Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[JamesDean1955]

@ Georgiana: Wow, extremely helpful, thank you!

And SO COOL that Georgiana still takes the time to post ITT. Did you graduate? What are you up to now?

That's Penn for you .

[PennBull]

Heyoo, Georgiana. Glad to see you back. Hope things are swell.

[Georgiana]

@ Georgiana: Wow, extremely helpful, thank you!

And SO COOL that Georgiana still takes the time to post ITT. Did you graduate? What are you up to now?

That's Penn for you .

No problem, I like to game the system a bit

I have graduated, class of 2011... so now I'm old. I lateraled from my first firm not quite a year ago and am at another firm now. Married to a Penn 2010 grad, only a month and a half since the wedding.

I've been bad about PMs (sorry guys) but I like to give the limited advice I have that is still relevant to Penn. Now my advice is more biglaw related since schools/faculty change rather quickly (and also "don't go to law school" related... but that's another story). It feels like forever ago that I was in school, make sure you take the time to enjoy it!

[JamesDean1955]

Will the $1,625.00 that Penn allots in the expense budget (2013-2014) for books cover all the case books for every class, if bought brand new? Seems a bit low for books...I remember spending $800-$900 some semesters in undergrad (although that was for 5-6 classes).

[Mr. Frodo]

Will the $1,625.00 that Penn allots in the expense budget (2013-2014) for books cover all the case books for every class, if bought brand new? Seems a bit low for books...I remember spending $800-$900 some semesters in undergrad (although that was for 5-6 classes).

Ugh. As an engineering student I haven't bought books in 3 years. Going to miss those 3 years.

[Blumpbeef]

I'm not at Penn, but generally casebooks will be $200 brand new if they were just released. Don't waste money on brand new ones, casebooks are basically useless once you're done with the class and the resale value is awful if a new version comes out. Barnes and Noble does rentals for half price, around $100, but unless they were just released and there are no used copies, used is the way to go. Should be about $50-70 per casebook.

[PennBull]

JamesDean, wait until you get your class schedule, and I'll help guide you towards whether you need to buy the textbooks or not.

EJF also has an awesome sale of used textbooks at the beginning of the semester. Like, 30 bucks a book.

[JamesDean1955]

Thanks!

[LetsGetStarted]

Has anyone received their Penn Law key or, if not, know when the key will be distributed? Thanks.

[Nelson]

Will the $1,625.00 that Penn allots in the expense budget (2013-2014) for books cover all the case books for every class, if bought brand new? Seems a bit low for books...I remember spending $800-$900 some semesters in undergrad (although that was for 5-6 classes).

I bought all new books (which was unnecessary in some cases but I'm way too anal about that stuff) and was under that figure by some. It's only 7 classes remember, so even if you buy 7 new casebooks, that's ~150-200 per. PennBull is right that you should be smarter than I was and ask 2Ls/3Ls about your profs since there are some 1L profs for whom a new casebook is totally unnecessary (I'm looking at you Leo Katz).

[Nelson]

Has anyone received their Penn Law key or, if not, know when the key will be distributed? Thanks.

I think they sent mine last year in late May. So soonish. It doesn't give you access to too much exciting stuff anyway.

[PennBull]

Will the $1,625.00 that Penn allots in the expense budget (2013-2014) for books cover all the case books for every class, if bought brand new? Seems a bit low for books...I remember spending $800-$900 some semesters in undergrad (although that was for 5-6 classes).

I bought all new books (which was unnecessary in some cases but I'm way too anal about that stuff) and was under that figure by some. It's only 7 classes remember, so even if you buy 7 new casebooks, that's ~150-200 per. PennBull is right that you should be smarter than I was and ask 2Ls/3Ls about your profs since there are some 1L profs for whom a new casebook is totally unnecessary (I'm looking at you Leo Katz).

It's also one of those things where you may simply learn better from old outlines or casebriefs online. I suggest buying from amazon, and then returning within 30 days if you don't need it.

[laotze]

Check this out . . .

Above the Law - UPENN #5

Also Good!---#4

Best employment score. Might as well be #1.

While on the Q&A segment of the PowerPoint/Lecture Hour of my Penn tour way back when, a parent (I assume a NY Times/Atlantic reader) asked Dean Post how worried potential students should be about employment prospects "given the horrible economic climate" and that "the law jobs are all gone now."

Dean Post smiled coyly - she might as well have thrown in a "Bless your heart" to match the expression - and said simply, "Oh, well, our graduates don't really have those kinds of problems."

[HeavenWood]

Check this out . . .

Above the Law - UPENN #5

Also Good!---#4

Best employment score. Might as well be #1.

While on the Q&A segment of the PowerPoint/Lecture Hour of my Penn tour way back when, a parent (I assume a NY Times/Atlantic reader) asked Dean Post how worried potential students should be about employment prospects "given the horrible economic climate" and that "the law jobs are all gone now."

Dean Post smiled coyly - she might as well have thrown in a "Bless your heart" to match the expression - and said simply, "Oh, well, our graduates don't really have those kinds of problems."

Not for the most part, but some people do end up falling through the cracks. That's not to discourage you of course--just remind you to remain proactive. A lot of people get jobs outside OCI; don't even think about resting on your laurels until you have an offer in hand.

[laotze]

Check this out . . .

Above the Law - UPENN #5

Also Good!---#4

Best employment score. Might as well be #1.

While on the Q&A segment of the PowerPoint/Lecture Hour of my Penn tour way back when, a parent (I assume a NY Times/Atlantic reader) asked Dean Post how worried potential students should be about employment prospects "given the horrible economic climate" and that "the law jobs are all gone now."

Dean Post smiled coyly - she might as well have thrown in a "Bless your heart" to match the expression - and said simply, "Oh, well, our graduates don't really have those kinds of problems."

Not for the most part, but some people do end up falling through the cracks. That's not to discourage you of course--just remind you to remain proactive. A lot of people get jobs outside OCI; don't even think about resting on your laurels until you have an offer in hand.

Don't worry, after spending the past year being convinced by TLS that any legal education shy of HYS is about as worthwhile as a PowerBall ticket unless it has a couple hundred gallons of blood and sweat to back it up (and even then remains a less sound investment than lunar mining shares), I have no intention of any laurels-resting.

[Peyton]

Who is participating in the annual Philly Bar Association 5K run this Sunday?

[PennBull]

Not for the most part, but some people do end up falling through the cracks. That's not to discourage you of course--just remind you to remain proactive. A lot of people get jobs outside OCI; don't even think about resting on your laurels until you have an offer in hand.

Don't worry, after spending the past year being convinced by TLS that any legal education shy of HYS is about as worthwhile as a PowerBall ticket unless it has a couple hundred gallons of blood and sweat to back it up (and even then remains a less sound investment than lunar mining shares), I have no intention of any laurels-resting.

This is exactly how one should approach it.

[HeavenWood]

Not for the most part, but some people do end up falling through the cracks. That's not to discourage you of course--just remind you to remain proactive. A lot of people get jobs outside OCI; don't even think about resting on your laurels until you have an offer in hand.

Don't worry, after spending the past year being convinced by TLS that any legal education shy of HYS is about as worthwhile as a PowerBall ticket unless it has a couple hundred gallons of blood and sweat to back it up (and even then remains a less sound investment than lunar mining shares), I have no intention of any laurels-resting.

This is exactly how one should approach it.

Yep.

[Peyton]

Who is participating in the annual Philly Bar Association 5K run this Sunday?

Anybody?

[JamesDean1955]

Guys, I should not take NYU with $62.5k over Penn (where I have greater than that, but < $70k), right?

Noticed how I phrased the question .

I want NYC biglaw and the consensus (whether true or not) on TLS is that the two are essentially equal except NYU places into more prestigious firms with better exit options. Do you guys feel the firms you and your friends will end up working out will have great exit options? I'm also interested in clerkships but see no reason to think NYU has much of a greater advantage in that regard.

[PennBull]

I have a lot of anecdotal experience from both schools. The NYC biglaw placement is pretty much equivalent. I have no idea where the prestige/exit options stuff came from.

Go where you're happy. Penn is awesome. Philly is awesome and a good break from NYC before you go back (you're in NYC now, right?). I have never gone to school at NYU so I can't say anything about that.

[JamesDean1955]

.

[drh_104]

Regarding laptops- how much is the discount if you purchase through "Computer Connection"? Is it worth it? I can't see the price until I get my PennKey which I haven't yet.

I need a new laptop and I would like to spend a few weeks getting used to it before school, so I'm wondering if I should just buy one now.

[PennBull]

As with most school-run tech stores, computers are not going to be any cheaper, and are often more expensive.

I just get a refurbed one off of Newegg. Always works great for me and quite cheap.

[rt830]

Hi guys, anyone wanna help out a gal out with these questions? Gracias!

1. The small class size is actually a minor downside for me since I went to a tiny undergrad... so does it ever get claustrophobic? And does the smaller class size generate more competition you think?

2. I missed out on ASW... so, at the risk of sweeping generalizations, is there a typical Penn student or certain personality types that the school attracts? I know T14 shares a lot of the same applicants but at the same time there's gotta be some self-selection, no?

3. Along these lines, is the student body diverse? I am mainly wondering if the class is diverse enough that you can always find a group of friends that you really like.

4. Do all of the classrooms have windows? I saw a lot of classes with windows but wasn't sure about the big lecture halls.

5. What is the grading curve like? Are the vast majority of people clustered around median (I assume that would be easier for most people to get biglaw)... or many people far away from median on each end?