and the husband coming out to look at apartments! Is he just starting the new job in the Fall?

[KristaLyn]

Just letting everyone know I got my Fin. Aid package today! I live 30 minutes from the school so if you live further away you probably wont get it until tomorrow or this weekend. I am wondering if I should accept the aid or wait to see if I get a scholarship when they get redistributed (but it said the accept or decline was due back in 4 weeks).

They are raising in state tuition by about $2,000 a year, so I think it said the estimated cost was $20,552 so my federal loans will just barely cover it, but then I will have to take out private loans for childcare/books/etc. Still a great deal for law school though.

[*kiki*]

Ok, seat deposit was FINALLY sent out today! See everyone in the Fall!

Yay!! This makes me happy!! Can't wait to hang out again!

Me too! When are you and the husband coming out to look at apartments! Is he just starting the new job in the Fall?

We actually found an apartment when we were out there for the ASW. So we signed a lease to move out on July 1st! I am so excited and can't wait! We will have to hang out in the month that I am out there before we start law school. We are pretty sure that my husband starts work the 1st of July, so I won't have anything to do.

[slsklaver]

My seat deposit was received and my roommate survey is filled out. GMU, here I come!

By the way, does anyone remember the name of the domicile rep at the accepted students weekend? I'd like to talk to her some more.

[KristaLyn]

Ok, seat deposit was FINALLY sent out today! See everyone in the Fall!

Yay!! This makes me happy!! Can't wait to hang out again!

Me too! When are you and the husband coming out to look at apartments! Is he just starting the new job in the Fall?

We actually found an apartment when we were out there for the ASW. So we signed a lease to move out on July 1st! I am so excited and can't wait! We will have to hang out in the month that I am out there before we start law school. We are pretty sure that my husband starts work the 1st of July, so I won't have anything to do.

Sounds like a plan! Im excited!