Florida State 1L Taking Questions Forum

[Tuyarp]

Do you guys know of scholarship opportunities after 1L?

What are the registration process like for 2L and 3L classes?

[adjutor]

Do you guys know of scholarship opportunities after 1L?

What are the registration process like for 2L and 3L classes?

Yes there are scholarship opportunities after 1L year. You must apply for them through the school.

Registration is an online process that is first come first served. There is a drop/add period at the beginning of each semester. The schedule of courses offered is posted online far in advance of registration in order to give students the best chance of finding a schedule that works for them in before registration opens up.

[kartal]

Though I am no longer a "1L Taking Questions", I am more than happy to continue answering questions (now as a 2L) if people find my point of view and answers helpful. I hope all those who browse this board find what they are looking for, if not, just ask away.

I appreciate if you answer the following questions:

1. How is the grading curve at your law school?

2. Do you see your law school as a cut-throat (very competitive) school or not so?

3. Does the school use the Socratic method?

4. Does the faculty lean more liberal or conservative? How about the student body?

5. How generous is the school in granting scholarships?

6. How do you rate the facilities?

7. How much is the FSU degree transportable for jobs in DC, Philly or NYC?

Thanks.

[adjutor]

Though I am no longer a "1L Taking Questions", I am more than happy to continue answering questions (now as a 2L) if people find my point of view and answers helpful. I hope all those who browse this board find what they are looking for, if not, just ask away.

I appreciate if you answer the following questions:

1. How is the grading curve at your law school?

2. Do you see your law school as a cut-throat (very competitive) school or not so?

3. Does the school use the Socratic method?

4. Does the faculty lean more liberal or conservative? How about the student body?

5. How generous is the school in granting scholarships?

6. How do you rate the facilities?

7. How much is the FSU degree transportable for jobs in DC, Philly or NYC?

Thanks.

It would really really behoove you to reread this entire thread in case I miss anything by answering these questions again.

1. Grading- http://www.law.fsu.edu/current_students ... rading.pdf

2. I have never seen any student act in a cut-throat manner. We have a great study body that generally gets along and enjoys each others company. I highly suggest a visit to see this first hand.

3. Some teachers do, some teachers don't.

4. I'll guess the faculty leans left; I believe that is fairly typical in an academic profession. The student body is pretty balanced as far as I can tell. The above guesses are truly that, just guessing, this is due mainly to the fact our faculty is not harping liberal ideology daily nor is our student body preaching one way or the other.

5. I know the school offers scholarships, the amount the disburse I am unsure of, to all levels of the law school. You must reapply for these on an annual basis.

6. The facilities are really great. We just got a new student lounge last year, we acquired the 1st DCA building across the street for our courtroom (badass right?) and just last semester they remodeled the 3rd floor of the library. I cannot stress enough to anyone reading this come visit you will be impressed.

7. This is another question that is better reserved for someone in the placement office, which you can conveniently ask when you visit. I personally went to the state school that of the state I plan to practice in. You will find this is the most common response around most state schools.

Just start from the top of the thread if you want more info about FSU Law.

[flowb]

Thank you adjutor, jdizzle, etc., your contributions on this thread have been incredibly useful. I am a current UF undergrad, accepted to FSU and still waiting to here from UF. A couple of questions for any current student:

1) How does Tallahassee compare to Gainesville, socially, for law students, and in general?

2) What areas would you recommend for housing?

3) Would you say that the job situation has improved compared to last year or gotten worse?

Thank you! I am looking forward to attending the admitted students day March 26!

[adjutor]

Thank you adjutor, jdizzle, etc., your contributions on this thread have been incredibly useful. I am a current UF undergrad, accepted to FSU and still waiting to here from UF. A couple of questions for any current student:

1) How does Tallahassee compare to Gainesville, socially, for law students, and in general?

2) What areas would you recommend for housing?

3) Would you say that the job situation has improved compared to last year or gotten worse?

Thank you! I am looking forward to attending the admitted students day March 26!

First and foremost, Go Gators!. You will fit right in here, seeing as the student body is something over 60% UF grads. Now to your questions:

1.) Bearing in mind that my heart still remains in Gainesville, I think that Tallahassee has a lot to offer as well. Socially, there are bars, lots of em, and they tend to be well attended. I find going out in Tallahassee very similar to going out in Gainesville. For example: Potbellys (1 block from Law school) is similar to Swamp. Kens is similar to Balls. There is something for everyone.
For law students Tallahassee is farrr superior. Quick fact to illustrate, Tallahassee has over 400 law firms and the home of our state government. I am currently interning for the Florida Senate, this would never have been possible in Gainesville.

2.) I would recommend living with law students in either an apartment or a house in any number of student neighborhoods. I lived with undergrads my first year and had a great time so if you know people who already go to FSU don't just throw that idea out the window, its definitely a possibility. FSU Law has some sort of roommate matching service that I would recommend using. As for neighborhoods I would come to town, see where the law school is located and drive around looking for "For Rent" signs. Stay away from Frenchtown.

3. Job situation is still pretty terrible. Good news though, you will have 3 years to wait out this recession before you have to look for a job!

Hope this helps, and hope your visit goes well.

[Tuyarp]

Adjutor, do you know how tough it would be for an FSU grad to land a federal government job in Florida? Thanks!

[mango26]

Adjutor, do you know how tough it would be for an FSU grad to land a federal government job in Florida? Thanks!

+1

[minuit]

Adjutor, do you know how tough it would be for an FSU grad to land a federal government job in Florida? Thanks!

+1

+2

[mango26]

This is random, but do you know if any law students at FSU have audited an undergrad class? Does FSU Law even allow this?

[adjutor]

Adjutor, do you know how tough it would be for an FSU grad to land a federal government job in Florida? Thanks!

A federal government job in Florida would be much easier to acquire with a degree from an in-state school. Seeing as this is quite the popular question, I'll try and elaborate on this a bit. The vast majority of people (read:lawyers and their staff) who live and work in Florida are either from here, educated here, or both. There is a reason for this, alumni from any given state school always seem to prefer to hire grads/students from their alma mater. When you here about a school alumni network being "strong" or "weak" this is a direct reflection of the hiring of students by past students (and $$ contributions too). To illustrate this point even further if you look around Florida the law jobs (state, federal, private practice, etc.) are mostly occupied by Florida educated people. You cannot say the same for state's like New York or California. You come to law school in Florida if you want to work here, simple as that. Florida is a non-reciprocity state when it comes to the Bar, meaning we do not recognize any other state's bar examination; mainly only students who were educated here take that.

To sum up the ramblings above, your question regarding federal jobs can be grouped into a larger category of any jobs in Florida. You will, 99% of the time, find that those people educated here stay here, and hire people that went to other state schools. I hope this answers your question.

This is random, but do you know if any law students at FSU have audited an undergrad class? Does FSU Law even allow this?

If by audit you mean sit in on, sure I don't see why not, if by audit you mean get credit for the answer is no. BUT, you can take grad courses at FSU and get Law school credit for them (if you get a B or higher). You just fill out a form in the admissions office stating why this class would enhance your law school education, get a few signatures, and you can enroll in a couple grad school courses in your 2L and 3L year.

[mango26]

This is random, but do you know if any law students at FSU have audited an undergrad class? Does FSU Law even allow this?

If by audit you mean sit in on, sure I don't see why not, if by audit you mean get credit for the answer is no. BUT, you can take grad courses at FSU and get Law school credit for them (if you get a B or higher). You just fill out a form in the admissions office stating why this class would enhance your law school education, get a few signatures, and you can enroll in a couple grad school courses in your 2L and 3L year.

cool, i don't want credit or anything, i just want to be able to sit in on a foreign language class so i don't completely lose what i've learned in undergrad, as i think it may help with the job search.

[Tuyarp]

Current FSU students, will you help us out?

I'm also wondering about where I'm going to live. Any current FSU students out there that can make a few suggestions?

or suggestions on whether or not it is advisable to have a roommate(s) the first year.

[adjutor]

Current FSU students, will you help us out?

I'm also wondering about where I'm going to live. Any current FSU students out there that can make a few suggestions?

or suggestions on whether or not it is advisable to have a roommate(s) the first year.

There are 3 or 4 apartment complexes across the street from the law school for those that want to roll out of bed and be in class in 5 min. If you come on a visit or come to admitted students day you will see what I am referring to. I do not know if these places have 3 or 4 bedroom options but I'm sure they have 1 and 2 bedroom options. I know a lot of 1Ls live in a place called Polos on Park because the law school told them about it and they were from out of town and didn't know any better. Truth is, I don't think any of them will be living there next year. Not because it is a bad place, but because its kind of far away.
That being said, if you just drive around Tallahassee you can find PLENTY of housing around the campus. Granted it will most likely be with undergrads, but you are going to find that everywhere.
If living in a house is your thing there are plenty of them, you just have to live a bit farther from campus.

As for cost I would say that it is very comparable to most cities of this size, 400-500 per for a 2bd room apt. More for a single, less for a triple. Hope this gives a slight glimpse into housing.

Most 1Ls live with other 1Ls. OR they live with other kids in Law school (e.g. 2Ls) or they live with kids they know who already live in Tallahassee. I even know a guy who lives with first year med students. It varies quite a bit but its probably in your best interest to live with other 1Ls (same lifestyle, same studying, etc) I lived with 2 guys who were both 5th year seniors that I know from high school. My recommendation for everyone else is to go to admitted students day and meet people there, or ask the law school to help you out.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl ... 3cce98177f

That link is pretty helpful to familiarize yourself with where the law school is and what is around it (including housing).

Also check out: http://www.law.fsu.edu/current_students ... index.html There is a link for a Roommate referral program that I heard works pretty well.

[Mitch McDeere]

Another housing-related question- Do you know if it's possible to pay for a 1/1 or studio apartment in Tallahassee solely with federal loans? Looking around online, it looks like a cheap studio goes for ~600 (not including utilities). According to FSU's financial aid website, they estimate $5000 for "Room" which is just over $400 a month. I know that many law students live alone, I'm just wondering if any of them are doing so without taking out private loans or using their parents' money.

[Tuyarp]

Do you guys have any suggestions regarding furniture?

[j32f]

I visited Tallahassee and the law school over spring break, and while I enjoyed the law school, I wasn't too impressed with the town. Parts of it seemed like they could get frustrating. For instance, the roads in downtown don't seem big enough to alleviate the traffic, and it that seems like it could get obnoxious. Now, those impressions were only from 2 days of driving around so I could be wrong there. Do y'all think that it's a problem?

The guy who gave me a tour said a lot of the law school folks live right by the law school. Have you found that to be true, and if not, where do they tend to gravitate? If I were looking at living elsewhere, are they any geographic regions to stick to? (parts of Tallahassee just north of campus seemed a little seedy)

Thanks!

[gottaloveJAG]

Hi all!
I'm a 1L and I used this site prior to getting into FSU law, so I recognize the value in hearing from current student.
I'm loving it here and more than willing to answer any questions.
Feel free to reply or PM me!
Best -

[gottaloveJAG]

Wow, tangent there


To the OP:

What do you know about FSU grads / 3Ls getting Clerkships? Specifically federal. Too much to hope for?

To AJaKe,
You look familiar. Didn't you almost come here (FSU) last year?
Are you thinking of transfering?

[Tuyarp]

JAG, can you tell us about your classroom experience? What do you like best about it? What do you like least?

Also, any advice to 0Ls are appreciated. Thanks!

[GTLAWSCHOOL]

++1, please and thank you.

[adjutor]

Do you guys have any suggestions regarding furniture?

Bring some, I don't know of many furnished places here in Tallahassee. Or, come here and use Craigslist as your friend; Tallahassee being full of mobile students translates to a lot of furniture available all the time.

Another housing-related question- Do you know if it's possible to pay for a 1/1 or studio apartment in Tallahassee solely with federal loans? Looking around online, it looks like a cheap studio goes for ~600 (not including utilities). According to FSU's financial aid website, they estimate $5000 for "Room" which is just over $400 a month. I know that many law students live alone, I'm just wondering if any of them are doing so without taking out private loans or using their parents' money.

I think most kids who go the 1/1 route live on their federal loans. If you max out your loans every semester you will be able to live in a 1/1. Granted, you are not going to be paying $400 a month, but you will be able to afford something reasonable. I don't know about the part where you said " I know that many law students live alone" I find it to be quite the opposite. Maybe it was just my group of friends last year as a 1L (and even more so this year as a 2L), but it was a minority of people who lived alone. Its simply not financially sound to do so.

[gottaloveJAG]

JAG, can you tell us about your classroom experience? What do you like best about it? What do you like least?

Also, any advice to 0Ls are appreciated. Thanks!

Hi there!
Are you definitely coming to FSU in the Fall? I hope so!

My classroom experience is waayyy less intimidating than I thought it would be. Before law school I heard all of these horror stories comparing time in the classroom to the book One L or the movie The Paper Chase. FSU (unlike some other law schools from what I've heard) is barely like that. Although there is a similarity in that most professors in your lecture classes use the Socratic method, they on the whole are a) not mean about it, b) don't stay on you for the entire class, c) are looking for general info regarding the reading and d) usually don't call on you again until they've called on everybody in the class.
Advice on preparing for class: don't go reading a whole bunch of "how to do law school books" this upcoming summer. I read one or two and they were ok, but I wouldn't suggest reading more than one because they all pretty much tell you the same thing.
I would suggest reading "Getting to Maybe." Many told me to do so ahead of time and I bought it but didn't read it. Apparently the section how to write exam answers would have helped me do better on my first semester's exams. For the record, I plan on reading my copy before exams this semester.
Other general advice: get a big backpack or bag. There are LOTS of heavy books to carry around every day. Yes, you do have lockers, but you still have to carry them back and forth from your car.

Hmm...that's all I can come up with from the top of my head. If you have a specific question, I'd be happy to answer it.
Best!

[GTLAWSCHOOL]

Hi JAG,
Thanks for taking questions it is really appreciated, will you be in attendance for ASD?

[gottaloveJAG]

Hi there,
I'm honestly not sure about when admitted student's day actually is, but I know some of you (or all?) will be around tomorrow.
There is a meet and greet social tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 at this place called 101. All of us current students have been invited to attend and mingle with the admitted students. I will be at that.
Will you be there?