Hastings Class of 2012 Forum

[ettalynn]

Is anyone else intimidated by the reviews of Hastings that describe an extremely competitive environment? I am also disappointed by the dire descriptions of the facilities.

Have any of you current or prospective students had experiences or visits to the school that might alleviate these concerns? I'm still waiting to hear from several schools but I really want to like Hastings given the location and my other options right now (Loyola in LA, Lewis and Clark, University of Houston).

On another note: They break down racial minority percentages for you but does anyone know what the percentage of LGBT students looks like?

[vb007]

Is anyone else intimidated by the reviews of Hastings that describe an extremely competitive environment? I am also disappointed by the dire descriptions of the facilities.

Have any of you current or prospective students had experiences or visits to the school that might alleviate these concerns? I'm still waiting to hear from several schools but I really want to like Hastings given the location and my other options right now (Loyola in LA, Lewis and Clark, University of Houston).

On another note: They break down racial minority percentages for you but does anyone know what the percentage of LGBT students looks like?

I'm hoping it won't be as competitive next year because of the new grading system they're implementing. In the new system there will be more A's and less C's and D's.

[norcal mom]

Jumping in from parentland here. My daughter is in her first year at Hastings. Her biggest complaint is the cost of living in San Francisco. The "campus" is three urban buildings. If you want ivy covered buildings in a bucolic setting with a lot of school spirit, you probably won't enjoy Hastings. The location is "iffy" in terms of crime but it is right there within walking distance of City Hall, the Symphony, Opera, CA State Supreme Court, great restaurants, etc., with ample public transit to get you anywhere if you don't have a car (she does not).

It's competitive at Hastings but I haven't heard her complain much about it. Her first semester grades were fine, and she did all her studying during daylight hours at school. As a result, she has had a fun social life with old friends and Hastings students any night of the week and on weekends.

The LGB contingent is there - it is San Francisco, of course, and I'm sure the atmosphere is more than tolerant.

[vb007]

Jumping in from parentland here. My daughter is in her first year at Hastings. Her biggest complaint is the cost of living in San Francisco. The "campus" is three urban buildings. If you want ivy covered buildings in a bucolic setting with a lot of school spirit, you probably won't enjoy Hastings. The location is "iffy" in terms of crime but it is right there within walking distance of City Hall, the Symphony, Opera, CA State Supreme Court, great restaurants, etc., with ample public transit to get you anywhere if you don't have a car (she does not).

It's competitive at Hastings but I haven't heard her complain much about it. Her first semester grades were fine, and she did all her studying during daylight hours at school. As a result, she has had a fun social life with old friends and Hastings students any night of the week and on weekends.

The LGB contingent is there - it is San Francisco, of course, and I'm sure the atmosphere is more than tolerant.

Thanks for joining the thread. Is your daughter living in McAllister tower this year? If so, how does she like it? If not, where does she live and how is that working out? Did she join any student organizations? I see there are a lot of them in both academic and recreational areas.

[norcal mom]

My daughter chose not to live in the Tower because she is married and didn't think her husband would enjoy the small space. Plus they have a beloved pet. So they are renting an apartment in the city, and she takes the bus to school and back. They would be saving a lot of money had they chosen the Tower, and she probably would have done that if she were single. (btw, she found the apartment during the summer on Craigslist. She looked at several places, trying to find something both affordable and safe and pet friendly) However, the public transportation is easy for her, and they didn't want to spend on garage fees so sold one car and have the other in storage. She has many friends in the Tower, so is up there often, and I think she works out in the gym or whatever. I have never been in the building, but I believe there are some facilities available to all Hastings students. She is involved in several activities - both the ones for fun and the ones more directly applied to her future. She has time for those. She doesn't have a part time job and would not recommend it for first year. She prefers to study alone so has not been involved in study groups. The professors have been very accessible and friendly, much more than I expected them to be. The grading is strict but she has not complained of it being unfair or the students being cutthroat. She works and plays hard.

[leron]

a law mom is a useful resource

[LACatholic]

I called the admissions office last week and they told me that they basically laughed at me and told me they do not provide that for admitted students. The admissions person actually told me that no UC Schools do and was surprised when I told him that Cal and UCD both provide travel stipends.

I'm going to be going to the March 21 admitted students event and am driving up from LA on thursday probably (i'm trying to attend a class on Friday morning).

Anyone know if Hastings is providing travel reimbursement for their Admitted Students Day?

[yosguns]

I kind of love and hate Hastings. I have a friend who is 3L there and she let me into her library numerous times when I was studying for the LSAT (lots of encouragement to keep studying...being in a place that represented the ultimate goal). In any case, I liked the way the library looked, but there were some annoying things...like the soundproof study rooms...weren't exactly soundproof.

The Tenderloin (neighborhood of downtown SF where Hastings is) is...colorful. There's some fun people watching there, as you'll see lots of drug induced trips walking by the library entrance. Security seems good (hence needing my friend to let me in the library); I always had to show ID. I work in the Tenderloin now, and I am kind of getting tired of it. I imagine if you had a haven away from the neighborhood, it's fine. I walked home--about 20 minutes up the hill to Nob Hill...or Snob Hill as it's affectionately called--from the library many nights after studying and never had any problems.

The people at Hastings don't seem incredibly competitive...I know a few girls and they're all nice and keen on helping their classmates. I think what happens is a lot of them also applied to Berkeley, so there's kind of an underlying feeling of inadequacy that some have to deal with...since they would have gone to Berkeley if they had gotten in.

On another note, I went to a class in Berkeley last week and was surprised at how much the law building/campus didn't blow me away. (I guess I should have expected it; I've heard a few times here.) There's some construction going on now, but the building itself is kind of strange. Of course, Berkeley the town is nice, and there is an actual campus (whereas Hastings really has none). I guess I've come to realize there are pros and cons to every school.

Looking forward to visiting Duke in a couple weeks. I am hoping to be blown away!!

[LACatholic]

Duke is nice ... Durham, however, is not so nice. There isn't very much diversity there either and there seemed to be a big divide between the campus and the town.

I kind of love and hate Hastings. I have a friend who is 3L there and she let me into her library numerous times when I was studying for the LSAT (lots of encouragement to keep studying...being in a place that represented the ultimate goal). In any case, I liked the way the library looked, but there were some annoying things...like the soundproof study rooms...weren't exactly soundproof.

The Tenderloin (neighborhood of downtown SF where Hastings is) is...colorful. There's some fun people watching there, as you'll see lots of drug induced trips walking by the library entrance. Security seems good (hence needing my friend to let me in the library); I always had to show ID. I work in the Tenderloin now, and I am kind of getting tired of it. I imagine if you had a haven away from the neighborhood, it's fine. I walked home--about 20 minutes up the hill to Nob Hill...or Snob Hill as it's affectionately called--from the library many nights after studying and never had any problems.

The people at Hastings don't seem incredibly competitive...I know a few girls and they're all nice and keen on helping their classmates. I think what happens is a lot of them also applied to Berkeley, so there's kind of an underlying feeling of inadequacy that some have to deal with...since they would have gone to Berkeley if they had gotten in.

On another note, I went to a class in Berkeley last week and was surprised at how much the law building/campus didn't blow me away. (I guess I should have expected it; I've heard a few times here.) There's some construction going on now, but the building itself is kind of strange. Of course, Berkeley the town is nice, and there is an actual campus (whereas Hastings really has none). I guess I've come to realize there are pros and cons to every school.

Looking forward to visiting Duke in a couple weeks. I am hoping to be blown away!!

[ettalynn]

Jumping in from parentland here. My daughter is in her first year at Hastings. Her biggest complaint is the cost of living in San Francisco. The "campus" is three urban buildings. If you want ivy covered buildings in a bucolic setting with a lot of school spirit, you probably won't enjoy Hastings. The location is "iffy" in terms of crime but it is right there within walking distance of City Hall, the Symphony, Opera, CA State Supreme Court, great restaurants, etc., with ample public transit to get you anywhere if you don't have a car (she does not).

It's competitive at Hastings but I haven't heard her complain much about it. Her first semester grades were fine, and she did all her studying during daylight hours at school. As a result, she has had a fun social life with old friends and Hastings students any night of the week and on weekends.

The LGB contingent is there - it is San Francisco, of course, and I'm sure the atmosphere is more than tolerant.

Thanks for your reply! It is helpful. I am 27 and have a partner and a little dog, so I imagine my situation is similar to your daughter's. I intentionally avoided applying to many schools with a huge undergraduate presence because of my age, not to mention that I went to a small liberal arts undergraduate school where the social world centered around New York City, not "campus life." I'm guessing that compared to some of the neighborhoods I've lived in in Brooklyn the Tenderloin can't be that bad...

[General Tso]

The Tenderloin is a little sketchy but Hastings is right on the edge of it. It's literally just a few blocks away from City Hall and Market Street. There will be a lot of foot traffic in these areas especially during the day. You will encounter a lot of bums but they will leave you alone.

Thanks the the posters above for the great info!

[vb007]

I called the admissions office last week and they told me that they basically laughed at me and told me they do not provide that for admitted students. The admissions person actually told me that no UC Schools do and was surprised when I told him that Cal and UCD both provide travel stipends.

I'm going to be going to the March 21 admitted students event and am driving up from LA on thursday probably (i'm trying to attend a class on Friday morning).

Anyone know if Hastings is providing travel reimbursement for their Admitted Students Day?

Are you going to the event they're holding in LA on March 19? I probably will also be going to the March 21 event. Any interest in carpooling?

[thissucks]

I visited hastings a couple weekends ago. Here's the thread (it has pictures included)

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =8&t=61798

The thing is, Hastings is a law school comprised of essentially 3 buildings in the middle of a gigantic city. It's definitely not "campus-like," it's a very urban environment. I was also worried about the Tenderloin being a young female but it didn't seem too bad. I actually walked straight through it (from union square) when I was walking from my hotel to the school. There are a bunch of homeless and sketch people. There's trash. It smells but it's not worse than any other big city I've been to. The security is really heavy at each building. You cannot get in unless you have an ID or a guest pass, which made me feel more comfortable.

I wasn't blown away by the facilities. The library seemed nice. The classrooms seemed old. Overall though, I got a nice feel from the place. The students were friendly to me when I sat in on a class. No one seemed overly competitive. I even saw students sharing outlines.

The one thing I did not like was McAllister tower. For some reason it really depressed me although that could have been the weather. Personally, I didn't really feel like the tower was the best place you could find. It's close to the classrooms/library (literally like a block away) but other than that it seemed like a terrible location.

[kimins]

Jumping in from parentland here. My daughter is in her first year at Hastings. Her biggest complaint is the cost of living in San Francisco. The "campus" is three urban buildings. If you want ivy covered buildings in a bucolic setting with a lot of school spirit, you probably won't enjoy Hastings. The location is "iffy" in terms of crime but it is right there within walking distance of City Hall, the Symphony, Opera, CA State Supreme Court, great restaurants, etc., with ample public transit to get you anywhere if you don't have a car (she does not).

It's competitive at Hastings but I haven't heard her complain much about it. Her first semester grades were fine, and she did all her studying during daylight hours at school. As a result, she has had a fun social life with old friends and Hastings students any night of the week and on weekends.

The LGB contingent is there - it is San Francisco, of course, and I'm sure the atmosphere is more than tolerant.

i hate bart and bus so i was thinking of bringing a car to commute as an option so is there a parking lot i can pay for and get a permit--i went to hastings once and saw no such thing.....

[leron]

i think i saw somewhere on hastings website that parking is 7.5/day. i'm bringing my car, but i think i'll live somewhere on the outskirts of the city where i can park for cheap/free and take pub trans. just need the car for snowboarding in the winter

[kimins]

i think i saw somewhere on hastings website that parking is 7.5/day. i'm bringing my car, but i think i'll live somewhere on the outskirts of the city where i can park for cheap/free and take pub trans. just need the car for snowboarding in the winter

i was hoping to pay for like a semester permit---that permit a day is not too reliable...what if there is no parking

[vb007]

i think i saw somewhere on hastings website that parking is 7.5/day. i'm bringing my car, but i think i'll live somewhere on the outskirts of the city where i can park for cheap/free and take pub trans. just need the car for snowboarding in the winter

i was hoping to pay for like a semester permit---that permit a day is not too reliable...what if there is no parking

hastings is opening a new parking garage for the fall semester. they said more info regarding pricing will be available in the summer. there are monthly permits available at special student rates in some nearby parking garages too. who knows how easy it is to find parking spots at any of these lots though.

[thissucks]

The one thing that's holding me back from committing 100% is the GIGANTIC price tag attached to Hastings. I'm being forced to seriously consider an in-state school I told myself I'd never go to. I can't even imagine the amount I'd have to take out in loans for Hastings. Anyone else feeling nervous about that?

[General Tso]

The one thing that's holding me back from committing 100% is the GIGANTIC price tag attached to Hastings. I'm being forced to seriously consider an in-state school I told myself I'd never go to. I can't even imagine the amount I'd have to take out in loans for Hastings. Anyone else feeling nervous about that?

Yes.

Who knows how much higher the tuition will go? It has increased by over 10% each of the last 2 years. Tuition was around 17k in-state during the 2003-2004 year.

Even with my personal contributions I figure I am still on the hook for 80k+ in loans.

[vb007]

The one thing that's holding me back from committing 100% is the GIGANTIC price tag attached to Hastings. I'm being forced to seriously consider an in-state school I told myself I'd never go to. I can't even imagine the amount I'd have to take out in loans for Hastings. Anyone else feeling nervous about that?

Yeah, even in-state tuition is over $32k and will probably go up due to the state's budget crisis. I hope I get some aid otherwise life's gonna suck the first five years out of school.

[kimins]

...commuting would suck with parking issues but i dont think i could take bart/bus after riding it in berkeley---cant handle the crazies anymore, 4 years was more than enough....gosh, why is hastings so expensive, so what if its in san fran....not like it's luxurious or anything...pretty plain with plain facilities i wish we could take hastings and plop it in the cheapest city....

[LACatholic]

I don't think I'm going to the LA Alumni event since I live in DC and I'm already going to the DC Alumni event (actually I think DC is the only place outside of cali that is having such an event for hastings admits).

I'm def going to the 03/21 and probably the day before to sit in on the Food and Drug Law class or the immigration class on friday morning in case anyone wants to drive up on thursday.

I called the admissions office last week and they told me that they basically laughed at me and told me they do not provide that for admitted students. The admissions person actually told me that no UC Schools do and was surprised when I told him that Cal and UCD both provide travel stipends.

I'm going to be going to the March 21 admitted students event and am driving up from LA on thursday probably (i'm trying to attend a class on Friday morning).

Anyone know if Hastings is providing travel reimbursement for their Admitted Students Day?

Are you going to the event they're holding in LA on March 19? I probably will also be going to the March 21 event. Any interest in carpooling?

[anastasia]

I am at a loss about where to live around there with the price tags? Any ideas?

[jawsome]

I am at a loss about where to live around there with the price tags? Any ideas?

No matter what, you're going to be paying quite a bit to live in SF/Bay Area. There are a few areas that are a little cheaper than downtown, but that requires a little bit of a commute and it's really not that much cheaper unless you end up sharing something.

The Mission is a really cool area though. I plan on living there for my 2L.

[smiley26]

Anyone living in the Tower that can say a few words about what its like? Small?