University of San Francisco 2011 Forum

[Capitol hillbilly]

Unable to sleep and attempting to answer my own question, I just did a quick comparison between class of 2008 and 2009 employment info from Law School Tranparency re: Hastings, USF, and golden gate. LST only has data for those two years, but there is a precipitous drop across the board for all three schools from '08 to '09. I would imagine that class of '08 may have been the first to get hit by the downturn, so maybe '07 was even better, and so on? Not really surprising, and I guess that's good news for those of us panicking about usf's numbers in the '09 employment sticky..
Am I just trying to convince myself that everything is going to be ok? Answer: Y

[robinhoodOO]

Unable to sleep and attempting to answer my own question, I just did a quick comparison between class of 2008 and 2009 employment info from Law School Tranparency re: Hastings, USF, and golden gate. LST only has data for those two years, but there is a precipitous drop across the board for all three schools from '08 to '09. I would imagine that class of '08 may have been the first to get hit by the downturn, so maybe '07 was even better, and so on? Not really surprising, and I guess that's good news for those of us panicking about usf's numbers in the '09 employment sticky..
Am I just trying to convince myself that everything is going to be ok? Answer: Y

Let me put it to you this way: While a given year's individual employment statistics are typically only indicative of the respective graduating class' employment prospects, consider that the economy hit the legal world across the board hard. I would venture to guess that a great many of those who graduated in 2006, 07 and 08 and were using their JD have lost their jobs due to the economy--and more so of them in places like SF (where as we've already concluded the legal market is oversaturated). Basically, to address your musing concerns, I would say: not necessarily.....

I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but I doubt the statistics will be getting better within the next 3 or 4 years (or at least not good enough where graduating classes will reap the benefits). We saw, and are still seeing, many larger firms collapse across the country. If things to bet dramatically better, I would venture to guess that we'll see a majority of the hiring back of attorneys that lost their jobs and/or applicants graduating from tier one schools (unless of course it is regional and there is no competition).

All that being said, the market is optimistic (as it always is). I suggest reading "Big Law Firms’ Profits and Revenues Rise in American Lawyer Survey" out of the New York Times. To Donovan's optimism I add, is this the case for firms outside of the top 100? How does the legal market look regionally? And so on and so forth.

*While TLS members are encouraged to lambast their fellow TLSers, please note that I'm aware of my comments being speculative and anectdotal (Most advice is).

[robinhoodOO]

was rejected at hastings last week. did you visit l&c? i did, beautiful campus etc. but no scholly plus bad bad bad weather plus oregon plus super enviro?=no go.

i'm really starting to not give a piss about rankings.

my fam. is in cali.

anecdoctal: met quite a few lawyers in my hometown who went out of state to some lower-ish ranked schools. (tulane, l&c, etc.)



i keep returning to the mantra, outside of top 15 all schools are regional. true--but that doesn't mean you can't take the bar in any state. since i'm confusing myself, i'll stop now.

I've been lolling over your thoughts. I live in a semi-large city, with semi-large surrounding towns. There are attorneys working for mid-sized firms from all over--even non-ABA accreds if you can believe it. While the closes law schools are those like UC Davis, USF, McG, etc., etc., I know plenty who got their degrees from places like Pepperdine, L&C, Cal Western (this one made me laugh), U of Miami, UC SC, etc.

Here's my suggestions: make a list of all the areas you would be happy living in or around. From there start googling and searching for what firms are in or around those areas. Most of the firms will have sites with a profile of all of their attorneys. Check out where these men and women got their degrees, what are their connections with the area, when they graduated, etc. I think you may be surprised. Sure most of them will have graduated from a school within a 200 mile radius or so, but that is obvious and in no way indicative of anything other than an: of course your going to stick around where you spent the last 3 years draining your savings and meeting people....

It should also go without saying that you can always go solo as well, and do so anywhere...You'll be needing a mid-sized biz loan, but once up and running and with some good connections in the area, many law offices net more money in the pocket than attorneys w/midsized firms make /year.

[Capitol hillbilly]

Robinhood00, excellent comments. From your suggestion, I checked out a random Marin county firm with 50+ staff attorneys and was surprised to see many GGU and cal western grads on staff. USF was probably the most represented school at the firm, with several attorneys hired in 2009. It was a reassuring reality check, thanks for the tip!

[mab85]

any waitlist movement today?

[prelawtx]

"decision rendered" today..

Let us know if you here back via email!
When did you go complete? Part-time or full-time?
GOOD LUCK!

waitlisted today :/

[KiraMarie]

Maybe we will see some movement from the waitlist around the end of the week?

Here's hoping!

[jarofsoup]

Maybe we will see some movement from the waitlist around the end of the week?

Here's hoping!

We should soon.

[buski1234]

Just got off the waitlist. excited! I have till tomorrow to decide. let you all know!

[KiraMarie]

Just got off the waitlist. excited! I have till tomorrow to decide. let you all know!

Holy cow!! SO soon! Congrats!

[KiraMarie]

Just got off the waitlist. excited! I have till tomorrow to decide. let you all know!

Holy cow!! SO soon! Congrats!

Did you receive the news via email or phone call!?

[orachelo]

Just got off the waitlist. excited! I have till tomorrow to decide. let you all know!

Holy cow!! SO soon! Congrats!

Did you receive the news via email or phone call!?

CONGRATS! And please answer the above question ^. Now I'm on edge...

[dtl]

Just withdrew and also gave up my small scholly. Hope this helps someone out!

[uopsu]

Anyone got off the waitlist?

[buski1234]

Just got off the waitlist. excited! I have till tomorrow to decide. let you all know!

Holy cow!! SO soon! Congrats!

Did you receive the news via email or phone call!?

CONGRATS! And please answer the above question ^. Now I'm on edge...

Hey! I got accepted off the wait list via email. I've decided to attend! see you in the Fall!

[lawfsho]

Status changed to "Decision Rendered" today. Don't they call, if it's good news? :/

[SunshineKid]

its may. wtf. i've heard nothing.

[KiraMarie]

Anyone else hear from the waitlist poole?

[mab85]

Anyone else hear from the waitlist poole?

Do we think they've already made a number of offers (to people who don't post here) or are they still reviewing apps? I'm trying to remain optimistic because according to lsn, they've made 7 offers and 5 of those applicants immediately withdrew. USF is going to have to make way more than 75 offers if this sample size is anything like the real thing!

I can't stop compulsively checking email!

[robinhoodOO]

Anyone else hear from the waitlist poole?

Do we think they've already made a number of offers (to people who don't post here) or are they still reviewing apps? I'm trying to remain optimistic because according to lsn, they've made 7 offers and 5 of those applicants immediately withdrew. USF is going to have to make way more than 75 offers if this sample size is anything like the real thing!

I can't stop compulsively checking email!

I know they are still reviewing applications as my application, and the applications of a few other posters, have yet to receive a decision one way or the other. Mine went complete 3/15 & 4/19.
BTW, while I don't use LSN for personal recordation purposes, I do occasionally check numbers for certain schools. As I'm sure you've probably noted, the people they have accepted off the waitlist should have likely been accepted in the first place....Perhaps those applicants were late in getting something in, but had an above average LSAT for applicants applying to USF....Or they were waitlisted because USF assumed they were the safety school, but they are now accepting them because they have 75 spots to fill, haha.
Anyway, to address your LSN musings, I would assume LSN #s represent a small fraction of the applicants and are not necessarily indicative of too much. In 2009 USF had about 3,500 applicants and admitted 1,124. For the 2011 cycle, there are about 150+ applicants recording their USF application status through LSN. About 1/3 of them have been admitted (close to their acceptance rate)....and only 14-16 of them rejected outright...

[SchopenhauerFTW]

its may. wtf. i've heard nothing.

Me neither.

[risktaker]

Starting to get worried that I might not get admitted from the wait list. Only another week and half left before the "next update" according to the email sent to us.

[KiraMarie]

Starting to get worried that I might not get admitted from the wait list. Only another week and half left before the "next update" according to the email sent to us.

I feel the same way

[SFnative]

I just spoke with a super nice admissions rep. who told me that the committee has been working slowly and those who have yet to hear a decision, it looks like its gonna take up to another 2 WEEKS!,

[KiraMarie]

I just spoke with a super nice admissions rep. who told me that the committee has been working slowly and those who have yet to hear a decision, it looks like its gonna take up to another 2 WEEKS!,

Do you mean from the Waitlist or is that for the people who haven't heard anything at all?