Loyola (Los Angeles) c/o 2016 Applicants (2012-2013) Forum

[MASSattack1]

Still sitting at Complete...please, Loyola!

[Pleasye]

Hey guys! I'm a Loyola 1L and would be happy to answer questions if you have them . Or if you guys prefer I can find and bump the old taking questions thread.

How's the vibe from the 2Ls and 3Ls with career prospects?

You couldn't even lob me a softball for my first question? Haha. I know a few 2Ls and 3Ls and they all did well their 1L year so my perspective may be skewed...

I haven't seen or heard of any crazy doom and gloom stories. One of my 2L friends has an SA this summer. Last time I talked to a different friend he was doing a lot of interviewing but last I heard he hadn't gotten anything (this was like, October though). Now that I think about it my 3L friends have been too busy assuring me I will make it and giving me advice so I haven't really asked them about job stuff.

Another thing I can tell you is that I have been really impressed with our career services office. They work really hard and are always there to give you advice. I got awesome advice on looking for 1L jobs. I listed everything I was remotely interested in and my counselor talked to me about every single one (we are required to meet with them one time in November). I also got really good and concrete feedback on my résumé from her. Trust me, career services is aware that getting a job out of LLS is not a piece of cake and they do what they can to help.

Hope that helps and sorry I don't have too many specific stories.

[bluegreen]

Still sitting at Complete...please, Loyola!

+1

[maxiguess]

@ Pleasye, Do you know anyone who has participated in the summer abroad program in Bologna? sto molto interessato

[chinchillin]

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

[MASSattack1]

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

I am envious at how quickly they processed your application. Been waiting months now...

[mip1011]

Hey guys! I'm a Loyola 1L and would be happy to answer questions if you have them . Or if you guys prefer I can find and bump the old taking questions thread.

There has been a lot discussed here about the GPA stipulations in the scholarship that Loyola offers. How hard is it to keep with/above the curve, and have you heard of people losing their scholarship so far in your class?

Also, how does Loyola compare to the other schools in LA and the surrounding area? Is there some type of generalization made about schools like Loyola, Southwestern, and Pepperdine compared to USC or UCLA?

Thanks.

[Scootz]

Good luck! When did you go complete?

I submitted my app early december, and went complete on status checker a week or two later. I'm guessing the long time it took for response is from having mediocre numbers.

[maxiguess]

Hey guys! I'm a Loyola 1L and would be happy to answer questions if you have them . Or if you guys prefer I can find and bump the old taking questions thread.

Also, how does Loyola compare to the other schools in LA and the surrounding area? Is there some type of generalization made about schools like Loyola, Southwestern, and Pepperdine compared to USC or UCLA?

Thanks.

Obviously I'm not in school at the moment, but most of the lawyers I know (at my firm and others that we work with) have expressed the view that within LA choice between the top 4 doesn't matter much. If anything, there is perhaps a slight affinity for UCLA (not including USC grads of course), and of course it's better known outside of the city. Some of the lawyers who went to Loyola recommend not going there if you want to leave the cit at some point early in your career.

[chinchillin]

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

I am envious at how quickly they processed your application. Been waiting months now...

I'm nervous! I live in LA so hopefully I can open the letter when I get home from work.

[Pleasye]

There has been a lot discussed here about the GPA stipulations in the scholarship that Loyola offers. How hard is it to keep with/above the curve, and have you heard of people losing their scholarship so far in your class?

Also, how does Loyola compare to the other schools in LA and the surrounding area? Is there some type of generalization made about schools like Loyola, Southwestern, and Pepperdine compared to USC or UCLA?

Thanks.

I really can't say how hard it is to keep above or within the curve as (and I'm sure you've read this on TLS) working hard doesn't necessarily = great grades. However, there is so much information on TLS about how to do well in law school that I think if you follow most of it and work SMART (not just hard) it is achievable. I have a scholarship with that stipulation and I know I'd rather have that than what it used to be (top 30%). If you have scholarships without stipulations at other schools then IMO you should really weigh your options. You may find that those are a better choice for you. Depends how much you want to be in LA/work in LA once you graduate. It does add a layer of stress knowing you need to keep a certain GPA. FWIW, I am happy with my decision so far. That 3.2 stipulation is for the YEAR not for a semester so no one has lost their scholarship...yet. I try not to pry people for information so I don't know who exactly has a scholly and what peoples grades are. The ones I do know about seem to have done relatively well this semester. Just a side note: I have seen you guys saying that you want to try to negotiate and get rid of the stipulation but I have never heard of anyone succeeding in doing that.

In terms of how LLS compares to other schools: UCLA and USC seem to be equal to each other and LLS is the "third best" in LA. This isn't a dig at Pepperdine but even though they are ranked higher than us I almost never even hear them mentioned in discussions about jobs/LA law schools. Loyola also has an awesome (and big) alumni base that seems very open to networking and helping us. We just had a reception with alumni last week and I got to talk to some pretty cool people. A friend of mine has already set up a meeting with someone she met that day.

Re: study abroad. A friend of mine actually did the study abroad program in Italy last summer and loved it.

[cheymao]

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

Got the same status today, been waiting since early december...

[chinchillin]

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

I am envious at how quickly they processed your application. Been waiting months now...

In with 96k!

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

Got the same status today, been waiting since early december...

Good luck to you, sir!

[teiswei]

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

Got the same status today, been waiting since early december...

What was your status prior to this? Mine reads, "Your application is COMPLETE and ready for review. You will be notified of a decision..."

[chinchillin]

"A decision regarding your admissions application was made on January 22, 2013. A decision letter was sent through the U.S. Mail and should reach you within seven business days of the above date."

01/02/2013 - application sent
01/07/2013 - updated score sent

Got the same status today, been waiting since early december...

What was your status prior to this? Mine reads, "Your application is COMPLETE and ready for review. You will be notified of a decision..."

I had your same status prior to seeing the "decision rendered" status. Although, there was a 5-6 day period when i didn't log-in to the status-checker.

[martymoose]

Decision Rendered. I feel faint...

[bluegreen]

"decision rendered."
*patiently awaiting snail mail*

[apinarba]

nothing is worse then the glimmer of hope knowing people have recently had decisions rendered when you check your status for the umpteenth time that day... and there's still no change.

--all the best to those that did see those 2 glorious words today.

[dproduct]

Good luck everyone! I can't imagine it's anything bad. LMU typically doesn't send out dings until later in the cycle for the RD folks... at least from what I can tell.

[Pleasye]

Good luck everyone! I can't imagine it's anything bad. LMU typically doesn't send out dings until later in the cycle for the RD folks... at least from what I can tell.

Yeah dings didn't start until at least late February IIRC. Also, my acceptance came during a wave of dings so don't freak out if you get a decision rendered while people are getting dinged!

[mip1011]

I went to the Q&A session/tour tonight, and it was very honest. The dean of admissions flat-out said that 40% of first year students (that are given scholarship) will not retain their scholarship. That really worries me, but at least they will be straight forward about it.

Great and honest Q&A, and a beautiful campus.

[bluegreen]

I went to the Q&A session/tour tonight, and it was very honest. The dean of admissions flat-out said that 40% of first year students (that are given scholarship) will not retain their scholarship. That really worries me, but at least they will be straight forward about it.

Great and honest Q&A, and a beautiful campus.

Did they discuss employment prospects? And how did you like the location of the campus?

[chinchillin]

The dean of admissions flat-out said that 40% of first year students (that are given scholarship) will not retain their scholarship. That really worries me, but at least they will be straight forward about it.

What percent of first year students are awarded scholarships?

[leximex21]

nothing is worse then the glimmer of hope knowing people have recently had decisions rendered when you check your status for the umpteenth time that day... and there's still no change.

--all the best to those that did see those 2 glorious words today.

+1

Seeing as how this is my top choice this is so frustrating!

[mip1011]

I went to the Q&A session/tour tonight, and it was very honest. The dean of admissions flat-out said that 40% of first year students (that are given scholarship) will not retain their scholarship. That really worries me, but at least they will be straight forward about it.

Great and honest Q&A, and a beautiful campus.

Did they discuss employment prospects? And how did you like the location of the campus?

They didn't directly. It seemed like the people there understood that getting a job is hard a student fresh out of any law school. They talked a lot about the alumni connections that they have, and how to take advantage of that for getting better job offers, which seemed like a realistic option.

As for the location of the campus, I really liked it. It seemed like a vibrant and family oriented neighborhood, but many of the prospective students seemed worried about it. I'm not from (and don't know much about) LA, so maybe I just didn't know what I was looking for, but I've seen schools in MUCH worse places, where students are delighted to attend and live there.

What percent of first year students are awarded scholarships?[/quote]

Not sure. I'm going back into the admissions office for a talk with the dean today, and I'll be sure to ask.