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

[09042014]

do all the IP students have engineering firm work experience? Or otherwise worked as scientists in some lab?

No.

Is this sarcasm?

Nope. One is straight from undergrad, one I know did something unrelated to engineering, one did sorta engineering, and one did USPTO.

A couple were real engineers, a couple have PhDs.

All over the board.

[ahduth]

Holy Jesus, people pay up to live in Streeterville? As students? I always assumed it was like... I guess I never even thought about who actually lived in Streeterville. If I a) actually manage to file my application with NU, b) they accept me and c) I go there, then it will be a 100% Ukrainian Village - Chicago bus lifestyle. I know it's bullshit they yuppified Tuman's Alcohol Abuse Center but come on.

In all seriousness, do you guys do weird shit to the tourists around there? Anytime I'm in that area I somehow get like 2 or 3 martinis from Hugo's rolling, and I never much remember what follows.

River west>Ukranian village. Not as far out, just as cheap, and closer to the blue line.

The problem is the ratio of girls with strollers to girls who traded all their pants in for leggings is waaay higher in River West. I guess that's a personal preference thing for me though.

Chicagoans generally live in Ukrainian Village because it's cheaper than Wicker Park, but still close to all that action. For NU students I'd imagine the Chicago bus seals the deal. Of course I live and die by the CTA - if you're averse to riding the bus, then you're kind of screwed.

[bjsesq]

The problem is the ratio of girls with strollers to girls who traded all their pants in for leggings is waaay higher in River West. I guess that's a personal preference thing for me though.

Chicagoans generally live in Ukrainian Village because it's cheaper than Wicker Park, but still close to all that action. For NU students I'd imagine the Chicago bus seals the deal. Of course I live and die by the CTA - if you're averse to riding the bus, then you're kind of screwed.

I can't stand Wicker Park. For some reason, I just hate hipsters. The first time I got off the blue line at Damen, I saw some late teen/early twenties kid trying to hawk his shitty artwork. As far as the CTA: I'm with you, holmes. 66 is a straight shot to class.

[Holly Golightly]

<3 Wicker Park

[jsong10]

As a person who only took off 1 year before law school (to travel and have bs jobs), I am scared that I will look like an idiot at NU's OCI. How are the job prospects for people with minimal job experience?

[bostonian]

How is parking around the law school? Feasible at all? Should I even bother bringing my car?

Can't speak to right by the law school because I don't live right by the law school, but parking in Chicago is a hassle in general.

It's feasible, I have my car here, you just have to factor it in as a cost. Street parking is cheap (you just need a city sticker) but hard to find in a lot of neighborhoods, plus it'd be a pain in the winter. Garages are probably $100-$250ish/mo depending where in the city. Some apartments have parking deals as part of the rent.

And if you're not intending to use the car but just need it to move here, you can even park it up at the football stadium in Evanston, you just have to move it before games and then move it back. (Parking is free on the UG campus on weekends.)

Someone else will have to fill you in about the parking permit for the downtown campus itself; I know there's a lottery that preferences people living further away but I chose not to get a permit since I didn't intend to commute by car and figured if I was going to look for a lot for permanent storage I'd rather find one that's covered.

I'll jump in here. I live in McClurg (along with about half the class) - in Streeterville, a couple blocks from the school. I have my car here, andp parking in the garage is $245 a month.
The school also has a garage that you can get a parking permit for. Someone recently told me how much it costs; I can't remember what it was but it was surprisingly cheap considering the normal cost of parking around here.

[homestyle28]

I know I have to complete the finaid app to get loans, so I'll slog through it. But...Does NU actually base awards on the quality/compelling narrative in the essays or am I wasting my time agonizing over them (not that I don't have the time, but still)? LSN makes it look like NU likes to give out mainly a handful of large schollys and not spread the wealth around, amiright? Does the whole "we asses based on merit and need" actually pan out? thanks gang!

[bjsesq]

I know I have to complete the finaid app to get loans, so I'll slog through it. But...Does NU actually base awards on the quality/compelling narrative in the essays or am I wasting my time agonizing over them (not that I don't have the time, but still)? LSN makes it look like NU likes to give out mainly a handful of large schollys and not spread the wealth around, amiright? Does the whole "we asses based on merit and need" actually pan out? thanks gang!

I thought it was based of need initially, but then I took a closer look at LSN. Generally, it seems higher GPA with median to above median LSATs get money. This is only speculation, but the pattern appears to be pretty consistent.

[homestyle28]

I know I have to complete the finaid app to get loans, so I'll slog through it. But...Does NU actually base awards on the quality/compelling narrative in the essays or am I wasting my time agonizing over them (not that I don't have the time, but still)? LSN makes it look like NU likes to give out mainly a handful of large schollys and not spread the wealth around, amiright? Does the whole "we asses based on merit and need" actually pan out? thanks gang!

I thought it was based of need initially, but then I took a closer look at LSN. Generally, it seems higher GPA with median to above median LSATs get money. This is only speculation, but the pattern appears to be pretty consistent.

I just assumed those were high achieving but poor kids . Damn my lackluster ugpa and the 1990's from whence it came!

[bjsesq]

I know I have to complete the finaid app to get loans, so I'll slog through it. But...Does NU actually base awards on the quality/compelling narrative in the essays or am I wasting my time agonizing over them (not that I don't have the time, but still)? LSN makes it look like NU likes to give out mainly a handful of large schollys and not spread the wealth around, amiright? Does the whole "we asses based on merit and need" actually pan out? thanks gang!

I thought it was based of need initially, but then I took a closer look at LSN. Generally, it seems higher GPA with median to above median LSATs get money. This is only speculation, but the pattern appears to be pretty consistent.

I just assumed those were high achieving but poor kids . Damn my lackluster ugpa and the 1990's from whence it came!

FWIW, I came from a poor family and got money. You may still have a chance. I just wouldn't bet on it if the GPA is bad.

[09042014]

I know I have to complete the finaid app to get loans, so I'll slog through it. But...Does NU actually base awards on the quality/compelling narrative in the essays or am I wasting my time agonizing over them (not that I don't have the time, but still)? LSN makes it look like NU likes to give out mainly a handful of large schollys and not spread the wealth around, amiright? Does the whole "we asses based on merit and need" actually pan out? thanks gang!

I thought it was based of need initially, but then I took a closer look at LSN. Generally, it seems higher GPA with median to above median LSATs get money. This is only speculation, but the pattern appears to be pretty consistent.

The need based is a myth.

But the merit might depend on quality.

[bjsesq]

I know I have to complete the finaid app to get loans, so I'll slog through it. But...Does NU actually base awards on the quality/compelling narrative in the essays or am I wasting my time agonizing over them (not that I don't have the time, but still)? LSN makes it look like NU likes to give out mainly a handful of large schollys and not spread the wealth around, amiright? Does the whole "we asses based on merit and need" actually pan out? thanks gang!

I thought it was based of need initially, but then I took a closer look at LSN. Generally, it seems higher GPA with median to above median LSATs get money. This is only speculation, but the pattern appears to be pretty consistent.

The need based is a myth.

But the merit might depend on quality.

Pretty much what I concluded on need based. I have no idea what you are talking about on merit. You mean merit might depend on, well, merit?

[09042014]

I know I have to complete the finaid app to get loans, so I'll slog through it. But...Does NU actually base awards on the quality/compelling narrative in the essays or am I wasting my time agonizing over them (not that I don't have the time, but still)? LSN makes it look like NU likes to give out mainly a handful of large schollys and not spread the wealth around, amiright? Does the whole "we asses based on merit and need" actually pan out? thanks gang!

I thought it was based of need initially, but then I took a closer look at LSN. Generally, it seems higher GPA with median to above median LSATs get money. This is only speculation, but the pattern appears to be pretty consistent.

The need based is a myth.

But the merit might depend on quality.

Pretty much what I concluded on need based. I have no idea what you are talking about on merit. You mean merit might depend on, well, merit?

Quality of the essay might factor into it I mean. Because they gave some people money and others none even with similar numbers.

[bjsesq]

Quality of the essay might factor into it I mean. Because they gave some people money and others none even with similar numbers.

Maybe. Maybe even those dreaded soft factors. Not sure, really. I think my essays were shit.

[09042014]

Quality of the essay might factor into it I mean. Because they gave some people money and others none even with similar numbers.

Maybe. Maybe even those dreaded soft factors. Not sure, really. I think my essays were shit.

Yea you are probably right.

[homestyle28]

Quality of the essay might factor into it I mean. Because they gave some people money and others none even with similar numbers.

Maybe. Maybe even those dreaded soft factors. Not sure, really. I think my essays were shit.

Yea you are probably right.

But with miserable chances at merit (barely above 3.0) they're just a creative writing exercise for my own benefit right?

[bjsesq]

Quality of the essay might factor into it I mean. Because they gave some people money and others none even with similar numbers.

Maybe. Maybe even those dreaded soft factors. Not sure, really. I think my essays were shit.

Yea you are probably right.

But with miserable chances at merit (barely above 3.0) they're just a creative writing exercise for my own benefit right?

Probably, but you don't lose much by doing it anyway.

[Holly Golightly]

Quality of the essay might factor into it I mean. Because they gave some people money and others none even with similar numbers.

Maybe. Maybe even those dreaded soft factors. Not sure, really. I think my essays were shit.

I didn't end up getting money, but my essays were fairly decent and they kept me under consideration for aid longer than others when my numbers didn't really merit it. *shrug*

[homestyle28]

Quality of the essay might factor into it I mean. Because they gave some people money and others none even with similar numbers.

Maybe. Maybe even those dreaded soft factors. Not sure, really. I think my essays were shit.

I didn't end up getting money, but my essays were fairly decent and they kept me under consideration for aid longer than others when my numbers didn't really merit it. *shrug*

Yeah. I know I have to do them, and I guess I want to do them well so at least I won't have to hang my head if I ever meet anyone who reviewed my finaid app. But good to know I should have delusions of making someone weep and pour buckets of cash my way.

[patentThis]

Which elective courses are you [1Ls] taking for spring semester?
Do certain electives seem to fill before 1Ls have a chance to register?
What percentage of the class in 1st year elective courses is typically 1L?

[taw856]

Which elective courses are you [1Ls] taking for spring semester?

A lot of people seem to be in Business Associations, CivPro II, First Amendment, Evidence ... probably a few others I'm forgetting.

Do certain electives seem to fill before 1Ls have a chance to register?

Any class that 1Ls can bid on won't be filled before they have an opportunity to bid, though it may be tough to get into a few because of the bid price and the relative lack of bid points you have. You can look at the historical "cost" of classes before you allocate your points so that you can kind of guess how much you'll need to get in. As far as I can tell, you can probably get any class on the list that you want but probably can't get BOTH of two classes that you really want if they're both really popular. I think there were quite a few people though that could have gotten the classes they wanted with 2 bid points total because they actually were looking for classes that didn't fill up entirely and thus might not be curved unless people switch after bidding.

What percentage of the class in 1st year elective courses is typically 1L?

Can only speak to the ones I'm in, but one seems 1L heavy, maybe 75 or 80%, while the other seems more mixed.

[bjsesq]

Which elective courses are you [1Ls] taking for spring semester?
Do certain electives seem to fill before 1Ls have a chance to register?
What percentage of the class in 1st year elective courses is typically 1L?

1. I'll add 14th amendment, corporations, employment law, immigration law, and islamic law.
2. Before a chance to register? No. But going for high points? Yes. See corporations.
3. Pretty much what my compatriot said. One is mixed, one is 1L heavy. I highly suggest 14th for the purposes of reinforcing con law, which is taken in the same semester.

[Holly Golightly]

All I have to say is @ one of bjsesq's classes.

[09042014]

I used two bid points and got islamic law and intellectual property.

Islamic law is 50-50 1L v 2-3L, but that's probably high because that professor taught a 1L class so a bunch of us took it.

[bjsesq]

All I have to say is @ one of bjsesq's classes.