Northwestern 1L/2L/3L/Grads Taking Questions and Challenges Forum

[crumpetsandtea]

Wasn't sure where to post this now that SF is locked, but holy shit BK is a mod now!!!!!!!!!!! Grats BK <3 <3 <3 Figured you check this thread pretty often (I think?) so you should see this.

J/K found SBL's thread. derp derp

[qwertyuiop1234567890]

what does prof dana look for on exams? i cant get a read on him...

[Samara]

what does prof dana look for on exams? i cant get a read on him...

You have him for a class? How do you like him?

[qwertyuiop1234567890]

what does prof dana look for on exams? i cant get a read on him...

You have him for a class? How do you like him?

i'm enjoying him a lot - sometimes he moves off syllabus but it's still in line with other parts of the book, so i can't tell if he's about lectures or what

[kscott813]

Trying to decide between NYU/ Northwestern, so I got a lot of questions

How hard is it to get 1L/ 2L internships in New York? Also how hard is it to place in NY big law?

How is social life? I know law school is a lot of work, but every now and then I am going to want to go out and blow off some steam.

How accessible is the rest of Chicago? I heard its like a 15 minute bus ride to get into town? (I don't have a vehicle).

[rinkrat19]

Trying to decide between NYU/ Northwestern, so I got a lot of questions

How hard is it to get 1L/ 2L internships in New York? Also how hard is it to place in NY big law?

How is social life? I know law school is a lot of work, but every now and then I am going to want to go out and blow off some steam.

How accessible is the rest of Chicago? I heard its like a 15 minute bus ride to get into town? (I don't have a vehicle).

0L heading to Chicago here, so I can only address the last item: You're thinking of the Evanston campus, north of town. It's the main UG/grad campus. The law and med schools are smack fucking downtown on the lakeshore in the heart of the tourist/shopping/restaurant/hotel district. You certainly do not need (and most can't afford) to keep a car there. Chicago's public transit system is extensive and (from what I hear, and from my limited personal experience) excellent. A mandatory CTA pass is included in the law school's student fees.

[Samara]

Trying to decide between NYU/ Northwestern, so I got a lot of questions

How hard is it to get 1L/ 2L internships in New York? Also how hard is it to place in NY big law?

How is social life? I know law school is a lot of work, but every now and then I am going to want to go out and blow off some steam.

How accessible is the rest of Chicago? I heard its like a 15 minute bus ride to get into town? (I don't have a vehicle).

0L heading to Chicago here, so I can only address the last item: You're thinking of the Evanston campus, north of town. It's the main UG/grad campus. The law and med schools are smack fucking downtown on the lakeshore in the heart of the tourist/shopping/restaurant/hotel district.

Also a 0L headed to NU, but I currently live in the Chicago surburbs. As rinkrat19 said, the law school is downtown in Streeterville, between the lake and the Magnificent Mile. Chicago is really easy to get around. There aren't nearly as many subway/El lines as in NYC, but I feel like you generally have to transfer less to get where you're going. I'm from the Midwest, so I'm sure I'm biased, but I love Chicago and prefer it greatly to NYC. There is plenty to do, so don't worry about that.

ETA: I currently have a vehicle, but will be selling it when I move into the city and using Zipcar, FWIW. I don't expect to need a car very often.

[09042014]

Trying to decide between NYU/ Northwestern, so I got a lot of questions

How hard is it to get 1L/ 2L internships in New York? Also how hard is it to place in NY big law?

How is social life? I know law school is a lot of work, but every now and then I am going to want to go out and blow off some steam.

How accessible is the rest of Chicago? I heard its like a 15 minute bus ride to get into town? (I don't have a vehicle).

1)Pretty easy. Most of the NYC firms come to OCI, and they hire a lot of people. It's probably where the school places best ITE.

2) Social is pretty good, I enjoy the people. Bar review is held every week and is pretty well attended. People are friendly, and I get invited to parties all the time, even by people I only barely know.

3) The law school is on the near north side. It's right in the middle of town, right on the lake. Maybe you are thinking of the Undergrad campus which is in the suburbs. It's a great location. You don't want a car if you live near campus.

[rinkrat19]

Trying to decide between NYU/ Northwestern, so I got a lot of questions

How hard is it to get 1L/ 2L internships in New York? Also how hard is it to place in NY big law?

How is social life? I know law school is a lot of work, but every now and then I am going to want to go out and blow off some steam.

How accessible is the rest of Chicago? I heard its like a 15 minute bus ride to get into town? (I don't have a vehicle).

0L heading to Chicago here, so I can only address the last item: You're thinking of the Evanston campus, north of town. It's the main UG/grad campus. The law and med schools are smack fucking downtown on the lakeshore in the heart of the tourist/shopping/restaurant/hotel district.

Also a 0L headed to NU, but I currently live in the Chicago surburbs. As rinkrat19 said, the law school is downtown in Streeterville, between the lake and the Magnificent Mile. Chicago is really easy to get around. There aren't nearly as many subway/El lines as in NYC, but I feel like you generally have to transfer less to get where you're going. I'm from the Midwest, so I'm sure I'm biased, but I love Chicago and prefer it greatly to NYC. There is plenty to do, so don't worry about that.

ETA: I currently have a vehicle, but will be selling it when I move into the city and using Zipcar, FWIW. I don't expect to need a car very often.

I'm going to be making friends with you so that I can cajole you into driving me to Costco in your zipcar.

[bk1]

Trying to decide between NYU/ Northwestern, so I got a lot of questions

How hard is it to get 1L/ 2L internships in New York? Also how hard is it to place in NY big law?

How is social life? I know law school is a lot of work, but every now and then I am going to want to go out and blow off some steam.

How accessible is the rest of Chicago? I heard its like a 15 minute bus ride to get into town? (I don't have a vehicle).

1)Pretty easy. Most of the NYC firms come to OCI, and they hire a lot of people. It's probably where the school places best ITE.

2) Social is pretty good, I enjoy the people. Bar review is held every week and is pretty well attended. People are friendly, and I get invited to parties all the time, even by people I only barely know.

3) The law school is on the near north side. It's right in the middle of town, right on the lake. Maybe you are thinking of the Undergrad campus which is in the suburbs. It's a great location. You don't want a car if you live near campus.

+1

[ryemanhattan]

It looks like there are a few Denver firms at OCI... any sense of how difficult it is to land a biglaw gig in Denver coming out of NU? I know this is a relatively small legal market.

[bjsesq]

It looks like there are a few Denver firms at OCI... any sense of how difficult it is to land a biglaw gig in Denver coming out of NU? I know this is a relatively small legal market.

It's not easy. You better have some connections.

[kennethellenparcell]

So NU is coming out with aid decisions in the next few weeks. As a splitter, I am fully expecting to get zero aid. Did any of you have to make the decision between significant money at UIUC and sticker at NU? My plan is to try to find a Chicago biglaw position coming out of school, but I would like to have mobility nationwide because who knows where life will take you.

If I go to UIUC - I will realistically have 20-30K of debt. I've read through some of the UIUC v. NU decision threads here, but would appreciate any current NU student's input in deciding between the two or just justifying NU at sticker really. Thanks!

Also, want to say that I had 20K of debt coming out of undergrad. I thought paying that off was a big feat. $150K+ debt is mind boggling.

[bjsesq]

My plan is to try to find a Chicago biglaw position coming out of school, but I would like to have mobility nationwide because who knows where life will take you.

I hate debt with a burning passion, but since these are your goals I would tell you to go NU. *anecdotal* evidence indicates that biglaw jobs are in pretty short supply out of Chambana right now, and there is really no comparison in national reputation between the two schools. If you think there is a chance of anything besides those two things, i.e. remaining in Illinois for something besides biglaw, I might consider Illinois.

[ryemanhattan]

It looks like there are a few Denver firms at OCI... any sense of how difficult it is to land a biglaw gig in Denver coming out of NU? I know this is a relatively small legal market.

It's not easy. You better have some connections.

By connections, you mean, know someone in the actual law firm? I've got strong family ties in Denver, including in law (but not biglaw). I'm sure it's not easy, but if were, say, top quarter at NU (which I realize I have no real reason to think I would be), and a good interviewer, would this be a possibility? Do you know anyone who has summer 1L/2L gigs in Denver?

Or, if I decided I have my heart set on CO, should I just save a boatload of money and go to CUBoulder?

[bjsesq]

It looks like there are a few Denver firms at OCI... any sense of how difficult it is to land a biglaw gig in Denver coming out of NU? I know this is a relatively small legal market.

It's not easy. You better have some connections.

By connections, you mean, know someone in the actual law firm? I've got strong family ties in Denver, including in law (but not biglaw). I'm sure it's not easy, but if were, say, top quarter at NU (which I realize I have no real reason to think I would be), and a good interviewer, would this be a possibility? Do you know anyone who has summer 1L/2L gigs in Denver?

Or, if I decided I have my heart set on CO, should I just save a boatload of money and go to CUBoulder?

I have a friend working at a firm in Denver (2L). I think the family connections will help. Still, there are no guarantees in a small market, dude. As far as grades are concerned, I am not sure what to tell you until some accurate OCI numbers come out. This past years were a goatfuck.

[kennethellenparcell]

My plan is to try to find a Chicago biglaw position coming out of school, but I would like to have mobility nationwide because who knows where life will take you.

I hate debt with a burning passion, but since these are your goals I would tell you to go NU. *anecdotal* evidence indicates that biglaw jobs are in pretty short supply out of Chambana right now, and there is really no comparison in national reputation between the two schools. If you think there is a chance of anything besides those two things, i.e. remaining in Illinois for something besides biglaw, I might consider Illinois.

Welp, time to become a prostitute.

[bk1]

So NU is coming out with aid decisions in the next few weeks. As a splitter, I am fully expecting to get zero aid. Did any of you have to make the decision between significant money at UIUC and sticker at NU? My plan is to try to find a Chicago biglaw position coming out of school, but I would like to have mobility nationwide because who knows where life will take you.

If I go to UIUC - I will realistically have 20-30K of debt. I've read through some of the UIUC v. NU decision threads here, but would appreciate any current NU student's input in deciding between the two or just justifying NU at sticker really. Thanks!

Also, want to say that I had 20K of debt coming out of undergrad. I thought paying that off was a big feat. $150K+ debt is mind boggling.

Your numbers seem off. 20-30k from UIUC? That sounds like full ride+stipend. And NU is around 250k debt at graduation once you factor in interest.

I agree with bjs. I think if you want biglaw or national prospects, T14's hands down beat even the best regional schools. I also think that your undergrad debt is small enough and sticker from NU high enough that that isn't much of a factor. I turned down 105k at WUSTL/GW for sticker at NU because I knew I wanted to the best chance of working in CA. I also wanted the exit options that working at a big firm provides, something that would have been infinitely harder from a regional school. I also knew going in that I would be okay with working in NYC if that is what it took to pay off debt. That being said, 250k debt (or closer to 300k for you once you factor in undergrad debt) is a lot of money. It's also quite a risk. As a splitter you can't really mitigate that risk since if you want biglaw you have to pay sticker at a T14. I know people who are paying sticker here at both the bottom and top of the class and I don't think it can be repeated enough how risky taking out a quarter million dollars really is and how it will impact your working future. If you can stomach the risk then I think NU is the right call for you. It's worked out for me so far but I know that there are others that are in less fortunate positions.

[Flips88]

Assuming Urbana-Champaign is a regular cheap college town, it's totally doable to live on $10k/yr. So if you get the full ride, it would probably be that cheap.

[Flips88]

I know people who are paying sticker here at both the bottom and top of the class and I don't think it can be repeated enough how risky taking out a quarter million dollars really is and how it will impact your working future. If you can stomach the risk then I think NU is the right call for you. It's worked out for me so far but I know that there are others that are in less fortunate positions.

DON'T OUT ME BRO

[kennethellenparcell]

Your numbers seem off. 20-30k from UIUC? That sounds like full ride+stipend. And NU is around 250k debt at graduation once you factor in interest.

I agree with bjs. I think if you want biglaw or national prospects, T14's hands down beat even the best regional schools. I also think that your undergrad debt is small enough and sticker from NU high enough that that isn't much of a factor. I turned down 105k at WUSTL/GW for sticker at NU because I knew I wanted to the best chance of working in CA. I also wanted the exit options that working at a big firm provides, something that would have been infinitely harder from a regional school. I also knew going in that I would be okay with working in NYC if that is what it took to pay off debt. That being said, 250k debt (or closer to 300k for you once you factor in undergrad debt) is a lot of money. It's also quite a risk. As a splitter you can't really mitigate that risk since if you want biglaw you have to pay sticker at a T14. I know people who are paying sticker here at both the bottom and top of the class and I don't think it can be repeated enough how risky taking out a quarter million dollars really is and how it will impact your working future. If you can stomach the risk then I think NU is the right call for you. It's worked out for me so far but I know that there are others that are in less fortunate positions.

I have some savings so coupled with the amount I am getting from UIUC, it would work out to about $20-30K for me. I could put a decent amount towards tuition and wouldn't have to take out loans for cost of living. Thanks for your input!

[homestyle28]

at the bottom of the class

DON'T OUT ME BRO

laughs nervously...

[bk1]

DON'T OUT ME BRO

Nobody could ever connect you to your online persona.

[09042014]

Assuming Urbana-Champaign is a regular cheap college town, it's totally doable to live on $10k/yr. So if you get the full ride, it would probably be that cheap.

No way can you get buy on 10K/yr at UIUC. I couldn't do that 6 years ago in undergrad.

[09042014]

None of you are Kevin Chin are you?