OLD SCHOOL (must be 30 and over ITT) Forum

[Lawst]

Kaelgrai, are you interested in working in Silicon Valley after graduating? I would not go to Rutgers unless you want to work in New Jersey. Yeah, most people have heard of Rutgers, but I don't think their law schools have a strong national reputation. If you want to work in California, people are probably going to wonder why the heck you went there. I would retake the LSAT. Hopefully you could raise your score enough so that you could get into Hastings or Davis or perhaps even Berkeley or Stanford. What is your GPA? If it is low, that will restrict where you can get in even if you kill the LSAT.

Rutgers-Camden would also be good for Philly, since it's right across the bridge, but it is pretty regional. I'm planning on Rutgers-Newark myself because I want to stay in the NYC area, so I'm not knocking RU at all.
Also, if you haven't taken a good look at Camden yet, you really should. I have no idea about the campus, but I remember taking a bus through Camden some years ago on the way to Philly and being fairly horrified at how blighted it was, and I'm not sheltered. It could just have been that area, but just make sure you know what you're in for.

[oldhippie]

I can only stand about one week tops around my parents. You guys are seriously stoic.

i just constantly remind myself that im saving money. saving money. saving money. and counting down the days until i depart

this. oh so very much of this.
but apparently we're back to playing nice today, so that's a good thing 63 more days!!!

[sidhesadie]

I don't know about age and situation having NO impact on admissions. I was waitlisted at several schools that I was at or above 75% on BOTH LSAT and GPA. I am also on waitlist/reserve at schools where my numbers are below that. I applied end of november/beginning of december at all schools, so not super early but certainly not late.

I have to think that although my age per se is likely not a factor, my single parent status might be. I have no negative factors like a criminal background or any of that BS. My single parenthood was part of my personal statement (it was relevant to my point in the statement) so all schools are aware I'm a woman who would have to move a kid across the country without a spouse. I don't *know* that's why, obviously. However, it isn't always "Oh, you're at or over 75% and you're in." Nuh uh.

Anyway, Cornell is freaking me out because I'm on reserve. I had already given up on them, I've put in my deposit at Lewis & Clark where I received a VERY generous scholarship and will graduate basically debt free from law school. I won't have to move, it's all just perfect. Then the reserve notice from Cornell. I'm trying not to think about what I will do if I get into Cornell. I'm also on the waitlist at University of Michigan and Duke, but waitlist seems longer shot than reserve. (Might just be my deluded and hopeful perceptions, though.)

[firemed]

I don't know about age and situation having NO impact on admissions. I was waitlisted at several schools that I was at or above 75% on BOTH LSAT and GPA. I am also on waitlist/reserve at schools where my numbers are below that. I applied end of november/beginning of december at all schools, so not super early but certainly not late.

I have to think that although my age per se is likely not a factor, my single parent status might be. I have no negative factors like a criminal background or any of that BS. My single parenthood was part of my personal statement (it was relevant to my point in the statement) so all schools are aware I'm a woman who would have to move a kid across the country without a spouse. I don't *know* that's why, obviously. However, it isn't always "Oh, you're at or over 75% and you're in." Nuh uh.

Anyway, Cornell is freaking me out because I'm on reserve. I had already given up on them, I've put in my deposit at Lewis & Clark where I received a VERY generous scholarship and will graduate basically debt free from law school. I won't have to move, it's all just perfect. Then the reserve notice from Cornell. I'm trying not to think about what I will do if I get into Cornell. I'm also on the waitlist at University of Michigan and Duke, but waitlist seems longer shot than reserve. (Might just be my deluded and hopeful perceptions, though.)

I don't know what I would do either. I think I might be tempted to go to Cornell though... wow... what a choice. I honestly think I would've moved to go to any of the T25. Luckily (HAH!) I didn't score well enough on the LSAT to worry about that!

And I do think you are right that being a single parent might have cut into your yield. I bet they were all like "she won't be able to focus because she won't have anyone here to help her..." Which is, IMO, totes unfair. I know a lot of single parents who do awful hours and still have time for their kids... and do an amazing job parenting to boot. Sorry Sidhe.

(ps. I love your username... I want to get you a nice fae tar to go with it... but I am too lazy.)

[BLin98]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

[Leira7905]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

OMG! Yes! My S.O. and I have been talking about this. We haven't been living together for very long so this is the first time that we've really had to sit down talk about our budget. After I did all the math, i figured out that after we paid bills, bought groceries, gas, and household items... I have a whopping $25 bucks and she has about $70 left. Very nice.

[DocHawkeye]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Actually, my favorite included "Let's find a place to live that costs $250 less each month," and "have you applied for any new jobs yet?"

We're only moving to a neighboring state and the stress of just getting to opening day is killing me. Please tell me it gets easier.

[ArghItsBlarg]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Actually, my favorite included "Let's find a place to live that costs $250 less each month," and "have you applied for any new jobs yet?"

We're only moving to a neighboring state and the stress of just getting to opening day is killing me. Please tell me it gets easier.

Yeah, "have you applied for any new jobs yet" goes ever reeeeeally well when I bring that up.

At this point, we're applying for food stamps and Medicaid for at least the kids. We're kind of reticent to go on it ourselves, as we'd have to change both our primary care doctors and her OBGYN, but it would save us somewhere between $7-10k/year to do so. That's worth some discomfort, I think.

[sidhesadie]

I don't know about age and situation having NO impact on admissions. I was waitlisted at several schools that I was at or above 75% on BOTH LSAT and GPA. I am also on waitlist/reserve at schools where my numbers are below that. I applied end of november/beginning of december at all schools, so not super early but certainly not late.

I have to think that although my age per se is likely not a factor, my single parent status might be. I have no negative factors like a criminal background or any of that BS. My single parenthood was part of my personal statement (it was relevant to my point in the statement) so all schools are aware I'm a woman who would have to move a kid across the country without a spouse. I don't *know* that's why, obviously. However, it isn't always "Oh, you're at or over 75% and you're in." Nuh uh.

Anyway, Cornell is freaking me out because I'm on reserve. I had already given up on them, I've put in my deposit at Lewis & Clark where I received a VERY generous scholarship and will graduate basically debt free from law school. I won't have to move, it's all just perfect. Then the reserve notice from Cornell. I'm trying not to think about what I will do if I get into Cornell. I'm also on the waitlist at University of Michigan and Duke, but waitlist seems longer shot than reserve. (Might just be my deluded and hopeful perceptions, though.)

I don't know what I would do either. I think I might be tempted to go to Cornell though... wow... what a choice. I honestly think I would've moved to go to any of the T25. Luckily (HAH!) I didn't score well enough on the LSAT to worry about that!

And I do think you are right that being a single parent might have cut into your yield. I bet they were all like "she won't be able to focus because she won't have anyone here to help her..." Which is, IMO, totes unfair. I know a lot of single parents who do awful hours and still have time for their kids... and do an amazing job parenting to boot. Sorry Sidhe.

(ps. I love your username... I want to get you a nice fae tar to go with it... but I am too lazy.)

Aww thanks! I am tar lazy too. lol. Cool that someone actually knows what the sidhe are though!

[sarahh]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Actually, my favorite included "Let's find a place to live that costs $250 less each month," and "have you applied for any new jobs yet?"

We're only moving to a neighboring state and the stress of just getting to opening day is killing me. Please tell me it gets easier.

We are moving cross-country. We are going out for a week to look at apartments. (The trip is probably going to cost around $2,000.) I pray we find something. My husband has not started looking for jobs yet - I think it is to early. Isn't it? (He could not start until August probably.) I told him he is doing medical studies if he cannot find a job right away.

[bedefan]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Actually, my favorite included "Let's find a place to live that costs $250 less each month," and "have you applied for any new jobs yet?"

We're only moving to a neighboring state and the stress of just getting to opening day is killing me. Please tell me it gets easier.

We are moving cross-country. We are going out for a week to look at apartments. (The trip is probably going to cost around $2,000.) I pray we find something. My husband has not started looking for jobs yet - I think it is to early. Isn't it? (He could not start until August probably.) I told him he is doing medical studies if he cannot find a job right away.

If you're moving to a college town or a college-dominated neighborhood, where all sorts of hiring takes place around the academic calendar, no, April/May is not too early to start inquiring about jobs that might begin in August. This was what my wife and I discovered a few years back when we moved for my master's.

[sarahh]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Actually, my favorite included "Let's find a place to live that costs $250 less each month," and "have you applied for any new jobs yet?"

We're only moving to a neighboring state and the stress of just getting to opening day is killing me. Please tell me it gets easier.

We are moving cross-country. We are going out for a week to look at apartments. (The trip is probably going to cost around $2,000.) I pray we find something. My husband has not started looking for jobs yet - I think it is to early. Isn't it? (He could not start until August probably.) I told him he is doing medical studies if he cannot find a job right away.

If you're moving to a college town or a college-dominated neighborhood, where all sorts of hiring takes place around the academic calendar, no, April/May is not too early to start inquiring about jobs that might begin in August. This was what my wife and I discovered a few years back when we moved for my master's.

Hmm, we are moving to Boston, which has a lot of schools, but I guess it would not be a "college town"?

[unc0mm0n1]

It might as well be a college town. There are about a million colleges there. it was crazy when I was visiting myfuture law school it was a new college every 50 feet.

[firemed]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Actually, my favorite included "Let's find a place to live that costs $250 less each month," and "have you applied for any new jobs yet?"

We're only moving to a neighboring state and the stress of just getting to opening day is killing me. Please tell me it gets easier.

We are moving cross-country. We are going out for a week to look at apartments. (The trip is probably going to cost around $2,000.) I pray we find something. My husband has not started looking for jobs yet - I think it is to early. Isn't it? (He could not start until August probably.) I told him he is doing medical studies if he cannot find a job right away.

Eff yeah! Send him to medical or PA school and have a sugardaddy! That is what I am doing with the wife: sending her to PA school so I can have a sugarmamma.

I will say that I would be looking for jobs in July, personally.

[firemed]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Yeah...

"Well, if we cut cable, and we only drive one car, and we cut childcare down to minimum, and you take student loans too, and I take the bus on days we don't need to drive the kiddo to school, and then if we eat in for every meal except one date a week... hmm... let's see.... yeah, with all that we have $-24 after food. Eff... we better start buying cigarettes off the reservation...."

[r6_philly]

We might just have to take out max loans. And I will continue to work part-time.

[oldhippie]

we'll be going down to one vehicle, no cable, and no eating out. and maxing student loans but hoping not to need them, and hoping more that by 2L, the SO will have a decent job so no more loan $ will be needed (i have tuition covered, it's all the rest of it that's killing me!!)
and he just submitted his first round of apps last night, we figured too early is better than too late!!!
oh, and my mom and i are still speaking so far, so good!

[elmacho]

Hey everyone,

New to TLS and happy to see a thread for old folks. I'm prepping for the LSAT and planning to apply for 2012. Anyone currently in LS? Moved the fam and regretted it, or vice versa? Also, can someone tell me about the LSDAS GPA? I just finished my undergrad (finally) with a 3.49, but I have one year of pretty terrible grades at a different school from back in '98...

[ArghItsBlarg]

I think that'll effect your LSDAS gpa pretty significantly, but I don't know the mechanics of it. I do know the LSAC takes all of your grades into account, so those '98 grades will be included. I'm sure there are threads with far more information, I don't recall most of that era of information.

oldhippie - I'm in the same boat. I have to take out some for tuition, but the significant majority of my loans will be for living expenses. It sucks. We're looking very strongly now at going on Medicaid, it would save us *so* much money...

[Leira7905]

Hey everyone,

New to TLS and happy to see a thread for old folks. I'm prepping for the LSAT and planning to apply for 2012. Anyone currently in LS? Moved the fam and regretted it, or vice versa? Also, can someone tell me about the LSDAS GPA? I just finished my undergrad (finally) with a 3.49, but I have one year of pretty terrible grades at a different school from back in '98...

I've gone to college off and on since the late nineties as well. Went to three different schools. LSAC calculated my gpa to reflect every single college level class I've taken - ever. So, yes, they will count it.

[legal10101]

Anyone else having enjoyable conversations with the spouse that conclude with some variation of, "...and then after we cut all of that we have $275 budgeted for food, gas and incidentals each month."

Unfortunately, Yes! But it will all be worth it in the end......................at least IT BETTER!!!!!

[northwood]

anyone else getting cold feet? im all set to go- got everything in order- but while i hate my current job and career outlook- the idea of going into debt and not working for at least a year is daunting. especially since ive been out of school for a while.

[rinkrat19]

anyone else getting cold feet? im all set to go- got everything in order- but while i hate my current job and career outlook- the idea of going into debt and not working for at least a year is daunting. especially since ive been out of school for a while.

Every time I pay my mortgage+HOA, I think about how screwed I'll be if I can't find a renter for my condo and I get a sick feeling in my stomach. I'd sell it in an instant if I could, but a couple of foreclosure/auctions in the complex have recently sold for about 60% of what I paid for it.

[ahduth]

anyone else getting cold feet? im all set to go- got everything in order- but while i hate my current job and career outlook- the idea of going into debt and not working for at least a year is daunting. especially since ive been out of school for a while.

Naw. I'm ready to kill it. I'd like to start today.

[northwood]

im ready to kill it as well- im just nervous about the cost.

to be honest- i get nervous whenever i make a big financial decision. so i guess i need to learn how to not worry about things after i allready signed my life away