Vanderbilt 1L Taking Questions Forum

[lisjjen]

I go to Vandy. I am offended. Seriously.

It's interesting that you should mention this. When I put it on my facebook, I had a good friend from Georgia who explained to me what was wrong with it: a US president authorized a military general to engage in total war on US citizens. Normally, slavery is the trump card when it comes to the Civil War. That doesn't even come into this. It was am extraordinarily sad chapter of American history and wasn't funny.

I deleted it from facebook and apologized to my friend. And now I'm apologizing to you. I put it up as an example of shit that I am capable of doing because I DON'T GET IT. The fact that I don't know what can or cannot deeply offend scares me.

[Grizz]

I go to Vandy. I am offended. Seriously.

It's interesting that you should mention this. When I put it on my facebook, I had a good friend from Georgia who explained to me what was wrong with it: a US president authorized a military general to engage in total war on US citizens. Normally, slavery is the trump card when it comes to the Civil War. That doesn't even come into this. It was am extraordinarily sad chapter of American history and wasn't funny.

I deleted it from facebook and apologized to my friend. And now I'm apologizing to you. I put it up as an example of shit that I am capable of doing because I DON'T GET IT. The fact that I don't know what can or cannot deeply offend scares me.

I wasn't being completely serious. I mean, obviously it's not the best type of message to display in certain circles, but good news is, no one in Nashville will care haha. It's really a liberal place.

[fish tacos]

Dressing up as a Union soldier for Halloween is also not a good idea.

[Rawlsian]

Dressing up as a Union soldier for Halloween is also not a good idea.

To a law school party? It was a solid costume, replete with a real Victorian beard. Civil war costumes generally aren't offending anyone unless that person is looking for a reason to be upset. Nashville (and especially Vanderbilt) is definitely not a "back the way you came," insular type of place.

For history buffs, there are several reenactments and events throughout the year. The Tennessee State Museum (in Nashville) has a lot of information and memorabilia from the Battle of Nashville. Andrew Jackson's plantation--the Hermitage--is only about 15 miles from town, and James Polk's home is about 45 miles out of town.

[fish tacos]

I actually am a Civil War reenactor and can appreciate someone portraying a Union soldier. I can also appreciate the liberalness of Nashville and law school students in general. By saying it was "not a good idea," I didn't mean anyone doing so would be in any kind of harm or would experience any verbal reproach. But if the goal is "not to offend anyone," as lisjjen expressed, dressing in jest as a Union soldier in the south is in poor taste and is bound to offend someone from an old southern family. I know I would be if the only purpose was "because I'm in Tennessee and it's funny."

[ATR]

Thanks for the help!

[crossingforHYS]

I have a question about public transportation....if you live in HV and don;t have a car can you get by?

[stratocophic]

I have a question concerning on-campus interviews/tours. I'm an undergraduate at Vanderbilt with numbers that make me a good candidate for admission (3.9/169). I've completed an alumni interview, but I'm worried that I could be denied admission if I don't meet with the dean or take a tour... or something. I imagine that Vandy tries to keep the number of Vandy UG admits low for school diversity.

How should I approach this? Ask to meet with the admissions dean? Should I just walk in the law school and talk casually with someone? Thank you in advance!

I went to Vandy for UG, it's not necessary (I know people who got in w/o an appointment) despite the big talk about how it "shows a lack of interest if you aren't willing to walk across campus." I did make an appointment and visited (i.e. made the 1/2 mile trip) before I applied, in December-ish IIRC. If you're worried, just contact the admissions office and set a time to dress snazzily and ask one of the officers some random questions you have.

[ATR]

I went to Vandy for UG, it's not necessary (I know people who got in w/o an appointment) despite the big talk about how it "shows a lack of interest if you aren't willing to walk across campus." I did make an appointment and visited (i.e. made the 1/2 mile trip) before I applied, in December-ish IIRC. If you're worried, just contact the admissions office and set a time to dress snazzily and ask one of the officers some random questions you have.

Good to hear, although I did set up a tour/class visit within the next few days. My file went complete today as well.

[awilson11]

joining the thread.

[mitz1489]

I'm down as well.

So this is a great thread. Hope you're still there to answer some questions.

Im currently having a lot of trouble deciding between Vandy and GW...any thoughts on why Vandy would be better?

Also, I would like to live within walking distance of campus (since I won't have a car) and would like a 1L roommate..would you know how I could make this possible? And any ideas of good places to live?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[spaceman82]

From what you've experienced with class schedules and exams, would it be absolutely stupid to choose to live 40 minutes away from the school if it meant saving a large amount of money (i.e., having free room and board)?

[drylo]

Maybe some others can chime in here because I don't know anything about GW, really. So without more info about what you want to do with your career, I am totally useless on the Vandy vs. GW question.

As far as living within walking distance and having a 1L roommate... totally possible. I think the most popular place to do this would be 20th & Grand. It is literally across the street from the law school (although it's kind of a block away once you cross the street, I guess). There are probably other options, but I have not heard great reviews about Barbizon, for instance.

As far as living 40 minutes away... it really depends on you and your expectations/tolerance. You could definitely do it--it would just mean that you stay at school between all your classes and if you want to come to Blackacre, etc. I live 15-20 minutes away from the law school, and it is fine. It deters me from going to Blackacre/Bar Review, but if you are OK with that, then IMO it's just a question of whether you want to handle the commute every day. For free rent, it might be worth it. Not sure what I would do in your situation, but I don't think its stupid to consider that option.

[spaceman82]

As far as living 40 minutes away... it really depends on you and your expectations/tolerance. You could definitely do it--it would just mean that you stay at school between all your classes and if you want to come to Blackacre, etc. I live 15-20 minutes away from the law school, and it is fine. It deters me from going to Blackacre/Bar Review, but if you are OK with that, then IMO it's just a question of whether you want to handle the commute every day. For free rent, it might be worth it. Not sure what I would do in your situation, but I don't think its stupid to consider that option.

Thanks for your input. I enjoy driving, so I don't think the commute in itself will be a problem, but I am concerned that losing an hour and twenty minutes of my day will make it hard for me to study everything I need to, especially come exam time. I'm also worried that it might make it hard for me to meet people and really be a part of the Vandy community. In any case, I'm going to put some thought into it, but thanks for letting me know that it might not be a totally terrible idea.

Edited for typos.

[drylo]

As far as living 40 minutes away... it really depends on you and your expectations/tolerance. You could definitely do it--it would just mean that you stay at school between all your classes and if you want to come to Blackacre, etc. I live 15-20 minutes away from the law school, and it is fine. It deters me from going to Blackacre/Bar Review, but if you are OK with that, then IMO it's just a question of whether you want to handle the commute every day. For free rent, it might be worth it. Not sure what I would do in your situation, but I don't think its stupid to consider that option.

Thanks for your input. I enjoy driving, so I don't think the commute in itself won't be a problem, but I am concerned that losing an hour and twenty minutes of my day will make it hard for me to study everything I need to, especially come exam time. I'm also worried that it might make it harder for me to meet people and really be a part of the Vandy community. In any case, I'm going to put some thought into, but thanks for letting me know that it might not be a totally terrible idea.

Well, this is probably true, at least to some extent, depending on your expectations. The young and restless crowd definitely tend to live closer to the law school, while the old and married crowd tend to disperse more. Depending which demographic you fall into (in my broadly generalizing, biopic model), you may feel more or less comfortable living far out. You can certainly do whatever you want, but if you are going to feel like you are always missing out if you aren't in the middle of the social/bar scene, then you might want to live closer in.

[mitz1489]

Maybe some others can chime in here because I don't know anything about GW, really. So without more info about what you want to do with your career, I am totally useless on the Vandy vs. GW question.

As far as living within walking distance and having a 1L roommate... totally possible. I think the most popular place to do this would be 20th & Grand. It is literally across the street from the law school (although it's kind of a block away once you cross the street, I guess). There are probably other options, but I have not heard great reviews about Barbizon, for instance.

As far as living 40 minutes away... it really depends on you and your expectations/tolerance. You could definitely do it--it would just mean that you stay at school between all your classes and if you want to come to Blackacre, etc. I live 15-20 minutes away from the law school, and it is fine. It deters me from going to Blackacre/Bar Review, but if you are OK with that, then IMO it's just a question of whether you want to handle the commute every day. For free rent, it might be worth it. Not sure what I would do in your situation, but I don't think its stupid to consider that option.

Thanks for you advice. I want to go into International Human Rights law, and I know the programs at GW and Vandy are both great. Do you know how I would set up living with a 1L? I was considering either 20th and Grand and Americana? How are you liking the environment and the professors so far?

[akili]

Do you know how I would set up living with a 1L? I was considering either 20th and Grand and Americana?

I'm interested in the logistics of roommates/housing as well. Especially since I have a dog

[vandy jobs]

I want to go into International Human Rights law, and I know the programs at GW and Vandy are both great.

Did you get accepted to Vandy? Did you see the packet of where the class on 2010 got jobs? Not a single person got a job in intl. human rights law. That's because a handful of people in the whole US get jobs in this field every year, and lots of them go to super-elite schools. Vandy's a great school, but they're not alone in offering programs "international law" because 0Ls demand them, not because there are jobs. If you go to Vandy wanting to work in intl. human rights, make sure you will be happy doing something else. Same situation at GW.

[mitz1489]

I want to go into International Human Rights law, and I know the programs at GW and Vandy are both great.

Did you get accepted to Vandy? Did you see the packet of where the class on 2010 got jobs? Not a single person got a job in intl. human rights law. That's because a handful of people in the whole US get jobs in this field every year, and lots of them go to super-elite schools. Vandy's a great school, but they're not alone in offering programs "international law" because 0Ls demand them, not because there are jobs. If you go to Vandy wanting to work in intl. human rights, make sure you will be happy doing something else. Same situation at GW.

Thanks for the advice! Ill definitely try to keep my options open.

[drylo]

About roommates and dogs... I think the school sends out a list of incoming students who are looking for housing so that you can contact each other and arrange that kind of thing. Of course, there is also the Facebook/TLS solution as well. As far as dogs go, I would contact some of the places around here (info should be in the OD) and see what they say--I really have no idea.

Regarding the environment and professors... By and large, the professors are excellent. Generally they are very happy in Nashville and at Vanderbilt, and to me it is a positive thing that the professors don't tend to view Vandy as merely a stepping stone to a "more prestigious" position. Along the same lines, I think a lot of the professors are pretty down to earth compared to at least one other school that I visited (and met with professors)--i.e., there is less of superiority complex in the air here. I suppose for some people that might be a turn-off, but for me it is definitely not. (Incidentally--to comment on the environment--I think the law school is generally pretty low-key and not terribly pretentious, which I like.) With all that being said, most of the professors are truly outstanding teachers as well. I liked my professors in undergrad, but we have some really good teachers here. This (the classroom part) may be (and likely is) true at most top law schools.

Lastly, to comment briefly on the international human rights law thing... I think you do have to realize that you may not be able to get your ideal job coming out of law school, but hopefully people already know that. I am not interested in international law, but it does seem like a lot of the students that want to do that kind of stuff get hooked up with awesome summer gigs. I know that one guy who had a pretty sweet international job last summer transferred out this year--obviously this will never show up on Vandy's stats, but he got that job from here. There aren't a whole ton of people who really want to go into that kind of stuff so the stats may be misleading. My point is just that, while you should definitely realize that you can't necessarily do whatever you want when you graduate, VANDY JOBS was pretty harsh in his/her post.

[mitz1489]

About roommates and dogs... I think the school sends out a list of incoming students who are looking for housing so that you can contact each other and arrange that kind of thing. Of course, there is also the Facebook/TLS solution as well. As far as dogs go, I would contact some of the places around here (info should be in the OD) and see what they say--I really have no idea.

Regarding the environment and professors... By and large, the professors are excellent. Generally they are very happy in Nashville and at Vanderbilt, and to me it is a positive thing that the professors don't tend to view Vandy as merely a stepping stone to a "more prestigious" position. Along the same lines, I think a lot of the professors are pretty down to earth compared to at least one other school that I visited (and met with professors)--i.e., there is less of superiority complex in the air here. I suppose for some people that might be a turn-off, but for me it is definitely not. (Incidentally--to comment on the environment--I think the law school is generally pretty low-key and not terribly pretentious, which I like.) With all that being said, most of the professors are truly outstanding teachers as well. I liked my professors in undergrad, but we have some really good teachers here. This (the classroom part) may be (and likely is) true at most top law schools.

Lastly, to comment briefly on the international human rights law thing... I think you do have to realize that you may not be able to get your ideal job coming out of law school, but hopefully people already know that. I am not interested in international law, but it does seem like a lot of the students that want to do that kind of stuff get hooked up with awesome summer gigs. I know that one guy who had a pretty sweet international job last summer transferred out this year--obviously this will never show up on Vandy's stats, but he got that job from here. There aren't a whole ton of people who really want to go into that kind of stuff so the stats may be misleading. My point is just that, while you should definitely realize that you can't necessarily do whatever you want when you graduate, VANDY JOBS was pretty harsh in his/her post.

While I do definitely realize that the jobs in this field are scarce and accept the fact that I will most likely end up working in another field, it's still something I'd like to work towards or at least keep in the back of my mind. Thanks a lot for your honesty and your detailed response to my question, I really appreciate it!

[crossingforHYS]

I was wondering about your opinion of Barbizon, the only reason I am looking at it is b/c they have furnised rooms. I am flying in from the other side of the country and taking the time to settle in/buy furnishure just seems like a hassle.

If Barbizon isn't the best what are better places? and do those tend to have furnished arangments?

Thank you for your help!!!!

[andyllop]

I have recently accepted Vandy's offer of admission for the 11-12 LLM Program. I will be travelling along with my wife. How's life for the LLM students ? Where do they live ? Is it hard getting used to Nashville ?

Thanks,

[jenesaislaw]

I want to go into International Human Rights law, and I know the programs at GW and Vandy are both great.

Did you get accepted to Vandy? Did you see the packet of where the class on 2010 got jobs? Not a single person got a job in intl. human rights law. That's because a handful of people in the whole US get jobs in this field every year, and lots of them go to super-elite schools. Vandy's a great school, but they're not alone in offering programs "international law" because 0Ls demand them, not because there are jobs. If you go to Vandy wanting to work in intl. human rights, make sure you will be happy doing something else. Same situation at GW.

This is not entirely true, but I suspect I know why it appears that way (I haven't seen this Class of 2010 packet, I'll have to track it down tomorrow). Anyhow, a member of the Class of 2010 worked for Project Finance in Tanzania after graduation while she was deferred at a large firm. I'm sure the employer list included her firm instead (rightfully so, as that's what will go to NALP). Likewise there is another member of the Class of 2010 in South America doing environmental justice work (not human rights, but somewhat related).

Nevertheless, your important point remains. There are very few jobs like these available, but persistence and Vandy's connections will put you in a better position than almost any other school. Also salient is your point about making sure you will be happy doing something else, or at least understand your risks and evaluate whether they are worth it to you.

[Grizz]

Likewise there is another member of the Class of 2010 in South America doing environmental justice work (not human rights, but somewhat related).

Haha we all know it's observationalist