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Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 8:54 pm
by dailygrind
vissidarte27 wrote:Went and doubled checked my undergrad records -- my GPA is a 3.21, not a 3.3.

That might go up slightly (there is one class that is not accounted for, worth 4 credits in which I expect an A), but not much.

Does that change the game any or do you still think I'm fine apply OOS ED?

Thanks, y'all. Very helpful.
think of it as an investment. if you move, you will improve your chances significantly. i can't really speak to your probably of success as an OOS, but i strongly doubt you're guaranteed. but even if you are guaranteed, you will save 15k over the course of your law school career if you move here, because you will be able to get in-state tuition (not something easily done if you start as an OOS).

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 10:25 pm
by bgdddymtty
AssumptionRequired wrote:Hey everyone.

I know this may have been said. But for someone looking to live with a SO in law school and looking to save some money would Coopley Hill and University Gardens be a bad/good choice? The 1 bedrooms seem to be pretty cheap and include most if not all bills. Also i was really looking for a den or 2 bedroom to have a little study room. Is the dining area in those 1 bedrooms enough room for a dining table (small) and a desk? Are these places super slummy? or whats the deal with them, how close is it to the law school
Unless you get married, have children, or can establish that your SO is your legal dependent, you're not eligible to live in UVa family housing. That said, the accommodations are spartan (all floors are linoleum over concrete, concrete walls, radiated heat, A/C only in the living room, etc.), but the area is not at all ghetto, it's cheap, and it's really close (Copeley, anyway) to the Law School.

Then again, if you're looking at 1BR, I think that's only available at University Gardens, which is a good bit farther of a walk. I'd probably look for someplace on Arlington instead.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 10:58 pm
by sundance95
vissidarte27 wrote:How much of a difference does residency make? Would it be advisable in my particular case?

I don't want to spend a bunch of money to move to Virginia if I don't have a shot anyway, you know? Alternately, I don't want to spend a bunch of money to move to Virginia when they might take me as an out-of-state Early Decision.

Any thoughts?
I had very similar #s to yours (slightly lower GPA, slightly higher LSAT) and used this strategy. I was accepted about a day after applying ED in September. There's no public school in the T14 that gives a larger boost to in state residents; of all public law schools I believe only UNC requires more of their class be in staters. If you really want UVa, you are giving yourself the best possible chance for admission with this strategy. After all, Dean Trujillo himself said in his TLS interview that
"Thankfully, there are a large number of bright recent college graduates interested in law school throughout the Commonwealth, but particularly a large number who move to and work (and live) for a year or two in and around Washington, D.C. The smart ones live in Arlington or Alexandra and become residents."
Be advised that you must move to VA one year prior to the start of classes. For practical purposes, that means that you can start a lease on August 1, 2011, and apply as an in state resident ED on September 1, 2011 for admission to the class of 2015.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 11:39 pm
by josette
I've heard that it's hard/impossible to change from out of state to instate for tuition purposes, but would buying a condo in Charlottesville be a way to make it work? It sounds as if many of the Ivy Garden condos are owned individually, and that they'd be a good investment.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:30 am
by vissidarte27
sundance95 wrote:
vissidarte27 wrote:How much of a difference does residency make? Would it be advisable in my particular case?

I don't want to spend a bunch of money to move to Virginia if I don't have a shot anyway, you know? Alternately, I don't want to spend a bunch of money to move to Virginia when they might take me as an out-of-state Early Decision.

Any thoughts?
I had very similar #s to yours (slightly lower GPA, slightly higher LSAT) and used this strategy. I was accepted about a day after applying ED in September. There's no public school in the T14 that gives a larger boost to in state residents; of all public law schools I believe only UNC requires more of their class be in staters. If you really want UVa, you are giving yourself the best possible chance for admission with this strategy. After all, Dean Trujillo himself said in his TLS interview that
"Thankfully, there are a large number of bright recent college graduates interested in law school throughout the Commonwealth, but particularly a large number who move to and work (and live) for a year or two in and around Washington, D.C. The smart ones live in Arlington or Alexandra and become residents."
Be advised that you must move to VA one year prior to the start of classes. For practical purposes, that means that you can start a lease on August 1, 2011, and apply as an in state resident ED on September 1, 2011 for admission to the class of 2015.
Did you do anything else besides rent an apartment? Taxes, drivers license, etc? Does it look kind of fishy to start a least on August 1st? Since I travel a lot for work, would I be able to sublet my apartment and still retain residency?

My partner is a Virginia resident, but since same-sex marriage is not legal in Virginia (and wouldn't be recognized if we got married in DC either), I can't get spousal benefits/residency. Which is, ironically, why I'm going to law school. To fight for equal right for the LGBT community. Go figure.

ETA: Can't just move in with my SO and go about it that way -- she lives with her folks when she's not in school and I understand that in order for me to have residency, I need to have my name on some sort of lease/binding legal agreement, yes?

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:44 am
by plenipotentiary
josette wrote:I've heard that it's hard/impossible to change from out of state to instate for tuition purposes, but would buying a condo in Charlottesville be a way to make it work? It sounds as if many of the Ivy Garden condos are owned individually, and that they'd be a good investment.
I don't think it makes sense to buy a condo to save $5k a year.
sundance95 wrote: There's no public school in the T14 that gives a larger boost to in state residents; of all public law schools I believe only UNC requires more of their class be in staters.
Not quite a T14, but I believe that Texas has a 60% quota. I don't know if that's higher than UNC, but it's higher than UVA.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:20 pm
by bgdddymtty
Texas's quota is 65%. I know it's a big state with a lot of good universities, but it's amazing that they're able to stay on the cusp of the T14 with a constraint like that.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:40 pm
by RVP11
bgdddymtty wrote:Texas's quota is 65%. I know it's a big state with a lot of good universities, but it's amazing that they're able to stay on the cusp of the T14 with a constraint like that.
Virginia is probably more constrained by the 40% quota than Texas is by their 65% quota. Mathtime:

VA: ~7.9 million residents, ~145 seats reserved for in-state students
TX: ~24.8 million residents, ~260 seats reserved for in-state students

If it's amazing that UT manages to be on the cusp of the T14, it must be quite a feat that UVA is consistently T10.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:46 pm
by uvahooo
when do we find out what we got on our exams?

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:57 pm
by Cavalier
uvahooo wrote:when do we find out what we got on our exams?
Mid January. Last year all but two 1L course grades were posted by the Tuesday after MLK weekend. The evaluation for a particular course will generally appear on LawWeb a day or so before its grade is posted. I would advise just trying to forget about it. There's no need to spend your break refreshing LawWeb to see which course evaluations posted because you'll hear about it anyway over Facebook and your section's listserv.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 5:06 pm
by uvahooo
Cavalier wrote:
uvahooo wrote:when do we find out what we got on our exams?
Mid January. Last year all but two 1L course grades were posted by the Tuesday after MLK weekend. The evaluation for a particular course will generally appear on LawWeb a day or so before its grade is posted. I would advise just trying to forget about it. There's no need to spend your break refreshing LawWeb to see which course evaluations posted because you'll hear about it anyway over Facebook and your section's listserv.
I am second guessing everything on my exam... but I don't think I want to talk about it. I am going to go crazy until I get that damn grade.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 5:22 pm
by bgdddymtty
uvahooo wrote:
Cavalier wrote:
uvahooo wrote:when do we find out what we got on our exams?
Mid January. Last year all but two 1L course grades were posted by the Tuesday after MLK weekend. The evaluation for a particular course will generally appear on LawWeb a day or so before its grade is posted. I would advise just trying to forget about it. There's no need to spend your break refreshing LawWeb to see which course evaluations posted because you'll hear about it anyway over Facebook and your section's listserv.
I am second guessing everything on my exam... but I don't think I want to talk about it. I am going to go crazy until I get that damn grade.
When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom: let it be.

Easier said than done, though.

Hooo do you have for Crim?

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 6:11 pm
by uvahooo
bgdddymtty wrote:
uvahooo wrote:
Cavalier wrote:
uvahooo wrote:when do we find out what we got on our exams?
Mid January. Last year all but two 1L course grades were posted by the Tuesday after MLK weekend. The evaluation for a particular course will generally appear on LawWeb a day or so before its grade is posted. I would advise just trying to forget about it. There's no need to spend your break refreshing LawWeb to see which course evaluations posted because you'll hear about it anyway over Facebook and your section's listserv.
I am second guessing everything on my exam... but I don't think I want to talk about it. I am going to go crazy until I get that damn grade.
When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom: let it be.

Easier said than done, though.

Hooo do you have for Crim?
Bonnie u?

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 6:21 pm
by dailygrind
i remember trying to do the exact same thing with the LSAT. did my absolute best to not let worry over my score eat me up. the week before scores finally came out i was a nervous wreck.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 6:35 pm
by bgdddymtty
uvahooo wrote:
bgdddymtty wrote:Hooo do you have for Crim?
Bonnie u?
Same! I take it you're one of the Sec C Beasts?

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 8:43 pm
by RVP11
uvahooo wrote:
Cavalier wrote:
uvahooo wrote:when do we find out what we got on our exams?
Mid January. Last year all but two 1L course grades were posted by the Tuesday after MLK weekend. The evaluation for a particular course will generally appear on LawWeb a day or so before its grade is posted. I would advise just trying to forget about it. There's no need to spend your break refreshing LawWeb to see which course evaluations posted because you'll hear about it anyway over Facebook and your section's listserv.
I am second guessing everything on my exam... but I don't think I want to talk about it. I am going to go crazy until I get that damn grade.
Definitely don't talk about it, and try as hard as you can to stop thinking about it.

I feel like I have Jedi mind control powers now that I can walk out of a 3.5 or 4 hour exam and not even be thinking about it 15 minutes later.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:19 pm
by vamedic03
RVP11 wrote:
uvahooo wrote:
Cavalier wrote:
uvahooo wrote:when do we find out what we got on our exams?
Mid January. Last year all but two 1L course grades were posted by the Tuesday after MLK weekend. The evaluation for a particular course will generally appear on LawWeb a day or so before its grade is posted. I would advise just trying to forget about it. There's no need to spend your break refreshing LawWeb to see which course evaluations posted because you'll hear about it anyway over Facebook and your section's listserv.
I am second guessing everything on my exam... but I don't think I want to talk about it. I am going to go crazy until I get that damn grade.
Definitely don't talk about it, and try as hard as you can to stop thinking about it.

I feel like I have Jedi mind control powers now that I can walk out of a 3.5 or 4 hour exam and not even be thinking about it 15 minutes later.
Is that Jedi mind power or apathy?

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:07 pm
by uvahooo
bgdddymtty wrote:
uvahooo wrote:
bgdddymtty wrote:Hooo do you have for Crim?
Bonnie u?
Same! I take it you're one of the Sec C Beasts?
Maybe, maybe not ;)
don't want to give away my identity.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:09 pm
by albanach
Question for those of you already at UVa... Just how big a disadvantage would it be to live further away from campus, say 3 miles away on the North side of town? About a ten minute drive to North Grounds.

If it helps, I'm a non traditional applicant with a family. Family housing on campus is very small, and the rest of studentsville at Arlington/Ivy is somewhat lacking in space for a child to play.

Any thoughts would be really appreciated. Thanks.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 11:18 pm
by vamedic03
albanach wrote:Question for those of you already at UVa... Just how big a disadvantage would it be to live further away from campus, say 3 miles away on the North side of town? About a ten minute drive to North Grounds.

If it helps, I'm a non traditional applicant with a family. Family housing on campus is very small, and the rest of studentsville at Arlington/Ivy is somewhat lacking in space for a child to play.

Any thoughts would be really appreciated. Thanks.
You'd be fine. Just make sure its not a bad neighborhood. I, and plenty of my friends, have a 10-15 minute commute to school.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:42 pm
by sherpaorlawschool
How did people you know coming straight from undergrad do at OGI? It seems like most of the UVA folks on this board have been out of school for a few years. I'm curious given that UVA seems to have more people coming from undergrad.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 9:45 pm
by BruceWayne
sherpaorlawschool wrote:How did people you know coming straight from undergrad do at OGI? It seems like most of the UVA folks on this board have been out of school for a few years. I'm curious given that UVA seems to have more people coming from undergrad.
I know a good number of 2l's 3l's who went straight through. From the vibe I get, it really didn't matter anywhere near as much as their grades did: ie if they had good grades things were fine; if they didn't they had a harder time.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 2:27 am
by plenipotentiary
So, I am about to open a new checking account, and I was wondering which banks are popular in Charlottesville/near the law school?

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 2:45 am
by sundance95
vissidarte27 wrote:Did you do anything else besides rent an apartment? Taxes, drivers license, etc? Does it look kind of fishy to start a least on August 1st? Since I travel a lot for work, would I be able to sublet my apartment and still retain residency?

My partner is a Virginia resident, but since same-sex marriage is not legal in Virginia (and wouldn't be recognized if we got married in DC either), I can't get spousal benefits/residency. Which is, ironically, why I'm going to law school. To fight for equal right for the LGBT community. Go figure.

ETA: Can't just move in with my SO and go about it that way -- she lives with her folks when she's not in school and I understand that in order for me to have residency, I need to have my name on some sort of lease/binding legal agreement, yes?
Hey sorry, just saw your post-hadn't been checking this thread for a while.

I started my own lease on August 1 and my residency app was approved hours after Virginia received it, so I don't think they found it all that suspicious. I also changed my drivers license and car title to VA, and set up my employment for VA income tax withholding.

It's worth a call to the University residency office to see if there is an exception for domestic partnerships through the University. I know Berkeley does this. I know, it's Berkeley, but it's still worth a call. If that doesn't work, is it possible for you to move in with your SO after signing a lease to pay rent to your SO or her folks? I'd wager that would work.

Based on my experience, and discussions with UVa admissions staff, I believe the bureaucratic outlook for the residency office is to try and approve folks for residency if possible, not look for ways to deny them. Of course, I do plan on continuing to reside in VA after graduation so I do meet the residency requirements.

Re: UVA 2L taking questions

Posted: Fri Dec 10, 2010 11:25 am
by Doritos
plenipotentiary wrote:So, I am about to open a new checking account, and I was wondering which banks are popular in Charlottesville/near the law school?
suntrust, wachovia, bank of america.

http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/insider/intro.htm