Pittsburgh 2011 Forum

[OGR3]

Congrats to all of those who have been recently admitted! If any of you are in the area and would like to grab a drink/coffee/whatever to talk about top-law-schools.com, Pittsburgh, etc., I wouldn't mind taking a break from studying. Hell, maybe I can convince some of the other TLS 1Ls to come out with me and do our own TLS admitted students day haha.

Just don't invite Bedsole, he'll make them run far far away.

THIS should be your response to going to law school.

We've watched so many Amnesia videos over here. There's no way I'll play that game but I absolutely love watching people's responses...

[OGR3]

For those of you looking for an apartment with roommates, the perfect one just became available in Oakland.

--LinkRemoved--

[mhd08]

For those of you looking for an apartment with roommates, the perfect one just became available in Oakland.

--LinkRemoved--

I almost burst out laughing in the middle of civ pro when I saw this. Amazing.

[Adrian Yale]

For those of you looking for an apartment with roommates, the perfect one just became available in Oakland.

--LinkRemoved--

I almost burst out laughing in the middle of civ pro when I saw this. Amazing.

hahahahahahhaha. wow.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Awesome! I'm going to see it tonight! Can't wait!

Anybody here ever dealt with Regent Square Rentals? Are they good or bad?

[OGR3]

Awesome! I'm going to see it tonight! Can't wait!

Anybody here ever dealt with Regent Square Rentals? Are they good or bad?

I don't know about the company, but I really like the Regent Square neighborhood. It's quiet and close to campus. We almost bought a house there before we decided on "the 'burbs" (that's for you Bedsole).

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Walking up to pay my deposit.

[gin]

Quick random question:
Would you suggest living alone or with roommate(s) at least for the first year?
I kind of see it as a risk agreeing to live with someone that you don’t know but at the same time having roommates makes everything cheaper

[northwood]

Gin: Im planning on living alone. I dont want the possible drama that comes with living with a total stranger during the school year. Maybe ill move in with someone for 2L and 3L, but definately not this year.

by the way $800 a month for rent and bills is dirt cheap. I currently pay $800 a month for a small 1bdr ( about 500sq feet) plus all utilities.

[nyk4life]

In via status checker today. For reference, I went UR on 3/3. Does anyone know how credible the rumor is that you can get in-state tuition for 2L and 3L

[northwood]

heres what you need to do to get in state tuition as a 2L and 3L

http://www.bc.pitt.edu/students/tuitionguide.html

[reverendt]

heres what you need to do to get in state tuition as a 2L and 3L

http://www.bc.pitt.edu/students/tuitionguide.html

I can't stress enough that you have to be prepared to appeal their decision to grant (or not grant) in state status.
It seems like they deny almost everyone initially, and then see who bothers to appeal it.
Most of us who appealed were granted in state status.
Having gone through it...well if you have any questions feel free to ask.

[OGR3]

heres what you need to do to get in state tuition as a 2L and 3L

http://www.bc.pitt.edu/students/tuitionguide.html

I can't stress enough that you have to be prepared to appeal their decision to grant (or not grant) in state status.
It seems like they deny almost everyone initially, and then see who bothers to appeal it.
Most of us who appealed were granted in state status.
Having gone through it...well if you have any questions feel free to ask.

+1

[northwood]

to the current students who posted in this thread: Best of luck on your exams! looking forward to having a few brews with you in early august

[Dr. Review]

to the current students who posted in this thread: Best of luck on your exams! looking forward to having a few brews with you in early august

I'm not sure where you got the idea that law students drink...

but it's true. VERY TRUE.

[Nanosoft]

So, I got my my.pitt.edu email, and I now have my online account.

Can I really register for courses right now, and, should I?

[BarbellDreams]

No, they have already registered all 1L's for their courses. You dont need to register because all the 1L courses are mandatory courses.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Yeah, they put you in sections; so you have all of your courses with the same people for the first year. They even do that for me, who is going to be a flex-time student. I just don't take one of the courses per term...

Does anyone know if I can just send my second deposit in or do I need to wait for another yellow deposit slip? Thanks.

[cavemanlawyer]

Hey guys,

I had forgotten about my application at Pitt and they emailed and asked if I was still interested. I said yes and they offered me a decent amount of money. Strongly considering attendance in the fall, but was wondering what you guys know about the post-graduation market for Pitt grads.

Also wondering about the area. I was accepted at Iowa/Indiana, but was not crazy about the areas/programs. I liked the idea of Case Western, but not the idea of Cleveland. Wake Forest was intriguing, but I really dislike the idea of practicing anywhere in the south, even if it is the "urbane" coastal south. I heard Pittsburgh is a fantastic city, but I have only ever been through it.

How is COL in the city? Is it dangerous? Is it easy to find a place near campus?

All of these questions could be answered via google, but I wanted to know what people who are in my situation have concluded.

[reverendt]

Cavemanlawyer....
I'm an about-to-graduate 3L, so I'll answer your questions based on what I've seen/learned/experienced.

First the good news.
Pittsburgh is a very cool town. I grew up 10 miles from Manhattan, so I have pretty high standards when it comes to cities. Pittsburgh is much smaller than NYC/Chicago, etc., but I don't consider that a bad thing; it has everything you need in a city.
The COL is quite reasonable, at least by my standards. The wife and I have a LARGE 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath apartment in a subdivided old mansion with a gas fireplace, a big balcony/deck and one spot in the garage, in a great neighborhood, on the busline, for $1050. You can get a 1 bedroom in a good area for probably around $600.
Is it dangerous....some areas are, but you'll have no need to go there. Around the school....there's some crime, but it's not a big problem. Walking around drunk by yourself in the middle of the night is probably not the best idea, but I've never felt unsafe there. In general, it's a relatively safe city.
I wouldn't advise living right near campus. That area is overrun with drunk, partying undergrads, which can get old pretty fast. A mile or two away there's lots of fairly affordable housing in neighborhoods that most grad students find more preferable.
NOW the bad news.
The job situation is ROUGH. It's bad all over, I gather...and Pittsburgh is no exception.
Out of my group of friends, 2 of them secured solid, big or psuedo-biglaw jobs, and they were both in the top 10% of the class and on law review. The rest of us are scrambling. I've done fairly well...probably around top 25%, secondary journal, got my note published, and I'm about to graduate without a job secured. There's a little bit of buzz...it seems like some local firms and city/county jobs are starting to do a little bit of hiring, but it's pretty rough.

[bport hopeful]

I like loud drunken undergrads.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Even when they're screaming off the balcony at 7:00 p.m. with liquor bottles lined on their balcony? Might have been a situation I encountered when I went to look at an Oakland apartment recently. Needless to say, I have put a deposit down on an apartment in Regent Square - this is coming from someone who loves to dance at the club. Like it, but not to live with it 24/7.

[bport hopeful]

haha I have a sensitivity to it, as I am often one of them. In the real world, I could see them being annoying (should one count LS as the real world???)

[reverendt]

I have put a deposit down on an apartment in Regent Square.

Good choice! I've been living in Regent Square for 3 years, and I love it. Nobody ever moves out this neighborhood because...there's no reason to.

[kartal]

Stay away from Mozart Property Management.

Can you or any other Pitt Law student explain what the issue is with Mozart Management? What are the people's experience with them? It looks like that they have a large selection.

I also would like to know how the Frick Park neighborhood is. It looks like that the rents there are reasonable Is it on the bus route? Is there a shopping center around there?