Loyola Law School - Los Angeles 3L, Taking Questions

[tlc]

It has been said many a time that the faculty at LLS have open doors for their students. What are your takes on that? I know from personal experience and from close friends at Pepperdine that the faculty there are EXTREMELY open and inviting. If you have experience with both schools, how does LLS compare?

[NoleinNY]

I don't know how they do it in Malibu but professors are very accessible to their students here. One of our legal research professors gives his cell phone number out on the first day of class so students can call or text him if they need him; my roommate's crim professor (Laurie Levenson) meets with people who aren't even her own students, etc.

[Danteshek]

If a professor is not available to students she is not doing her job. That is the baseline expectation. I do not think Loyola's faculty is any more or less available than the faculty at any other school. One way I measure this is how much I see professors hanging out in their office with the door open when it is not office hours. Unfortunately, I do not see much of this at Loyola. I saw it a lot more at Southwestern, probably because the professors there liked working in the Bullocks Wilshire building.

[lalalawya]

Does Loyola offer scholarships to current students? i.e students who meet a certain criteria (top 10%, etc. received $4,500 a year or something).

Thank you!

[Danteshek]

Does Loyola offer scholarships to current students? i.e students who meet a certain criteria (top 10%, etc. received $4,500 a year or something).

Thank you!

I hear that top 10% 1Ls get something, but I don't know the details.

[NoleinNY]

Does Loyola offer scholarships to current students? i.e students who meet a certain criteria (top 10%, etc. received $4,500 a year or something).

Thank you!

There are a few organizations on campus that offer various scholarships for 2L and 3L students, though usually for a certain niche of students (i.e., females, Italians, Jesuits, etc). I've heard a few of people getting the top of the class and getting money when they tried transferring out, though I don't know if that was SOP for top X students just for being top X students or if they were just trying to keep them from transferring. Kind of chicken or egg problem; I'll ask the office of financial aid about this on Monday, though and get back to you.

[Danteshek]

Loyola beat UCLA on July 2010 bar exam

[lalalawya]

Hello! Did any current LLS students apply ED?

[crossingforHYS]

question: do you know if loyola places the scholarship folks in the same section?

[Pleasye]

question: do you know if loyola places the scholarship folks in the same section?

I just answered this in the other thread but, I know a couple of people with scholarships and they are not in the same section.

[NoleinNY]

Nope. I applied RD.

And LSplease is correct; things seem to be pretty well spread out scholarship-wise.

[crossingforHYS]

question: do you know if loyola places the scholarship folks in the same section?

I just answered this in the other thread but, I know a couple of people with scholarships and they are not in the same section.

I double posted, sorry! but thank you for the answer....this makes me feel better.

[Pleasye]

question: do you know if loyola places the scholarship folks in the same section?

I just answered this in the other thread but, I know a couple of people with scholarships and they are not in the same section.

I double posted, sorry! but thank you for the answer....this makes me feel better.

Its okay and you're welcome

[tlc]

Anyone know about part-time/night school? Do the full-time student interact with night students at all? He engaged can the part timers be or are they allowed to be?

[Danteshek]

Anyone know about part-time/night school? Do the full-time student interact with night students at all? He engaged can the part timers be or are they allowed to be?

Be more specific.

[NoleinNY]

Anyone know about part-time/night school? Do the full-time student interact with night students at all? He engaged can the part timers be or are they allowed to be?

That is a bit of a broad question, but to answer the second part: Yes, I've interacted with a few night students. However, it's generally either in the library after a certain hour (or on a weekend) or at campus-wide events. Keep in mind the ones I have met personally work during the day and thus aren't just chilling on campus all day, knocking back espressos and chit-chatting with a casebook on their lap.

[originalmutt]

When can you join the trial advocacy teams? What's the process for joining?

[NoleinNY]

According to my criminal law professor, you can participate in your second or third year. You try out around the same time you would be applying for journals/LR (end of second semester 1L). You do an application and get interviewed by the professor in charge. If they take you on the first time, they do training sessions at some point in the summer (it won't interfere with your summer job). If you are brought onto the team for your 2L year, (if I recall correctly) you need to take both criminal procedure and evidence in your Fall of 2L. If they don't take you the first time around, you are welcome to try out for 3L. Things that really help your application is doing your 1L summer at the DA or PD's office, etc.

[originalmutt]

Thanks. Very helpful response.

Does the law school have a gym? I'm assuming the answer is no since it is more of a commuter school. How are the shuttles running to and from the metro? How late do they run? Are Loyola students able to get any discounts on metro passes, over and above the $36 a month metro offers students?

How are the cafeteria options?

[NoleinNY]

Thanks. Very helpful response.

Does the law school have a gym? I'm assuming the answer is no since it is more of a commuter school. How are the shuttles running to and from the metro? How late do they run? Are Loyola students able to get any discounts on metro passes, over and above the $36 a month metro offers students?

How are the cafeteria options?

No gym ( ) but they do offer a discounted rate for Gold's, which has a Downtown location (works out to be $35 a month with discount); it is right next to the Metro station, so if a) you have time in the middle of the day and b) you don't want to drive, you can take that shuttle to and from the gym. You can walk or bike the distance (I know people who have done it), but it takes a while and cuts through the ghetto; on the plus side, you get your cardio in... Also, I think we have free access to the main campus's gym, but that's the other side of town, near LAX/Marina Del Ray. That shuttle runs regularly up until around 3/3:30 and then you have to personally request it after that up until a certain time (I'm not sure when it stops, off hand). Not sure about additional Metro discounts, as I drive to school.

LLS does offer a carpool discount if you're interested; half price parking pass for 2 people and free parking for 3+ carpoolers. Honestly, I would love better access to mass transit and would gladly take the metro to school if I live near one of the lines next year.

Cafeteria is pretty reasonable when it comes to "real food." There is a special salad section (read: big cobb, fiesta, bbq chicken, etc. salads), a standard salad bar, a sandwich station (with a new and generally tasty special each week along with standard fare), a Mexican station (it's OK, but at least it offers choice of flour or wheat tortillas), a special of entree, pizza section, and 2 soups. Breakfast is also served until 11 and is pretty good for the price. Barring an emergency, however, avoid anything in the pre-prepared foods and drinks cabinet; prices are a bit ridiculous, bordering on exorbitant. $2.95 for a rockstar wtf?

There is a coffee stand in the courtyard that serves espresso drinks at around the same price as Coffee Bean / Starbucks (it actually may be a bit cheaper, but I don't go out for coffee enough to notice) and a coffee vending machine that is dirt cheap ($1 cappuccinos). Last semester, we had free coffee sponsored by WestLaw twice a week; not sure if/when it will start up again.

That said, there are plenty of opportunities to get free food on campus if you pay attention, including club-sponsored events, informational meetings, etc.; additionally, if you are willing (or genuinely want to) listen to faculty lectures, every thursday there are faculty workshops that always serve the best food during lunch time.

EDIT ABOVE: The LMU main campus gym isn't free, but it is dirt cheap; like $65 for a semester or $130 for a full year ($10.84 per month). Or you can just buy a pull up bar and work out at home.

[originalmutt]

What is the first year schedule typically like?

[NoleinNY]

Class wise or day to day? The latter depends on your style. I know some people who do a little studying during the breaks between classes and light stuff at home and chill. Others who socialize in school and work after. Mine (on a good week) is wake up early, shower, eat, drive a half hour to school, barely make it on time, do a little reading, go to another class, eat (maybe study too if there are no free food events and I don't run into friends of mine), go to class, come home, do work, take a break (maybe gym if I couldn't go downtown?), more work, and go to bed. Kinda hard to pinpoint exactly how much time I spend on "studying." Last semester, counting time between classes, I'd estimate maybe 4-5 hours on a productive day. I plan on taking a more disciplined, efficient, time intensive (oxymoronic much?) approach this semester because I have fewer fun distractions and more responsibilities (family issues, 1L job hunt!).

[originalmutt]

Sorry, should have been more specific. Day to day. What time are 1L classes generally?

[NoleinNY]

Sorry, should have been more specific. Day to day. What time are 1L classes generally?

Generally, of the 4 Day sections, there are 2 groups of similar schedules. This year, those groups are 1/4 and 2/3; no promises this will be the same next year. Each section has block scheduling, so only certain classes meet at certain days (Contracts WRF, Torts MW, etc.)

1/4 have an 8AM class that meets 3 times a week; the upside is the latest these sections are expected to stay on campus is 3:15.

2/3 get to wake up later, earliest class being 9:30. However, they have some classes that stay until almost 5:30pm.

2 examples from last semester:
Section 1:
8-9:40 MTW
10:15-11:45 MW
10:15-11:15 TR
1:15-3:15 TR
1-3 F
Section 2:
9:30-10:45 MW
10-11 TR
1-3 TR
3:50-5:30 MTR
9:30-11:30 F

Legal Writing is typically held either on M, W, or F.

As you can see, certain days are packed together, whereas others have decent gaps in them. In those gaps is when you find a lot of students either a) studying or b) socializing. Occasionally people will venture off campus to do things like eat, make appointments, go to the gym, etc. There is more incentive, imo, for people in the late sections to do more studying during the day because they have less time at night. Unless there is a memo due soon or a midterm, you're more likely to catch the early arrivals taking a breather (except lunchtime, when almost everyone socializes unless they personally need to catch up).

After school is over, like I said, it is up to personal preference of how to allocate time and study. I know some people who just crack open the books the moment they get home and stop at a certain time (dinner time, or before prime time) where as others like to relax and hit the books later in the evening. I used to be the latter, but am moving to the former. There is the third option - people who stay in the library every day after class for hours before going home - but these are few and far between unless there are exams coming up.

Thursday nights are when the student government arranges "Bar Reviews" (aka the law school collectively goes out to bars/clubs at discounted rates). Last semester, section 4 was lucky because they only had 1 class on Fridays, in the afternoon; thus, you could drink and sleep in and still make it to class (in theory).

[Judge Philip Banks]

The library seems pretty big. Is there ever a problem finding a quiet and not distracting place (or a place period) to study there, especially during exam season?