Bored GULC 3L Taking Questions Forum

[BmoreOrLess]

do a lot of GULC students live outside the city? or just the rare few?

I think it's more common with 2L/3L's, but there are definitely 1L's who do it. I know of two kids in my section who commute from around Frederick and Baltimore.

[TLSlogin765]

Random question: what is the median at GTown?

[sambeber]

Random question: what is the median at GTown?

It's not published. You could guesstimate it, but without more information than they give you, it's impossible to know. For 1Ls, probably around 3.35 would be my educated guess.

[sambeber]

Staying up late with time to kill. Anyone else with GULC questions?

[TLSlogin765]

Thanks for doing this! As a follow-up, why do you think the median is 3.35, and not 3.33 (the equivalent of B+)?

[sambeber]

Thanks for doing this! As a follow-up, why do you think the median is 3.35, and not 3.33 (the equivalent of B+)?

Not sure that a distinction that fine makes a lick of difference to anyone if no one actually knows the exact figures, but here goes. If you average out the recommended grade distribution (available here at page 12, http://www.law.georgetown.edu/campus-se ... 080714.pdf), the mean grade in a given class is about 3.30.

Based on my experience, two factors likely increase this number for the median grade: (1) the curves are discretionary, and I suspect most professors prefer to give marginally better grades when possible; (2) my experience has been that for those in the top 10-20%, they tend to get nearly all high grades (As and A-s), whereas those in the lower 80-90% get a more varied mix. Thus, the high end is slightly more skewed (has a longer tail) than the rest of the distribution, which is more compact, leading to a higher median than mean. These two factors likely increase the median across an entire year of classes.

[BmoreOrLess]

Random question: what is the median at GTown?

It's not published. You could guesstimate it, but without more information than they give you, it's impossible to know. For 1Ls, probably around 3.35 would be my educated guess.

Around 3.3 is what I've also heard. Top third is usually somewhere between 3.42 and 3.47, depending on the section.

http://www.law.georgetown.edu/campus-se ... 3-2014.cfm

[BmoreOrLess]

Is the negotiation competition worth doing, or is it just a waste of my mostly non-existent time? I'm primarily interested in transactional work so I didn't have an interest in mock trial/moot court.

[sambeber]

Is the negotiation competition worth doing, or is it just a waste of my mostly non-existent time? I'm primarily interested in transactional work so I didn't have an interest in mock trial/moot court.

Depends on what worth doing means to you. I have close friends that did it and enjoyed it, and are doing firm transactional work. It's also a good way to spin your resume as transactional-oriented come EIW if you have nothing else on there that helps you tell that story. It's mostly soft skills that gets you far along in that tournament, so ask yourself if you have those (good communication/presentation, poise, self-assuredness). On the other hand, it does take up an hour of your weekend plus some time during the week to prepare. I wouldn't kill yourself for it, but it's probably worth doing if for no other reason than to see if you like what transactional work might hypothetically be like at some future point in time.

[doctoroflaw91]

Do any of your colleagues who do drive mention whether or not it is difficult for them to find a space there?[/quote]

Everyone I know that drives has a year long pass, so they are guaranteed a spot.[/quote]


I'll chime in on this as a 2L that drives. It's free to get a parking pass, but you have to swipe your student ID each day in order to enter the garage (at which point you get charged 8 dollars). You are not, however, guaranteed a spot. Generally, the student parking in the garage fills up around 9:30-10 am, at which point the parking attendant will generally place a sign outside of the garage indicating that the student lot is full. If you have all evening classes, the garage tends to start to empty out around 4 PM, and parking is free if you enter the garage from 5 PM onward.

[buckiguy_sucks]

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[kittenmittens]

Is it your impression there is a big jump from GULC to GW in terms of reputation within the city and competition for externships and jobs? Most likely going to be deciding between the two, still waiting for scholarship info

[TLSModBot]

GULC student (not OP) here: It depends on what you want. In DC, both schools seem to do a comparable job in hiring, with GULC usually edging out GW at least slightly. This year, the anecdata suggests that GW didn't do as well for SA hiring this year while GULC's was pretty strong (for GULC's average, kids. No one's suggesting we're Harvard, UVA/etc.). Again that's just a smattering of anecdotes, though - so if someone's got better data please share.

If you want a degree with more national appeal - GULC will get you there better than GW. If you want DC, and if GW is offering serious money and GULC isn't, I'd probably recommend GW. Every little bit of 'prestige' helps your odds for hiring - I was in the top grade tier coming in to OCI and I was still stressing out in a way I'm not sure I would've been had I been at Harvard, UVA, etc.

[brightthru2014]

...

[TLSModBot]

Career Services certainly encourages a focus on secondary markets as well as the major ones, but I don't get the sense they're in deep for the South (at least the non-Texas ones). Regarding portability overall, GULC has less of it than the higher t13, and probably less than a strong regional school in most of the areas you mention.

Depends on what you want, really. If you're looking at Biglaw in a secondary market, GULC can get you there but really not as well as a strong decently-ranked regional. Vandy or UT will likely have better connections and better roots in those markets. If you're looking at smaller firms, then go regional all the way.

All of this, of course, assumes you get serious $$$ - don't do sticker if you're going secondary market.

(Conjecture time): My guess is that Duke would serve you even better. Higher ranked nationally and I would guess strong connections to the south (better than GULC at any rate).

[FlamingDragon]

Career Services certainly encourages a focus on secondary markets as well as the major ones, but I don't get the sense they're in deep for the South (at least the non-Texas ones). Regarding portability overall, GULC has less of it than the higher t13, and probably less than a strong regional school in most of the areas you mention.

Depends on what you want, really. If you're looking at Biglaw in a secondary market, GULC can get you there but really not as well as a strong decently-ranked regional. Vandy or UT will likely have better connections and better roots in those markets. If you're looking at smaller firms, then go regional all the way.

All of this, of course, assumes you get serious $$$ - don't do sticker if you're going secondary market.

(Conjecture time): My guess is that Duke would serve you even better. Higher ranked nationally and I would guess strong connections to the south (better than GULC at any rate).

I don't go to Duke (top 5 school) but have friends that do and this is definitely true, not conjecture. Duke would destroy GULC in every firm in the South, especially NC cities and Atlanta, but also certainly Texas, where they've started sending a lot more kids. In fact, Duke DEMOLISHES GULC for Biglaw basically everywhere in the country, especially NY, Cali, etc., except for maybe D.C. If you look at recent placement rankings, Duke hits above its relatively high rank, and is right there with Penn and NYU (but below Chicago, Columbia, Stanford, etc.) in terms of Biglaw placement nationally. GULC underperforms by most metrics.

[hearsay77]

GULC gets a lot of hate on TLS. Do current students think this hate is warranted? Why or why not? Are you happy with your decision to attend GULC?

[sandwhich]

GULC gets a lot of hate on TLS. Do current students think this hate is warranted? Why or why not? Are you happy with your decision to attend GULC?

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a GULC student.

However, I do know a 2L who attends, and he adores it. So at least one of them enjoys it there. The giant class size doesn't seem to get him down either.

[BmoreOrLess]

I think the giant class size has its benefits. It seems like we're less competitive with each other because of the class size. I'd ideally rather be at a smaller school, but I don't find the large class size to be bad.

I think the general hate on TLS for GULC is due to 1) employment numbers and 2) COA.

The employment statistics are what they are: there's a significant drop off from rest of the T14 as far as large firms go. I doubt this is entirely due to GULC's "PI Focus," but it does seem like many of my classmates want no part of biglaw; we'll see if this is still the case at EIW. It's definitely a gamble coming to GULC with a biglaw or bust attitude.

I think COA has been coming down in real terms over the past few years. GULC was traditionally very stingy with scholarships, but appears to have backed off that policy a bit lately; instead of generating revenue from copious 1L's paying sticker, they seem to be accepting more and more transfers.

[TLSModBot]

I like GULC even though, as a night student, I have to pay sticker. EIW was stressful but I know many, many more success stories than failures.

I don't think any of us seriously believe we're 'better' than or even equals to the other t14 - we take the hate re: employment, but the culture on campus isn't vicious or super competitive.

That being said, 'campus culture' is an irrelevant consideration for choosing a school.

[BmoreOrLess]

Prestige is up: GULC got a shout out on Better Call Saul.

[commandercup]

Prestige is up: GULC got a shout out on Better Call Saul.

Woo, I noticed that too. Still can't tell if that means Chuck went to GULC.

[Ex Cearulo]

Prestige is up: GULC got a shout out on Better Call Saul.

And all kinds of love from The Good Wife. Alicia Florrick is hot and she went to GULC, so it has to be good.

[Dog]

Career Services certainly encourages a focus on secondary markets as well as the major ones, but I don't get the sense they're in deep for the South (at least the non-Texas ones). Regarding portability overall, GULC has less of it than the higher t13, and probably less than a strong regional school in most of the areas you mention.

Depends on what you want, really. If you're looking at Biglaw in a secondary market, GULC can get you there but really not as well as a strong decently-ranked regional. Vandy or UT will likely have better connections and better roots in those markets. If you're looking at smaller firms, then go regional all the way.

All of this, of course, assumes you get serious $$$ - don't do sticker if you're going secondary market.

(Conjecture time): My guess is that Duke would serve you even better. Higher ranked nationally and I would guess strong connections to the south (better than GULC at any rate).

I don't go to Duke (top 5 school) but have friends that do and this is definitely true, not conjecture. Duke would destroy GULC in every firm in the South, especially NC cities and Atlanta, but also certainly Texas, where they've started sending a lot more kids. In fact, Duke DEMOLISHES GULC for Biglaw basically everywhere in the country, especially NY, Cali, etc., except for maybe D.C. If you look at recent placement rankings, Duke hits above its relatively high rank, and is right there with Penn and NYU (but below Chicago, Columbia, Stanford, etc.) in terms of Biglaw placement nationally. GULC underperforms by most metrics.

Going purely by big law placement, Duke is less than 4% ahead of Berkeley and UVA in large firm score. Duke is also 4% behind Cornell and NU. I'm not sure how that's hitting above its rank.

[BmoreOrLess]

How necessary is it to use the full 11 days for write on? Does it make any difference that my top choice (after the main journal) is the Tax Lawyer? I'm top 1/3ish now but am kind of expecting a slight dip this semester.