UChi Students & Alumni Taking Questions Forum

[WhiteyCakes]

Question for those UChi folks with families. I will be attending law school and my wife and I have a little guy, and probably one more that will come during law school. Are any of you in the same boat where you are going to school and your spouse stays at home with kids/works PT? As you can imagine my selection of a law school takes (heavily) into consideration how those three years will effect my family, and the amenities available to them. How are the housing options limited, abundant, somewhere in between? Also as been asked here before, Chicago has a reputation for high crime rates/being a dangerous city, but at the same time I hear that said often about Seattle, yet I have never felt unsafe in the city with my family. Thoughts?

Any additional thoughts pertaining to having a family and attending UChi would be much appreciated!

I am starting at Uchi in a few weeks, and I currently have a toddler. My wife is working full time so that we can pay the bills. If you are interested, the University just opened two daycare facilities on campus. We're in one. As far as housing goes, they do offer graduate housing, which is competitively priced, but not necessarily the best quality. My wife and I found a large, affordable aparrtment just north of campus, which has worked out great. After being here for a couple of months, I definitely feel safe in Hyde Park (still doesn't mean I'd walk around alone at night). One of the nice things about this area is that there are parks EVERYWHERE...it is very family friendly.

If you're going to law school with a family, chances are you won't want to leave your wife and kids for 10 weeks during your summer to have an SA in NYC/DC/Chicago or another market if your school isn't in a major city (Duke, UVA, Cornell, etc). That is what steered me away from those.

PM me if you have more questions that I can help with. I'm still figuring it all out, but I'm happy to help if I can.

[Toby Ziegler]

Question for those UChi folks with families. I will be attending law school and my wife and I have a little guy, and probably one more that will come during law school. Are any of you in the same boat where you are going to school and your spouse stays at home with kids/works PT? As you can imagine my selection of a law school takes (heavily) into consideration how those three years will effect my family, and the amenities available to them. How are the housing options limited, abundant, somewhere in between? Also as been asked here before, Chicago has a reputation for high crime rates/being a dangerous city, but at the same time I hear that said often about Seattle, yet I have never felt unsafe in the city with my family. Thoughts?

Any additional thoughts pertaining to having a family and attending UChi would be much appreciated!

I am starting at Uchi in a few weeks, and I currently have a toddler. My wife is working full time so that we can pay the bills. If you are interested, the University just opened two daycare facilities on campus. We're in one. As far as housing goes, they do offer graduate housing, which is competitively priced, but not necessarily the best quality. My wife and I found a large, affordable aparrtment just north of campus, which has worked out great. After being here for a couple of months, I definitely feel safe in Hyde Park (still doesn't mean I'd walk around alone at night). One of the nice things about this area is that there are parks EVERYWHERE...it is very family friendly.

If you're going to law school with a family, chances are you won't want to leave your wife and kids for 10 weeks during your summer to have an SA in NYC/DC/Chicago or another market if your school isn't in a major city (Duke, UVA, Cornell, etc). That is what steered me away from those.

PM me if you have more questions that I can help with. I'm still figuring it all out, but I'm happy to help if I can.

Thanks a ton PM'd.

[Mad Hatter]

For the large classes (admin, sec trans etc.), does it matter where you bid them? If so, how low can you bid them and still be confident that you'll get in?

[Bildungsroman]

For the large classes (admin, sec trans etc.), does it matter where you bid them? If so, how low can you bid them and still be confident that you'll get in?

Even some big classes fill up through bidding. No real way to know what will go fast and slow one year to the next and how low you can bid.

[Haymarket]

For the large classes (admin, sec trans etc.), does it matter where you bid them? If so, how low can you bid them and still be confident that you'll get in?

Even some big classes fill up through bidding. No real way to know what will go fast and slow one year to the next and how low you can bid.

To add to this, yes, it matters. You can look at a class like Secured Transactions last year. At the end of it, after add/drop period, the class was still at 108/118. There are plenty of similar classes with even lower caps. So, while you can get away not bidding them No. 1, they are not guaranteed when they are bid near the bottom.

That, and every class combination is different. Who knows how you kids will throw off the bidding with your preferences.

[Mad Hatter]

Thanks!

[RamblinBoyofPleasure]

What's the consensus on doing a clinic as a 2L? Good/bad idea? It depends?

[Haymarket]

What's the consensus on doing a clinic as a 2L? Good/bad idea? It depends?

It depends. I can't think of any generally agreed upon wisdom for clinics as a 2L or clinics generally.

[badaboom61]

What's the consensus on doing a clinic as a 2L? Good/bad idea? It depends?

It depends. I can't think of any generally agreed upon wisdom for clinics as a 2L or clinics generally.

They're typically a lot of work relative to the amount of credit received (although corporate lab is an exception), but some people really like the experience. With the possible exception of someone on law review gunning for e-board, 2L is not so much work that anyone should have difficulty doing a clinic if they want to.

[Xifeng]

But don't do a clinic 2L if you want to do one of the 3L-only clinics.

[Haymarket]

But don't do a clinic 2L if you want to do one of the 3L-only clinics.

Is this a thing? Shows what I know.

Edit: It seems that the Federal Criminal Justice clinic is the only one with a hard 3L requirement. I also didn't realize that there are these annoying corequisites. The more you know...

[Xifeng]

But don't do a clinic 2L if you want to do one of the 3L-only clinics.

Is this a thing? Shows what I know.

Edit: It seems that the Federal Criminal Justice clinic is the only one with a hard 3L requirement. I also didn't realize that there are these annoying corequisites. The more you know...

Well also the way clinic preference works, people who haven't done any clinic get higher preference over those who have done one (including corp lab).

[Haymarket]

Bids are up in case you little neurotics hadn't noticed. Secured Transactions, Con Law I, and some others filled completely, I saw.

[Emma.]

Bids are up in case you little neurotics hadn't noticed. Secured Transactions, Con Law I, and some others filled completely, I saw.

I have no idea why Secured Transactions is so popular. Unless you are really interested in BK work or it is tested on the bar exam in your state, I think is a waste of time. I took it with Picker—who was awesome—but in retrospect it really made no sense for me to learn that stuff.

Also, if you DO need it for the bar in your state, I'd highly recommend taking that (and Evidence) during 3L. Come time for bar prep you aren't going to remember the intricacies of the FRE or UCC Article 9 if you took those classes way back in 2L year.

[Haymarket]

Bids are up in case you little neurotics hadn't noticed. Secured Transactions, Con Law I, and some others filled completely, I saw.

I have no idea why Secured Transactions is so popular. Unless you are really interested in BK work or it is tested on the bar exam in your state, I think is a waste of time. I took it with Picker—who was awesome—but in retrospect it really made no sense for me to learn that stuff.

Also, if you DO need it for the bar in your state, I'd highly recommend taking that (and Evidence) during 3L. Come time for bar prep you aren't going to remember the intricacies of the FRE or UCC Article 9 if you took those classes way back in 2L year.

It's all about the DGB.

[20141023]

.

[Crowing]

If I have a car, do I still need to get a city sticker as a student with an out of state license plate?

[Haymarket]

If I have a car, do I still need to get a city sticker as a student with an out of state license plate?

No. As a current 3L, I've had my car with out-of-state plates the entire time I've been here. While my car isn't parked on the street usually, it's on the street plenty of other times when I know meter maids have been by, and I have never gotten ticketed for that.

They don't enforce it for out-of-state plates because they don't want to hurt tourism.

[Crowing]

If I have a car, do I still need to get a city sticker as a student with an out of state license plate?

No. As a current 3L, I've had my car with out-of-state plates the entire time I've been here. While my car isn't parked on the street usually, it's on the street plenty of other times when I know meter maids have been by, and I have never gotten ticketed for that.

They don't enforce it for out-of-state plates because they don't want to hurt tourism.

Sweet. I got a street cleaning ticket on Friday apparently so I'm just trying to cover all my bases. It looks like the next cleaning dates are Oct. 11/15 for the area around South Shore Drive. Are the split dates for either side of the street? If not it looks like I'll have to move my car quite a ways away for those times.

[ellewoods110]

If I have a car, do I still need to get a city sticker as a student with an out of state license plate?

No. As a current 3L, I've had my car with out-of-state plates the entire time I've been here. While my car isn't parked on the street usually, it's on the street plenty of other times when I know meter maids have been by, and I have never gotten ticketed for that.

They don't enforce it for out-of-state plates because they don't want to hurt tourism.

Sweet. I got a street cleaning ticket on Friday apparently so I'm just trying to cover all my bases. It looks like the next cleaning dates are Oct. 11/15 for the area around South Shore Drive. Are the split dates for either side of the street? If not it looks like I'll have to move my car quite a ways away for those times.

I have had friends that got tickets for not having a city sticker when they parked primarily on the street. If you park in the same spot consistently, they realize that you are a resident and ticket. Just so you have both sides.

[Haymarket]

If I have a car, do I still need to get a city sticker as a student with an out of state license plate?

No. As a current 3L, I've had my car with out-of-state plates the entire time I've been here. While my car isn't parked on the street usually, it's on the street plenty of other times when I know meter maids have been by, and I have never gotten ticketed for that.

They don't enforce it for out-of-state plates because they don't want to hurt tourism.

Sweet. I got a street cleaning ticket on Friday apparently so I'm just trying to cover all my bases. It looks like the next cleaning dates are Oct. 11/15 for the area around South Shore Drive. Are the split dates for either side of the street? If not it looks like I'll have to move my car quite a ways away for those times.

I have had friends that got tickets for not having a city sticker when they parked primarily on the street. If you park in the same spot consistently, they realize that you are a resident and ticket. Just so you have both sides.

The more you know.

[Lurkington]

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[courtneylove]

Any I-GO users that live around the Regents area? I am thinking of ditching our car and switching to I-GO, but I just wanted to make sure that these things are relatively available before doing so. If anyone here has used I-GO, have you ever had issues with there being no I-GO cars near Regents to borrow, or has there pretty much always been a car there to use?

Also, would you recommend I-GO over things like Zipcar (and if not, why?).

I used I-Go all through law school, and there were plenty of cars available around Regent's. I think are some in the Regent's parking lot, two in a lot like a block over, two more at Blackstone and 51st, and two in the Treasure Island lot. You can reserve them online, and there was always one available nearby when I needed it; sometimes I had to take a larger car that cost a bit more if I waited too long to reserve it. Usually each location has a smaller car and a larger one, like an SUV or pickup truck. I took a car out maybe twice a month to get groceries, etc.

I had Zipcar in New York and the cars were always disgusting, like filthy and out of gas, so I tried I-Go when I moved to Chi. Some of the I-Go cars had their share of dog hair in the backseat, but no fast food remnants or bad smells like the Zipcars.

[Greenandgold]

Any I-GO users that live around the Regents area? I am thinking of ditching our car and switching to I-GO, but I just wanted to make sure that these things are relatively available before doing so. If anyone here has used I-GO, have you ever had issues with there being no I-GO cars near Regents to borrow, or has there pretty much always been a car there to use?

Also, would you recommend I-GO over things like Zipcar (and if not, why?).

I used I-Go all through law school, and there were plenty of cars available around Regent's. I think are some in the Regent's parking lot, two in a lot like a block over, two more at Blackstone and 51st, and two in the Treasure Island lot. You can reserve them online, and there was always one available nearby when I needed it; sometimes I had to take a larger car that cost a bit more if I waited too long to reserve it. Usually each location has a smaller car and a larger one, like an SUV or pickup truck. I took a car out maybe twice a month to get groceries, etc.

I had Zipcar in New York and the cars were always disgusting, like filthy and out of gas, so I tried I-Go when I moved to Chi. Some of the I-Go cars had their share of dog hair in the backseat, but no fast food remnants or bad smells like the Zipcars.

This could have been more of a New York thing than a Zipcar thing, because the Zipcar's that I've used around Regents have always been spotless and completely full on gas. I'm 99% sure that Zipcar employees come and fill the cars up when they see that there's a reservation coming up.

[Danny Mothers]

Any I-GO users that live around the Regents area? I am thinking of ditching our car and switching to I-GO, but I just wanted to make sure that these things are relatively available before doing so. If anyone here has used I-GO, have you ever had issues with there being no I-GO cars near Regents to borrow, or has there pretty much always been a car there to use?

Also, would you recommend I-GO over things like Zipcar (and if not, why?).

I used I-Go all through law school, and there were plenty of cars available around Regent's. I think are some in the Regent's parking lot, two in a lot like a block over, two more at Blackstone and 51st, and two in the Treasure Island lot. You can reserve them online, and there was always one available nearby when I needed it; sometimes I had to take a larger car that cost a bit more if I waited too long to reserve it. Usually each location has a smaller car and a larger one, like an SUV or pickup truck. I took a car out maybe twice a month to get groceries, etc.

I had Zipcar in New York and the cars were always disgusting, like filthy and out of gas, so I tried I-Go when I moved to Chi. Some of the I-Go cars had their share of dog hair in the backseat, but no fast food remnants or bad smells like the Zipcars.

I'm coming out of TLS retirement to defend zipcar. I've used zipcars in Chicago and in my old college town, and I've never had any issues. They're always clean and relatively full of gas (usually 1/2 tank at least). I-GO is probably no different, and it may be more convenient given that you can use your CTA plus card thing for both, but zipcar is great and there are tons of options within a short walk of regents (some right next door, even).