Indiana University - Bloomington students taking questions Forum

[daylightsavings]

Thanks everyone for all the information, pretty much everything that's been said I had no idea about before so I will definitely benefit from this knowledge going forward. I guess my final question after hearing all of this is, should I wait until I start school in the fall to start developing these contacts? I don't have anything lined up work wise for the summer so I would love to do something productive and law related if possible. However, given the previous posts it seems like the best way to develop these contacts is after I have begun classes and have some classes under my belt. On that same note, I'm not privy to the inter-workings of law firms but would attorneys need any help that someone without law school experience like myself could offer?? Thanks!

[Anonyme]

Hey all, FYI there is an admitted students page where you can advertise and look for housing this summer and fall:

--LinkRemoved--

Just click on "Housing Information" in the right-hand sidebar.

[jimchuck99]

Hi,

I had a question about summer internships/associates. Basically is there any time between the end of class and starting your summer work and/or end of work and the beginning of class. Basically, can I expect to be able to take a few weeks off in the summer, or is it straight to work.

Another question I had is about books. If the syllabus says you need these four books, should I just assume I need those four books. Or is it doable to get by checking stuff out of the library, etc.

Thanks.

[Spoonmanners]

There's time off on both sides in most cases. Depends on where you are, but I haven't heard of anyone who worked full time over the entire summer.

You may be able to get away with checking the books out of the library for a little while. Some people did it, and I suppose late fees would still be cheaper than the books. I just learned in most cases an old version on Amazon works just as well. Casebook writers will update only a few cases which you can find on Lexis or Westlaw anyways.

[jimchuck99]

There's time off on both sides in most cases. Depends on where you are, but I haven't heard of anyone who worked full time over the entire summer.

You may be able to get away with checking the books out of the library for a little while. Some people did it, and I suppose late fees would still be cheaper than the books. I just learned in most cases an old version on Amazon works just as well. Casebook writers will update only a few cases which you can find on Lexis or Westlaw anyways.

Thanks, that's really helpful

[LogosEther]

If they're casebooks, I would recommend just buying them, you're going to be spending a lot of time with them. I actually did a rental program through the IU Union Bookstore. It's cheaper (like $80 per book) and you return it end of the year, you can highlight/annotate all you want.

As for the summer, it really depends on your employer. Some of them will let you do whatever you want, some will have a specific plan for you. Totally depends. I'd imagine that most summer employers would be cool with letting you take off a few weeks early.

[superflush]

Basically is there any time between the end of class and starting your summer work and/or end of work and the beginning of class. Basically, can I expect to be able to take a few weeks off in the summer, or is it straight to work.

There's time off on both sides in most cases. Depends on where you are, but I haven't heard of anyone who worked full time over the entire summer.

This. I doubt anyone is working the entire summer. Maybe someone who is working multiple places comes close, but I think that even the people I know who are starting tomorrow won't be working in August. A traditional summer term would be 10 weeks, but it really depends on who you are working for (might be less).
Also, keep in mind that the writing competition is the 2 weeks after finals.

Another question I had is about books. If the syllabus says you need these four books, should I just assume I need those four books. Or is it doable to get by checking stuff out of the library, etc.

Which books are you talking about?

[jimchuck99]

Basically is there any time between the end of class and starting your summer work and/or end of work and the beginning of class. Basically, can I expect to be able to take a few weeks off in the summer, or is it straight to work.

There's time off on both sides in most cases. Depends on where you are, but I haven't heard of anyone who worked full time over the entire summer.

This. I doubt anyone is working the entire summer. Maybe someone who is working multiple places comes close, but I think that even the people I know who are starting tomorrow won't be working in August. A traditional summer term would be 10 weeks, but it really depends on who you are working for (might be less).
Also, keep in mind that the writing competition is the 2 weeks after finals.

Another question I had is about books. If the syllabus says you need these four books, should I just assume I need those four books. Or is it doable to get by checking stuff out of the library, etc.

Which books are you talking about?

Well, I'm not attending summer start but I looked at the sample course from several years ago they sent in a link, which is Tors. The books for the course are:

CB = Richard A. Epstein, Cases and Materials on Torts (9th ed. 2008)

TLIA = G. Edward White, Tort Law in America: An Intellectual History (expanded ed. 2003)

GTM = Richard Fischl & Jeremy Paul, Getting to Maybe: How to Excel on Law School Exams (1999)

Handout = Material distributed in class or made available on class website

[superflush]

But you don't even know who you have for Torts yet, right?
The Getting to Maybe is for Gerdy. Heidt doesn't do that. (Don't know about Brown).

[jimchuck99]

But you don't even know who you have for Torts yet, right?
The Getting to Maybe is for Gerdy. Heidt doesn't do that. (Don't know about Brown).

For sure. It was just kind of a stupid general question

[RooksWS6]

Also on the subject of books, I was wondering if it is true that we don't find out our schedule until orientation? If so, I assume we don't have many options as far as buying books anyway given that orientation is the day before classes start. Am I missing something? I'm a little OCD and not having this information until the day before is stressing me out a little...

[superflush]

Also on the subject of books, I was wondering if it is true that we don't find out our schedule until orientation? If so, I assume we don't have many options as far as buying books anyway given that orientation is the day before classes start. Am I missing something? I'm a little OCD and not having this information until the day before is stressing me out a little...

I got my schedule last year 6 days before classes started.
Enough time for Amazon Prime, but not great for used books on Amazon shipped via media mail.

[jimchuck99]

What do they do at orientation, and is everybody hung over during their first classes the next day?

[LogosEther]

Also in response to books, not hangovers:

I really liked GTM. It applies to Gerdy's exam. Even though he assigns readings from it, I didn't read them during the semester bc I had already read the book and he doesn't ask about the GTM readings at all nor tests on them. GTM is still a good read but only for Gerdy's type of crazy issue-spotter exams. To my surprise, most exams were not that sort of typical law school "word vomit" ones (as people call them), so GTM wasn't relevant for those.

[Spoonmanners]

Also on the subject of books, I was wondering if it is true that we don't find out our schedule until orientation? If so, I assume we don't have many options as far as buying books anyway given that orientation is the day before classes start. Am I missing something? I'm a little OCD and not having this information until the day before is stressing me out a little...

I seem to remember the Property books were all the same, perhaps its true for the other classes as well. I suppose you could compare the the old reading materials. I did once hedge my bets and snatched the cheapest copies of the books based on last years materials and everything was the same.

[Spoonmanners]

Also in response to books, not hangovers:

I really liked GTM. It applies to Gerdy's exam. Even though he assigns readings from it, I didn't read them during the semester bc I had already read the book and he doesn't ask about the GTM readings at all nor tests on them. GTM is still a good read but only for Gerdy's type of crazy issue-spotter exams. To my surprise, most exams were not that sort of typical law school "word vomit" ones (as people call them), so GTM wasn't relevant for those.

I agree, it helps you figure out some types of exams, but just like the LEEWS system, it really only prepares you for some exams. Truth is they vary widely. GTM teaches you how to hedge your bets, while some professors hate it when you hedge.

[pcvmeli]

Also in response to books, not hangovers:

I really liked GTM. It applies to Gerdy's exam. Even though he assigns readings from it, I didn't read them during the semester bc I had already read the book and he doesn't ask about the GTM readings at all nor tests on them. GTM is still a good read but only for Gerdy's type of crazy issue-spotter exams. To my surprise, most exams were not that sort of typical law school "word vomit" ones (as people call them), so GTM wasn't relevant for those.

I agree, it helps you figure out some types of exams, but just like the LEEWS system, it really only prepares you for some exams. Truth is they vary widely. GTM teaches you how to hedge your bets, while some professors hate it when you hedge.

So if that book only semi prepares you for the type of exam that the profs give, is there a better one out there?

[superflush]

So if that book only semi prepares you for the type of exam that the profs give, is there a better one out there?

A book that prepared you for each specific exam would have to include very specified information for each professor.
To my knowledge, no such book exists.

[Verity]

So if that book only semi prepares you for the type of exam that the profs give, is there a better one out there?

A book that prepared you for each specific exam would have to include very specified information for each professor.
To my knowledge, no such book exists.

So, specifically, how do the expected exam formats of some professors differ from what is laid down as Gospel in GTM? Which professors like/dislike the GTM approach?

[LogosEther]

So if that book only semi prepares you for the type of exam that the profs give, is there a better one out there?

A book that prepared you for each specific exam would have to include very specified information for each professor.
To my knowledge, no such book exists.

So, specifically, how do the expected exam formats of some professors differ from what is laid down as Gospel in GTM? Which professors like/dislike the GTM approach?

Well for some examples...

Gjerdy's exam is what it's made for, but even for that, I thought practice exams were WAY more useful.

Scott's criminal was issue spotter but with a word limit, so you had to be more concise and the points were more based off of analysis than off of spotting each issue. So GTM wasn't too applicable.

Shreve's civ pro had very strict word limits so you really weren't doing the whole "spot every issue" thing.

This semester, Stake's property was all multiple choice.

So for most classes, it really doesn't apply. This disappointed me at first because I read GTM in its entirety before law school, but at lease it gets you thinking critically about exam-taking techniques...

[detectivelogic]

Can you guys give me an honest impression of the employment prospects in indianapolis and outside of the midwest after graduation. Does IUB pretty much own Indianapolis? Also, do people have a chance to land something good outside the midwest if they choose to do so.

[twairlines]

Can anyone recommend who to use for my banking in Bloomington. I'll be transferring my accounts/info from my current one in a few days and wanted to know if there is a recommended one?

[superflush]

Can anyone recommend who to use for my banking in Bloomington. I'll be transferring my accounts/info from my current one in a few days and wanted to know if there is a recommended one?

ING, USAA, Ally, Schwab

[Spoonmanners]

So if that book only semi prepares you for the type of exam that the profs give, is there a better one out there?

A book that prepared you for each specific exam would have to include very specified information for each professor.
To my knowledge, no such book exists.

So, specifically, how do the expected exam formats of some professors differ from what is laid down as Gospel in GTM? Which professors like/dislike the GTM approach?

I think about a quarter of my exams have had a fairly restrictive word limit, which is the opposite of the GTM approach. Another percent has short answer/multiple choice, which obviously doesn't apply. Of the percent remaining, you need to both know the material and give them what they want. I can't describe it, but some teachers have just not bought the GTM/LEEWS approach, and it's probably because it's adding a bunch of garbage to muddy every issue. (On a side note, I'm going to try to respond to what is labeled as a motion, but is in reality a very long brief. The author of the brief is a fan of the GTM approach).

It's hard to say which professor will like what type of answer beforehand. I think that's why the 3.7 GPA, which means you average slightly better than average in all your classes, is somewhere around the top 5% of your class. I've done statistically better where a teacher gives you a sample answer, but very few do that.

[Spoonmanners]

Can you guys give me an honest impression of the employment prospects in indianapolis and outside of the midwest after graduation. Does IUB pretty much own Indianapolis? Also, do people have a chance to land something good outside the midwest if they choose to do so.

I don't think IUB owns Indianapolis. I think that's more the IUPUI kids, who can intern up there year round. Hard to explain what I think the current employment prospects are, but most get out of Indiana, and I would be willing to bet a majority get out of the Midwest. If you are dedicated to get out of the Midwest, it shouldn't be too difficult, assuming it is a closer city (Washington DC v. Boston is obviously different).

I'm actually fairly interested in the actual school statistics. I suppose I really only know the internship statistics, and not the employment statistics, to be completely fair.