Rutgers Newark Forum

[Rutgers1L_10]

Recently asked questions

1. Macs v PC--they're about 50/50. Most professors say they've seen a trend of more Macs. I would probably agree. I think I saw a lot more Macs in my class, but maybe all the Mac people just sat together. Either way it won't matter one bit. The exam software works equally well on both.

2. Exams- Every class fall semester has one final graded exam. The exam will determine 100% of your grade. Property, Torts, and Contracts are 4 credit hours and the exams are generally 4 hours long. Crim law is a 3 hours class and 3 hour exam Profs. can lengthen or shorten the final depending on how much time they feel is necessary. A prof will never give you less time just to be mean. It's pretty fair. Some final exams were 100% essay, some people had an all-multiple choice essay, and some were combination of large essays, short answer essays and multiple choice.
Open v Closed- It's a toss up. I would say this past fall one track had mostly open and the other had mostly closed. Each track had at least one of each. Neither is easier than the other. They both have their pros and cons.

3. During the fall the late track seemed to have a much larger break in the afternoon/lunch-time than the early track. This is not just a great time to get lunch, but is a good time to read, run errands, take a nap, do research. There's a lot of activities that have meetings during the lunch hour

4. There was probably at least one student group meeting every single week of the first semester. Every one had free food and wine/beer. Some events served pizza, and some served more elaborate meals.

5. It's absolutely possible to be involved in student groups during the first year. It's highly recommended. The Student Bar Assoc. (SBA) will hold elections early in the semester and anyone can run to be a 1L rep. They pick 9 or 10 people from the 1L class. The meetings are usually held later in the afternoon around 5 or 6.
There are lots of students groups and clubs. They have lots of parties, get togethers, mixers and general meetings, but they don't expect much from 1L's they know you're busy.

6. "Bar Review"- unfortunately isn't huge at Rutgers. Partially because there's not a lot of bars. But McGoverns which is a few feet from the law school is always packed with law students. Thursday is a huge bar night because upper classmen don't have class on Friday. It's a good opportunity to just get out and be away from class.

[bjf]

Thanks for all the great info, Rutgers 1L. I am submitting my app this week and hope to be admitted to the PT program.

[keg411]

Rutgers-1L, thanks for the all of the information! Very helpful .

[dakatz]

I RSVP'd for the open house this Friday. Hope to see some of you guys there.

[inSouthAmerica]

just got my free camden tshirt anyone else wish it didnt say camden on it?

[champ33]

just got my free camden tshirt anyone else wish it didnt say camden on it?

Heh I definitely thought the same thing when mine came.... leaning more towards Newark.

[Bigbub75]

Got my t shirt too. It's like a smedium...so I'm pretty sure i'll never wear it.

[mhd08]

Rutgers1L, I'm wondering about the differences between Rutgers Newark and Camden. Camden is ranked a little better but is in a terrible location. Would the extra notches in rank REALLY be worth it to attend Camden? Did you get into both, and if so, why did you choose Newark over Camden? Really any info would be helpful. Thanks!

[Aloha4]

I RSVP'd for the open house this Friday. Hope to see some of you guys there.

I didn't get anything in the mail about an open house. Maybe they just dont want me...

[Rutgers1L_10]

Did you have the option of Seton Hall? What are your thoughts of newark v. seton hall? Why did you ultimately choose Newark? Are there lots of students from the West coast? How often do you go out on the weekends? Have you made a good group of friends, do they have parties? I know I am asking a lot about going out and partying stuff but I think its important to have this to escape from the studying once in a while

Rutgers1L, I'm wondering about the differences between Rutgers Newark and Camden. Camden is ranked a little better but is in a terrible location. Would the extra notches in rank REALLY be worth it to attend Camden? Did you get into both, and if so, why did you choose Newark over Camden? Really any info would be helpful. Thanks!

Yes. I got into SH (didn't apply to camden I never wanted to live in south jersey/philly). I visited, It wasn't for me. Rutgers dished out quite the scholly packet which didn't hurt. But, the environment of the students was different as was the vibe I got from how much seton students really cared for their school. They seemed to be fairly indifferent. Not to say that you have to love your school. after all it's just 3 years and its a means to an end. So you don't have to be in love with a school if you're just there to get what you need and move on.
I thought Rutgers students genuinely liked the school. I do.
There are students from the West Coast, The south, The midwest--Total, they don't add up to the number of students from the NE. But you will not feel out of place coming from somewhere other than NY/NY/PA/CT
I have a fantastic group of friends 1,2 and 3Ls. They're smart, hard working, and like to party. Which leads to the next question. We went out every week last semester (usually thursday, because that's just the day most people go out). Except it curtailed when LRW and finals time rolled around. I live close to public transit so I spend time in Hoboken and NYC if I get bored in NJ. There's LOTS of parties. We're students, we're not dead;-)

I can't tell you what the real difference between the two Rutgers' campuses are aside from location. Newark- feeds into northern jersey/NYC, Camden--feed into southern jersey/philly

I'm not big into the rankings. When you're sitting in class you're not thinking to yourself, this school is so #_ _
I don't know how to explain really that the ranking won't do anything for your educational experience. The true reason Rutgers is behind places like Camden and Seton has nothing to do with Rutgers-newark. It's really a factor of the way the ranking work. If one school (at any point in the rankings) moves up a couple of spots (like Indiana did) it causes totally random schools to drop. This school hasn't gotten worse over the years. It's at least stayed the same, perhaps through growth gotten better. They just got in 3 or 4 new faculty that were considered amongst some of the most prestigious in the country. The profs here are absolutely world-class (most of them). Rutgers is a state school and doesn't get a ton of money. They don't have a mulit-billion dollar athletic program to generate extra revenue (which does factor into a school's ranking because they receive money from athletics to use for scholarships)
So they can't put large financial figures into their statistics, which does help the ranking. I was accepted at top 25 schools and as low as Tier 4 school, during my visits I couldn't tell any differences in the schools overall. They were all basically the same. The rankings can't do a good job of describing the actual academic environment of a school. We have a number of profs (and event the current dean) that came here from seton, and they will tell you that there's a just a difference in feel about the school's and it's not rank based.
When I visited the school I just thought it was a great environment. I felt like I could do well here. My first choice of school fell-through because of timing (and yes was ranked much higher). But After visiting higher ranked schools, Rutgers was my SOLID second choice. I don't regret it here and I'm glad I came. The school is very supportive. Newark is okay. i don't spend much time here. I'm only here for school, that's about it. I don't live here. Once school is over I leave. But many people live here and like it just fine.

*Side note: I realize many people don't get into their first choice. Many Rutgers students were 1-2 LSAT points or .25 point lower in GPA from getting into Fordham or NYU or Whatever, and want to transfer. THAT'S FINE!!! If that's you, please please please attend a school you could be happy with for 3 years.*

I'm sure rankings play a huge part in your initial decision. and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not as naive to say the rankings have no place in your choices, but figure out what you want out of a school and if the ranking tell you that then go with the rankings. My guess is there's a lot more you should expect from your school that the rankings don't take into consideration. (My 2¢, and off the soap box I go)

[champ33]

Hey thanks so much for coming on here Rutgers1L... I have been leaning more and more towards Rutgers Newark, as a result of low cost and all the good things I've been reading. I have a question, if you have the time, about the clinics there. I'm definitely interested in trying to do one of their public interest clinics at some point, and wanted to know how competitive they are to get into. It says on the website, for example that the CAC (Child Advocacy Clinic) registers 10 to 20 students a semester from 2 and 3L... does that mean they accept 10 to 20 out of the many who applied? Or does it mean that only 10 to 20 are interested in doing it that semester, and everybody gets in? Sorry if this is obvious, but I've just recently started reading about clinics and definitely think doing one or two would be a valuable part of my legal education.

[Aloha4]

Can someone tell me what ASW stands for. Is it Admitted students welcome? And is fridays open house open to anyone or just the admitted students?

[inSouthAmerica]

if youre from new jersey and you dont know that seton hall sucks at everything theyve ever tried to do, then please feel free to go to seton hall.

edit: seton hall is for people that didnt get into rutgers and thus need to pay the price premium to attend a school in new jersey. its that simple. i dont want to hijack the thread with this, but the seton hall vs. rutgers newark debate from a few posts before is just dumb from any kind of rational standpoint.

[Bigbub75]

Can someone tell me what ASW stands for. Is it Admitted students welcome? And is fridays open house open to anyone or just the admitted students?

It's just for admitted students. I believe they have regular open houses in the evening a few times a month.

[Rutgers1L_10]

Hey thanks so much for coming on here Rutgers1L... I have been leaning more and more towards Rutgers Newark, as a result of low cost and all the good things I've been reading. I have a question, if you have the time, about the clinics there. I'm definitely interested in trying to do one of their public interest clinics at some point, and wanted to know how competitive they are to get into. It says on the website, for example that the CAC (Child Advocacy Clinic) registers 10 to 20 students a semester from 2 and 3L... does that mean they accept 10 to 20 out of the many who applied? Or does it mean that only 10 to 20 are interested in doing it that semester, and everybody gets in? Sorry if this is obvious, but I've just recently started reading about clinics and definitely think doing one or two would be a valuable part of my legal education.

Well first let me say 1Ls are not allowed in clinics. So this is just what I know from asking around, and from what they tell us. Clinics are Rutgers are HUGE, MAJOR!!! Lots of people want them, lots of people do them, and they are enormously popular. Most 3Ls only come to the school to meet with their clients from clinics.
The way it works is that any upperclassmen can enroll for a clinic for either 6 or 8 hours. How much you want to work depends on how many hours you may enroll for. If the class goes over the set number for students there is a lottery. First all 3L's that have never done a clinic have priority just to make sure they get a chance at one clinic before graduation. Then, any 2Ls that have never had a clinic, and then any remaining folks. I think there's 6 or 7 clinics, may be 8 I forget. So there's lots of clinic positions. I can't think of any upperclassmen that wanted a clinic and by spring of 2L hadn't gotten one. But honestly, I don't ask the question so that's purely anecdotal.

@Bigbu75- ASW is for students that have already been admitted. But you can make a date to visit the school whenever you like. There are a few times set up this spring for prospective students. But if those times don't work for you simply call or email Dean Anita Walton and she will set you up, no problem.

Guys, for those that are still awaiting decision. BE PATIENT!!! I know that's easy to say. But let me just tell you Dean Walton reads EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION. All 4,000 apps go through her. They are so serious about getting the right blend of students. So if you notice she's short on time, or patience, or takes a while to email you back, or has typos in her admittance email give her a break. They are working around the clock in the admissions office. People will be getting admitted up until August. So if you think you've been complete a while and are getting nervous, just hold tight.

@inSouthAmerica--I can't confirm or deny your comment, but it's pretty funny!

[inSouthAmerica]

rutgers1L ... your information has been absolutely great. I know youre a year early on OCI but can you give us any information on how OCI has been handled now that the global economy has been blown out of the sky. I imagine that Rutgers still pulls some of the sweetest gigs from within NJ and the occasional stud gets to move into NY, is this a foolish old-economy assumption? most TLSers are elistist fucks who Id never want to meet in real life so its hard to get a straight answer to the ... can i get a job out of _______ law school questions that go up.

[Rutgers1L_10]

rutgers1L ... your information has been absolutely great. I know youre a year early on OCI but can you give us any information on how OCI has been handled now that the global economy has been blown out of the sky. I imagine that Rutgers still pulls some of the sweetest gigs from within NJ and the occasional stud gets to move into NY, is this a foolish old-economy assumption? most TLSers are elistist fucks who Id never want to meet in real life so its hard to get a straight answer to the ... can i get a job out of _______ law school questions that go up.

Oddly enough, they start the OCI stuff at the end of Fall. Typically 1Ls can apply for jobs anytime after Dec 1. So as soon at Thanksgiving is over they start throwing all the OCI crap at you. That being said all the career services folks start off by saying that last year's (2008-09) OCI was "not as robust" as the prior year, or the year before that. But there were still lots of legal opportunities.

I think I mentioned it somewhere before but most of the firms that come to Rutgers OCI are actually NY Firms hiring for for the NY office and the NJ office. Many firms hire for the NY office and the summers work in the NY office, but as a new associate many are working in both offices. Many Rutgers grads take the NY and NJ bar so you can easily work for both states in both offices, which employers LOVE.
There are lots of "biglaw" firms, I say that to mean all the really popular firms that everyone is familiar with that still hire eagerly from Rutgers. There are also LOTS of large (100+) firms hiring at Rutgers. There are firms I've never heard of and then when I check out their info online I've found they're incredibly productive firms with lots of high profile clientele. A lot of boutique firms will never be known until you get into the OCI process. The thing most people don't realize is that a firm that is not necessarily a NLJ250 firm may still very well be paying new associates $125K+ and offer lots of opportunity because they're not a large mega-firm where a new associate will get lost in the shuffle.
Rutgers is big into Public Interest. They participate heavily in all of the major PI events here. Rutgers is a partner in the NYU career fair, and it's really popular for students to got the PI route during the summer.
Judicial Externships really help with the OCI process. Rutgers pretty much dominates when it comes to clerkships (not the crappy traffic court either. NJ Supreme Ct, Federal Ct clerkship). Because so many students to clerkships while in school the number of contacts helps when looking for permanent employment. I've heard quite a few 3L's that havent' gotten a final offer from their summer firm and are planning to "fall back" on a judicial clerkship.
Don't let me fill your head with rainbows and gumballs. The economy is still really tough. There are still more people applying for jobs than there are jobs to go around. It's by no means an easy process, and there are no guarantees. Rutgers does have to compete with all the NYC schools, but Rutgers competes, VERY WELL!!! A lot of the 2Ls did not get jobs through OCI, specifically. They actually just sent their resume, transcript, and writing sample to employers--and they got hired! There are 1Ls this semester that are already doing clerkships, and they've been hired for the summer (probably for no pay, just credit). But those kinds of opportunities go a long way.
Don't let anyone fool you into thinking you've got to graduate top1% to get a job in NY from Rutgers. It's more common that you would think. Most people that choose NJ firms do so by choice, because of family, spouse, or personal reasons.

Oh- and Rutgers doesn't rank it's students, ever. So you will not ever have top _% on your transcripts. They also won't release that at OCI. They do that so that employers cannot impose arbitrary cutoffs. It works to your advantage because employers typically interview a lot more students than they normally would.

[Bigbub75]

Oh- and Rutgers doesn't rank it's students, ever. So you will not ever have top _% on your transcripts. They also won't release that at OCI. They do that so that employers cannot impose arbitrary cutoffs. It works to your advantage because employers typically interview a lot more students than they normally would.

So how does this work if I actually did really well? Would you list your grades on your resume or submit a copy of your transcripts? Not ranking seems to work if your not in the top 20% but if you are in the top 20% I could imagine you might feel like your getting robbed.

[keg411]

I like Rutgers-1L. Good information and nice to hear that your 2L/3L friends are doing well in terms of employment. Still not all that convinced that Rutgers will actually get you NYCBigLaw, but it's nice to hear they are at least trying.

BTW, if I decide to attend I already know which of the two "tracks" I'm requesting .

[Rutgers1L_10]

Oh- and Rutgers doesn't rank it's students, ever. So you will not ever have top _% on your transcripts. They also won't release that at OCI. They do that so that employers cannot impose arbitrary cutoffs. It works to your advantage because employers typically interview a lot more students than they normally would.

So how does this work if I actually did really well? Would you list your grades on your resume or submit a copy of your transcripts? Not ranking seems to work if your not in the top 20% but if you are in the top 20% I could imagine you might feel like your getting robbed.

-It definitely benefits those that are in the median. If your grades are below the median, you can't hide that long. As soon as they see your transcripts full of C's and B-'s the interview will be OVER!

I like Rutgers-1L. Good information and nice to hear that your 2L/3L friends are doing well in terms of employment. Still not all that convinced that Rutgers will actually get you NYCBigLaw, but it's nice to hear they are at least trying.

"BigLaw" is a slightly imaginary term. Most people have no clue what they mean when they say this. If you go into OCI looking to sign up for "BigLaw" you'r going to be staring at the sign up sheet all day. Yes the NLJ250 and Vault100 talk about the very top firms, but it's the equivalent of thinking there are no great law schools outside of the T-14. Jobs at V100 firms will certainly be difficult to come by, and if you only want to work at a firm b/c of the firm's name you will probably want to study up more on firm culture and the way the work. But if you want a "BigLaw" job because you want a 6 figure paycheck the options are numerous. Once you really get into searching for jobs you'll realize the term BigLaw is pretty fluid, and inconsistent.
But I'm not here to convince you of employment. I can't speak for anyone specifically in their job search because I haven't followed anyone through the process and I'm just getting started myself. And OCI is not the end all be all of employment at any school. If you only depend on employers the school can bring you're really going to miss out on great opportunities.

I've got more 2¢ for you guys:
I saw this on another thread. A prospective student (as many do) asked what cases they should be reading to get ahead. I don't particularly prescribe to the school of thought where you get on the internet just to embarrass someone. I would rather fill you with usable information.
Here's my usable piece of advice for reading to get ahead....DON'T!!!
You can't read ahead. You don't even have profs or books. What could you possibly read. Law school isn't a "start from page 1" type of program. Your prof may start at chapter 1, chapter 4, chapter 9, work from the middle, start at the end, start on page one and then go to the end. You prof may not even cover entire chapters and portions of law. You cannot read ahead like that.

But, I understand your need to want to start 'getting' law school. So, here's what I say.
- Read "Getting to Maybe", I'm sure you've heard it before, but that's because it's good and general (this is a good idea)

If you absolutely MUST do something retarded before law school
- If you really, really, really, want to read cases then go to a library and see if they have any old casebooks. I recommend a Torts book or Contracts book (criminal law is okay, but won't serve this purpose, and property won't either)
Start anywhere in the book, it won't matter. Pick a page and read the first case there.
Try to pick out the plaintiff, the defendant, and which court the case is being heard in. Understand what the ruling was at trial, at appeal, and if there was a second appeal if the judgment was affirmed, or reversed/remanded.
Then try to figure out why the case is even in court at all, also known as "What is the Issue?" What is the court deciding on? What did the court decide? Why did the court decide that way?
When you are trying to figure out "The Issue" start a sentence with a question (Whether A has enough widgets to.... Does the amount of widgets....)

If you run into a word you don't know look it up in a legal dictionary. If you haven't run into a word you don't know...keep reading.
If you think you know what a word means, you probably don't. Look it up. Get used to the language used in a casebook

Personally, I don't recommend you do any of this. But I know how your minds are working. And one of you is dying to ask. So I'll save you the embarrassment.

[inSouthAmerica]

see yall tomorrow.

[BenJ]

Rutgers1L, I'm wondering about the differences between Rutgers Newark and Camden. Camden is ranked a little better but is in a terrible location. Would the extra notches in rank REALLY be worth it to attend Camden? Did you get into both, and if so, why did you choose Newark over Camden? Really any info would be helpful. Thanks!

Rutgers-Camden is for Philly, Rutgers-Newark is for NYC. Where do you want to work after graduation?

Also, Newark is not exactly paradise, so it's not like Camden is in a dramatically worse environment. It is true that Newark is showing hints of improvement, however, while Camden is not.

[mhd08]

Rutgers1L, I'm wondering about the differences between Rutgers Newark and Camden. Camden is ranked a little better but is in a terrible location. Would the extra notches in rank REALLY be worth it to attend Camden? Did you get into both, and if so, why did you choose Newark over Camden? Really any info would be helpful. Thanks!

Rutgers-Camden is for Philly, Rutgers-Newark is for NYC. Where do you want to work after graduation?

Also, Newark is not exactly paradise, so it's not like Camden is in a dramatically worse environment. It is true that Newark is showing hints of improvement, however, while Camden is not.

I'm kind of indifferent to where I work after graduation, which is why I was wondering about the differences.

[king3780]

rutgers1L ... your information has been absolutely great. I know youre a year early on OCI but can you give us any information on how OCI has been handled now that the global economy has been blown out of the sky. I imagine that Rutgers still pulls some of the sweetest gigs from within NJ and the occasional stud gets to move into NY, is this a foolish old-economy assumption? most TLSers are elistist fucks who Id never want to meet in real life so its hard to get a straight answer to the ... can i get a job out of _______ law school questions that go up.

Oddly enough, they start the OCI stuff at the end of Fall. Typically 1Ls can apply for jobs anytime after Dec 1. So as soon at Thanksgiving is over they start throwing all the OCI crap at you. That being said all the career services folks start off by saying that last year's (2008-09) OCI was "not as robust" as the prior year, or the year before that. But there were still lots of legal opportunities.

I think I mentioned it somewhere before but most of the firms that come to Rutgers OCI are actually NY Firms hiring for for the NY office and the NJ office. Many firms hire for the NY office and the summers work in the NY office, but as a new associate many are working in both offices. Many Rutgers grads take the NY and NJ bar so you can easily work for both states in both offices, which employers LOVE.
There are lots of "biglaw" firms, I say that to mean all the really popular firms that everyone is familiar with that still hire eagerly from Rutgers. There are also LOTS of large (100+) firms hiring at Rutgers. There are firms I've never heard of and then when I check out their info online I've found they're incredibly productive firms with lots of high profile clientele. A lot of boutique firms will never be known until you get into the OCI process. The thing most people don't realize is that a firm that is not necessarily a NLJ250 firm may still very well be paying new associates $125K+ and offer lots of opportunity because they're not a large mega-firm where a new associate will get lost in the shuffle.
Rutgers is big into Public Interest. They participate heavily in all of the major PI events here. Rutgers is a partner in the NYU career fair, and it's really popular for students to got the PI route during the summer.
Judicial Externships really help with the OCI process. Rutgers pretty much dominates when it comes to clerkships (not the crappy traffic court either. NJ Supreme Ct, Federal Ct clerkship). Because so many students to clerkships while in school the number of contacts helps when looking for permanent employment. I've heard quite a few 3L's that havent' gotten a final offer from their summer firm and are planning to "fall back" on a judicial clerkship.
Don't let me fill your head with rainbows and gumballs. The economy is still really tough. There are still more people applying for jobs than there are jobs to go around. It's by no means an easy process, and there are no guarantees. Rutgers does have to compete with all the NYC schools, but Rutgers competes, VERY WELL!!! A lot of the 2Ls did not get jobs through OCI, specifically. They actually just sent their resume, transcript, and writing sample to employers--and they got hired! There are 1Ls this semester that are already doing clerkships, and they've been hired for the summer (probably for no pay, just credit). But those kinds of opportunities go a long way.
Don't let anyone fool you into thinking you've got to graduate top1% to get a job in NY from Rutgers. It's more common that you would think. Most people that choose NJ firms do so by choice, because of family, spouse, or personal reasons.

Oh- and Rutgers doesn't rank it's students, ever. So you will not ever have top _% on your transcripts. They also won't release that at OCI. They do that so that employers cannot impose arbitrary cutoffs. It works to your advantage because employers typically interview a lot more students than they normally would.

Nice to see another Rutgers 1L here. It seems to be anecdotally at least that most employers can still get a general idea of where in the class you rank, the non-ranking policy of the school simply blurs the lines. For example, if White & Case recruits at Rutgers every year, they konw a 3.4 is generally Top 20%... but if this year it's 21% and White & Case would normally have a 20% cutoff at other schools, you may get interviewed anyway. Hope that makes sense... it's hard to type a response when there are multiple quotes b/c the box jumps around.

[keg411]

Rutgers1L, I'm wondering about the differences between Rutgers Newark and Camden. Camden is ranked a little better but is in a terrible location. Would the extra notches in rank REALLY be worth it to attend Camden? Did you get into both, and if so, why did you choose Newark over Camden? Really any info would be helpful. Thanks!

Rutgers-Camden is for Philly, Rutgers-Newark is for NYC. Where do you want to work after graduation?

Also, Newark is not exactly paradise, so it's not like Camden is in a dramatically worse environment. It is true that Newark is showing hints of improvement, however, while Camden is not.

I'm kind of indifferent to where I work after graduation, which is why I was wondering about the differences.

Go visit both and see if you like Philly or the North Jersey area better. They are VERY different even if they are the same state and any Jerseyan could tell you .