Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[Gisney]

Great, thanks! That's what I thought. I'm not sure if renting would work for me, since I sometimes underline with a pencil but I'll definitely look for used books.

Do you guys remember when the fall semester class schedule became available to students?

I am pretty sure we get our sections and classes during orientation. Think I read that somewhere but I could be wrong.

[JamesDean1955]

Great, thanks! That's what I thought. I'm not sure if renting would work for me, since I sometimes underline with a pencil but I'll definitely look for used books.

Do you guys remember when the fall semester class schedule became available to students?

When you rent books, you're allowed to do full markup on the books.

How does that work, exactly? What I mean is, if everyone started highlighting all over their books and then returning them to the rental company, wouldn't the rental copies eventually all be marked up? I'm missing something obvious here most likely.

Same question w/r/t used books; I wouldn't want to buy used unless they hadn't been marked it. I plan to brief using a preset color scheme...

[PennBull]

Great, thanks! That's what I thought. I'm not sure if renting would work for me, since I sometimes underline with a pencil but I'll definitely look for used books.

Do you guys remember when the fall semester class schedule became available to students?

When you rent books, you're allowed to do full markup on the books.

How does that work, exactly? What I mean is, if everyone started highlighting all over their books and then returning them to the rental company, wouldn't the rental copies eventually all be marked up? I'm missing something obvious here most likely.

Same question w/r/t used books; I wouldn't want to buy used unless they hadn't been marked it. I plan to brief using a preset color scheme...

You rent them as brand new books. Bookstore then sells them as used when you return them.

[JamesDean1955]

Great, thanks! That's what I thought. I'm not sure if renting would work for me, since I sometimes underline with a pencil but I'll definitely look for used books.

Do you guys remember when the fall semester class schedule became available to students?

When you rent books, you're allowed to do full markup on the books.

How does that work, exactly? What I mean is, if everyone started highlighting all over their books and then returning them to the rental company, wouldn't the rental copies eventually all be marked up? I'm missing something obvious here most likely.

Same question w/r/t used books; I wouldn't want to buy used unless they hadn't been marked it. I plan to brief using a preset color scheme...

You rent them as brand new books. Bookstore then sells them as used when you return them.

So, buying used you are most likely to get highlighted books? Or does it depend where you buy them?

[PennBull]

So, buying used you are most likely to get highlighted books? Or does it depend where you buy them?

Your mileage may vary everywhere bro. Some used books are marked all to hell, some are not. Once it's written in, it's used and needs to be sold as such. Once you're wet, you're wet, and you can't be more wet.

[europhile]

So, buying used you are most likely to get highlighted books? Or does it depend where you buy them?

Your mileage may vary everywhere bro. Some used books are marked all to hell, some are not. Once it's written in, it's used and needs to be sold as such. Once you're wet, you're wet, and you can't be more wet.

Thanks for being so consistently helpful PennBull. I have a related question: when is the best time to buy or rent books to minimize the cost? TIA.

[PennBull]

Thanks for being so consistently helpful PennBull. I have a related question: when is the best time to buy or rent books to minimize the cost? TIA.

No problem at all. Would rather help out new students than work!

Uh, really don't know the answer to that. I do know that the Equal Justice Foundation in the school does a sale sometime the first week, selling all sorts of used books (and supplements) for super cheap. Depends on what professors are there this year though, and if you guys have the same ones. Availability is generally a bit limited anyways though.

My strategy is to not buy textbooks. Seriously. Some I had to because of how the professor taught it, but, if I can just get old outlines and google case briefs, then what the hell is the point of the textbook?

Other than that I don't think timing makes a difference. They're not airline tickets.

[laotze]

My strategy is to not buy textbooks. Seriously. Some I had to because of how the professor taught it, but, if I can just get old outlines and google case briefs, then what the hell is the point of the textbook?

^ Quite a relief to hear my undergraduate tactics could possibly get me through law school too. I'd just as well prefer to do without a collection of four-hundred-dollar dust receptacles.

[westphillybandr]

This might be sort of dumb, but since Penn doesn't give an 'official' GPA, when firms calculate ours, do they bother to calculate a weighted GPA (taking into account that electives or worth less credits) or do they just add up all the classes and treat them equally? My unweighted is 0.02 better so hopefully firms are lazy.

The number of credits aren't even on the transcript copy I use.

[BigLaw_Lit]

Hey guys, I am wondering if anyone who has gone through OCI has any opinion on how employers view Penn in comparison to Columbia and Chicago. Do you think think the same person with the same GPA will have similar results at each school. Or does the Columbia or Chicago guy have an edge?

[Nelson]

Hey guys, I am wondering if anyone who has gone through OCI has any opinion on how employers view Penn in comparison to Columbia and Chicago. Do you think think the same person with the same GPA will have similar results at each school. Or does the Columbia or Chicago guy have an edge?

Your grades and what city you're talking about matter a lot more than what school you go to. There isn't really a way to compare people with the "same GPA" across these schools since none of these schools rank so nobody really knows exactly where they stand at any of them. You should make a decision based on what each school is going to cost you and where you want to practice, not by trying to parse prestige.

[PennBull]

Hey guys, I am wondering if anyone who has gone through OCI has any opinion on how employers view Penn in comparison to Columbia and Chicago. Do you think think the same person with the same GPA will have similar results at each school. Or does the Columbia or Chicago guy have an edge?

Your grades and what city you're talking about matter a lot more than what school you go to. There isn't really a way to compare people with the "same GPA" across these schools since none of these schools rank so nobody really knows exactly where they stand at any of them. You should make a decision based on what each school is going to cost you and where you want to practice, not by trying to parse prestige.

Yeah it's pretty clear from the data where schools are sending graduates to work and at what percentages/cities. It's not like a Penn student is going to know something specifically that will change that

[SportsFan]

Why does it seem (based on facebook, anyway) that half my class is/was abroad this summer? What is everyone doing abroad?!

[PennBull]

Why does it seem (based on facebook, anyway) that half my class is/was abroad this summer? What is everyone doing abroad?!

Ha, I'm sure it's because they have far more interesting things to post than we ever do.

[westphillybandr]

When do we find out about journals?

[westphillybandr]

When do we find out about journals?

Anybody have any idea?

[Nelson]

When do we find out about journals?

Anybody have any idea?

Next week if previous years and the rumor mill are right. I heard that they were still scoring this week.

[westphillybandr]

When do we find out about journals?

Anybody have any idea?

Next week if previous years and the rumor mill are right. I heard that they were still scoring this week.

Thanks.

[whatsthat]

Does anyone have any input on any of these professors and/or courses?

Evidence (Gordon or Fletman)
Fed Income Tax (Shuldiner or Sanchirico)

Also, I assume the courses under "no examination" have papers or something instead?

[run26.2]

Does anyone have any input on any of these professors and/or courses?

Evidence (Gordon or Fletman)
Fed Income Tax (Shuldiner or Sanchirico)

Also, I assume the courses under "no examination" have papers or something instead?

I took Fletman for evidence. Whether you like her will depend on whether you like participating in-class and attending or if you are the type that likes to just show up at the end of the semester for the exam.

Classroom participation is a part of the grade, so you should come prepared to most classes. If you do, you are well on your way to a good grade in the class. She shows a lot of videos, so that part of the class is interesting.

BTW - I recommend taking evidence in law school because it is a common bar exam topic and is useful in many practice areas.

[whatsthat]

I took Fletman for evidence. Whether you like her will depend on whether you like participating in-class and attending or if you are the type that likes to just show up at the end of the semester for the exam.

Classroom participation is a part of the grade, so you should come prepared to most classes. If you do, you are well on your way to a good grade in the class. She shows a lot of videos, so that part of the class is interesting.

BTW - I recommend taking evidence in law school because it is a common bar exam topic and is useful in many practice areas.

Thanks. What kind of exam does she give?
Also, is there any reason why Evidence w/ Rudovsky in the spring is 4 credits instead of 3? And does anyone have anything to say about Rudovsky?

[Wholigan]

I took Fletman for evidence. Whether you like her will depend on whether you like participating in-class and attending or if you are the type that likes to just show up at the end of the semester for the exam.

Classroom participation is a part of the grade, so you should come prepared to most classes. If you do, you are well on your way to a good grade in the class. She shows a lot of videos, so that part of the class is interesting.

BTW - I recommend taking evidence in law school because it is a common bar exam topic and is useful in many practice areas.

Thanks. What kind of exam does she give?
Also, is there any reason why Evidence w/ Rudovsky in the spring is 4 credits instead of 3? And does anyone have anything to say about Rudovsky?

In the past, Rudovsky's class has met 3 days per week (which usually includes Friday morning) and the other evidence classes 2 days. He covers more topics from what I have heard of the other sections. Rudovsky was definitely one of my favorite professors at the law school. He usually wins whatever the favorite professor prize is called from the graduating class every other year, since you can't win it back-to-back years. He lets you know who is on call by email prior to class (about a day ahead, IIRC). He's a practitioner and has been teaching forever, so he brings a lot of real world experience. He is very civil-liberties leaning for what that's worth. The exam was half MC and half essay. I would recommend his class over the others if you have an interest in the subject matter or in criminal law work.

[Georgiana]

Does anyone have any input on any of these professors and/or courses?

Evidence (Gordon or Fletman)
Fed Income Tax (Shuldiner or Sanchirico)

Also, I assume the courses under "no examination" have papers or something instead?

I had Rudovsky for evidence and hated it, but I would have hated any evidence class I think. I only took it because of the "its on the bar!" argument and definitely regret it. Learning it for the bar would have been easier than absolutely hating it for a full semester of school (and wasting a class). A lot of people really do love him/the class, I was just not one of them.

I had Sanchirico for Fed Income Tax and he definitely knew his stuff... but didn't really know how to teach it. Lovely man who is very smart, but I have never been more lost in my life. Luckily everyone else was lost too so our exam grades evened out even though I literally made things up. I expected a C (or worse...), got a B+. I did not learn anything in that class unfortunately (which is sad because knowing something about tax in my current job would be helpful).

[SportsFan]

When do we find out about journals?

Anybody have any idea?

Next week if previous years and the rumor mill are right. I heard that they were still scoring this week.

I'm legitimately excited to find out what journal I'm on, even though I'm 99% sure it won't be LR.

[westphillybandr]

Don't think we'll hear back until August.