Yale 1Ls/2Ls/3Ls Taking Questions Forum

[tikiman6]

As a 2L, what would you think of transferring in? Would you lose a great deal of the overall experience from spending your 1L elsewhere?

[tinman]

Have you met Amy Chua? (what's she like?)

Real question, do you feel that your classmates are truly exceptional intellectually or are there some people you consider rather surprising (because their are not that smart)to see at YLS?

Do people at YLS all come in with super interesting experiences? Or are the majority of the people pretty much the same in most aspects? (Just want to know your impression of things)

haha. I have met Amy Chua, but I don't know her well. She is definitely not a tiger teacher (she has a reputation as being a professor who is an easy grader).

People here keep surprising me with how smart they are. I just read the model exams for a final I have to take this week. They were amazing. I definitely cannot match that. YLS is frustrating because everyone seems to have the same skills. And it also strikes me as not very diverse in terms of backgrounds. But I'm coming from another graduate program that was > 50% international students.

But there are some amazingly smart and interesting people here. And the professors are amazing. I think the proportion of people coming in with amazing experiences may be high relative to most law schools but will be low relative to Ph.D. programs and perhaps business schools.

[tinman]

As a 2L, what would you think of transferring in? Would you lose a great deal of the overall experience from spending your 1L elsewhere?

you loose the first semester here, which is the best part!

But people who transfer in seem to do very well. The 2L transfers here are super gunners. I don't know about there grades, but I think they definitely do above average, especially in the issue-spotting arena where they have already proved themselves.

A lot of transfers also make in on Journal, for what that's worth: we had a bunch bluebook on in the fall, a couple "note" on this spring, and I would not be surprised if a couple more bluebook on this spring (2Ls can try out for the journal 2L spring).

Not sure how they will do in clerkship process, but none seemed to have trouble finding firm jobs, and I think they greatly increased their chances in academia/politics by transferring.

[delusional]

This question is weird but true. I have a friend who is a 4.0 from a mediocre school, 180 LSAT. Does he have a better shot than most at getting in, or are even the most delightful numbers simply sufficient to be included in the crap shoot?

[tinman]

This question is weird but true. I have a friend who is a 4.0 from a mediocre school, 180 LSAT. Does he have a better shot than most at getting in, or are even the most delightful numbers simply sufficient to be included in the crap shoot?

I don't know. Some students get auto-admitted. Not sure the criteria for that, but I think a bunch of those are the 180s (I actually know two friends who were autoadmitted [meaning they didn't go to faculty review--unlike HLS I don't think they actually run an algorithm here] and have 180s; and only one other friend who I know got a 180 and not sure whether he was autoadmitted). If they are not auto-admitted, then have to survive faculty review. I can see faculty here be less impressed with a 4.0/180 from a mediocre school then someone with a 3.8/174 from MIT with publications and years of work experience. But who knows? That part is definitely unpredictable.

So basically, some people do escape the admissions crap shoot, and the 180 may have put your friend in that category.

[angua]

I don't know. Some students get auto-admitted. Not sure the criteria for that, but I think a bunch of those are the 180s (I actually know two friends who were autoadmitted [meaning they didn't go to faculty review--unlike HLS I don't think they actually run an algorithm here] and have 180s; and only one other friend who I know got a 180 and not sure whether he was autoadmitted). If they are not auto-admitted, then have to survive faculty review. I can see faculty here be less impressed with a 4.0/180 from a mediocre school then someone with a 3.8/174 from MIT with publications and years of work experience. But who knows? That part is definitely unpredictable.

So basically, some people do escape the admissions crap shoot, and the 180 may have put your friend in that category.

How do you actually know which of your friends went through faculty review vs. got an auto-admit?

[tinman]

I don't know. Some students get auto-admitted. Not sure the criteria for that, but I think a bunch of those are the 180s (I actually know two friends who were autoadmitted [meaning they didn't go to faculty review--unlike HLS I don't think they actually run an algorithm here] and have 180s; and only one other friend who I know got a 180 and not sure whether he was autoadmitted). If they are not auto-admitted, then have to survive faculty review. I can see faculty here be less impressed with a 4.0/180 from a mediocre school then someone with a 3.8/174 from MIT with publications and years of work experience. But who knows? That part is definitely unpredictable.

So basically, some people do escape the admissions crap shoot, and the 180 may have put your friend in that category.

How do you actually know which of your friends went through faculty review vs. got an auto-admit?

Based on the speed of admission. They are outliers in that they were accepted quickly after applied. It's possible that my identification is wrong (and their self-identification), and that their three faculty reviewers just happened to be lightning fast.

[angua]

In order to park on the street in New Haven, is it necessary to get a parking permit from the city? If so, I'm guessing you also have to have a CT license plate -- is that right?

[roranoa]

This is a stupid question but,

how long did you study for the LSAT? 1 month? 2 months? 3 weeks?

[tinman]

In order to park on the street in New Haven, is it necessary to get a parking permit from the city? If so, I'm guessing you also have to have a CT license plate -- is that right?

I don't think you need a CT license, but residential parking is usually specific to where you live. For example, if you live in East Rock, you will be able to park near your home (I think you just have to prove your residency). People who live downtown generally pay for parking spaces in lots.

[tinman]

This is a stupid question but,

how long did you study for the LSAT? 1 month? 2 months? 3 weeks?

I took a 1-month Kaplan course and did most of the work for that (including the 3-4 full length practice test they scheduled in that month). I studied logic games a bit on my own (skimmed the LG Bible and did some additional LG sections)--maybe one week of studying total on LGs. I was an anomaly among high scorers all along in that LGs was my weakest section (I think most people who score above 170 get 0 or 1 wrong on LG consistently). I think I missed five questions on the actual LSAT and three were on LGs.

[brownpride]

How generous is the need-based aid? What criteria are used to determine one's eligibility and the amount one receives?

[angua]

Another question -- should incoming 1Ls be shaking in terror at their job prospects for summers and on graduation? Or are things more or less not so terrible for YLS grads?

[notanumber]

This is a stupid question but,

how long did you study for the LSAT? 1 month? 2 months? 3 weeks?

YLS 0L, but:

I self-studied for about 2 months using old tests that I stole from friends and the local public library. I also looked at a couple of the LSAT books that were in the library, but they didn't jive with my style. I'm sure that structured courses work great for people, but for a variety of reasons they're not my thing.

Like Tinman, logic games were far and away my worst section (I blame my intense humanities education) Spending time figuring out a consistent, quick, and accurate notation system was the best time I spent on the LSAT. Taking the timed practice tests was essential, but it was the slowly dissecting logical notation in all the various "forms" of games that really allowed me to kill that wretched thing.

Dunno about the autoadmit thing but I was in review for quite some time and have an LSAT and GPA at or above Yale's 75% (though I had neither a 4.0 nor a 180). I suspect the auto admit procedures are more about ensuring diversity (broadly construed) than about getting top-notch numbers. I know at least one person IRL who has similarly great numbers who was not admitted to YLS.

I also got a very good need-based aid package, but I'm old and poor. YMMV.

Another question -- should incoming 1Ls be shaking in terror at their job prospects for summers and on graduation? Or are things more or less not so terrible for YLS grads?

I want to know the answer to this from any current students.

Also, RE: Dr. Who. We need to find somebody with cable and a television next year.

[angua]

Also, RE: Dr. Who. We need to find somebody with cable and a television next year.

+1,000,000

[dreakol]

anybody have Kahan for criminal?

[jim-green]

For science majors who want to do patent law, do the DC patent law firms recruit on campus?

[SuperCool23]

I was wondering how are minorities represented on campus and in the community?

[thederangedwang]

For those Yale students here who also got into Harvard...whyd you choose yale over harvard? maybe a few specific reasons....thanks!

[Neatrends]

How would you rate the doucheyness factor on campus?

[pereatmundus]

YLS 1L here. This forum was quite helpful to me when I was applying/deciding, so I'll put in my few cents.

I was wondering how are minorities represented on campus and in the community?

Very well represented. Both in the affinity groups and in the school as a whole.

For those Yale students here who also got into Harvard...whyd you choose yale over harvard? maybe a few specific reasons....thanks!

Almost all of us got into Harvard and I don't know that many people for whom it was a difficult choice to go here over there. When I was making the decision, I asked HLS to put me in contact with a student who had turned Yale down. The deciding factor for him, when you got the base of it, was that he didn't like YLS's political liberalism. I haven't spent much time at HLS or SLS but my impression is that our rap for liberalism is well-earned. That's not to say there are no conservatives, because the FedSoc is quite active (after all it was founded here). In fact, Justice Thomas met with them yesterday. It's just the median student is probably to the left of the median student elsewhere. A corollary of that is that there is a lot more emphasis on public service over law firm work. But then of course most of us end up working for firms in the end, and from what I've heard we have an easier time getting firm jobs than Harvard kids.

Another issue is New Haven. There's not a lot I can say about that--it's either a dealbreaker for you or it's not. Safety isn't a concern if you're smart and the food is great, but it's nothing on Boston. That said, New York is a feasible day trip from here.

Our grading system is another difference. My friends at Harvard are currently freaking out about exams, because their first term is graded. By contrast, ours is not, and all of my friends are partying. Even when grades kick in next term, our classes give out more honors than Harvard's, and all else equal YLS students seem to have an easier time getting jobs than HLS students. The only problem, as I have noticed, is that when you're a 1L applying to summer jobs, you won't have a meaningful transcript to give potential employers (every first term class will just show "credit"), and this will sometimes flummox them.

Speaking of classes, Harvard has many, many more classes. So if you're interested in specialized fields, you're more likely to get the class you're interested in at Harvard. Then again, because Harvard is the largest full-time law school in America, the classes are larger. YLS professors are very open to meeting with students individually and every student has to write two significant papers one-on-one with faculty, so I would say you get a more intimate teaching experience. Our small groups, for example, are 16-18 students instead of HLS's 60+ or however big they are.

Those are just a few of the considerations and differences that come to me off the top of my head. In my (perhaps biased) opinion, Harvard only makes sense over Yale if you have particular, unusual characteristics--i.e., you want to practice in Asia where HLS's name is more prestigious, or you absolutely hate New Haven, or you really want to focus on family law and YLS doesn't have any classes on that.

How would you rate the doucheyness factor on campus?

I would say there is not very much. At least to me, YLS is one of the less douchey, fratty law schools that I have seen. Most everyone is pretty chill, even humble in a way.

[ladybug89]

When I was making the decision, I asked HLS to put me in contact with a student who had turned Yale down. The deciding factor for him, when you got the base of it, was that he didn't like YLS's political liberalism.

Interesting idea! Who did you ask at HLS to put you in contact with that guy?

[pereatmundus]

When I was making the decision, I asked HLS to put me in contact with a student who had turned Yale down. The deciding factor for him, when you got the base of it, was that he didn't like YLS's political liberalism.

Interesting idea! Who did you ask at HLS to put you in contact with that guy?

I can't remember exactly. I think it was the admissions director. I seem to remember he asked me if he could put me in touch with anyone at HLS who could help me reach a decision.

[Ohiobumpkin]

So, is it true about the "Yale Thing"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NyzQwwO ... =fvwp&NR=1