Georgia State University - 2011 Applicants Forum

[TT09]

Complete today, in-state, 160/3.7

Good chance?

I would say very good chance, yes.

[Sandro]

Complete today, in-state, 160/3.7

Good chance?

Unless you killed someone, then I would say you'd be a toss up.

[TT09]

Complete today, in-state, 160/3.7

Good chance?

Unless you killed someone, then I would say you'd be a toss up.

GA State loves their GA residents. Also, LSP has pink at a 60% consider. I'm thinking with the in-state boost, pink, you should be just fine.

[uwgbluedevil]

Anyone know if visiting would help at all? I'm 3.1, 163, so i feel pretty good, but considering they are my #1, I'd take any opportunity I can get to increase my chances. I visited last feb or march and enjoyed it, but it was only like an information session, and a very brief tour. I would love the opportunity to sit down with someone from admissions, or something like that.

[pinkcamellia]

Complete today, in-state, 160/3.7

Good chance?

Unless you killed someone, then I would say you'd be a toss up.

GA State loves their GA residents. Also, LSP has pink at a 60% consider. I'm thinking with the in-state boost, pink, you should be just fine.

Thanks, y'all I hope this is where I end up.

[tenpenny3]

in-stater 2.94/161 had to call and get them to even acknowledge my file! but I'm now complete so crossing my fingers...

[uwgbluedevil]

in-stater 2.94/161 had to call and get them to even acknowledge my file! but I'm now complete so crossing my fingers...

good luck. are they a top choice for you?

[tenpenny3]

the instate tuition is amazing, but I want to be close to gf of 4 years whose going to med school in chicago or michigan so idk :-/

it'd make my decision tough that's for sure!

[alexmcd]

visited the campus today and sat in on a class, chatted with admissions and poked around the campus etc.

Overall impression: the class was very impressive, def the high point. But the building was HORRENDOUS, and the surrounding area was not much better.

Feel free to PM me for specifics.

[tenpenny3]

ya there's a reason why its a big commuter campus.

but marta does allow you to live in some great areas

[BamaGrad09]

Finally got a status checker today. Hope it doesn't take long to hear something from them as far as a decision goes. I'd like to start making plans for a move in a month or so, regardless of where I end up.

[ugawarrent]

visited the campus today and sat in on a class, chatted with admissions and poked around the campus etc.

Overall impression: the class was very impressive, def the high point. But the building was HORRENDOUS, and the surrounding area was not much better.

Feel free to PM me for specifics.

I had a similar experience when I visited a few years ago. I remember thinking, "Oh crap, I don't think I can go here!" But they guy who randomly ended up guiding our tour (not one of the regular guides) addressed just that fear: "I went to UGA for undergrad. This is no UGA campus, for sure. You're not gonna sit out on a quad and read... As far as building goes, you get what you pay for! But you still come out 'J.D.' and with a great education." Almost at the end of my three years, I pretty much agree. This place was the right choice for me.

But it can be sketchy some times...

[ugawarrent]

Do you know if the Lindbergh Station has a train that goes directly to the GSU MARTA station? I've lived in a suburb north of Atlanta for almost 10 years but ive never ridden MARTA, and I've only been to Georgia State once, so I'm pretty ignorant with regards to living inside the Perimeter.

Someone else mentioned you can switch trains at 5 Points, and that's true—the "closest" station is 100-200 yards from the front door, and it's on the East-West line (Lindbergh is North-South). But the walk to 5 points is only 5-10 minutes, and unless you're lucky changing trains, you'll usually wait that long just to get on a train to go 30 seconds down the line to the next stop. So, most people just walk it to the farther away, more convenient station.*

*That is, unless it's late at night or weather is bad, where some people would rather not walk...

[pinkcamellia]

I met with someone at Georgia State today at our law fair. Very professional, made me feel like a desired applicant

[BamaGrad09]

My rent is about $600 bucks a month per person (I have 1 roommate who has a 9am-6pm job in downtown ATL), and we live near the Lindbergh MARTA station. Our utilities are about 60-75 bucks each. You can find places for $500-700 a month that are close to MARTA stations. I definitely recommend living with someone who is either a law student or some sort of graduate student, or even someone who has a busy work schedule that won't be partying much, even on the weekends. Trust me, you will be in bed by 11pm on some nights and up by 6am, or awake till 3am and up at 6am, so you can't really risk having a partying roommate. Especially during finals time.

I'd say places around Lindbergh are pretty safe because they're all students or young professionals. Also, you might want to check out places that aren't by MARTA and just drive to campus by investing in a parking pass for M-deck (runs about 230 bucks per semester).

Yea, the loans don't cover it all unless you apply for the Federal PLUS Loans, which gives you extra loans.

If you want to split an apartment with a girlfriend or significant other, there are single-unit apartments walking distance from the law school that have rent for about 800-900 bucks that are pretty nice and safe.

If you don't mind, what utilities does that 60-75 bucks a month include? Seems really cheap. We're trying to get a budget planned of how much it's going to cost us so we (mostly the girlfriend, since I'll be living on student loans) can start saving up and making a budget.

Also, you wouldn't happen to know the names of any of the single-unit places around the law school, would you? If not, I can try to find them. There are so many apartment complexes in Atlanta that it takes some time to go through them all. Thanks!

[uwgbluedevil]

My rent is about $600 bucks a month per person (I have 1 roommate who has a 9am-6pm job in downtown ATL), and we live near the Lindbergh MARTA station. Our utilities are about 60-75 bucks each. You can find places for $500-700 a month that are close to MARTA stations. I definitely recommend living with someone who is either a law student or some sort of graduate student, or even someone who has a busy work schedule that won't be partying much, even on the weekends. Trust me, you will be in bed by 11pm on some nights and up by 6am, or awake till 3am and up at 6am, so you can't really risk having a partying roommate. Especially during finals time.

I'd say places around Lindbergh are pretty safe because they're all students or young professionals. Also, you might want to check out places that aren't by MARTA and just drive to campus by investing in a parking pass for M-deck (runs about 230 bucks per semester).

Yea, the loans don't cover it all unless you apply for the Federal PLUS Loans, which gives you extra loans.

If you want to split an apartment with a girlfriend or significant other, there are single-unit apartments walking distance from the law school that have rent for about 800-900 bucks that are pretty nice and safe.

If you don't mind, what utilities does that 60-75 bucks a month include? Seems really cheap. We're trying to get a budget planned of how much it's going to cost us so we (mostly the girlfriend, since I'll be living on student loans) can start saving up and making a budget.

Also, you wouldn't happen to know the names of any of the single-unit places around the law school, would you? If not, I can try to find them. There are so many apartment complexes in Atlanta that it takes some time to go through them all. Thanks!

Wellhe did say it was 60-75 each so more like 120-150 total which seems about right to me.

[uwgbluedevil]

I'm interested in knowing about what rent is like as well. GSU is my #1 choice now. I'll be moving to Atlanta with my girlfriend, assuming that I'm accepted, so we'll be splitting the cost of rent and utilities. It would still be good to plan and save now for the first couple of months that she will be looking for a job.

The $14,000 allowance for cost of living seems a little low. Mercer has an allowance of over $17,000. Macon is much cheaper than Atlanta. We just want to have all of our ducks in a row, so to speak.

Where are the best areas to get affordable housing around Atlanta near MARTA that are in relatively safe areas?

Where did you find out those amounts?

[NonTradHealthLaw]

Check out http://www.allconnect.com for local utility rates.

120-150 per month seems feasible to me; depends on what is included the rent and personal preferences. Some of these can be bundled for cheaper.

Internet/Phone $30+ (does anyone have a home phone anymore?)
Basic Cable $20
Natural Gas / Electric $25 - 150 depending on month and size of unit
Cell phone $50+
Water $10+ (note that city of Atlanta effectively doubles your water to account for sewer)

[BamaGrad09]

I'm interested in knowing about what rent is like as well. GSU is my #1 choice now. I'll be moving to Atlanta with my girlfriend, assuming that I'm accepted, so we'll be splitting the cost of rent and utilities. It would still be good to plan and save now for the first couple of months that she will be looking for a job.

The $14,000 allowance for cost of living seems a little low. Mercer has an allowance of over $17,000. Macon is much cheaper than Atlanta. We just want to have all of our ducks in a row, so to speak.

Where are the best areas to get affordable housing around Atlanta near MARTA that are in relatively safe areas?

Where did you find out those amounts?

On LSAC's website. Looking back, I was a little off about Mercer, but the cost of living allowance is still higher than at GSU.

Mercer Law: http://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/S ... BA5409.pdf

Georgia State: http://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/S ... BA5251.pdf

[uwgbluedevil]

thanks

[chardy]

My status just went from "In Review 1/6/2011" to "In Review 1/27/2011." I wonder if this is good news or bad news. I feel like it changing to a later date just means that they're going to just push me off to the next round of reviews while the people whose status hasn't changed are probably about to hear something. Does anyone have another opinion on this that might give me more hope? Or any insight from their own experiences? I applied when the application became available so I feel like if I were going to get in, it would have happened by now. fwiw, my numbers are 159, 3.6...but took more than once.

[uwgbluedevil]

in today via status checker! never went in review, so idk what that means for people who did/are. This is my top school after UGA, so it looks like I will be going to law school next year, lol

[TT09]

in today via status checker! never went in review, so idk what that means for people who did/are. This is my top school after UGA, so it looks like I will be going to law school next year, lol

Congratulations!

[pinkcamellia]

in today via status checker! never went in review, so idk what that means for people who did/are. This is my top school after UGA, so it looks like I will be going to law school next year, lol

Congratulations!!!

[uwgbluedevil]

thanks everyone. its definitely a major relief knowing i'll be able to keep my debt relatively low while still getting a great legal education.