Georgetown 3L twiddling thumbs 'til graduation: questions? Forum

[gwon19]

A quick question to OP and current Georgetown law students:
Is the 1L legal writing class graded, or is it pass/fail?
I heard it's different from school to school...
Tried to find the information on my own at GULC website, but the course listing doesn't seem to specify it... (or maybe I missed something)

[Marionberry]

0L here, but 99% sure it's graded.

[bdubs]

A quick question to OP and current Georgetown law students:
Is the 1L legal writing class graded, or is it pass/fail?
I heard it's different from school to school...
Tried to find the information on my own at GULC website, but the course listing doesn't seem to specify it... (or maybe I missed something)

Section Size and LRW Graded/Ungraded thread

[coldshoulder]

Does anyone here have experience with GTown's joint degree program, in particular the Phd program?

[Bobeo]

I realize that clinics in general are competitive, but how competitive is the Federal Legislation and Administrative clinic relative to the others?

[Nogameisfair]

This is kind of addressed above, and maybe somewhere else in the thread, but not specifically, so here goes:

I visited GULC recently and I got the impression that it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I also looked at GW, and the area around GW was really buzzing, close to stores/restaurants/bars and generally pleasant. When I went to GULC, I had to practically wade through a shanty town before getting on campus. I didn't see a single establishment within sight, and the area just seemed really dead and downtrodden. So, my questions are:

1) is georgetown really in the middle of nowhere? or did I just not see the right 'side' of it. where are the closest places to eat/go out?

2) where do most law students live. in other words, within walking distance? or does everyone commute?

3) if gulc really is in the middle of nowhere, are you content commuting to school and/or spending 99% of your time on the pod-like campus? what, if any, are the upsides to the location and campus of GULC?

Again, if this is addressed somewhere else feel free to point there, i just kind of wanted to rant/ask my specific Q's.

I know this is stuff i should have found out on a tour, which leads me to another beef i have with GULC: tours were only offered once a week up until a week or two ago. every other school i've looked at offers daily tours even during exam time. also, the admissions office was very unfriendly when i asked if i could walk around by myself.

No response from any current GULC people? I'm not gonna lie my visit was a HUGE turn off because of the reasons stated above, so i'd really like to hear a response. silence just equals one giant shrug from the current student body in my mind.

Oops sorry about this delay. I checked out for a while because of exams and general graduation chaos.

1) Georgetown is 3 blocks from the Capitol Building... It's hardly in the middle of nowhere. There are plenty of places to eat in Chinatown and around Union Station. I had dinner next to Nancy Pelosi a couple months ago at Bistro Bis (a block from school).

2) I live on Mass. Ave, about a 15 minute walk from school. A lot live in Chinatown, and many commute from other parts of DC.

3) See above.

The last bit, I'm not sure what the trouble was here. I've personally given a bunch of tours. I'm sorry about the cold response. If you are back in DC during the summer we could set something up as I'll be here studying for the bar.

Hope this is helpful/ not too late.

[Nogameisfair]

are the grade requirements for law review the same for section 3. Also what is the grade cutoff for law review at gtown? thanks

Yes Section 3 is treated largely the same as the other sections for all types of honors. There is no grade cutoff as far as I know. The information on how they determine law review membership is here (3rd page): http://www.law.georgetown.edu/journals/ ... rt2011.pdf.

I will note that section 3 had many more than 10% Magna Cum Laude at graduation (Magna is given to the top 10% of the school). IT seems to me that the section outperforms the rest of the school once they are upper level students.

[Nogameisfair]

A quick question to OP and current Georgetown law students:
Is the 1L legal writing class graded, or is it pass/fail?
I heard it's different from school to school...
Tried to find the information on my own at GULC website, but the course listing doesn't seem to specify it... (or maybe I missed something)

Yes, LRW is graded and it is curved.

[Nogameisfair]

The lack of clinicals sounds like a major drawback to me. Is it standard for schools to offer enough clinical spots to everyone interested?

Also, would you say Georgetown students are mostly congenial and friendly - or mostly hardcore gunners? I know gunners are everywhere, but I'd prefer if gunners weren't the majority.

Thanks very much for providing this information!

I don't feel like people where too competitive given that it is law school. It's hard to quantify of course, but everyone has always been friendly. I've never thought about not giving someone my notes when they've asked, and I've never had a problem getting notes or an outline. I think that Section 3 might be a little more collegial than the other sections, though. I got the feeling that it operated as a smaller law school within a law school.

[hefferlump]

I agree with everything my distinguished colleague has said.

§ 3 is amazing and we ARE extremely collegial. I think that it's slightly tougher to do well in it, because we have so many brilliant people (see above about >10% getting MCL), but I think that the atmosphere and the people more than make up for it. This was particularly true for me because I am on a PI/government track and it was so nice to be surrounded by other people who were, too. The section also tends to be a little older, which is nice, and it always felt like people were never too busy to make time to help or just go for a coffee. I wouldn't have traded my Section 3 experience for anything, not even a slightly higher first year GPA.

And, I'd like to weigh in on the area around the law school - sure, it isn't the middle of Adams Morgan or Georgetown proper, but I've NEVER felt deprived. You're a ten-minute walk from Chinatown, near Union Station, right on the Circulator Route (going to Georgetown, through Chinatown, Downtown and Foggy Bottom), and quick bus rides from the H-Street Corridor and Eastern Market area. The only thing I got sick of was the cafeteria, after three years, but that's pretty easily remedied through the money-saving technique of bringing my own lunch or making extensive use of the new DC food truck scene (all hail Sauca & DC Empanadas!). At the end of the day, this is professional school, not undergrad and it's nice to have your "work place" separate from where you go for fun. I live on the quiet side of Capitol Hill, 15 minutes walk from school (if I'm going really slowly), and I still love it.

[Bobeo]

I realize that clinics in general are competitive, but how competitive is the Federal Legislation and Administrative clinic relative to the others?

Anyone have an idea?

[nietzsche13]

Anyone have experience with zipcar while at GULC?

[Nogameisfair]

Anyone have experience with zipcar while at GULC?

I love it. If you live along a metro line and have zip car, you have no reason to own a car.

Oh, and you get a decent discount through the school.

[RonPaulConservative]

Does Georgetown gives boosts in admissisions to URM's specifically tribe registered native americans? GULC seems like an awesome school with great oppurtunities and great basketball Would love to attend. Also not quite sure if you touched on this earlier as i scimmed through this thread but how significant is GULC weight compared to that of GW is the distinction between the two wide or narrower than would be assumed? I have heard that GW has an alumni base with connections along the mid to upper east coast? Im sure GULC is just as strong though. Just let me know!

[Nogameisfair]

Does Georgetown gives boosts in admissisions to URM's specifically tribe registered native americans? GULC seems like an awesome school with great oppurtunities and great basketball Would love to attend. Also not quite sure if you touched on this earlier as i scimmed through this thread but how significant is GULC weight compared to that of GW is the distinction between the two wide or narrower than would be assumed? I have heard that GW has an alumni base with connections along the mid to upper east coast? Im sure GULC is just as strong though. Just let me know!

I have very little knowledge of minority admissions. Hopefully someone can chime in to help you. I'm sure that it wont hurt if you self-identify, and it likely gives you a significant diversity boost.

Yes, Georgetown basketball is awesome, and they play at the Verizon Center, which is a couple blocks from the Law Center.

It's hard to say what the disparity is b/w GW and Georgetown. Georgetown sounds roughly 1/3 of its grads to NYC, so I feel we have at least as strong an alumni base in the north east. I don't know what GWs numbers are, but I assume it's somewhat less than that. My understanding is that GW is slightly more regional.

[vissidarte27]

What do you know about the PT program? Are people able to switch from PT to full time? Is applying PT a viable option if you don't have the numbers to get into the FT one? How much does ED affect admissions? What kind of LSAT would a person need to get into PT if her GPA was 3.23?

[freestallion]

I agree with everything my distinguished colleague has said.

§ 3 is amazing and we ARE extremely collegial. I think that it's slightly tougher to do well in it, because we have so many brilliant people (see above about >10% getting MCL), but I think that the atmosphere and the people more than make up for it. This was particularly true for me because I am on a PI/government track and it was so nice to be surrounded by other people who were, too. The section also tends to be a little older, which is nice, and it always felt like people were never too busy to make time to help or just go for a coffee. I wouldn't have traded my Section 3 experience for anything, not even a slightly higher first year GPA.

It's great to hear about your interest in PI -- I was hoping to hear more about that. Do you meet a lot of other students at GULC interested in PI, and does there seem to be decent support for those wanting to go down that track?
Is there guaranteed summer funding for PI internships, or is that something you'd have to seek out yourself?
Are there any good externship opportunities, or do students volunteer with NGOs during the school year?

[wiseguy33]

Not sure if OP or anyone else is still around, but if so --

Does anyone know how sketch the area around campus is? I know there's a homeless shelter and drug rehab center next door. I'll be living in Gewirz without a car, so that means a lot of walking around at night/to ATMs.

[hefferlump]

Hey, sorry. I'm not here that often these days, but I'm happy to tackle those last two questions.

The area around campus is, yes, a tiny bit sketch in some directions, but not others. I'm a woman & I've been walking home to Capitol Hill at various times of the night and early, early morning for three years now. One good thing re: the homeless shelter is that the GULC administration has worked really hard with the DC police to have officers stationed at that corner this past year. It definitely feels safer, but, to be honest, if I'm heading down toward the Mall, I always use New Jersey Ave. instead. If I'm walking to Union Station (which, again, I've done for three years without incident), I always walk on the south side of the street, because that's the side with the federal office buildings/bank and not the side with the vacant lots with random homeless people. But, if you're ever feeling uncertain, you can pick up the free shuttle to Union Station and the Hill (and if it's too late for the shuttle, security WILL drive you). Finally, it's worth exercising a bit of caution if you're heading toward Chinatown - that isn't my favorite walk at night, but, again, I've never actually had a problem.

Oh, and there are PNC and Georgetown Credit Union ATMs on campus.

Now on to the PI questions. There are TONS of people at Georgetown who are on a PI/government track (especially in § 3) and I've always felt incredibly well supported. OPICS (the public interest career office) is incredible and tends to get much better reviews than the regular career services office. We're incredibly lucky to have a great group of people supporting us and I love that Georgetown has made this such a priority. There is guaranteed summer funding, which is awesome. You'll have to do some volunteer hours (e.g. phonebanking, helping with the annual auction) to earn it, but that's a small price to pay.

The externship program has undergone a few changes in the past year. They are offering it for more credits now (I think the options are 2 & 3 credits, but don't quote me on that) and requiring a few more things - a class session and some reflection, I believe. Otherwise, these aren't distinguishable from internships, except that you're getting credit, but the school is also trying to integrate more "experiential learning" courses, in part to create more clinic-like opportunities for students. I never did an externship, but I did two semester-time internships. They were crazy semesters, but I loved every minute, even if my grades probably suffered a bit. My internships really helped me figure out what I want to do and it's so rewarding to be doing real work, when you're otherwise forced to live in law school hypothetical land. A lot of my friends were juggling internships during their 2nd & 3rd years, too. I think access to internships is one of the best things about DC - we really do live in the middle of everything!