Cornell 1L taking questions Forum

A forum for applicants and admitted students to ask law students and graduates about law school and the practice of law.
Post Reply
IHeartIthaca

New
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:35 am

Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by IHeartIthaca » Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:37 am

Seems like these kinds of threads are popular. Fire away :)

Obviously, I don't know much about law school yet, and can't tell you how to succeed, but I'll tell you what I can.

User avatar
h_frog_88

New
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:00 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by h_frog_88 » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:03 am

Cornell is one of the schools that I am most interested in... what made you choose it? What do you think of Ithaca so far? Lastly, do students really study as much as the statistics suggest?

Thanks!

User avatar
cfishy305

New
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:52 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by cfishy305 » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:27 am

if you dont mind...

what were your numbers and URM?

IHeartIthaca

New
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:35 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by IHeartIthaca » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:34 am

h_frog_88 wrote:Cornell is one of the schools that I am most interested in... what made you choose it?
Among other things, it was the highest-ranked school I got into, I loved the campus and scenery when I came to visit it, and the library is a great place to spend a day. Seriously, never underestimate the importance of the library's reading room--that's where you spend most of your waking hours, so you want it to be nice.
What do you think of Ithaca so far?
As my username suggests, I'm crazy about it. The area right around campus, Collegetown, has lots of pretty good restaurants and bars, including Collegetown Bagels, at which every law student eats at least 4 meals a week--very high quality bagel sandwiches. Ithaca in general is truly beautiful, though--on the way from the bagel shop to the law school, you cross this stone bridge over a big gorge with rapids and waterfalls. There's obviously a lot of effort to keep the town clean and pristine--it actually reminds me of that place where the elves lived in the Lord of the Rings movies--very idyllic.
Lastly, do students really study as much as the statistics suggest?
Some do, some don't. Law school is a lot of work--no matter what. I wouldn't imagine it's significantly different anywhere else. I'd say that in order to do a really thorough job on your class preparation and be absolutely prepared for all the impossible questions the profs could throw at you, you need to study 6-8 hours a day, but most people fumble a bit when called on, and it's no big deal. I've been putting in about 3-4 hours a day on average, and feel like I understand the material to some degree, and can participate relatively intelligently in discussions.

In any case, there's a pretty active social life on and off campus, especially on the weekends. We have to celebrate the end of the weeks with vigor and gusto. The atmosphere is very laid back despite all the hours we put in at the library--apparently pretty much everyone gets a B+ and gets on a journal if they want (we have a class of 200, and 120 spaces available in journals, and allegedly a good number of people don't want to do journals, so the odds are in your favor). So there's no real reason to be competitive (though of course there's one dude who just keeps his hand raised through every class, and causes lots of eye rolling--there'll always be one).
cfishy305 wrote:if you dont mind...

what were your numbers and URM?
I won't be too specific, but I'll say within one point of the published median LSAT and slightly above the 75% mark for GPA, non-URM.

User avatar
gnahapet

New
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 12:48 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by gnahapet » Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:13 am

Did you write a Why Cornell statement? If so, about what? How long?

I am very interested in studying international law and so Cornell would be a great place for me, among other reasons (the environment, the cooperative atmosphere). And I just wonder if that matters to ad com at all. I am in there on stats, i think. GPA makes it a little iffy, but I my PS will make up for it, so I just wonder if the IL thing matters...

thinking about loud...

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


IHeartIthaca

New
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:35 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by IHeartIthaca » Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:17 am

I did write a why-cornell statement, and talked about international law--now I'm even a member of the international law society. no idea whether it had any impact or not on my application. why not write the optional essays? it takes all of thirty minutes.

User avatar
neskerdoo

Silver
Posts: 545
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:13 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by neskerdoo » Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:02 pm

Do you wish you were in section A because it's more awesomer than the others?

User avatar
joonbug

Bronze
Posts: 174
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 1:14 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by joonbug » Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:08 pm

neskerdoo wrote:Do you wish you were in section A because it's more awesomer than the others?
I can answer that.

Section A to Section B --> Ohio State to USC last night.

:)

Ryduce

New
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:49 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by Ryduce » Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:20 pm

What's the access like for someone who wants to go fishing in thier spare time?

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


IHeartIthaca

New
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:35 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by IHeartIthaca » Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:56 pm

Ryduce wrote:What's the access like for someone who wants to go fishing in thier spare time?
I don't know what the local regulations are, but there are plenty of rivers and lakes in the area--lake Cayuga is the big one, and there's a smaller lake on the north side of campus.

User avatar
neskerdoo

Silver
Posts: 545
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:13 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by neskerdoo » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:23 pm

ahem

IHeartIthaca

New
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:35 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by IHeartIthaca » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:41 pm

neskerdoo wrote:ahem
Well, I can't tell whether section A is any better than the others, since I haven't both been in section A and another section.

User avatar
neskerdoo

Silver
Posts: 545
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:13 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by neskerdoo » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:42 pm

are your classmates invited to help you answer questions in this thread?

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


LeahNic

Bronze
Posts: 254
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:10 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by LeahNic » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:55 pm

Personally I am fond of section A. And the free pizza at every meeting.

Darth Topher

New
Posts: 97
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 1:57 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by Darth Topher » Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:08 pm

very cool thread

i would love to go there in the future

User avatar
kn6542

Silver
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:12 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by kn6542 » Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:42 pm

LeahNic wrote:Personally I am fond of section A. And the free pizza at every meeting.
I think I've eaten more pizza cheese in the last 3 weeks than I had in the previous year. And it's reasonably good pizza, too (considering that it's free).

IHeartIthaca

New
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:35 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by IHeartIthaca » Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:04 pm

neskerdoo wrote:are your classmates invited to help you answer questions in this thread?
of course--I thought these forums were supposed to be a free-for-all anyway.

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


lollypotter

New
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:24 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by lollypotter » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:52 pm

The no laptops in class thing has actually made me hesitate to apply. How does this work in practice?

User avatar
kn6542

Silver
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:12 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by kn6542 » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:56 pm

lollypotter wrote:The no laptops in class thing has actually made me hesitate to apply. How does this work in practice?
There's only one prof, as far as I know, who does that. You'd have him for one semester. It's hardly a reason not to apply.

xdistak

New
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 2:35 am

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by xdistak » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:06 pm

There are just one or two profs that have banned laptops. There's spotty internet in a few of the classrooms. A surprising number of people choose to take notes by hand instead of with a laptop. I'd guess nobody cares.

User avatar
kn6542

Silver
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:12 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by kn6542 » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:15 pm

xdistak wrote:There are just one or two profs that have banned laptops. There's spotty internet in a few of the classrooms. A surprising number of people choose to take notes by hand instead of with a laptop. I'd guess nobody cares.
Yeah, I plan on tearing a piece of slate off the side of the gorge and scratching my notes onto it with limestone for Summers' class.

Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.

Register now, it's still FREE!


fsohn

Bronze
Posts: 233
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:06 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by fsohn » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:16 pm

I don't find taking notes by hand in ConLaw to be such a terrible thing. Frankly, I don't take very good notes even when I'm typing, so the only real advantage for me is not having to sift through pages from various notepads at the end of the week and trying to figure out what my chicken-scratch says. And not having the internet in class is at least for me a good thing. I'd certainly be checking my email and shopping when people go off on tangents, or a hypothetical is just plain boring.

woeisme

Silver
Posts: 781
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:39 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by woeisme » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:40 pm

Hi gang! I know who OP is :mrgreen:


nesker, how can section A be the best? Isn't that the one with all the weird kids? :shock:

Concord72

New
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:27 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by Concord72 » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:44 pm

ok im in hs and i got a question about class selection. Does every1 take all the same classes thru law school or do u take a core set and then take chosen specialized classes? What i want to kno is when and how do u choose wat type of law u wanna specialize in. like for example, if i wanna do sports law, is there a special class i gotta go to for that?

User avatar
kn6542

Silver
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:12 pm

Re: Cornell 1L taking questions

Post by kn6542 » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:45 pm

woeisme wrote:Hi gang! I know who OP is :mrgreen:


nesker, how can section A be the best? Isn't that the one with all the weird kids? :shock:
They only seem weird to you because their superior intelligence is difficult for you to understand.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


Post Reply

Return to “Ask a Law Student / Graduate”