Thanks for answering questions. The bolded part above confuses me. Is that like the unemployment rate, where they don't count unless they are "actively seeking" or do you mean that some people are doing other things for summer? As a follow up, if they have non-firm work, did they go through OCI and not get anything and change gears (like an adaptive preference) or did they skip OCI and go straight to whatever else it is they are doing?

I was talking about people looking to do public interest or government or something like that.

Okay, so those people don't even do OCI. Good to know.

Have you come across any transfer students? Or heard anything about how they are treated or how hard it is to get in? Stigma?

Thanks for the responses guys. Sorry about confusing your years. Great to hear that it's not an absolute bloodbath. Obviously Michigan is very strong so one would hope they could weather the storm to an extent.

Sorry to quote myself, but re-reading it I realized that I was jumping to a conclusion. Does pretty much everyone do OCI or did the people who ended up looking for public work and government just opt out of it? Basically, I'm wondering if people gave up after not getting firm jobs through OCI and then changed approaches or whether they go through something separate without going through OCI.

I know this sounds confusing, but I don't really know much about how the whole thing works.

It's a mix. Some people really want govt but do OCI anyway bc it's easier... they apply for all sorts of jobs. Also, there are some non-firms who come to OCI. There are also people who end up looking for public interest bc they don't get firm jobs. And some people who don't bother w OCI bc there is something else they specifically want to do.

You should talk to PKSebben... he's a 3L who transferred in last year.

I know a few... I think they are treated fine.. mostly you don't know they are transfers right away until you get to know them and they tell you.

Hi! Thanks everyone for answering these questions. I'm going to be taking the LSAT in February 2010, and applying to Michigan in the 2010 cycle. A couple of questions

1) Could you tell me a little more about what MAP entails? It sounds cool, but at the same time I picture everyone sitting in a circle playing a bunch of humiliating games. Am I wrong?

2) How is the Career Services office at Michigan? If you chose to do so, can you work with them closely during your 1L, 2L and 3L years to try and find employment and opportunities in Public Service, Biglaw, Gov't, Clerkships, etc...?

Thanks!

I have always had a really good experience w Career Services, but I haven't ever needed anything special. I think that's when people start not liking them... when they're not going through the normal "system" (OCI, clerking, etc.). One thing you have to keep in mind is that their goal is to get as many students employed as possible... not to get you your dream job.

There is a tiny bit of that but not very much. Mostly there talks run by students and profs on how to go about jumping into law school. There are also a few practice classes where profs tell you how they're expecting you to prepare and what they're looking for in general.

The biggest aspect to MAP is really the social aspect. There are a lot of food events including a nice banquet on the first night. People also tend to go out.... A LOT.

SOLD!

I also think it's important to find someone you like. During 1L I met with quite a few Career Services folks until I found someone that I thought really worked well with me and then I stuck with that person. There were others that I didn't like that other people do like.

My guess is this is good advice for most schools actually.

Do you hold it over OSU's head that, while your football program might be inferior to theirs, your law school is clearly in much more prestigious standing?

OSU has a law school?

OSU?

Oregon State, I think.

Can I live on campus with my wife (is it permitted / conducive)? Or do I have to opt for off-campus accomodation?

there is married housing but it's really far. You probably just want to get off campus.

That's the Northwood housing... see above (I think in a post on this same page) for my response about that.

Edit: OK, maybe it's a page ago.

What is life like for gay students?

I've heard positive things from admissions, but wouldn't mind hearing an actual student's perspective.

I'm not gay, so hopefully someone who is can give you a first-hand answer. However, I have a couple of very close gay friends and many other gay friends here, and I have never gotten the sense that they have felt any sort of prejudice at the law school at all, if that's what you're worried about. Outlaws (LGBT student group) is very active. And I def don't see any sort of gay/straight division at all.

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could tell me what proportion of fun/interesting, but not necessarily practical courses, a Michigan student would be able to take during his JD studies. Here, I'm thinking about philosophy or history of law, law and econ, law and humanities, etc.

Of course, that might not be a wise investment; taking too many of those courses is probably not a very good strategy for job placement. Still, I'm curious. I know that the first year curriculum is pretty fixed, but I was wondering: is it possible to embark on JD studies at Michigan with simple intellectual curiosity, without the need to be too practical?

You can take tons of stuff like that. This is why I joke that all I do is take Con Law over and over again (many varieties). There are very few upper level requirements. You have to take Transnational Law. You have to take a class that fulfills the requirement of writing a paper. You have to take a class that fulfills your ethics requirement. That's about it.

A lot of people will tell you (and I'm definitely in this camp) to take whatever you want. You have to relearn the practical stuff in your bar course, even if you take it in law school, bc you've forgotten it by then and bc it's taught in more of a black letter law kind of way. There are certain classes I take with my career in mind, but I'm still taking them because I have an interest in them. If I'm not interested (or not interested enough to pass up some other class instead), I don't take it.

Thanks for the reply Alexandria,

That sounds like good advice and good fun. Have you had trouble registering in courses so far (class is full or something like that)?

Also, there's a huge list of courses on the website. Is this just for show or are most of them actually thought from time to time?

Thanks!!

http://cgi2.www.law.umich.edu/_ClassSch ... UpperClass