Northwestern Law Class of 2013 Forum

[rayiner]

I have a friend subletting her apartment in Onterie starting in early August. The apartment is a studio on a high-floor. The view is gorgeous. Onterie is just two blocks south of the law school. PM me if you're interested.

Studios go fast, so get them while you can.

[mayosmith]

Here's the latest on the NYC happy hour next Wednesday, from Facebook:

New York City Happy Hour: Wednesday, June 30th, 7pm, Frying Pan (W. 26th and Hudson River; it's a boat). Join http://groups.google.com/group/northwes ... _nyc_2013/ for up to date information.

[michaellikesit]

I am moving from NJ to McClurg mid August and am wondering if anyone will be around to help me move some stuff into the apartment. I am sure there are a lot of people in similar positions and I would be more than happy to pay someone, or help the next person moving in.

On a related note, is anyone planning on driving out from NJ/NY/PA and interested in maybe splitting a van?

Michael

[dreamweaver87]

:-\ Just got an reply from Merrily Smith at Worcester House, saying she doesn't think they'll be able to offer me an apartment because they're already filled for August. No idea what I'm going to do now...

[animalcrkrs]

I wonder what the deal is this year.... I looked for a place in the second week in July last year and had NO trouble, there were open spots in every Streeterville building except McClurg for studios/convertibles at that time...

I am hearing now that most of the buildings including the one I'm in have no open studios/convertibles. Weird.

However, you might want to call these places directly on Thursday or Friday since you might have a lot of 30 day notices at that time for Aug. 1 openings.

Also, I am moving from an apt. building to leasing in a condo building in Streeterville and found better deals on condos in the area generally and the owners are usually more flexible about lease start times/move in dates.

[dreamweaver87]

I wonder what the deal is this year.... I looked for a place in the second week in July last year and had NO trouble, there were open spots in every Streeterville building except McClurg for studios/convertibles at that time...

I am hearing now that most of the buildings including the one I'm in have no open studios/convertibles. Weird.

However, you might want to call these places directly on Thursday or Friday since you might have a lot of 30 day notices at that time for Aug. 1 openings.

Also, I am moving from an apt. building to leasing in a condo building in Streeterville and found better deals on condos in the area generally and the owners are usually more flexible about lease start times/move in dates.

Yeah, I'm just kind of freaking out because Worcester was by far cheapest and my dad is really pressuring me to live in Evanston housing with no car because it's a lot cheaper and furnished. Any suggestions for other places that might be cheaper in the area? It's hard to find answers online and I won't be able to visit within the next few weeks.

Also, I e-mailed about Abbott Hall, asking if singles could live there, too, or if it was just for families and they said singles could, as well. I sent an app in, but if Worcester was already full and Abbott gives families top choice, I'm really doubting I'll get anything there. Blah.

[animalcrkrs]

Why would you live all the way up in Evanston? The commute will be heinous. There are a couple JD-MBAs reverse commuting out there for 2L year and they are already bitching about how much of a pain it is to get up there, and that's reverse! You could find a place for cheaper than Streeterville in Lakeview/Boystown/Ukranian Village etc. etc. etc. and not go all the way up there. PM me if you want neighboorhood insight...but understand that to get the price down below $1000 unfurnished with no roommate you'll have to trade off for a commute, Streeterville is just not that cheap.

DO NOT LIVE IN ABBOTT HALL. Even if you could, you don't want to.

[dreamweaver87]

Trust me...I do NOT want to live in Evanston in the slightest. I don't have a car and would have to rely on the shuttle and I'm really concerned, not only about the inconvenience, but also about a negative impact on grades due to having to base my study time around when I could get home. I hate that he's being so persistent, but he's offering me some aid and is kind of holding that over my head :-\

I probably will be PMing you for some neighbordhood advice. But, in the meantime, what's so bad about Abbott? I really haven't heard much about it at all.

[animalcrkrs]

Could you bargain wtih him to give you an upper limit and you'll find a place that works? I just don't get Evanston...there are busses and subways (L) everywhere that will be just as fast if not faster than the shuttle. You can google map using public transportation and see how often buses come etc. from various parts of the city to NU, and the red and brown lines aren't THAT far of a walk. Plus, the public buses and subways run more often/later than the shuttle to Evanston anyway.

And if you haven't been here the public transit is decent (always room to complain but hey...) the buses are clean and usually come "relatively" often even if they never run at the specified time, and the L is the L...it runs at almost any hour. You also get a "free" (as in, included in your tuition) transit pass for during the school year so you won't pay a thing to travel to and from if that matters in your money calculation.

The cheapest place I've seen anyone advertise (on the student listserv) in the area is this place: --LinkRemoved-- for $905 for a studio including cable and internet...but I cannot speak to the quality of the building or amenities for that price in that area (seems suspicious why it is SO low)

Abbott is just a glorified dorm (not even really glorified) and the building itself inside is sort of "dorm-depressing"--that almost exclusively houses LLM students only there for a year as far as I can tell, I have yet to meet a JD who lives there (though I'm sure there are a couple) It might be different if the building itself offered something special, like it had a special student union or its own gym or something of the like, but it just has the so-so bookstore and a few administrative offices for the Chicago campus. The couple people I know with kids and people who are married don't live there either. I guess it's nice that NU HAS an option for the law students, but...

[09042014]

You could probably find a studio for around 600-700 dollars if you look in Uptown or Ravenswood that are near the red or brown lines. Riding the Red Line from Lawrence to Chicago Ave isn't too horrible.

[mayosmith]

Just a reminder that this is happening tonight:

New York City Happy Hour for incoming NUers: Wednesday, June 30th, 7pm, Frying Pan (W. 26th and Hudson River; it's a boat).

PM me if you need more info, phone numbers, etc.

[dreamweaver87]

Thanks for all the info. The reason my dad is set on Evanston is because it's school owned and he's paranoid about safety, not knowing the neighborhoods of Chicago at all. I've seen some cheaper places in the Gold Coast, which, obviously, is close, but most of the apartment reviews I've read have been a little concerning...some discussing break-ins from within, etc.

[ccourt14]

Hi future classmates, I was wondering how long it took you to get a confirmation email saying the school had received your medical records. Also, does anyone know of a phone number for where we were supposed to send them because I just got bounced around on the phone and no one I spoke to knew what I was talking about.

[NayBoer]

Thanks for all the info. The reason my dad is set on Evanston is because it's school owned and he's paranoid about safety, not knowing the neighborhoods of Chicago at all. I've seen some cheaper places in the Gold Coast, which, obviously, is close, but most of the apartment reviews I've read have been a little concerning...some discussing break-ins from within, etc.

I really think this is an overreaction. Streeterville and Gold Coast are perfectly fine. They are very nice areas, some of the most expensive in the city, right near well-frequented areas on the Mag Mile, and far more convenient to the school. This isn't Hyde Park, which requires U Chicago to field an enormous police force.

The shuttle is a 45 minute commute. Not sure if that considers traffic. And it stops running at like 11 and it doesn't run on certain holidays, so it will impact your schedule.

Just tell your dad that you feel perfectly safe and you're confident that you can deal with some of the least-dangerous neighborhoods in Chicago. It's not like you're going to live in campus housing when you're a biglaw attorney.

[fl0w]

Thanks for all the info. The reason my dad is set on Evanston is because it's school owned and he's paranoid about safety, not knowing the neighborhoods of Chicago at all. I've seen some cheaper places in the Gold Coast, which, obviously, is close, but most of the apartment reviews I've read have been a little concerning...some discussing break-ins from within, etc.

I really think this is an overreaction. Streeterville and Gold Coast are perfectly fine. They are very nice areas, some of the most expensive in the city, right near well-frequented areas on the Mag Mile, and far more convenient to the school. This isn't Hyde Park, which requires U Chicago to field an enormous police force.

The shuttle is a 45 minute commute. Not sure if that considers traffic. And it stops running at like 11 and it doesn't run on certain holidays, so it will impact your schedule.

Just tell your dad that you feel perfectly safe and you're confident that you can deal with some of the least-dangerous neighborhoods in Chicago. It's not like you're going to live in campus housing when you're a biglaw attorney.

grow balls.
done.

[NayBoer]

Hi future classmates, I was wondering how long it took you to get a confirmation email saying the school had received your medical records. Also, does anyone know of a phone number for where we were supposed to send them because I just got bounced around on the phone and no one I spoke to knew what I was talking about.

It took a little over a week after I mailed it, I think. The university health service deals with it (not the law school). The number from the email confirmation I received was 847-491-2203.

[animalcrkrs]

Thanks for all the info. The reason my dad is set on Evanston is because it's school owned and he's paranoid about safety, not knowing the neighborhoods of Chicago at all. I've seen some cheaper places in the Gold Coast, which, obviously, is close, but most of the apartment reviews I've read have been a little concerning...some discussing break-ins from within, etc.

Honestly, it's a big city but I have rarely felt unsafe no matter where I am, and ESPECIALLY in Gold Coast and Near North even more than Streeterville b/c those neighborhoods are even busier at night... I'd feel much less safe walking back from the Purple Line late night in Evanston after being on the train for an hour rather than in the middle of the city where you can get a cab within 2 minutes pretty much anywhere. The other consideration is that you probably WILL be walking home alone if you are coming back late...because none of your classmates will be making that commute. If you stay late at school working or out late at bar review, you have a much better shot at having someone with you on the way home if they live where a lot more of the 1Ls live...

Also if you decide to pay a little more downtown for a high rise you may get a better "feeling" of safety. Having a doorman 24/7 and the ability to wait for a cab to come to your building rather than go outside for one sounds safer to me...that said nothing is ever certain, no matter where you live.

[fl0w]

Thanks for all the info. The reason my dad is set on Evanston is because it's school owned and he's paranoid about safety, not knowing the neighborhoods of Chicago at all. I've seen some cheaper places in the Gold Coast, which, obviously, is close, but most of the apartment reviews I've read have been a little concerning...some discussing break-ins from within, etc.

Honestly, it's a big city but I have rarely felt unsafe no matter where I am

You must not spend much time on the south side in the "crazy hundreds".
But yeah, the area by northwestern, or anything on the north / near-north side is as safe as you're going to get.

[animalcrkrs]

Thanks for all the info. The reason my dad is set on Evanston is because it's school owned and he's paranoid about safety, not knowing the neighborhoods of Chicago at all. I've seen some cheaper places in the Gold Coast, which, obviously, is close, but most of the apartment reviews I've read have been a little concerning...some discussing break-ins from within, etc.

Honestly, it's a big city but I have rarely felt unsafe no matter where I am

You must not spend much time on the south side in the "crazy hundreds".
But yeah, the area by northwestern, or anything on the north / near-north side is as safe as you're going to get.

Correct. Part of feeling safe is knowing when NOT to get on the train to the south side lol. But I've been down to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center to volunteer during the day and I think it's fine. I mean, I don't have an irrational fear of people who live on the south side, so maybe that helps.

[dreamweaver87]

Thanks, guys. I understand the law school is in one of the safest areas of the city, so it's not really my concern, but his. I'm definitely going to show him what you all have said, though, because he'll listen to anyone but me.

It was one damn law student who lives in Evanston and works in housing, who he talked to on the phone that is messing me up here...

(Apologies if any of you are him, but sheesh. Way to make my life harder, buddy.)

[taw856]

[Holly Golightly]

Again with people hating on the south side. *sigh*

[Sauer Grapes]

....

[fl0w]

Again with people hating on the south side. *sigh*

not hating. just being honest. the south side is a different world. most people don't understand that.

[rayiner]

Again with people hating on the south side. *sigh*

My friend got mugged a gunpoint the minute he wandered south of the loop...