G.W. 1L Ready to take questions

[fatduck]

hey aston people,

is there anywhere to stash unwanted room furniture during the year? storage rooms? janitor's closets? secret passageways?

[fatduck]

also: how serious are they about: "Please note that the use of portable storage devices such as PODs or similar container services is restricted."

do i really have to rent a truck? :/

[dudders]

How are LRW classes graded? I vaguely recall reading a quasi-warning in one of the GW guidebooks that LRW is graded (and thus shouldn't be blown off), but that was it.

PS - somebody in another thread asked about 1L midterms. Do those count toward your final grade? (I edited my original post to include this question.)

LRW is graded on a small-class curve rather than the normal curve. 33% (4 people out of 12) can an A instead of 25% (3 on a normal curve).

Here's the assignment breakdown for spring:
Motion Memorandum - 25%
Appellate Brief - 40%
Appellate Argument - 20%
LRW Exam (citations and research questions) - 10%
Timely Completion of Ungraded Assignments (weekly citation homework, ungraded motion memo oral arguments and some draft stuff) - 5%

The 1L midterm does count toward your grade, but it was only 10 or 15 percent or something. It was a great practice run to get used to my professor's style, grading, and see how the curve feel in my specific class. And you only have ONE 1L midterm in one class, so it's relatively low stress.

[dudders]

hey aston people,

is there anywhere to stash unwanted room furniture during the year? storage rooms? janitor's closets? secret passageways?

I did not live in the Aston, but to my knowledge, no. Anyone who added furniture had to keep any furniture in the room (such as using the provided bed as a couch). The rooms were pretty good size though. I'm pretty sure if you leave furniture lying around in random parts of the building, GW would confiscate it and then charge you at the end of the year because that's the way they do business.

[dudders]

also: how serious are they about: "Please note that the use of portable storage devices such as PODs or similar container services is restricted."

do i really have to rent a truck? :/

Again, I didn't live in the Aston but I expect they're completely serious. Parking on New Hampshire is restricted during rush hours and I guarantee DC will tow your POD.

[dudders]

Here's a question for any current GW students that isn't quite as important as some of the others on this thread, but is one I've been wondering about. I'm trying to plan out a few things for 1L year coming up, and I was wondering what GW Law students do for lunches. Is it common/economically feasible to purchase some sort of dining option through GW, and eat on campus during the day? I don't know yet where I am living, but I would ideally like to stay on campus all day, and not have to run home for lunch. On the flip side, I don't want to have to purchase $10 meals out for lunch every day if I can help it. What do you guys all do, and how much does it cost? Thanks!

I dunno about access to dining dollars, and stuff, but having eaten at some of GW's dining facilities (like J St. Cafe in the Marvin Center), it's expensive.

The law building has fridges and microwaves for student use. Just bring your own lunch/dinner/snacks. It doesn't get much more cost-effective than that. The fridges in the main first floor area can get pretty full but there's some on the upper floors too.

[schooner]

Thank you so much for powering through all of our recent questions - really appreciate it! (And thanks to all the other current students for participating in this thread too.)

By the way, LRW sounds hideously time consuming. But I guess all of law school is supposed to be time consuming.

[mi-chan17]

Sounds like your summer job was a nice-sized score for you. Congratulations! Can you speak to the difficulty of getting a similar 1L position in general?

Of my close friends, five of the eight of us are doing BigGov summer internships. Our GPAs are pretty clustered in the top 1/3 or so, but there is at least one outlier (on the low side). I think that this percentage has more to do with befriending people with similar interests, though. In general, it's not nearly as elusive as a 1L SA, but it's definitely tougher than public interest; I know a lot of people who went for Fed jobs and struck out in a big way.

To give you any more specific stuff, you'd have to tell me what kind of BigGov you're interested in. For example, my office has two legal interns. The USPTO has 200.

P.S. Sorry for the delayed response, was in the midst of moving.

[schooner]

Are 1L classes here all open- or closed-book? Or does it vary from professor to professor?

[Teoeo]

All of my tests were open book.

[dudders]

Are 1L classes here all open- or closed-book? Or does it vary from professor to professor?

It varies by professor, but the vast majority are open book. As a 1L, I had one closed book exam (torts), and one open book with the caveat that we could only bring our textbook and self-prepared materials (outlines, attack sheets, etc., but not e&es or commercial outlines).

[TheFutureLawyer]

Anyone know about how many people are on the law review? I see there are 31 people on the editorial board, but there are law review members not on the editorial board, no?

[dood]

Anyone know about how many people are on the law review? I see there are 31 people on the editorial board, but there are law review members not on the editorial board, no?

The George Washington Law Review 129
The George Washington Int'l Law Review 117
Public Contract Law Journal 71
AIPLA Journal 64
Int'l Law in Domestic Courts (on-line) 19
Federal Circuit Bar Journal 75
Journal of Energy and Environmental Law 43

[TheFutureLawyer]

Anyone know about how many people are on the law review? I see there are 31 people on the editorial board, but there are law review members not on the editorial board, no?

The George Washington Law Review 129
The George Washington Int'l Law Review 117
Public Contract Law Journal 71
AIPLA Journal 64
Int'l Law in Domestic Courts (on-line) 19
Federal Circuit Bar Journal 75
Journal of Energy and Environmental Law 43

Thanks, definitely nice to know you don't have to be in the top 10% to get LR (not to say that top third is easy).

[schooner]

Anyone know about how many people are on the law review? I see there are 31 people on the editorial board, but there are law review members not on the editorial board, no?

The George Washington Law Review 129
The George Washington Int'l Law Review 117
Public Contract Law Journal 71
AIPLA Journal 64
Int'l Law in Domestic Courts (on-line) 19
Federal Circuit Bar Journal 75
Journal of Energy and Environmental Law 43

Thanks, definitely nice to know you don't have to be in the top 10% to get LR (not to say that top third is easy).

Those numbers are 2Ls + 3Ls, right? So, let's say there are 60 2Ls, 60 3Ls, and 9 part-timers on Law Review, assuming that the numbers are evenly distributed among 2Ls and 3Ls. (Throwing in the 9 PTs just because. I assume some actually try to do work + school + Law Review. Crazy.) There are ~500 students in each year. 60/500 = 12% That's still a very high bar to meet.

Someone correct me if my calculations and assumptions are messed up.

[TheFutureLawyer]

Anyone know about how many people are on the law review? I see there are 31 people on the editorial board, but there are law review members not on the editorial board, no?

The George Washington Law Review 129
The George Washington Int'l Law Review 117
Public Contract Law Journal 71
AIPLA Journal 64
Int'l Law in Domestic Courts (on-line) 19
Federal Circuit Bar Journal 75
Journal of Energy and Environmental Law 43

Thanks, definitely nice to know you don't have to be in the top 10% to get LR (not to say that top third is easy).

Those numbers are 2Ls + 3Ls, right? So, let's say there are 60 2Ls, 60 3Ls, and 9 part-timers on Law Review, assuming that the numbers are evenly distributed among 2Ls and 3Ls. (Throwing in the 9 PTs just because. I assume some actually try to do work + school + Law Review. Crazy.) There are ~500 students in each year. 60/500 = 12% That's still a very high bar to meet.

Someone correct me if my calculations and assumptions are messed up.

Damn, somehow I missed that, but that sounds right.

[Paichka]

There are approximately 76 people in my year on LR. We're going through the process of grading competitions right now, but I believe we're going to invite around 70 rising 2Ls, and then a handful of transfers later on in the summer.

70% of getting on LR is grades, but grades don't factor at all in getting an editorial board position, if that makes you feel any better.

[FlanSolo]

Hey everybody - I just decided to take the plunge and head to GW this Fall. To help minimize debt exposure, I'm contemplating living at home in Chevy Chase (right near the Red Line). I plan on working/studying hard regardless, but if I do, I don't want to be some sort of weirdo social pariah. Is there anything that goes on socially that will be fairly accessible for those who aren't in walking range of campus? I have a girlfriend who will be going to William and Mary, so I'm not concerned about dating, but what are the opportunities like for intramural sports, clubs, etc?

[queenlizzie13]

Does anyone have an opinion on the Statesman? I was a late acceptance so unable to get the Aston.

It's pricey but parents are willing to help out a little bit with the rent. Is Columbia Plaza better? I read on another thread to avoid the Statesman...

[sinemetu]

Here's a question for any current GW students that isn't quite as important as some of the others on this thread, but is one I've been wondering about. I'm trying to plan out a few things for 1L year coming up, and I was wondering what GW Law students do for lunches. Is it common/economically feasible to purchase some sort of dining option through GW, and eat on campus during the day? I don't know yet where I am living, but I would ideally like to stay on campus all day, and not have to run home for lunch. On the flip side, I don't want to have to purchase $10 meals out for lunch every day if I can help it. What do you guys all do, and how much does it cost? Thanks!

First: welcome to GW!

I always told myself I would bring my lunch. I never did. Lots of people do, though. There are fridges to keep lunches during the day, microwaves to heat things up, etc.

I usually grabbed lunch with a group of classmates at one of the nearby places. You can get a decent meal for $6 at one of the several lunch places across the street.

Honestly, it will probably depend on your class schedule. I had a substantial gap between classes one semester and I would go home (~10 min walk), eat at my place, and get reading done.

[androstan]

What would be great ITT:

GW students describe the profs they have had and what kind of exams those profs gave. Which supplements work best for which profs and which course. Etc.

[TheFutureLawyer]

What would be great ITT:

GW students describe the profs they have had and what kind of exams those profs gave. Which supplements work best for which profs and which course. Etc.

+$1,000,000

[Corwin]

What would be great ITT:

GW students describe the profs they have had and what kind of exams those profs gave. Which supplements work best for which profs and which course. Etc.

+$1,000,000

+1

[lele2010]

Schooner - ur right. school must have misunderstood ur Q. Curved by section, ranked in entire class.

PROTIP: section 15 curve is easier.

will this change for class of 2012?

Thank you for the answer! That does make me wonder - how are the part-time students in their 4th year ranked?

[sinemetu]

I would say that the best supplement to any class is the professor's old exams. They're available online and I would recommend looking at one as classes start (you will have no idea what is going on in it... that's okay) and periodically look back at it to see how the facts in that test apply to the concepts that you've been learning. By the end of the course, you will have to be able to decipher all the issues and write about them coherently and quickly.

I don't think people look at exams until they start studying for finals which is a mistake, in my opinion. Knowing what an exam looks like is the best way to know what you need to actually get out of class.

I'd also take a look at the book "How to do your best on law school exams" (or something like that) and read that at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester for the same reasons as the old exams: it tells you where you're going and what to pay attention to in class.