Vanderbilt 2012 Forum

[ddorner04]

wow, that soundboard KILLED our voices.

edit: that's just like me, blaming it on the soundboard. =)

-piano guy

[observationalist]

wow, that soundboard KILLED our voices.

edit: that's just like me, blaming it on the soundboard. =)

-piano guy

Yeah even the second-place winner sounded pretty rough on that thing. Otherwise though, you sound like you're just about ready to take the stage at Big Bang... never give up on your dreams!

[rezipsa]

dorner, back up in this!! where is jojo, boldaslove (howdy future neighbor!) and vhalcyon?

[vhalcyon]

if dorner is posting, i guess i have to.

[rezipsa]

Nice.

While we're in law school, will we ever have a year where we can attend: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/ros/ ?

2L or 3L year, perhaps?

[observationalist]

Nice.

While we're in law school, will we ever have a year where we can attend: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/ros/ ?

2L or 3L year, perhaps?

People are there. Right now. 2Ls. 3Ls. Probably some 1Ls. Anyone who isn't taking a final on Monday for the most part. My roommate's got a full week before his first exam... if he was into it he definitely could've made it out tonight or tomorrow.

[ddorner04]

I think the current Vandy kids have pillaged this thread. C'mon Vandy 0Ls - show yourselves.

And yes - RoS is happening next year, Monday final or not.

[jayhawkai]

OK, current 0L here. Any recommendations on housing? Looking for something within a mile of the law school, preferably with covered parking. Any apartment units particularly popular with the law students?

[observationalist]

OK, current 0L here. Any recommendations on housing? Looking for something within a mile of the law school, preferably with covered parking. Any apartment units particularly popular with the law students?

I dunno what the OD says for options, but 20 & Grand ($$) is the most popular these days for people living right by the law school, followed by Americana ($$), Adelicia ($$$), University Square, Bristol on Broadway, and of course Barbizon. All of them are within 4 blocks of the law school... Barbizon's the closest but it doesn't have covered parking and I generally wouldn't recommend living there if you have other options. A little more than a mile from school you've got the Gardens at Hillsboro, where a good number of people live (much nicer than Barbizon, though again no covered parking). Also, the area around campus is mostly residential... you can likely find places within a mile or two that will charge less than the apartment buildings and give you your own garage, porch, and a yard. We've really liked our house this year (will be living in it again next year) and pay less than our friends at 20 & Grand, and we're about 2 miles away from school. Technically we have a garage but it's just being used for storage, washer/dryer, extra fridge, and to house my one-speed taxi-cab yellow Pegeuot bicycle so it doesn't rust.

And the #1 most popular complex for law students overall (and particularly the 1Ls) would be the two connected Groves (Hillsboro and Whitworth). They're between 2 and 3 miles from campus and also don't have covered parking, but if you're looking for where most of your classmates will be that's probably a good target. As an added bonus, a lot of undergrads live there and they've got swimming pools scattered around. You might want to try the Facebook group if you're looking for potential roommates, as people will probably start joining that now that the deposit deadline has passed. G'luck with the search!

[rezipsa]

Apartments preceded by definite articles = T14

Anything less = TTT

http://www.theadelicia.com/ FTW.

[vhalcyon]

you paying for me to live there rez?

seriously though... craigslist is your best friend. we got our place off of craigslist and while dont have covered parking, its 7 minutes to school and pretty damn cheap.

edit: i realize that probably isnt much help, but your best bet really is to find a place on there and either check it out or have someone else check it out. a bunch of bristol singles will be coming up for rent i'd bet. it really depends on your price range

[Jojo]

I am gonna have to concur with my fellow Vandy students (p.s. we missed brjames in that list above) and say that craiglist is probably your best option. This is especially true as the Americana and 20 and grand are already into waitlisting. The village at vanderbilt is also an option, expensive for a 1bed, but reasonable with a roomie and still walking distance. At least some covered parking.

[jayhawkai]

Thanks all

[vapula]

Now I've been stalking this website so long I finally registered. I am definitely going to Vandy this fall, wish to see you all there.

[observationalist]

Now I've been stalking this website so long I finally registered. I am definitely going to Vandy this fall, wish to see you all there.

Congrats on the decision. I'm sure there are more lurkers out there, but check out the facebook group if youre looking for housing etc.

[vapula]

Now I've been stalking this website so long I finally registered. I am definitely going to Vandy this fall, wish to see you all there.

Congrats on the decision. I'm sure there are more lurkers out there, but check out the facebook group if youre looking for housing etc.

Thanks! Seems everyone's busy about finals right now. I am looking at Americana cause I want to live really close to school as 1L...20&grand is kinda expensive.

[observationalist]

Now I've been stalking this website so long I finally registered. I am definitely going to Vandy this fall, wish to see you all there.

Congrats on the decision. I'm sure there are more lurkers out there, but check out the facebook group if youre looking for housing etc.

Thanks! Seems everyone's busy about finals right now. I am looking at Americana cause I want to live really close to school as 1L...20&grand is kinda expensive.

The Americana has a great roof deck and it's definitely close to school, though understand you're sacrificing quality as the price goes down. All the buildings within the immediate vicinity of the law school are gonna be priced higher than if you find houses on craigslist, some of which are still walking distance to the law school. I live 2 miles down the road on the No. 7 line (within the 440 loop), and I pay $650/mo for a 3br/2bath w/ a huge back deck, garage, and fenced in back yard with extra parking for friends. I would say the quality of our place is much better than just about anything right by school except the Adelicia, and we pay less because we're in a residential area.

But yeah, mostly everyone who posts on here are 1Ls except for myself and canuck, which means finals loom a little larger for them. I shouldn't be on here either but I'm putting in extra time since I'm going MIA in a few weeks. G'luck in the housing search, and post questions to the facebook group about housing... that's how I found my roommate/apartment situation for 1L year, as did many others.

[vapula]

Now I've been stalking this website so long I finally registered. I am definitely going to Vandy this fall, wish to see you all there.

Congrats on the decision. I'm sure there are more lurkers out there, but check out the facebook group if youre looking for housing etc.

Thanks! Seems everyone's busy about finals right now. I am looking at Americana cause I want to live really close to school as 1L...20&grand is kinda expensive.

The Americana has a great roof deck and it's definitely close to school, though understand you're sacrificing quality as the price goes down. All the buildings within the immediate vicinity of the law school are gonna be priced higher than if you find houses on craigslist, some of which are still walking distance to the law school. I live 2 miles down the road on the No. 7 line (within the 440 loop), and I pay $650/mo for a 3br/2bath w/ a huge back deck, garage, and fenced in back yard with extra parking for friends. I would say the quality of our place is much better than just about anything right by school except the Adelicia, and we pay less because we're in a residential area.

But yeah, mostly everyone who posts on here are 1Ls except for myself and canuck, which means finals loom a little larger for them. I shouldn't be on here either but I'm putting in extra time since I'm going MIA in a few weeks. G'luck in the housing search, and post questions to the facebook group about housing... that's how I found my roommate/apartment situation for 1L year, as did many others.

Yea I heard that about Americana though I am wondering what kind of quality I will be sacrificing...I am definitely moving further away from law school after 1L, but I like to stay in library a long time when I am in school so I think 5 minute walking distance to law school is really important for me in my 1L year.

[DSTned4Law]

Welp, it's official. Vandy 2012 for me.

[Calgirl0]

I have officially decided I'm in at Vandy too! But, I am all about the Grove - Richland! Pretty excited!

FYI - The Talent Show at the ASW was beyond hilarious! I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

[Jojo]

Welcome Calgirl0. I hope your name means you are from Cali, we need for west coasters out here. Maybe you just went to the Berk for school though, or just aspired to go there for law school? Whichever way, we'll be glad to have you. p.s. the grove is nice, I am here this year.

[kurama20]

Observationalist totally random but how hard is grading at Vandy? How difficult is it to get an A+ or an A? What is the key to succeeding your first year at Vandy? Is grading really "random" like some law students say it is? Or will studying a certain amount and or a certain manner give you a good idea of what type of grade you will receive when the semester ends? Thanks!

[Jojo]

Observationalist totally random but how hard is grading at Vandy? How difficult is it to get an A+ or an A? What is the key to succeeding your first year at Vandy? Is grading really "random" like some law students say it is? Or will studying a certain amount and or a certain manner give you a good idea of what type of grade you will receive when the semester ends? Thanks!

Not observationalist, but I will answer anyway...It isn't random. If you work your ass off you can get that good grade. We have people who are consistently at the top of the class because they really try. However.. the majority of us don't care than much and so the quality of the test and your writing ability make a lot of difference for us. And I could see how those in the middle of the class think that the difference between a B+ and a B- is random, but that is because we are all really smart and there is an incredibly tight curve in the middle.
I got grades ranging from B- to A last semester, but I understand why. I tried in the classes I liked and didn't in the classes I didn't like. This semester I will probably get worse grades because I had a crappy semester in my personal life and so I can't get myself to study for finals. I probably study 4 hours a day for finals, so that is maybe 12-15 hours per test. I'll let you know how it works out, but the point is.. the grades are not random. You get what you work for and if you can write well you will get great grades.
That being said - There is only 1 A+ and maybe 5-10 As in any class of around 90 (i think this is is the distribution at most schools). So they are hard to get. The key to success is staying up on your reading and starting your outlines early enough to have time to study when finals come around. Knowing everything black letter down to the detail and being to spit it out quickly on the test so that you have time for theoretical and alternative arguments is a good way to go.

I am sure others will weigh in.

[observationalist]

First rule of summoning me: Don't do so just to ask a question about exams while we are actually in the tortuous process of taking exams. That's just mean!

I'll second JoJo and say the same thing... the B/B+ crowd in a given class probably overlap, and in certain courses there may just be a small difference between an A exam and a B, but the students who consistently pull off As are probably better at being a law student than the ones who consistently end up falling short. As with JoJo, my favorite class 1L year was also my best class gradewise... that's also been true for this year (so far). However, my second-favorite class as a 1L was my lowest grade. It doesn't mean I won't be incorporating what I learned in that class in my legal career, but it does mean I didn't convey what I learned on that exam as well as 40 of the other 45 students in that class. And therein lies the reason so many people with superior undergraduate grades and test scores have such a difficult time coming to terms with how the curve works.

Best bet IMHO is just to focus on knowing what the professor wants you to know and be quick enough applying it on a timed exam that you don't run out of things to say. If you do that, you can walk away at least knowing you did what you could.

Aren't there at least a hundred threads on this topic? And aren't you a 1L somewhere else?

JoJo, g'luck on that last exam... almost done.

[kurama20]

Not observationalist, but I will answer anyway...It isn't random. If you work your ass off you can get that good grade. We have people who are consistently at the top of the class because they really try. However.. the majority of us don't care than much and so the quality of the test and your writing ability make a lot of difference for us. And I could see how those in the middle of the class think that the difference between a B+ and a B- is random, but that is because we are all really smart and there is an incredibly tight curve in the middle.
I got grades ranging from B- to A last semester, but I understand why. I tried in the classes I liked and didn't in the classes I didn't like. This semester I will probably get worse grades because I had a crappy semester in my personal life and so I can't get myself to study for finals. I probably study 4 hours a day for finals, so that is maybe 12-15 hours per test. I'll let you know how it works out, but the point is.. the grades are not random. You get what you work for and if you can write well you will get great grades.
That being said - There is only 1 A+ and maybe 5-10 As in any class of around 90 (i think this is is the distribution at most schools). So they are hard to get. The key to success is staying up on your reading and starting your outlines early enough to have time to study when finals come around. Knowing everything black letter down to the detail and being to spit it out quickly on the test so that you have time for theoretical and alternative arguments is a good way to go.

I am sure others will weigh in.

Thanks I definitely appreciate that info. I'm hearing too many students saying that the grades are random, and that you have not idea what grade you will be getting. It's nice to hear that that isn't really the case.

First rule of summoning me: Don't do so just to ask a question about exams while we are actually in the tortuous process of taking exams. That's just mean!

I'll second JoJo and say the same thing... the B/B+ crowd in a given class probably overlap, and in certain courses there may just be a small difference between an A exam and a B, but the students who consistently pull off As are probably better at being a law student than the ones who consistently end up falling short. As with JoJo, my favorite class 1L year was also my best class gradewise... that's also been true for this year (so far). However, my second-favorite class as a 1L was my lowest grade. It doesn't mean I won't be incorporating what I learned in that class in my legal career, but it does mean I didn't convey what I learned on that exam as well as 40 of the other 45 students in that class. And therein lies the reason so many people with superior undergraduate grades and test scores have such a difficult time coming to terms with how the curve works.

Best bet IMHO is just to focus on knowing what the professor wants you to know and be quick enough applying it on a timed exam that you don't run out of things to say. If you do that, you can walk away at least knowing you did what you could.

Aren't there at least a hundred threads on this topic? And aren't you a 1L somewhere else?

JoJo, g'luck on that last exam... almost done.

Thanks for the reply! In response to the bolded, yes there are a lot of threads on the topic, but most of them do not offer much useful info. You'd be surprised how many threads simply say "law school is hard, studying won't really affect your grade much, and professors grade randomly" That's not really helpful. Oh and I'm definitely not a 1L, at least not until fall 2010. Unfortunately I'm graduating from undergrad a little late as a result of a major change. Thanks again!