Michigan Class of 2014 Forum

[agora139]

You guys need to realize this ranking shift means nothing. It is primarily because Berkeley suffered a delayed drop due to its lower-than-traditional median LSAT/GPA combo. Michigan didn't actually jump up two spaces, either; it traded places with Berkeley for a tie of 7th place with Penn. That's not significant.

I loved the Michigan ASW, and at this point I'd say it's more than a 50% chance I'll matriculate, but I'm definitely going to visit Berkeley first.

i agree that it's not significant as being an actual significant factor (it's still the same school...) but it's significant in a 'sounds better' way. to me. jus sayin'

[AreJay711]

You guys need to realize this ranking shift means nothing. It is primarily because Berkeley suffered a delayed drop due to its lower-than-traditional median LSAT/GPA combo. Michigan didn't actually jump up two spaces, either; it traded places with Berkeley for a tie of 7th place with Penn. That's not significant.

I loved the Michigan ASW, and at this point I'd say it's more than a 50% chance I'll matriculate, but I'm definitely going to visit Berkeley first.

Well, it gained on Penn too but you are right. Moving from 9 to 7 equals next to nothing in real terms but at least it shuts this Berk > MVP nonsense. They are all peer schools.

[Tanicius]

You guys need to realize this ranking shift means nothing. It is primarily because Berkeley suffered a delayed drop due to its lower-than-traditional median LSAT/GPA combo. Michigan didn't actually jump up two spaces, either; it traded places with Berkeley for a tie of 7th place with Penn. That's not significant.

I loved the Michigan ASW, and at this point I'd say it's more than a 50% chance I'll matriculate, but I'm definitely going to visit Berkeley first.

Well, it gained on Penn too but you are right. Moving from 9 to 7 equals next to nothing in real terms but at least it shuts this Berk > MVP nonsense. They are all peer schools.

Actually, I think the prevailing opinion on TLS seems to be MVPB. It's tending towards VMPB, but in either case there seems to be a lot of hate for Berkeley.

MOST Law Firm hiring partner consensus appears to think these micro-distinctions are a joke. The only useful description of Berkely/Michigan, IMO, is along the lines of alumni location.

NYU and Berkeley are fairly similar to each other in that they do not quite have the Chicago/Columbia biglaw placement or clerkship stats but do have strong prestige and placement along their respective coasts, along with stronger-than-normal PI initiatives. Michigan meanwhile has always enjoyed a very spread out alumni network, which benefits students who aren't dead-set on NYC biglaw.

[vegenator]

Does your husband like watching hockey and playing Call of Duty? Yeah, I think it would be easier for him to find a job in Boston, and he would get paid more, but on the other hand, with the expensive housing and me paying sticker, he would need to find a job fairly quickly. There would be less pressure in Ann Arbor.

Sorry, but he's neither a hockey fan, nor a player of call of duty. But we did get rock band recently (at which we're still horrible) so I'm thinking that that (with the promise of some booze) might make for an interesting way to make friends
and really, congrats on harvard. I'm sure you'll manage to make either school work for you and your husband. With law student bodies as large as michigan and harvards' I think both have students with similar situations who have found solutions and can give advise. You may have to think outside the box a bit, but where there's a will, there's a way.



And yay michigan in the new rankings! (don't care if it's not "significant" - it's still cool)

[sanguar]

Nice to hear about even the prospect of some more couples with me and my wife at Mich in the fall!

[hipstermafia]

You guys need to realize this ranking shift means nothing. It is primarily because Berkeley suffered a delayed drop due to its lower-than-traditional median LSAT/GPA combo. Michigan didn't actually jump up two spaces, either; it traded places with Berkeley for a tie of 7th place with Penn. That's not significant.

I loved the Michigan ASW, and at this point I'd say it's more than a 50% chance I'll matriculate, but I'm definitely going to visit Berkeley first.

I'm not an advocate of the rankings in the least, as i'm sure Tan can tell you when i snapped at him after he asked me at ASW 'why on earth would you go to a school like GEORGETTTOWN', but if ANYONE cares about them, makes decisions based at least in part on them, etc. (and i think tls is proof that at least some people do), then they mean something.

Besides, regardless of statistical significance, it sounds better to say seventh than ninth GO BLUE.

[jpk5372]

hey guys, did anyone else get their financial aid award? I'm a little confused/concerned as my loans etc don't come anywhere near COA... it says federal subsidized stafford and federal unsubsidized stafford.... is the unsubsidized stafford GradPlus or is that something different?

[hipstermafia]

hey guys, did anyone else get their financial aid award? I'm a little confused/concerned as my loans etc don't come anywhere near COA... it says federal subsidized stafford and federal unsubsidized stafford.... is the unsubsidized stafford GradPlus or is that something different?

if you download the award notice (or something like that) it will show you the difference (in loans, at least for me). My summary only had stafford loans.

[jpk5372]

hey guys, did anyone else get their financial aid award? I'm a little confused/concerned as my loans etc don't come anywhere near COA... it says federal subsidized stafford and federal unsubsidized stafford.... is the unsubsidized stafford GradPlus or is that something different?

if you download the award notice (or something like that) it will show you the difference (in loans, at least for me). My summary only had stafford loans.

Mine only had stafford too....Do you know if we need to fill out something separate for GradPlus?

[hipstermafia]

hey guys, did anyone else get their financial aid award? I'm a little confused/concerned as my loans etc don't come anywhere near COA... it says federal subsidized stafford and federal unsubsidized stafford.... is the unsubsidized stafford GradPlus or is that something different?

if you download the award notice (or something like that) it will show you the difference (in loans, at least for me). My summary only had stafford loans.

Mine only had stafford too....Do you know if we need to fill out something separate for GradPlus?

I think we do, because for grad+ you can take UP to the full amount, so my guess is at some point we actually have to say if we want that amount or if we want less. Not sure how though!

[jpk5372]

I think we do, because for grad+ you can take UP to the full amount, so my guess is at some point we actually have to say if we want that amount or if we want less. Not sure how though!

haha thanks....yayyyy financial aid!!!

[AreJay711]

hey guys, did anyone else get their financial aid award? I'm a little confused/concerned as my loans etc don't come anywhere near COA... it says federal subsidized stafford and federal unsubsidized stafford.... is the unsubsidized stafford GradPlus or is that something different?

if you download the award notice (or something like that) it will show you the difference (in loans, at least for me). My summary only had stafford loans.

Mine only had stafford too....Do you know if we need to fill out something separate for GradPlus?

I think we do, because for grad+ you can take UP to the full amount, so my guess is at some point we actually have to say if we want that amount or if we want less. Not sure how though!

It is on the Michigan admitted students website. You can get the link from the financial aid website to a pdf about it which has a link to the part where you can request the amount. I'm waiting for the ASW to determine how much.

[thelaststraw05]

hey guys, did anyone else get their financial aid award? I'm a little confused/concerned as my loans etc don't come anywhere near COA... it says federal subsidized stafford and federal unsubsidized stafford.... is the unsubsidized stafford GradPlus or is that something different?

if you download the award notice (or something like that) it will show you the difference (in loans, at least for me). My summary only had stafford loans.

Mine only had stafford too....Do you know if we need to fill out something separate for GradPlus?

I think we do, because for grad+ you can take UP to the full amount, so my guess is at some point we actually have to say if we want that amount or if we want less. Not sure how though!

Talked to the financial aid office this morning. I saw the same thing and was confused. They said that for fall starters, the gradplus stuff happens in June.

[dcwumpus]

hey guys, did anyone else get their financial aid award? I'm a little confused/concerned as my loans etc don't come anywhere near COA... it says federal subsidized stafford and federal unsubsidized stafford.... is the unsubsidized stafford GradPlus or is that something different?

if you download the award notice (or something like that) it will show you the difference (in loans, at least for me). My summary only had stafford loans.

Mine only had stafford too....Do you know if we need to fill out something separate for GradPlus?

In order to get loans (even Staffords) from the federal government, you have to take this RIDICULOUS quiz about student debt. It's ridiculous because (spoiler alert) the answers to all the questions are true. It is, however, very helpful in teaching you EVERYTHING you need to know about the federal loan system - including the Grad PLUS. I would definitely schedule a phone meeting with financial aid at Michigan, though. They did a really good job of explaining everything during the ASW.

[hipstermafia]

In order to get loans (even Staffords) from the federal government, you have to take this RIDICULOUS quiz about student debt. It's ridiculous because (spoiler alert) the answers to all the questions are true. It is, however, very helpful in teaching you EVERYTHING you need to know about the federal loan system - including the Grad PLUS. I would definitely schedule a phone meeting with financial aid at Michigan, though. They did a really good job of explaining everything during the ASW.

slept through that session... WHOOPS!

[NZA]

Talked to the financial aid office this morning. I saw the same thing and was confused. They said that for fall starters, the gradplus stuff happens in June.

Bam, that's what I was looking for. Thanks for the info!

[thelaststraw05]

Talked to the financial aid office this morning. I saw the same thing and was confused. They said that for fall starters, the gradplus stuff happens in June.

Bam, that's what I was looking for. Thanks for the info!

I figure I can't mess things up too badly by asking at this point. I no longer have to worry about trying to impress them.

[NZA]

Talked to the financial aid office this morning. I saw the same thing and was confused. They said that for fall starters, the gradplus stuff happens in June.

Bam, that's what I was looking for. Thanks for the info!

I figure I can't mess things up too badly by asking at this point. I no longer have to worry about trying to impress them.

Haha! True. I spent about an hour trying to figure out how to apply for GP loans last night until I finally gave up and figured I'd just go to bed and check tomorrow.

Guess I'll have to drag myself to the finaid session at ASW II.

[michigan_man]

if you're a fall starter, don't worry about applying for GradPLUS until May. The only thing you need to worry about now is getting the FAFSA done.

[jpk5372]

Talked to the financial aid office this morning. I saw the same thing and was confused. They said that for fall starters, the gradplus stuff happens in June.

Bam, that's what I was looking for. Thanks for the info!

you just saved me from a panic attack...thanks!

[die Zauberflote]

Nice to hear about even the prospect of some more couples with me and my wife at Mich in the fall!

My wife and I will probably be there in this fall (or perhaps summer).

[thelaststraw05]

Nice to hear about even the prospect of some more couples with me and my wife at Mich in the fall!

My wife and I will probably be there in this fall (or perhaps summer).

I'll be there, unfortunately my wife is staying behind.

*sigh*

That's gonna suck.

[r6_philly]

Nice to hear about even the prospect of some more couples with me and my wife at Mich in the fall!

My wife and I will probably be there in this fall (or perhaps summer).

I'll be there, unfortunately my wife is staying behind.

*sigh*

That's gonna suck.

I decided against this. We have kids too so it's that much harder. She was supportive but I changed my mind over the winter.

[thelaststraw05]

Nice to hear about even the prospect of some more couples with me and my wife at Mich in the fall!

My wife and I will probably be there in this fall (or perhaps summer).

I'll be there, unfortunately my wife is staying behind.

*sigh*

That's gonna suck.

I decided against this. We have kids too so it's that much harder. She was supportive but I changed my mind over the winter.

Fortunately we don't have kids yet.

The decision ended up being pretty easy, given:

1) We want to end up in Chicago.
2) We want to minimize debt.
3) We want to maximize potential employment.
4) She has to stay in the Washington, D.C. area.

Obviously, fact 4 makes Georgetown attractive, but Georgetown suffers on 1, 2, and 3. Northwestern is an attractive option, but has a higher cost of living. Michigan best satisfies 1, 2, and 3... but unfortunately does not allow me to stay in D.C. with her.

So, nightly skype.

[r6_philly]

Obviously, fact 4 makes Georgetown attractive, but Georgetown suffers on 1, 2, and 3. Northwestern is an attractive option, but has a higher cost of living. Michigan best satisfies 1, 2, and 3... but unfortunately does not allow me to stay in D.C. with her.

So, nightly skype.

Makes sense. I agree it's easier not having kids. I think you can connect with spouse easier online - kids will not be so understanding. I dread to think about missing half of my kid's lives before they even start school - those are the most important years.

Good luck! I am sure it will be well worth it.