Top Law Schools

...Someone had to make the thread. Who's enrolled already? Planning to enroll? Heading to Admitted Students Day on the 26th? Living plans? General hopes/worries/whatever!

I, for one, am 99.9% certain I am going to enroll unless something catastrophic happens at ASD. I want to live/work in LA, the scholly aid package was too good to turn down and everything I have heard from people at the school has been hugely positive. Pepperdine sounds like it is going to be a great place to study/live for the next three years

About 99.9% sure too! I just found out from UCI, but I had my heart set on Pepperdine before I heard so I am having trouble convincing myself to seriously consider UCI...I keep digging for excuses haha. But I will definitely be at ASD, have already visited twice, everyone there was SO nice, and of course the location can't be beat. Seems like a refreshing/relaxing place to be for law school! Especially with the scholly!

I'm about 99.9% sure, as well. Unless something big comes in soon (only waiting on UC Davis and BU), then it's Pepperdine all the way. I visited there on Thursday, and I really love the campus. The class I sat in on seemed quite laid back and enjoyable. All of the students seemed very excited to be in class, and our tour guide seemed to love it as well. I think I will be joining the MDR program, also, starting this summer. We have to get more people in this thread!

Kase Law wrote:About 99.9% sure too! I just found out from UCI, but I had my heart set on Pepperdine before I heard so I am having trouble convincing myself to seriously consider UCI...I keep digging for excuses haha. But I will definitely be at ASD, have already visited twice, everyone there was SO nice, and of course the location can't be beat. Seems like a refreshing/relaxing place to be for law school! Especially with the scholly!

Turning down the 'vine? ...

ViP wrote:

Kase Law wrote:About 99.9% sure too! I just found out from UCI, but I had my heart set on Pepperdine before I heard so I am having trouble convincing myself to seriously consider UCI...I keep digging for excuses haha. But I will definitely be at ASD, have already visited twice, everyone there was SO nice, and of course the location can't be beat. Seems like a refreshing/relaxing place to be for law school! Especially with the scholly!

Turning down the 'vine? ...

'

YUP pretty sure.

Kase Law wrote:

ViP wrote:

Kase Law wrote:About 99.9% sure too! I just found out from UCI, but I had my heart set on Pepperdine before I heard so I am having trouble convincing myself to seriously consider UCI...I keep digging for excuses haha. But I will definitely be at ASD, have already visited twice, everyone there was SO nice, and of course the location can't be beat. Seems like a refreshing/relaxing place to be for law school! Especially with the scholly!

Turning down the 'vine? ...

'

YUP pretty sure.

Hmmm interesting...

Couldn't be too hard of a decision, though, no? I mean one way or the other. Irvine and Pepperdine are extremely different from one another and offer totally different law school experiences.

Im in, paid the deposit already. However, Ive never been to LA nor have I seen Pepperdine. Based on my research it seems like a perfect fit for me.

Can anyone comment on the city of LA or the school in general?

eberl032 wrote:Im in, paid the deposit already. However, Ive never been to LA nor have I seen Pepperdine. Based on my research it seems like a perfect fit for me.

Can anyone comment on the city of LA or the school in general?

I haven't explored the city of LA much. The school is right above the craziness of the city...which is nice. Not too far away, but just slightly removed from it all. It's close enough to everything going on in LA to still enjoy it.

The school I have visited three times already haha. I just love it. The campus is obviously GORGEOUS, and the law school is so perfectly set on the hill that there's always a perfect view of the ocean...even in the library! Hopefully you'll enjoy it and feel like you made the right choice It seems like the students truly enjoy law school at Pepperdine...which is a rare feeling, I think! To love law school rather than just wanting to get through it. The sense of community at the school seems really nice too.

Anyhoo, I paid my deposit too so I'll be joining you in the fall!

Kase Law wrote:

eberl032 wrote:Im in, paid the deposit already. However, Ive never been to LA nor have I seen Pepperdine. Based on my research it seems like a perfect fit for me.

Can anyone comment on the city of LA or the school in general?

I haven't explored the city of LA much. The school is right above the craziness of the city...which is nice. Not too far away, but just slightly removed from it all. It's close enough to everything going on in LA to still enjoy it.

The school I have visited three times already haha. I just love it. The campus is obviously GORGEOUS, and the law school is so perfectly set on the hill that there's always a perfect view of the ocean...even in the library! Hopefully you'll enjoy it and feel like you made the right choice It seems like the students truly enjoy law school at Pepperdine...which is a rare feeling, I think! To love law school rather than just wanting to get through it. The sense of community at the school seems really nice too.

Anyhoo, I paid my deposit too so I'll be joining you in the fall!

I got that from the students there, as well. The tour guide seemed to be proud of every little thing going on there. I was especially interested that he had eaten dinner at the Dean's house multiple times during 1L!

Just got back from the ASD this past Friday. Really great experience. I showed up pretty solidly convinced I would be attending, barring anything catastrophic at the ASD. Spoke with people in the CDO, various professors, a couple deans, sat in on a contracts class that the professor even managed to make interesting (I was expecting contracts to be very dry, so i was pleasantly surprised!). The students there were all really proud of their school and excited about the new incoming class. I did not experience the elite-ist attitude I had gotten at UCLA when I visited there as well which was a huge plus because that is just a personal pet peeve.

Who's doing what in terms of housing? I spun around through Santa Monica for an hour or so and was pretty intrigued with the city vibe so close to the remote Malibu location. The drive was beautiful and once you get back the 10 and onto PCH, traffic was non existent (nobody commutes to Malibu to work, they all come into LA so it was nice and anti-commute each way). Calabasas has some pretty sweet complexes too, the Archstone apartment company had places in Calabasas and Agoura Hills that were pretty luxurious for not too steep of a price. Santa Monica was definitely more expensive, but i personally liked the location better.

Going to be paying my deposit this week, look forward to meeting all you future Waves in the fall!

I have a list of 5 apartments complexes, two in calabasas, one in woodland hills, one in encino and one in west LA. I plan to visit them when I move out and sign with which ever is the nicest. Most likely one in calabasas.

Im also excited to meet my fellow classmates.

Anyone here plan on doing any of the specialty programs? Dispute Resolution, Entrepreneur, or perhaps a joint degree?

eberl032 wrote:I have a list of 5 apartments complexes, two in calabasas, one in woodland hills, one in encino and one in west LA. I plan to visit them when I move out and sign with which ever is the nicest. Most likely one in calabasas.

Im also excited to meet my fellow classmates.

Anyone here plan on doing any of the specialty programs? Dispute Resolution, Entrepreneur, or perhaps a joint degree?

Scratch Encino. You're not making that journey to school every day.

eberl032 wrote:I have a list of 5 apartments complexes, two in calabasas, one in woodland hills, one in encino and one in west LA. I plan to visit them when I move out and sign with which ever is the nicest. Most likely one in calabasas.

Im also excited to meet my fellow classmates.

Anyone here plan on doing any of the specialty programs? Dispute Resolution, Entrepreneur, or perhaps a joint degree?

which apts in calabasas?
I live in the archstone complex, and its pretty much a straight shot through the canyon to school. At the time I leave it only takes about 13 minutes to get there. However, like anything around LA, it there is an accident or you are going through when all the other commuters are, it'll be a bit longer. Still beats driving up from Santa Monica. But then again I am into a quieter neighborhood while others are more concerned with ready access to nightlife and such, so the tradeoff works for me.
Welcome folks, congratulations.

1ferret! wrote:

eberl032 wrote:I have a list of 5 apartments complexes, two in calabasas, one in woodland hills, one in encino and one in west LA. I plan to visit them when I move out and sign with which ever is the nicest. Most likely one in calabasas.

Im also excited to meet my fellow classmates.

Anyone here plan on doing any of the specialty programs? Dispute Resolution, Entrepreneur, or perhaps a joint degree?

which apts in calabasas?
I live in the archstone complex, and its pretty much a straight shot through the canyon to school. At the time I leave it only takes about 13 minutes to get there. However, like anything around LA, it there is an accident or you are going through when all the other commuters are, it'll be a bit longer. Still beats driving up from Santa Monica. But then again I am into a quieter neighborhood while others are more concerned with ready access to nightlife and such, so the tradeoff works for me.
Welcome folks, congratulations.

I was looking at the Archstone property as well as Malibu canyon. What are your thoughts on the archstone apartments in calabasas? parking, location, and so on.

Parking is no problem and a covered spot is included in your rent. There is also additional street parking and you can rent another non-covered spot in the lot if you need one.

The location is quiet, adjacent to a recreational park, a block away from a couple schools, a middle school and grade school I think. Gas and grocery about a half a mile down the road next to the exit for las virgines off the 101 freeway. Starbucks, couple fast food joints, stuff like that. Other than that kind of stuff though, you need to travel a bit further. Anything else you really need might be 5-10 miles down the freeway into the Valley, except of course the popular nightlife kinda stuff which is gonna take you 30-45 mins.

Normal drive to Santa Monica is around half an hour, drive to beverly hills/ hollywood a little longer because its the other direction that involves major freeways.
One thing is true, if you want to have walk-down-the-street access to nightlife then probably shoot for Santa Monica/Venice or something that puts you on the west side with relatively easy access to PCH.

I prefer to be out of the way a bit with the option to get into that stuff if I want. Plus the neighborhood up here is virtually crime-free. Its the kind of place where you can leave your car windows down and unlocked all night and genuinely feel like it won't be messed with.
Have had no real problems with the apartments so far. A couple pools and hot tubs that are pretty close to my place. I have laundry in my unit but there is also laundry facilities if you prefer to save a little on rent by getting a unit without. Inconvenient that the gym facilities dont open until 8 cause I'm already gone by then, but you can always use the infinitely better gym on campus (access granted w/student ID).

By the way, in case nobody else has mentioned it or you haven't visited. The public transportation here is awful. I suppose its possible to commute from santa monica on a bus but I wouldnt rely on it. Public transport does not come from Calabasas. You will need a car, or to live on campus and become friends with someone who has a car.

One question about the washer/dryer.

The website says hookups in all rooms. Are you using your own washer/dryer, or do some rooms have them available? I find, having a washer/dryer so much more convienient than a laundry facility. I was looking into Archstone Calabasas but started looking into archstone warner center instead. Thanks for the info.

eberl032 wrote:One question about the washer/dryer.

The website says hookups in all rooms. Are you using your own washer/dryer, or do some rooms have them available? I find, having a washer/dryer so much more convienient than a laundry facility. I was looking into Archstone Calabasas but started looking into archstone warner center instead. Thanks for the info.

came w/ a brand new washer and dryer.
Warner center building looks quite a bit different and probably adds at least 10 mins to the commute FWIW.

Any idea what type of move in bonuses they might offer? I really need to find a place that will provide one or two months free rent, since Im going broke moving out there and wont get loans till two months of living there.

When do the rest of you plan to move out there? I sense a Pepperdine class of 2013 get together?

I'm planning on moving down at the beginning of August. My current lease just went month-to-month, so I'll hold out here till July, try to lock up a place for the start of August and hopefully the transition from one place to the next can be smooth (yeah, right...like it ever works out that way). Planning to live in Santa Monica, I've been in a suburb up in northern california for the last two years and am looking forward to a bit more a city vibe. Now the question is just to find the right apartment...

Rain, wind and cold in San Francisco today...really looking forward to moving to LA!

eberl032 wrote:Any idea what type of move in bonuses they might offer? I really need to find a place that will provide one or two months free rent, since Im going broke moving out there and wont get loans till two months of living there.

When do the rest of you plan to move out there? I sense a Pepperdine class of 2013 get together?

Don't know about any sort of move in bonus buy you might try to call. Ordinarily places that are adjacent to school (or in this case fairly close) don't have many bonuses that time of year because thats when lots of people move in to go to school.

I'm planning on moving to Calabasas around the first of August. I really liked the Archstone Calabasas, so I think it'll be my plan to move there unless something doesn't work out. I'm up for a Pepperdine 1L get together before school actually begins.

I got wait listed . . . . if I get in . . . . I'm all in for Pepperdine.

Does anybody know if the seat deposit for accepted students is binding? Wasn't able to find this information.

HelplessinAZ wrote:Does anybody know if the seat deposit for accepted students is binding? Wasn't able to find this information.

Not sure what you mean, there are usually multiple deposits you need to make in order to secure your spot in the incoming class. Once you pay a deposit, it is usually nonrefundable; however, that money is put towards your 1st semester tuition.

The purpose of the deposit deadlines is to make people to drop out of contention for schools that are not their #1 or 2, allowing people from the wait list to get in like Gatriel.