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

[gollymolly]

My rent is about $1400/month, but I moved in in the middle of August and my combined first month's rent and security deposit was ~$500 because of all the move in credits.

[sidgey]

Actually, I have a question a 1L can answer. When does the first loan payment come through? I'm assuming way too late for me to use it to defray moving expenses, apartment deposit, etc.

Also, what's a typical security deposit in Chicago? Is it rent x 2? Seems like deposit laws and practices vary substantially by region.

1 month rent. My rent is $1000 and I live in a 1br HUGE apt 4 blocks from the school entrance. God I love bragging about my fantastic apt.

[sidgey]

Anyone else notice how this thread has just devolved into NU students chatting with each other? ... which we do at school every day anyway. Nice.

I fear face to face interaction. I'm so awkward.

[rayiner]

Anyone else notice how this thread has just devolved into NU students chatting with each other? ... which we do at school every day anyway. Nice.

I fear face to face interaction. I'm so awkward.

Yet cool! Most women would've been thoroughly creeped out by the steps I took to meet you in person.

[09042014]

What's the cheapest building around campus?

Do many of the students find roommates and get 2 bed's or do most people get 1 beds or studios?

[hmlee]

Anyone else notice how this thread has just devolved into NU students chatting with each other? ... which we do at school every day anyway. Nice.

I fear face to face interaction. I'm so awkward.

Yet cool! Most women would've been thoroughly creeped out by the steps I took to meet you in person.

....steps? I think SJ found me actually, I certainly didn't have to go looking for her... Or maybe not. I can't remember.

[chadwick218]

What's the cheapest building around campus?

Do many of the students find roommates and get 2 bed's or do most people get 1 beds or studios?

My roommate, another NU student, and I live in McClurg. Our apartment is 1,243 square feet and we pay $1,850 / month after factoring in all applicable discounts. I hope to live there again next semester.

[chadwick218]

Actually, I have a question a 1L can answer. When does the first loan payment come through? I'm assuming way too late for me to use it to defray moving expenses, apartment deposit, etc.

Also, what's a typical security deposit in Chicago? Is it rent x 2? Seems like deposit laws and practices vary substantially by region.

I just checked my bank account and it appears as though my first loan payment didn't come through until 9/3.

[chadwick218]

I agree. There are also interesting differences b/t the 2008 and 2009 graduation honors lists which suggest that there is real variation from year to year.

Trending up or down?

[TTT-LS]

I agree. There are also interesting differences b/t the 2008 and 2009 graduation honors lists which suggest that there is real variation from year to year.

Trending up or down?

Class of 2010:
- Order of the Coif (up to top 10% by rule) - 23 people. Graduating class was ~280. Note that being top 10% does not ensure coif, as the faculty must elect people to be order of the coif. Also, there were at least two transfers with the grades for coif (they had magna), but who by rule were ineligible. These were likely not the only ones--thus accounting for the numerical discrepancy.
- Summa Cum Laude (4.20 or higher) - 0 people. I don't think anyone has won Summa since at least '07 and maybe earlier than that.
- Magna Cum Laude (3.97 or higher) - 11 people, or top 3.9%.
- Cum Laude (3.65 or higher) - 104 people, or top 41%.
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... rsList.pdf

Class of 2009:
- Order of the Coif (top 10% by rule) - 27 people. I think the graduating class was just about 280, maybe a little shy.
- Summa Cum Laude (4.20 or higher) - 0 people.
- Magna Cum Laude (3.97 or higher) - 10 people, or top 3.5%.
- Cum Laude (3.65 or higher) - 103 people, or top 40%.*
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... s_List.pdf

Class of 2008:
- Order of the Coif (top 10% by rule) - not reported, but I think the graduating class was about 280 or so. Possible that the class was a little larger, but I doubt it.
- Summa Cum Laude (4.20 or higher) - 0 people. 2 students apparently came close, but I don't know how close.
- Magna Cum Laude (3.97 or higher) - 17 people, or top 6%.
- Cum Laude (3.65 or higher) -103 people, or top 42.7%. This seems ridiculously high, and I tend to think 2008 was an abnormal year.
Source: same document for c/o 2008, no longer available on the web.

Class of 2006:
- Order of the Coif (top 10% by rule) - 27 people, corresponding to a graduating class of approximately 270.
- Summa Cum Laude (4.20 or higher) - 0 people.
- Magna Cum Laude (3.97 or higher) - 12 people, or top 3.7%.
- Cum Laude (3.65 or higher) - 99 people, or top 41.1%.
Source: --LinkRemoved--

Class of 2005:
- Order of the Coif: 27 students (top 10%)
- Summa Cum Laude: 2 students (!!!) (top 0.7%)
- Magna Cum Laude: 9 students (top 4%)
- Cum Laude: 89 students (top 35.7%)
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... s_List.pdf

Class of 2004:
- Order of the Coif: 22 students (unclear if class size was smaller then; I will assume a graduating class of 230 for the purposes of calculations below, since previous coif groups have tended to be n, where n= 10% of the graduating class – 1)
- Summa Cum Laude: 1 students (top 0.4%)
- Magna Cum Laude: 5 students (top 2.6%)
- Cum Laude: 67 students (top 31.7%)
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/news/sp ... onors.html

Class of 2003:
- Order of the Coif: 23 students (top 10%. Class size was ~233)
- Summa Cum Laude: 0 students
- Magna Cum Laude: 9 students (top 3.9%)
- Cum Laude: 53 students (top 27%)
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... honors.htm

Class of 2002:
- Order of the Coif: 23 students (top 10%. Class size was ~233)
- Summa Cum Laude: 0 students
- Magna Cum Laude: 7 students (Under a transition rule, must have "4.00 GPA but at least the top 3%")
- Cum Laude: 61 students (Under the same rule, must have "3.63 GPA but at least the top 30%")
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... honors.htm and http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... olicy.html (for the transition policy).

Class of 2001:
- Order of the Coif: 25 students (top 10.5%. Class size was ~240)
- Summa Cum Laude: 1 student (top 0.5%)
- Magna Cum Laude: 5 students (Under a transition rule, must have "4.00 GPA but at least the top 3%")
- Cum Laude: 65 students (Under the same rule, must have "3.63 GPA but at least the top 30%")
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... honors.htm and http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... olicy.html (for the transition policy).

*edited to reflect corrected count raised by msmith above

[natalie123]

Unrelated to the fried chicken discussion, there is at least one 1L in federal courts this semester. Does that seem crazy to anyone else? Is it one of you guys? I figured only a TLS-er would have enough balls to take federal courts without having gotten back any grades.

Not I ... I did everything that I could to enroll in only uncurved classes where professors had a reputation for being generous graders.

Any hints on what those classes are? (she said, planning early--not even admitted at this point, lol)

PS Adorable Cavvies--I have two Blenheims myself.

[chadwick218]

Unrelated to the fried chicken discussion, there is at least one 1L in federal courts this semester. Does that seem crazy to anyone else? Is it one of you guys? I figured only a TLS-er would have enough balls to take federal courts without having gotten back any grades.

Especially in light of the fact that this person has never before taken Con Law! Not a TLS-er to my knowledge, though.

[MirandaHobbes]

any of you 1Ls in the JD-PhD program or have any experience with students who are in it? haven't been accepted yet, but NU is easily my top choice because of the program.

[chadwick218]

any of you 1Ls in the JD-PhD program or have any experience with students who are in it? haven't been accepted yet, but NU is easily my top choice because of the program.

I don't think that we have any on this board, but I have 4 friends in the program. Typically, one would spend the first 2 years in their respective academic discipline, the next 3 years in law school, and then 1-2 years (sometimes more depending on if they pursue a clerkship in between) back in their academic discipline finishing up with their PhD.

[MirandaHobbes]

any of you 1Ls in the JD-PhD program or have any experience with students who are in it? haven't been accepted yet, but NU is easily my top choice because of the program.

I don't think that we have any on this board, but I have 4 friends in the program. Typically, one would spend the first 2 years in their respective academic discipline, the next 3 years in law school, and then 1-2 years (sometimes more depending on if they pursue a clerkship in between) back in their academic discipline finishing up with their PhD.

have they been involved in the law school at all while spending those first two years in the graduate school?
and as a general question -- i'm not familiar with chicago area traffic patterns -- is it practical to live in chicago and commute to evanston?

[chadwick218]

have they been involved in the law school at all while spending those first two years in the graduate school? and as a general question -- i'm not familiar with chicago area traffic patterns -- is it practical to live in chicago and commute to evanston?

There is a bus that runs pretty much on schedule everyday b/w the 2 campuses. You can also live along the red/purple lines to ease the commute. If you are an early riser, traffic typically isn't too bad.

[MirandaHobbes]

have they been involved in the law school at all while spending those first two years in the graduate school? and as a general question -- i'm not familiar with chicago area traffic patterns -- is it practical to live in chicago and commute to evanston?

There is a bus that runs pretty much on schedule everyday b/w the 2 campuses. You can also live along the red/purple lines to ease the commute. If you are an early riser, traffic typically isn't too bad.

cool, thanks. hope good news is in my future.

[Dick Whitman]

have they been involved in the law school at all while spending those first two years in the graduate school? and as a general question -- i'm not familiar with chicago area traffic patterns -- is it practical to live in chicago and commute to evanston?

There is a bus that runs pretty much on schedule everyday b/w the 2 campuses. You can also live along the red/purple lines to ease the commute. If you are an early riser, traffic typically isn't too bad.

The express train is awesome, but it only runs during rush hour.

[hmlee]

So what does this 1L who is taking Fed Courts look like? I wonder if I know who this is...

[TTT-LS]

Addendum to graduation honors post above. Someone found c/o 2005 data, so here's another set of data points:

Class of 2005:
- Order of the Coif: 27 students (top 10%)
- Summa Cum Laude: 2 students (!!!) (top 0.7%)
- Magna Cum Laude: 9 students (top 4%)
- Cum Laude: 89 students (top 35.7%)
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... s_List.pdf

Among other things, it makes the c/o 2008 data look like a real outlier w/r/t the # of people getting magna and cum laude.

[09042014]

Does anyone live in Worcester House, or know someone who does. The admitted students pdf mentions it and the rent is cheap for a studio.

[chadwick218]

Does anyone live in Worcester House, or know someone who does. The admitted students pdf mentions it and the rent is cheap for a studio.

I checked it out last year. I believe that I was offered a very small studio for $625 ... I can't remember what all it included. It is a very close walk to campus, but the building and rooms are very outdated. Even so, it may be still be worth the price.

[msmith83]

Addendum to graduation honors post above. Someone found c/o 2005 data, so here's another set of data points:

Class of 2005:
- Order of the Coif: 27 students (top 10%)
- Summa Cum Laude: 2 students (!!!) (top 0.7%)
- Magna Cum Laude: 9 students (top 4%)
- Cum Laude: 89 students (top 35.7%)
Source: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/registr ... s_List.pdf

Among other things, it makes the c/o 2008 data look like a real outlier w/r/t the # of people getting magna and cum laude.

I think your 2009 data is off by a little bit. There were actually 103 students graduating cum laude in 2009, which makes it look a little more like 2008.

Also, the 2004 class honors list is available on the Northwestern website (although not in pdf form) here: http://www.law.northwestern.edu/news/sp ... onors.html.

[TTT-LS]

.

[Drew2010]

A few questions for the awesome NU students:

Is there any flag football played by the law students?

Does McClurg allow dogs, if anyone happens to know?

Do a lot of the law students live in McClurg? Is that a pretty popular building, and are there others that are also pretty popular and nice?

Thanks!!