Hastings Class of 2015 Forum

[apollo2015]

--ImageRemoved--

The cable cars are just eight blocks away from campus. The airport is one BART ride away.



Stained glass in the Hastings Tower.

Welcome!

UC Hastings Class of 2015 Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/groups/13224222 ... 273563483/
UC Hastings Twitter: http://twitter.com/uchastingslaw
UC Hastings Soup of the Day: http://twitter.com/lawcafesoup
Current Applicants: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 7&t=171653
Q&As with Current Students: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=173522 and http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=176178

The Admitted Students Days are Saturday, March 24th and Saturday, March 31st. On either day it runs from 9:30am to 4:00pm.

Regional Alumni & Newly Admitted Students Receptions:
Tuesday, March 13th in San Diego, CA.
Wednesday, March 14th in Irvine, CA.
Thursday, March 15th in Los Angeles, CA.
Tuesday, March 20th in New York, NY.
Wednesday, March 21st in Washington, DC.
Thursday, March 22nd in Sacramento, CA.
Wednesday, March 28th in Walnut Creek, CA.
Thursday, March 29th in San Francisco, CA.

Check on in once you get the good news! If anyone has any questions about SF neighborhoods, I would be glad to answer them.

[mbkc03]

anyone here?

[apollo2015]

Which admitted student days is everyone going to? I will probably go to the first SF one in March.

[TLS_noobie]

Anyone know if the trips for ASD are subsidized?

[UCLAorbust]

Anyone else in through LEOP?

[apollo2015]

Congratulations! I applied LEOP, but only got in via the regular program.

[Jaytray]

I emailed Monday and asked about ASW subsidies and still no response. I'm very much interested in this if anyone else knows the answer.

Speaking of being poor...is anyone else worried about being massively in debt if attending Hastings? As it stands right now it is my realistic first choice but the prospect of being 200k+ in the hole scares me. Can anyone help alleviate these fears for me? Or are we still in the "So happy we just got in" phase that it's too early to worry about money?

[odetojefferson]

I emailed Monday and asked about ASW subsidies and still no response. I'm very much interested in this if anyone else knows the answer.

Speaking of being poor...is anyone else worried about being massively in debt if attending Hastings? As it stands right now it is my realistic first choice but the prospect of being 200k+ in the hole scares me. Can anyone help alleviate these fears for me? Or are we still in the "So happy we just got in" phase that it's too early to worry about money?

I think it just depends on your personal circumstances. What struck me as unique with Hastings is that need-based aid is only calculated for you and does not include your parents. I think this is beneficial to a good amount of us. I also heard at the info session that they were increasing merit-based aid this year, which could help you out. Also, they are making this class size smaller, which I think is another advantage. The dean also said that grants tend to increase for 2L because if you had a job, you don't anymore in LS.

Living expenses are terrifying me a bit, but I think the opportunities of downtown SF will be worth it. I just wouldn't get too wrapped up in looking at sticker tuition + living expenses without thinking about financial aid.

(Maybe I am being idealistic but I am holding out for something because Hastings is my top pick and I would hate to have to turn it down because of scholarship offers from other places)

[UCLAorbust]

i am just now about to submit my fafsa, but just read that it is better to send it in earlier........do they disperse merit and need-based aid in a rolling basis like with applications, or will I not be disadvantaged by waiting this long to do it?

[TLS_noobie]

I think it just depends on your personal circumstances. What struck me as unique with Hastings is that need-based aid is only calculated for you and does not include your parents. I think this is beneficial to a good amount of us. I also heard at the info session that they were increasing merit-based aid this year, which could help you out. Also, they are making this class size smaller, which I think is another advantage. The dean also said that grants tend to increase for 2L because if you had a job, you don't anymore in LS.

Living expenses are terrifying me a bit, but I think the opportunities of downtown SF will be worth it. I just wouldn't get too wrapped up in looking at sticker tuition + living expenses without thinking about financial aid.

(Maybe I am being idealistic but I am holding out for something because Hastings is my top pick and I would hate to have to turn it down because of scholarship offers from other places)

I'm fairly certain that all law schools calculate need-based aid this way. You are considered an independent as a graduate student.

[surfSD]

Just heard the good news, I'm in! Will probably attend with some money(keeping my fingers crossed). Want to make the trip up to San Fran for the admitted student days-- got a long drive from San Diego. Anybody else considering life in the towers??

[UCLAorbust]

me, already applied. i've heard bad things about it, but i am not even a little bit willing to commute. And, I think it will be an advantage socially. here's hoping i don't end up on the ground floor.

[odetojefferson]

I think it just depends on your personal circumstances. What struck me as unique with Hastings is that need-based aid is only calculated for you and does not include your parents. I think this is beneficial to a good amount of us. I also heard at the info session that they were increasing merit-based aid this year, which could help you out. Also, they are making this class size smaller, which I think is another advantage. The dean also said that grants tend to increase for 2L because if you had a job, you don't anymore in LS.

Living expenses are terrifying me a bit, but I think the opportunities of downtown SF will be worth it. I just wouldn't get too wrapped up in looking at sticker tuition + living expenses without thinking about financial aid.

(Maybe I am being idealistic but I am holding out for something because Hastings is my top pick and I would hate to have to turn it down because of scholarship offers from other places)

I'm fairly certain that all law schools calculate need-based aid this way. You are considered an independent as a graduate student.

Not the ones I've looked at:

Berkeley

DO I NEED TO SUBMIT PARENT INFORMATION?
Yes, all students are considered to be DEPENDENT for need-based aid (meaning that they must submit parent information to be considered for need-based aid) except in the following situations:

The student will be 30 years of age or older by December 31 of that academic year. If this is the case for you, you do not need to notify us and can simply omit the parent sections.
The student can provide documentation of at least 5 years of financial independence from their parents based on these criteria. If this is the case for you, your status as independent must be formally approved by our office.
With these two exceptions, all students who wish to be considered for a need-based grant must submit complete parent information on the FAFSA and supplemental application.

Without complete parent information, dependent applicants will not be considered for grant eligibility. If you are in doubt whether you need to submit parent information, please ask us!

And if you applied to UC Davis and UCLA and have to fill out that horrible needaccess form it appears information about our parents is really important.

[apollo2015]

Just heard the good news, I'm in! Will probably attend with some money(keeping my fingers crossed). Want to make the trip up to San Fran for the admitted student days-- got a long drive from San Diego. Anybody else considering life in the towers??

I will definitely be living in the Tower! Probably I will go with an Efficiency unit.

[UCLAorbust]

ditto. i called the housing department this morning, and they said that they already have received applications for about 1/5 of the spots, so apply asap!

[apollo2015]

Sweet! That's good info. I was just wondering how many spots were left.

[surfSD]

ditto. i called the housing department this morning, and they said that they already have received applications for about 1/5 of the spots, so apply asap!

Good to know! Haven't received the admitted packet yet, just phone call and initial letter. Still waiting to see about some mula from here and elsewhere, but definitely have Hastings at the top so far. If I attend will probably go with efficiency cell, oh to be continuing as a broke college student!

[kapital98]

I emailed Monday and asked about ASW subsidies and still no response. I'm very much interested in this if anyone else knows the answer.

Speaking of being poor...is anyone else worried about being massively in debt if attending Hastings? As it stands right now it is my realistic first choice but the prospect of being 200k+ in the hole scares me. Can anyone help alleviate these fears for me? Or are we still in the "So happy we just got in" phase that it's too early to worry about money?

I think it just depends on your personal circumstances. What struck me as unique with Hastings is that need-based aid is only calculated for you and does not include your parents. I think this is beneficial to a good amount of us. I also heard at the info session that they were increasing merit-based aid this year, which could help you out. Also, they are making this class size smaller, which I think is another advantage. The dean also said that grants tend to increase for 2L because if you had a job, you don't anymore in LS.

Merit-based aid is going to increase... but not nearly as much as tuition is increasing. I receive the maximum amount of merit aid, $13,500 + an extra ~$500 they randomly gave out in the Spring, but it still pales in light of tuition. Next year tuition will increase by ~$5,000 and merit aid will increase by ~$2,000.

Hastings is a great school but very expensive.

[I'm currently a 1L. I hope none of you mind me being in your forum ]

[apollo2015]

I sent in my application to the Tower a few days ago. Do they send us any notice that they've received our housing applications?

[I'm currently a 1L. I hope none of you mind me being in your forum ]

Honored to have you.

[kapital98]

I sent in my application to the Tower a few days ago. Do they send us any notice that they've received our housing applications?

The Tower administrator (Pansy Mar) will contact you. However, first she has to deal with all of the current students living in The Tower. They get preferential treatment on where they want to live. How many spots open up will be determined by how many leave.

She treats all applications as "first-come, first-serve." If you've sent your application in this earlier you'll definitely get a spot. Then it's just a matter of having choices of where you want to live in The Tower. I can't tell you when you will get a call but it will be a while.

[UCLAorbust]

do you know anything about where the studio/efficiency rooms tend to be (like closer to the top or bottom fo the building)....? I assume the more expensive places are higher up sadly.....

[kapital98]

do you know anything about where the studio/efficiency rooms tend to be (like closer to the top or bottom fo the building)....? I assume the more expensive places are higher up sadly.....

Studios and efficiency units are located throughout the building. The highest residency floors are reserved for Penthouses and 2 bedroom apartments. They are very expensive, but affordable and amazing if you can get 2 other roommates to live with you.

I don't know where the prices start to escalate. I currently live on the 6th floor, the second lowest floor for residence, and will be moving to the 9th next year. The prices for rooms on the 6th and 9th floor are the same (and are both the cheapest listed price for rooms.) The higher you go the more expensive each unit becomes.

I can't give you prices above the minimum. When you apply to the Tower you fill out a form and then are assigned a room based on prices and availability. If you don't like your room you can switch, supply permitting. The lower floors, literally, don't have a view of the city (~8-10th floor and below.) Obstructions block your entire view. The higher floors have an amazing view.

[kapital98]

Here's a picture from a 2-bedroom apartment. It was taken at night on the outside stairs.

[UCLAorbust]

also was wondering- how much do textbooks usually cost per semester? i have looked this up and it seems to vary a lot among schools.

[kapital98]

also was wondering- how much do textbooks usually cost per semester? i have looked this up and it seems to vary a lot among schools.

This depends on a variety of factors. I'll give you an explanation and then say how much I spent.

First, if you professor wrote the book then you usually have to buy the newest version of the casebook and their supplement (How new is the casebook?) Over half of my first year professors wrote their own textbooks. Generally speaking, old professors write their own textbooks and younger/newer professors don't. Second, some professors use several supplement while others don't. Third, if you buy books from the bookstore expect to pay considerably more than on Amazon (same goes for buybacks.) Fourth, it's difficult to buy used books online because professors don't always give a list of required materials until the first day of class (depends on the professor.)

In my own case:

First Semester: I bought all of my books on Amazon. Unfortunately, I didn't know what to buy until about a week before school started. All of the inexpensive used copies were already sold. I spent probably ~$400 between 3 classes and the Legal Writing & Research handbook. However, additional supplements (used E&E's + Crunchtime) added another ~$100 onto the bill. What really caught me off guard the first semester was a $100+ Civil Procedure casebook and $100+ Property casebook.

I was able to receive ~$200 in Amazon credit for trading in the books. Amazon has a wonderful buyback program. I used this towards the next semester.

Second Semester: For four course I spent ~$250. The only really expensive cost was for a relatively new book for my Statutory Interpretation course. I also spent another ~$100 for additional supplements. However, this semester I will receive almost nothing in buybacks because the books are worth very little or obsolete.


How much books will cost you is really a matter of chance. This semester some of my professors are using their textbooks for the 3rd or 4th year. New editions will be released shortly and dramatically increase the cost of used and new textbooks. This changes the cost of a textbook by over $100.