Stanford 1L taking questions Forum

[heyguys]

Why didn't SLS just spare their students all this "1 H is median . . . no, 0 H is median . . . no, wait, 1 H is mode!" trouble and go full P/F first semester like the big boys in New Haven?

Pretty sure w/o grades 1L year would've been a joke and I would've learned nothing. I'm glad we have grades, I just wish we had more of a HH/H/P thing like Boalt to give more deviation.

Not sure how no grades affect Yale in terms of placing their students. In absolute terms they place better per capita than anyone else but not sure how I can differentiate myself at a school with no real grades from the rest of my 200+ classmates especially if I am looking for the federal clerkships for the elite biglaw firms.

Ha, the first part just might be credited.....actually, it definitely is. Very little incentive to learn things that won't be all that useful down the road. "learned nothing" might not characterize it, but almost certainly learning a bit less than your average law school student.

In terms of placement, I'm not really sure--the general attitude is that it doesn't matter all that much. I know a guy who graduated a couple of years ago with all Ps and no LR who got a really solid clerkship, so it's definitely possible. Ultimately, YLS is perfect for a) risk-mitigating slackers who just want biglaw and aren't terribly interested in being a zombie for 3 years and b) people with real vision. The real virtue of the place shines with the latter category, while there may be more of the former. Hard to say.

[legends159]

A hypothetical:

Why not work your absolute ass off in 2 (or 3) classes to try to get 2 (or 3) Hs and then try to just squeak by with Ps in your other 2 (or 3) classes? Isn't this better than getting (almost-H-but-still-Ps) in 5 classes?

You read my mind, crackberry. I wanted to ask the same thing. Do some students just try for Hs in Torts and Civ Pro, then hope for the best in the others?

B/c grading can be unpredictable. I've had many 2Ls tell me that the classes they worked the hardest on they got P's (probably b/c everyone else worked really hard too) and the ones they didn't they got H's.

Now if you really wanted to try and game the system you could try and pick the classes that you think others will slack in and work hard in those. But then again grading can be a bit arbitrary in the sense that you might choke on the final, it might be a complete curveball, or you might write about something that doesn't help you maximize points etc.

I think the best strategy is to aim for H's in 3/4 substantive classes and then take one class a bit easier. I think most people did that with crim since it was the last final and since the subject was difficult.

I personally waited until the last weekend before my crim final on Monday and spent 2 solid days trying to learn the entire crim subject using the understanding series and EE. I know I wasn't alone in that boat.

/edit/ btw between me and ndnlawdc we can give tips on almost every professor you guys would be taking 1L year so if any of you guys plan to enroll just shoot me a PM next fall (I'm sure ndnlaw would be up for it too) and I'd be happy to meet up, give you some tips, outlines etc.

[ndnlawdc]

My grades are finally all in. Glad that's over, and I can go on with applying for summer jobs.

[legends159]

My grades are finally all in. Glad that's over, and I can go on with applying for summer jobs.

lucky. Grades were actually supposed to be posted on Monday. I heard my last grade might not come in for a bit since the professor just started grading. I hope I'm wrong.

[astro1819]

How difficult is it for someone with a gf to find a job for said gf around palo alto(in the arts specifically, gf will have a BA of some sort in music)?? Its obviously a bit far from San Fran to commute.

Bumping this question. I'm not really concerned about a particular job market but more about the general availability of jobs in and around Palo Alto for sig. others. On a related note, how "friendly" is the area for sig. others? I'm concerned that Palo Alto would be a bit isolated for my gf, who won't be at the law school. It's important to me that she is able to have a life of her own and pursue her own interests at the same time. This is a major concern for me, and it will definitely influence where I attend. Thanks!

[Alea Iacta Est]

What's the curve at SLS?

[astro1819]

What's the curve at SLS?

Just look earlier in the thread. Stanford uses an Honors/Pass system instead of traditional grading.

[legends159]

What's the curve at SLS?

about 1/3 H the rest P

1/15 students in the 1L required courses get a book award.

[Alea Iacta Est]

What's the curve at SLS?

about 1/3 H the rest P

1/15 students in the 1L required courses get a book award.

Yeah, no way someone "in the middle of the class or even in the top 40%" has all Ps then.

[legends159]

it's technically possible but highly improbable.

For that to happen there would have be a large percentage of people at the extremes: a large minority with all H's the rest with all P's. If most people have at least 1 H (as in greater than 50%) then that means straight P's is below median.

However, I don't know anyone's grades besides 1-2 people who have told them to me in passing so I have no clue if over 50% of class has at least 1 H.

[Renaixença]

What's the curve at SLS?

about 1/3 H the rest HERPES

I imagine that's about right.

[southernlady]

How difficult is it for someone with a gf to find a job for said gf around palo alto(in the arts specifically, gf will have a BA of some sort in music)?? Its obviously a bit far from San Fran to commute.

Bumping this question. I'm not really concerned about a particular job market but more about the general availability of jobs in and around Palo Alto for sig. others. On a related note, how "friendly" is the area for sig. others? I'm concerned that Palo Alto would be a bit isolated for my gf, who won't be at the law school. It's important to me that she is able to have a life of her own and pursue her own interests at the same time. This is a major concern for me, and it will definitely influence where I attend. Thanks!

Though I have personally chosen to live in the on-campus bubble without a car, it seems like there is a lot of fun stuff to do around here, especially for the outdoorsy types. There is a decent amount of nightlife in and around Palo Alto. It is certainly no NYC, but good enough for the weekends. Stanford has TONS of sporting events that are free. Also, a good amount of people live in San Fran or go visit there all the time. It is really not that far away when you want to get out and do something different like theaters, museums, better bars/clubs, etc. Some of the 1Ls go once a week, if not more often.

Another thing worth noting is that significant others are definitely a part of the social life here. Any sort of cookout, brunch, study break, or dance-type event (we just had a Masquerade Ball with the other grad students) includes significant others. A LOT of people are parts of couples, and I know any local SOs of my friends really well. I would not worry about your girlfriends feeling left out of the law school scene at all. Everyone is really really friendly and welcoming. The school is small enough to be able to get to know SOs too.

As far as jobs go, your girlfriends could obviously look in San Fran or in the San Jose area. It would be a bit of a commute from PA, but they seem to be pretty active job markets from what I can tell. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I thought I'd add what I could!

[southernlady]

What's the curve at SLS?

about 1/3 H the rest P

1/15 students in the 1L required courses get a book award.

Yeah, no way someone "in the middle of the class or even in the top 40%" has all Ps then.

i can't back up that statement definitively, but of the few close friends who have told me anything about their grades, about half got all Ps. but those people are not freaking out. plus, with the quarter system we still have 2 more chances to get better grades before oci in the fall. fwiw.

good luck to those applying! see you at admit day.

[astro1819]

How difficult is it for someone with a gf to find a job for said gf around palo alto(in the arts specifically, gf will have a BA of some sort in music)?? Its obviously a bit far from San Fran to commute.

Bumping this question. I'm not really concerned about a particular job market but more about the general availability of jobs in and around Palo Alto for sig. others. On a related note, how "friendly" is the area for sig. others? I'm concerned that Palo Alto would be a bit isolated for my gf, who won't be at the law school. It's important to me that she is able to have a life of her own and pursue her own interests at the same time. This is a major concern for me, and it will definitely influence where I attend. Thanks!

Though I have personally chosen to live in the on-campus bubble without a car, it seems like there is a lot of fun stuff to do around here, especially for the outdoorsy types. There is a decent amount of nightlife in and around Palo Alto. It is certainly no NYC, but good enough for the weekends. Stanford has TONS of sporting events that are free. Also, a good amount of people live in San Fran or go visit there all the time. It is really not that far away when you want to get out and do something different like theaters, museums, better bars/clubs, etc. Some of the 1Ls go once a week, if not more often.

Another thing worth noting is that significant others are definitely a part of the social life here. Any sort of cookout, brunch, study break, or dance-type event (we just had a Masquerade Ball with the other grad students) includes significant others. A LOT of people are parts of couples, and I know any local SOs of my friends really well. I would not worry about your girlfriends feeling left out of the law school scene at all. Everyone is really really friendly and welcoming. The school is small enough to be able to get to know SOs too.

As far as jobs go, your girlfriends could obviously look in San Fran or in the San Jose area. It would be a bit of a commute from PA, but they seem to be pretty active job markets from what I can tell. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I thought I'd add what I could!

This is great to know, thanks! Do you or anyone happen to know how easy it is to get into the Munger apartments with an "opposite-sex domestic partner" or whatever? Do you have to be living with the person before coming to Stanford to qualify?

If no one on here knows the answer off the top of the head, I'll just inquire with the school later if I'm accepted. Just trying to figure things out early.

[ndnlawdc]

1/15 students in the 1L required courses get a book award.

At the discretion of the professor. My torts prof only passed out two book awards for 60 students.

[southernlady]

This is great to know, thanks! Do you or anyone happen to know how easy it is to get into the Munger apartments with an "opposite-sex domestic partner" or whatever? Do you have to be living with the person before coming to Stanford to qualify?

If no one on here knows the answer off the top of the head, I'll just inquire with the school later if I'm accepted. Just trying to figure things out early.

i can't say with much confidence, again, but i feel like people that tried to do it got what they wanted. i know of a few couples in munger that are not married. maybe try contacting the housing people? they would probably fill you in on the process this early.

note that the 1-bedrooms (only for couples) are pretty pricey, though. maybe $1800 per mo? if you plan to have a car and you get into sls early enough to plan ahead (i didn't!), you might want to see what else is available in the area.

[Kretzy]

This is great to know, thanks! Do you or anyone happen to know how easy it is to get into the Munger apartments with an "opposite-sex domestic partner" or whatever? Do you have to be living with the person before coming to Stanford to qualify?

If no one on here knows the answer off the top of the head, I'll just inquire with the school later if I'm accepted. Just trying to figure things out early.

i can't say with much confidence, again, but i feel like people that tried to do it got what they wanted. i know of a few couples in munger that are not married. maybe try contacting the housing people? they would probably fill you in on the process this early.

note that the 1-bedrooms (only for couples) are pretty pricey, though. maybe $1800 per mo? if you plan to have a car and you get into sls early enough to plan ahead (i didn't!), you might want to see what else is available in the area.

Related question: Do the rooms in Munger come furnished? I'm trying to figure out how much I should budget for getting an apartment together.

[southernlady]

This is great to know, thanks! Do you or anyone happen to know how easy it is to get into the Munger apartments with an "opposite-sex domestic partner" or whatever? Do you have to be living with the person before coming to Stanford to qualify?

If no one on here knows the answer off the top of the head, I'll just inquire with the school later if I'm accepted. Just trying to figure things out early.

i can't say with much confidence, again, but i feel like people that tried to do it got what they wanted. i know of a few couples in munger that are not married. maybe try contacting the housing people? they would probably fill you in on the process this early.

note that the 1-bedrooms (only for couples) are pretty pricey, though. maybe $1800 per mo? if you plan to have a car and you get into sls early enough to plan ahead (i didn't!), you might want to see what else is available in the area.

Related question: Do the rooms in Munger come furnished? I'm trying to figure out how much I should budget for getting an apartment together.

yep, fully furnished. for info about munger and other grad housing:

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/rde/shs/grad/munger.htm

[lightbulb1986]

.

[crackberry]

if a single student wants munger, is he going to have to share? or will he get a studio? Is there some sort of priority or have you no say whether you will have roommates or not?

From what I understand, you can request a studio but are not guaranteed to get one. All the 1Ls I know who live in Munger live in four-person suites. They are super nice and everyone has his own room and own bathroom. You share a common room and there is also a communal bathroom (that I suppose only guests use). So yeah there are 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms in each suite.

Oh and the furniture is fine. The beds are full size (bigger than twin, slightly smaller than queen).

[Nerka]

Hi all. Got some lifestyle questions for anyone who wants to take the time...

I'd love to hear a little about Escondito Village from those who've lived there or know folks who have. I'll probably try to do that instead of Munger because it's a bit cheaper for me and the SO. How far a walk is it from the LS and Library? Does it have its own endemic community feel, or is it more of a collection of grad students doing their own things?

Palo Alto itself is a bit more suburban and polished than we're used to (or are comfortable with, really). Are there any Berkely-like enclaves or street-corners within a couple miles of campus? You know, with coffeeshops that offer shaggy, comfortable couches in lieu of blond hardwoods and brushed aluminum, and divey resturaunts with cheap eats, and downscale concert venues. Does heading south toward San Jose afford any interesting distractions of a saturday afternoon or evening, or is all of the action in SF?

I like to bike a lot and was wondering if Palo Alto and environs was pretty bike-friendly, i.e. bike lanes, bike paths, and drivers who keep an eye out. I'll probably do most of my gettin' around on a bike or a bus.

Also, I keep reading that "the beach is 30 min away", and I've looked at the map, but thought someone in the know could give a brief rundown of what the coast is actually like around there. Any camping near/on the beach? Good coastal hiking trails? Need that salt air...

That's it for now. Got plenty of others but I'll save 'em.

[legends159]

I opted for Escondido village instead of Munger because i wanted to save money on couples housing. It's about a mile away from the law school, takes me 10 minutes to bike there so very convenient. EV is cool because the people here throw social events about twice a month so it's a good opportunity to meet other grad students.

Lots of bike lanes in campus and around the area. I don't get off campus too much except to go to church or go shopping for groceries so I can't tell you about the area but there are definitely a lot of nice shops and restaurants in california ave. Downtown Palo alto and the Stanford shopping center is definitely very ritzy but it's a nice place to go shopping or hang out sometimes.

I don't know of any divey restaurants. I doubt any of the restaurants in this area would be considered divey though.

Definitely come visit on ASW to get a good feel of the campus and surrounding area.

[crackberry]

I'm not an SLS student but I went to Stanford UG, so I can offer some advice here.

I never lived in EV as an undergrad obviously, but I will say that it is very much isolated from the rest of campus. There are NO undergrads trolling around (for better or worse) and it is very quiet. Munger, on the other hand, is right smack in the middle of campus, across the street from a large collection of freshman dorms and very closely situated to the Row and the cluster of sororities.

There is absolutely no comparison between Berkeley and Stanford, but if you're looking for a dive bar, the Nuthouse on California Ave. is definitely your best bet. Peanut shells on the floor, darts, rundown pool table, that sort of thing. I agree with legends that Calif. Ave. is going to be better than University Ave. for a more "grungy" feel, though I wouldn't actually call it "grungy" by any stretch of the imagination - Calif. Ave is also home to a Starbucks and a gourmet burger joint called The Counter.

Castro Street in Mountain View (just south of campus) is a pretty fun alternative to Palo Alto and definitely has fewer undergrads floating around. I never went to San Jose as it seems San Francisco/Berkeley has everything the SJ area has to offer and more.

Palo Alto (and Stanford campus in general) may be one of the most bike-friendly places in the world. There are miles and miles of bike paths in the area and, if you're up for a challenge, biking into the foothills is very rewarding and yields an awesome view. Everyone bikes on campus. If you don't, you'll be the exception rather than the rule. Also, Stanford's free bus system - The Marguerite - is pretty good. I didn't use it much as an undergrad because I had a car, but for those without a car it is very helpful.

As for the beach, Half Moon Bay is 30-40 minutes away with no traffic. Camping is technically illegal but is often done. For better beaches, head southwest to the Santa Cruz/Big Sur area. Those are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and camping is encouraged (both in established campgrounds and off the beaten track). There is awesome coastal hiking down there as well. It's about an hour to an hour and a half away.

[fidesverita]

Don't have much to add...

- Not a fan of the nuthouse, but meh... I'm more a fan of the Nola off University vibe than the Nuthouse on California vibe. But I DO love California Avenue. The cafes are less crowded. Easier for me to 'escape' campus. I love the Counter!

- Hanging out in Mountain View is awesome if someone has a car. Yay for cheap(?) asian food and drinks.

- I also hung out in Menlo park sometimes because I lived in one of the row houses, and it was close. It's West of campus. Cute cafes like Cafe Borrone's are here. I finished my entire thesis and a few applications in here. I know their menu too well, sadly.

Otherwise, other than cafes and cool restaurants, 'city life' is honestly in SF. Or...

- If you're bored and want to spend a day seriously hanging out somewhere else, Berkeley's ~45 min away. (yeah yeah, why would you cross enemy lines?!... jk, I tease) Honestly, Berkeley has incredible places to eat. They have some of the best restaurants in the US (and in the world if you go to Chez Panisse). The city's sketchier than Palo Alto, but it's a good weekend brunch trip if you have a group of people to go with. Anyway, I digress...

Also, I hate bikes. Even as a biker, I hate rude bikers. It's such a bike-dominated campus that most don't follow rules. I've been run off a (mini) cliff before... But careful, you can still get a ticket for running a stop sign (haha)!

Aw I miss campus...!

[Nerka]

Thanks for the beta. It's good to at least have a vague idea of spots to check out during ASW.

Switching topics...

I wonder if any of you have/know-someone-who-has done an internship over the winter or spring breaks. Talked to a poster over at the Boalties thread who mentioned that it's not uncommon there. Sounds like fun and a good way to bulk-up an ectomorphic resume. Any institutional support in place for things like this? Instances you can name of 1 or 2Ls doing this? Thoughts?