Georgia State U Law Forum

[Connelly]

How much/often does a GSU 1L usually study (preferably in terms of each class)? 1 hour per class per day?

I really can't answer this for a large group of people. Perhaps some of the FT students can respond for their group. As a PT student, I probably spent less than 1 hour of studying for every hour of class most weeks. RWA required significantly more some weeks, but just assume that a couple of weekends during your 1L year will be sunk with that. I usually take 9-11 hours a semester. My goal is one solid day of studying/reading on the weekend to do the assignments, and then spend the other weekend day trying to get ahead with outlining and other things if there isn't a lot of football on.

I have finished at or above the curve in all but one class and much better in a few others, but I'm not top 10. My plan is to try and do all the readings, pay attention in class, outline when I can, and then (hopefully) try to get some practice tests in before the final. I learn better by listening, so this works for me. One can also completely not pay attention in class and do well (and certainly better than I have done) in law school. I need to pay more attention to exam prep.

[poil28]

Any other 1Ls here? What'd you think of Orientation?

[mbutterfly]

Really cold in the auditorium.

[sarahd]

Really cold in the auditorium.

REALLY REALLY cold

[moviechicka]

Really cold in the auditorium.

REALLY REALLY cold

It was a freaking igloo. I actually didn't mind orientation. It was just really draining.

[reaisan]

Job prospects for the rest of us:
I'm interested in GSU because an inexpensive way to obtain a versatile degree should I pursue non-profit management, or PI like children advocacy. Also, as a queer AA female, I think ATL is a pretty open and accepting area I can call home.

So, what are your suggestions/opinions of employment prospects based on that? If the cost of the degree is 40k, a 50K non-profit is fine to start, IMO.

Thanks!

[reaisan]

Also! I am considering teaching abroad for a year if I don't get into UGA. Should I reconsidering attending GSU this year?

At UGA, you can be lower-ranked and equivalent to the top 5-10% of GSU students. How hard is that to achieve at either school? A 4.0 at GSU, versus a 3.0 at UGA?

[ugawarrent]

about 90% of each school's class ends up in the top 10% each year. So, you do the math...
Yes, that was intentionally sarcastic.

To answer your totally distinct questions, a 4.0 at GSU is completely different than a 3.0 at UGA. COMPLETELY. As in, "have you even done ANY research or studying on your own" kind of different? Top HALF of the UGA class is over a 3.25 according to the 2010 NALP data. Similarly, according to NALP, there were (probably) THREE people GSU with a 4.0 (I'll give you even 3.8-9). Look at the data; look at the numbers. Maybe I'm biased, but this is just a dumb question. If you think there's not really much of a difference, then based on your reasoning ability, I'm not optimistic about your ability to hit either GPA mark.

What do you think? Is it harder to be top half at UGA or top 5 ordinally (generously) at GSU. If you think it's even close feel free to go to whatever school you want and waste your money. Because, if so, you are probably similar to the kind of person in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE).

But if, as you said in your previous post, you're interested in non-profit management, feel free to do whatever. But I'd bet a management position will not be helped much by a JD, unless it's dealing with "legal" management. Good luck, either way...

[reaisan]

about 90% of each school's class ends up in the top 10% each year. So, you do the math...
Yes, that was intentionally sarcastic.

To answer your totally distinct questions, a 4.0 at GSU is completely different than a 3.0 at UGA. COMPLETELY. As in, "have you even done ANY research or studying on your own" kind of different? Top HALF of the UGA class is over a 3.25 according to the 2010 NALP data. Similarly, according to NALP, there were (probably) THREE people GSU with a 4.0 (I'll give you even 3.8-9). Look at the data; look at the numbers. Maybe I'm biased, but this is just a dumb question. If you think there's not really much of a difference, then based on your reasoning ability, I'm not optimistic about your ability to hit either GPA mark.

What do you think? Is it harder to be top half at UGA or top 5 ordinally (generously) at GSU. If you think it's even close feel free to go to whatever school you want and waste your money. Because, if so, you are probably similar to the kind of person in this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE).

But if, as you said in your previous post, you're interested in non-profit management, feel free to do whatever. But I'd bet a management position will not be helped much by a JD, unless it's dealing with "legal" management. Good luck, either way...

Thanks! You confirmed what I had in mind. Even if I'm not top of the class at UGA, I'd be better off than top of the class a GSU. At least, I'm assuming this is based off of something other than a short fuse.

[Connelly]

Thanks! You confirmed what I had in mind. Even if I'm not top of the class at UGA, I'd be better off than top of the class a GSU. At least, I'm assuming this is based off of something other than a short fuse.

What ugawarrent said in no way confirms what you had in mind as evidenced by your previous posts.

If you're not a troll and interested in non-profit management, what do you see as the route to getting one of those positions? Just showing up with a new, shiny JD isn't going to open a ton of management doors at a non-profit. If you have significant experience in a non-profit, it could possibly help. It sounds like you might be better off going to GSU part-time and getting more involved with a non-profit while doing so.

It would seem like a waste of your time to try to go the route of biglaw to non-profit, so keeping expenses down would make more sense for you than most students. Definitely apply to both and then look at the financial picture. If you are a "queer AA female" and have decent stats, you stand a very good shot at getting scholarships from both schools.

[Sandro]

Anyone comment on social life at GSU? Seeing how the entire law school is confined to one building and there are a decent number of PTers, whats life like outside of class? Does everyone just kind of do their own thing and spread out across the Atlanta Metro Area after class is done?

[ugawarrent]

There are always groups of students organizing trivia, karaoke, and other social outings. But based on what I hear about other schools, there may not be as many "large" group things here as elsewhere. I think Emory has a semi-regular "keg" party that pulls in a good bit of the student population, and other schools have Thursday night "bar review," but here it seems to be done on a more individual basis.

I do think you're right that the particular population here may contribute. Even among the full time students, there is a slightly larger proportion of older and/or married students who just go home to their existing friends or families.

Any law student—whether you're a partier or a constant studier—should make an effort to socialize to the extent you can with your peers. They will be your colleagues, competition, and sources of referrals for years to come in your career. This is a fact you should keep in mind while you're studying and partying with them as well...

[Connelly]

I'm not sure if I can really add anything helpful regarding the social life. It seems most socialization is done in smaller groups of people, but people also seem to be able to move between groups easily, so while it may appear at times to be cliquish, I haven't found that to be the case. We're not a huge law school - maybe 600-700 students - but there seems to be a decent variety of people. It probably helps that there don't seem to be too many cutthroat students at the school. In fact, the top students are likely to help you out quicker than anyone.

I know that the PT students are a tight-knit group. It may be easier on us as a group to bond because we end up taking more classes together for a longer period of time (plus the fact that we're in school with each other for 4 years instead of 3).

Also, you're in the heart of Atlanta, so anything you want to do and any kind of group you want to seek out should be available.

[iansilv]

Can anyone tell me what the grading curve is set at for Georgia State Law? I mean for classes taken at the law school- what the curve is for them. Thank you.

[rahimali]

Has anybody visited the campus yet? I haven't heard much about the facilities.

I visited it on the 25th of November. The campus itself is basically a 6 or 7 story office building that is connected to the student center. The law students for our class don't have to drive all over down town to get to classes thankfully. It is pretty sweet, the mock court rooms look exactly like the real deal but with desks attached to the comfy seats. Classrooms are amphitheater in layout and for 1L it's roughly 50-100 students to the instructor and the 2L-3L classes are MUCH smaller than that. The faculty was SUPER NICE to me and they all seemed to legitimately care about their work. The law library is fairly big as well with a ton of study space for students and those electronic moving bookshelves haha. Law students also have their own private computer lab, a career center that helps with externships and job placement, as well as various guest speakers throughout the year (like Sandra Day O'Connor). All in all, it is a great school for Atlanta I think.

However, it's located in downtown Atlanta which isn't really the most appealing place..it's kinda scary after dark and it's located right up the street from the notorious Shady..ahem, I mean Grady Hospital, which is a good hospital, but attracts the homeless, the addicts, the crazy and general scumbags. I'm a GSU alum, currently applying to go to GS Law, so I've been there countless times. Not terribly bad really, I'm really making a molehill here because I'm jaded about downtown Atlanta...but, still surroundings are important to me.

I can provide some video of the general surrounding area if requested...just got my flip mino camera!!!

[uwgbluedevil]

Has anybody visited the campus yet? I haven't heard much about the facilities.

I visited it on the 25th of November. The campus itself is basically a 6 or 7 story office building that is connected to the student center. The law students for our class don't have to drive all over down town to get to classes thankfully. It is pretty sweet, the mock court rooms look exactly like the real deal but with desks attached to the comfy seats. Classrooms are amphitheater in layout and for 1L it's roughly 50-100 students to the instructor and the 2L-3L classes are MUCH smaller than that. The faculty was SUPER NICE to me and they all seemed to legitimately care about their work. The law library is fairly big as well with a ton of study space for students and those electronic moving bookshelves haha. Law students also have their own private computer lab, a career center that helps with externships and job placement, as well as various guest speakers throughout the year (like Sandra Day O'Connor). All in all, it is a great school for Atlanta I think.

However, it's located in downtown Atlanta which isn't really the most appealing place..it's kinda scary after dark and it's located right up the street from the notorious Shady..ahem, I mean Grady Hospital, which is a good hospital, but attracts the homeless, the addicts, the crazy and general scumbags. I'm a GSU alum, currently applying to go to GS Law, so I've been there countless times. Not terribly bad really, I'm really making a molehill here because I'm jaded about downtown Atlanta...but, still surroundings are important to me.

I can provide some video of the general surrounding area if requested...just got my flip mino camera!!!

That would be great. Any info you can give about the area, and the school would be appreciated.

[bluebubble05]

where do GSU Law students live? recommended apartments?

I'm coming from California, so it's really difficult to find a place when I don't really know the area. I'm mainly looking for a nice, quiet, safe place.

Thanks!

[reaisan]

where do GSU Law students live? recommended apartments?

I'm coming from California, so it's really difficult to find a place when I don't really know the area. I'm mainly looking for a nice, quiet, safe place.

Thanks!

Folks can correct me if I'm wrong, but the best housing won't come from an apartment. Unlike a lot of cities, Atlanta has more houses for rent than apartment complexes. You can get some great homes near MARTA train stations for a great price. I recommend looking for homes in Kirkwood (relatively expensive), or West End (cheaper, but further out) neighborhoods. You can get something from as low as $650 utilities included.

If you really want an apartment, and don't quite care about the price, try The Pencil Factory. It is SUPER close to the school. Safe, amazing location. Great furnishings. Fantastic eateries on the first floor. Ample, covered, gated garage parking. Right next to MARTA train stations for those cold days, which is also one station away from GSU. An apartment there would run you about $900 a month, no utilities.

[bluebubble05]

Any out of state students know how difficult/easy it is to get resident tuition after 1L?

[geenapanthers]

Anyone fellow GSU law people here have a rundown on any of the following professors in terms of easiness of classes? To be completely frank, after first year, I need to boost my GPA and am looking to refine my fall 2012 schedule to give it a more grade-friendly possible outcome (in other words, I'm not looking to take Wills, Trusts and Estates, Sales, Corporations, etc. just yet). I appreciate your help!

Covey (Criminal Procedure)
Juergensmeyer (Land Use Law)
Todres (Public Health Law)
Fjelstul (State and Local Government Law)
Budnitz (Commercial Paper)
Saito (International Human Rights)
Rowberry (Environmental Law)
Edmundson (Jurisprudence)
Turner (Domestic Violence Law)
Radford (Law and the Elderly)
Bross (Natural Resources Law)
Landau (Copyrights)
Heled (Intellectual Property)

Thanks again if anyone can help me out with any advice or input on any of the above professors/classes.

[bluebubble05]

Has anyone heard of GSU students getting access to Amazon Prime for free because of our GSU email (signing up as a new member using the GSU email address)?

I got this info from my roommate who's a current GSU student and says it works for her. Anyone can confirm?

[iShotFirst]

Well its not a GSU perk heh, its for anyone with a current .edu email address.

Google "Amazon Student"

[ck3]

Does anyone know if Georgia States offers scholarships to part-time students as well as full-time students? I'm thinking that I will be attending part-time in fall 2013.

[BlueJeanBaby]

*tagging for info

Is it just me, or does GA State not seem so bad: http://www.lstscorereports.com/?r=ga

[somewhatwayward]

*tagging for info

Is it just me, or does GA State not seem so bad: http://www.lstscorereports.com/?r=ga

I don't go to GSU Law, so this is speculation, but I would wonder what proportion of the employed people are people who went part-time and stayed at their job and continued at their pre-law-school job after they graduated. I know GSU has lots of part-timers. That might be inflating the numbers a little.

But in general GSU seems like a good deal if you want to end up in ATL and you can get in-state tuition. I would much rather pay sticker at GSU than pay sticker at Emory for ATL even though Emory probably gives you a little more leeway with grades.