UVA Class of 2013 Forum

[RVP11]

What is your favorite part of going to UVA?

The people. Virtually everyone is nice, interesting, easy to get along with. More social than you'd expect law students to be. Professors are, more often than not, fantastic and brilliant people.

Least favorite?

Besides the sham that is LRW? I think the law school building could be way more impressive than it is. Career services could be less shifty and much more straightforward about how OGI went in 2009 (though this complaint could be lodged at nearly every school). Certain professors could try not to be so awful and it would make everyone have a brighter day.

After the first semester how do you feel about your decision of where to attend school?

Good. It was always going to be my best option by far. I'm excited about the opportunities I'll have coming from UVA vs. what I would have had coming from many other schools, and the fact that (I'm guessing here) I go to a school that is relatively social and non-competitive. But I am not an east coast person and the school and city are not perfect fits for me.

Anything different than you expected?

Much colder and grayer than I expected. I was probably unrealistic in expecting Virginiafornia, though.

[Cavalier]

What is your favorite part of going to UVA?

It's hard to pick one thing. The classes are (mostly) interesting, people here are very friendly, there's a lot of fun things to do, and so on. Obviously law school is a lot more work than undergrad, but whenever I read the Facebook statuses from friends at other law schools, who seem anywhere from bored to miserable, I am grateful to go here.

Least favorite?

Other than the recent snowstorms, I don't like being so far from home (Seattle). But I've gotten used to it.

After the first semester how do you feel about your decision of where to attend school?

No regrets.

Anything different than you expected?

I can't really describe it. You can do all the reading you want about law school, but you'll have to experience 1L for yourself before you know what it's truly like.

[jawsthegreat]

Thanks guys.

How about this:

Name one thing you wish you had done different from you first semester school related and non school related.

[Kohinoor]

Thanks guys.

How about this:

Name one thing you wish you had done different from you first semester school related and non school related.

Nothing. Applied for jobs before grades dropped.

[Lady LaLa]

In keeping with previous conversations, how would current 1Ls approach their studying differently, if they could, now that you've gone through exams?

[Cavalier]

In keeping with previous conversations, how would current 1Ls approach their studying differently, if they could, now that you've gone through exams?

I'd probably pay more attention to the cases, and finish outlining sooner so that I'd have more time for practice exams.

[vanwinkle]

Thanks guys.

How about this:

Name one thing you wish you had done different from you first semester school related and non school related.

Nothing. Applied for jobs before grades dropped.

TITCR. Fuck, I'm screwed WRT job hunting.

[RVP11]

In keeping with previous conversations, how would current 1Ls approach their studying differently, if they could, now that you've gone through exams?

I'd probably pay more attention to the cases, and finish outlining sooner so that I'd have more time for practice exams.

For school related: exactly what Cav said. Focus a little more on remember the cases and finish outlining 2 or 3 weeks before exams instead of just a few days before.

I applied for summer firm jobs December 1st and judicial internships after exams. Though I wasn't one of the lucky ones to get a firm job (I only applied to about a dozen), I'm interning for the exact judge and court I wanted. 0Ls: the best 0L prep you can do is to get your cover letters and resumes in line.

Non-school related, I would have tried to do a NYC or DC trip early in the semester. I might have considered buying a car.

[jbriggs]

As far as job search and networking goes, I have been looking at a lot of firm websites and searching the UVA law feature on those firm web pages , would some kind of hello/introduction/excited to be headed to UVA email sent to certain UVA grads at firms be an option to consider, or is that going to look bad in some way that I'm blind to. My thought is, if I want to get back to SF or head to a specific city, how could it hurt me to send an email to a UVA grad at, lets say Bingham McCutchen saying whats up and asking them for law school advice? Plus, my intentions would not be, or seem to be, driven by a job search, but rather about getting their info and take on law school and their work within a law firm. I don't pretend to know if this is a good idea, I just wanted to throw it out there as it has been really helpful for me to speak with lawyers that I know and get their take, so I thought I could extend that to emailing UVA grads at various firms. Thoughts?

[RVP11]

As far as job search and networking goes, I have been looking at a lot of firm websites and searching the UVA law feature on those firm web pages , would some kind of hello/introduction/excited to be headed to UVA email sent to certain UVA grads at firms be an option to consider, or is that going to look bad in some way that I'm blind to. My thought is, if I want to get back to SF or head to a specific city, how could it hurt me to send an email to a UVA grad at, lets say Bingham McCutchen saying whats up and asking them for law school advice? Plus, my intentions would not be, or seem to be, driven by a job search, but rather about getting their info and take on law school and their work within a law firm. I don't pretend to know if this is a good idea, I just wanted to throw it out there as it has been really helpful for me to speak with lawyers that I know and get their take, so I thought I could extend that to emailing UVA grads at various firms. Thoughts?

I did this in November and actually sat down over winter break with a few alumni in the market in which I want to practice. I would recommend you wait until winter break. Right now you don't really have any common grounds with alumni yet.

[showNprove]

As far as job search and networking goes, I have been looking at a lot of firm websites and searching the UVA law feature on those firm web pages , would some kind of hello/introduction/excited to be headed to UVA email sent to certain UVA grads at firms be an option to consider, or is that going to look bad in some way that I'm blind to. My thought is, if I want to get back to SF or head to a specific city, how could it hurt me to send an email to a UVA grad at, lets say Bingham McCutchen saying whats up and asking them for law school advice? Plus, my intentions would not be, or seem to be, driven by a job search, but rather about getting their info and take on law school and their work within a law firm. I don't pretend to know if this is a good idea, I just wanted to throw it out there as it has been really helpful for me to speak with lawyers that I know and get their take, so I thought I could extend that to emailing UVA grads at various firms. Thoughts?

I did this. One was a really great experience (and in part led to an interview this spring, with results still pending), the other was not a good experience at all (was told to defer a year because of the economy and was criticized for my dress even though he wasn't wearing a suit either; in his defense, he was trying to be helpful, but he did make me feel small).

[Kohinoor]

As far as job search and networking goes, I have been looking at a lot of firm websites and searching the UVA law feature on those firm web pages , would some kind of hello/introduction/excited to be headed to UVA email sent to certain UVA grads at firms be an option to consider, or is that going to look bad in some way that I'm blind to. My thought is, if I want to get back to SF or head to a specific city, how could it hurt me to send an email to a UVA grad at, lets say Bingham McCutchen saying whats up and asking them for law school advice? Plus, my intentions would not be, or seem to be, driven by a job search, but rather about getting their info and take on law school and their work within a law firm. I don't pretend to know if this is a good idea, I just wanted to throw it out there as it has been really helpful for me to speak with lawyers that I know and get their take, so I thought I could extend that to emailing UVA grads at various firms. Thoughts?

If they're anything like me, they can smell a gunner from a mile away.

[jbriggs]

thanks guys for the input
JSUVA- You are right, I wouldn't have much in common but the idea would be to get their input about entering law school/eventually the legal field- over an email, not necessarily a formal mtg as I'm from bay area but currently living in Miami
ShownProve- Congrats on that interview, hopefully it turns out well!
Kohinoor- I see what you are saying and I had to laugh because I am more of a goofy idiot than ambitious/driven. But in seriousness, I will be paying full tuition and my track record(low gpa)gives me very little reason to think I will excel once there, so I feel a need (perhaps misguided and likely irrelevant) to put forth energy in whatever way that I can.
Thanks for the responses

[protokurios]

Why are car rentals so expensive in VA? It's like $30/day in CA but $80 in VA.

[vanwinkle]

Why are car rentals so expensive in VA? It's like $30/day in CA but $80 in VA.

Where are you renting from? I think it ended up being a lot cheaper for me to fly into Dulles, rent there, and drive to C-ville than it was to fly into C-ville and rent there. Both the airfare and the car rental were cheaper.

[protokurios]

I got quick quotes using IAD and RIC as airport pickup locations and they were both around $80, 90.

[ogman05]

Why are car rentals so expensive in VA? It's like $30/day in CA but $80 in VA.

Avis cost me $65 for thurs-saturday

[YCrevolution]

..

[mcflooter06]

Why are car rentals so expensive in VA? It's like $30/day in CA but $80 in VA.

Where are you renting from? I think it ended up being a lot cheaper for me to fly into Dulles, rent there, and drive to C-ville than it was to fly into C-ville and rent there. Both the airfare and the car rental were cheaper.

It might also be because they're young drivers.

+1

I had to pay $15 extra/day because I'm under 25 with Hertz from RIC, most of the other companies charge $25/day.

[slider]

Just realized I haven't booked a car yet. So glad for this forum.

[protokurios]

Okay, what the heck. Why does it cost $90 to rent on a weekday and $25 to rent Fri-Sun? Obviously I don't rent cars often.

[thickfreakness]

Okay, what the heck. Why does it cost $90 to rent on a weekday and $25 to rent Fri-Sun? Obviously I don't rent cars often.

More business people rent cars during the week and since they're getting reimbursed for them the rental companies can raise prices. Weekend rentals are much, much rarer.

[tribe-hoo]

I just found out this weekend that I got in!! I'm still waiting to hear from some other schools, but I'm pretty sure I'll be joining you all!! Any thoughts on going ahead and looking into housing??

[Philo38]

I just found out this weekend that I got in!! I'm still waiting to hear from some other schools, but I'm pretty sure I'll be joining you all!! Any thoughts on going ahead and looking into housing??

Congrats! All I can tell you on housing is you can probably mark the Jeffersonian off of your list because there is a wiating list a mile long (first day to apply was Jan 1). Other than that, there is a ton of useful info on housing back through this thread.

[Wi11iam]

Man, I just realized that in exactly 6 months, we'll be starting orientation...