Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[chuckbass]

The hub, left bank, or 2400 chestnut?

Neither

You can find better for less but if you insist on a doorman 2400 is the better option

So what's better?

Better priced apartments in Center City, usually rowhomes as opposed to large apartment buildings. Also, basically getting a few blocks from like 15th st will save you a little $, so like the above poster at 12th and Spruce.

[Nelson]

The hub, left bank, or 2400 chestnut?

Neither

You can find better for less but if you insist on a doorman 2400 is the better option

So what's better?

Better priced apartments in Center City, usually rowhomes as opposed to large apartment buildings. Also, basically getting a few blocks from like 15th st will save you a little $, so like the above poster at 12th and Spruce.

You don't even have to go that far from campus. You can get much better prices in brownstones just blocks away from Riverwest/Left Bank etc. for half the rent.

[Blackfish]

.

[PennBull]

Few more questions! TYIA!

1) is the school still in process of revamping their legal writing program? I think I read something about that some pages ago in this thread. Will it be graded for the incoming class?

I really have no idea. They're still changing stuff but I've heard no word if grading it was a part of the process.

2) can anyone doing a joint degree/certificate program go into greater detail about their experiences? Specifically the Wharton certificates. It seems like Penn is playing up the Management certificate in particular. I guess because it's new?

The Wharton Certificate isn't new, but they did add a more law school-centric certificate in addition to our currently existing Business Economics and Public Policy Wharton Certificate (BEPP). The new stuff has almost all law students (maybe all law students? I haven't taken it personally), whereas the old program was just a great opportunity for law students to easily take classes at the best business school in the country. I prefer the traditional certificate, because I have a math background and I enjoy taking classes with business students.

3) when would you say is the best time to start searching for a place and lock down a lease?
Thanks again guys!

Doesn't matter. Maybe set aside a few hours before/after ASW to meet with some places. I had a friend who lived in Philly look at places for me and make suggestions, and I locked in a lease from afar.

[rutgers17]

As far as living off campus, does anyone know of a place by the school that allows dogs?

[ymmv]

As far as living off campus, does anyone know of a place by the school that allows dogs?

RiverWest on 21st and Chestnut (about a 10-15 minute walk from school or a 5 minute trolley) allows dogs, and a very large percentage of the tenants (many of whom go to Penn Law or Penn Med) are pet owners. It's actually a condominium, so swaths of the apartments are owned by different landlords, but it's fairly easy to rent most of them on Craiglist (just go to map view and click on RiverWest at 2101 Chestnut St). Price for a studio there - and they're large studios, more like a 1-bedroom size - can range anywhere from $900-1200, though utilities (and often internet/cable) are usually included in that price.

For cheaper options, I would research walkup apartments in West Philly or Graduate Hospital Area, again on Craiglist map view. Most landlords will include pet info on the listing.

[rutgers17]

As far as living off campus, does anyone know of a place by the school that allows dogs?

RiverWest on 21st and Chestnut (about a 10-15 minute walk from school or a 5 minute trolley) allows dogs, and a very large percentage of the tenants (many of whom go to Penn Law or Penn Med) are pet owners. It's actually a condominium, so swaths of the apartments are owned by different landlords, but it's fairly easy to rent most of them on Craiglist (just go to map view and click on RiverWest at 2101 Chestnut St). Price for a studio there - and they're large studios, more like a 1-bedroom size - can range anywhere from $900-1200, though utilities (and often internet/cable) are usually included in that price.

For cheaper options, I would research walkup apartments in West Philly or Graduate Hospital Area, again on Craiglist map view. Most landlords will include pet info on the listing.

awesome, thanks so much! this is a huge help as i was really nervous i wouldn't be able to find a place that was close that would allow my dog. you're a life saver!

[PennBull]

Yeah I mean we're in the middle of a city, there's going to be tons of housing options for a variety of different lifestyles

[Clearly]

As far as living off campus, does anyone know of a place by the school that allows dogs?

RiverWest on 21st and Chestnut (about a 10-15 minute walk from school or a 5 minute trolley) allows dogs, and a very large percentage of the tenants (many of whom go to Penn Law or Penn Med) are pet owners. It's actually a condominium, so swaths of the apartments are owned by different landlords, but it's fairly easy to rent most of them on Craiglist (just go to map view and click on RiverWest at 2101 Chestnut St). Price for a studio there - and they're large studios, more like a 1-bedroom size - can range anywhere from $900-1200, though utilities (and often internet/cable) are usually included in that price.

For cheaper options, I would research walkup apartments in West Philly or Graduate Hospital Area, again on Craiglist map view. Most landlords will include pet info on the listing.

awesome, thanks so much! this is a huge help as i was really nervous i wouldn't be able to find a place that was close that would allow my dog. you're a life saver!

Were you the guy who was posting about buying a house on the Facebook page?

[rutgers17]

As far as living off campus, does anyone know of a place by the school that allows dogs?

RiverWest on 21st and Chestnut (about a 10-15 minute walk from school or a 5 minute trolley) allows dogs, and a very large percentage of the tenants (many of whom go to Penn Law or Penn Med) are pet owners. It's actually a condominium, so swaths of the apartments are owned by different landlords, but it's fairly easy to rent most of them on Craiglist (just go to map view and click on RiverWest at 2101 Chestnut St). Price for a studio there - and they're large studios, more like a 1-bedroom size - can range anywhere from $900-1200, though utilities (and often internet/cable) are usually included in that price.

For cheaper options, I would research walkup apartments in West Philly or Graduate Hospital Area, again on Craiglist map view. Most landlords will include pet info on the listing.

awesome, thanks so much! this is a huge help as i was really nervous i wouldn't be able to find a place that was close that would allow my dog. you're a life saver!

Were you the guy who was posting about buying a house on the Facebook page?

Nope, not me. Are there houses that are close to campus? I definitely want to be close enough that I can still socialize and get to class relatively easily.

[Mr.Esquire]

If you come into Penn with only Need Based aid, and perform well academically, can you be offered merit based aid the next year?

[Nelson]

If you come into Penn with only Need Based aid, and perform well academically, can you be offered merit based aid the next year?

I don't think this happens. I've never heard of anyone being offered or negotiating more money after enrolling.

[rutgers17]

Any Penn students have experience with Garden Court Plaza apartments?

[Frozen98]

deleted

[PennBull]

I explicitly told you not to do that for 10000 reasons, yet you did it anyways, so I have zero advice or sympathy for you (and I don't think anyone else will, either).

You probably won't be going to Penn anyways next year. Sucks that you signed up for a bad idea.

[Nelson]

snip

[PennBull]

I have no advice for you but just LOL. Why would you think that?

It's the same guy that asked us who was better for Crim Law, and I told him in a PM that if he wants to take a law class as a nonJD for the "experience" (lol), he should take a non-1L class. Now he's probably in Robinson's CrimLaw and he's a hardass about attendance.

[Mr.Esquire]

If you come into Penn with only Need Based aid, and perform well academically, can you be offered merit based aid the next year?

I don't think this happens. I've never heard of anyone being offered or negotiating more money after enrolling.

Just so I am clear, if someone were to receive no merit aid, and then place top 10 in their class after the first year, there would be no opportunity to receive aid after that because of the grades?

[PennBull]

If you come into Penn with only Need Based aid, and perform well academically, can you be offered merit based aid the next year?

I don't think this happens. I've never heard of anyone being offered or negotiating more money after enrolling.

Just so I am clear, if someone were to receive no merit aid, and then place top 10 in their class after the first year, there would be no opportunity to receive aid after that because of the grades?

Yeah I don't think this is a thing

I also wouldn't make a law school decision under a condition that I finish in the top 10 of my class

[Mr.Esquire]

Yeah I wouldn't make a decision based off of that. I just know that other law schools will offer scholarship to top grade earners. Thanks for the info though.

[csk8]

Hi everyone!

Was accepted a few weeks ago and will definitely be attending in the fall. I'm so thrilled and excited! I was wondering if anyone could tell me about their experiences/what they've heard from others re: Domus. I've heard it's on the pricier end as far as housing options go, but aside from cost, is there any general consensus about its suitability for grad students? I.e., what's the noise level like, is the place inundated with undergraduates throwing parties every weekend, is it possible to get any studying done in the apartments, etc.? Any thoughts on Domus would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, and looking forward to meeting (hopefully) many of you in the fall!

[Nelson]

Hi everyone!

Was accepted a few weeks ago and will definitely be attending in the fall. I'm so thrilled and excited! I was wondering if anyone could tell me about their experiences/what they've heard from others re: Domus. I've heard it's on the pricier end as far as housing options go, but aside from cost, is there any general consensus about its suitability for grad students? I.e., what's the noise level like, is the place inundated with undergraduates throwing parties every weekend, is it possible to get any studying done in the apartments, etc.? Any thoughts on Domus would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, and looking forward to meeting (hopefully) many of you in the fall!

Domus isn't inundated with undergrads because it's comically overpriced (undergrads live in the dorms or in houses in West Philly). It's ludicrously out of line with rents in other comparably located buildings. My impression is that a lot of people who live there as grad students aren't paying for it (they have parental support). The other big group of tenants is Penn professors and doctors who live in another city most of the time but use it as a local residence.

[PennBull]

Hi everyone!

Was accepted a few weeks ago and will definitely be attending in the fall. I'm so thrilled and excited! I was wondering if anyone could tell me about their experiences/what they've heard from others re: Domus. I've heard it's on the pricier end as far as housing options go, but aside from cost, is there any general consensus about its suitability for grad students? I.e., what's the noise level like, is the place inundated with undergraduates throwing parties every weekend, is it possible to get any studying done in the apartments, etc.? Any thoughts on Domus would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, and looking forward to meeting (hopefully) many of you in the fall!

Domus isn't inundated with undergrads because it's comically overpriced (undergrads live in the dorms or in houses in West Philly). It's ludicrously out of line with rents in other comparably located buildings. My impression is that a lot of people who live there as grad students aren't paying for it (they have parental support). The other big group of tenants is Penn professors and doctors who live in another city most of the time but use it as a local residence.

Cosign all of the above

Take the money, move a bit out east, get as good as an apartment for way less

Domus is nice but not worth the price on any planet

[04102014]

Hey everyone,

Sorry if this has been addressed elsewhere, but does anyone know what sort of grades one would need to snag Northern California biglaw?

[Nelson]

Hey everyone,

Sorry if this has been addressed elsewhere, but does anyone know what sort of grades one would need to snag Northern California biglaw?

As good as possible? You can't really generalize easily that way. Assuming you're talking about San Francisco/SV and not Big Klamath River Law, those are competitive markets. If you're asking if what firms are looking for is different at Penn than it would be at, say, Columbia, I don't think firms look at class rank between different schools with that much granularity. It will be easier to target a specific market to the exclusion of NYC with top grades and law review, but those aren't necessary or sufficient conditions.