Veterans Thread Forum

[rckybbby]

Also, this may be a dumb question, but has anyone considered sending in any award write-ups/citations they may have received, especially those with combat awards? I received an impact NAM for work performance during Jan-May 2010 and the write-up is pretty badass, but I wasn't sure if that would be inappropriate.

i just put awards/citations on my resume

I listed them on my resume...for hiring as well but without details. Was good interview fodder.

damnit! again. i didn't put anything in there, felt weird. i wish i had now.

[patrickd139]

I'm not a veteran, but in the spirit of Veterans Day, thank you all for your service.

[Kring345]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/juj122

-US Marine Corps
-E-5 / Sgt
-Ive been in for 4.5 years, 2.5 years in iconic platoon sergeant billet, and EAS Aug 2012, just in time for 1L
-1 x Iraq, 2 x Afghanistan (currently in Afghanistan)
-168 LSAT / 3.8 GPA
-I applied to entire T-14 plus UCLA, UT, and USC. Hoping for NU, Penn, or HYS (obv)

Advice:
-Leverage your military experience in our PS by showing (vice telling) what you have to offer.
-Seek "public service" fee waivers. Many schools offer them for TFA, Peace Corps, etc. If you say, "I see that you offer public service waiver for TFA, does military service count as public service?" -- They will HAVE TO say yes! lol

[Cavgirl]

Happy Veteran's Day, everyone. It was an honor to serve and I thank all of you for your service.

[law4vus]

I'm not a veteran, but in the spirit of Veterans Day, thank you all for your service.

[quadsixm]

Sorry to derail, but thank you all so much for your service. Wish you all the best of luck with your app cycles as well.

[SemperLegal]

Thanks Quad, Law4vsus, and Patrickd. Everyone likes to be appreciated!

[californihuh]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/juj122

-US Marine Corps
-E-5 / Sgt
-Ive been in for 4.5 years, 2.5 years in iconic platoon sergeant billet, and EAS Aug 2012, just in time for 1L
-1 x Iraq, 2 x Afghanistan (currently in Afghanistan)
-168 LSAT / 3.8 GPA
-I applied to entire T-14 plus UCLA, UT, and USC. Hoping for NU, Penn, or HYS (obv)

Just out of curiosity, how do you guys manage to complete undergrad + study for the LSAT while still doing active-duty? Not to mention maintaining a good GPA... I mean, I know theres online programs and all that, but I don't think most of us (on the here anyways) have gone that route. Did you guys take time off of high school? Or start college and then went enlisted? Are we all old, crusty, salty, service members...?

Oh, +1 to everyone for Veterans Day.

[thementor31337]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/juj122

-US Marine Corps
-E-5 / Sgt
-Ive been in for 4.5 years, 2.5 years in iconic platoon sergeant billet, and EAS Aug 2012, just in time for 1L
-1 x Iraq, 2 x Afghanistan (currently in Afghanistan)
-168 LSAT / 3.8 GPA
-I applied to entire T-14 plus UCLA, UT, and USC. Hoping for NU, Penn, or HYS (obv)

Just out of curiosity, how do you guys manage to complete undergrad + study for the LSAT while still doing active-duty? Not to mention maintaining a good GPA... I mean, I know theres online programs and all that, but I don't think most of us (on the here anyways) have gone that route. Did you guys take time off of high school? Or start college and then went enlisted? Are we all old, crusty, salty, service members...?

Oh, +1 to everyone for Veterans Day.

I came in with the AS and completed the second half of my undergrad while on active duty. Luckily I was at a non-deployable station so that helped a lot, and I did go the online route. I took my first two classes in the classroom on campus, but then decided I would do online because sometimes I didn't feel like sitting in a 4 hour lecture after working 10hrs/day.
Compared to many of my peers/supervisors, I am considered old!! I was older than many of the SSgt's I worked with, I just think what I could have done if I had joined at 18 instead of 24.

[Kring345]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/juj122

-US Marine Corps
-E-5 / Sgt
-Ive been in for 4.5 years, 2.5 years in iconic platoon sergeant billet, and EAS Aug 2012, just in time for 1L
-1 x Iraq, 2 x Afghanistan (currently in Afghanistan)
-168 LSAT / 3.8 GPA
-I applied to entire T-14 plus UCLA, UT, and USC. Hoping for NU, Penn, or HYS (obv)

Just out of curiosity, how do you guys manage to complete undergrad + study for the LSAT while still doing active-duty? Not to mention maintaining a good GPA... I mean, I know theres online programs and all that, but I don't think most of us (on the here anyways) have gone that route. Did you guys take time off of high school? Or start college and then went enlisted? Are we all old, crusty, salty, service members...?

Oh, +1 to everyone for Veterans Day.

I graduated in 2007 from a Big10 school, and I enlisted after graduation. I was going to go the officer route, and even graduated from OCS, but opted to enlist for personal reasons. Never looked back.

In regards to the LSAT, I studied while in Afghanistan. Didnt work out very well, so I studied a bit more on post-deployment leave and retook this June.

Not sure if I qualify as salty, but my short LSN bio is quoted above, and I'll be 27 when I started law school.

[03121202698008]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/juj122

-US Marine Corps
-E-5 / Sgt
-Ive been in for 4.5 years, 2.5 years in iconic platoon sergeant billet, and EAS Aug 2012, just in time for 1L
-1 x Iraq, 2 x Afghanistan (currently in Afghanistan)
-168 LSAT / 3.8 GPA
-I applied to entire T-14 plus UCLA, UT, and USC. Hoping for NU, Penn, or HYS (obv)

Just out of curiosity, how do you guys manage to complete undergrad + study for the LSAT while still doing active-duty? Not to mention maintaining a good GPA... I mean, I know theres online programs and all that, but I don't think most of us (on the here anyways) have gone that route. Did you guys take time off of high school? Or start college and then went enlisted? Are we all old, crusty, salty, service members...?

Oh, +1 to everyone for Veterans Day.

I did the online route for a BA/MA and took the LSAT deployed. It's all about time management.

[EMZE]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/juj122

-US Marine Corps
-E-5 / Sgt
-Ive been in for 4.5 years, 2.5 years in iconic platoon sergeant billet, and EAS Aug 2012, just in time for 1L
-1 x Iraq, 2 x Afghanistan (currently in Afghanistan)
-168 LSAT / 3.8 GPA
-I applied to entire T-14 plus UCLA, UT, and USC. Hoping for NU, Penn, or HYS (obv)

Just out of curiosity, how do you guys manage to complete undergrad + study for the LSAT while still doing active-duty? Not to mention maintaining a good GPA... I mean, I know theres online programs and all that, but I don't think most of us (on the here anyways) have gone that route. Did you guys take time off of high school? Or start college and then went enlisted? Are we all old, crusty, salty, service members...?

Oh, +1 to everyone for Veterans Day.

Service Academy. Easy.

LSAT not so much. Free time doesn't exist, at least since I moved to staff. I wish I would have studied while deployed instead of spending time between missions watching endless seasons of TV shows.

[unc0mm0n1]

Thanks Quad, Law4vsus, and Patrickd. Everyone likes to be appreciated!

+1 thanks. My law school actually took all the vets out to dinner. It was great but it also sucked that it was only about 14 of us there in a school of 1700 students.

[unc0mm0n1]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/juj122

-US Marine Corps
-E-5 / Sgt
-Ive been in for 4.5 years, 2.5 years in iconic platoon sergeant billet, and EAS Aug 2012, just in time for 1L
-1 x Iraq, 2 x Afghanistan (currently in Afghanistan)
-168 LSAT / 3.8 GPA
-I applied to entire T-14 plus UCLA, UT, and USC. Hoping for NU, Penn, or HYS (obv)

Just out of curiosity, how do you guys manage to complete undergrad + study for the LSAT while still doing active-duty? Not to mention maintaining a good GPA... I mean, I know theres online programs and all that, but I don't think most of us (on the here anyways) have gone that route. Did you guys take time off of high school? Or start college and then went enlisted? Are we all old, crusty, salty, service members...?

Oh, +1 to everyone for Veterans Day.

I graduated in 2007 from a Big10 school, and I enlisted after graduation. I was going to go the officer route, and even graduated from OCS, but opted to enlist for personal reasons. Never looked back.

In regards to the LSAT, I studied while in Afghanistan. Didnt work out very well, so I studied a bit more on post-deployment leave and retook this June.

Not sure if I qualify as salty, but my short LSN bio is quoted above, and I'll be 27 when I started law school.

Almost me to a tee. I got my first degree from a big ten school, my second from an online while I was active, and my masters from a Big 12 school. As for the LSAT I study in between deployments I don't think I could work 14hrs a day and study for the LSAT. I was 29 when I started Law school turned thirty during 1st semester.

[Kring345]

Almost me to a tee.

I hope that trend continues, and I follow you to Harvard. Unfortunately, the only chance I have is if they mistake my 168 for a 178... yet

But likely Im destined for mid or low T14... the only place in the world where 97th percentile is considered mediocre... again, yet

[JamMasterJ]

thanks vets

[SemperLegal]

http://www.newgibill.org/calculator/

Calc was finally updated for the newest changes to gi bill

[Kring345]

Any current students/lawyers care to talk about the role of vet status beyond the admission process, especially the job hunt? I'd imagine this is where the real benefit will be found. I'll be at t14, so that perspective in particular would be be appreciated. But obviously everyone's responses are welcome.

[03121202698008]

Any current students/lawyers care to talk about the role of vet status beyond the admission process, especially the job hunt? I'd imagine this is where the real benefit will be found. I'll be at t14, so that perspective in particular would be be appreciated. But obviously everyone's responses are welcome.

It helped a lot both for 1L and 2L summer. Be able to translate your experiences into laymen terms (including on your resume) and explain how they'll help you contribute. Many of my interviewers were fascinated and we spent most of every interview talking about it. It can help you break into insular markets...I just explained that I hadn't lived at home for 10 years and my friends were spread all over the US. Firms love teamwork, leadership, and responsibility...stress it in your answers.

[2xHarvard]

Any current students/lawyers care to talk about the role of vet status beyond the admission process, especially the job hunt? I'd imagine this is where the real benefit will be found. I'll be at t14, so that perspective in particular would be be appreciated. But obviously everyone's responses are welcome.

In addition to giving you something to talk about in the interview, demonstrating your responsibility, ability to work long hours (!), and other 'soft' factors, some employers specifically seek veterans. Maybe this is just for government employers since that was my focus, but places I applied literally prompted me to 'check the box' for veteran status. According to the application forms, veteran prefence (5 point or 10 point) means one's status is taken into consideration even for positions that do not require a civil service exam.

[03121202698008]

Any current students/lawyers care to talk about the role of vet status beyond the admission process, especially the job hunt? I'd imagine this is where the real benefit will be found. I'll be at t14, so that perspective in particular would be be appreciated. But obviously everyone's responses are welcome.

In addition to giving you something to talk about in the interview, demonstrating your responsibility, ability to work long hours (!), and other 'soft' factors, some employers specifically seek veterans. Maybe this is just for government employers since that was my focus, but places I applied literally prompted me to 'check the box' for veteran status. According to the application forms, veteran prefence (5 point or 10 point) means one's status is taken into consideration even for positions that do not require a civil service exam.

Just an FYI, as I understand it most lawyer jobs are exempt so while the veteran status helps, they don't hire based upon points like other gs jobs.

[2xHarvard]

Just so: it is not based on points but is a boost nonetheless as indicated.

[03121202698008]

Just so: it is not based on points but is a boost nonetheless as indicated.

Just wanted to point it out so no one is misled into giving too much weight when planning their careers... Someone with equal grades/school and non-veteran could still be hired over you. Many people familiar with federal hiring don't realize that.

[EMZE]

What kind of jobs are out there that require/prefer security clearances? I imagine there are a number of government positions. What about gov contractors like raytheon, boeing, lockheed etc? I have a TS/SCI and I hope it will add some benefit.

[Kring345]

I made this excel document to show tuition prices for veterans who are receiving 100% of his or her post-9/11 GI bill. I did some rounding to make it easier to read. Also, expect tuition to really be $100-$5000 more than listed because of fees and such. The data listed is simply the tuition and nothing else.

It is fully editable. If you see a mistake, please post what the mistake is (so others may confirm/deny/verify) and feel free to edit the document.

Couple of things:
1. Can someone make sure I didnt royally screw this up?! lol

2. Im a bit confused by UVA, Mich, Berk, UCLA, and Texas. They should be 100% covered as public schools, correct? If so, why is there even anything listed under the yellow ribbon program? If not, what am I missing?

3. Who is less lazy than me and feels like editing the column to the right? I was hoping to have all of the BAH rates included.

4. Current students who are veterans, feel free to add approximate ranges for apartments in the area. You'll see the column for that on the right hand side.

5. Feel free to add additional schools.

TO EDIT: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... G1zbjUtV3c
(Some of the formatting is a bit funky for some reason. Still works, though.)

TO DOWNLOAD: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B23j4i ... Y0NzJjNzll
(Download with proper formatting)