Rutgers Newark Forum

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keg411

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by keg411 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:26 pm

I'm one of those people who is very likely going to one of the Rutgers schools because of in-state tuition. However, I have no clue about the WL. Have you FT WL people asked about doing PT?

ETA: ISA, added you on fb! I promise after next Friday if I decide I'm going I will join the group - I see that a bunch of people are looking for roommates in Hoboken and I've been given the all clear on paying $$$ for housing without massive COL loans (specific instructions: "SAFE AND NICE AND IN HOBOKEN").

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inSouthAmerica

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by inSouthAmerica » Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:10 pm

i set up my email account. wow, does google have us spoiled.

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by bjf » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:15 pm

inSouthAmerica wrote:dont worry bjf, as i admit frequently, i don't know anything.
I guess we'll see! :lol:

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by NickyD51 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:29 pm

Anyone out there have this silly waitlist checkbox that didn't get an email?? WTF rutgers, way to screw with our heads...

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by Rutgers1L_10 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:16 pm

NickyD51 wrote:To Rutgers_1L, how much "homework" can we realistically expect each week? I'm planning on working weekends when school starts. Do you think it's feasible to get all the work done during the week or should I plan on not working all weekend to leave myself time for school work?

Thanks,

Nicky D
First off, I'm sorry to hear about those who got put on the WL. But don't lose hope, they pulled folks off the WL last year up until Jul. Not that you would want to wait that long, but at least you know the WL is not just a cruel joke.

Homework
Well that's an interesting term to use since homework implies something you normally complete to show that you are mastering certain skills and you get feedback in the form of a grade because you turn it in.
If you don't already know I will tell you the best thing about law school--NO HOMEWORK!! That is, there are no quizzes, no test (other than finals), no midterms, NOTHING. But that's also the bad news because you have absolutely no way to know if you're getting the material.

As far as reading that you will have to complete on a daily basis I will say you will spend about 2hours per class on 10 or so pages of reading when you first start off. As the semester goes on they will start assigning much more reading because they expect that you should be able to get through it faster, and they will start zipping through cases at the end of the semester at a much faster pace than they do the first couple of months.
The way cases are written, the language that's used, the way the facts are embedded, the procedures and everything you'll need to know are difficult to decipher. After you spend 2-3 hours reading a few pages of say Torts, you'll show up to class and either get drilled (or listen as one of your classmates gets drilled) and realize that all of that reading you did and you probably could not have answered half of the questions the professor asked. So you'll head back and read 3-4 hours, rinse and repeat for property, crim, and contracts.
Now you will have 4 classes to read for every night, and that does not include your LRW work which once it starts is never ending. Included in your LRW is also a research component. The first semester all of your research has to be done in the library using the books. You have restricted access to LexisNexis and Westlaw the legal research websites. So you will either spend extra time after school in the library doing research, or have to head to the library on weekends.

So here's my advice--First off if you are a Full Time student you are NOT supposed to work your first year. Definitely not the first semester. You will have to sign a form every semester attesting that you are meeting the standards of the ABA, and that you are not working more than 20 hrs/week if you are working. IT IS A BAD IDEA TO WORK DURING YOUR FIRST YEAR!!!!!! A REALLY, REALLY, BAD, IDEA!!!!
I would say that personally, I think I did a good job keeping up with my reading, and studying, and LRW. But there was not one weekend fall semester that I went without reading. I picked which day I was going to take off, but just one day. The other day I took time to myself to do personal tasks, rest, run errands or just relax. I could have never worked and stayed on top of my school work. Unless you absolutely cannot afford not to work I would highly recommend against it. If you must work, maybe you should consider the PT program. Just a thought. I'm not saying it's not possible, but you will not be able to use the fact that you worked during 1L to excuse any low grades, because employers know that you aren't supposed to be working. So do it at your own risk.

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Rutgers1L_10

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by Rutgers1L_10 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:26 pm

keg411 wrote:
kissy wrote:
keg411 wrote:
kissy wrote:so i just received scholarship information from one of my safety schools (quinnipiac), and they're offering $25k / year as long as i'm in the top 50%. rutgers, on the other hand, is only offering $5k as long as i maintain a 3.33 ... i've pretty much comitted to rutgers (i sent in my seat deposit, etc.), so is it even worth it to send them QU's offer and try to squeeze any more money out of them? i'm fairly certain they aren't going to think for a second that i'd attend QU.
3.33 is Top 50% at Camden. I looked into it. They have a B+ curve, not a B curve.
that's actually pretty interesting. i don't really have that much of an understanding as to how the whole law school curving process works, but i'm assuming a B+ curve is more favorable compared to a lower curve, correct? so the majority of the grades will be B+'s & B's, with less A's & C's? or am i way off...

anyone bored enough to offer a brief explanation of the curve is more than welcome :lol:
It means that the "median" grade is a B+... meaning most of the grades are a B+. Camden doesn't publish their curve, so it's tough to really know the distributions. Newark cuves to about a 3.0 according to Rutgers_1L and others.

Rutgers-N--2.925-3.075 curve
Rutgers-C--from what I understand they do not have a required curve. That doesn't mean there isn't an unofficial one

The R-N curve is very official. As a matter of fact the professors are required to enter all of the grades from the class into a computer program. The computer program will reject the professors grades if they are too high/low and they must adjust. The grades must average to the curve.
Some professors will not give anything below a B- but will also not give anything above a B+. It allows them to be a little lazy with grading, but also keeps them easily within the curve.
Some professors will give an A+ that means they have to give out grades at or below a C-
Some profs will not give A+ for whatever reason. Either they don't think and 1Ls deserve an A+ or they don't want to give out C- grades.
Yes you can get a D or and F!! If you receive a D you do not get credit for the course and must repeat it.

I think the majority of the grades are a B not a B+ at R-N.
R-C may have a larger pool of students with a B+ (I can't verify that and it's just my guess)
Technically everyone in the class could have a B, but not everyone could have a B+ and the more B+ that are given the more B- are given and so forth.

A school with a higher curve is likely to give out higher grades to more students, and a school with no curve is probably more likely to give out higher grades to more students.
If you have a scholarship that requires you maintain a 3.0 you're probably in good shape. If it requires you maintain a 3.3 it may require a little more work.

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by keg411 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:40 pm

The first semester all of your research has to be done in the library using the books.
You have to use the volumes? Really??? Ugh :(. (I'm used to Westlaw).

RU_1L, I just pulled the information off the web about Camden curving to a B+, even though they don't have an official one and don't rank. Hence why a 3.3 GPA stip at Camden is about equal to a 3.0 stip at Newark; the 3.5 Camden gives is steep, though.

I have heard about the Newark curve being very very tough :? .

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by Rutgers1L_10 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:46 pm

lovaholic wrote:
ericng314 wrote:I suggest all of us go purchase some rulers. For LRW, they make a big stink about 60 characters w/in 5 inches and also how there's like a set font type/size. Oi vey!

Just wondering, does anyone know if MSP requires us to go to EVERY single one of those weekly group sessions during the course of the first year? That seems like a bit of a waste of time IMO.

Anyone else here in MSP?

I heard the attendance is taken into account when it comes to 'selecting' the MSP students who get 'placed' in the summer internship. Not everyone gets an internship-it's based on your grades, attendance to class, those study sessions and your interview with the firm. (number of interview slots they have as well)

I am not aware of any scholarships attached to this program-but it certainly is a lot more required work. I mean it all seems to have great intentions--I just don't want to be 'stuck' with a crappy study group and then have to study with them all the time to make sure I have the requirements for that internship program you know?
Here's a little MSP info I can pass on:

The MSP facilitations are required if you want a chance at being selected for the summer internship program.
All the facilitators take attendance and give it to the dean. The facilitators work with the students in the group to come up with a time to meet once a week based on the available times. Each class has 1 facilitation. 2 Facilitations meet per week. They alternate weeks for which 2 will meet. There is no facilitation for LRW because 1L are not allowed to receive assistance from any other person on LRW.

At the end of the fall they take the attendance from all the facilitations, and the weekly hypos that are assigned, and do a mock interview. Based on the attendance, hypos, the interview, and fall grades and interim LRW grades, the Dean of the MSP makes a decision on which student are going to be selected for the internship program.
The selected students decide what kind of work they want to do (law firm, government, public interest, corporation)
They send the students to the various placement they have positions for, and the students have to interview for the job. Some students get the job some don't. But if MSP selects a student for the internship program they guarantee them a job. But they can't guarantee your first choice if you don't get the job after the interview.

The study groups for MSP are not the only study groups you can have. MSP students are encouraged to make study groups with non-MSP students. You don't have to always or only study with the MSP study group. You can study with whomever you like in MSP or not in MSP. The people in the MSP facilitations are going to be people in your track. So it's not just random MSP people, these are the same people that are in every single one of your classes, so if you don't like them it's going to be a long year because you'll be stuck with the for the entire 1L year anyway. It will not a good choice to study with people that are not in your track because not every professor is going to teach the same topics in their class. The reason they group the MSP facilitations by track is because you'll have someone that have all your professors and you know what you're going over. But there's nothing wrong with getting a study group together with people in your track not in MSP or a combination of MSP/Non-MSP. Aside from the facilitations who you study with is really your choice. hth

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by Rutgers1L_10 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:54 pm

keg411 wrote:
The first semester all of your research has to be done in the library using the books.
You have to use the volumes? Really??? Ugh :(. (I'm used to Westlaw).

RU_1L, I just pulled the information off the web about Camden curving to a B+, even though they don't have an official one and don't rank. Hence why a 3.3 GPA stip at Camden is about equal to a 3.0 stip at Newark; the 3.5 Camden gives is steep, though.

I have heard about the Newark curve being very very tough :? .
You will have access to Weslaw (and Lexis) except you will have restricted access. You can't look up your cases, do searches, and the hyperlinks will not work. So the only way for you to use Westlaw is to have the case citation and type it in. From there you can only do a couple of things. But initially your access will basically be for printing case material. Rutgers is all about teaching students how to use the books, they feed you a bunch of crap about how expensive Weslaw/Lexis are and how many small firms/public interest places will require you to use the books because they won't want to pay for access ( I have yet to run into any 2Ls or 3Ls that say that is the case). I think it's just an extra form of stress and torture.

I don't doubt your info about the curve. The issue is that if the 3.3 curve is unofficial that means it could theoretically be higher or lower and they could essentially give out whatever grades they want. The R-N curve is NOT theoretical. It's very stingy! R-N doesn't rank students either. But in any case maintaining a 3.5 is quite a risk. I don't care what your LSAT/GPA numbers are, there's no way to know if you could make a 3.5. There's no way to know if you can get a 3.0 for that matter! And not that I'm accusing any school of this practice, but I have heard the idea tossed around that school place students with scholarships with GPA stipulations in the same group of students and force them all to compete against each other inevitably leading to most of them not meeting the GPA minimum to keep the scholly. I obviously can't verify that to any degree.

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keg411

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by keg411 » Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:44 pm

I have no 3.5 stip (some of the Camden schollys have them, but let you keep half with the 3.3) :). I'm pretty aware that is not somewhere you want to be no matter what. I'm generally opposed to scholarship stipulations period. I think they are evil. Luckily Rutgers is cheap so even losing a small scholarship won't hurt you like it will at one of those awful expensive private schools.

That sucks about the volumes, though. Bleh - torture is right.

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Jeff Mangum

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by Jeff Mangum » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:54 am

[/quote]

You will have access to Weslaw (and Lexis) except you will have restricted access. You can't look up your cases, do searches, and the hyperlinks will not work. So the only way for you to use Westlaw is to have the case citation and type it in. From there you can only do a couple of things. But initially your access will basically be for printing case material. Rutgers is all about teaching students how to use the books, they feed you a bunch of crap about how expensive Weslaw/Lexis are and how many small firms/public interest places will require you to use the books because they won't want to pay for access ( I have yet to run into any 2Ls or 3Ls that say that is the case). I think it's just an extra form of stress and torture.

I[/quote]

Ridiculous. Why can't they just be upfront about the fact that it's expensive for the school, instead of passing it off as an educational benefit? They sort of have a point about learning the books. At least with respect to NJ Public Defender, AG, or any state law job, you don't have access to a full Westlaw search unless you fill out this special request form. Lexis/Westlaw are outrageously expensive. But the problem w/ their logic is that it can take at least a good year of unlimited Westlaw and Lexis access and training to become really efficient and comfortable with using those tools. It seems unfair that Rutgers students are placed at a disadvantage to students from other schools where full resources and training are available. Some firms and well funded PI's have full access but will care that you can use these efficiently.

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by wizoz » Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:45 am

Mornin' every1....any1 know how much is the seat deposit?

I'm heading to Rutgers today for the building tour and would like to also secure my seat while I'm out there. I know the form came in my packet and I had it in an envelope on my kitchen counter but then my husband moved everything around and now I can't find it. Sigh.

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by wizoz » Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:58 am

Found it! So no worries everyone!

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by jbl7979 » Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:50 am

Hey all,

New here. Just saw the waitlist check box on the site, but no email either. I applied for the PT program at the last minute, but it didnt go complete until April 1st. 164 LSAT, 3.1 UGPA, plus a masters degree in i/o psychology. See what happens when you're indecisive and wait until the last minute to do things?

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by bjf » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:14 am

^
Wow, that actually gives me false hope that the box with no email might be a mistake or an evil trick. I would think that with your #'s and PT you would be outright admitted with $.

A few of us are in the same situation, so keep us posted. GL

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by pink_law14 » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:27 am

anyone else still have yet to hear? its been OVER 10 weeks.

WHAT IS GOING ON? lol the admissions person who answers the phone is sooooooo unhelpful.

any advice short of going to the school and demanding a decision? I have other deposits due next Thusday :(

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by RedSoxFan » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:47 am

For people who are worried about the WAITLIST box in the required forms field, I just spoke with admissions and if it says (if applicable) on the side of it, you are okay. I also spoke with them about the wait and they said it would take 8 - 10 weeks.

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kissy

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by kissy » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:49 am

RedSoxFan wrote:For people who are worried about the WAITLIST box in the required forms field, I just spoke with admissions and if it says (if applicable) on the side of it, you are okay. I also spoke with them about the wait and they said it would take 8 - 10 weeks.
8-10 weeks is just absurd

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by jbl7979 » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:52 am

RedSoxFan wrote:For people who are worried about the WAITLIST box in the required forms field, I just spoke with admissions and if it says (if applicable) on the side of it, you are okay. I also spoke with them about the wait and they said it would take 8 - 10 weeks.
Interesting, mine does say "If applicable." Thanks for the info (even though you're a Red Sox fan).

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by RedSoxFan » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:59 am

No worries, get it all the time.

pink_law14

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by pink_law14 » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:06 pm

wow! so too, i have the waitlist box:

_Wait list form received (if applicable)

No e-mail yet. No status change. No letter. what does this mean? haha seems like a waitlist to me.. what did the admissions person you spoke with actually say, Redsoxfan?

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by bjf » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:10 pm

Mine also says "If Applicable".

RedSoxFan, what does "you are OK" actually mean?

Thanks for posting what they said, BTW.

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by NickyD51 » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:15 pm

RedSoxFan wrote:For people who are worried about the WAITLIST box in the required forms field, I just spoke with admissions and if it says (if applicable) on the side of it, you are okay. I also spoke with them about the wait and they said it would take 8 - 10 weeks.
Thank you!!! I take bad all the bad things I said about the Sox earlier this week, LOL. At First I was depressed cuz I knew it didn't say "if applicable" cuz I would have remembered that, but when I just checked now those two lovely words were there! There is still hope, but now I gotta cancel my AC trip this weekend... I was planning on getting very drunk and blowing my money I've been saving for the first semester, LOL!

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by RedSoxFan » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:16 pm

"You are okay" = not waitlisted or rejected. lol. The admissions lady was not very nice but said that if it says applicable next to it, than no decision has been made. Also, I told her I was concerned because it had been awhile since I sent my app in and "8 - 10 weeks" automatically came out of her

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Re: Rutgers Newark

Post by bjf » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:19 pm

Thanks, RedSox.

I actually logged in again and now the box is gone. Maybe they are getting ready for another wave of acceptances, waitlists, etc today.

Fingers crossed! Good luck everyone!

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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