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

[Nogameisfair]

I have a question regarding transportation. I'm trying to create budgets for my different options -- I'm assuming you don't (or most don't) have a car in DC and rather use the metro. What would you say is the average monthly cost of using the metro I tried to look up if there were student passes and there don't seem to be. Do you pay by individual fare? Thanks!

I had a car for my first two years. It is manageable if you want. This year I turned it in for a bicycle, which in conjunction with a Zipcar account, is probably the best option if you live in the District. Zipcar has a special offer for Georgetown students for 25 bucks a year plus the hourly costs.

I really don't use the metro very often. I probably use less than $10 per month on individual fares. First two years, I lived farther away and used probably $80-100 a month. There is no student pass for college or grad students unfortunately, and it is one of the most expensive light rail systems in the country. You can look up the individual fares on wmata.com. They vary by distance traveled, so your cost will depend on where you live in relation to school, internships, nightlife.

[Marionberry]

I think this may have been asked before, and possibly even by me, but is there available garage parking on or next to campus for a daily fee? As much as I would hate to do it, it might be less expensive to live a little further away and just pay for parking every day.

[noona]

I think this may have been asked before, and possibly even by me, but is there available garage parking on or next to campus for a daily fee? As much as I would hate to do it, it might be less expensive to live a little further away and just pay for parking every day.

There is a very helpful guidebook for GULC part time students, dated June 2009, that has the information below. (I don't remember where I found it, but it should still be online somewhere.)

Georgetown Law has very limited on campus parking and student spaces. Thus, the student spaces are often full even after 5:30 p.m. when part time students arrive. Currently, the student day parking fee is $7.00 before 5:00 p.m. There is no charge after 5:00 p.m. Beginning in January 2010, the student day parking fee will be $7.25.

Currently, tickets must be purchased ahead of time and pricing is subject to change. You may buy tickets from the parking office (154 McDonough Hall), Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. during the academic year or 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. during the summer. All student vehicles parking in the garage must be registered with the parking office and have Georgetown Law issued hangtags visible at all times. This will avoid any unnecessary tickets. You will also have the opportunity to purchase parking tickets during orientation. Please note that there will be changes to the parking procedures and policies that are expected to be implemented in mid to
late summer 2009. Please watch for more information from the Parking Office.

Georgetown Law’s garage under McDonough Hall is entered from F Street. Parking in the garage is free weekdays after 5:00 p.m. and all day on the weekends. You must obtain special permission to leave your car overnight. You must use your GOCard in order to gain access to the garage when no attendant is on duty.

The parking garage fills up quickly MondayThursday. If you cannot make it in by 8:30
a.m., you will likely not obtain a parking spot. However, starting at 5:00 p.m., students can park in the faculty and staff areas as well so parking for evening students is rarely a problem.

Students also park at meters on the streets surrounding Georgetown Law. Be sure to pay the meter. Enforcement officers ticket heavily in the area surrounding Georgetown Law right up until 6:30 p.m. after which you don’t have to pay the meter.

[Nogameisfair]

I think this may have been asked before, and possibly even by me, but is there available garage parking on or next to campus for a daily fee? As much as I would hate to do it, it might be less expensive to live a little further away and just pay for parking every day.

There is a very helpful guidebook for GULC part time students, dated June 2009, that has the information below. (I don't remember where I found it, but it should still be online somewhere.)

Georgetown Law has very limited on campus parking and student spaces. Thus, the student spaces are often full even after 5:30 p.m. when part time students arrive. Currently, the student day parking fee is $7.00 before 5:00 p.m. There is no charge after 5:00 p.m. Beginning in January 2010, the student day parking fee will be $7.25.

Currently, tickets must be purchased ahead of time and pricing is subject to change. You may buy tickets from the parking office (154 McDonough Hall), Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. during the academic year or 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. during the summer. All student vehicles parking in the garage must be registered with the parking office and have Georgetown Law issued hangtags visible at all times. This will avoid any unnecessary tickets. You will also have the opportunity to purchase parking tickets during orientation. Please note that there will be changes to the parking procedures and policies that are expected to be implemented in mid to
late summer 2009. Please watch for more information from the Parking Office.

Georgetown Law’s garage under McDonough Hall is entered from F Street. Parking in the garage is free weekdays after 5:00 p.m. and all day on the weekends. You must obtain special permission to leave your car overnight. You must use your GOCard in order to gain access to the garage when no attendant is on duty.

The parking garage fills up quickly MondayThursday. If you cannot make it in by 8:30
a.m., you will likely not obtain a parking spot. However, starting at 5:00 p.m., students can park in the faculty and staff areas as well so parking for evening students is rarely a problem.

Students also park at meters on the streets surrounding Georgetown Law. Be sure to pay the meter. Enforcement officers ticket heavily in the area surrounding Georgetown Law right up until 6:30 p.m. after which you don’t have to pay the meter.

This all seems accurate. Parking was never an issue for me, but it seems expensive to do it everyday. It's a great option to have in a cinch though. The $7.25 price is better than you will get almost anywhere, and the ability to park for free at night and on the weekends is great.

[gunner3]

Hey so I'm going to be visiting GULC on April 27th or 28th. Is there anything you suggest I do or see while I'm there? Are there any good 1L classes I could attend? Thanks.

[Nogameisfair]

Hey so I'm going to be visiting GULC on April 27th or 28th. Is there anything you suggest I do or see while I'm there? Are there any good 1L classes I could attend? Thanks.

I'm assuming you're asking for things to do or see at the school, but I think you should also check out the town while you're here.

I'm not sure what the 1L schedule is like. But I would check out the Section 3 classes if you're interested in the alternative curriculum. If Gary Peller is having a class, definitely see that, he's one of my favorite professors. Dan Ernst for property is also great. In terms of upper-level courses, you could come to Professor Spann's Con Law II class on the 27th at 9am in McDonough 201. He puts on a pretty good show.

Definitely do a tour of the school. There are four buildings on the campus so there are some great places to see (I personally love to take people up to the 12th floor of Gewirtz). The gym is also a strong selling point of the school, so check out the pool, jacuzzis, basketball and racquetball courts, etc.

In terms of the town (assuming you're unfamiliar with D.C.), I'd check out the H Street nightlife. H Street Country Club is a lot of fun (drunk minigolf). Students also go out on U Street or Dupont. Ben's Chili Bowl (U Street) is great for late night eats with disgusting grease. If you want to go healthier, Amsterdam Falafel is pretty great (Adams Morgan on 18th Street). If you're around on saturday morning you should get crepes in Dupont or go for brunch (I like Leopold's in Georgetown, but it is a bit pricey). Beacon Bar & Grill has a solid brunch with unlimited mimosas in Dupont.

[sanetruth]

This is kind of addressed above, and maybe somewhere else in the thread, but not specifically, so here goes:

I visited GULC recently and I got the impression that it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I also looked at GW, and the area around GW was really buzzing, close to stores/restaurants/bars and generally pleasant. When I went to GULC, I had to practically wade through a shanty town before getting on campus. I didn't see a single establishment within sight, and the area just seemed really dead and downtrodden. So, my questions are:

1) is georgetown really in the middle of nowhere? or did I just not see the right 'side' of it. where are the closest places to eat/go out?

2) where do most law students live. in other words, within walking distance? or does everyone commute?

3) if gulc really is in the middle of nowhere, are you content commuting to school and/or spending 99% of your time on the pod-like campus? what, if any, are the upsides to the location and campus of GULC?

Again, if this is addressed somewhere else feel free to point there, i just kind of wanted to rant/ask my specific Q's.

I know this is stuff i should have found out on a tour, which leads me to another beef i have with GULC: tours were only offered once a week up until a week or two ago. every other school i've looked at offers daily tours even during exam time. also, the admissions office was very unfriendly when i asked if i could walk around by myself.

[Marionberry]

This is kind of addressed above, and maybe somewhere else in the thread, but not specifically, so here goes:

I visited GULC recently and I got the impression that it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I also looked at GW, and the area around GW was really buzzing, close to stores/restaurants/bars and generally pleasant. When I went to GULC, I had to practically wade through a shanty town before getting on campus. I didn't see a single establishment within sight, and the area just seemed really dead and downtrodden. So, my questions are:

1) is georgetown really in the middle of nowhere? or did I just not see the right 'side' of it. where are the closest places to eat/go out?

2) where do most law students live. in other words, within walking distance? or does everyone commute?

3) if gulc really is in the middle of nowhere, are you content commuting to school and/or spending 99% of your time on the pod-like campus? what, if any, are the upsides to the location and campus of GULC?

Again, if this is addressed somewhere else feel free to point there, i just kind of wanted to rant/ask my specific Q's.

I know this is stuff i should have found out on a tour, which leads me to another beef i have with GULC: tours were only offered once a week up until a week or two ago. every other school i've looked at offers daily tours even during exam time. also, the admissions office was very unfriendly when i asked if i could walk around by myself.

Based on my visit and apartment hunt, it's not in the most buzzing part of town, but there's life nearby. There's Chinatown to the west, the H Street Corridor looked pretty happening, and it's not far from Penn Quarter/Judiciary Square. The immediate vicinity is kind of boring, but you do have the capitol and supreme court.

[sanetruth]

This is kind of addressed above, and maybe somewhere else in the thread, but not specifically, so here goes:

I visited GULC recently and I got the impression that it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I also looked at GW, and the area around GW was really buzzing, close to stores/restaurants/bars and generally pleasant. When I went to GULC, I had to practically wade through a shanty town before getting on campus. I didn't see a single establishment within sight, and the area just seemed really dead and downtrodden. So, my questions are:

1) is georgetown really in the middle of nowhere? or did I just not see the right 'side' of it. where are the closest places to eat/go out?

2) where do most law students live. in other words, within walking distance? or does everyone commute?

3) if gulc really is in the middle of nowhere, are you content commuting to school and/or spending 99% of your time on the pod-like campus? what, if any, are the upsides to the location and campus of GULC?

Again, if this is addressed somewhere else feel free to point there, i just kind of wanted to rant/ask my specific Q's.

I know this is stuff i should have found out on a tour, which leads me to another beef i have with GULC: tours were only offered once a week up until a week or two ago. every other school i've looked at offers daily tours even during exam time. also, the admissions office was very unfriendly when i asked if i could walk around by myself.

Based on my visit and apartment hunt, it's not in the most buzzing part of town, but there's life nearby. There's Chinatown to the west, the H Street Corridor looked pretty happening, and it's not far from Penn Quarter/Judiciary Square. The immediate vicinity is kind of boring, but you do have the capitol and supreme court.

Cool yeah I didn't check out H street corridor, how close is that? Would also like to hear what current students have to say about my original questions

[Marionberry]

Cool yeah I didn't check out H street corridor, how close is that? Would also like to hear what current students have to say about my original questions

About a 10 minute walk. It's kind of a river of gentrification between capitol hill and near northeast, which is pretty hood.

[sanetruth]

This is kind of addressed above, and maybe somewhere else in the thread, but not specifically, so here goes:

I visited GULC recently and I got the impression that it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I also looked at GW, and the area around GW was really buzzing, close to stores/restaurants/bars and generally pleasant. When I went to GULC, I had to practically wade through a shanty town before getting on campus. I didn't see a single establishment within sight, and the area just seemed really dead and downtrodden. So, my questions are:

1) is georgetown really in the middle of nowhere? or did I just not see the right 'side' of it. where are the closest places to eat/go out?

2) where do most law students live. in other words, within walking distance? or does everyone commute?

3) if gulc really is in the middle of nowhere, are you content commuting to school and/or spending 99% of your time on the pod-like campus? what, if any, are the upsides to the location and campus of GULC?

Again, if this is addressed somewhere else feel free to point there, i just kind of wanted to rant/ask my specific Q's.

I know this is stuff i should have found out on a tour, which leads me to another beef i have with GULC: tours were only offered once a week up until a week or two ago. every other school i've looked at offers daily tours even during exam time. also, the admissions office was very unfriendly when i asked if i could walk around by myself.

No response from any current GULC people? I'm not gonna lie my visit was a HUGE turn off because of the reasons stated above, so i'd really like to hear a response. silence just equals one giant shrug from the current student body in my mind.

[Marionberry]

No response from any current GULC people? I'm not gonna lie my visit was a HUGE turn off because of the reasons stated above, so i'd really like to hear a response. silence just equals one giant shrug from the current student body in my mind.

Current students are in finals right now, and most of them probably aren't checking this thread regularly, as it's been kind of dead for a while. I'm sure if you PM a current student you can probably get an answer.

[FlanAl]

are the grade requirements for law review the same for section 3. Also what is the grade cutoff for law review at gtown? thanks

[ChiSoxinDC]

This is kind of addressed above, and maybe somewhere else in the thread, but not specifically, so here goes:

I visited GULC recently and I got the impression that it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I also looked at GW, and the area around GW was really buzzing, close to stores/restaurants/bars and generally pleasant. When I went to GULC, I had to practically wade through a shanty town before getting on campus. I didn't see a single establishment within sight, and the area just seemed really dead and downtrodden. So, my questions are:

1) is georgetown really in the middle of nowhere? or did I just not see the right 'side' of it. where are the closest places to eat/go out?

2) where do most law students live. in other words, within walking distance? or does everyone commute?

3) if gulc really is in the middle of nowhere, are you content commuting to school and/or spending 99% of your time on the pod-like campus? what, if any, are the upsides to the location and campus of GULC?

Again, if this is addressed somewhere else feel free to point there, i just kind of wanted to rant/ask my specific Q's.

I know this is stuff i should have found out on a tour, which leads me to another beef i have with GULC: tours were only offered once a week up until a week or two ago. every other school i've looked at offers daily tours even during exam time. also, the admissions office was very unfriendly when i asked if i could walk around by myself.

No response from any current GULC people? I'm not gonna lie my visit was a HUGE turn off because of the reasons stated above, so i'd really like to hear a response. silence just equals one giant shrug from the current student body in my mind.

As mentioned above, the campus does not have much in the immediate vicinity (save a couple bars and lots of buildings catering to the federal government and courts). However, within walking distance you have Gallery Place/Chinatown and Capital Hill. In general, the social life moves off campus on the weekends. Basically, you use the campus for class, studying, and the gym and go elsewhere to get away from it all.

The location is a mixed bag. You can walk to the Supreme Court for morning arguments and still make it to an 11 a.m. class. And Gallery Place provides many options if you have time for a longer lunch. Georgetown also holds both curricular and extra-curricular events at the nearby courthouses. But if you are looking for a surrounding area that is "buzzing" you should look elsewhere. Personally, I didn't miss it. There was plenty to keep me busy on campus and it was nice to enjoy the town when I wanted a break.

The majority of students live in walking distance to campus - either in Gewirz, Gallery Place, or the Hill. Many choose to live a bit further, such as Dupont Circle or Woodley Park. Some live much further, such as Arlington or Rockville.

[ChiSoxinDC]

are the grade requirements for law review the same for section 3. Also what is the grade cutoff for law review at gtown? thanks

Yes, same for Section 3.

There is no grade cutoff for law review and you cannot just "grade on". The options are:
1) Write on
2) Combination of write on and grades
3) Personal statement

More information on journals is available here:
http://www.law.georgetown.edu/journals/ ... rt2011.pdf

[FlanAl]

hey thanks a bunch! I know 0L prep is pretty discouraged but for section 3's interdisciplinary focus is there anything basic that one should try to get familiar with before they start? LIke brushing up on your Rawls? Or maybe learning a little bit of macro? Thanks again for the help!

[Nogameisfair]

hey thanks a bunch! I know 0L prep is pretty discouraged but for section 3's interdisciplinary focus is there anything basic that one should try to get familiar with before they start? LIke brushing up on your Rawls? Or maybe learning a little bit of macro? Thanks again for the help!

The best prep for §3 is to take a nice long vacation to get ready to sit and read for eight months straight. If you really want you could read up on some philosophy, although the legal philosophy you learn first year is not all that complex. If you haven't taken any economics you might want to do intro macro and micro, just the very basics. To reiterate, I don't think that any preparation would give you a significant advantage.

[Name]

Can you discuss GULC's dominance in the NY market please. How difficult was it for you to get a job in NY? What percentage of your class is going to NY or do they all stay basically in DC? Does GULC have a lot of influence or do Columbia and NYU make GULC not competitive?

Also, is it considered an extra honor to be in curriculum B? Do employers look upon it more favorably? Would you say it was worth the extra work? Is it possible to transfer out if you are in curriculum B and you hate it?

[Nogameisfair]

Can you discuss GULC's dominance in the NY market please. How difficult was it for you to get a job in NY? What percentage of your class is going to NY or do they all stay basically in DC? Does GULC have a lot of influence or do Columbia and NYU make GULC not competitive?

Also, is it considered an extra honor to be in curriculum B? Do employers look upon it more favorably? Would you say it was worth the extra work? Is it possible to transfer out if you are in curriculum B and you hate it?

I had offers at a few firms in and around NYC. I don't think it's hard for Georgetown students to get nyc. There is a solid contingent heading that way. I think a lot of Georgetown students want DC. In past years it's been something like 50% go to DC, 20-30% go to NYC. It's generally easier for any law student to land a NYC biglaw offer than a DC biglaw offer, and I think that's true for Georgetown students as well. As far as comparing us to Columbia and NYU, I have no idea. I do know that my summer class had a ton of students from both schools, and they seemed to have similar honors and whatnot that I have. I'm sure NYU and Columbia place better in NYC (and probably in DC as well). By how much? I have no idea.

Curriculum B isn't exactly an honor. My understanding is that more students ask to be in the section than are placed into it, so there is some selectivity to it. I'm not sure if that makes the curve significantly harder or not. There is definitely more reading, but I don't know that it translates to more work generally. It's hard for me to make a useful comparison, because I didn't interact that much with members from other sections during my first year.

I don't think that employers fully appreciate the difference between the sections unless they went to Georgetown. I think it was a useful way to distinguish myself from other students, and I was pretty successful in getting callbacks and offers.

Finally, I don't know the answer to the transfer question. One girl took a leave of absence before the first set of exams and started over in the standard curriculum the next year. I have no idea what the circumstances for that was.

[Eviix]

I had offers at a few firms in and around NYC. I don't think it's hard for Georgetown students to get nyc. There is a solid contingent heading that way. I think a lot of Georgetown students want DC. In past years it's been something like 50% go to DC, 20-30% go to NYC. It's generally easier for any law student to land a NYC biglaw offer than a DC biglaw offer, and I think that's true for Georgetown students as well.

So if I really am in love with the DC and basically want to live there, practicing law, Georgetown won't have a larger advantage than any other law schools? (I thought region mattered but that's for lower schools, right?)

[Nogameisfair]

I had offers at a few firms in and around NYC. I don't think it's hard for Georgetown students to get nyc. There is a solid contingent heading that way. I think a lot of Georgetown students want DC. In past years it's been something like 50% go to DC, 20-30% go to NYC. It's generally easier for any law student to land a NYC biglaw offer than a DC biglaw offer, and I think that's true for Georgetown students as well.

So if I really am in love with the DC and basically want to live there, practicing law, Georgetown won't have a larger advantage than any other law schools? (I thought region mattered but that's for lower schools, right?)

That's not what I said. If you love DC, there's no reason to put off moving here to go to another school unless it's HYS. Then maybe reconsider.

[Name]

Thanks for the response!

I do not think I will be interested that much in biglaw, but if I wanted to try and get a clerkship in NYC-would that be basically impossible, more so than clerkships already are?

Will incoming 1Ls have a chance to sample the 2 different curricula in order to determine which one is right for us? Your information was super helpful but I am still having trouble trying to decide which one to do.
I like legal theory and philosophy, but I don't know if I want a whole intense year of it. Also I don't want my grades to suffer (and my life) because I am spending all my time trying to complete the reading.

Last Q-- I have read a lot of GULC bashing on this site, though I am relatively new to it. Why is this? I know you personally received many callbacks, but is GULC generally perceived well by both public and private interest? Would you say it is on par with other top 14 schools, or would you put it on the level of BC, BU, GW, Fordham?

Thanks again!

[wiseguy33]

Thanks for this thread!

I know it's a bit early to ask, but I'll be travelling across the country to get to Georgetown, and I was wondering what stuff I should bring/what I should buy there.

Basically, what are the essential items law students at Georgetown need to survive? Anything that would surprise a West Coaster?

[doing_it_in_a_car]

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...

The lack of clinicals sounds like a major drawback to me. Is it standard for schools to offer enough clinical spots to everyone interested?

Also, would you say Georgetown students are mostly congenial and friendly - or mostly hardcore gunners? I know gunners are everywhere, but I'd prefer if gunners weren't the majority.

Thanks very much for providing this information!

[Marionberry]

Anyone know how people did at OCI who bid on Dallas/Houston/Austin(I know this one is a pipe dream, but I'm thinking the other two should be doable)? I get the impression that chances improve considerably once you look at secondary markets.