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

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robotclubmember

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by robotclubmember » Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:53 pm

Corwin wrote: It's possible but it's not "ample for food". I've lived off of $40 a week, which works out to about $2 a meal. It's doable, but you definitely have to make an effort and it's not as healthy as you could eat. My usual meals were: breakfast burrito each morning ($0.75 each), PP&J and fruit for lunch ($1.50), beans, rice, onion, and a little bit of chicken for dinner ($2.50) and some snacks throughout the day ($0.50 per).
I'm sorry you had to live that way. I mean, that sounds like prison rations. I hope you're eating better these days :)
Bumi wrote:
Get a job that pays is probably #1. Also, this thing.

Also #3: do something for credit: externship, take a class, whatever. They will give you more loans if you do that.
Thanks! Didn't know about sfpif. Obviously generating income is the best way to feed yourself, but do people seriously work during school? That seems like a terrible idea, and a financially shitty idea in the long-run considering you damage long-term prospects by risking lower grades. Is this troll advice? lol. How many 1L's get paying summer gigs? I'd have to guess no more than 25%, generously speaking.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by bk1 » Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:55 pm

Holly Golightly wrote:
Moo_NW wrote:
Eugenie Danglars wrote: I'm budgeting for twelve months since I don't want to count on a paying job. I am paying $700/month for an apartment ten minutes from school. And if you cook, $170/month is ample for food. I plan on using the "persona" budget for eating out/going out at night/etc.
$700? Where? How?

Also: can I ask NU for an additional $3k in university loans (OWLS)? Do they do it?
Get roommates and don't live in Streetervillr and you can pay less than that. I used to live in a 2-bedroom apt by myself that I paid $800/month for.
Plus it seems like a lot of the non-Streeterville include gas/electric whereas not many of the Streeterville places do.

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Corwin

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by Corwin » Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:59 pm

robotclubmember wrote:
Corwin wrote: It's possible but it's not "ample for food". I've lived off of $40 a week, which works out to about $2 a meal. It's doable, but you definitely have to make an effort and it's not as healthy as you could eat. My usual meals were: breakfast burrito each morning ($0.75 each), PP&J and fruit for lunch ($1.50), beans, rice, onion, and a little bit of chicken for dinner ($2.50) and some snacks throughout the day ($0.50 per).
I'm sorry you had to live that way. I mean, that sounds like prison rations. I hope you're eating better these days :)
Ha yeah, I eat much better now that I work full time. But it's the responsible way to eat when you need to save $$.

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D-hops

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by D-hops » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:01 pm

robotclubmember wrote:
Corwin wrote: It's possible but it's not "ample for food". I've lived off of $40 a week, which works out to about $2 a meal. It's doable, but you definitely have to make an effort and it's not as healthy as you could eat. My usual meals were: breakfast burrito each morning ($0.75 each), PP&J and fruit for lunch ($1.50), beans, rice, onion, and a little bit of chicken for dinner ($2.50) and some snacks throughout the day ($0.50 per).
I'm sorry you had to live that way. I mean, that sounds like prison rations. I hope you're eating better these days :)
Bumi wrote:
Get a job that pays is probably #1. Also, this thing.

Also #3: do something for credit: externship, take a class, whatever. They will give you more loans if you do that.
Thanks! Didn't know about sfpif. Obviously generating income is the best way to feed yourself, but do people seriously work during school? That seems like a terrible idea, and a financially shitty idea in the long-run considering you damage long-term prospects by risking lower grades. Is this troll advice? lol. How many 1L's get paying summer gigs? I'd have to guess no more than 25%, generously speaking.
I think about 10% got paid firm gigs over the summer (most of those come from diversity or pre-existing connections). Most RA gigs are paid at a low rate ($10 an hour?) but some also offer credit so you can take out loans.

I worked part time during second semester of school this year, but I actually wouldn't recommend it.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by bdubs » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:52 pm

Why worry about the budget when Northwestern grads enjoy one of the best standards of living after graduation?

http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/b ... ard-living

8) :-)

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bk1

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by bk1 » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:58 pm

bdubs wrote:Why worry about the budget when Northwestern grads enjoy one of the best standards of living after graduation?

http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/b ... ard-living

8) :-)
What makes a study "exclusive"?

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by bdubs » Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:06 pm

bk187 wrote:
bdubs wrote:Why worry about the budget when Northwestern grads enjoy one of the best standards of living after graduation?

http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/b ... ard-living

8) :-)
What makes a study "exclusive"?
Patented study methodology

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by bjsesq » Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:08 pm

bdubs wrote:
bk187 wrote:
bdubs wrote:Why worry about the budget when Northwestern grads enjoy one of the best standards of living after graduation?

http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/b ... ard-living

8) :-)
What makes a study "exclusive"?
Patented study methodology
I thought it meant only the cool kids got to participate.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by bdubs » Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:16 pm

bjsesq wrote:
bdubs wrote:
bk187 wrote:
bdubs wrote:Why worry about the budget when Northwestern grads enjoy one of the best standards of living after graduation?

http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/b ... ard-living

8) :-)
What makes a study "exclusive"?
Patented study methodology
I thought it meant only the cool kids got to participate.
I like this explanation better. Anything that props up the shaky legs of this study makes me feel like i'm making a good investment

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by Bumi » Thu Jul 14, 2011 5:17 pm

robotclubmember wrote:
Bumi wrote:Get a job that pays is probably #1. Also, this thing.

Also #3: do something for credit: externship, take a class, whatever. They will give you more loans if you do that.
Thanks! Didn't know about sfpif. Obviously generating income is the best way to feed yourself, but do people seriously work during school? That seems like a terrible idea, and a financially shitty idea in the long-run considering you damage long-term prospects by risking lower grades. Is this troll advice? lol. How many 1L's get paying summer gigs? I'd have to guess no more than 25%, generously speaking.
This isn't troll advice. We were talking specifically about how you make more money to support yourself in the summer. That is what I'm talking about. Externships, coursework, and public interest work is going to be a lot more prevalent in 1L summer, and then you'll see a lot of people manage to get paying work for 2L summer.

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IAFG

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by IAFG » Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:50 pm

When I sat between the choice of a shitty $10/hour job or $5k grant for 1L summer and credits, I chose credits. The tiny additional debt was worth the extra time I'll have in the future.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by lawgod » Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:53 pm

IAFG wrote:When I sat between the choice of a shitty $10/hour job or $5k grant for 1L summer and credits, I chose credits. The tiny additional debt was worth the extra time I'll have in the future.
You can't get the money if you are getting the credits.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by IAFG » Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:12 pm

lawgod wrote:
IAFG wrote:When I sat between the choice of a shitty $10/hour job or $5k grant for 1L summer and credits, I chose credits. The tiny additional debt was worth the extra time I'll have in the future.
You can't get the money if you are getting the credits.
...right, which is why I chose credits.

ETA: sorry, I see the source of ambiguity. The choice was $5k grant or $10/hour job vs. credits.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by lawgod » Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:14 pm

IAFG wrote:
lawgod wrote:
IAFG wrote:When I sat between the choice of a shitty $10/hour job or $5k grant for 1L summer and credits, I chose credits. The tiny additional debt was worth the extra time I'll have in the future.
You can't get the money if you are getting the credits.
...right, which is why I chose credits.

ETA: sorry, I see the source of ambiguity. The choice was $5k grant or $10/hour job vs. credits.
I see now. I misplaced the pause in your sentence.

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robotclubmember

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by robotclubmember » Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:47 pm

Bumi wrote:
robotclubmember wrote:
Bumi wrote:Get a job that pays is probably #1. Also, this thing.

Also #3: do something for credit: externship, take a class, whatever. They will give you more loans if you do that.
Thanks! Didn't know about sfpif. Obviously generating income is the best way to feed yourself, but do people seriously work during school? That seems like a terrible idea, and a financially shitty idea in the long-run considering you damage long-term prospects by risking lower grades. Is this troll advice? lol. How many 1L's get paying summer gigs? I'd have to guess no more than 25%, generously speaking.
This isn't troll advice. We were talking specifically about how you make more money to support yourself in the summer. That is what I'm talking about. Externships, coursework, and public interest work is going to be a lot more prevalent in 1L summer, and then you'll see a lot of people manage to get paying work for 2L summer.
Ohhhh ok, I thought you were suggesting to work during school. I don't know a lot about 1L summer options so that helps, thanks

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Eugenie Danglars

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by Eugenie Danglars » Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:24 am

robotclubmember wrote:
Eugenie Danglars wrote:
I'm budgeting for twelve months since I don't want to count on a paying job. I am paying $700/month for an apartment ten minutes from school. And if you cook, $170/month is ample for food. I plan on using the "persona" budget for eating out/going out at night/etc.
you must be a girl if you think $170 a month is enough food to live off of. that or you live off of water and saltines.
Well, I am a girl :-) But I don't live off of saltines. I usually get the Sunday coupon section and plan the week's meals based on what's cheap. Sale on random tough cut of beef? Beef stew for a few meals. Whole chickens on sale? Buy a couple, cut them up, and freeze the parts you don't eat straightaway. Also I go nuts on frozen veggies when they're 10 for $10.

And like I said, the $170 doesn't cover eating out at all- that's a separate budget for me.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by Moo_NW » Sun Jul 17, 2011 11:36 am

How realistic is it to get a law firm job for the summer as a 1L? The orientation brochure mentions a bit under 20% of 1L's get private law jobs for their first summer. The two dominant ways to spend the summer are 'government' (whatever kinds of jobs those are) and 'academics' (the $5k credit/grant thing discussed above, I suppose?).

Would law firm jobs depend on grades/OCI or entirely on connections (i.e. do law firms even interview 1L's for summer internships)?

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robotclubmember

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by robotclubmember » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:07 pm

Eugenie Danglars wrote:
robotclubmember wrote:
Eugenie Danglars wrote:
I'm budgeting for twelve months since I don't want to count on a paying job. I am paying $700/month for an apartment ten minutes from school. And if you cook, $170/month is ample for food. I plan on using the "persona" budget for eating out/going out at night/etc.
you must be a girl if you think $170 a month is enough food to live off of. that or you live off of water and saltines.
Well, I am a girl :-) But I don't live off of saltines. I usually get the Sunday coupon section and plan the week's meals based on what's cheap. Sale on random tough cut of beef? Beef stew for a few meals. Whole chickens on sale? Buy a couple, cut them up, and freeze the parts you don't eat straightaway. Also I go nuts on frozen veggies when they're 10 for $10.

And like I said, the $170 doesn't cover eating out at all- that's a separate budget for me.
Hahaha, where are the best coupons?

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by traehekat » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:18 pm

Does anyone know if students are typically awarded the full amount of COA (including the $$ for computer/health insurance/etc.)? Any difference in transfer awards? I guess I'm worrying that I won't be able to afford McClurg lol.

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Holly Golightly

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by Holly Golightly » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:41 pm

Moo_NW wrote:How realistic is it to get a law firm job for the summer as a 1L? The orientation brochure mentions a bit under 20% of 1L's get private law jobs for their first summer. The two dominant ways to spend the summer are 'government' (whatever kinds of jobs those are) and 'academics' (the $5k credit/grant thing discussed above, I suppose?).

Would law firm jobs depend on grades/OCI or entirely on connections (i.e. do law firms even interview 1L's for summer internships)?
Most of the people I know with firm jobs got them through connections; unless you have something basically set up before you start, I would not count on getting a firm job 1L summer.

However, with government/PI/judicial externships, though, it's not like you're going to starve. You can either get a grant or loans, depending on which route you take. I could have worked a firm job that I had set up from my previous life but instead decided to do an unpaid government internship, take out loans, and get credits for it.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by lawgod » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:42 pm

traehekat wrote:Does anyone know if students are typically awarded the full amount of COA (including the $$ for computer/health insurance/etc.)? Any difference in transfer awards? I guess I'm worrying that I won't be able to afford McClurg lol.
I would take the money for health insurance and buy beer with it.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by bk1 » Sun Jul 17, 2011 2:10 pm

traehekat wrote:Does anyone know if students are typically awarded the full amount of COA (including the $$ for computer/health insurance/etc.)? Any difference in transfer awards? I guess I'm worrying that I won't be able to afford McClurg lol.
They budget 14000 for room and board for 9 months which comes out to 1560/month. If you really wanted to you could probably do a McClurg studio but it would be tight. You also get 1600 in transportation and 2600 in personal money that you could use if you wanted to as well.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by traehekat » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:13 pm

bk187 wrote:
traehekat wrote:Does anyone know if students are typically awarded the full amount of COA (including the $$ for computer/health insurance/etc.)? Any difference in transfer awards? I guess I'm worrying that I won't be able to afford McClurg lol.
They budget 14000 for room and board for 9 months which comes out to 1560/month. If you really wanted to you could probably do a McClurg studio but it would be tight. You also get 1600 in transportation and 2600 in personal money that you could use if you wanted to as well.
Thanks. Can anyone help me with NU's grading scale? Obviously its hilariously inflated, but this is what I'm getting:

3.67 is at minimum 25% and at maximum 37%
4.00 is at minimum 15% and at maximum 22%

Anyone know what median is for 1Ls? Trying to figure out how to bid as a transfer and figure out if its even possible to do it with any rhyme or reason. I'm just going to consider myself somewhere between top third and median for bidding purposes, I think.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by Bumi » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:19 pm

traehekat wrote:Can anyone help me with NU's grading scale? Obviously its hilariously inflated, but this is what I'm getting:

3.67 is at minimum 25% and at maximum 37%
4.00 is at minimum 15% and at maximum 22%

Anyone know what median is for 1Ls? Trying to figure out how to bid as a transfer and figure out if its even possible to do it with any rhyme or reason. I'm just going to consider myself somewhere between top third and median for bidding purposes, I think.
You think between 15% and 22% of the class has a 4.0? Uh, I don't think so. For any given curved class, between 15% and 22% get As, but the same people don't rank the same in every class, so that brings GPAs toward the median.

Check this out: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 0#p2422291

And I'd expect 1L grades to be a bit lower.

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Re: Northwestern Students Taking Questions and Challenges

Post by rayiner » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:32 pm

After 1L, these are good guideposts:

3.9 - top 5% (probably a bit better)
3.8 - top 10% (probably just outside)
3.7 - top 20%
3.6 - top 30%
3.5 - top 40% (probably a bit better)
3.35 - median

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