Yale Class of 2013 Forum

[Pausanias]

Could I get some perspectives on living on Dwight st. in between Whalley and Elm? I found a nice looking apt. there, but I noticed that there was a halfway house across the street, and some other sketchy-looking things. I will be bringing my wife, daughter, and dog. Would anyone have reservations about bringing their baby to live there?

Thanks!

[westbayguy]

I'd have reservations bringing my dog to live there.

[Pausanias]

I'd have reservations bringing my dog to live there.

Really! Any particular reason? This unit has a private fenced back yard.

[naruhodo]

I'd have reservations bringing my dog to live there.

Really! Any particular reason? This unit has a private fenced back yard.

I went to Y for undergrad, and I wouldn't live there, especially if I were bringing my family. That area near Whalley isn't the safest part of town -- there were actually shootings near the Shaw's on Whalley not too long ago. East Rock is by far a safer bet if you want a family- and dog-friendly part of NH.

[catwoman]

I'd have reservations bringing my dog to live there.

Really! Any particular reason? This unit has a private fenced back yard.

I went to Y for undergrad, and I wouldn't live there, especially if I were bringing my family. That area near Whalley isn't the safest part of town -- there were actually shootings near the Shaw's on Whalley not too long ago. East Rock is by far a safer bet if you want a family- and dog-friendly part of NH.

...

[kalessebo]

To get back to a couple of earlier questions (and away from shootings on Whalley), I agree with everything that's been said about immigration. I'd just add that if you're interested, check out Professor Pete Schuck (http://www.law.yale.edu/faculty/schuckcv.htm).
He speaks regularly at the Immigration Workshop (a bi-weekly-ish meeting to discuss current issues in immigration law and policy) and teaching several classes on the subject when he's on campus (he's in India right now, but of course Guttentag has filled the gap ably).

As for private loans (going back a few posts), the prime rate spiked to 20% for a couple of years in the early 1980s, but other than that it hasn't ever been higher than 12%. Assuming it doesn't get to 10+% in the next five years, it's going to average out to about the same as GradPLUS. Unless Glen Beck is right and we're on the road to Weimar-like hyperinflation, in which case you'll be able to pay off your loans with a day's pay.

[Herb Watchfell]

Hi all,

Just got off the phone with CragJ. Thought I'd stop by and greet you all. It's unreal . . . holy cow!

[lawyering]

Hi all,

Just got off the phone with CragJ. Thought I'd stop by and greet you all. It's unreal . . . holy cow!

Unreal is right.

[tomhobbes]

I just got my financial aid award and I'm not sure how to feel about it. They gave me 5k in grants and 38k in loans. I had no idea what I was going to get; part of me expected no grant at all, and part was hoping for a bit more. I have a couple questions:

1. When I add everything up, including what I'm expected to pay from various sources, what my parents are expected to pay, the grant, and the loans, it only adds up to 66k, but the yearly budget is 71k. Is that normal?

2. Should I expect roughly the same amount next year, or does it tend to go up or down? I'd imagine my asset contribution would go down, but would my expected summer earning contribution go way up (from 2.5k)? How do they determine expected summer earnings for a 1L, who could either end up doing PI or Biglaw?

3. I have a brother who was just accepted to Yale Medical School and is going there next year. I think I put down on the Need Access form that I'd have a sibling in grad school, but there was no way to specify that he was going to medical school in particular, and that it was also at Yale. Would this make a difference if I informed YLS about it, maybe make them lower my expected parental contribution?

Thanks in advance!

[dueprocess14]

Throwing in my 2 cents...peeps who are currently at YLS probably can contribute more - this is based on my experience going through this last year...

I just got my financial aid award and I'm not sure how to feel about it. They gave me 5k in grants and 38k in loans. I had no idea what I was going to get; part of me expected no grant at all, and part was hoping for a bit more. I have a couple questions:

1. When I add everything up, including what I'm expected to pay from various sources, what my parents are expected to pay, the grant, and the loans, it only adds up to 66k, but the yearly budget is 71k. Is that normal?

Not 100% sure, but I know they expect about $2500 in income from your summer before law school, so that's probably part of it? Maybe the other things are healthcare and related expenses that are part of the budget but not covered for loans? Probably worth asking - if you find out, can you report back?

2. Should I expect roughly the same amount next year, or does it tend to go up or down? I'd imagine my asset contribution would go down, but would my expected summer earning contribution go way up (from 2.5k)? How do they determine expected summer earnings for a 1L, who could either end up doing PI or Biglaw?

My understanding was that they allow you to make up to ~$7000 per summer without having it diminish your need-based award. If you do public service after 1L, you won't hit that. If you DO do a firm job, they will take the rest by diminishing your award accordingly (this is the downside to need-based aid over merit-based aid).

I would love for a 1L who's gotten their 2L financial aid or for a 2 or 3L to report in on whether the aid stays the same from year to year...that was one of my paranoid fears when I was committing to YLS...

3. I have a brother who was just accepted to Yale Medical School and is going there next year. I think I put down on the Need Access form that I'd have a sibling in grad school, but there was no way to specify that he was going to medical school in particular, and that it was also at Yale. Would this make a difference if I informed YLS about it, maybe make them lower my expected parental contribution?

I would *definitely* write and tell them. If your brother's willing to give you his financial aid statement (especially with the outline of the expected parental contribution), I'm sure they would reconsider, especially since it's YLS. When I met with Patricia Barnes last year, she said their goal was to make sure it wasn't unaffordable for anyone to attend Yale. If you can prove your parents can't reasonably contribute what they have assessed they can, they will probably adjust it. Good luck!

[Herb Watchfell]

My understanding was that they allow you to make up to ~$7000 per summer without having it diminish your need-based award. If you do public service after 1L, you won't hit that. If you DO do a firm job, they will take the rest by diminishing your award accordingly (this is the downside to need-based aid over merit-based aid).

I'm pretty sure it's no more than $6000

[Pausanias]

I am not overly impressed with YLS apparel. What I would like is a tee with a big image of the shield on the front, no other explanation. Have any current students gone through the process of getting something like that approved, and how big a deal would that be?

[Ranita]

My understanding was that they allow you to make up to ~$7000 per summer without having it diminish your need-based award. If you do public service after 1L, you won't hit that. If you DO do a firm job, they will take the rest by diminishing your award accordingly (this is the downside to need-based aid over merit-based aid).

I'm pretty sure it's no more than $6000

The 0L summer contribution is fixed at $2500 no matter what. In the additional comments section on Need Access I stated the exact breakdown of how much my wife and I are not making this summer while she is in grad school and I am paying for her tuition and COL from my meager income and not existant savings, and my summer contribution is still $2500. It's annoying, but given the overall glory of the YLS package (full grants above base loan, SPIF, COAP), I'll quit my quibbling.
As for future years, summer earnings above $6000 will reduce your package. On the other hand, if you do PI/govt and make less than $6000 (the most common amount being $0, since 1L summer jobs are usually of the non-remunerated kind), you are eligible for a SPIF grant that will top you up at about $6000.

[Ranita]

I am not overly impressed with YLS apparel. What I would like is a tee with a big image of the shield on the front, no other explanation. Have any current students gone through the process of getting something like that approved, and how big a deal would that be?

The 203 shirt you get at ASP has a nice air of mystery about it. the sleave has the crest with "Yale Law School" written, but it's small enough that you can use one of them black ink markers to block out the letters and just leave the shield. then there's double mystique.

There's also a YLS teeshirt is the shop on Broadway that is written in a nice typeface with grey letters. i feel kinda pompous sporting it around so as a general rule I only wear it in countries where English isn't spoken.

[kalessebo]

Yeah, the apparel choices aren't particularly inspiring, but there's definitely more than what the bookstore shows on its website. I have a t-shirt with a large crest and "yale" at the bottom, and I know there are others. Plus most small groups order t-shirts and each class makes its own sweatshirts. And if you're really bummed about the choices, you can always design your own: http://campuscustoms.deco-apparel.com/.

[picaresco]

Posting here because I'm pretty much certain I'm attending, unless the ASWs at HLS and YLS completely reverse my conclusions. Also, my financial aid award appears to be "Go f**k yourself, get some loans."

[tomhobbes]

Thanks for answering my questions, zabagabe.

Posting here because I'm pretty much certain I'm attending, unless the ASWs at HLS and YLS completely reverse my conclusions. Also, my financial aid award appears to be "Go f**k yourself, get some loans."

Are they giving you no grant aid, or just a very small grant? To be fair, I've gotten over my initial disappointment a little because COAP seems awesome. Basically, Yale gives bad up-front scholarships and amazing retroactive scholarships.

[picaresco]

Thanks for answering my questions, zabagabe.

Posting here because I'm pretty much certain I'm attending, unless the ASWs at HLS and YLS completely reverse my conclusions. Also, my financial aid award appears to be "Go f**k yourself, get some loans."

Are they giving you no grant aid, or just a very small grant? To be fair, I've gotten over my initial disappointment a little because COAP seems awesome. Basically, Yale gives bad up-front scholarships and amazing retroactive scholarships.

As far as I can tell, no grant. Not that big of a deal, COAP makes loans more than feasible and I don't think I could ever turn YLS down based on loan-fear, but a little off-putting considering. Granted, I'm pretty young and largely expected to receive parental assistance (which I won't), so I guess it was to be expected.

[aad]

Officially made my seat deposit today.

I must say that it felt like I was buying a house as I walked to the post office.

[clyde_barrow]

Officially made my seat deposit today.

I must say that it felt like I was buying a house as I walked to the post office.

lol. it'll be a very nice house, i'm sure.

[aad]

Officially made my seat deposit today.

I must say that it felt like I was buying a house as I walked to the post office.

your attempt at humor is the most laughable thing about your post; sadly, it is not that laughable. it'll be a very nice house, i'm sure.

I was actually not making an attempt to be humorous. That might be why my post was not that laughable. I was simply describing the way I felt as I made a serious financial commitment.

In any case, I'm surprised that such an innocuous comment drew such a snippy comment. I guess that's just the nature of this website.

[kissy]

Officially made my seat deposit today.

I must say that it felt like I was buying a house as I walked to the post office.

your attempt at humor is the most laughable thing about your post; sadly, it is not that laughable. it'll be a very nice house, i'm sure.

I was actually not making an attempt to be humorous. That might be why my post was not that laughable. I was simply describing the way I felt as I made a serious financial commitment.

In any case, I'm surprised that such an innocuous comment drew such a snippy comment. I guess that's just the nature of this website.

or it's april fools day?

l.o.l

[lawyering]

Officially made my seat deposit today.

I must say that it felt like I was buying a house as I walked to the post office.

your attempt at humor is the most laughable thing about your post; sadly, it is not that laughable. it'll be a very nice house, i'm sure.

I was actually not making an attempt to be humorous. That might be why my post was not that laughable. I was simply describing the way I felt as I made a serious financial commitment.

In any case, I'm surprised that such an innocuous comment drew such a snippy comment. I guess that's just the nature of this website.

His original comment was just "L O L. it'll be a very nice house, i'm sure." The mods, for April Fool's Day, changed all "L O Ls" to be that phrase above: "your attempt at humor is the most laughable thing about your post; sadly, it is not that laughable." There was no snippyness meant in the original post! Not to worry =) We Y.ale 0Ls are too nice for such things.

[clyde_barrow]

thanks for the cover, lawyering. silly mods -- making me seem snippy! aad: i'm sure i'll feel the same way when i make my deposit. anyway, congrats on making your decision!

[lawyering]

Anytime!! Can't wait to join you at NHCC!!