CLEO 2010 Forum

[ATOIsp07]

Hey everyone, I'm considering applying to CLEO but had a question about the LOR they request:

Do applicants need to get a letter written specifically for CLEO, or do people use the same LORs they used to apply to law schools? I ask because getting my recommenders to write and submit things the first time around was a bit of a struggle, so if I can avoid having to endure that process all over again, that would be ideal. Thanks, and congratulations to everyone who's been accepted!

while you could get a LOR personalized for CLEO, there's no real reason to. they could pull LORs off your LSAC file once you've ordered an LSAC report for CLEO. so there's no effort on your part needed.

[citydweller09]

Hmm, so I've been reading in some other threads and I'm a bit confused. I thought SEO and CLEO were the same thing, but it looks like that might not be right. Is SEO the program where you work at a law firm for the summer, and CLEO an institute specifically for disadvantaged minority students? Or do I still have it wrong? Sorry if this has already been addressed.

[Jay-Electronica]

Hmm, so I've been reading in some other threads and I'm a bit confused. I thought SEO and CLEO were the same thing, but it looks like that might not be right. Is SEO the program where you work at a law firm for the summer, and CLEO an institute specifically for disadvantaged minority students? Or do I still have it wrong? Sorry if this has already been addressed.

Yea SEO is where you work for a firm. You are pretty much a shoe in if you wanted to go that route

[citydweller09]

Hmm, so I've been reading in some other threads and I'm a bit confused. I thought SEO and CLEO were the same thing, but it looks like that might not be right. Is SEO the program where you work at a law firm for the summer, and CLEO an institute specifically for disadvantaged minority students? Or do I still have it wrong? Sorry if this has already been addressed.

Yea SEO is where you work for a firm. You are pretty much a shoe in if you wanted to go that route

Ooooh, I see. Thanks for clearing that up, and sorry for interrupting this thread. Carry on, folks!

[Trelawny]

Accepted into CLEO as of this morning! Now I just need to get that paper in order!

Best of luck to everyone else!

CONGRATS!!! SEE THAT PHONE CALL WAS A GOOD SIGN..DID U GET THE ACCEPTANCE BY E-MAIL OR MAIL. JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IT SAID.

[ATOIsp07]

Accepted into CLEO as of this morning! Now I just need to get that paper in order!

Best of luck to everyone else!

CONGRATS!!! SEE THAT PHONE CALL WAS A GOOD SIGN..DID U GET THE ACCEPTANCE BY E-MAIL OR MAIL. JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IT SAID.

i got the acceptance e-mail on Friday morning. On Saturday, I was mailed the actual letter. The letter told me about the conditions of CLEO and what it does for its students (benefits, advantages).

[SôngHươngNúiNgự]

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[ATOIsp07]

Got in last week; wish it didn't cost so much.

WHO ARE YOU TELLIN?

I'm selling my PS3 and PS2 on ebay for this...and i may have to sell more...i guess this is what we call an "investment"

[Trelawny]

Yeah $2000 is heavy. If and when I get in I hope to get the low income package. $2000 is rent money.

[legalized]

Hm, I was thinking of doing this for the coming cycle (they told me the deadline is April)...but I just wanted the scholarship for law school. I didn't realize the summer thing was mandatory. I will not be able to be out of town for 6 weeks, not the way things stand now. So if CLEO is mainly about this prep thing and can't untie the law school aid from the summer thing...maybe I should save my carpal tunnel for other applications?

And I definitely will not have $2,000 with all the other little loose ends to tie up affording law school, and this is INCLUDING any fee waivers I may receive. I have the brains and personality and talent for law school...not the money.

Thoughts?

[ATOIsp07]

Hm, I was thinking of doing this for the coming cycle (they told me the deadline is April)...but I just wanted the scholarship for law school. I didn't realize the summer thing was mandatory. I will not be able to be out of town for 6 weeks, not the way things stand now. So if CLEO is mainly about this prep thing and can't untie the law school aid from the summer thing...maybe I should save my carpal tunnel for other applications?

And I definitely will not have $2,000 with all the other little loose ends to tie up affording law school, and this is INCLUDING any fee waivers I may receive. I have the brains and personality and talent for law school...not the money.

Thoughts?

I concur.

And I'm strongly considering vacating my CLEO acceptance. If worst comes to worst, I'll attend the Attitude Is Essential (AIE) seminar later in the summer. The best part about AIE is that it's FREE!

[Trelawny]

Hm, I was thinking of doing this for the coming cycle (they told me the deadline is April)...but I just wanted the scholarship for law school. I didn't realize the summer thing was mandatory. I will not be able to be out of town for 6 weeks, not the way things stand now. So if CLEO is mainly about this prep thing and can't untie the law school aid from the summer thing...maybe I should save my carpal tunnel for other applications?

And I definitely will not have $2,000 with all the other little loose ends to tie up affording law school, and this is INCLUDING any fee waivers I may receive. I have the brains and personality and talent for law school...not the money.

Thoughts?

I concur.

And I'm strongly considering vacating my CLEO acceptance. If worst comes to worst, I'll attend the Attitude Is Essential (AIE) seminar later in the summer. The best part about AIE is that it's FREE!

To All. Don't give up. See about a bank loan. I know for certain my parents and the savings I have will cover the cost. Not like the 2k was a surprise for work on it. Save $100 every week till May.

[kimmie]

Hello everyone,

Is it too late to apply to CLEO? I knew of the program long ago but did not think I would be able to attend due to another program I am participating in but I just found out I can.....

Please let me know

[legalized]

Hm, I was thinking of doing this for the coming cycle (they told me the deadline is April)...but I just wanted the scholarship for law school. I didn't realize the summer thing was mandatory. I will not be able to be out of town for 6 weeks, not the way things stand now. So if CLEO is mainly about this prep thing and can't untie the law school aid from the summer thing...maybe I should save my carpal tunnel for other applications?

And I definitely will not have $2,000 with all the other little loose ends to tie up affording law school, and this is INCLUDING any fee waivers I may receive. I have the brains and personality and talent for law school...not the money.

Thoughts?

I concur.

And I'm strongly considering vacating my CLEO acceptance. If worst comes to worst, I'll attend the Attitude Is Essential (AIE) seminar later in the summer. The best part about AIE is that it's FREE!

Sooo...the financial aid from school is NOT divorce-able from the summer thingie?

I do want to go to the seminars but I am pretty good at researching on my own, that's how I found this site. And I am not afraid to buy books and videos (used on Amazon/Half/Ebay, lol) that explain to me what law school is all about and what to expect. Not to mention the wonderful 1Ls who come back and help us out on the net, and the people in and graduated from law schools that I know in my real life...I don't need to pay them $2,000 for 6 weeks of info I can get on my own.

But I do want the rest of what they bring to the table, so...yeah.

[legalized]

To All. Don't give up. See about a bank loan. I know for certain my parents and the savings I have will cover the cost. Not like the 2k was a surprise for work on it. Save $100 every week till May.

You assume people are able to do either one of these. Heard about the economy and job sh*tuation lately? Some of us have been looking for work for over a year after losing jobs we just got or having on campus recruiters cancel out at the last minute (and this includes the federal government, ICE, in my case, after they already sent me the itinerary and flight info to DC!).

Banks don't loan just anybody money and that money even if it could be obtained is better served paying for a good law school, not a precursor.

It's not even that I want to do it and can't afford it. I do not need/want it, and can't afford it. I never laid eyes on my undergrad until I showed up for school the day the dorms opened, because I was there on a full scholarship and everything else didn't matter, so it didn't make sense to make 2 trips for precursors and the other handholding b.s. because that is where I had to go anyway out of the schools I applied to.

Same concept here. Doesn't matter if CLEO holds my hand for 6 weeks in the summer or not, I have to get in and get out of law school to carry on with the rest of my goals for my life. If you get my drift. Support is nice but at $2,000 it's not support it's basically Kaplan or Powerscore for 1L.

Now if that is not a required thing to do in order to get the help for LS then I am all for it for the folks that can afford it. But requiring me to spend so much when your point for existence is the disadvantage I face due to income and other factors...is rather scam-mish.

[Trelawny]

To All. Don't give up. See about a bank loan. I know for certain my parents and the savings I have will cover the cost. Not like the 2k was a surprise for work on it. Save $100 every week till May.

You assume people are able to do either one of these. Heard about the economy and job sh*tuation lately? Some of us have been looking for work for over a year after losing jobs we just got or having on campus recruiters cancel out at the last minute (and this includes the federal government, ICE, in my case, after they already sent me the itinerary and flight info to DC!).

Banks don't loan just anybody money and that money even if it could be obtained is better served paying for a good law school, not a precursor.

It's not even that I want to do it and can't afford it. I do not need/want it, and can't afford it. I never laid eyes on my undergrad until I showed up for school the day the dorms opened, because I was there on a full scholarship and everything else didn't matter, so it didn't make sense to make 2 trips for precursors and the other handholding b.s. because that is where I had to go anyway out of the schools I applied to.

Same concept here. Doesn't matter if CLEO holds my hand for 6 weeks in the summer or not, I have to get in and get out of law school to carry on with the rest of my goals for my life. If you get my drift. Support is nice but at $2,000 it's not support it's basically Kaplan or Powerscore for 1L.

Now if that is not a required thing to do in order to get the help for LS then I am all for it for the folks that can afford it. But requiring me to spend so much when your point for existence is the disadvantage I face due to income and other factors...is rather scam-mish.

Hmm.. I graduated in 2008 have yet to land a full time job, so for you to assume that I have not heard of an bad economy is an invalid argument.

Your statement "I do not need/want it, and can't afford it. " Then why did you apply ? When you applied it was no surprise of the cost of attending CLEO.

So do not come at me negative. I was just suggesting options to people. Obtaining a bank loan is just a suggestion!!!

[legalized2]

Trelawny I believe I clearly stated that I need the financial aid (their scholarships, which is what I was told CLEO provides, hence me still asking questions about it because I just heard about it these last few weeks) for school but do not need the 6 week mock-1L program. Not that I don't need or want CLEO's help on a whole. Why would I even say that? I wouldn't be anywhere near this thread if that was the case.

Check the posts I made above...I was asking whether the 6 week program can be separated from the scholarship for law school, or if people have to go through the 6 week program in order to get the scholarships. That was going to determine whether I apply or not. I have my essay, SAR, and transcripts ready to go for them. But you're right, if I can't do the 6 weeks and i find out it's mandatory, i WON'T apply, because I'm not a big fan of wasting my time. My essay for them can be used elsewhere so I wouldn't be mad about that.

Did not mean to bring attitude so I am sorry for how that other post came across, I was just trying show that people who don't have the money for the program likely aren't the type to be able to use the options you gave, even moreso in this economy where there are families living on part time jobs or whatnot.

Too, even if I had the money for the program fee, I don't have the childcare to just go off for 6 weeks. I didn't want to have to spell that out (because it's something specific to me, not to the general need-based population) but it's not even just about money for the program. It's one thing to make permanent arrangements for a kid(s) to live somewhere else completely while I do law school (which is possible, but not necessarily what I'm planning on doing)...quite impossible for me to guarantee 24 hour childcare for 6 weeks in the summer.

[floppymex]

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[ATOIsp07]

I don't think CLEO is hurting for worthy applicants this year. Good idea to save your money and the space for someone who is enthusiastic to be there.

True. Me, i got admitted through early admit status. but since i don't have the money, i'm most likely to withdraw. it sucks, too, because it would certainly help me!

[Jay-Electronica]

im still waiting to hear back, I sent my app in the beginning of this month. The cost is pretty steep, especially seeing that a lot of applicants are low income to begin with.

[legalized2]

I don't think CLEO is hurting for worthy applicants this year. Good idea to save your money and the space for someone who is enthusiastic to be there.

Seeing as there is a poster right in this thread who is desires very much to be in the 6week thing and is forced out by CLEO's price tag...I think this statement doesn't apply to the reality.

I already listed two completely valid reasons for not being "enthusiastic" to be there... I guess your advice to everyone who neither has the money nor the childcare to spend 6 weeks in miami or wherever is "CLEO doesn't need you, plenty more where you came from, good that you don't HAVE the money and ability to be there, someone else will!"

Cause to save money, I had to have it to begin with.

[ATOIsp07]

I don't think CLEO is hurting for worthy applicants this year. Good idea to save your money and the space for someone who is enthusiastic to be there.

Seeing as there is a poster right in this thread who is desires very much to be in the 6week thing and is forced out by CLEO's price tag...I think this statement doesn't apply to the reality.

I already listed two completely valid reasons for not being "enthusiastic" to be there... I guess your advice to everyone who neither has the money nor the childcare to spend 6 weeks in miami or wherever is "CLEO doesn't need you, plenty more where you came from, good that you don't HAVE the money and ability to be there, someone else will!"

Cause to save money, I had to have it to begin with.

I know...I'm giving away BOTH my PS3 and PS2 to be in this thing and i still won't have enough. that should tell you how badly i want to be in the program. i'm gettin pissed typing this.

[rfsl2010]

i'm still waiting to hear back from CLEO. applied in oct. 09. don't know why its taking so long

[floppymex]

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[ATOIsp07]

I know...I'm giving away BOTH my PS3 and PS2 to be in this thing and i still won't have enough. that should tell you how badly i want to be in the program. i'm gettin pissed typing this.

Sorry if I sounded callous before. I was annoyed by some of the posts that seemed to question the value of the program. I understand that it's difficult to raise the money-I'm in the same boat. However, considering that (unless you are very lucky) you will like be assuming a 100k debt to attend law school, a 2k expense is not that much in relation. Especially since the program is well known for awarding grant money, and unlike the commercial prep courses, it lasts for 6 weeks and includes room and board.

understood. i know about CLEO quite well, actually. granted, I will be assuming more debt as i enter law school but that will mostly be covered by grants, loans, etc. to take out a loan for CLEO is almost not worth it because of the fact that A.) i'll already be taking out loans for my whole law school career and B.) all things considered, it would be ironic to do so.

it's funny...CLEO's for the disadvantaged but only the ones who can raise that 2Gs and pay for their way there. i know they benefits compensate but something's not right. something's not right at all.

one more thing, the black lower-middle class get screwed so badly. i'm broke but not broke enough for the low-income applicant status.