BU 1Ls & 2Ls Taking Questions Forum

[jarak01]

Any tips/thoughts on the MBTA semester pass? I'll be in Brookline with no car. Which pass would make the most sense (MonthlyLink, Local Bus, Inner/Outer Bus)?

MonthlyLink is the one that's subway and bus, right? You want that one.

[Cupidity]

Where in Brookline? I found that I ended up walking so much that I didn't get my $ worth out of the pass. It's only worth it if you are riding in/out about 20 times a month.

[ElvisAaron]

Can you grade onto BU Law Review or do you have to do the writing comp no matter what?

[kaiser]

Even if you grade on, you still have to submit a good faith competiton packet. Keep in mind that you wouldn't know that you graded on at the time of the competitom so you have every incentive to try hard.

[ElvisAaron]

Even if you grade on, you still have to submit a good faith competiton packet. Keep in mind that you wouldn't know that you graded on at the time of the competitom so you have every incentive to try hard.

What does the competition consist of?

[kaiser]

They give you a packet of about 250-300 pages of cases, and provide you with a fact pattern that you have to write a memo on, only using the cases provides. There is also an editing exercise in which you are given something like 20 footnotes and you have to check them for bluebook accuracy. There are hundreds of errors to find.

[ElvisAaron]

Competition much later than finals or is it jammed up against? Website says "summer".
Thanks for answering Qs btw.

[kaiser]

You pick up the packet right after finals end

[bmic]

Is a good website with reviews of professors? I'm picking classes right now (transfer student) and I don't really like how I'm flying blind. Rate my professor doesn't seem to have a Boston University School of Law section and doesn't have a lot of professors in the Law section of Boston University.

[Cupidity]

http://www.bu.edu/lawlibrary/services/c ... exams.html if you have your user name and password you can click on the "view online evaluations" link. I found it very helpful, classes and professors are scored in detail by every student who was in them. If any 1L's have questions about particular professors you can post them here, but there will be a sort-of section-panel discussion at orientation about individual profs.

[loblaw]

http://www.bu.edu/lawlibrary/services/c ... exams.html if you have your user name and password you can click on the "view online evaluations" link. I found it very helpful, classes and professors are scored in detail by every student who was in them. If any 1L's have questions about particular professors you can post them here, but there will be a sort-of section-panel discussion at orientation about individual profs.

Cupidity, you're the best.

[bmic]

http://www.bu.edu/lawlibrary/services/c ... exams.html if you have your user name and password you can click on the "view online evaluations" link. I found it very helpful, classes and professors are scored in detail by every student who was in them. If any 1L's have questions about particular professors you can post them here, but there will be a sort-of section-panel discussion at orientation about individual profs.

Cupidity, you're the best.

Seconded. Thank you so much!

[bmic]

Can anyone explain to me the point of getting credit for summer externships? I have been talking to the registrar and she said that summer externship credits show up on your resume, but they don't count towards our required credit amount. This seems pointless (since my resume will have that I was a judicial intern anyway) and I asked the registrar to clarify, but she said the same thing.

[Cupidity]

I don't really understand your question, maybe she didn't either?

[bmic]

I don't really understand your question, maybe she didn't either?

I'm asking if there is a point to trying to get credit for a summer externship.

This is from the Academics Regulations:
Credit for summer externships. With advance approval from the Dean or the Dean’s designate, students may receive up to 2 credits per summer for an externship involving legal work in a private or governmental position, provided that the student does not receive monetary compensation beyond reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenditures. Credits earned will neither reduce the minimum credits required for a semester or year nor count toward the 84 credits required for the JD degree.

This is what the registrar said when I asked for clarification:
Summer externship credits do not count toward the requirements, but appear on your transcript. Externships completed during the academic year through our clinical programs receive academic credit.

So it sounds to me like 2 credits will show up on your resume, but they won't actually count towards anything. Which seems really odd.

[Cupidity]

Sounds about right. Don't bother with it.

[cinephile]

http://www.bu.edu/lawlibrary/services/c ... exams.html if you have your user name and password you can click on the "view online evaluations" link. I found it very helpful, classes and professors are scored in detail by every student who was in them. If any 1L's have questions about particular professors you can post them here, but there will be a sort-of section-panel discussion at orientation about individual profs.

Speaking of orientation, what if you have to miss it or at least part of it? I'm traveling across the country with a giant van full of my things. My landlord has strongly discouraged me from trying to move in on Sept. 1st. I've never been in Boston on Sept 1st, but have heard it's completely chaotic. So, if I move in on the 2nd and have to miss orientation, what am I missing?

[Cupidity]

http://www.bu.edu/lawlibrary/services/c ... exams.html if you have your user name and password you can click on the "view online evaluations" link. I found it very helpful, classes and professors are scored in detail by every student who was in them. If any 1L's have questions about particular professors you can post them here, but there will be a sort-of section-panel discussion at orientation about individual profs.

Speaking of orientation, what if you have to miss it or at least part of it? I'm traveling across the country with a giant van full of my things. My landlord has strongly discouraged me from trying to move in on Sept. 1st. I've never been in Boston on Sept 1st, but have heard it's completely chaotic. So, if I move in on the 2nd and have to miss orientation, what am I missing?

I'll look at the schedule when they give it to the orientation leaders, but I'd advise against missing the first day of orientation. While you won't miss anything you can't make up, you'll probably just get an ID card, hear some speakers, and do some social events; law students are still just as clicky as high school and college students, it might make it harder to connect with people. Orientation is really fun.

[kaiser]

http://www.bu.edu/lawlibrary/services/c ... exams.html if you have your user name and password you can click on the "view online evaluations" link. I found it very helpful, classes and professors are scored in detail by every student who was in them. If any 1L's have questions about particular professors you can post them here, but there will be a sort-of section-panel discussion at orientation about individual profs.

Speaking of orientation, what if you have to miss it or at least part of it? I'm traveling across the country with a giant van full of my things. My landlord has strongly discouraged me from trying to move in on Sept. 1st. I've never been in Boston on Sept 1st, but have heard it's completely chaotic. So, if I move in on the 2nd and have to miss orientation, what am I missing?

I also would not miss day 1 of orientation if I were you. Like Cupidity said, groups and bonds start to form, and its really a crucial time since the "family" (or soon-to-be family) is coming together for the first time. Sure, Boston can be a bit chaotic on September 1, but it is worth it.

[Cupidity]

It also depends where you are living. As long as you aren't west of the law tower, you really have nothing to fear from undergrad moving chaos.

[cinephile]

Thanks to both of you, Cupidity and kaiser. Lucky me, I'll be living amongst undergrads, so I probably will experience some of the chaos. It's too bad orientation couldn't start a bit after move-in dates.

Along the same lines, would you recommend the Be Yourself orientation to meet my classmates/make friends/bonding? What else happens during this orientation? I hadn't planned on attending that either since it requires a couple more nights in a hotel with the cats.

[kaiser]

Thanks to both of you, Cupidity and kaiser. Lucky me, I'll be living amongst undergrads, so I probably will experience some of the chaos. It's too bad orientation couldn't start a bit after move-in dates.

Along the same lines, would you recommend the Be Yourself orientation to meet my classmates/make friends/bonding? What else happens during this orientation? I hadn't planned on attending that either since it requires a couple more nights in a hotel with the cats.

BU restructured the schedule to help the September 1 movers out. Last year, classes started in late August, and they had no classes held on the 1st so people could move in. But that meant people were crashing at other places for the first few days of class. That made for a total mess for many people. Trust me, you have it a lot better now that moving doesn't conflict with class at all.

The orientation is mostly all about the bonding, and making friends. You are with your section during every class of every day. They will be your new family for the next year. So it is important that you take some time to socialize, bond, chat, etc. with them. I can't remember if there were any actual important events or important info given out at orientation, but all around, its not something you should miss.

[Cupidity]

Student ID's, photograph for the "yearbook," (or whatever the hell that thing was), locker and advisor assignments, free lunch with orientation leaders.

[cinephile]

Thanks again to you both! I think I'll try to attend half the orientation and hopefully will manage the move-in somehow.

[BEH321]

What is the dress code for the orientation events? They mention business casual for the photobook pictures....for women what is ideal for this? Blazers? Polos? Also, for the socials at night....is that formal or more of a casual event...what would you recommend wearing?