UChicago Class of 2013 Forum

[Emma.]

When you guys were filling in the loan app, how many courses did you put per quarter in the Program Details section? It says the standard for full time is 3....

edit: found the answer in the Admitted Student's section on the website.

[JollyGreenGiant]

When you guys were filling in the loan app, how many courses did you put per quarter in the Program Details section? It says the standard for full time is 3....

edit: found the answer in the Admitted Student's section on the website.

Was the answer 3? That's what I put.

Also, is there anything we need to do on the government's website besides fill out the MPN? We hold off on everything else, right?

[swampthang]

thorntll, check out http://www.uchicagoapartments.com if you haven't already. might be better than craigslist.

Where are you planning on living?

Not sure yet. I'd like to set up a 3-5br arrangement with some people but nearly everyone seems to be looking for 2br/regents. If that doesn't work out, I'll probably snatch up a studio/1br and live by myself in New Grad/Grad housing. You interested?


If anyone's interested in getting a nice townhouse/condo between 3-5ppl, contact me!

I'm interested in multi-person living, especially if it's close to school. I didn't really get a chance to check out the grad housing or anything, but I'd like to be able to walk to class easily enough plus I'm pretty social.

[swampthang]

Kind of a sad commentary on the school when you can't even buy a tshirt, no?


Still totally psyched about U of C, though

I like how they gave us the option of either a book bag or a laptop case. I think they're trying to send us a message: "Welcome to UChicago! Get ready to work your balls off."

Ehh...agreed.

Woult totally have preferred a U of C law beachball

or a frisbee........the midway looks like a great place for frisbee-ing

I could go for some touch rugby. But definitely agree on the spartan functionality of their free stuff. Now what to do with my other Class of 2013 shirts from not-Chicago?

[swampthang]

Wait. No U of C law beachballs?

Dean Perry offered to bring out the U of C cornhole set during ASW. I was simultaneously thrilled, but scared at sucking and losing face with my future classmates. Sort of like calling out the person who took the last good sandwich in the mock class example.

[swampthang]

--ImageRemoved--

miami has its own problems

I wonder if it was a disaffected student who wrote this up?
http://www.top-law-schools.com/universi ... i-law.html

[Emma.]

When you guys were filling in the loan app, how many courses did you put per quarter in the Program Details section? It says the standard for full time is 3....

edit: found the answer in the Admitted Student's section on the website.

Was the answer 3? That's what I put.

Also, is there anything we need to do on the government's website besides fill out the MPN? We hold off on everything else, right?

I think so... Do we even fill in the MPN now or wait til we know eligibility for Stafford Subsidized and Perkins and all that? (I haven't even looked at that gov't site yet )

Oh yeah, 3 was TCR.

[JollyGreenGiant]

So emma.. how awkward is it going to be when I come up to you in orientation and say "EMMMMMMMA!!"

[Emma.]

So emma.. how awkward is it going to be when I come up to you in orientation and say "EMMMMMMMA!!"

Not awkward at all! Why would it be awkward for you to call me by my name?

[jimmyd11011]

I think the law school needs to revamp its logo... it looks a little lame on t-shirts and sweatshirts:


We need something more like this:

[hiromoto45]

Where did you find that? I've been trying to find UC Law apparel.

[Emma.]

I think the law school needs to revamp its logo... it looks a little lame on t-shirts and sweatshirts:


We need something more like this:

Eh. I'm not so into the BerkeleyLaw branding. Where did you find that UChicago sweatshirt though? That thing is pretty sweet.

I do wish we has these though:

--ImageRemoved--

[echoi]

Where did you find that? I've been trying to find UC Law apparel.

--LinkRemoved--

the other colored hoodies are NOT law school

[echoi]

thorntll, check out http://www.uchicagoapartments.com if you haven't already. might be better than craigslist.

Where are you planning on living?

Not sure yet. I'd like to set up a 3-5br arrangement with some people but nearly everyone seems to be looking for 2br/regents. If that doesn't work out, I'll probably snatch up a studio/1br and live by myself in New Grad/Grad housing. You interested?


If anyone's interested in getting a nice townhouse/condo between 3-5ppl, contact me!

I'm interested in multi-person living, especially if it's close to school. I didn't really get a chance to check out the grad housing or anything, but I'd like to be able to walk to class easily enough plus I'm pretty social.

Swampthang, four people already contacted me and I think this is the group we're going to go forward with. I'll let you know if things change though.

[swampthang]

I'm interested in multi-person living, especially if it's close to school. I didn't really get a chance to check out the grad housing or anything, but I'd like to be able to walk to class easily enough plus I'm pretty social.

Swampthang, four people already contacted me and I think this is the group we're going to go forward with. I'll let you know if things change though.

No worries, I'm a bit slow on the uptake. But keep me posted if you hear anything else on the topic/want to throw a sexy party. Besides, I'm sure there are other Animal Housers out there, too.

[GCB]

We are supposed to put in the amount we want to borrow for Grad PLUS loans in the SLA Application, right? I just spoke with Karla Vargas and she told me to double check with the people at the student loan office since they told us to hold off on Grad PLUS applications, but the student loans office is closed. What did everyone else do?
Also, are we only supposed to do the SLA application or do we do the MPN now too?

[thorntll]

A very nice future fellow student of ours saw my posts about the benefits of Hyde Park vs. Northside, and offered her advice. The student didn't want herself outed to the adcoms, but she said it would be okay to post her note for other people's benefit. There was some helpful info I didn't know.

I have lived in Chicago for [x] years now, including [x] in Hyde Park. My attitude is that I've "done my time" in HP and I never want to live down there again. [I have lived in Lincoln Park and loved it.] I'm, therefore, big-time in favor of living on the north side and commuting down. Here are some reasons:

1) Keep in mind that you're likely to be commuting around rush hour. Chicago transit is magical during peak times. You can get anywhere very quickly and efficiently. It's also a very easy drive down Lakeshore from the near northside neighborhoods where most young people live down to HP (though I prefer the bus because I can read without getting in an accident while commuting).

2) This may be counterintuitive, but I found Hyde Park to be very inconvenient. Within three blocks of my current apartment in LP, I have my grocery store, bank, PO, dry cleaner, millions of coffee shops, restaurants, bars, petsmart, bed-bath-beyond, best-buy, hair salon, yoga studio, etc. My car sits for weeks at a time. In HP, it sometimes felt like a real trek just to get groceries or go to the drug store. And forget about Target or any other reprehensible big-box type place where you periodically just have to go. Keep in mind also that Hyde Park merchants have a captive audience, and you pay big bucks for the convenience of the Regent's grocery store (Market in the Park), Harper Foods, etc. Lincoln Park/Lakeview, on the other hand, is a lot like living in New York. There's major population and amenity density and major competition for your dollars.

3) This may also seem counterintuitive because Hyde Park is full of students, but going out is expensive and inconvenient. See above about merchants having a captive audience. They have no incentive to compete for your beer dollars. In my part of Lincoln Park, though, I could get a dollar beer pretty much every weeknight. Not that I'll be going out weeknights once school starts, but you know what I mean. Also, if you're getting together with law school buddies on a Saturday night or something, I can say with 98% certainty that they'll want to go out on the north side. Being able to walk home at 3AM safely after drinks is going to feel really good when your friends who live in Regents have to worrry about a sketchy trip on the red line or a $40 cab.

4) I tend to bristle when people on sites like TLS make light of the "ghetto" surroundings of Chicago Law. HP is beautiful and thriving but, yes, it is bordered by Englewood, which has the highest murder rate in the city. Being a woman alone after dark in Hyde Park is a liability. Period. That's not white person paraonia speaking. It's a city and you should always be alert (duh), but the world opens up a lot when you're in a crowded, safe neighborhood like LP and you don't have to fret so much about making sure you have somebody to walk you home, etc. I also lived in a slightly sketchy west side Chicago neighborhood for a few years, and I feel liberated to be back in a safe neighborhood. I'm a runner, and it's so refreshing to not have to fear running after 6pm in the winter, etc.

I spoke to 1L's living on the north side, and they say it's totally doable. The argument, which I buy, is that your free time in law school is so minimal that you want to maximize its quality by being in a place you know you love. It makes me happy just to stroll through my neighborhood. You can't put a pricetag on that.

I guess you'll have to weigh that against the convenience of living in HP. Keep in mind that you're going to be on a bus to the law school even if you live in Regents. It's pretty far from the LS. I guess the only sticking point is the whole relationship-forming thing. There's this perception that a lot of bonding goes on late at night in Regent's. I guess I might be sad to miss out on that, but I'm also reasonably chatty and social so I'm not sweating that.

Lincoln Park/Lakeview is the center of the universe. All transit lines come to you there. And everybody wants to go out to eat/drink/play in your neighborhood. Win.

[Emma.]

A very nice future fellow student of ours saw my posts about the benefits of Hyde Park vs. Northside, and offered her advice. The student didn't want herself outed to the adcoms, but she said it would be okay to post her note for other people's benefit. There was some helpful info I didn't know.

Thanks thorntll. I still think I'll be looking at HP for 1L year, but this makes me really excited to move up north after that.

[moxypoxy]

Other than the MPN and the SLA application is there anything we need to do?

We can hold off on the counseling interview right?

[JollyGreenGiant]

We are supposed to put in the amount we want to borrow for Grad PLUS loans in the SLA Application, right? I just spoke with Karla Vargas and she told me to double check with the people at the student loan office since they told us to hold off on Grad PLUS applications, but the student loans office is closed. What did everyone else do?
Also, are we only supposed to do the SLA application or do we do the MPN now too?

Yes, I put the grad plus loan amount in. And I only did the main app + the MPN.

[arb44]

Stupid question, but where on the site is the loan application? I found the MPN and did that, but I just can't find the application for the Stafford Loans (I only see the PLUS application).

[0L Hoping for 1]

Dammit, I didnt realize we had to do the MPN and now the Studentloans.gov site is down..

[AngryAvocado]

Edit: Nevermind. Found the answer.

[JollyGreenGiant]

Stupid question, but where on the site is the loan application? I found the MPN and did that, but I just can't find the application for the Stafford Loans (I only see the PLUS application).

I only did the Chicago application. The only thing I did on the government site was the MPN.

[arb44]

Stupid question, but where on the site is the loan application? I found the MPN and did that, but I just can't find the application for the Stafford Loans (I only see the PLUS application).

I only did the Chicago application. The only thing I did on the government site was the MPN.

Ok, thanks!