U. of Michigan Law School '11 Forum

seagull48 · Post by **seagull48** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:51 am

reddeath, your list is good, so i'm copying/pasting it into this post, with my comments and additions in red.

Lawyer's Club pros:
-proximity to campus (not to be underrated, especially during the winter.)
-lack of extensive (and expensive) move-in/move-out and furnishing
-lack of need to sublet if leave for summer (but you get kicked out immediately after finals each semester.)
-community (maybe a bad thing at times) with other 1Ls (pretty big. all the bars and restaurants are right near campus, too.)
-easy dining hall access and no need to worry about buying food/cooking (people say the food is not that great.)
-no need to seek out roomies (which can be a disastrous endeavor) (most people i know in the LC recommend getting a single. it only costs a little more for increased personal space and less chance of ending up with somebody you don't get along with.)
-reduced need for car, and thus money saved from gas, insurance, etc. (no parking if you do have a car. and if you don't, no access to grocery stores/anywhere not on campus.)
-no need to lug all your books to and from school each day.
-proximity to library and classes combined with availability of dining and laundry services frees you up to concentrate on schoolwork. fewer chores, no need to grocery shop, no travel time, etc.

Off-campus pros:
-more living space (living quarters in the LC are extremely close. your neighbors might be loud. or, if you're loud, you might get yelled at. not a problem if living off-campus.)
-potential to save money over LC (but rent in ann arbor is still more expensive than you might expect.)
-potential to save money by making own food
-such saved money can support auto use/maintenance (the bus system in ann arbor is fantastic. it runs on time and everywhere.)
-freedom from hectic 1L dorm atmosphere (I assume this applies more during finals) (HUGE.)
-ability to host study groups, gatherings, parties, whatever
-actually having a kitchen, living room, etc. so as to live like a normal person and not a college frosh (also huge, especially if you've been living on your own for awhile. if you like living on your own and taking care of things like laundry, food, etc., it will probably be hard to go back to the dorm lifestyle. some people are glad to be rid of such worries.)
-not having a bed 100 yards from your contracts classroom leads to increased productivity. off-campus kids have an easier time working through the day, between classes, and finishing before they go home for the night. it's really easy for on-campus kids to nap between classes and study in the middle of the night.

gmail · Post by **gmail** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:35 am

Is it possible just to live in LC for the first semester and then dip out once the first round of finals are khalas?

seagull48 · Post by **seagull48** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 3:33 pm

ugh, sorry about all that red. i hadn't realized how obnoxious it was. i'm not sure about your question, gmail. i know one person that moved into the LC after a month or so off-campus, and i know somebody else who switched from a double to a single. i may have heard rumblings about somebody who hated the LC and was headed out second semester, but i'm not positive on that one. you pay all at once, so if you wanted to take off before the end of first semester, you'd probably have to say goodbye to some of your rent.

rsr28 · Post by **rsr28** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 3:57 pm

ugh, sorry about all that red. i hadn't realized how obnoxious it was. i'm not sure about your question, gmail. i know one person that moved into the LC after a month or so off-campus, and i know somebody else who switched from a double to a single. i may have heard rumblings about somebody who hated the LC and was headed out second semester, but i'm not positive on that one. you pay all at once, so if you wanted to take off before the end of first semester, you'd probably have to say goodbye to some of your rent.

I liked the red very much -- thanks very much for the insight!!

If the OP would like, I could be added to the "Undecided" list in the first post. Summer start acceptance... but UVA, if I get in, will be my top choice, I think. Can't think of anything that would make me choose Michigan over UVA -- what is it that the people that are 100% UM like better about it than UVA? I'm easily sold on things...

awesomepossum · Post by **awesomepossum** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 4:14 pm

done.

about the merits of UMich....I'll have to get back to you after the game.

xdistak · Post by **xdistak** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 6:02 pm

What a great game. That was Henne's best game of the season, maybe of his career. Go Wolverines!

bumblebeechewna · Post by **bumblebeechewna** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 6:03 pm

awesomepossum · Post by **awesomepossum** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 6:06 pm

that was a great game.

Rayster · Post by **Rayster** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:13 pm

Offcampus housing: places are MUCH cheaper in Ypsilanti, and it isn't a bad commute.

wishekuanwe · Post by **wishekuanwe** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:36 pm

In at Michigan Law!!!!!!!!!!!! (snail mail package)

seagull48 · Post by **seagull48** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:50 pm

congrats wish! hope to see you here!

britt2010 · Post by **britt2010** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:50 pm

Congrats Wish!!!

Seagull made a really good point about how LC people spend their time. I'm forced to study until X hour and use my day time more wisely. I've tried the whole "bring the books home" thing, and while it sometimes works, more often than not I find that I lug them home for nothing. It's nice to draw the line between the two. My main complaint is figuring out how/when I eat. It can be a pain in the ass to plan food, but I suppose if I'm not lugging books I can bring food instead, since there are microwaves, etc. I need to wean myself off of bringing my books home!!!

Oblomov · Post by **Oblomov** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:57 pm

msumike75 · Post by **msumike75** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:19 pm

Offcampus housing: places are MUCH cheaper in Ypsilanti, and it isn't a bad commute.

There are some pretty decent apartment complexes on the Ypsilanti side of Carpenter road. Spice Tree, Roundtree, and some of the other McKinley properties are pretty nice and are not too outrageous price wise. The closer you get to the campus of Eastern Michigan the shittier the housing generally is. If you know some people you want to live with I would suggest looking for a rental house in a subdivision somewhere. There are quite a few for rent in the Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline Areas. The houses are nice and not too bad pricewise.

I have lived in Ypsilanti my whole life other than my 4 years at Michigan State and would more than willing to answer any questions regarding the area.

the5man · Post by **the5man** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:56 pm

...

I can be added to accepted but undecided.

joyce615 · Post by **joyce615** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:29 pm

Out of curiosity, where are all the other summer start people from?

I want to know this too! I'm from the SF bay area.

TheRedDeath · Post by **TheRedDeath** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:16 pm

I'm from MA, UG in Boston, now in Miami.

Also, I appreciate the feedback on the housing options (particularly the nice red additions).

I have a question about summer start as well: Does anyone know what the classes are? I know the courseload is a tad lighter, but I haven't seen (or don't remember) which courses us summer starters will have. Based on some postings from 1Ls here on TLS, I'm probably going to check out E&Es before summer.

gmail · Post by **gmail** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:29 am

I'm a late applicant with a so-so chance of admission, but I have to say, the more I read about Michigan the more I want to go. Consider me smitten. I particularly like the bits of humor nestled within the frequently asked questions. See: weather.

viv · Post by **viv** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:03 am

RedDeath-- The summer class will have Legal Writing plus two doctrinal courses. As I understand it, the doctrinal courses aren't always the same from year to year... I know from a student blog on the website that the 2006 summer starters had Civil Procedure and Torts. I don't know anything about what it will be this summer, though.

If I decide on Michigan, I'll be in the summer class with y'all! From rural midwest/great plains.

jbags · Post by **jbags** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:00 pm

Buffalo!

jbags · Post by **jbags** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:02 pm

I think i want to live in Ypsilanti becuase its fun to say. Ypsilanti.

msumike75 · Post by **msumike75** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:57 pm

I think i want to live in Ypsilanti becuase its fun to say. Ypsilanti.

Just make sure you don't call it Yipsilanti. It is pronounced Ipsialnti. We also have the worlds most phallic symbol.

numisguy · Post by **numisguy** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:03 pm

I'm a summer starter and I will be coming for the mountain west area (Salt Lake City specifically). It's going to be really hard for me to say goodbye to the skiing.

Four months from today is when I'll be moving to AA!

msumike75 · Post by **msumike75** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:08 pm

There is cross country skiing in Ann Arbor. And Brighton about 30 minutes North has a trash heap people downhill on.

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