Columbia students taking questions Forum

[Pragmatic Gun]

I have a question regarding Columbia's international law program. From browsing their website, I learned they offer opportunities to study abroad at other schools for a semester. They even offer paid internships at NGOs around the world and the opportunity to clerk at the ICJ. Perhaps they are simply attempts at attracting students. But I wish to know if they actually lead to meaningful employment for people who take them. Any info would be appreciated!

[jbagelboy]

I have a question regarding Columbia's international law program. From browsing their website, I learned they offer opportunities to study abroad at other schools for a semester. They even offer paid internships at NGOs around the world and the opportunity to clerk at the ICJ. Perhaps they are simply attempts at attracting students. But I wish to know if they actually lead to meaningful employment for people who take them. Any info would be appreciated!

studying abroad via global alliance or getting an international LLM won't lead directly to meaningful employment - people do those after they've gone through OCI. HRIP (human rights internship program) guarantees summer funding/plan fare/ect for 1L's (or 2L's if you skip EIP) to work abroad with a recognized human rights organization; these can lead to post-grad employment, but that's more your own initiative than the schools.

There are a few post-grad funded positions the school offers that can lead to full time employment, such as the collaborative effort with the university at large and the center for human rights in Myanmar. If you research with a professor like Sarah Cleveland there are always opportunities springing up. I don't know how long term these end up being. If you're committed and put in the time, you'll get vouched for and placed at least in something partially funded. A lot of students wind up with combinations of school funding and outside grants like Fulbright ect.: http://web.law.columbia.edu/social-just ... honor-roll

I don't know anyone clerking at the ICJ after graduation specifically, but Columbia sends a few people every summer to the international war crimes tribunals at the hague. We also have very active and highly competitive Jessup (ICJ), Vis (international arbitration) and European Law (ECJ) moot court teams that you can do as a 1L or upper year.

if your question is mostly, "is international law a flame," I would say no, it's a sincere commitment, although it's far more difficult and less direct than getting a firm job at EIP. People like myself who are involved in the international law community here usually still end up doing EIP because it's available and highly secure relative to other trajectories.

[Pragmatic Gun]

Not at all. I would love to work in international criminal law. It is just difficult to break into and I need to know what resources are available to me (in the likelihood Columbia takes me off reserve. Fingers crossed. but retaking the LSAT). What is EIP, by the way?

Edit 1: I want to basically hunt for unicorns within the comfort of a stable job in my desired field.

[Theopliske8711]

Not at all. I would love to work in international criminal law. It is just difficult to break into and I need to know what resources are available to me (in the likelihood Columbia takes me off reserve. Fingers crossed. but retaking the LSAT). What is EIP, by the way?

Edit 1: I want to basically hunt for unicorns within the comfort of a stable job in my desired field.

http://web.law.columbia.edu/career-serv ... ew-program

[jbagelboy]

Not at all. I would love to work in international criminal law. It is just difficult to break into and I need to know what resources are available to me (in the likelihood Columbia takes me off reserve. Fingers crossed. but retaking the LSAT). What is EIP, by the way?

Edit 1: I want to basically hunt for unicorns within the comfort of a stable job in my desired field.

EIP is the "early interview program" at the beginning of 2L, roughly 90% of students participate in any given year and it's how the vast majority of columbia law school becomes employed after graduation - on the order of 80% of the graduating class will end up starting at the job they got through EIP or some EIP-related variant (a different office of a firm that was at EIP).

[waferthinmint]

Saying from experience, Butler Hall allows for dogs.

What is Butler Hall? Is it one of the UAH buildings?

[BigLaw_Lit]

Hey all,

I have two quick questions:

1. How hard is it to get into lenfest if we ranked it 1 on our housing application - will I likely get it?
2. I heard rumblings that CLS instituted a new curve recently that is more forgiving. Does anyone know what it is?

Thanks

[bowser]

Hey all,

I have two quick questions:

1. How hard is it to get into lenfest if we ranked it 1 on our housing application - will I likely get it?
2. I heard rumblings that CLS instituted a new curve recently that is more forgiving. Does anyone know what it is?

Thanks

Corporations Final tomorrow and I Don't wanna study, don't wanna study....

1L curve: 6-11% A's, like 10-15% A- (20-25% A family target); (25-30 % B+ target); (35--40% B target); B- is discretionary. (I may have the B+ and B targets mixed up; one is slightly larger than the other). Something like that I think. It is more forgiving than a couple of years ago, where they capped A family to 25% and targeted 40% B's and you had to give like 5-10% B- or something.

Lenfest isn't that popular so I think you'd get it. It's pretty expensive though; a lot of people don't think it's worth it. There are other studios in UAH housing.

[jbagelboy]

Hey all,

I have two quick questions:

1. How hard is it to get into lenfest if we ranked it 1 on our housing application - will I likely get it?
2. I heard rumblings that CLS instituted a new curve recently that is more forgiving. Does anyone know what it is?

Thanks

Corporations Final tomorrow and I Don't wanna study, don't wanna study....

1L curve: 6-11% A's, like 10-15% A- (20-25% A family target); (25-30 % B+ target); (35--40% B target); B- is discretionary. (I may have the B+ and B targets mixed up; one is slightly larger than the other). Something like that I think. It is more forgiving than a couple of years ago, where they capped A family to 25% and targeted 40% B's and you had to give like 5-10% B- or something.

Lenfest isn't that popular so I think you'd get it. It's pretty expensive though; a lot of people don't think it's worth it. There are other studios in UAH housing.

Just to clarify (since I'm not sure bowser has access to the info as a 2L), the 1L curve is specifically: 6-11% A, 13-19% A-, 30-35% B+ (at least 55% B+ or higher, generally around 60%), 35-45% B or below.

Most professor wind up at around 40% B's, 35% B+, 15% A- and in the single digits for A's and discretionary grades. Some are less generous (I have two profs who grade at basically 45% B or lower, <25% total A or A-, lame), others more generous. Given that B is the most popular grade in every class, they are very common, although median technically falls closer to B+.

[moonman157]

Professors can use 2L curves for electives that are open to all years, correct? How does the 2L curve differ from the 1L curve? Am I making any sense? My brain is completely fried.

[jbagelboy]

Professors can use 2L curves for electives that are open to all years, correct? How does the 2L curve differ from the 1L curve? Am I making any sense? My brain is completely fried.

yea i think its more generous. ur good

how shitty are finals dude..

[Tiago Splitter]

Professors can use 2L curves for electives that are open to all years, correct? How does the 2L curve differ from the 1L curve? Am I making any sense? My brain is completely fried.

All electives should use the upper division curve, which is roughly 15% A's, 25% A-, 33% B+, 22% B. Seminars are even better, with 28% A, 35% A-, 27% B+, and 6% B.

[moonman157]

Professors can use 2L curves for electives that are open to all years, correct? How does the 2L curve differ from the 1L curve? Am I making any sense? My brain is completely fried.

yea i think its more generous. ur good

how shitty are finals dude..

I honestly don't even feel like a real human being right now. This is awful and I cannot wait for it to be over. Congrats on taking your exam today, I'm sure it went well!

[jbagelboy]

Professors can use 2L curves for electives that are open to all years, correct? How does the 2L curve differ from the 1L curve? Am I making any sense? My brain is completely fried.

yea i think its more generous. ur good

how shitty are finals dude..

I honestly don't even feel like a real human being right now. This is awful and I cannot wait for it to be over. Congrats on taking your exam today, I'm sure it went well!

lol you too. I want to do those con law Q's for tomorrow but I can't move from my sofa

[moonman157]

Professors can use 2L curves for electives that are open to all years, correct? How does the 2L curve differ from the 1L curve? Am I making any sense? My brain is completely fried.

yea i think its more generous. ur good

how shitty are finals dude..

I honestly don't even feel like a real human being right now. This is awful and I cannot wait for it to be over. Congrats on taking your exam today, I'm sure it went well!

lol you too. I want to do those con law Q's for tomorrow but I can't move from my sofa

Haha at least take the night off, you've earned it

[drevo]

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[jbagelboy]

I have a "preparing to live by Columbia" question. I've been looking more and more into what's around the Morningside Heights area for everyday living like restaurants, stores, etc. One thing I've been trying to find is if their are any good barber shops near Columbia. Where I live now we luckily have a couple great old school type mens barber shop where you can go in and have a beer with your cut (usually a cut that is heavy on the pomade). I'm trying to find something similar near Columbia via Google and Yelp but there doesn't seem to be much in the immediate area.

For reference of the type of place I mean, I go to this shop now: http://www.leftysbarbershop.com/index.html

So I guess my question is if any of you current Columbia law students know of good barbers around Columbia, or should I expect to do a little commuting. Silly question, I know, but I have to ask.

There's a place on Amsterdam between 105th and 106th (I think, maybe 104th) run by some eastern european and greek gentlemen who speak very little english. They charge $14 and they do a fine job. That's where I've been going since November.

[Theopliske8711]

I am partial to Bedford barbers in midtown near lex and 59, by the 59 st bridge. Figure haircuts are the kind of thing that can warrNt a short trip.

[KingFish]

For reference of the type of place I mean, I go to this shop now: http://www.leftysbarbershop.com/index.html

So I guess my question is if any of you current Columbia law students know of good barbers around Columbia, or should I expect to do a little commuting. Silly question, I know, but I have to ask.

Dude! I used to go there! Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a consistently good haircut here like I could get from Leftys. It's hit or miss, even with the same barbershop. Most of them will do the razor thing for you.

[drevo]

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[kartelite]

How attractive are the guys?

I would say on the whole it is a surprisingly attractive group of people. Law students have a reputation for being horribly unattractive, so I came in with fairly low expectations of what everyone would look like, but I would say that the people here are really good looking.

FWIW, Columbia Business School was the only program I applied to that required (I think) you to upload a picture as part of your application. Not that that would necessarily affect the law school...

[Theopliske8711]

It's kind of weird to ask about the attractiveness of the student body given that CLS isn't in a small town. You have all of NYC as your playground.

[smdpnp]

Anyone know where I can get a cheap air conditioner? I'm also looking for a cleaning service, if anybody has one to recommend.

[iamgeorgebush]

anyone know some good (i.e., affordable) storage options around CLS?

[piccolittle]

Anyone know where I can get a cheap air conditioner? I'm also looking for a cleaning service, if anybody has one to recommend.

Amazon or fellow students for the AC? I have two units I might be interested in selling.

Joanna's Cleaning Service (Yelp link) is $20 an hour, and they generally do a good job.