Northwestern 1L/2L/3L/Grads Taking Questions and Challenges Forum

[cookiejar1]

Anyone know if Nu reimburses ASW costs?

This, of course, is subject to change: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/admissi ... ipends.pdf

[BaberhamLincoln]

General question about living.

COA 2013-14 at to NU includes !4,040 for room and board.
This averages 1560 per month for 9 months (I assume summer rent is not calculated in here, just school year rent).

I am also assuming this number is rent PLUS utilities?

To current students: How are you finding this number to be accurate? I live in Streeterville now and I live in a brand new building with a very high rent so of course I plan to move if I am admitted. But I wanted to see what people think the REAL room and board typically is. What's normal rent (I know it varies, give me a range?)? How about utilities?

This will help a lot!
Thanks!

[Big Dog]

most grad/professional schools estimate liberally the living expenses, so that they will be covered by loans. (It has to be in the school's COA for the feds to loan that amount.)

Law schools also recognize that paid jobs over the summer are rare, at least for the first year, so the school estimates even higher so students don't run out of money in July.

That being said, many NULS students live in Streeterville, Gold Coast or Lincoln Park; since you currently live in the City, you know what rents are in the 'hood.

[LRGhost]

Average rent in Streeterville seems to be about $1200-$1400 for a studio. The school definitely does not budget enough to cover the summer.

[rinkrat19]

Average rent in Streeterville seems to be about $1200-$1400 for a studio. The school definitely does not budget enough to cover the summer.

This. My studio was $1250 last year and $1340 this year. (If it goes up another $90 next year, I'm going to be pissed.)

Three main ways people fund their summers:
1)Paid job
2)PI job with SFPIF funding grant
3)Job that qualifies for a practicum class so you can take out a living expense loan.

Or you can cut down your living expenses during the year (either by having a roommate or living outside Streeterville) to stretch that $14k over 12 months.

[bjsesq]

First "give us money" letter received. LOLgetdafuckouttahere.

[whereskyle]

First "give us money" letter received. LOLgetdafuckouttahere.

Hahaha. I take it you're employed?

[bjsesq]

First "give us money" letter received. LOLgetdafuckouttahere.

Hahaha. I take it you're employed?

Just recently. I was underemployed for a year. So yeah, lolgetdafuckouttahere.

[whereskyle]

I don't

First "give us money" letter received. LOLgetdafuckouttahere.

Hahaha. I take it you're employed?

Just recently. I was underemployed for a year. So yeah, lolgetdafuckouttahere.

I have a hard time imagining Mr. Bluhm receiving a letter in the mail, before thinking, "Hey, you know... I got some extra dough..."

[Leo]

Are there any current AJD students in this thread that would be willing to answer questions from prospective students? If so, you can find us here.

[dagny05]

How tough is it to get a stipend to do public interest work during the 1L summer? I'd probably intern in a local DA's office. The PI scholarship site made it sound like quite a process.

[Blumpbeef]

How tough is it to get a stipend to do public interest work during the 1L summer? I'd probably intern in a local DA's office. The PI scholarship site made it sound like quite a process.

you just have to do about 20 hours of work on some committee, where the committees are designed to raise money through book sales, or auctions, or something like that. I think you also have to apply for a number of non-school scholarships and must be rejected from those before you can get money from SFPIF.

It's not too hard, but a lot of people end up not going through with it because it precludes you from getting credit for the practicum classes over the summer. You're basically giving up $5000 to get four credits of A(+/-).

Some other schools just give the money directly to any student doing PI work, without requiring fundraising hours during the semester (ie. the scholarships are school-funded rather than student funded).

[rinkrat19]

How tough is it to get a stipend to do public interest work during the 1L summer? I'd probably intern in a local DA's office. The PI scholarship site made it sound like quite a process.

you just have to do about 20 hours of work on some committee, where the committees are designed to raise money through book sales, or auctions, or something like that. I think you also have to apply for a number of non-school scholarships and must be rejected from those before you can get money from SFPIF.

It's not too hard, but a lot of people end up not going through with it because it precludes you from getting credit for the practicum classes over the summer. You're basically giving up $5000 to get four credits of A(+/-).

Some other schools just give the money directly to any student doing PI work, without requiring fundraising hours during the semester (ie. the scholarships are school-funded rather than student funded).

What blump said, except that you only have to apply for one outside source of funding.

And the hours requirement is pretty painless. If you sign up for SFPIF and attend the first meeting, they put you on a committee that will virtually guarantee you get your 10 hours for the term (20 for the year) by either working the night of an event like the alumni auction or spending a few hours every few weeks doing something menial like selling used books.

[fruitoftheloom]

I'm a prospective AJD student and I have a question about externships. I may want to do a full-time externship next spring (my third semester) that isn't located in Chicago. It looks like I could get all of my required doctrinal coursework out of the way over the summer and fall semesters except for con law. That's right, isn't it? If so, I am wondering if there's any reason I couldn't hold off on con law until the following year? Thanks.

There's no way that administration will let you hold off on con law until 3L. Con law is only offered spring semester, and you need it for a number of other classes. Also, your credit hours for a full time externship are limited to 12. It's almost impossible (note that I said almost) for AJDs to get enough credits for you to be able to take only 12 for a semester. *IF* you are going to do a full time externship elsewhere, you have to do it your 3L year. You're also going to have to work your ass off to get enough credits to do that (you'll need to take the winter break course (2 credits), 17 credits every semester, a spring break course (2 credits) and a summer break course (2-3 credits) to have a prayer).

[Mal Reynolds]

General question about living.

COA 2013-14 at to NU includes !4,040 for room and board.
This averages 1560 per month for 9 months (I assume summer rent is not calculated in here, just school year rent).

I am also assuming this number is rent PLUS utilities?

To current students: How are you finding this number to be accurate? I live in Streeterville now and I live in a brand new building with a very high rent so of course I plan to move if I am admitted. But I wanted to see what people think the REAL room and board typically is. What's normal rent (I know it varies, give me a range?)? How about utilities?

This will help a lot!
Thanks!

Sup self tar, maybe you should think about going to the better Chicago area law school. PM me for deets.

[onionz]

Average rent in Streeterville seems to be about $1200-$1400 for a studio. The school definitely does not budget enough to cover the summer.

This. My studio was $1250 last year and $1340 this year. (If it goes up another $90 next year, I'm going to be pissed.)

I argued mine down from the initial proposed rate for the new year last year. Gotta negotiate with them!

[bananasplit19]

At what point should I start to be worried that I don't have any 1L summer prospects? Been hustling and networking, sent tailored resume/covers to maybe 60-70 firm and in-house legal depts, and haven't gotten so much as a screener.

[Blumpbeef]

At what point should I start to be worried that I don't have any 1L summer prospects? Been hustling and networking, sent tailored resume/covers to maybe 60-70 firm and in-house legal depts, and haven't gotten so much as a screener.

Why aren't you applying for public interest positions?

[Kikero]

At what point should I start to be worried that I don't have any 1L summer prospects? Been hustling and networking, sent tailored resume/covers to maybe 60-70 firm and in-house legal depts, and haven't gotten so much as a screener.

Why aren't you applying for public interest positions?

This.

By now bigger law firms are probably done, or at least in the interview process, so that ship has probably sailed. Continue to apply to in house opportunities, as they hire later.

On the bright side, you shouldn't be worried about not having a job at all since there is still plenty of time to get a government/ PI position (or even an in house position, but those are harder to get).

[bananasplit19]

At what point should I start to be worried that I don't have any 1L summer prospects? Been hustling and networking, sent tailored resume/covers to maybe 60-70 firm and in-house legal depts, and haven't gotten so much as a screener.

Why aren't you applying for public interest positions?

This.

By now bigger law firms are probably done, or at least in the interview process, so that ship has probably sailed. Continue to apply to in house opportunities, as they hire later.

On the bright side, you shouldn't be worried about not having a job at all since there is still plenty of time to get a government/ PI position (or even an in house position, but those are harder to get).

Was hoping for a paid position, or something flashier than a generic PI job when OCI rolls around. But, I guess beggars can't be choosers, and there's no good reason to limit my possible options.

Is there a usual time of year when in-house interview/offers start popping up, or is it a free-for-all? I'll hold out hope for those while prepping my PI cover letters.

[Kikero]

They could be any time since they don't have anything like "NALP guidelines" to deal with. I know a guy who already had a position in early January, I had an interview around the end of January, and I had another company want to set up an interview for mid March, but I turned that one down since I'd already accepted a PI gig and was sort of tired of the process by then.

ETA: And don't worry about your job not being flashy enough. Obviously it's nice to get paid, but apart from the financial aspect, I don't think having a paid job is going to help you at OCI any more than anything else. You actually can probably get better experiences at an internship than a firm, which could translate into being able to have more interesting conversations about your summer in an interview.

[mirroroferised7]

Hey Northwestern current students: this totally applies to you. Can you stop by my thread and answer the poll?

I'm asking "If you could, would do law school in 2 years (aka, the AJD program) or 3?"

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=225005

[lgleye]

.

[Flips88]

At what point should I start to be worried that I don't have any 1L summer prospects? Been hustling and networking, sent tailored resume/covers to maybe 60-70 firm and in-house legal depts, and haven't gotten so much as a screener.

The answer depends in part on your current and expected GPA. If you're up in the 3.75+ and expect it to be the same for this semester, then you've got plenty ot time b/c people get gi9gs as late as April/May. If, however, you're in a position where you'd like to (or need to) raise your GPA for OCI, then go full blast and nail down anything ASAP (PI included), so that you can get this out of the way and concentrate on studying your ass off.

Why do you talk about public interest jobs as if they are the last refuge of kids with terrible grades?

[splitsplat]

Why do you talk about public interest jobs as if they are the last refuge of kids with terrible grades?

probably cause for the majority of the people at northwestern, that's how it is.