Cornell 1L taking questions Forum

[calicocat]

Ah, it's nice to see people excited to come to Ithaca. Enjoy that excitement for now...

Thanks.

I'm not excited. hth.

don't you sass my boy now, Calico . . .

I bet he'll forgive me.

[sheltron5000]

PS: 1L fall/spring breaks and thanksgiving are for studying, not taking time off. JSYK.

so did you even go home?

No, but I'm from the west coast, so home is a little bit further away for me. Universally, people who went home complained that they didn't get enough work done, but whether it hurt or helped varied from person to person. fsohn is right that if you plan it right you can take the time off, but I don't know of anyone who managed to plan that well, and frankly, there is always more work to do.

True. Also, if you plan properly, you can go for a hike and take a nap every single day.

Yes. Where's the sarcasm tag when you need it?

[como]

I didn't have a rough summer, I had a shitty year.

[fsohn]

PS: 1L fall/spring breaks and thanksgiving are for studying, not taking time off. JSYK.

so did you even go home?

No, but I'm from the west coast, so home is a little bit further away for me. Universally, people who went home complained that they didn't get enough work done, but whether it hurt or helped varied from person to person. fsohn is right that if you plan it right you can take the time off, but I don't know of anyone who managed to plan that well, and frankly, there is always more work to do.

True. Also, if you plan properly, you can go for a hike and take a nap every single day.

Yes. Where's the sarcasm tag when you need it?

It's not sarcasm. Some people value their mental health and physical health.

[kn6542]

PS: 1L fall/spring breaks and thanksgiving are for studying, not taking time off. JSYK.

so did you even go home?

No, but I'm from the west coast, so home is a little bit further away for me. Universally, people who went home complained that they didn't get enough work done, but whether it hurt or helped varied from person to person. fsohn is right that if you plan it right you can take the time off, but I don't know of anyone who managed to plan that well, and frankly, there is always more work to do.

True. Also, if you plan properly, you can go for a hike and take a nap every single day.

Yes. Where's the sarcasm tag when you need it?

It's not sarcasm. Some people value their mental health and physical health.

Um, yeah. That's actually what I did 1L year.

[afghan007]

Any rising 2Ls have any information on upcoming OCI (i.e. # of firms)?

Does Ithaca's rural nature divert emphasis away from OCI?

Willing to comment on your personal preparation?

[como]

Any rising 2Ls have any information on upcoming OCI (i.e. # of firms)?

Does Ithaca's rural nature divert emphasis away from OCI?

Willing to comment on your personal preparation?

I didn't count, but there are something like 60-70 firms going to the August Job Fair, another 20ish going to OCI, and then another 30ish with all the other job fairs combined.

The rural nature presumably does keep firms away, that's why we have to trek to the city for a three-day job fair in mid-August.

I've put probably 12 hours into research on various firms. My bid strategy took into account a few factors, in the following order of importance:

Call-back probability (based on my grades and data provided on past call-backs)
SA class-size
Percentage of past classes given offers
Practice areas (are there well-regarded areas, ie areas likely to continue getting work?)
Culture (actually important to me)
Viability (I checked out whether the firms seem managed well and whether they are working)
Salary
Billables
Associate/Partner ratio

I'm about to follow this up with a month of targeted cover letters in smaller markets. Joy!

[let/them/eat/cake]

Any rising 2Ls have any information on upcoming OCI (i.e. # of firms)?

Does Ithaca's rural nature divert emphasis away from OCI?

Willing to comment on your personal preparation?

I didn't count, but there are something like 60-70 firms going to the August Job Fair, another 20ish going to OCI, and then another 30ish with all the other job fairs combined.

The rural nature presumably does keep firms away, that's why we have to trek to the city for a three-day job fair in mid-August.

I've put probably 12 hours into research on various firms. My bid strategy took into account a few factors, in the following order of importance:

Call-back probability (based on my grades and data provided on past call-backs)
SA class-size
Percentage of past classes given offers
Practice areas (are there well-regarded areas, ie areas likely to continue getting work?)
Culture (actually important to me)
Viability (I checked out whether the firms seem managed well and whether they are working)
Salary
Billables
Associate/Partner ratio

I'm about to follow this up with a month of targeted cover letters in smaller markets. Joy!

como is, as per usual, a veritable font of information. i can add a + to this; i think i counted something like 84 individual employers at AJF (includes firm and gov entities like NY Law Dept.), and then when you combined the rest of the fairs and OCI, it got up somewhere near 120 individual employers. That does not take into account firms interviewing for multiple offices--which information i'm (a) not very interested in because i'm pretty solely looking at NYC at this point, and (b) far too lazy to tally up, in any case.

Addendum: As per preparation, I'll also give a +1 to como's consideration factors and their hierarchy. Chambers book + Vault + Nalp information, put it all in a spreadsheet...it takes some time but, obvi, is well worth it.

[mbw]

I'm exhausted just reading Como's prep... how do you guys find the time to do it while working all summer?

(Srsly impressed... and equally glad I'm not doing OCI.)

And good luck! Although I'm sure you and L/T/E/C will do just fine this fall.

[jks289]

mbw is the only one I know for sure has dependents, but to anyone who might have advice: My husband is insured through graduate school in California but obviously he won't be "in residence" once we move to Ithaca. Cornell is charging over $3,700 for a spouse/children which seems exorbitant. Does anyone know of reasonable insurance that works well in the area? Something through Cayuga Med Center maybe? Any ideas on where to even look?

[mbw]

mbw is the only one I know for sure has dependents, but to anyone who might have advice: My husband is insured through graduate school in California but obviously he won't be "in residence" once we move to Ithaca. Cornell is charging over $3,700 for a spouse/children which seems exorbitant. Does anyone know of reasonable insurance that works well in the area? Something through Cayuga Med Center maybe? Any ideas on where to even look?

It is exorbitant (spouse + kids is even more,) but we weren't able to find anything cheaper. Is your spouse working while you're here? I know that most of the non-trads who aren't using Gannett are insured through their spouse (my spouse is employed by a European organization where everyone has state-sponsored plan, so that wasn't an option for us.) Can your spouse COBRA at a cheaper rate from his program? (especially if he was student teaching.) Alternatively, if your spouse does any contracting or consulting and thus files a Sched. C on your taxes, he can deduct the premium, minus 50% of self-employment taxes.

Also, you can get a loan increase to cover the insurance costs, but of course that just adds to overall debt.

[danidancer]

mbw is the only one I know for sure has dependents, but to anyone who might have advice: My husband is insured through graduate school in California but obviously he won't be "in residence" once we move to Ithaca. Cornell is charging over $3,700 for a spouse/children which seems exorbitant. Does anyone know of reasonable insurance that works well in the area? Something through Cayuga Med Center maybe? Any ideas on where to even look?

I highly doubt you'll be able to find anything cheaper. NYS insurance rates are through the roof, b/c it's one of the few states that requires universal access, doesn't discriminate against pre-existing conditions, etc. If I end up needing to elect COBRA for August (I technically lose my insurance July 31, but I'll still be "on the books" and have 60 days to retroactively opt-in to COBRA if needed) the insurance I currently have through my work has an $800+ monthly premium (see, $300/month is a huge bargain in comparison!). The only really reasonable plan I've heard of is government funded (ie Healthy New York: http://www.healthyNY.com.) and has insane deductibles, covers the bare minimum, and comes with income restrictions. And it wouldn't even be that much cheaper! In NYS, if you're eligible for any sort of group plan, that's 9 times out of 10 the way to go.

[como]

I'm exhausted just reading Como's prep... how do you guys find the time to do it while working all summer?

(Srsly impressed... and equally glad I'm not doing OCI.)

And good luck! Although I'm sure you and L/T/E/C will do just fine this fall.

Thanks, mbw. I'm not sure, but here's hoping! Also, pm me or fb msg me about a contact with some NDN org my mom was talking to. I guess this guy is a friend of my half-sister's dad (an Oneida guy). I could get his contact info.

P.S. if l/t/e/c gets a job and I don't, I'm going to be crashing on his couch and drinking all his scotch.

[jks289]

mbw is the only one I know for sure has dependents, but to anyone who might have advice: My husband is insured through graduate school in California but obviously he won't be "in residence" once we move to Ithaca. Cornell is charging over $3,700 for a spouse/children which seems exorbitant. Does anyone know of reasonable insurance that works well in the area? Something through Cayuga Med Center maybe? Any ideas on where to even look?

It is exorbitant (spouse + kids is even more,) but we weren't able to find anything cheaper. Is your spouse working while you're here? I know that most of the non-trads who aren't using Gannett are insured through their spouse (my spouse is employed by a European organization where everyone has state-sponsored plan, so that wasn't an option for us.) Can your spouse COBRA at a cheaper rate from his program? (especially if he was student teaching.) Alternatively, if your spouse does any contracting or consulting and thus files a Sched. C on your taxes, he can deduct the premium, minus 50% of self-employment taxes.

Also, you can get a loan increase to cover the insurance costs, but of course that just adds to overall debt.

Thanks. Not exactly the news I'd hoped for but it is looking like you're right. Hopefully it will just be for a year until he finds a teaching position.

When I lived in Germany, you paid taxes and got to go to ANY doctor you wanted ANYTIME. You pay a 15 euro deductible twice a year if you actually go. It was painful seeing my post tax income, but never having to worry about this stuff (and knowing no one else did either) made it completely worth it.

[let/them/eat/cake]

I'm exhausted just reading Como's prep... how do you guys find the time to do it while working all summer?

(Srsly impressed... and equally glad I'm not doing OCI.)

And good luck! Although I'm sure you and L/T/E/C will do just fine this fall.

Thanks, mbw. I'm not sure, but here's hoping! Also, pm me or fb msg me about a contact with some NDN org my mom was talking to. I guess this guy is a friend of my half-sister's dad (an Oneida guy). I could get his contact info.

P.S. if l/t/e/c gets a job and I don't, I'm going to be crashing on his couch and drinking all his scotch.

you ate a whole wheel of cheese como? I'm not even mad, i'm impressed...

[mbw]

I just wrote a self-deprecating ConLaw reference to wheels of cheese, but decided against reliving the horror...

Moral of the story, 0Ls... try to avoid voluntarily saying really stupid things in class... in fact, don't say anything unless you're cold called...

[KMaine]

I just wrote a self-deprecating ConLaw reference to wheels of cheese, but decided against reliving the horror...

Moral of the story, 0Ls... try to avoid voluntarily saying really stupid things in class... in fact, don't say anything unless you're cold called...

What has become of you mbw???

[mbw]

I just wrote a self-deprecating ConLaw reference to wheels of cheese, but decided against reliving the horror...

Moral of the story, 0Ls... try to avoid voluntarily saying really stupid things in class... in fact, don't say anything unless you're cold called...

What has become of you mbw???

What 44 years of life experience failed to do, a single year of law school accomplished: turned me into a cynical and bitter misanthropist But I'll be a good lawyer...

[KMaine]

I just wrote a self-deprecating ConLaw reference to wheels of cheese, but decided against reliving the horror...

Moral of the story, 0Ls... try to avoid voluntarily saying really stupid things in class... in fact, don't say anything unless you're cold called...

What has become of you mbw???

What 44 years of life experience failed to do, a single year of law school accomplished: turned me into a cynical and bitter misanthropist But I'll be a good lawyer...

Yeah, you really should have learned that earlier. Questions to ask self before asking questions in class: Do I really need to know this? (by do I really need to know I mean, will it help me on the exam); Is there a better way of finding out the information (so that nobody else will know and I can get a better grade on the exam because of my secrecy); Will people think I am a tool? Do I care if people think I am a tool? Will I impress the Professor? (wait, that doesn't matter b/c your grade is based on one exam). There may be other relevant questions, but these are the ones that occur to me.

BTW, I think you will be a good lawyer too.

[calicocat]

Oh god, I don't even wanna go to law school. But good luck rising 2Ls

[como]

Oh god, I don't even wanna go to law school. But good luck rising 2Ls

Quit while you're ahead.

[mbw]

I just wrote a self-deprecating ConLaw reference to wheels of cheese, but decided against reliving the horror...

Moral of the story, 0Ls... try to avoid voluntarily saying really stupid things in class... in fact, don't say anything unless you're cold called...

What has become of you mbw???

What 44 years of life experience failed to do, a single year of law school accomplished: turned me into a cynical and bitter misanthropist But I'll be a good lawyer...

Yeah, you really should have learned that earlier.

Hey, just because you were born cynical and bitter...

And 0Ls, follow KM's rules of class participation... Actually, KM, you might want to trademark those.

Oh god, I don't even wanna go to law school. But good luck rising 2Ls

If you really don't want to go, you honestly shouldn't. But I suspect you're just getting cold feet...

[fsohn]

Oh god, I don't even wanna go to law school. But good luck rising 2Ls

Quit while you're ahead.

TITCR. Stay far, far away.

[calicocat]

Oh god, I don't even wanna go to law school. But good luck rising 2Ls

Quit while you're ahead.

TITCR. Stay far, far away.

too late, como just doesn't wanna see me there in the fall.

[como]

It's not too late. You have been warned. Marry rich.