SMU 2010! Forum

Share Your Experiences, Read About Other Experiences. Please keep posts organized by school and expected year of graduation.
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ladysixmonkey

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by ladysixmonkey » Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:44 am

nontradintexas wrote:
ladysixmonkey wrote:Thank you, nouseforaname123 and nontradintexas. If admitted, I would be a nontrad, too. Are you including law school activities in "being social" or are you saying that the nts are only social in law school related activities/orgs but not much else? Thank you for the clarification. :)
Good question - non-trads are definitely active in student organizations and activities. I also know purely social activities like bar review are welcoming to non-trads, I just don't know any that go. I don't feel like the younger students treat me any differently from the other students, but I just don't have the same interests as a lot of them. There's not a great deal of socializing done outside of school namely because I tend to be at home with my family or studying at night, so it's really a matter of self-selection.

On this topic - Barrister's Ball was Friday night, and quite a bit disappointing. Essentially we rented an upscale sports bar, turned it into a nightclub, and played music so insanely loud that anyone who wanted to have a conversation was driven outside. Not what I expected, but I do know that a lot of people had a good time.

Re-reading that, I sound old. :-) I guess what I'm trying to say is: I expected something different than a club, so my expectations let me down. If you like the club scene, it was a great time.
Excellent. Thank you for the info. That's too bad about BB, but doesn't surprise me that much. I'm not into the club/bar scene at all either. The problem is that most people my age are either uber bar monkeys, have disappeared down the baby tunnel, or are afraid of impolite topics (e. g. politics, law, social topics, economic policy & practice), so it will be nice to meet people with similar interests...

(edited to say)...if they admit me!
Last edited by ladysixmonkey on Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

nouseforaname123

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by nouseforaname123 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:49 am

ladysixmonkey wrote:Thank you, nouseforaname123 and nontradintexas. If admitted, I would be a nontrad, too. Are you including law school activities in "being social" or are you saying that the nts are only social in law school related activities/orgs but not much else? Thank you for the clarification. :)
Take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt b/c it really comes down to individual circumstances and the competing interests that each individual is trying to balance. You can be as involved as you want to be inside and outside of the law school. My situation: late twenties, married, work full time (no kids). First semester I didn't do anything other than work/study. My non-law school friends accussed me of disappearing. But that's what I had to do and I wouldn't change a thing b/c I was happy with first semester grades. Keep in mind how the first semester plays out. You start class the last week of August, those first few weeks you're trying to make sense of eveything, maybe you find a groove going into October and then you get hit with the open memo the second week of Oct. You are then consumed by the memo through about mid-Nov. when it is due and then you find yourself right at the beginning of finals season. This second semester, now that I know what I'm doing, I've been able to become more involved with non-academic law school activities but my involvement still pales in comparison to a FT student or PT student that isn't working.

As far as outside of school, I simply couldn't find the time to do anything. Obviously, my big problem is that I have work chewing up 45 hours of my week. Basically, in the fall I took a week off to work on the memo and then a week off to study for finals. Spring semester I've taken a week off for the brief and will take a week off for finals. That accounts for 4 of the 5 weeks vacation I get from work in any given year, so really there isn't much time to do anything else. NTT probably isn't working, so he may able to share a different perspective.

If you are working, my recommendation is to concentrate on academics the first semester. One of the big advantages of the PT program is that you'll be here for 8 semesters. Even if you only concentrate on finding your footing that first semester, you'll have 7 semesters --still 1 more semester than your FT counterparts-- to become involved in all the non-academic things that interest you.

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fixer

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by fixer » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:40 am

Well, I am "Decision Rendered" as of this morning. So, if no phone call on the day status changes to "decision rendered" then rejection in the mail a few days later? Is this the way it works for SMU? *fingers crossed, phone within reach*

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EBGB

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by EBGB » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:42 am

fixer wrote:Well, I am "Decision Rendered" as of this morning. So, if no phone call on the day status changes to "decision rendered" then rejection in the mail a few days later? Is this the way it works for SMU? *fingers crossed, phone within reach*
stats? FT/PT?

DavidB

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by DavidB » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:42 am

fixer wrote:Well, I am "Decision Rendered" as of this morning. So, if no phone call on the day status changes to "decision rendered" then rejection in the mail a few days later? Is this the way it works for SMU? *fingers crossed, phone within reach*
I think some people received acceptance calls within a couple of days of their status changing to DR. So hearing nothing within one day won't necessarily mean anything.

Good luck!

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fathergoose

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by fathergoose » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:44 am

fixer wrote:Well, I am "Decision Rendered" as of this morning. So, if no phone call on the day status changes to "decision rendered" then rejection in the mail a few days later? Is this the way it works for SMU? *fingers crossed, phone within reach*
For the first round, some people got called the same day and some got called the next day. I was in the second group and we tried to hypothesize about whether it was alphabetical or in some other order but to no avail.

Good Luck to you! I hope you get the call.

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ladysixmonkey

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by ladysixmonkey » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:50 am

Thank you for the suggestions, nouseforaname123.

Good luck, fixer!

nontradintexas

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by nontradintexas » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:02 pm

nouseforaname123 wrote:Take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt b/c it really comes down to individual circumstances and the competing interests that each individual is trying to balance. You can be as involved as you want to be inside and outside of the law school. My situation: late twenties, married, work full time (no kids). First semester I didn't do anything other than work/study. My non-law school friends accussed me of disappearing. But that's what I had to do and I wouldn't change a thing b/c I was happy with first semester grades. Keep in mind how the first semester plays out. You start class the last week of August, those first few weeks you're trying to make sense of eveything, maybe you find a groove going into October and then you get hit with the open memo the second week of Oct. You are then consumed by the memo through about mid-Nov. when it is due and then you find yourself right at the beginning of finals season. This second semester, now that I know what I'm doing, I've been able to become more involved with non-academic law school activities but my involvement still pales in comparison to a FT student or PT student that isn't working.

As far as outside of school, I simply couldn't find the time to do anything. Obviously, my big problem is that I have work chewing up 45 hours of my week. Basically, in the fall I took a week off to work on the memo and then a week off to study for finals. Spring semester I've taken a week off for the brief and will take a week off for finals. That accounts for 4 of the 5 weeks vacation I get from work in any given year, so really there isn't much time to do anything else. NTT probably isn't working, so he may able to share a different perspective.

If you are working, my recommendation is to concentrate on academics the first semester. One of the big advantages of the PT program is that you'll be here for 8 semesters. Even if you only concentrate on finding your footing that first semester, you'll have 7 semesters --still 1 more semester than your FT counterparts-- to become involved in all the non-academic things that interest you.
nouse is correct - I don't work and can't imagine how I could. I have the utmost respect for the people who are working and doing this, too. I just can't imagine how stressful that must be.

Granted, FT students take two extra classes - but I promise you those two classes aren't eating up 45 hours of my week. Well, maybe legal writing does... ;-)

I agree completely with nouse's schedule for the fall. It took until mid-October to almost feel like you knew what you were doing, then the memo came along and ate up an entire month. Then suddenly it was time to try to figure out how to study for finals. This semester has felt really hectic for me as the workload for classes has increased, the brief was insane, and the stress of finding a summer job is added.

I've become involved in a few organizations, and I'm running for leadership positions in a couple of them. I've participated in some service and fund-raising projects, including the APIL auction a few weeks ago. That took up quite a bit of time, but was a great event. Non-trads are definitely involved, and it is really up to you as to how much. I would strongly encourage you to concentrate on academics in the fall just to get a feel for how you need to study. I also encourage you to go to the free lunches that organizations offer. :-)

da87

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by da87 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:18 pm

EBGB wrote:
fixer wrote:Well, I am "Decision Rendered" as of this morning. So, if no phone call on the day status changes to "decision rendered" then rejection in the mail a few days later? Is this the way it works for SMU? *fingers crossed, phone within reach*
stats? FT/PT?
+1....and when did you go complete?

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sweet02215

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by sweet02215 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:21 pm

Complete since 2/9/2010.. Does anyone know the reason behind people who go complete later than others hear back first?

da87

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by da87 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:23 pm

sweet02215 wrote:Complete since 2/9/2010.. Does anyone know the reason behind people who go complete later than others hear back first?
Did your status checker change to decision rendered as well?

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by sweet02215 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:25 pm

No, it didn't. I'm just wondering why people who went complete after me are hearing back first based on people who posted their complete dates before. When did you go complete?

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by da87 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:27 pm

sweet02215 wrote:No, it didn't. I'm just wondering why people who went complete after me are hearing back first based on people who posted their complete dates before. When did you go complete?
complete 2/3 and haven't heard anything at all

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rachel.almaraz

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by rachel.almaraz » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:33 pm

Am I the only one still waiting to hear something that applied for Early Decision? I've been complete since November!

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Bustang

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by Bustang » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:35 pm

rachel.almaraz wrote:Am I the only one still waiting to hear something that applied for Early Decision? I've been complete since November!
I was held for further review, but I did apply EA.

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by rachel.almaraz » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:36 pm

Bustang wrote:
rachel.almaraz wrote:Am I the only one still waiting to hear something that applied for Early Decision? I've been complete since November!
I was held for further review, but I did apply EA.
I was held for further review as well, this waiting is killing me! Hopefully we hear something this week.

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fathergoose

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by fathergoose » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:38 pm

sweet02215 wrote:No, it didn't. I'm just wondering why people who went complete after me are hearing back first based on people who posted their complete dates before. When did you go complete?
It seems that when you went complete has little impact on what order you hear back. I think they just decided they are letting in the students they like the most and trickling down from there. Based on what they said at ASD, they have sent out less than half their acceptances so don't get discouraged.

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Sangiovese

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by Sangiovese » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:43 pm

sweet02215 wrote:No, it didn't. I'm just wondering why people who went complete after me are hearing back first based on people who posted their complete dates before. When did you go complete?
Obviously all of us here can only guess as to why things happen the way they do... but my guess is that when they review an app, it gets one of three decisions: yes, no, maybe. The maybes get looked at again at some point. If someone who went complete after you received a decision and you have not, then it stands to reason that you got put in the maybe pile, while they got placed into either the yes or no piles. Purely speculation on my part, but it seems to be a reasonable explanation.

One other thing to note is that there are two separate "complete" statuses at SMU. The first time your file goes complete simply means that all the required info is there. The second "complete" date means that it has been reviewed. So when someone says they have been complete since X date... it doesn't really tell you who went complete first unless you know if that is their initial complete date, or their updated complete date.

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by raoul79 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:46 pm

Just went DR... After being complete 1/20 and 4/7.

Term: Fall Year: 2010
Program Time: Full/Part Time Degree: JD Evening
Current Status: Decision Rendered
Current Status Date: 4/19/2010


David B, LadySix...

Did your status change?

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UTL_plz

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by UTL_plz » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:47 pm

Good luck to those still waiting on decisions!

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fixer

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by fixer » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:48 pm

da87 wrote:
EBGB wrote:
fixer wrote:Well, I am "Decision Rendered" as of this morning. So, if no phone call on the day status changes to "decision rendered" then rejection in the mail a few days later? Is this the way it works for SMU? *fingers crossed, phone within reach*
stats? FT/PT?
+1....and when did you go complete?

I don't remember exactly when I went complete but it was in the middle of February. I am a non-trad (completed undergrad in 1998). My numbers are well below median (154, 2.8 ). You can see my profile on LSN ("Fixer"). I applied FT. I knew SMU was a reach. SMU would certainly be more convenient than Wesleyan.

EDIT: I went complete 2/18
Last edited by fixer on Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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da87

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by da87 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:54 pm

raoul79 wrote:Just went DR... After being complete 1/20 and 4/7.

Term: Fall Year: 2010
Program Time: Full/Part Time Degree: JD Evening
Current Status: Decision Rendered
Current Status Date: 4/19/2010


David B, LadySix...

Did your status change?
Looks like you got into the PT program!

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ladysixmonkey

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by ladysixmonkey » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:56 pm

raoul79 wrote:Just went DR... After being complete 1/20 and 4/7.

Term: Fall Year: 2010
Program Time: Full/Part Time Degree: JD Evening
Current Status: Decision Rendered
Current Status Date: 4/19/2010


David B, LadySix...

Did your status change?
Oh my goodness, yes! It just changed. G-d I hope it's an in. It's probably better that I have to work in the office today as waiting by the phone would be unbearable. Here's to wishing good luck to all of you. Cheers!

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by DavidB » Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:00 pm

ladysixmonkey wrote:
raoul79 wrote:Just went DR... After being complete 1/20 and 4/7.

Term: Fall Year: 2010
Program Time: Full/Part Time Degree: JD Evening
Current Status: Decision Rendered
Current Status Date: 4/19/2010


David B, LadySix...

Did your status change?
Oh my goodness, yes! It just changed. G-d I hope it's an in. It's probably better that I have to work in the office today as waiting by the phone would be unbearable. Here's to wishing good luck to all of you. Cheers!
Me too. Complete 3/1, complete 4/7, now decision rendered 4/19. I guess we'll know what that means within a couple of days! :)

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Re: SMU 2010!

Post by da87 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:06 pm

To those whose status' have changed: good luck! And if you get accepted are you for sure going to attend?

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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Just kidding ... it's still FREE!


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