NYU 3L Taking Questions Forum

[Detrox]

Been reading over these boards for a while and realize how helpful some of this stuff would have been when I was a 0L. Anyway, I'm bored and doing my hw for a while so I can answer any questions that may be out there.

[RonnyDworkin]

Been reading over these boards for a while and realize how helpful some of this stuff would have been when I was a 0L. Anyway, I'm bored and doing my hw for a while so I can answer any questions that may be out there.

How does the housing lottery work for incoming students, esp. for students who wish to get family housing (i.e., student plus partner)?

[Detrox]

--LinkRemoved-- Should hopefully answer this question well enough for you.

I've lived in dorm housing for the past two years and got my first choice both times (however, I have no experience with things like family housing). Basically you rank your preferences based on room types, which are already predivided based on location/building, and the lottery is conducted as described in the materials.

Not sure if this is the answer you were looking for, but hope it helps anyway.

[ahduth]

Do you have a copy of Professor Barkow's "Homicide Tree"?

[Detrox]

Do you have a copy of Professor Barkow's "Homicide Tree"?

I don't even know what this is. Inside joke I'm missing?

[ahduth]

Do you have a copy of Professor Barkow's "Homicide Tree"?

I don't even know what this is. Inside joke I'm missing?

Naw, she really does have a homicide tree. Just wondering if you were maybe a 2L who had her for Criminal.

[Detrox]

Bump. I'll be checking this regularly, although it may be pointless given the level of apparent interest...

[Yeshia90]

Why did you choose NYU? What distinguishes it from Columbia? What do you wish you'd have known before you enrolled at NYU?

[sven]

Thanks fo doing this! I have 2 basic questions. How did you make your decision to go to NYU? How did EIW go this year?

[freestallion]

I know NYU has a reputation for public interest, but do you feel it's overblown or realistic? Do you know a lot of people doing public interest?

[Tiago Splitter]

Are you from NYC? If not, how has the transition been?

[Detrox]

Why did you choose NYU? What distinguishes it from Columbia? What do you wish you'd have known before you enrolled at NYU?

Basically I wanted to be in NYC and I enjoyed the village and everyone I knew at NYU. I have to say I was influenced by NYU's strength in International Law, but looking back I would not recommend choosing a law school based on that distinction. As for distinctions from Columbia, I'd say location and the type of people are the biggest differences. I just got a more serious business/gunner sense from the Columbia people.

What I wish I had known before I enrolled at NYU? That's a tougher question. Maybe the reality of its prestige being not equivalent to its T6 peers in the minds of alot of law students and firms. I'm still very happy with my choice and will be summering at a V15 so I have no complaints.

Are you from NYC? If not, how has the transition been?

I am not from NYC, but I grew up on the East Coast so I've been here before. Transition hasn't been bad at all. I love the city, I love the transportation, and I love the people. I can't rave enough about it, but I knew I wanted to go to NYC after college since my junior year of undergrad.

[Detrox]

Thanks fo doing this! I have 2 basic questions. How did you make your decision to go to NYU? How did EIW go this year?

I think I answered these decently in my post above. I went to NYU because I wanted to do International Law, I liked the feel of the people at NYU more then Columbia, and I definitely wanted to be in NYC, specifically the village. EIW went really really well for myself and my friends who as far as I know all have offers. I'd say everyone I know in the top 25% had at least 1 V10 offer as well.

I know NYU has a reputation for public interest, but do you feel it's overblown or realistic? Do you know a lot of people doing public interest?

I definitely think its realistic. Almost everyone I knew 1L year was involved with PILC (the public interest law center), and while its requirements can be a hassle, there's a lot of people who found some pretty interesting PI 1L work. By 2L some of those people have started gaining interest in Biglaw etc., but even then I know most of them have long term plans to do public interest or government work. They are taking PI and government type classes and getting career advice accordingly. The one thing I've really liked about NYU is the quality of its career services regardless of whether you're planning for public interest, biglaw, or academia, which is something I could not say for my more "prestigious" undergrad.

Sorry for the late replies on these Q's. Hope the answers are satisfactory, and if not, keep the questions coming.

[sven]

Basically I wanted to be in NYC and I enjoyed the village and everyone I knew at NYU. I have to say I was influenced by NYU's strength in International Law, but looking back I would not recommend choosing a law school based on that distinction.

Thanks a lot! That's very helpful. Just a couple of follow-ups. I'm also interested in the nebulous field of "International Law" and am wondering why you wouldn't recommend choosing a school based on this interest. Does NYU not have a huge advantage over other T10 schools or did you find that you simply ended up changing your interests when you got to school?

Also, you mentioned that NYU isn't seen as prestigious as Columbia or Chicago by some firms. Do you think that this has any real impact on hiring for students that are ranked at median or below?

Thanks again!

[Yeshia90]

For context, Detrox, I just submitted my ED application to NYU. I'm, like, 99.9% positive that this is what I want. Granted, you're in the top quartile of your class, and clearly excelling--but can you speak more broadly to the culture at NYU?

[kaiser]

Basically I wanted to be in NYC and I enjoyed the village and everyone I knew at NYU. I have to say I was influenced by NYU's strength in International Law, but looking back I would not recommend choosing a law school based on that distinction.

Thanks a lot! That's very helpful. Just a couple of follow-ups. I'm also interested in the nebulous field of "International Law" and am wondering why you wouldn't recommend choosing a school based on this interest. Does NYU not have a huge advantage over other T10 schools or did you find that you simply ended up changing your interests when you got to school?

Also, you mentioned that NYU isn't seen as prestigious as Columbia or Chicago by some firms. Do you think that this has any real impact on hiring for students that are ranked at median or below?

Thanks again!

I'm not OP, but I can try and answer your Q as I am also a 2L at NYU fresh off of the recruiting process. Let me start by saying, in NYC itself, the schools are equal for all intents and purposes. Sure, the really old partners went to school at a time when Columbia was elite (as it has always been), but NYU had not yet risen to that level. So that old-time view might still work its way into his mindset. But the vast majority of people who do hiring now are increasingly younger folks. As time passes by, more and more attorneys are moving up in firms with the view of the current reality, rather than that of the past. Outside of the area, I would argue that Columbia/Chicago's name prestige just tends to carry a bit more weight, though I know a bunch of people around median at NYU who will be working in markets far away from NYC. But if you want to work for a big firm in NY, you could pick either Columbia or NYU, and chances are you will be very satisfied. You aren't hurting yourself in any way by picking one over the other. They are both the gold standard for NYC.

I think the reason to not choose based on international law is that there aren't really jobs in this field, and those who actually do this kind of work are the top students from Harvard and Yale. That isn't to say that a law school with international scope and perspective can't be an asset to your education. But I wouldn't expect to parlay this into an actual career in the field. Its not impossible to work in this area, but it is unlikely.

[Detrox]

Basically I wanted to be in NYC and I enjoyed the village and everyone I knew at NYU. I have to say I was influenced by NYU's strength in International Law, but looking back I would not recommend choosing a law school based on that distinction.

Thanks a lot! That's very helpful. Just a couple of follow-ups. I'm also interested in the nebulous field of "International Law" and am wondering why you wouldn't recommend choosing a school based on this interest. Does NYU not have a huge advantage over other T10 schools or did you find that you simply ended up changing your interests when you got to school?

Also, you mentioned that NYU isn't seen as prestigious as Columbia or Chicago by some firms. Do you think that this has any real impact on hiring for students that are ranked at median or below?

Thanks again!

The above poster got it pretty much dead on when it comes to I-Law. In addition I'd say that I've come to find teaching area rankings (i.e. I-Law or Criminal Law) to be suspect. From my experience with international law classes at NYU, the teachers have been mediocre (compared to the stellar faculty I've had in other courses). In addition, the content is similar to most other peer schools. While NYU has speciality options likes the Journal of International Law and Politics as well as some extracurriculars in international law, I really don't think these make all that big of a difference when deciding on something like law school. That being said, I chose NYU in part because of its I-Law reputation and haven't regretted my choice or entirely lost my interest in the area.

[Detrox]

For context, Detrox, I just submitted my ED application to NYU. I'm, like, 99.9% positive that this is what I want. Granted, you're in the top quartile of your class, and clearly excelling--but can you speak more broadly to the culture at NYU?

I'll try. It's difficult without having any real experience at other schools, but I can at least give my opinions based on my expectations as a 0L.

I heard so many horror stories about law school, and the people who go to law school especially. At NYU, I have been extremely relieved to find most, if not all of my fears, to be unfounded. Of course there are one or two gunners and strivers in the classes I've had, but they are by far the exception and not the rule. I've found the people to be extremely personable. Furthermore, I'm not exactly the gung-ho work all day everyday type person, and I have to say I'm pleased to have found a good amount of people like me. Certainly there are extremes at both end of this scale, but everyone tends to go out at least one night a week (generally Thursday night bar review). Some I even see out during finals weeks. In general, whether I'm looking for people to study with, party with, or chill with, I've been pleased to find all kinds (including a good deal of overlap). As for the others, with a class of 400+, it's pretty easy to not have to deal with them outside of class.

Hope this helps, but if I can be specific about some other area of the culture (i.e. study group dynamics or in class dynamics) let me know.

[freestallion]

Thanks so much for the answers! Do most people live in dorm housing like you, or do a lot of people find their own apartments for cheaper elsewhere/off campus? Or is the dorm housing price considered a good deal in NYC?

[Detrox]

Thanks so much for the answers! Do most people live in dorm housing like you, or do a lot of people find their own apartments for cheaper elsewhere/off campus? Or is the dorm housing price considered a good deal in NYC?

I'd say it's a mix. Most 1L's I believe live in dorm housing simply because it's more convenient then having to search for housing on top of starting law school, although this isn't necessarily true about people who grew up in the area. As a 2L, definitely more people find housing around the school area, or more commonly, in Brooklyn.

The dorm pricing is decent, and it varies depending on the size and floor of your room, but I wouldn't say it's outstandingly cheaper then similar housing closeby. It's just nice to not have the hassle of scouring NYC for a decent apartment that you can live in for the scheduled school year.

[ahduth]

Thanks so much for the answers! Do most people live in dorm housing like you, or do a lot of people find their own apartments for cheaper elsewhere/off campus? Or is the dorm housing price considered a good deal in NYC?

I'd say it's a mix. Most 1L's I believe live in dorm housing simply because it's more convenient then having to search for housing on top of starting law school, although this isn't necessarily true about people who grew up in the area. As a 2L, definitely more people find housing around the school area, or more commonly, in Brooklyn.

The dorm pricing is decent, and it varies depending on the size and floor of your room, but I wouldn't say it's outstandingly cheaper then similar housing closeby. It's just nice to not have the hassle of scouring NYC for a decent apartment that you can live in for the scheduled school year.

My impression is that roughly 2/3rds or so of our 1L class live in the dorms. The rental market has been incredibly tight lately - landlords have taken all the incentives off the table, and getting something within walking distance of campus requires a decent bit of footwork (or it did for me anyhow). Throw in the broker's fee (which seemed virtually unavoidable right now unless you can really dedicate a lot of time / are really lucky), and the dorms definitely present a decent option. I probably would have gone that way if I'd gotten a studio, but I think those go to 2Ls and 3Ls mostly.

That being said, I did ultimately find a pretty nice place in Alphabet City / East Village / Lower East Side or whatever this area is called currently. Off-campus folks get lockers which is a big help, and once you get your books cut into smaller chunks you won't have to lug around 2500 pages of casebooks all the time. In addition to Brooklyn, people take places on the Upper East Side and in Harlem, as those markets are cheaper.

[sven]

Thanks so much for the answers! Do most people live in dorm housing like you, or do a lot of people find their own apartments for cheaper elsewhere/off campus? Or is the dorm housing price considered a good deal in NYC?

I'd say it's a mix. Most 1L's I believe live in dorm housing simply because it's more convenient then having to search for housing on top of starting law school, although this isn't necessarily true about people who grew up in the area. As a 2L, definitely more people find housing around the school area, or more commonly, in Brooklyn.

The dorm pricing is decent, and it varies depending on the size and floor of your room, but I wouldn't say it's outstandingly cheaper then similar housing closeby. It's just nice to not have the hassle of scouring NYC for a decent apartment that you can live in for the scheduled school year.

My impression is that roughly 2/3rds or so of our 1L class live in the dorms. The rental market has been incredibly tight lately - landlords have taken all the incentives off the table, and getting something within walking distance of campus requires a decent bit of footwork (or it did for me anyhow). Throw in the broker's fee (which seemed virtually unavoidable right now unless you can really dedicate a lot of time / are really lucky), and the dorms definitely present a decent option. I probably would have gone that way if I'd gotten a studio, but I think those go to 2Ls and 3Ls mostly.

That being said, I did ultimately find a pretty nice place in Alphabet City / East Village / Lower East Side or whatever this area is called currently. Off-campus folks get lockers which is a big help, and once you get your books cut into smaller chunks you won't have to lug around 2500 pages of casebooks all the time. In addition to Brooklyn, people take places on the Upper East Side and in Harlem, as those markets are cheaper.

Does anyone live in Jersey? Hoboken seems nice and convenient..

[kaiser]

I live in NJ. Both Hoboken and Jersey City are super convenient. The train takes about 12 minutes, and the stop is located about 5 minutes from NYU. Not to mention that it costs half of what NYU dorms cost. Definitely a great option that I'm surprised more people don't look into.

[sven]

I live in NJ. Both Hoboken and Jersey City are super convenient. The train takes about 12 minutes, and the stop is located about 5 minutes from NYU. Not to mention that it costs half of what NYU dorms cost. Definitely a great option that I'm surprised more people don't look into.

Thanks. How frequently does the PATH run at night?

[kaiser]

I live in NJ. Both Hoboken and Jersey City are super convenient. The train takes about 12 minutes, and the stop is located about 5 minutes from NYU. Not to mention that it costs half of what NYU dorms cost. Definitely a great option that I'm surprised more people don't look into.

Thanks. How frequently does the PATH run at night?

It runs often at all times. During rush hours, it is every 5 minutes, and usually every 10 min throughout the day. At night, I believe it extends to every 15 min, but it is usually less than that. I don't think I've ever actually waited 15 min for a train except a few times on Saturdays. Best part is that it runs 24 hours a day and is cheaper than a subway ride.