Washington & Lee Class of 2012 Forum

[Noonvale]

Can you guys speak of your experience at the ASW and the area. I haven't been able to visit, so I'm looking for some insight. Thanks!

I went from dreading the idea of Lexington in the middle of nowhere to absolutely falling in love with the area after this last weekend's ASW. Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful. Talking to current students and hearing their first hand experiences said a lot, for me. Seeing laptops, purses, books, etc literally left unattended in the library completely boggled my mind. (My UG is in a fairly big city where campus thefts feel like an everyday thing.) It's one thing for all the brochures to talk about the honor code, but to see it in play really told me a lot.

No, it's not DC in terms of night life, but everyone I talked to said that social events are not an issue. They make up their own fun, and they all seem very close.

If you couldn't make it to the ASW, visit, visit, visit as soon as possible if you can. The area isn't for everyone, but you just might fall in love with it too.

[gregw8705]

What was the crowd like at the Open House? Lots of jeans and polos? Khakis and sweaters?

Did many people bring parents? Did it seem like most were fresh out of undergrad? And did most people seem like W&L was at the top of their list? Anything else noteworthy about the event?

[underwhere759]

Most people seemed to be wearing jeans and a sweater or something similar, some were in t-shirts, not sure if it was a style preference or because of the service opportunities offered afterwards.

There were some parents there. Not a significant number, but more than a few.
I also saw a few people like me who were there with their significant other. Im getting married in july so I brought him with me.

I would say the majority of the people seemed like they were straight out of Undergrad, but I think thats typical of most law schools. There were a few people who hadchildren and familes.

I heard a lot of people discussing where else they were going to visit. So It seemed like for many they were still deciding. Because I was with my fiance I didnt really spend a whole lot of time talking to people, but for the most part everyone seemed friendly.

[House Trained]

The people in the town have been really friendly so far. I am moving with my fiance, and we will be married by the time we move so we are looking for a little house. Everyone has been super helpful over the phone and always called back right away. As well as honest, telling me that one of the places I called about was an "animal house" and I wouldnt be interested in it. That they usually rented it to undergrads.
They seem like they really want to rent to law students since we have a rep of being quieter and cleaner.

How did you find places to look at? Did you just drive around? Contact a real estate agent?

I'm going to have a narrow 2 day window to look at places and pick one when I visit Lexington at the end of April, I'm currently living out of the country.

What was the general price range for some of the nicer apartments and houses for rent?

[underwhere759]

I found some places by just driving around town and writing down the phone numbers people had on the for rent signs.
Also you can check the lexington newspaper classifieds. W&L has a link to it on their website. Under the section about moving with families. There are some good places on there.

I would say depending on the size house/apt. you are looking for the prices will range between 600-1250.

We are looking in the two bedroom range and I would say that 850$ tends to be about the average.

[veryconfused]

I found some places by just driving around town and writing down the phone numbers people had on the for rent signs.
Also you can check the lexington newspaper classifieds. W&L has a link to it on their website. Under the section about moving with families. There are some good places on there.

I would say depending on the size house/apt. you are looking for the prices will range between 600-1250.

We are looking in the two bedroom range and I would say that 850$ tends to be about the average.

If you are looking to live by yourself in a two bedroom, the price is 600 to 900. I don't know anyone paying more than 1K here a month.

If you don't mind having roommates, the price is usually b/w 300 and 330 (including heat)

[Noonvale]

Mailed in my seat deposit!

[DUNWA]

Noonvale, what were the deciding factors of W & M and GW?

[underwhere759]

Mailed in my seat deposit too! I sent it two day express fedex. so it should be there friday!

I dont really feel any different than I did before I sent it. I thought maybe I would feel some closure or something.

[Noonvale]

Noonvale, what were the deciding factors of W & M and GW?

So I had a nice response written.. and then my computer locked up. Yay.

1) GW gave me a great scholarship + stipend, but costs would still be crazy for me. Also, the school is ginormous, and I'm looking for something a lot smaller. (Like W&L.)

2) W&M was going to cost me 2x as W&L, and that money included working for like, 10 hours a week for the grad fellowship while W&L's money was just flat out scholarship.

Beyond that, I really just got a fantastic vibe from W&L and the Lexington community. I'm really excited about their 3L program with more practical experience vs. lecturing. That with the incredible collegial attitude there sealed the deal for me.

[Noonvale]

Mailed in my seat deposit too! I sent it two day express fedex. so it should be there friday!

I dont really feel any different than I did before I sent it. I thought maybe I would feel some closure or something.

Yay! I started freaking out about if I put the right address on the envelope, but I'm pretty sure I did...

I think the excitement will kick in when they send the confirmation e-mail!

[DUNWA]

I sent my seat deposit with a $0.42 cent stamp, actually a slightly marked up breast cancer stamp, nonetheless, I received a confirmation email in 4 days. Pretty quick processing.

I agree about the closure. For about 45 seconds I thought, "Wow, it's final." No big event like I suspected it might be.

[underwhere759]

someone gave me champagne around christmas time and i have been waiting to "pop" it at just the right time. I figured when I got in GW that would be it ( but I got rejected) and then there was never a big wow moment when it would feel right. So its still in the fridge waiting.


I told someone the other day that I don't think it will all feel real till I am living in Lexington wearing a W&L sweatshirt. But by then I will be too busy studying to realize whats going on.

[hokiehi]

I put down my deposit a few weeks ago. I'm from VA (about 2 hours north of Lexington), did my undergrad in VA, but I'm currently living in Alabama. I'm pretty excited to get back to the area, I definitely have missed it.

Moving up in July with my wife, and hopefully we can find her a job up there for 3 years.

Where are the rest of you from?

[underwhere759]

Ive been living in DC for the last year or so, before that was at college up in DE.

Im getting married july 25th, returning from our honeymoon Aug 2nd and moving to Lexington Aug 3.

We are going back this weekend to hopefully get a rental house all set, and look for jobs for the husband-to- be.

He's lived here(DC metro area) his whole life and isnt so psyched about moving. So I am hoping we can find him a good job and some fun/interesting things to do.

[hokiehi]

It really is a great area to live in, we got married down the road in Blacksburg (and obviously went to school down there). Hopefully there will be enough turnover from 3L spouses to create room for ours to get jobs.

I grew up about halfway between DC and Lexington, so I guess I've experience the best of both worlds with having gone to school in Blacksburg and most of my family being in Fairfax and DC. He should be psyched about the cost of living at least, haha. Even with being in Alabama at the moment, we will save 150-200/month on renting a 2-3BR house and we're in a 2BR apartment right now.

What made you decide on W&L? Getting back to family was big for me, as well as my scholarship and the opportunity to practice in DC. Having grown up nearby the school always had a rep as a fratty elite school (everyone from my hs class that went, their parents were doctors), but the Law school seems to be completely different.

Good luck with housing this weekend. I'm sure we've been looking at similar houses, haha. We won't be up again until May 7th, its a 600 mile drive for us.

[underwhere759]

W&L was definitely the best school I got into. I wasnt even planning on applying there but I got some info about it being free so I did.
Then after I did some research on the school it started looking like the perfect place for me.
My plan was to stay in DC but I could see myself being easily distracted by the things to do and people to see.

Plus right now we live in a 2bed room apt and pay almost 2grand a month. To stay at the schools I got into here I would end up spending almost 20 grand more a year just for housing and living expenses.

Lexington seems like a really great place to go to law school. though the undergrad does seem to have that privileged air about it, from what I saw at the open house the people at the law school didnt seem that way at all.

Im hoping that my fiance will be able to find a good job though his field is a little different ( animal science) and some good friends and be happy there.
and after all its only a few hours from home.

[hokiehi]

Believe it or not, I think he's actually in a good place for animal science. VT has a huge animal science/dairy science program and a Vet school (both of which I'm pretty sure are the premier programs in VA) just down the road which seems to create a market in the area. The horse center is in Lexington if he's in equine science. I have a few friends who are employed up and down western Virginia in that field, so it seems look a good fit. However, I have no idea how the downturn in the economy has affected that field or even specifically in that area.


Edited because I dont want it to seem like I'm propping VT, it just happens to be in the area.

[a.nony.mous]

Hello All,

I just wanted to say congrats on making the right choice. I am an alum and miss the school and the town terribly.

If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them if I am able.

[underwhere759]

Believe it or not, I think he's actually in a good place for animal science. VT has a huge animal science/dairy science program and a Vet school (both of which I'm pretty sure are the premier programs in VA) just down the road which seems to create a market in the area. The horse center is in Lexington if he's in equine science. I have a few friends who are employed up and down western Virginia in that field, so it seems look a good fit. However, I have no idea how the downturn in the economy has affected that field or even specifically in that area.


Edited because I dont want it to seem like I'm propping VT, it just happens to be in the area.

I will have to fill him in on the specifics. He had talked about trying grad school or even getting a job somehow with Vtech but his grades werent so stellar in college. so i dont know if he would be a great candidate. we are younger than we seem even though we are getting married. and he has only been working in the field for about 8 months.

Hes definitely into cows and we saw plenty of those around there. He is great with animals just not so into the classroom. in the 8 months at his current job hes already been promoted twice. he works in a research lab with animals, but wants to be more positively working with them.

but maybe something in the area would work out for him. or he might see if he can get into vtech. any other suggestions are greatly appreciated. hopefully he can find something that gets him great experience so that when we move back to dc in a few years he will be more employable in the areas he is interested in.

[DUNWA]

My wife and I grew up in Giles County, VA, over the mountain from Blacksburg. I went to UVA undergrad. We can't wait to be back. We spent 6 years in Tallahassee for her to get her Ph.D (Psychology) and we are in Phoenix this year. She's going to be working in Salem at the VA hospital, so we'll live somewhere in between?

Good to see fellow married folk.

[hokiehi]

Yeah it definitely is, I can't imagine there being too many of us.

We aren't too old either. I've been out of school for two years, but I'm only 22. We spent a year in Blacksburg before we moved down here to Tuscaloosa, and now pretty much back up to where we started.

Salem, huh? So Im guessing you are looking in the Troutville/Buchanan area for housing? My wife grew up in Troutville before moving up to Winchester, where I'm from.

Were you guys at this past ASW? I was there, but didnt make the dinner as I got sick that afternoon and slept at the hotel all night.

[uknowme]

is anyone single attending next year? ive only noticed married type folks so far. i hope there's not crying babies and little kids running around the law school.

[underwhere759]

my fiance and I were at the first ASW. We didnt go to the dinner either. instead we drove around looking for houses.

Yeah for the most part it seems like there are way more unmarried people than married. No kids here so no worries about crying babies. Im 23 and getting married in july, been out of school since Jan 08.

[hokiehi]

My wife spent the day looking for houses with a friend of ours that met us there. I was planning on looking for myself between the class and dinner, but got sick. She had actually found a nice cottage on the river, but apparently someone's parents rolled up and paid for it before we had the chance to pull the trigger, oh well.

We're trying to keep it under $900/month, and we pretty much decided we want a house and not an apartment. I'm hoping once graduation occurs, there will be a lot more open than there is currently.