Pepperdine 3L Taking Questions Again Forum

[Mr. Jones]

What would you say Pepperdine's reputation is nationally? I'm wondering more specifically about its reputation in the South because that's where I'm from, and I'm wondering how easy it would be to return to this region after graduating.

Pepperdine is not a "national" school. I'm sure you've surmised that by now. It is mostly a local school, most of its students end up practicing in Southern CA. However, there are a significant number of alums in the South, particularly Texas. Many of my friends who graduated last year and moved back to Texas have done quite well out there, getting jobs at "elite" firms that they probably couldn't have in LA.

Pepperdine's "sister" Campus is Abilene Christian University, it has professors come visit from SMU periodically, and generally seems to attract a lot of Texans. I think my class is 40% Texans if I remember correctly. So, in Texas Pepp students do well, arguably quite a bit better than they do in LA.

I can't speak for its reputation in other southern states simply because I do not know.

[Razorbackfan19247]

What would you say Pepperdine's reputation is nationally? I'm wondering more specifically about its reputation in the South because that's where I'm from, and I'm wondering how easy it would be to return to this region after graduating.

Pepperdine is not a "national" school. I'm sure you've surmised that by now. It is mostly a local school, most of its students end up practicing in Southern CA. However, there are a significant number of alums in the South, particularly Texas. Many of my friends who graduated last year and moved back to Texas have done quite well out there, getting jobs at "elite" firms that they probably couldn't have in LA.

Pepperdine's "sister" Campus is Abilene Christian University, it has professors come visit from SMU periodically, and generally seems to attract a lot of Texans. I think my class is 40% Texans if I remember correctly. So, in Texas Pepp students do well, arguably quite a bit better than they do in LA.

I can't speak for its reputation in other southern states simply because I do not know.

I knew that Pepperdine is a mostly regional school, but that really interesting that many of its grads do well in Texas too. How is the new dean? What changes have you noticed since she took over?

[Mr. Jones]

What would you say Pepperdine's reputation is nationally? I'm wondering more specifically about its reputation in the South because that's where I'm from, and I'm wondering how easy it would be to return to this region after graduating.

Pepperdine is not a "national" school. I'm sure you've surmised that by now. It is mostly a local school, most of its students end up practicing in Southern CA. However, there are a significant number of alums in the South, particularly Texas. Many of my friends who graduated last year and moved back to Texas have done quite well out there, getting jobs at "elite" firms that they probably couldn't have in LA.

Pepperdine's "sister" Campus is Abilene Christian University, it has professors come visit from SMU periodically, and generally seems to attract a lot of Texans. I think my class is 40% Texans if I remember correctly. So, in Texas Pepp students do well, arguably quite a bit better than they do in LA.

I can't speak for its reputation in other southern states simply because I do not know.

I knew that Pepperdine is a mostly regional school, but that really interesting that many of its grads do well in Texas too. How is the new dean? What changes have you noticed since she took over?

I don't think I've ever interacted with the dean to be honest. Seems that it's business as usual. I don't think a new dean will affect the students' day-to-day lives most of the time.

[Razorbackfan19247]

Thanks for all of you quick responses. What advice would you give to new 1L's about adjusting to life at Pepperdine and about law school in general?

[Mr. Jones]

Thanks for all of you quick responses. What advice would you give to new 1L's about adjusting to life at Pepperdine and about law school in general?

Good question.

Adjusting to top-law-schools.com as a 1L - contrary to what people tell you, I personally think 1L year was the easiest academically speaking since the material seems more straightforward. Of course, that is coming from a 3L looking back at 1L year, so that doesn't do you any good. Adjusting to life as a 1L has its ups and downs. On the scholastic side of things, you will quickly become stressed about midterms/finals/memos/legal writing in general. You will get stressed when you see your peers studying. You will get stressed when you see your peers with a different supplement book than you. You will get stressed if yo miss a day of class. Everything will seem to stress you out. This is perfectly natural, so embrace the suck. Legal writing is a drag, no matter how you cut it, so there's no much advice I can give you there. Regarding your other classes, just relax. Figure out what works for you. For me, it was reading all of the material and briefing it (I still do - even if I do a week or so late), for others its reading the E&E books. Remember that the semester is 14.5 weeks long. You're not going to fail because of things that are happening in the first 4-6 weeks (doesn't apply to legal writing...). So my advice, do the assigned readings, brief the cases, don't bother outlining until two weeks before a midterm, if there is no midterm, start outlining around week 5.5 or 6. Outlining is a long process, you may start at week 6, but it will take you to week 8 to actually get the outlines up to speed. If you're having trouble with the subject matter (i.e. Erie Doctrine), consult supplements. Overall, really try and enjoy your first year. You only get to do it once. And one final note on first years, it is like high school, do not get caught up in the drama.

Adjusting to 1L at Pepperdine specifically is different for the following reasons. There is excellent hiking, mountain biking, road biking, surfing, scuba diving, restaurants, beaches (note - not all good surfing beaches are good beaches to law around on), ferris wheels, jogging, etc, all within a short drive from Malibu. I personally enjoy a little surfing, or trail run, or mountain bike ride on the way home from Malibu to Santa Monica. There is plenty to occupy yourself with and get away from law school.
Pepperdine has midterms during your first year. Outline for them. Take them seriously (but not too seriously, I did terrible in midterms and did well). You will appreciate the hard work you put into them later. One final note on the midterms. They're riddled with facts. So many facts. So many more than will be on the final. The midterms, in my opinion, are not an accurate representation of how you're grades will look, they're simply to get your feet wet.

Good luck.

[DML13]

Thanks Mr. Jones, you have been really helpful so far. Kind of goes along the lines of my next question - What does Pepperdine have in place to help students succeed? Do students generally help each other out or is there an 3L mentor program at all? It seems that students are ultra-competitive (9th on Princeton reviews's most competitive students ranking). I am guessing this is because of the high number of students trying to maintain their scholarship stipulations. Any comments on this? It seems like if most students are like you, it is a cooperative environment. Thanks

[Mr. Jones]

Thanks Mr. Jones, you have been really helpful so far. Kind of goes along the lines of my next question - What does Pepperdine have in place to help students succeed? Do students generally help each other out or is there an 3L mentor program at all? It seems that students are ultra-competitive (9th on Princeton reviews's most competitive students ranking). I am guessing this is because of the high number of students trying to maintain their scholarship stipulations. Any comments on this? It seems like if most students are like you, it is a cooperative environment. Thanks

I don't find the school competitive at all to be honest. There are mentors (2nd and 3rd years) for 1Ls. They help you with exams, outlines, etc. In addition to that there is an academic success program, which hosts a variety or workshops on outlining and exam writing. That's really about all the school formally offers besides traditional office hours.

There are of course a few gunners who are very competitive. I don't know of anyone, including myself, who has ever had trouble with getting notes or help from peers. I routinely give my notes to those who have missed class and the favor is returned to me. It really depends on who your friends are too. If you're friends w/ a bunch of competitive gunners (which are fairly rare at Pepp), then you may find the atmosphere to be competitive; otherwise, I think you'll be impressed with the fairly laid back atmosphere that Pepperdine has. I know I was.

[Razorbackfan19247]

What kind of help can you expect to get from the staff at Pepperdine for finding off-campus housing? Are there any special deals that you can find through them to help lower the cost of renting? Being all the way from Arkansas and only having one weekend to actually go look at housing makes it difficult to do a lot of apartment searching while I'm there.

[Mr. Jones]

What kind of help can you expect to get from the staff at Pepperdine for finding off-campus housing? Are there any special deals that you can find through them to help lower the cost of renting? Being all the way from Arkansas and only having one weekend to actually go look at housing makes it difficult to do a lot of apartment searching while I'm there.

Not a lot. A lot of out-of-state students live in on-campus housing during their first year because of situations similar to yours. I wouldn't recommend it. There are no special deals that I am aware of.

Here's where I would start:

Calabasas: Archstone (can be pricey) or Malibu Canyon Apts (which does have low-income housing).

Santa Monica/Brentwood: Much more difficult, there are not too many large complexes here, lots of apartment buildings, but many do not have websites. There is an archstone santa monica I believe and a few nice studio complexes as well. You're best bet here may be craigslist.

"The valley" - This area will include Woodland Hills and Canoga Park, I wouldn't stray much further than that or else the commute becomes too much. These cities are adjacent to Calabasas, you will suffer a 40+ minute drive to Pepperdine from there (as opposed to 30 min from Calabasas or 30-45min from Brentwood/Santa Monica). However, rent here is a little cheaper and you will find the apartments are larger for what you pay. Still nice areas by all means. Very likely the only people you will find that live here during law school are the ones that are actually from this area, don't let that deter you though, still a very nice area.

[Razorbackfan19247]

What kind of help can you expect to get from the staff at Pepperdine for finding off-campus housing? Are there any special deals that you can find through them to help lower the cost of renting? Being all the way from Arkansas and only having one weekend to actually go look at housing makes it difficult to do a lot of apartment searching while I'm there.

Not a lot. A lot of out-of-state students live in on-campus housing during their first year because of situations similar to yours. I wouldn't recommend it. There are no special deals that I am aware of.

Here's where I would start:

Calabasas: Archstone (can be pricey) or Malibu Canyon Apts (which does have low-income housing).

Santa Monica/Brentwood: Much more difficult, there are not too many large complexes here, lots of apartment buildings, but many do not have websites. There is an archstone santa monica I believe and a few nice studio complexes as well. You're best bet here may be craigslist.

"The valley" - This area will include Woodland Hills and Canoga Park, I wouldn't stray much further than that or else the commute becomes too much. These cities are adjacent to Calabasas, you will suffer a 40+ minute drive to Pepperdine from there (as opposed to 30 min from Calabasas or 30-45min from Brentwood/Santa Monica). However, rent here is a little cheaper and you will find the apartments are larger for what you pay. Still nice areas by all means. Very likely the only people you will find that live here during law school are the ones that are actually from this area, don't let that deter you though, still a very nice area.

I was not aware that Malibu Canyon Apts offered low-income housing. How much cheaper are those than the regular apartments and are they worth the money saved? Also what is the general consensus among students about Malibu Canyon Apts? I've been reading some reviews and they seemed to be mixed.

[Mr. Jones]

What kind of help can you expect to get from the staff at Pepperdine for finding off-campus housing? Are there any special deals that you can find through them to help lower the cost of renting? Being all the way from Arkansas and only having one weekend to actually go look at housing makes it difficult to do a lot of apartment searching while I'm there.

Not a lot. A lot of out-of-state students live in on-campus housing during their first year because of situations similar to yours. I wouldn't recommend it. There are no special deals that I am aware of.

Here's where I would start:

Calabasas: Archstone (can be pricey) or Malibu Canyon Apts (which does have low-income housing).

Santa Monica/Brentwood: Much more difficult, there are not too many large complexes here, lots of apartment buildings, but many do not have websites. There is an archstone santa monica I believe and a few nice studio complexes as well. You're best bet here may be craigslist.

"The valley" - This area will include Woodland Hills and Canoga Park, I wouldn't stray much further than that or else the commute becomes too much. These cities are adjacent to Calabasas, you will suffer a 40+ minute drive to Pepperdine from there (as opposed to 30 min from Calabasas or 30-45min from Brentwood/Santa Monica). However, rent here is a little cheaper and you will find the apartments are larger for what you pay. Still nice areas by all means. Very likely the only people you will find that live here during law school are the ones that are actually from this area, don't let that deter you though, still a very nice area.

I was not aware that Malibu Canyon Apts offered low-income housing. How much cheaper are those than the regular apartments and are they worth the money saved? Also what is the general consensus among students about Malibu Canyon Apts? I've been reading some reviews and they seemed to be mixed.

I don't know how much it saves, you should call them for that. Lots of first years live there, a few second years, even fewer third years. Most people move from Calabasas to Santa Monica because that's where the social life is, etc. From what I can tell people generally like Malibu canyon apts, but they like Archstone more.

[Myself]

.

[Mr. Jones]

I have a friend who got a full scholarship (covers tuition and COL) at Pepperdine and a half-tuition scholarship at USC. Which one do you think is a better investment? She wants to practice in LA but isn't really set on anything.

Tough question. I faced the exact same decision. Some will tell you to immediately go with USC, better job prospects are there no doubt. That, in my opinion, is not the deciding factor though. To me (and to a few others who passed up USC and UCLA at Pepp), the deciding factors were: (1) is you heart set on biglaw and (2) what will your loan situation look like post-graduate.

The first question is virtually impossible to answer until you're deep in the mix unless you have a family member or close friend in the business. As a law student you will get exposure to biglaw life (yes, even at Pepperdine) through your professors, many of whom were former biglaw associates and partners. So the first question is tough to answer before you're in law school. I don't know many people who really want to do biglaw, but I also don't know many would turn it down either.

The second question is more quantifiable. At Pepp you will have little to no debt. That's the deciding factor in my mind and there need not be any more discussion. We'll continue for the hell of it. Assume you go to USC, incur $100,000 in debt at least (22K per year x 3 years = 66K + 12K per year in living = $102K). That's not unreasonable given what other students will incur. But you will be paying over $1,100 per year for 10 years to pay that off. That's chump change if you are one of the 33-45% of USC who will make it to biglaw and STAY in biglaw. You will be 35+ years old when that loan is paid off...if you're lucky.
Pepp you will not likely get the biglaw job, lets just be honest. But in her situation she will also not have any debt. This opens up the door to work in PI or maybe even a "lifestyle" firm, or just plainly a smaller firm, without worrying about the big bad debt.

So my advice is clear -- avoiding debt to me is more important than immediate graduation job prospects. Consider the fact that you may get out of USC and just be a really terrible lawyer or hate being a lawyer, it's not for everyone, then you're stuck with law school debt. If that same thing happens at Pepp, yeah you played a hand, but you didn't lose money over it.

Tell your "friend" I say the best of luck, both schools are great. You will find lots of students at Pepp who forewent USC and UCLA for better schollys, likewise you will find students at either of those who are paying full tuition and forewent large schollys at Pepp and loyola.

[utilitarianjac]

I graduated last spring with a JD/MPP from Pepperdine. I loved my time in Malibu and definitely miss the weather.

I'm currently a PhD student, so I can't comment on job-related questions. I'd be glad to respond to other things people might be interested in. Just send me a PM.

[Razorbackfan19247]

How is Pepperdine's reputation when it comes to entertainment law?

[Mr. Jones]

How is Pepperdine's reputation when it comes to entertainment law?

Not really sure. There is an entertainment law society, I know that. I also know a few people who went to work at the big talent agencies in LA post-graduation. How they're doing now is a mystery and whether they are doing legal work is an open question. Plainly, I really don't know.

[Razorbackfan19247]

I'm flying out to Mailbu tomorrow to visit the campus and will be in the area all weekend. Do you have any recommendations of things to see or do while I'm there or places to eat?

[akasabian]

I'm flying out to Mailbu tomorrow to visit the campus and will be in the area all weekend. Do you have any recommendations of things to see or do while I'm there or places to eat?

Check out places to live (Archstone, MCAs, 'Stinkies', Santa Monica)
Find some good food around there. Local favorite in Malibu is Lily's for their breakfast burritos (North up PCH from Pepperdine). Try to eat around the places youd want to live, because you'll most likely be eating from there a lot.
Check out the beach, some of the typical tourist attractions like the Pier and 3rd street, because it'll be the only time you'll see them over your 3 years in law school (speaking as a UG who failed to take advantage of that area).
Check out the school and its vibe, see how you like it. (Most important part)

edit: PM me if you want more specific ideas on things to do/try in Malibu/SM area

[Mr. Jones]

I'm flying out to Mailbu tomorrow to visit the campus and will be in the area all weekend. Do you have any recommendations of things to see or do while I'm there or places to eat?

Places to eat: Dukes in Malibu, Geoffrey's if you're feeling fancy. Nobu for Sushi.
Things to do: Hike anywhere in the Santa Monica Mountains, Rent paddle boards/Kayaks in malibu from Malibu surf shack, go to Rodeo drive.

[martymoose]

I'm flying out to Mailbu tomorrow to visit the campus and will be in the area all weekend. Do you have any recommendations of things to see or do while I'm there or places to eat?

Check out places to live (Archstone, MCAs, 'Stinkies', Santa Monica)
Find some good food around there. Local favorite in Malibu is Lily's for their breakfast burritos (North up PCH from Pepperdine). Try to eat around the places youd want to live, because you'll most likely be eating from there a lot.
Check out the beach, some of the typical tourist attractions like the Pier and 3rd street, because it'll be the only time you'll see them over your 3 years in law school (speaking as a UG who failed to take advantage of that area).
Check out the school and its vibe, see how you like it. (Most important part)

edit: PM me if you want more specific ideas on things to do/try in Malibu/SM area

+1 on Lily's. It's pretty hard to find, though. It's in the Pavilions supermarket mall off Heathercliff (north of Pepperdine on PCH). You have to walk back into the mall to find it. Tamales are Thursday/Friday only and I highly recommend them. Also, expect a long line. They are not in the fast food business. The good news is tamales don't take as long to prepare as the other food they serve because they're already made. I'm also a fan of Neptune's Net, which is up at the county line. Good food, bikers, cheap compared to the rest of Malibu. If you want something to do, head down to Santa Monica. Hit the pier or 3rd street.

[Razorbackfan19247]

I'm flying out to Mailbu tomorrow to visit the campus and will be in the area all weekend. Do you have any recommendations of things to see or do while I'm there or places to eat?

Check out places to live (Archstone, MCAs, 'Stinkies', Santa Monica)
Find some good food around there. Local favorite in Malibu is Lily's for their breakfast burritos (North up PCH from Pepperdine). Try to eat around the places youd want to live, because you'll most likely be eating from there a lot.
Check out the beach, some of the typical tourist attractions like the Pier and 3rd street, because it'll be the only time you'll see them over your 3 years in law school (speaking as a UG who failed to take advantage of that area).
Check out the school and its vibe, see how you like it. (Most important part)

edit: PM me if you want more specific ideas on things to do/try in Malibu/SM area

Thanks for your help. One other question: Is there a dress code for law school classes?

[Mr. Jones]

I'm flying out to Mailbu tomorrow to visit the campus and will be in the area all weekend. Do you have any recommendations of things to see or do while I'm there or places to eat?

Check out places to live (Archstone, MCAs, 'Stinkies', Santa Monica)
Find some good food around there. Local favorite in Malibu is Lily's for their breakfast burritos (North up PCH from Pepperdine). Try to eat around the places youd want to live, because you'll most likely be eating from there a lot.
Check out the beach, some of the typical tourist attractions like the Pier and 3rd street, because it'll be the only time you'll see them over your 3 years in law school (speaking as a UG who failed to take advantage of that area).
Check out the school and its vibe, see how you like it. (Most important part)

edit: PM me if you want more specific ideas on things to do/try in Malibu/SM area

Thanks for your help. One other question: Is there a dress code for law school classes?

Not really, just use common sense regarding appropriateness. Nobody wears suits or anything like that, lots of shorts/t-shirts/jeans/etc.

[utilitarianjac]

I'm flying out to Mailbu tomorrow to visit the campus and will be in the area all weekend. Do you have any recommendations of things to see or do while I'm there or places to eat?

Check out places to live (Archstone, MCAs, 'Stinkies', Santa Monica)
Find some good food around there. Local favorite in Malibu is Lily's for their breakfast burritos (North up PCH from Pepperdine). Try to eat around the places youd want to live, because you'll most likely be eating from there a lot.
Check out the beach, some of the typical tourist attractions like the Pier and 3rd street, because it'll be the only time you'll see them over your 3 years in law school (speaking as a UG who failed to take advantage of that area).
Check out the school and its vibe, see how you like it. (Most important part)

edit: PM me if you want more specific ideas on things to do/try in Malibu/SM area

+1 on Lily's. It's pretty hard to find, though. It's in the Pavilions supermarket mall off Heathercliff (north of Pepperdine on PCH). You have to walk back into the mall to find it. Tamales are Thursday/Friday only and I highly recommend them. Also, expect a long line. They are not in the fast food business. The good news is tamales don't take as long to prepare as the other food they serve because they're already made. I'm also a fan of Neptune's Net, which is up at the county line. Good food, bikers, cheap compared to the rest of Malibu. If you want something to do, head down to Santa Monica. Hit the pier or 3rd street.

I definitely agree w/ the comments on Lily's. I'd also recommend a chocolate cigar from Malibu Kitchen. Get them in the morning while they're fresh. My wife and I also liked to head down to lower campus to visit Peet's Coffee and Jamba Juice. I know they're chains, but sometimes it was nice to stay on campus.

The hiking through the canyon was wonderful. Check out Heartbreak Hill in Agoura, the MASH site, or one of the trails leading to a waterfall up the coast. There are lots of options.

[kdog1147]

Hey thanks for taking time to answer questions. I'm wondering a bit about the local life. I'm coming from FL so I don't have a lot to go on. I'm interested in picking up surfing while I'm there (I need to keep active while in school or I go insane). I've always been an outdoor person (live to rock climb) and I would like to keep that. As a surfer (and what seems like outdoor person?) do you have any suggestions?

[Razorbackfan19247]

For those who are wondering about the latest employment numbers from Pepperdine, I asked one of the professors there about the numbers from the class of 2012, and he told me the placement percentage will be in the 80-82% range for the class of 2012. The numbers will be officially reported by the school on March 15, and they should be on the website on around the 18th. This is definitely an improvement over previous years. Hopefully this will be the start of an upward trend in employment prospects for Pepperdine grads.