IOWA 2011 Forum

[chrisbru]

[quote="jam88"]Figured so much. I'm not terribly concerned, even without any scholarship it would probably still be the cheapest offer. I have a house in Iowa City so my COL will be significantly cheaper.


What's your take on finding a place that takes dogs? I'd like to not spend TOO much on rent so I can spend more on hawkeye gear and booze, and would like to be able to walk to class and the bars when it's nice out.

[MalachiConstant]

There is an extra form you need to fill out that the financial aid office will send you by either snail mail or email. It is a "verification" form and literally asks you the same things that FAFSA does.

Also, the ISIS financial aid award notification website updated yesterday... which is great because now I have another status checker website to obsess over.

[legallyblonde:)]

^^ It can't hurt to try and negotiate. Do you have a top third stipulation on the scholarship?

Yea I have a top 1/3 stipulation. I've read all the negotiation stuff on the TLS forum but still don't really know how I would approach it. Minnesota offered me a little $ and still waiting to hear from WUSTL...is an acceptance to MN enough leverage? I guess the worst they could say is no...

[chrisbru]

^^ It can't hurt to try and negotiate. Do you have a top third stipulation on the scholarship?

Yea I have a top 1/3 stipulation. I've read all the negotiation stuff on the TLS forum but still don't really know how I would approach it. Minnesota offered me a little $ and still waiting to hear from WUSTL...is an acceptance to MN enough leverage? I guess the worst they could say is no...

No, unfortunately only a higher scholarship at MN will be worth anything... Especially since your tuition to Iowa is much loser to start with.

[bbermud]

just got wait-listed at northwestern with a 153. i figure the admissions board has read so many applications by now, they have resorted to smoking crack.

[sebastian0622]

^^ It can't hurt to try and negotiate. Do you have a top third stipulation on the scholarship?

Yea I have a top 1/3 stipulation. I've read all the negotiation stuff on the TLS forum but still don't really know how I would approach it. Minnesota offered me a little $ and still waiting to hear from WUSTL...is an acceptance to MN enough leverage? I guess the worst they could say is no...

I have a top 37.5% rider on my scholarship at U of I and my advice, honestly, is to bail on it and accept something else. I passed up Vandy and Cornell to take a U of I full ride and kind of regret it. I mean, I really like my peers and have no reason to believe that the quality of education is any lower here than anywhere else, but the scholarship requirement adds unnecessary stress to law school. I'm not saying I'm going to lose my scholarship: I'm saying that it doesn't matter. You're going to spend half of your first year stressing about it before you even get ANY feedback, then you're going to be stressing your rank for the rest of law school. You don't need any additional stress in law school considering that you'll have other attractive options at this point. Oh, and OCI and job prospects suck here from what I can tell. If you're good enough to get full ride at Iowa, take half-ride or walk on at a better school if Iowa has a requirement. Take it from the guy who has been there.

Other than that, I like Iowa, so for everyone else I'd say come on in and join the fun.

[typ3]

^^ It can't hurt to try and negotiate. Do you have a top third stipulation on the scholarship?

Yea I have a top 1/3 stipulation. I've read all the negotiation stuff on the TLS forum but still don't really know how I would approach it. Minnesota offered me a little $ and still waiting to hear from WUSTL...is an acceptance to MN enough leverage? I guess the worst they could say is no...

I have a top 37.5% rider on my scholarship at U of I and my advice, honestly, is to bail on it and accept something else. I passed up Vandy and Cornell to take a U of I full ride and kind of regret it. I mean, I really like my peers and have no reason to believe that the quality of education is any lower here than anywhere else, but the scholarship requirement adds unnecessary stress to law school. I'm not saying I'm going to lose my scholarship: I'm saying that it doesn't matter. You're going to spend half of your first year stressing about it before you even get ANY feedback, then you're going to be stressing your rank for the rest of law school. You don't need any additional stress in law school considering that you'll have other attractive options at this point. Oh, and OCI and job prospects suck here from what I can tell. If you're good enough to get full ride at Iowa, take half-ride or walk on at a better school if Iowa has a requirement. Take it from the guy who has been there.

Other than that, I like Iowa, so for everyone else I'd say come on in and join the fun.

Take minnesota with $ for job placement IMO.

A lot of UofI grads go to Minneapolis but they lose out to the home crowd kids for the best jobs.

[Prairie]

You're going to spend half of your first year stressing about it before you even get ANY feedback, then you're going to be stressing your rank for the rest of law school.

But, don't you stress about your rank anyway? Isn't that the stat that matters for jobs anyway? If you're going to be stressed about your rank anyway (because it seems like you should!--it's all about jobs!), why not do it for far less money?

So,

You don't need any additional stress in law school considering that you'll have other attractive options at this point.

, this seems a moot point.

Oh, and OCI and job prospects suck here from what I can tell. If you're good enough to get full ride at Iowa, take half-ride or walk on at a better school if Iowa has a requirement.

On the other hand, this seems like relevant feedback for us potential Hawkeyes.

[sebastian0622]

You're going to spend half of your first year stressing about it before you even get ANY feedback, then you're going to be stressing your rank for the rest of law school.

But, don't you stress about your rank anyway? Isn't that the stat that matters for jobs anyway? If you're going to be stressed about your rank anyway (because it seems like you should!--it's all about jobs!), why not do it for far less money?

So,

You don't need any additional stress in law school considering that you'll have other attractive options at this point.

, this seems a moot point.

Oh, and OCI and job prospects suck here from what I can tell. If you're good enough to get full ride at Iowa, take half-ride or walk on at a better school if Iowa has a requirement.

On the other hand, this seems like relevant feedback for us potential Hawkeyes.

Stress is not a binary. Yes, you are going to be stressed about your class rank "anyway." However, you are going to be stressed out more if your scholarship is dependent on your grades. Besides, I think a lot of people don't really care about grades. If you're not wanting a big-firm job or fed clerkship, grades are not unimportant, but they're not nearly as big a deal as they're made out to be. In this economy, your personality, interview skills, networking and prior work history are each just as important for the rest of the jobs out there.

[typ3]

You're going to spend half of your first year stressing about it before you even get ANY feedback, then you're going to be stressing your rank for the rest of law school.

But, don't you stress about your rank anyway? Isn't that the stat that matters for jobs anyway? If you're going to be stressed about your rank anyway (because it seems like you should!--it's all about jobs!), why not do it for far less money?

So,

You don't need any additional stress in law school considering that you'll have other attractive options at this point.

, this seems a moot point.

Oh, and OCI and job prospects suck here from what I can tell. If you're good enough to get full ride at Iowa, take half-ride or walk on at a better school if Iowa has a requirement.

On the other hand, this seems like relevant feedback for us potential Hawkeyes.

Stress is not a binary. Yes, you are going to be stressed about your class rank "anyway." However, you are going to be stressed out more if your scholarship is dependent on your grades. Besides, I think a lot of people don't really care about grades. If you're not wanting a big-firm job or fed clerkship, grades are not unimportant, but they're not nearly as big a deal as they're made out to be. In this economy, your personality, interview skills, networking and prior work history are each just as important for the rest of the jobs out there.

Grades are most important for the people straight out of undergrad who have a light resume and the people vying for big law.

For every person in the top 50% there has to be someone who isn't. There are obviously people in Law school who may care about grades but don't care enough to make it an obsession like some.

[Prairie]

I see both of your points. However, I feel I am already going to be so focused on grades that the "added" stress worrying about a scholarship will be only marginally higher than if I didn't have a stipulation attached to it.

[typ3]

I see both of your points. However, I feel I am already going to be so focused on grades that the "added" stress worrying about a scholarship will be only marginally higher than if I didn't have a stipulation attached to it.

I've never heard anyone on scholarship with a stipulation say the added stress was marginal.

It might not be overwhelming, but it will certainly up the stakes.

[chrisbru]

I see both of your points. However, I feel I am already going to be so focused on grades that the "added" stress worrying about a scholarship will be only marginally higher than if I didn't have a stipulation attached to it.

This is irrelevant for almost every person on TLS... We're ALL going to stress the eff out about trying for top 10%, let alone top third.

There is no way that I can imagine taking $120k in debt at WUSTL with no stips to be a better idea than full at Iowa.

Or there's my TTT full-ride with no stips at St. Thomas.

[mss455]

Went IR Friday 2/18 after sitting complete since 11/30 !!!

[Prairie]

I see both of your points. However, I feel I am already going to be so focused on grades that the "added" stress worrying about a scholarship will be only marginally higher than if I didn't have a stipulation attached to it.

This is irrelevant for almost every person on TLS... We're ALL going to stress the eff out about trying for top 10%, let alone top third.
Or there's my TTT full-ride with no stips at St. Thomas.

My point exactly. Also, unless you have a different full at St. Thomas than me, there is a very minor stip: a C average, if I remember correctly.

[chrisbru]

My point exactly. Also, unless you have a different full at St. Thomas than me, there is a very minor stip: a C average, if I remember correctly.

I guess you're right... Although, a 2.0 stipulation might as well be no stip

[drummerboy]

In at Iowa via status checker. Any word on scholly info yet?

[bbermud]

In at Iowa via status checker. Any word on scholly info yet?

Congrats!!!

[drummerboy]

thanks. ill be visiting from s. florida in march. should be fun

[typ3]

In at Iowa via status checker. Any word on scholly info yet?

Most of it has been given out, but they will likely send out another round to top candidates after the deadline has closed.

[DocHawkeye]

In at Iowa via status checker. Any word on scholly info yet?

Most of it has been given out, but they will likely send out another round to top candidates after the deadline has closed.

How could you possibly know this for sure? Do you work in the Iowa admissions office?

[drummerboy]

what deadline are you referring to.

[bbermud]

I just got this really nice and long email from a Iowa Law grad talking about his experience at Iowa and his experience in New York at his current law firm both relating to international law(the type of law i am interested in). he also invited me to call and/or email him if i had any questions that he could assist me with. is this the norm? has anyone else received something like this? while the gesture is really nice and makes me like iowa even more , i am somewhat confused because i am not scholly material..

[bookofcarpetsamples]

i've actually received several really nice emails from professors, grads and current students (one from south florida, where i live now) telling me about their experiences and offering to answer any questions i have. iowa was already a really far reach for me, but they're still making a real effort to make me feel welcome...nice touch.

[corvettekid]

.