Vanderbilt 2012 Forum

[vapula]

Not observationalist, but I will answer anyway...It isn't random. If you work your ass off you can get that good grade. We have people who are consistently at the top of the class because they really try. However.. the majority of us don't care than much and so the quality of the test and your writing ability make a lot of difference for us. And I could see how those in the middle of the class think that the difference between a B+ and a B- is random, but that is because we are all really smart and there is an incredibly tight curve in the middle.
I got grades ranging from B- to A last semester, but I understand why. I tried in the classes I liked and didn't in the classes I didn't like. This semester I will probably get worse grades because I had a crappy semester in my personal life and so I can't get myself to study for finals. I probably study 4 hours a day for finals, so that is maybe 12-15 hours per test. I'll let you know how it works out, but the point is.. the grades are not random. You get what you work for and if you can write well you will get great grades.
That being said - There is only 1 A+ and maybe 5-10 As in any class of around 90 (i think this is is the distribution at most schools). So they are hard to get. The key to success is staying up on your reading and starting your outlines early enough to have time to study when finals come around. Knowing everything black letter down to the detail and being to spit it out quickly on the test so that you have time for theoretical and alternative arguments is a good way to go.

I am sure others will weigh in.

Thanks I definitely appreciate that info. I'm hearing too many students saying that the grades are random, and that you have not idea what grade you will be getting. It's nice to hear that that isn't really the case.

First rule of summoning me: Don't do so just to ask a question about exams while we are actually in the tortuous process of taking exams. That's just mean!

I'll second JoJo and say the same thing... the B/B+ crowd in a given class probably overlap, and in certain courses there may just be a small difference between an A exam and a B, but the students who consistently pull off As are probably better at being a law student than the ones who consistently end up falling short. As with JoJo, my favorite class 1L year was also my best class gradewise... that's also been true for this year (so far). However, my second-favorite class as a 1L was my lowest grade. It doesn't mean I won't be incorporating what I learned in that class in my legal career, but it does mean I didn't convey what I learned on that exam as well as 40 of the other 45 students in that class. And therein lies the reason so many people with superior undergraduate grades and test scores have such a difficult time coming to terms with how the curve works.

Best bet IMHO is just to focus on knowing what the professor wants you to know and be quick enough applying it on a timed exam that you don't run out of things to say. If you do that, you can walk away at least knowing you did what you could.

Aren't there at least a hundred threads on this topic? And aren't you a 1L somewhere else?

JoJo, g'luck on that last exam... almost done.

Thanks for the reply! In response to the bolded, yes there are a lot of threads on the topic, but most of them do not offer much useful info. You'd be surprised how many threads simply say "law school is hard, studying won't really affect your grade much, and professors grade randomly" That's not really helpful. Oh and I'm definitely not a 1L, at least not until fall 2010. Unfortunately I'm graduating from undergrad a little late as a result of a major change. Thanks again!

lol, I do have several friends in different law schools. Study hard will definitely help, from what I've heard, as long as you don't get yourself burned out or depressed...

btw, you are deferring this year? Then you would be class 2013 right?

[jenesaislaw]

Who loves finals?!

[observationalist]

Who loves finals?!

This Guy

[observationalist]

Thanks for the reply! In response to the bolded, yes there are a lot of threads on the topic, but most of them do not offer much useful info. You'd be surprised how many threads simply say "law school is hard, studying won't really affect your grade much, and professors grade randomly" That's not really helpful. Oh and I'm definitely not a 1L, at least not until fall 2010. Unfortunately I'm graduating from undergrad a little late as a result of a major change. Thanks again!

Gotcha... your username seemed familiar to someone who used to post last year (at least in my head).

Enjoy your time not being a 1L while you still can. I'm sure the current 1Ls are going to be a lot happier of a bunch come Friday, but right now you should see the looks on their faces. Jenesaislaw was crying on Main St. today

[1848]

Just got in off the wait list and I'll definitely be in Nashville next year. Can't wait.

[RudeDudewithAttitude]

Just got in off the wait list and I'll definitely be in Nashville next year. Can't wait.

Congrats!

I have my finger crossed.

[Vandy Van Vand]

Who loves finals?!

This Guy

this is almost exactly how I imagine the top student at any given law school

[jayhawkai]

Just got in off the wait list and I'll definitely be in Nashville next year. Can't wait.

congrats!

[kbigs]

Just got in off the wait list and I'll definitely be in Nashville next year. Can't wait.

Congrats! Do you know if you'll be eligible for scholarship funds? Will you still be attending if at full price?

[1848]

I will be paying sticker. I don't think there is scholarship money left for people who got in off the wait list and I'm not going to apply for need based aid.

[DCDeckard]

Does Vandy have an admitted students site?

[DSTned4Law]

Does Vandy have an admitted students site?

Yes, however, it is not up yet. Once you send Vandy your seat deposit you'll get an email from them telling you that the Vandy Admitted Students Site for the c/o of 2012 will be up soon (though they didn't give a specific date). It should be up in the next couple of weeks, or early June, though (according to the postings from last year.)

[1848]

Can any current Vandy law students comment on the Bristol on Broadway apartment building? It looks nice, very close to the law school, and is cheaper than the grove.

[vapula]

Can any current Vandy law students comment on the Bristol on Broadway apartment building? It looks nice, very close to the law school, and is cheaper than the grove.

Really? From the brochure they sent me it seems bristol is not cheaper either, or they don't allow pets. I am going to have a cat with me.

Con on getting of the wait list!

[observationalist]

Can any current Vandy law students comment on the Bristol on Broadway apartment building? It looks nice, very close to the law school, and is cheaper than the grove.

It's cheaper than the grove because it lacks multiple pools for people to lounge by and it's just one building instead of a gated campus with condo units. That said, I really like the Bristol and it's just about the best location for going out. You can walk to Demonbreun (Tin Roof/Dan McGuinness), you're on Division St (Losers/Red Door/Blue Bar/Hollywood Disco/Corner Pub), and cabs going downtown swing by regularly. Last time I cabbed from there I think it cost $6.

As far as the actual apartments go, my friend lives in a 1BR and we go over there a lot to play Rock Band before going out to shows. Big living room, decent-sized kitchen, and a nice porch overlooking the fountain/green area they've got in the middle of the building. I don't know if she pays extra for her parking spot or not, but you basically won't need to buy a Zone 2 parking pass to get to the law school since it's about 3 blocks away, which saves you (I think) $250.

[vhalcyon]

bristol is nice. ive heard the walls are thin, but i havent noticed the times ive been there.

i still think that looking on craigslist for smaller complexes tends to work better, but you could definitely do worse than the bristol.

also: 0L's... you're going to just love the day exams are over (both semesters). everyone is too much fun and theres tons of stuff to do. doing nothing for the last day or so has been awesome.

[heather87]

Question for any current students....

How hard is it to find housing really last minute? If I end up going, I probably won't look for housing until August since I'm on a bunch of waitlists. Am I going to end up living out of a car if I don't look for an apartment until classes are starting?

[mvk216]

How is the career services office at Vandy? Anyone have some firsthand knowledge?

[agreen]

just found this thread... very excited about vandy!

[rezipsa]

How is the career services office at Vandy? Anyone have some firsthand knowledge?

The reputation is that it's AMAZING. Observationalist's 68% NLJ summer associateship stats seem to corroborate that.

Barring my failing any classes this semester, I'll provide an update as to how well they help me for August's OCI. Not sure if I received any unspoken help from Career Services or if it was just the Vandy name/my decent first semester grades, but I nabbed an internship w/ a pretty reputable judge (among offers from other judges) for this summer...

[vapula]

How is the career services office at Vandy? Anyone have some firsthand knowledge?

The reputation is that it's AMAZING. Observationalist's 68% NLJ summer associateship stats seem to corroborate that.

Barring my failing any classes this semester, I'll provide an update as to how well they help me for August's OCI. Not sure if I received any unspoken help from Career Services or if it was just the Vandy name/my decent first semester grades, but I nabbed an internship w/ a pretty reputable judge (among offers from other judges) for this summer...

I am more interested in how to get decent first semester grades now, lol. Also, would it be possible to get used textbooks from you guys later? Law textbooks are really, really expensive..

[observationalist]

I think it was 64%... don't inflate our stats! And that was for the Class of '09 summer associate gigs... still waiting for Career Services to publish the Recruitment Handbook so we can see how my class did in comparison.

But yeah, they are great at working individually with people to get us the jobs we want and with reaching out to alumni and employers. The same goes for the faculty... the professor with arguably the largest ego is also responsible for netting more summer jobs than any other individual outside of the career services team. He really cares about getting us into places and is often willing to put his own reputation on the line by recommending us. He's sending one of my roommates to Pristina for half the summer and another of my friends is off to the Ukraine working for the ABA. He also got me through to the non-profit I worked at last summer, even though it was in an entirely different field.

Rez, when you say pretty 'reputable' judge, is that just because (s)he made headlines recently?

[DSTned4Law]

The admitted students site for 2012 is up!

--LinkRemoved--

[jenesaislaw]

I think it was 64%... don't inflate our stats! And that was for the Class of '09 summer associate gigs... still waiting for Career Services to publish the Recruitment Handbook so we can see how my class did in comparison.

But yeah, they are great at working individually with people to get us the jobs we want and with reaching out to alumni and employers. The same goes for the faculty... the professor with arguably the largest ego is also responsible for netting more summer jobs than any other individual outside of the career services team. He really cares about getting us into places and is often willing to put his own reputation on the line by recommending us. He's sending one of my roommates to Pristina for half the summer and another of my friends is off to the Ukraine working for the ABA. He also got me through to the non-profit I worked at last summer, even though it was in an entirely different field.

Rez, when you say pretty 'reputable' judge, is that just because (s)he made headlines recently?

That's one naughty judge

[observationalist]

Question for any current students....

How hard is it to find housing really last minute? If I end up going, I probably won't look for housing until August since I'm on a bunch of waitlists. Am I going to end up living out of a car if I don't look for an apartment until classes are starting?

Craigslist it up. Plenty of sublet opportunities, so you could put down rent just for August somewhere and then find something permanent after we've convinced you to stay. I'd suggest putting in a little bit of work and consider coming down here earlier... most people get here a week or two before classes start so they can enjoy the summer and meet everyone in a more relaxed setting. Getting here early also means you'll meet everyone before they divide you up into class sections, so it's a good way for you to meet people you won't actually be competing with for grades. And you can hit up a bunch of shows to get a better feel for the music culture before 1L year starts eating into your leisure time. But regardless, congrats on the acceptances and g'luck deciding.