NYU 1L: Taking Questions Forum

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Olto

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by Olto » Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:42 pm

Iceberger:

I think more students are set than are not. I know a few with firm jobs (there are four, that I know of, in my section - three big law and one specialty firm). I know a few going to non-profits, a few with US Attorney / DA offers (both in NYC and outside of NYC), a few research assistants, and definitely more that I am missing. There are also a bunch of people who got DOJ offers for the summer and will be in NYC. I'm going to be interning for a federal judge.

As for IP, it's still a little early for me as a 1L to know much about the specializations, but I do know that the law school just sent out an e-mail about hiring this guy:

http://www.law.nyu.edu/news/BEEBE_FACULTY

seems like a pretty big name in the IP dpmt. Also, you guys should check out the NYU Law website - three new major faculty hired within the past few weeks:
http://www.law.nyu.edu/news/ALVAREZ_FACULTY
http://www.law.nyu.edu/news/GOODMAN_NEW_FACULTY

spondee

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by spondee » Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:30 pm

Thanks (again) for answering questions.

Could you name some of the professors who have reputations for being great teachers? It's so easy to research the big names measured by scholarly work, but much harder to find the great teachers. In my grad school, often, these two were not the same, and the impact of the great teachers on their students was immeasurable. I'd love to be able to research some of them, sit in on their classes before deciding, etc.

Friedman was mentioned earlier. It'd be great to hear some more.

Olto

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by Olto » Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:46 pm

I really like Rascoff. He's my Admin prof. I also was a big Hershkoff fan. I have Friedman now for our elective - con law - and he's solid. Epstein = prolific scholar, but I did not take much away from his actual lectures.

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iceberger

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by iceberger » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:48 pm

Hey, thanks for the answers Olto. I just had one more though. I don't have a trust fund or anything laying around, so I plan on living off of NYU's max student loan amt. From your experience is this doable in NYC, or will i be selling myself on the corner on weekends?

Olto

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by Olto » Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:41 am

iceberger wrote:Hey, thanks for the answers Olto. I just had one more though. I don't have a trust fund or anything laying around, so I plan on living off of NYU's max student loan amt. From your experience is this doable in NYC, or will i be selling myself on the corner on weekends?

No problem. Hope I'm helping out.

This notion of NYC as a land where the poor go to die is a misconception that I see on these boards (and others) all the time. The first thing I will say is that other people are in a similar situation and they seem to get along fine. I rarely if ever hear anyone complaining about money.

Second, there are a lot of ways to cut costs. Make your own meals or get a meal plan (Kimmel cafe is actually quite nice...), live in a budget dorm (as opposed to the highest possible floor in Mercer), pregame instead of paying $5 for a beer on the weekends. There are also places that are known for cheap meals - Mamoun's is a $2.50 lunch, Cafetasia, Chipotles, etc. I was just home this past weekend for spring break and I am still floored at how my meals at home always seem to cost more than my meals here.

Finally, take advantage of the funding NYU has to offer. Sign up for PILC funding and plan on that for your summer. See if you can get merit aid. These might seem obvious but you should see how many students here are kicking themselves for not doing the PILC process.


Don't forget that second summer you'll be making about $30k, with the guarantee of at least $4,500 for your first summer at the minimum (more if you get a firm job - which a few of my section mates, that I know of, have done).


I'm not going to lie to you and say that I never wish that I have more money to blow on the weekends on fancy dinners or whatnot. But I get along just fine. I think you'll be surprised once you see how affordable the city can really be. Hope this helps. PM me if you have any questions at all regarding this or anything else NYU related.

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underdawg

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by underdawg » Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:35 am

right, nyc is expensive because there are sooo many places to blow your wad, distracting you from all the cheaper options out there. but there are cheaper options out there, you just have to look for them.

cheap drinks on the other hand...i really don't know where those are...
Last edited by underdawg on Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Olto

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by Olto » Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:32 pm

The PILC process is very simple. Attend 4 lectures (there are about 15 to choose from, so chances are you'll find a few that interest you). Attend one or two mandatory "resume skills" type workshops. Then you have to help out with the PILC auction, which is basically about three-four hours of work. All in all, it's not a bad gig for $4,500.

People don't do it because they have no interest in PI. My roommate for example knows he wants to do a firm job and didn't even want to bother applying for PI jobs. Most people, though, at least jump through the hoops in case firm gigs don't pan out. Those people are very thankful in this economy while the people that didn't do it are kicking themselves.

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by Olto » Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:43 pm

No problem. PILC money doesn't cover research assistant positions... because those are paid, I believe, at a rate of $12 an hour.

It definitely doesn't hurt to do the PILC rqmts anyway, and still bank on a firm job. Might as well try for both in this economy, especially if, as you said, you can get something related to your background. There are so many PI jobs and people really have jobs all over. I know a few people going down to DC, with gigs in Los Angeles, and quite a few going abroad (Egypt, the Hague, etc.).

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underdawg

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by underdawg » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:38 pm

i know like one person who didn't apply through pilc

she's a millionaire though

most people applied for RA's as a backup, lol. it was my first choice though, which i think is why i got hired right away (most other applicants probably weren't all that interested, i guess)

PILC makes you run through hoops, but they are really pretty small hoops. i found some of the lectures interesting and i usually can't sit still for more than 20 minutes
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mr.smurf

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by mr.smurf » Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:27 pm

Hello NYU 1Ls:

Thanks for the answers. Would you recommend taking a year off/deferring one year before starting LS? People that went straight from UG and people that came from work alike (at least the ones that I have met) both agree that this might be a good idea. Are there any adv/disadv to doing so (i.e. better perspective, better focus, break from school OR is it a break in momentum, etc)?

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underdawg

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by underdawg » Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:04 pm

considering no one had both taken a year off and not taken a year off at the same time, no one knows

i would think one year off wouldn't really do much. now if you had a career before law school, surely that spruces up your resume a bit (but would be stupid of course to do it just for that)
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m87

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by m87 » Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:52 pm

I'm really worried about picking out a computer - I know NYU has pretty solid guidelines, but I don't want to spend a bunch to meet those requirements. What sorts of cheaper brands do you have or see around campus? Do you have any laptop-finding suggestions?

Thanks!

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FlightoftheEarls

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by FlightoftheEarls » Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:26 pm

Can anybody comment on the study abroad options? If I'm looking to do international public interest, my area of interest is specifically in the North of Ireland, so studying for a semester in the British isles would seemingly be rather ideal for me, particularly at Queen's in Belfast or perhaps Trinity in Dublin. The only offering I see in the isles though is for two students per year at Oxford. While that would be great, and I'd love to study there as well, I'm rather reluctant to jump for joy reading that. I'm fully aware that studying abroad in law school is worlds different from undergrad, but I cannot imagine that there is not a very significant level of interest for a program like that. Which brings me to my question:

How competitive is that program? Would I be simply SOL as far as studying in the UK/Republic if I end up, say top 25% in my class, but two students in the top 10% both apply? Two students per academic year to study in the UK seems absurd for a school like NYU, which really scares me. I feel like going to NYU with the plan of being able to pursue those studies would be incredibly naive, as if the Fulbright program is any indication, people are dying to pursue research in the UK. Can anybody comment on this? Is it even possible to get into a program like that? Thanks for the responses!

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FlightoftheEarls

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by FlightoftheEarls » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:50 pm

Shameless bump.

Raz14

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by Raz14 » Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:53 pm

I have a question about class selection/lotteries. Perhaps this stands out more to me because I'm choosing between NYU and a particularly small law school (Chicago), but I noticed at the ASW that there seems to be a lottery for everything, even who could write your clerkship recommendation letters! How does the lottery (if there is one) work for class selection? Do you get to rank preferences for the professor you prefer for particular classes (e.g. if you prefer Friedman or Yoshino to teach Con. Law)? And, in general, does the large class size seem to be an impediment for things like this?

NYU2011

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by NYU2011 » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:28 pm

1Ls have never registered for classes before, so I'm not sure exactly how it works. I know this year they switched to a bidding system and I think what happens is you get a certain number of points and you bid the most on your first choice, etc. I am almost certain that you bid on a specific class with an instructor, not just the class in general (so you bid on Con Law with Friedman, not just Con Law.) I'll tell you after registration if the big class makes it annoying :D

As far as study abroad I don't know anyone who has applied for it or plans to do it. Obviously it's a lot different than undergrad study abroad where basically everyone who applies gets to go. You have to submit a detailed study plan of what you're planning to study and how it fits into your professional goals. I think that determines who gets chosen more so than grades, but that's just speculation. The study abroad section of the website appears to be pretty comprehensive if you haven't look at it already (you can look at the applications and stuff). I do know you can petition to do a program outside of NYU, so if there is another program that goes to N. Ireland or somewhere more appealing to you, you can probably set something up.

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by FutureProsecutor » Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:39 pm

edited
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asaunde2

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by asaunde2 » Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:15 pm

NYU is supposed to have a great international law focus- How easy would it be to set something up for an international summer internship (preferably something related to environmental or human rights law)? Do you guys know anyone whos done anything like that? Would that be easier to do in the summer after 1L or after 2L?

Also, a general question- As far as you know, is it easier for a recent law school graduate to start out working in big law and then get a great job in public interest a few years later, or is it easier to start out with the public interest route and then switch over to big law? in other words, which of those two routes is it more difficult to break into after having started down the other one...? does that make sense?

magnumxlv

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by magnumxlv » Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:53 pm

Sorry if you mentioned this earlier, but what building and kind of housing did you live in?

I am a *very* light sleeper (I wear earplugs + use a loud fan) and a private person when it comes to my home space, so finding a studio or 1 bedroom is pretty much a given for me. I'd like to live on-campus, but I understand my options for such apartments may be limited. Do you know how hard it is to get a studio/1BR if you're living alone (price is a factor for me, but I'd be willing to pay almost any premium for this luxury).

Also, how quiet are the dorms? Are the walls thin? Can you hear people walking around upstairs or doors slamming shut in nearby apartments (I've lived in some pretty crappy apartments)? Please let me know about the different on-campus apartments you've visited, if possible.

Finding a quiet/peaceful place is probably the most important quality of life factor for me, so thanks for taking the time to help me out!

NYU2011

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by NYU2011 » Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:26 pm

Unless you are applying for family housing, a single occupancy on-campus apt will be basically impossible to get. I would plan to live off campus. (I live in Mercer, but this goes for both Mercer and D'Ag as far as I know.)

magnumxlv

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by magnumxlv » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:06 am

NYU2011 wrote:Unless you are applying for family housing, a single occupancy on-campus apt will be basically impossible to get. I would plan to live off campus. (I live in Mercer, but this goes for both Mercer and D'Ag as far as I know.)
Hmm, that sucks. I'll start looking for apartments off-campus then. Jersey City seems pretty convenient w/ the PATH train (I'm from North Jersey myself).

Just curious about Mercer and D'Ag...would you say they are pretty decent and quiet apartments (even w/ a roommate)? If you could answer the questions I had about on-campus housing in general from my last post that'd be awesome. I'd really rather stay on campus for my 1st year to make it easier to meet up with people and to discourage myself from skipping class.

Man..I thought I'd be less stressed out once I figured out where I was headed, but this housing stuff is just as bad...

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magnumxlv

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by magnumxlv » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:27 am

EDIT: Found the answer to a new question I submitted regarding taking graduate courses.

Lansing

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by Lansing » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:33 am

magnumxlv wrote:Sorry if you mentioned this earlier, but what building and kind of housing did you live in?

I am a *very* light sleeper (I wear earplugs + use a loud fan) and a private person when it comes to my home space, so finding a studio or 1 bedroom is pretty much a given for me. I'd like to live on-campus, but I understand my options for such apartments may be limited. Do you know how hard it is to get a studio/1BR if you're living alone (price is a factor for me, but I'd be willing to pay almost any premium for this luxury).

Also, how quiet are the dorms? Are the walls thin? Can you hear people walking around upstairs or doors slamming shut in nearby apartments (I've lived in some pretty crappy apartments)? Please let me know about the different on-campus apartments you've visited, if possible.

Finding a quiet/peaceful place is probably the most important quality of life factor for me, so thanks for taking the time to help me out!
i lived in mercer. the walls are quite thick, and it's deathly silent in there. you can't really hear anything, but if you're on the broadway side you'll hear some traffic. i lived on the courtyard side and i could hear a pin drop.

i know a few people living out in jersey, you get a lot more bang for your buck out there and it's convenient for school, but they bitch about coming home late on the weekends because the PATH runs more infrequently.

NYU2011

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by NYU2011 » Fri Apr 03, 2009 3:05 pm

I'm having a somewhat different experience in Mercer, I think it's pretty loud. There's a LOT of construction going on around the school and the dorms right now, which means more street noise than usual, and I'm not sure how long that will be going on (but it's been going on since we moved in).

The pipes in the building are also really loud and make really shrill noises a few times a day. I can't hear my neighbor talking or TVs or anything, but his bed shares my wall so anytime he moves around I can hear him and occasionally he knocks stuff off my wall, haha. Most of the noise that's loud enough to wake me up comes from the pipes or my roommate, but I'm a pretty heavy sleeper. For a light sleeper I wouldn't at all be surprised if street noise woke you up.

As a caveat, I live on the 6th floor facing 3rd st, so if you managed a 20th floor apartment on the courtyard side of Mercer, your experience would likely be much quieter.

magnumxlv

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Re: NYU 1L: Taking Questions

Post by magnumxlv » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:59 pm

Thanks for the feedback guys, its really helpful. I guess I'll make it a priority to ask around at the next Admitted Students Weekend.

Construction noise/pipes I can generally block out to a certain extent with earplugs and stuff, but hearing a guy move around in the next room and stuff getting knocked off the wall is *precisely* what I am worried about. The whole randomness of living with a stranger again also makes me lean towards finding my own place. Not that I don't like living with others though. It'd be great if I could find someone with a similar "quiet-zone" mentality as me when it comes to the apartment.

If anyone else has more to say about housing, please do so.

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