Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[r6_philly]

It's not changing. It's going to be ungraded.

Source? I could've sworn they were talking about this all year.

LWI interview.

[SportsFan]

Finally thought of 2 things I don't like, to answer that question.

1. The heating/air conditioning in Gittis. Seriously, they need to fix that or something...
2. Legal writing. LOVE that its ungraded (though I guess thats changing for c/o 2016?), but everything else about it sucks.

The heating and air conditioning throughout the entire school is absolutely terrible haha. 30 degrees outside? HERE COMES THE AIR CONDITIONER. 75 degree day? TIME TO BLAST THE HEAT.

Legal writing is pretty much a drag everywhere, having it graded will kinda suck tho IMO

True, its also really bad in Fitts auditorium. At least (IMO) its not bad in the library. But seriously, they need to do something... At least 2 of my professors have gone and complained (to the dean, IIRC) about it, and basically got told there's nothing that can be done.

It's not changing. It's going to be ungraded.

Thats good. Do you know if they're going to keep the more "intense" (for lack of a better word...) curriculum from this year? My understanding is they added a few extra assignments, presumably so that the LWI's would have more things to grade, so I wonder if they'll bother keeping them. Doesn't really make a huge difference though (compared to LW staying ungraded).

[SaintsTheMetal]

Does anyone live north of the law school, or is that all Drexel students?

i.e. 3711 Lancaster Ave

Seems closer to school than a lot of the similarly priced University City/West Philly housing

[PennBull]

Does anyone live north or the law school, or is that all Drexel students?

i.e. 3711 Lancaster Ave

Seems closer to school than a lot of the similarly priced University City/West Philly housing

It's a lot of Drexel students, but I'm always surprised there aren't more people that live there. Some cool little college restaurants and living areas. I almost lived there 1L.

[SaintsTheMetal]

Does anyone live north or the law school, or is that all Drexel students?

i.e. 3711 Lancaster Ave

Seems closer to school than a lot of the similarly priced University City/West Philly housing

It's a lot of Drexel students, but I'm always surprised there aren't more people that live there. Some cool little college restaurants and living areas. I almost lived there 1L.

hmm thanks for that!

also, anyone able to give me an idea how much "heat and hot water" bills typically run, especially in the winter? I assume this means hot water heat in the Winter...

I'm from out West where hot water heat is unheard of and no idea how much this might be. In my Ohio 1 bed I paid $50 regularly for electric, $20 for water/sewage, and $20-40 for electric radiator heat in the winter. Would the "heat and hot water" bill be like my old water + electric heat bill, or more/less?

[Nelson]

Does anyone live north of the law school, or is that all Drexel students?

i.e. 3711 Lancaster Ave

Seems closer to school than a lot of the similarly priced University City/West Philly housing

That area is fine, but if you're not comfortable with some pretty rough surroundings I wouldn't go west of 38th or north of Spring Garden. I know a handful of 1Ls who live north of campus. I think the distance to school is roughly comparable to most of the places in Spruce Hill where people live.

[Nelson]

also, anyone able to give me an idea how much "heat and hot water" bills typically run, especially in the winter? I assume this means hot water heat in the Winter...

I'm from out West where hot water heat is unheard of and no idea how much this might be. In my Ohio 1 bed I paid $50 regularly for electric, $20 for water/sewage, and $20-40 for electric radiator heat in the winter. Would the "heat and hot water" bill be like my old water + electric heat bill, or more/less?

Most places have heat and hot water included in your rent so you'd just pay electric.

[bluepenguin]

That area is fine, but if you're not comfortable with some pretty rough surroundings I wouldn't go west of 38th or north of Spring Garden.

Doesn't that rule out ~95% of University City? Penn campus alone stretches to 40th. Or am I reading the map wrong?

[Nelson]

That area is fine, but if you're not comfortable with some pretty rough surroundings I wouldn't go west of 38th or north of Spring Garden.

Doesn't that rule out ~95% of University City? Penn campus alone stretches to 40th. Or am I reading the map wrong?

I'm talking about the areas north of campus. South of Chestnut you can go out to 50th or so.

And this applies less depending on how comfortable you are with big cities. This is just the advice I'd give to someone coming in from out of town.

[westphillybandr]

That area is fine, but if you're not comfortable with some pretty rough surroundings I wouldn't go west of 38th or north of Spring Garden.

Doesn't that rule out ~95% of University City? Penn campus alone stretches to 40th. Or am I reading the map wrong?

Check out the map below. The area within the Penn Patrol Zone is generally safe.
http://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/asset ... rolpdf.pdf

[Nelson]

That area is fine, but if you're not comfortable with some pretty rough surroundings I wouldn't go west of 38th or north of Spring Garden.

Doesn't that rule out ~95% of University City? Penn campus alone stretches to 40th. Or am I reading the map wrong?

Check out the map below. The area within the Penn Patrol Zone is generally safe.
http://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/asset ... rolpdf.pdf

That's way too conservative. Anywhere within the colored area of that map (the University City District) is fine.

[SaintsTheMetal]

Sorry for double post, and not really a question but I'm pretty strapped for cash right now and if I can save on $50/night this might help...

Well, I have a student host for Friday night, but looking for a place to stay Thursday/Saturday nights. If any generous person in the area has a couch to crash on, or 0L who is also going to ASW and wants to split a hotel room cost, let me know! Just message with contact info and I'll get in touch asap

Thanks!

[HeavenWood]

That area is fine, but if you're not comfortable with some pretty rough surroundings I wouldn't go west of 38th or north of Spring Garden.

Doesn't that rule out ~95% of University City? Penn campus alone stretches to 40th. Or am I reading the map wrong?

Check out the map below. The area within the Penn Patrol Zone is generally safe.
http://www.publicsafety.upenn.edu/asset ... rolpdf.pdf

That's way too conservative. Anywhere within the colored area of that map (the University City District) is fine.

Draw a line between 40th and Market and 50th and Baltimore. Don't stray too far to the left of that line and you're solid.

[Sheffield]

Just as an FYI.

--ImageRemoved--

[PennBull]

Those employment numbers should be taken with an entire salt shaker, due to other statistical omissions, but, yes, Penn kicks ass at placing students into law firms.

[5965]

Hi, this may sound too basic, but do different sections get different professors and hence different exams?

[mindarmed]

How tight knit is the community as 1Ls? Do a lot of 1Ls live in central locations or are they more spread out?

[SportsFan]

Hi, this may sound too basic, but do different sections get different professors and hence different exams?

Yep! And the professors can teach the classes completely differently. I once saw it described on here that you're not taking "Torts" or "Contracts", you're taking "Torts by Professor X" and "Contracts by Professor Y". As an example, my sections had 2 torts classes (each year, Penn splits up one class in each section into 2 40 person classes). In one, if you didn't know economics, you probably didn't do well on the final. In the other, if you didn't love dogs, you probably didn't do well on the final.

How tight knit is the community as 1Ls? Do a lot of 1Ls live in central locations or are they more spread out?

Almost everyone is in University City (including Sansom, the on campus grad housing) or Center City, and its not hard to get from one to the other, via the trolleys or subway. Its as tight knit as you want it to be, basically. Everyone is VERY friendly, whether you actually go out to bar review every week or not.

[JamesDean1955]

Who won at the fight night last night? Penn Law or Wharton?

[HeavenWood]

Those employment numbers should be taken with an entire salt shaker, due to other statistical omissions, but, yes, Penn kicks ass at placing students into law firms.

IIRC, the NLJ 250 %age placements are accurate, but they themselves do not take into account the fact that students at some other schools (YHS in particular) self-select more into clerkships, academia, preftigiouf PI, etc.

[PennBull]

Those employment numbers should be taken with an entire salt shaker, due to other statistical omissions, but, yes, Penn kicks ass at placing students into law firms.

IIRC, the NLJ 250 %age placements are accurate, but they themselves do not take into account the fact that students at some other schools (YHS in particular) self-select more into clerkships, academia, preftigiouf PI, etc.

Ya, this is what I was getting at more or less.

[r6_philly]

Everyone is VERY friendly, whether you actually go out to bar review every week or not.

We don't generally have mean people, but not everyone is friendly with everyone. People are usually friendly with people they are comfortable with.

[OutCold]

Everyone is VERY friendly, whether you actually go out to bar review every week or not.

We don't generally have mean people, but not everyone is friendly with everyone. People are usually friendly with people they are comfortable with.

I'm probably among the most detached from school social circles, but even I am friendly with a huge number of people. You'll get to know your 1L section well, your cohort even better, and even more people through journal, pro bono projects, and various other activities, small seminars, etc. You don't have to go to outside events like bar review to make friends at the law school.

[5965]

Are sections randomly grouped?

[r6_philly]

I'm probably among the most detached from school social circles, but even I am friendly with a huge number of people. You'll get to know your 1L section well, your cohort even better, and even more people through journal, pro bono projects, and various other activities, small seminars, etc. You don't have to go to outside events like bar review to make friends at the law school.

That's not what I am talking about. One can make plenty of friends, but one are not warmly welcomed into every circle if one doesn't not appear to fit in.