IN @ UC DAVIS!! Forum

[brizz9]

My email had the hilarious: Congratulations on qualifying for low interest federal loans! (you ain't gettin' any grants, sucker.)

[BioLaw]

^^This is what my Hastings offer said, despite the fact that I got a large grant estimate from Davis.

[PugPug]

Jonzoo, I believe April 15th is the first deadline, for $250. Then it's June... 1? For a $500 deadline. I"m sure of the $500, not sure of the June date.

So PugPug, they are worried about Target coming? That's funny. Sort of like my neighborhood staging protests over a Starbucks coming in (we're still without one, they won). I hope it doesn't come actually - I love Target and easily overspend on things I don't need there, not good for a law school budget!

I'm beginning to think my area is rather yuppie. People don't protest anything. COMMON IN CORPORATE AMERICA. Actually that's a lie. In the next community over there is a Wallmart (we call the community the hick town b/c of this) and some people were protesting it turning into a Super Center. Hurrah protests!

*I have never actually seen a mom and pop store EVER that sold anything like Target/Walmart sell. Unless CVS is considered a mom and pop store. I do however frequent the mom and pop Asian Grocery Store. So I'm not a total tool.

[tmo]

Ha - Pugpug where are you located? I'm a 5 minute walk from Berkeley so that's where the Starbucks protests are coming from. And very true about the mom and pops not carrying what Target and others have. I Mom and Pop it up for coffee, groceries (ok well Trader Joes is in the mix a lot), bars and restaurants, etc - but when I need Draino or Q-tips, I'm generally at Target.

[tmo]

^^This is what my Hastings offer said, despite the fact that I got a large grant estimate from Davis.

Weird about these discrepancies. You'd think that they'd be similar. Is the Hastings offer official or an estimate like Davis'?

[BioLaw]

Hastings is official, which scares me a little. What concerns me even more is that they might not be giving me a grant because I got a scholarship, since my EFC is definitely low enough for a grant.

Hopefully Davis is true to their word, though.

[tmo]

Hastings is official, which scares me a little. What concerns me even more is that they might not be giving me a grant because I got a scholarship, since my EFC is definitely low enough for a grant.

Hopefully Davis is true to their word, though.

Ugh, that would suck if they screw you because you got a scholarship. People should not be penalized for kicking ass on the LSAT! Good luck with Davis! Looking at jonzoo's post, it looks like the award notices for Davis START today. Here's hoping they aren't slow about it.

[PugPug]

TMO, Ya I'm a So Cal-er so there isn't any mom and pop anything... In my mind's eye Trader Joe's IS a Mom and Pop. hehehe, but seriously I have never seen a Mom and Pop grocery store (minus said Asian ones).
And independent coffee chains are SO MUCH better than Starbucks/Coffee Bean/Peets. There aren't a lot around me though...
Think the ultimate suburbia and that's where I am.

[tmo]

And independent coffee chains are SO MUCH better than Starbucks/Coffee Bean/Peets. There aren't a lot around me though...
Think the ultimate suburbia and that's where I am.

I always make the exception for Peets. And it's a hell of a lot better than Starbucks. So screw it. Yay Peets!

[BioLaw]

Peets is awesome. Just go to the original one in Berkeley and you can pretend it's still a mom & pop.

[PugPug]

^ It's kinda too sweet for me. I don't like the taste of coffee bean either, though...

[tmo]

The staff at the Davis Peet's is a bit scared of me. I LOVE the iced hibiscus tea that usually comes out in March - and it's out down here so I've been filling my craving. So I've gone in like 6 times in the last month thirsty and tired and basically have had mini-breakdowns when they don't have it. The last time I walked in the chick actually rolled her eyes at me. I guess apartment hunting turned me into a PITA.

[ihatestudying]

900 is a lot. I have a friend who has a studio apartment on 1st and A street and he pays about $650. Last year I had a two bedroom on 6th and D and the rent was $920. However, I had a friend in south Davis who had a 3 bedroom apartment in a newer complex and the total rent was $2200. Hope that helps you out in gauging prices.

Wow. I also have not seen any prices like these in my search, though that has mostly been limited to craigslist adn browsing around the davis wiki. Most of the 1bdrms (standalone, not sharing with roommates) start from about 940ish and up and 2 bdrms seem to go start from 1050ish and up. Am I getting duped? Maybe bc the ones that list on craigslist are mostly complexes, etc.

NO word from davis finaid for me either.

Can't comment on Peet's. they dont' really have much of that where I'm from. I hate to be the corporate whore of the group, but I love Target. Wal-mart protests, ok, I understand, but Target? Something for everyone! I like Trader Joe's too. I hope there's one near Davis.

[azoraraine]

They just opened a Trader Joe's on the border of Woodland (if you take Pole Line West it turns into 102, and then Costco, Target and Trader Joe's will be on the right before you get to the overpass and Woodland - it's hard to miss. Big new strip mall. NOT in Davis, of course - but much better than driving to Fairfield or Sac.). Actually, I don't know if the TJ's is up and running yet, but it will be by the time school starts.

[azoraraine]

tmo,

When I'm Assistant Manager at Peet's, I promise to have your tea there all year round. My boss hasn't gotten back to me about employment for the coming year, so coffee slinging is probably in my future. I'm going to feel like Amy Fing Sedaris working there with all those kids. Oh well, I can regale them with stories about seeing the Pixies...

[tmo]

They just opened a Trader Joe's on the border of Woodland (if you take Pole Line West it turns into 102, and then Costco, Target and Trader Joe's will be on the right before you get to the overpass and Woodland - it's hard to miss. Big new strip mall. NOT in Davis, of course - but much better than driving to Fairfield or Sac.). Actually, I don't know if the TJ's is up and running yet, but it will be by the time school starts.

yay! I have to say, I will need my TJ's frozen food when I have no time, and maybe I can stop myself from spending way too much at Target if it's somewhat of a trek to get to. But yay TJ's!!

[tmo]

Called admissions. Electronic deposit option to be available on the site in 1-2 days. She said she believed that financial award info was starting today on a rolling basis, but to call financial services to be sure. Haven't called them yet.

[BioLaw]

Called admissions. Electronic deposit option to be available on the site in 1-2 days. She said she believed that financial award info was starting today on a rolling basis, but to call financial services to be sure. Haven't called them yet.

Rolling based on time of admission? Hopefully...

[tmo]

Hmm I don't know - want to call the financial aid office and get the real scoop? Your turn!

[oopivyoo]

Well, still eval. in progress, hoped that I would get an answer today back today seeing as how they posted the whole "keep your pants on were moving as fast as we can" letter on the status checker! I am going to Davis this weekend and was told that although there are no tours on the weekend, the library is open and the doors will be unlocked during this time. Any suggestions of what to do on a weekend or where to stay would be great for those of you who have visited or currently live there.

[BioLaw]

Called admissions. Electronic deposit option to be available on the site in 1-2 days. She said she believed that financial award info was starting today on a rolling basis, but to call financial services to be sure. Haven't called them yet.

Did you shame them into doing it right away, tmo? The admitted student site is down.

oopivyoo, I don't know much about stuff to do in Davis, but I would bet someone else will jump in with a good answer to your question at some point tonight.

[tmo]

Called admissions. Electronic deposit option to be available on the site in 1-2 days. She said she believed that financial award info was starting today on a rolling basis, but to call financial services to be sure. Haven't called them yet.

Did you shame them into doing it right away, tmo? The admitted student site is down.

Sweet. I knew my verbal abuse would get them moving.

[tmo]

I am going to Davis this weekend and was told that although there are no tours on the weekend, the library is open and the doors will be unlocked during this time. Any suggestions of what to do on a weekend or where to stay would be great for those of you who have visited or currently live there.

Hmm, I went there on a Saturday and everything was locked - maybe I went on a weird weekend? Definitely make sure because that would suck to go all the way up there and not be able to walk around. As far as what to do, I don't really know yet. AZ and other people from Davis undergrad on this thread will probably do you some good though.

[Ginger123]

I want my financial aid package!!!!! *pouting*

[gtg263r]

this is the email dean perschbacher sent re: davis drop in rankings


Dear Members of the King Hall Community,

I see that many of you have heard our latest and deeply disappointing overall ranking in the new U.S. News &World Report listing. It is indeed distressing to find us at number 44, down from 34 last year. I know you are concerned and troubled, and that you understand better than many of us in the faculty and administration impact this can have on applicants to UC Davis. This is just as troubling to those of us in the dean’s office who have committed much of our working lives and career to this School, and want more than anything to see it prosper in every way possible.

Despite U.S. News’s claim of relative transparency in their own particular ranking scheme, it is still quite difficult to determine exactly what factors caused this change for the worse. It appears, however, that since our academic and lawyer/judge assessments remained high, we suffered from the relatively weak placement figures and bar passage during 2006, the year U.S. News used as its basis for these particular factors. With a bar pass rate of 75.9%, an employment rate at graduation of 78.8% and an employment rate of 87.1% nine months after graduation, we did not do as well as we usually do that year on the bar or placement of our graduates. That should give all of you some hope for an immediate turn around, as all those figures rebounded for the class of 2007, figures that already are “in the bank.”

As important as the U.S. News ranking is to you, as dean, I have great skepticism about these rankings, which have an impact exponentially greater than they deserve. I do not see King Hall as defined by this one magazine’s assessment, and it has been my practice not to place undue emphasis on it in good years as well as poor ones. Nevertheless, I do see the information behind their “overall score” number as valuable in assessing what we do well and where we need to improve. If, as it appears, student employment and bar passage have hurt us in this year’s ranking, then we need to improve in those areas.

Fortunately, we are doing just that. Led by Assistant Dean Kulwin, we have been increasing our efforts at bar preparation for our current students and recent graduates for the last three years. There are some positive signs in the latest results for the Class of 2007. We will commit even more resources in the next year to improve programming, hire a dedicated academic support coordinator, and look further to see if we can support our graduates as they take bar review courses.

The second big area of concern is student placement. We have been working diligently over the last year with the student committee reviewing career services to assess and improve our placement efforts. I know many of you have criticism of the Career Services Office. It can and will improve. We will add resources to that office and look for improvement in placement success that will benefit all our students and that should have the happy side effect of improving our ranking. I know everyone in that office wants to see all our students employed and gaining positions they truly want. We will need your help as well.

Finally, although there is nothing we can do about this year’s ranking, there is a lot we can all do for King Hall, the School we all care about. Help us and help yourselves out. We have an outstanding faculty, fine if overworked staff, and great new hires here at King Hall. The peer reputation ratings reflect this.

How can you, as students, help? You can support the Class Gift program. Financial support for the School is a component of the U.S. News rankings. Be a spokesperson for the law school; positive word-of-mouth (reputation among lawyers and judges) is important in your job search and career satisfaction and an element of the rankings. Work with us in looking for pre- and post-graduation positions. Stay in touch with the Career Services Office; keep them informed of jobs you attain, within law and without law, so that you can be accurately counted in our placement statistics. Even part-time work can help our numbers. Study hard for the bar exam. Nothing is better for employment success in law than success on the bar examination, as the Class of 2007’s experience demonstrates. If you need help, financial or otherwise, let us know.

Although we sometimes try to suggest that we know lots more than you, collectively that is not true. We welcome all your suggestions for improvement in the School and improvement in collecting accurate statistics, particularly placement statistics, for the assessment regime that U.S. News operates. I am designating Dean Kulwin as the appropriate person for you to address emails or even good old paper messages with suggestions. Or you can contact your LSA President. Sarah Asplin has never been shy about letting me know what is on her and your mind.

Together we can survive this, keep this one event in its appropriate place, and work to make King Hall as good as it can possibly be. The rankings will follow, I am confident.

Rex