Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions? Forum

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kcdc

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by kcdc » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:01 pm

D. H2Oman wrote:

I think you have absolutely have a real shot, definitely should not be embarrassed for applying.


Good luck!

Thanks! This wait is brutal.

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:08 pm

Marionberry wrote:
bk187 wrote:
Nogameisfair wrote: So, I've had a mostly positive experience, but I'm definitely open to talking about any of Georgetown's issues (and we definitely have our share). Ask away.
Want to weigh in on the issues you considered major?
Oops. I thought I had answered this, but I guess I forgot to hit submit.

Major issues that I've had with the school (I'll try to think of more and update this):

1) The clinical spots are too limited - We have only 300 spots and the program is one of our major selling points. I know many 3Ls who got locked out this year. Most of the spots are given randomly, though a few are given based on “merit.” This merit system is not transparent at all, and I have heard plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that there is a lot more networking involved than actual merit. This is because the directors of each clinic can design the way spots are chosen (from the outside it seesm they have complete discretion). I spoke to the administrator who runs the program and she assured me that they are working on creating more positions. I think that this problem became pronounced because of the economy. People freaking out about jobs wanted to do anything possible to pad their resume and employers really like practical experiences. On a positive note, they did expand the externship program, allowing for more credits to be granted through those activities.
2) Career Services – specifically transparency – My interaction with career services mostly ended once I got my 2L summer associate spot, so this information is old and I hear that they were working on it. They office seemed to not give out adequate information about past student's ability to land firms and their GPA. I thought that they were overly protective of this information that would have been really valuable. They would basically only give you an average GPA for a firm. Further, they haven't given the list of employers and positions that other schools have given (I know Vandy was big on giving placement information for the entire class). I think that we really need to move in that direction so that people have a better idea of what to expect upon graduation.
3) Registrar - they don't even seem to try...
Last edited by Nogameisfair on Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:12 pm

kcdc wrote:
D. H2Oman wrote:
kcdc wrote:I'm applying to 3 part-time programs in DC (guess which), and Georgetown is my first choice. My GPA is very low for GULC, so low that I wouldn't even think I had a shot, except for Georgetown's claim that they look for "interesting people" and that it's "not all about the numbers".

Do you find these claims to be true?

I go to GULC and my UGPA is fucking terrible.

How bad are we talking here>
3.1, 168 LSAT, applied ED to PT program last week. Engineering major, solid undergrad extracurricular experience (won student leadership award senior year), very solid work experience since graduation 2 years ago. Compelling personal statement with insinuations that I've overcome a lot of adversity.

Half of me is embarrassed for even applying, the other half thinks I have a decent shot. I can't stop arguing with myself.
Those are pretty solid numbers! I'd say you are probably wait-list and then in to the PT program. Make sure to let them know that you're very interested. Good luck!

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androstan

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by androstan » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:25 pm

Nogameisfair wrote:
kcdc wrote:
D. H2Oman wrote:
kcdc wrote:I'm applying to 3 part-time programs in DC (guess which), and Georgetown is my first choice. My GPA is very low for GULC, so low that I wouldn't even think I had a shot, except for Georgetown's claim that they look for "interesting people" and that it's "not all about the numbers".

Do you find these claims to be true?

I go to GULC and my UGPA is fucking terrible.

How bad are we talking here>
3.1, 168 LSAT, applied ED to PT program last week. Engineering major, solid undergrad extracurricular experience (won student leadership award senior year), very solid work experience since graduation 2 years ago. Compelling personal statement with insinuations that I've overcome a lot of adversity.

Half of me is embarrassed for even applying, the other half thinks I have a decent shot. I can't stop arguing with myself.
Those are pretty solid numbers! I'd say you are probably wait-list and then in to the PT program. Make sure to let them know that you're very interested. Good luck!
Reading this is a little comforting... I'm in the same position. EDing PT to GULC with a low GPA and good(ish, 169) LSAT with undergrad in hard science and engr and an upward grade trend (3.4 GPA my final year while taking senior level engineering and chemistry coursework and a 3.64 in my chem master's program).

I really hope they take me, I would love to go there.

I noticed GULC doesn't have any sort of IP/patent clinic. Do you think that would make it more difficult to get patent/IP jobs from GULC? Or can you replace an IP clinic with a good IP externship and be fine?

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Thu Jan 13, 2011 6:31 pm

androstan wrote: I noticed GULC doesn't have any sort of IP/patent clinic. Do you think that would make it more difficult to get patent/IP jobs from GULC? Or can you replace an IP clinic with a good IP externship and be fine?
I know so little about the IP/patent market that I wouldn't want to answer this question and risk looking like a complete idiot. I do know quite a few engineer types and they all have jobs lined up in that type of work. I've also heard that GW has a great IP/patent program. I'd suggest talking to people who work in that field and ask what they look for when they hire associates.

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quidestveritas

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by quidestveritas » Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:22 pm

OP, after living in DC for 2+ years if you would have been denied to Georgetown but accepted to GW would you have gone GW to live in DC or would you have gone to another closely ranked(to gtown) school elsewhere ie UVA? I guess I am asking how much does living in DC add to your satisfaction of Georgetown.

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Thu Jan 13, 2011 8:27 pm

quidestveritas wrote:OP, after living in DC for 2+ years if you would have been denied to Georgetown but accepted to GW would you have gone GW to live in DC or would you have gone to another closely ranked(to gtown) school elsewhere ie UVA? I guess I am asking how much does living in DC add to your satisfaction of Georgetown.
Hard to say. I'm not a huge DC fan after living here for two years. I think I would have gone to Vandy with the money. I really liked Nashville for the two days I visited.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by ArchRoark » Thu Jan 13, 2011 8:34 pm

Tagged, may post some questions later as I think of them.

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spaceman82

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by spaceman82 » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:01 pm

I just wanted to say thanks for your response before. It was extremely helpful.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Annie09 » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:05 pm

Thanks for taking questions!

1) What do you wish you'd known your first year that you know now? (This can be Gtown specific or just generally about law school.)
2) Did you live on campus? What are your thoughts about the on-campus dorms?
3) What do you think are the great strengths of Gtown that students should definitely take advantage of?

I'll probably think of more later ...

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:34 pm

Annie09 wrote:What do you wish you'd known your first year that you know now? (This can be Gtown specific or just generally about law school.)
Honestly, most of what I wish I'd known is experiential. I can tell you know what the stress of being on campus during finals is like, and why you shouldn’t let it freak you out, but until you’re there you won’t really understand. I do wish I’d known both how to network with professors and how important it is in terms of clerkships to network with professors. I still haven’t learned how to do that well.

Also, I do wish someone had told me how crappy the economy was going to be, I probably would have stayed at my previous job a year or two longer. On the other hand, with that info I could have shorted some bank stocks and gotten all the money I’d need for school…
Annie09 wrote:Did you live on campus? What are your thoughts about the on-campus dorms
No, I didn't live on-campus. I think the dorms are fine, but I couldn't have done it. I hate the intensity of campus during exams, and I can’t imagine not having an apartment without so many law students running around. The few friends I have who did live in the dorms generally agree with my assessment, although one claims that she loved being so close, so it depends on your personality. The other issue is financial. With so much cheap housing around, I think it makes sense to save the money and live cheaply at least until you know what your job prospects will be.
Annie09 wrote:What do you think are the great strengths of Gtown that students should definitely take advantage of?
Georgetown’s greatest strength is dominating a market with amazing internships and externships. I don’t think there is any other city with the variety and number of internships. I have friends at the Whitehouse, DOJ (tons), USAO, FTC, SEC, ACLU, National Association of District Attorneys, and the list goes on. The result is that if you’re interested in a specialized field, you can build a really strong resume and some great contacts in that field.

Another strength is the diversity of the courses and clinics. I mentioned earlier that our size really makes our course catalogue more full than other schools. If you look at the catalogue you’ll see classes in every imaginable legal field. This is also true of our clinics. I think we now have around 13 clinics and they are in a bunch of different interesting areas. Details here: http://www.law.georgetown.edu/clinics/. Whether or not these possibilities make up for possibly getting hurt in the hiring market due to the large number of grads is an open question.

There are others, our professors for example, but I think the above are the two strengths I’d emphasize.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by musicfor18 » Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:44 pm

Nogameisfair wrote:
No, I didn't live on-campus. I think the dorms are fine, but I couldn't have done it. I hate the intensity of campus during exams, and I can’t imagine not having an apartment without so many law students running around. The few friends I have who did live in the dorms generally agree with my assessment, although one claims that she loved being so close, so it depends on your personality. The other issue is financial. With so much cheap housing around, I think it makes sense to save the money and live cheaply at least until you know what your job prospects will be.
I'll be attending Gtown in the fall, and would love if you could elaborate a bit on the cheap housing options. I have a wife and kid, so living on campus isn't even an option for me, and we'll need to be in a safe area. As a 1L, I suppose being able to get to and from the school in a relatively short amount of time should be a priority, as well. What areas do you recommend that are affordable, safe, and accessible via public transportation?

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:54 pm

musicfor18 wrote: I'll be attending Gtown in the fall, and would love if you could elaborate a bit on the cheap housing options. I have a wife and kid, so living on campus isn't even an option for me, and we'll need to be in a safe area. As a 1L, I suppose being able to get to and from the school in a relatively short amount of time should be a priority, as well. What areas do you recommend that are affordable, safe, and accessible via public transportation?
With a family, I think Silver Spring is a good, safe, cheap place to be. I lived there for the first two years of school. It takes about 15 minutes to get from Silver Spring Metro to Union Station (one of the two Metro stops that service the school). Door to door from my apartment to school was around 30 minutes. Other benefits of SS are cheap parking (my complex had free parking), convenient downtown shopping and eating, and parks for the kids to play. Quite a few Georgetown students live up there, so you wont be alone if you want to form study group close to home.

I don't know Northern Va. as well, but I've heard there are good suburban places out there as well. With kids, I really wouldn't recommend living in any of the cheap neighborhoods in DC... The area I live in now gets a bit shady at night.

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spaceman82

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by spaceman82 » Wed Jan 19, 2011 12:13 am

I have another question actually. GULC is known for not giving out many scholarships and I read somewhere that what they did offer was often merit+need-based instead of strictly merit-based. Have you had any experience with this and do you know if this means that GULC comes out with its scholarship offers later than other schools? I'm sitting on an acceptance and don't know whether to be proactive about asking them for information on scholarships now (a polite e-mail asking about scholarship availability and the timeline for offers) or to wait a bit longer to see if I hear something after they take a look at my FAFSA.

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:42 am

spaceman82 wrote:I have another question actually. GULC is known for not giving out many scholarships and I read somewhere that what they did offer was often merit+need-based instead of strictly merit-based. Have you had any experience with this and do you know if this means that GULC comes out with its scholarship offers later than other schools? I'm sitting on an acceptance and don't know whether to be proactive about asking them for information on scholarships now (a polite e-mail asking about scholarship availability and the timeline for offers) or to wait a bit longer to see if I hear something after they take a look at my FAFSA.
I don't know much about the overall picture for financial aid / scholarships. I applied late, and I let them know soon after my acceptance that I'd be unable to attend at sticker. I think I hinted at money from "peer schools" (Cornell and Vandy). They got back to me fairly quickly with a need-based offer which I felt was pretty generous, although not nearly as generous as Vandy's offer. I think I got my aid offer sometime in May, but I don't know when most people got theirs. I have heard that Georgetown tends to be stingy, but most people I've talked to who asked for money got some. But, this info is all anecdotal.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Marionberry » Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:57 pm

Any current students know anyone in the Criminal Justice or Criminal Defense clinics? I'm really interested in these, as well as in possible employment experiences for people who have been interested in this field.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by tipler4213 » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:34 pm

tag

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by awilson11 » Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:21 pm

tag
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Kabuo

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Kabuo » Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:52 pm

OP, do you feel Curriculum B exams were different than regular LS exams?

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:06 pm

Kabuo wrote:OP, do you feel Curriculum B exams were different than regular LS exams?
I can only compare Curriculum B to my upper-level classes (obviously). Of the first year exams, a few were very similar to the exams I've had as a 2L and 3L. Property and Administrative law were pretty much a standard, issue-spotter exams. Then you also have Legal Justice, which is completely theory and pretty different from any exam you'd have in a substantive law course. Our contracts/torts exams were 24 hour take-homes and heavily theory based. I felt as though it was a good introduction to taking law school exams without all of the terror that some experience.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Marionberry » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:17 pm

Anyone have an opinion on the Gables at City Vista apartments?

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Nogameisfair

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:44 pm

Marionberry wrote:Anyone have an opinion on the Gables at City Vista apartments?
Very expensive, but they are nice and the location is good in relation to school. It's also on top of the local Safeway (supermarket). If you want a similar apartment style but more reasonable check out The Massachusetts House. It's not as convenient for school, but closer to the better parts of the town. I think studios run around $1250/m.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Marionberry » Thu Feb 03, 2011 9:51 pm

Nogameisfair wrote:
Marionberry wrote:Anyone have an opinion on the Gables at City Vista apartments?
Very expensive, but they are nice and the location is good in relation to school. It's also on top of the local Safeway (supermarket). If you want a similar apartment style but more reasonable check out The Massachusetts House. It's not as convenient for school, but closer to the better parts of the town. I think studios run around $1250/m.
well, for the first year at least, I'm willing to pay more to be close to the school. I just found those, and had been looking at the 425 Mass apartments. Any opinion between the two of them?

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Marionberry » Thu Feb 03, 2011 10:16 pm

Also, does anyone have any knowledge of PI or other opportunities related to drug policy? That's really my biggest area of interest, though I know that it may be slim pickins when it comes to opportunities for law students or recent LS graduates.

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Re: Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions?

Post by Nogameisfair » Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:57 am

Marionberry wrote: well, for the first year at least, I'm willing to pay more to be close to the school. I just found those, and had been looking at the 425 Mass apartments. Any opinion between the two of them?
I've never been in that building. It looks really nice, and of course, the location is perfect for school. All of those building nearby have a law school dorm feeling, IMO. I actually recommend living farther from school first year; it helps keep you a bite more sane.

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