Bored GULC 3L Taking Questions Forum

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Really good gym ... Everything is pretty new, and there's a pool, basketball courts, etc. I spend an hour a day there and never want for equipment.

[hichvichwoh]

Really good gym ... Everything is pretty new, and there's a pool, basketball courts, etc. I spend an hour a day there and never want for equipment.

free classes too

[GULCsect7]

The gym at GULC is great. It normally isn't at all crowded, too. I'm a big fan of the pool (and whirlpool).

Someone earlier said that GULC students can use the undergrad gym on the main campus... I thought we would have to buy a membership to use it (whereas the GULC gym is "free" to use by tuition-paying GULC students). Is there some loophole I should know about? I would like to use the main campus gym but I'm not willing to pay a membership fee there.

[TheSpanishMain]

Bumping this with some very mundane questions. I was in DC this weekend so I walked around the campus a bit and a few things came to mind.

First, I assume that desks have AC outlets? If you're in class all day and take notes on a laptop, access to an outlet is pretty important.

Second, is it necessary/recommended to leave a clean set of business casual clothing somewhere in case some event/networking opportunity pops up on the fly? I don't want to be one of those douches who overdresses for class, but I also don't want to end up at some kind of lunch reception in a hoodie and jeans. I've heard random events are always popping up and attending may be kind of an impromptu decision.

[Glasseyes]

Bumping this with some very mundane questions. I was in DC this weekend so I walked around the campus a bit and a few things came to mind.

First, I assume that desks have AC outlets? If you're in class all day and take notes on a laptop, access to an outlet is pretty important.

Second, is it necessary/recommended to leave a clean set of business casual clothing somewhere in case some event/networking opportunity pops up on the fly? I don't want to be one of those douches who overdresses for class, but I also don't want to end up at some kind of lunch reception in a hoodie and jeans. I've heard random events are always popping up and attending may be kind of an impromptu decision.

Also interested in these questions. And to add on, what's the story with lockers? I gather they exist, but are they easy to get to and worth using? Trying to decide how big of a backpack i need to own as a fulltime commuter. Thanks!

[zylaxice]

Bumping this with some very mundane questions. I was in DC this weekend so I walked around the campus a bit and a few things came to mind.

First, I assume that desks have AC outlets? If you're in class all day and take notes on a laptop, access to an outlet is pretty important.

Second, is it necessary/recommended to leave a clean set of business casual clothing somewhere in case some event/networking opportunity pops up on the fly? I don't want to be one of those douches who overdresses for class, but I also don't want to end up at some kind of lunch reception in a hoodie and jeans. I've heard random events are always popping up and attending may be kind of an impromptu decision.

Also interested in these questions. And to add on, what's the story with lockers? I gather they exist, but are they easy to get to and worth using? Trying to decide how big of a backpack i need to own as a fulltime commuter. Thanks!

Hopefully OP doesn't mind another current student answering questions, since I happened to stumble on this thread.

Every classroom has power outlets at every seat. I can only think of one room of any kind that didn't have enough available outlets (It was basically a conference room that a small seminar was hosted in, and only had 3 power outlets randomly scattered along the wall).

I'll let someone who commutes from further away answer this, as I lived close enough that it would have been quick to go change if I needed to. That said, I can't think of a single instance in two years where I really wished that I had a suit and didn't know in advance, and I dress like a complete bum.

There are lockers all over the place, they vary in size and convenience of location. You register (At orientation for 1Ls, IIRC) and get assigned a locker to use for the year. Upperclassmen get first priority for the conveniently located ones, so some 1Ls who register for a locker late get stuck with a locker in a weird hallway underneath the gym. Still wouldn't take you more than 5 minutes to walk from classroom to locker and back.

[dardardelight]

Hi! Can you explain what you know about Georgetown's Global Law Scholars Program ( GLS) ?? I know it's highly selective in that few students are granted the title, but how many actually apply? It is a highly coveted label for gtown law students? Do you need to be above median with both lsat and gpa to even stand a chance? Lastly, do most of the GLS students go into public international law or is there an even split b/w people who want to do international arbitration/trade/transactional, etc ?

I'm probably going to be highly considering gtown law after I get my june lsat score, and already attend georgetown's school of foreign service as a master's student in Asian Studies. I'm guessing this can only help because it showcases my commitment to international "stuff", language abilities, and obviously the georgetown connection.

I realize that most GLS students are top 30% in the class.. is that because being granted a "GLS" student incentivizes these students to work harder and get better marks, or is it the admissions committee that just accepts those students who they expect to do really really well in law school?

Any insight would be much appreciated.. Thanks!!

[Glasseyes]

Here's a burning question from an off-campus commuter: what are your thoughts on the meal plan? Like all students (presumably), I'm living by the skin of my teeth and will be exceedingly poor -- is the meal plan worth it? I'd rather not take another $3600-5000 per year just for food, but as an incoming 1L living a ways out on the red line, I'm not sure how annoying or disruptive (or potentially expensive) it will be to leave campus to try and scrounge up lunch and dinner every day. Do most people get some kind of meal plan?

[gnsmitha]

Two things regarding living in Gewirz:

1. My selected roommate (for a Large 2BR) just backed out of attending GULC. Will I have an opportunity to choose someone else or just get assigned someone random who gets off the waitlist?

2. Any chance I can get a full size bed into Gewirz? Really not trying to downgrade to a twin after 5 years sleeping in a normal sized bed...

[TheSpanishMain]

Here's a burning question from an off-campus commuter: what are your thoughts on the meal plan? Like all students (presumably), I'm living by the skin of my teeth and will be exceedingly poor -- is the meal plan worth it? I'd rather not take another $3600-5000 per year just for food, but as an incoming 1L living a ways out on the red line, I'm not sure how annoying or disruptive (or potentially expensive) it will be to leave campus to try and scrounge up lunch and dinner every day. Do most people get some kind of meal plan?

Is there even a cafeteria at the Law Center? I knew there was some kind of cafe, but I thought it was an independent contractor unaffiliated with the university meal plan.

Anyway, I think there are some cheap options relatively close to the Law Center: food trucks, a Subway, a couple of delis, etc. I'm another 0L though so interested in other opinions.

[theotherone823]

Here's a burning question from an off-campus commuter: what are your thoughts on the meal plan? Like all students (presumably), I'm living by the skin of my teeth and will be exceedingly poor -- is the meal plan worth it? I'd rather not take another $3600-5000 per year just for food, but as an incoming 1L living a ways out on the red line, I'm not sure how annoying or disruptive (or potentially expensive) it will be to leave campus to try and scrounge up lunch and dinner every day. Do most people get some kind of meal plan?

Is there even a cafeteria at the Law Center? I knew there was some kind of cafe, but I thought it was an independent contractor unaffiliated with the university meal plan.

Anyway, I think there are some cheap options relatively close to the Law Center: food trucks, a Subway, a couple of delis, etc. I'm another 0L though so interested in other opinions.

If I remember correctly from ASW, the café in the Law Center is a Subway.

[Glasseyes]

Here's a burning question from an off-campus commuter: what are your thoughts on the meal plan? Like all students (presumably), I'm living by the skin of my teeth and will be exceedingly poor -- is the meal plan worth it? I'd rather not take another $3600-5000 per year just for food, but as an incoming 1L living a ways out on the red line, I'm not sure how annoying or disruptive (or potentially expensive) it will be to leave campus to try and scrounge up lunch and dinner every day. Do most people get some kind of meal plan?

Is there even a cafeteria at the Law Center? I knew there was some kind of cafe, but I thought it was an independent contractor unaffiliated with the university meal plan.

Anyway, I think there are some cheap options relatively close to the Law Center: food trucks, a Subway, a couple of delis, etc. I'm another 0L though so interested in other opinions.

I saw it briefly during the Open House campus tours, but it looked pretty substantial. Granted, I was in there for exactly 5 seconds before being herded elsewhere, but the guide made it sound like you can get pretty much anything you want there. Hopefully an attending student can further clarify. My impression of the area was that there isn't really anything nearby until you walk over towards the metro stops about 10 minutes away, but I could be wrong.

[Glasseyes]

Hmm. Poring over the GULC website, I see there are two cafes: Subway Cafe and Market Cafe.

Here's the menu for Market Cafe: http://georgetown-law.cafebonappetit.co ... rket-cafe/

I don't get the sense that this ties into an existing meal plan, but I could be wrong. The myaccess page got me all confused, as they provided an option to choose a meal plan.

EDIT: the Subway Cafe looks like some kind of fancy Subway, basically. The Market Cafe also has a salad bar.

[schmooky]

.

[zylaxice]

Here's a burning question from an off-campus commuter: what are your thoughts on the meal plan? Like all students (presumably), I'm living by the skin of my teeth and will be exceedingly poor -- is the meal plan worth it? I'd rather not take another $3600-5000 per year just for food, but as an incoming 1L living a ways out on the red line, I'm not sure how annoying or disruptive (or potentially expensive) it will be to leave campus to try and scrounge up lunch and dinner every day. Do most people get some kind of meal plan?

Is there even a cafeteria at the Law Center? I knew there was some kind of cafe, but I thought it was an independent contractor unaffiliated with the university meal plan.

Anyway, I think there are some cheap options relatively close to the Law Center: food trucks, a Subway, a couple of delis, etc. I'm another 0L though so interested in other opinions.

(current student)
I don't think the law center meal plan is a thing... or if it is, it would be a really, really dumb thing to do.

In terms of official on-campus food options, there's a Subway with a little coffee bar in Hotung (the gym/international library/basically Gewirz building) and Market Cafe in the bottom of McDonough (classroom building) that is a sort of cafeteria/prepared food hybrid. Not a terrible decision if you really need something quick in your 10 minute mid-class break, but not where you want to be eating often. As pointed out, there are food trucks lining the street from 11-2ish on the way to Union Station, and plenty of other food options within 3 or 4 blocks.

Two things regarding living in Gewirz:

1. My selected roommate (for a Large 2BR) just backed out of attending GULC. Will I have an opportunity to choose someone else or just get assigned someone random who gets off the waitlist?

2. Any chance I can get a full size bed into Gewirz? Really not trying to downgrade to a twin after 5 years sleeping in a normal sized bed...

1. Almost certainly someone random will get assigned in there.
2. Probably not. Dimensions vary a little, I think, but I was in a Large 2BR and a full bed would have made it impossible to walk between the desk and bed. Plus you'd have to dispose of the big twin-sized wooden bed frame thing, not sure how that could happen, unless you wanted your mattress to just be hanging off the edge 12 inches.

Also, can any current students speak to the shuttles that take residents to Safeway/Whole Foods/Harris Teeter? Thanks!

There's a new, nice Safeway (by DC standards anyway) about .5 mile away, easily walkable. Can't speak to the shuttle because I never used it, sorry.

[AC Vegas]

Market cafe sucks. You're going to be eating a lot of subway and froyo.

[Glasseyes]

Market cafe sucks. You're going to be eating a lot of subway and froyo.

I appreciate the candor. Thanks, guys.

Looks like my wife's plan to send me to school with a lunchbox every day will become reality.

[Sgtpeppernyc]

You'll be in good company. There are a lot of people who sit on campus eating a home-packed lunch, and in my experience nobody really eats at Market Cafe after 1L year, absent the occasional 10-minute break between classes.

[GULCsect7]

I think the Market Cafe is pretty good. I'm normally running to class from work, so I appreciate that it is easy to get in and out of. The soup normally does the trick. I've eaten way too much Subway from Hotung though. Considering how small the campus is our food options are pretty solid. For me it is normally dinner, not lunch.

What are the good off campus options? The only places in the area I know of are the type of restaurants for work lunches (Charlie Palmer, Johnny's Half Shell, Bistro Bis, etc.). There is that Au Bon Pain (or some place like that) about two blocks up near Johnny's Half Shell but that's all I can think of.

[Glasseyes]

Any thoughts on the school health insurance plan vs an outside option (like, say, Obamacare). The price doesn't seem bad for a single student, but with my wife and kid I'm looking at 11k a year. Add to that the fact that GULC has made it perfectly clear they won't cover birth control of any kind (and now it's clear this will not be challenged; thanks for that, oh all-knowing, impartial Supreme Court)--I'm not confident in the coverage, to say the least.

Any thoughts from current students? Did anyone with a spouse or children sign up, and how did it work when they needed doctor's visits? Do we actually have to do everything on site at the law center?

[JustHawkin]

Could be a dumb and/or premature question:

What are the more popular/desirable/quality clinics?

[Mai19s13]

Does anybody have any recommendations for a good school bag (not a backpack)? I'd like to buy one that has wheels so that I can drag it around with me instead of carrying it on my back. It would have to be big enough to fit textbooks, a laptop and a charger but not so big that it looks like I'm going on vacation.

[heavoldgotjuice]

Does anybody have any recommendations for a good school bag (not a backpack)? I'd like to buy one that has wheels so that I can drag it around with me instead of carrying it on my back. It would have to be big enough to fit textbooks, a laptop and a charger but not so big that it looks like I'm going on vacation.

Lol are you serious

[schmooky]

.

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Could be a dumb and/or premature question:

What are the more popular/desirable/quality clinics?

Not at all! The two most selective clinics were the Appellate Litigation (super gunnery) and the newly formed Social Enterprise and Nonprofit (i.e. transactional law) clinic. I did the social enterprise one and thought it was a great experience. PM if you have questions.

That said, my friends who did the aslyum one and juvenile justice ones had amazing experiences, since you straight-up represent people in court. I've heard that the Institute for Public Representation (federal agency work) blows. Federal Legislation is supposedly pretty cool, though it's a massive time suck.