Indiana University - Bloomington students taking questions Forum

[Spoonmanners]

Sports: What kind of place are you looking for? It's hard to give advice if we don't have a general price/location/amenity criteria.

Kings: If you are set on Cali, just shoot for Berkley. Then see if the school will bump up your scholarship, then just weigh out the offers. It would be hard to pass up Berkley regardless of scholarship though. California legal market sucks, but if you want to be there anyways, Berkley would be better.

Are you sending apps to UCLA, USC, and Stanford too?

[ChewbaccaDefense]

so quick question, Im not writing htis to come off as pretentious so full apologies if I do.

With the ranking out now, I have a lil bit of a better idea on transfer options.

So as someone who is not super interested in Biglaw, I want it to be an option but not necessairly top priority what are your thoughts on the following?

Staying at IU: I have a half scholly (maybe they would move it up if I ask? Ive heard schools give fin aid to potential transfers at least), I graded on Law review, keep my class rank, be comfortable and around friends, and not ruin potential Clerkship Recs from profs.

The downside is I probably wanna work in CA, and with my job now in Fed court in CA, any firm IU would feed into would see me as a flight risk (and I would be).

Transferring: Obviously the potential bonus of better OCI and opportunities, placing better in CA, but it would cost wayyy more, lose rank, lose Law review (though Id have a chance to Write on), lose clerkship recs.

My thoughts now are anything Berkeley and above is too much to pass on, but I don't think I would below that, but im unstable and insecure haha, so any thoughts are appreciated.

and once again this isn't meant to brag in any way, so apologies to anyone who knows who I am in real life, I know there are a lot of lurkers out there

Hey Kings, thought I'd weigh in on my though process. You seem to be in a similar situation to what I hope to be in. I have no ties to Indiana, very light ties to the Midwest. I've always been an East Coaster. I'm going to IU because my cycle was REALLY weird (I'm an extreme splitter) and it wasn't really a choice with the future outlook for my industry (HR) and my age (old). I'm paying sticker, so that's a bit different from you.

Because my industry is being decimated by HR, law is my way of saving my career. As a result, I'm not very picky about where I end up. I can equally make the midwest or east coast work for me. That said, firms don't like people like me because of the flight risk factor. I'm a more marketable candidate back East. Therefore, I'm going to weigh T14 transfer opportunities, as well as T20 regional schools.

So in sum, Cali's where you want to be, and I think you should still weigh UCLA and USC. The former, I think, would also be hard to pass up. The latter, ehhh, I hear a lot of crap about it (but don't know how substantiated it is). Either way, best of luck and don't take it the wrong way, but I hope you're gone when I arrive.

[kings84_wr]

Thanks guys, its much appreciated. I think Im gonna apply and just see how it all goes. the berkeley write on is in July, so i would stil have a shot to get on LR there. I think the law review thing is what Im really getting caught up on right now.

Just from those of you that have been posting on here, it seems like we have a great class coming in next year. Ive said this before, but just to remind you all, Im willing to give out whatever outlines/flowcharts i have to you all.

Edit to also add: Dean Fromm and everyone at IU has been amazingly helpful with the whole transfer stuff and getting everything ready. I was really worried about teh deadlines and grades, but its not even an issue. So they definitely deserve props

[fenderjsm88]

Any firm IU would feed into would see me as a flight risk.

Unfortunately, I'm a 0L and can't give you much advice on the transfer option (though it seems like Berkeley would be too good to pass up if you want to work in CA...but I'm not familiar with transferring and how transfer students are viewed.) However, I have a few questions about firms and the whole "flight risk" thing.

First of all, what firms does IU feed into? Are they all in Indianapolis or other Indiana cities, or are certain firms in Cincinnati/Louisville/even Chicago known for having a good relationship with IU? Also, I grew up and went to college in the DC area, and currently live in the Chicago area, and am attending IU next year, so where would I be viewed as a flight risk? Would I have an advantage at DC firms because my UG degree is from the area? Or does it all depend on how I present myself (Ex: referring to myself as a "Chicago native" in a cover letter to a Chicago firm)? Thanks for all the advice you've given on here and good luck with transferring.

[Spoonmanners]

Not sure of any specific firms, but the IU degree seems to spread out a little bit because most don't want to end up in Indy. I think past Indy the biggest destinations are DC and Chicago, and of course the smaller regional cities past that.

Almost no people grow up, go to school, and work in the same area. You just have to make it clear you intend to stay in the area.

[Spoonmanners]

Oh, and I'm watching Arrested Development right now. Summer is great.

Have you seen the Bob Loblaw Law Blog?

[kings84_wr]

Yeah if you are interested in a location just make an effort to be a part of the community. Join the bar, do non profit work, stuff like that, register to vote-Drivers license, or buy a house or something haha. Little things can show you are committed to the area.

[kings84_wr]

Oh, and I'm watching Arrested Development right now. Summer is great.

Have you seen the Bob Loblaw Law Blog?

Best show ever.

[Jay-Electronica]

@ Sports- Millenium apts are really nice, they come with 40 or 42inch HDTV and the apts are brand new. From what I know its pretty quiet too.

Question for you 1Ls-There is a huge concert out of town on the 29th that I would give a combination of limbs and reproductive organs to attend. Would it be in my best interest to not go or is it reasonably doable?

[Bankhead]

No, definitely go to the concert. Law school is a marathon, not a sprint.

[Jay-Electronica]

No, definitely go to the concert. Law school is a marathon, not a sprint.

Thats all I needed. I just wasnt sure if the work from the first week would be too much, and I didnt want to set myself back out the blocks.

[kings84_wr]

No, definitely go to the concert. Law school is a marathon, not a sprint.

Thats all I needed. I just wasnt sure if the work from the first week would be too much, and I didnt want to set myself back out the blocks.

Eh first week is the easiest time to leave really, you may miss some social stuff or something, but work wise you aren't expected to do much really.

[fenderjsm88]

Not sure of any specific firms, but the IU degree seems to spread out a little bit because most don't want to end up in Indy. I think past Indy the biggest destinations are DC and Chicago, and of course the smaller regional cities past that.

Almost no people grow up, go to school, and work in the same area. You just have to make it clear you intend to stay in the area.

Alright, cool, thanks for the help guys. So I guess it mostly matters how you present yourself as long as you can back up your ties to the area and show commitment.

[fenderjsm88]

Thats all I needed. I just wasnt sure if the work from the first week would be too much, and I didnt want to set myself back out the blocks.

I'm really excited to go to law school with someone else who knows who Jay Electronica is. Just curious, what concert are you talking about?

[Jay-Electronica]

Eh first week is the easiest time to leave really, you may miss some social stuff or something, but work wise you aren't expected to do much really.

Thanks for the reassurance. Im going.

Thats all I needed. I just wasnt sure if the work from the first week would be too much, and I didnt want to set myself back out the blocks.

I'm really excited to go to law school with someone else who knows who Jay Electronica is. Just curious, what concert are you talking about?

You follow the Elohim as well? Hellz yea son!!! Im a stan, I didnt think anyone would know who he is.

The concert im going to go to is Either Rock The Bells in DC with one group of friends or The Jay-Z Eminem conert in detroit with some other friends. Im leaning more toward RTB at the moment because Lauryn is supposedly going to perform.

[fenderjsm88]

You follow the Elohim as well? Hellz yea son!!! Im a stan, I didnt think anyone would know who he is.

The concert im going to go to is Either Rock The Bells in DC with one group of friends or The Jay-Z Eminem conert in detroit with some other friends. Im leaning more toward RTB at the moment because Lauryn is supposedly going to perform.

That's awesome. I heard they're having Rock the Bells DC at Merriweather Post Pavillion (a venue that has always been close to my heart since I grew up in Columbia and my high school graduation was held at Merriweather.) I've seen a million festivals there and you couldn't ask for a better venue. I would definitely go to RTB but I'm trying to stick around IU for the first week of law school. Even if Lauryn Hill is just a rumor (I also heard something about A Tribe Called Quest making an appearance) have fun seeing 36 Chambers performed in its entirety!

[kings84_wr]

So does anyone know how the whole OCI process works?
Is it you have a certain amount of bids and the employers chose based on quality? or does the school chose for the employer, like a lottery system?

[superflush]

[Are they all in Indianapolis or other Indiana cities, or are certain firms in Cincinnati/Louisville/even Chicago known for having a good relationship with IU? Also, I grew up and went to college in the DC area, and currently live in the Chicago area, and am attending IU next year, so where would I be viewed as a flight risk?

The placement recently was:
25% - Indy
8% - Bloomington
12% - other cities in Indiana
7% - Chicago
6% - DC
5% - California
This, of course, could be (and probably is) worse now because of the economy.

[kings84_wr]

The OCI firms are supposed to be available tomorrow, that should actually give a good idea of geographic regions hopefully. Although IU may not be so pleased about it getting posted on a message board.

[superflush]

The OCI firms are supposed to be available tomorrow, that should actually give a good idea of geographic regions hopefully. Although IU may not be so pleased about it getting posted on a message board.

It will all be public at some point. It is just a matter of the timing.

[Bankhead]

The OCI firms are supposed to be available tomorrow, that should actually give a good idea of geographic regions hopefully. Although IU may not be so pleased about it getting posted on a message board.

It will all be public at some point. It is just a matter of the timing.

Well, I won't be the one that posts it.

[kings84_wr]

0l's have you guys made an email yet? I would think you guys could actually get on symplicity and see the OCI info. If not Im willing to PM OCI firms to those that are either attending or on the fence about attending.

[superflush]

0l's have you guys made an email yet? I would think you guys could actually get on symplicity and see the OCI info. If not Im willing to PM OCI firms to those that are either attending or on the fence about attending.

I think most of us have been having trouble creating their account and their email address.
I managed to create my login for onestart, but I haven't been able to get the email address working yet.

[fenderjsm88]

0l's have you guys made an email yet? I would think you guys could actually get on symplicity and see the OCI info. If not Im willing to PM OCI firms to those that are either attending or on the fence about attending.

It won't let me log onto symplicity. Like most of the 0Ls, I've been having trouble logging onto various IU portals.

[kings84_wr]

Interesting, well the OCI stuff is coming out tomorrow morning, so I have no issue PM'ing you guys the details then, just don't post them on the board