UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[radek]

I've had Mitchell and Geis. Mitchell can be funny, but I didn't find that he was a great teacher. And the B+ curve sucks. Geis is great in lecture and gives very straightforward exams. I'd recommend him.

By the way, is there anyone at UVA who actually likes the new course selection system? I can think of at least 5 reasons why I hate it.

Not that it matters at this point for the incoming class, but anyone care to elucidate further on this "new course selection system"?

2Ls and 3Ls choose classes in phases now. Roughly:

Phase 1: 3Ls and then 2Ls pick courses that satisfy graduation requirements (writing, ethics, and professional skills courses) for both fall and spring semesters (summer)
Phase 2: 3Ls and then 2Ls pick other fall semester courses (later in the summer)
Phase 3: 3Ls and then 2Ls pick other spring semester courses (~October)

All of these phases are done by lottery. I've never had a problem getting any course that I wanted, but then again, maybe I'm just choosing unpopular courses.

[billyez]

Huh, a lottery system for classes? It just sounds a little odd.

[Kohinoor]

Huh, a lottery system for classes? It just sounds a little odd.

What's the alternative?

[billyez]

Well, I suppose there was an alternative since this was the "new" way of doing stuff. The alternative would have been to just keep it the same way it was before, right?

[bgdddymtty]

Huh, a lottery system for classes? It just sounds a little odd.

What's the alternative?

In my MBA program, the alternative was that you waited until midnight on a given night and then furiously clicked, typed, and refreshed like you were trying to buy U2 tickets.

Comparatively, this doesn't sound so bad.

[radek]

Well, I suppose there was an alternative since this was the "new" way of doing stuff. The alternative would have been to just keep it the same way it was before, right?

The old way involved a single lottery. The difference is that instead of choosing all of your fall and spring courses in one lottery, the SRO divided course selection into phases.

[5ky]

.

[RVP11]

What are some of the common electives 1Ls take in the spring? Or is it a wide variety?

Wide variety, but Evidence was pretty popular - especially among those who made LR.

FWIW, Evidence was the single most useful class I took when it came to my summer job.

[Cavalier]

I'd definitely recommend evidence, but you don't have to worry about registering for spring for a while.

[D Brooks]

I noticed on the academic calendar that there is a fall break from Monday, October 4 - Wednesday, October 6. Is this a time when students wind down for a couple days? I wanted to have a friend visit and want to plan accordingly.

Thanks.

Yeah, there will be no classes during those days. I took a brief vacation to New York (Friday night to Wednesday night) and didn't miss anything important. You can really plan on not having anything important happen those days.

Was it annoying having to fly into DC before being able to go anywhere else in the country? I plan on flying to my UG during fall break to catch a home game.

[YCrevolution]

..

[vanwinkle]

I noticed on the academic calendar that there is a fall break from Monday, October 4 - Wednesday, October 6. Is this a time when students wind down for a couple days? I wanted to have a friend visit and want to plan accordingly.

Thanks.

Yeah, there will be no classes during those days. I took a brief vacation to New York (Friday night to Wednesday night) and didn't miss anything important. You can really plan on not having anything important happen those days.

Was it annoying having to fly into DC before being able to go anywhere else in the country? I plan on flying to my UG during fall break to catch a home game.

I took the train to New York; there are direct trains from C'ville to NY Penn Station now. They're long, but relaxing.

When I flew home, I drove to Richmond and took a direct Richmond-DFW flight.

[sherpaorlawschool]

Does it ever snow in Charlottesville? I like snow and cold weather.

Do any current students have any insight into the opportunities for theoretical study of the law at UVA? The Leiter Report lists UVA as one of the top schools for philosophy in law school and that is attractive to me.

Do students who are not interested in alcohol-centric events find they can still socialize? Thanks!

[dgouzoul]

Does it ever snow in Charlottesville? I like snow and cold weather

lololol

[YCrevolution]

..

[dadengcrew]

I'm starting to think UVA is my top choice. Can any of you guys that go to UVA look over my Why UVA essay? It's only one page and it would help me out a lot.

Thanks in advance!

[Waterman47]

Sure.

[YCrevolution]

..

[dadengcrew]

Thanks! Let me know what you think.

Addendum :Why I Want to go to the University of Virginia
“The classes bring you to tears, and the 14 hour days bring you to intravenous coffee, but the professors here are absolutely amazing in the best way.”
B. is a couple years ahead of me and a rising 2L student at UVA. When we were in ROTC together he was my mentor and he is also trying to become an Army lawyer. His opinion counts for a lot. B. had tried valiantly to dissuade me from attending law school, but failing that, convinced me that there would be nowhere better to study law than the University of Virginia. He emphasized a point that has since been reinforced by what I have read and heard from other students: the University has a genuine collegial atmosphere that is hard to find elsewhere. I believe that I would fit in well to the University of Virginia culture not only because I have a soft spot for softball tournaments—it was the only sport in which my fraternity made the playoffs when I was the intramural sports chairman—but also because I seek a place where people are genuinely interested in helping each other and the school treats students as adults by giving them personal responsibility through the Honor Code.
While the school environment is very important to me, the primary reason Virginia is my first choice is the International and National Security Law program which offers courses in the neighboring Judge Advocate General Legal Center. There is no other school that offers JAG courses to law students and the ability to get a head start on my future career is a major factor in my decision. Attending the University of Virginia would give me an effective education and allow me to make the seamless transition into training to be an Army judge advocate. I am very lucky that the school I am most excited to attend also offers the best path for my future career. If admitted, I would not mind the 14 hour days and intravenous caffeine.

[bgdddymtty]

Waterman,

I have to know why you're rockin' the Rony Seikaly 'tar. Are you Lebanese? A Syracuse grad? A Heat fan who wants to make sure that everyone knows he's not on the "Super Friends" bandwagon?

[Waterman47]

Waterman,

I have to know why you're rockin' the Rony Seikaly 'tar. Are you Lebanese? A Syracuse grad? A Heat fan who wants to make sure that everyone knows he's not on the "Super Friends" bandwagon?

Not quite, no, and absolutely not. Just like the statement that the avatar makes. Big man postin' up, not afraid to show the legs, etc.

dadengcrew,

- If the last paragraph mentions your primary interest in attending UVa, why not put it at the beginning of the statement? Seems like a very compelling reason, and I would lead with that. This sort of statement is almost always hackneyed and must be a chore for admissions people to read, so take advantage of the fact that you have something somewhat uncommon to point to.

- The first paragraph is good, but I'd guess it's exactly like many other Why UVa statements: collegial atmosphere, softball, etc. Even more reason to put it after your last paragraph, which IMO is a much more compelling reason to want to attend the school.

[YCrevolution]

..

[RVP11]

I'm starting to think UVA is my top choice. Can any of you guys that go to UVA look over my Why UVA essay? It's only one page and it would help me out a lot.

Thanks in advance!

You're totally banking on Dean Trujillo not reading this site.

[crossingforHYS]

I am really interested in doing ED to UVA, partly because of my numbers, but also partly because of their first amendment clinic.
Would you be able to provide me more information in how the first amendment clinic is percieved within the school?
and if there is any overlap between students taking the FA clinic and being involved in the appellate advocacy clinic?

[Waterman47]

I am really interested in doing ED to UVA, partly because of my numbers, but also partly because of their first amendment clinic.
Would you be able to provide me more information in how the first amendment clinic is percieved within the school?
and if there is any overlap between students taking the FA clinic and being involved in the appellate advocacy clinic?

Are you asking whether it's a "prestigious" clinic among students? I don't think anyone really cares what classes you take.