Columbia students taking questions Forum

[RSN]

Only one section had class on Friday this past fall, but they also didn't have class in the morning through most of the week as I recall, so that was the tradeoff. Looking at this year's schedule, looks like there are no 1L classes on Fridays (except maybe LPW).

[john_brown]

Unrelated -- course list is out for next semester. Any recommendations on what to take 2L Fall vs. later? My priorities to eventually get to are Evidence, Corps, Admin, and FedCourts. Thinking about getting Evidence and Corps out of the way this fall if possible, and wait on Admin for the Spring, along with a seminar, and then FedCourts in 3L. Beyond those, does anything else matter?

I strongly recommend Paul Shechtman for Evidence. Easily my favorite class at Columbia.

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

Unrelated -- course list is out for next semester. Any recommendations on what to take 2L Fall vs. later? My priorities to eventually get to are Evidence, Corps, Admin, and FedCourts. Thinking about getting Evidence and Corps out of the way this fall if possible, and wait on Admin for the Spring, along with a seminar, and then FedCourts in 3L. Beyond those, does anything else matter?

If you're too mentally ill to avoid Fed Courts, take it second semester 3L when you don't give a shit anymore instead of your definitely-still-neurotic Fall 2L, because you're gonna get a B no matter what you do, and you'll have an easier time accepting that later.

[jbagelboy]

Unrelated -- course list is out for next semester. Any recommendations on what to take 2L Fall vs. later? My priorities to eventually get to are Evidence, Corps, Admin, and FedCourts. Thinking about getting Evidence and Corps out of the way this fall if possible, and wait on Admin for the Spring, along with a seminar, and then FedCourts in 3L. Beyond those, does anything else matter?

That sounds p good; don't take more than two of these in one semester. If you want a well rounded BLL, I'd maybe throw in Fed Income Tax or Securities Regulation second semester with Admin, or do Corporations/Tax 2L Fall, Evidence/Admin 2L Spring, Fed courts 3L. Fill in the remainder with externships, seminars, and lecture classes on subjects you're interested in (media classes, international law classes, crim classes, ect.).

[Nebby]

Unrelated -- course list is out for next semester. Any recommendations on what to take 2L Fall vs. later? My priorities to eventually get to are Evidence, Corps, Admin, and FedCourts. Thinking about getting Evidence and Corps out of the way this fall if possible, and wait on Admin for the Spring, along with a seminar, and then FedCourts in 3L. Beyond those, does anything else matter?

If you're too mentally ill to avoid Fed Courts, take it second semester 3L when you don't give a shit anymore instead of your definitely-still-neurotic Fall 2L, because you're gonna get a B no matter what you do, and you'll have an easier time accepting that later.

This is what I did. If you take it from Monaghan, LGM, I can send you my attack outline

[RSN]

Thanks guys, that's all helpful. Maybe looking at Tax for the fall -- any insight on D'Avino? Reviews look pretty solid. Schizer is also teaching, but on Friday mornings, so nope.

[White Dwarf]

Is loading up on criminal law courses feasible as a 2L, or do they tend to fill-up quickly?

Specifically Federal Criminal Law, Criminal Investigations, and Criminal Adjudication, if that helps.

[Nebby]

Is loading up on criminal law courses feasible as a 2L, or do they tend to fill-up quickly?

Specifically Federal Criminal Law, Criminal Investigations, and Criminal Adjudication, if that helps.

I definitely think it's possible

[clshopeful]

top 3% (3.82) at a 100-115 school. Chances at CLS transfer?

[CerealMilk]

.

[GreenEggs]

Unrelated -- course list is out for next semester. Any recommendations on what to take 2L Fall vs. later? My priorities to eventually get to are Evidence, Corps, Admin, and FedCourts. Thinking about getting Evidence and Corps out of the way this fall if possible, and wait on Admin for the Spring, along with a seminar, and then FedCourts in 3L. Beyond those, does anything else matter?

I strongly recommend Paul Shechtman for Evidence. Easily my favorite class at Columbia.

He's teaching adjudication and not evidence in the fall which sucks

[jbagelboy]

Is loading up on criminal law courses feasible as a 2L, or do they tend to fill-up quickly?

Specifically Federal Criminal Law, Criminal Investigations, and Criminal Adjudication, if that helps.

I definitely think it's possible

Federal criminal law with Lynch is a fun class, but you should know that like anything Lynch does, it's no fly by night thing and no easy A.

[wilt]

any insight about 501 121st for housing? a bit farther than I was hoping lol

[Nebby]

any insight about 501 121st for housing? a bit farther than I was hoping lol

Once you get above 117th street, NY turns into a favela. Good luck

[wilt]

any insight about 501 121st for housing? a bit farther than I was hoping lol

Once you get above 117th street, NY turns into a favela. Good luck

sounds perfect!

[GreenEggs]

any insight about 501 121st for housing? a bit farther than I was hoping lol

Yeah not the best location, but not the worst either (125th and riverside).

[RSN]

any insight about 501 121st for housing? a bit farther than I was hoping lol

Yeah not the best location, but not the worst either (125th and riverside).

Didn't know that was a Columbia building, but that's right across the street from Lenfest, which is literally a 6 minute walk from JG, so that's an excellent location and I have no clue why anyone's saying otherwise

[GreenEggs]

any insight about 501 121st for housing? a bit farther than I was hoping lol

Yeah not the best location, but not the worst either (125th and riverside).

Didn't know that was a Columbia building, but that's right across the street from Lenfest, which is literally a 6 minute walk from JG, so that's an excellent location and I have no clue why anyone's saying otherwise

it's not that far from the law school, but the groceries aren't that convenient (apple tree doesn't count and the other one down the block I wouldnt buy anything from). It's also 5 short blocks and one long block to the 1 and even further from the A/B. Plus a lot of the bars students will go to are like 110-ish so its not that easy to just run back to your apartment and go back down there.

I live near there and love my apartment and not moving, but its nowhere near as great as living on 112 and being close to westside/bars/subway/everything

[RSN]

any insight about 501 121st for housing? a bit farther than I was hoping lol

Yeah not the best location, but not the worst either (125th and riverside).

Didn't know that was a Columbia building, but that's right across the street from Lenfest, which is literally a 6 minute walk from JG, so that's an excellent location and I have no clue why anyone's saying otherwise

it's not that far from the law school, but the groceries aren't that convenient (apple tree doesn't count and the other one down the block I wouldnt buy anything from). It's also 5 short blocks and one long block to the 1 and even further from the A/B. Plus a lot of the bars students will go to are like 110-ish so its not that easy to just run back to your apartment and go back down there.

I live near there and love my apartment and not moving, but its nowhere near as great as living on 112 and being close to westside/bars/subway/everything

Come on, son. I lived in Lenfest this year and it was great. Appletree totally counts if you know what you can and can't buy there ($5.99 box of corn flakes lol), and the one down the block is also fine for dry goods and gives a 10% student discount (even if it smells a little off). The 1 and the ABCD are 10 minute walks in opposite directions. And who goes to bars in Morningside after Orientation?

[GreenEggs]

Come on, son. I lived in Lenfest this year and it was great. Appletree totally counts if you know what you can and can't buy there ($5.99 box of corn flakes lol), and the one down the block is also fine for dry goods and gives a 10% student discount (even if it smells a little off). The 1 and the ABCD are 10 minute walks in opposite directions. And who goes to bars in Morningside after Orientation?

Lenfest is a special case because its much more expensive and high amenities. But if you're on 121st you're paying the same rent as people on 112 or 114. 121st in a vacuum is solid, but it's definitely on the lower end of the housing options

[jbagelboy]

Complaining about lenfest as being too far away is a little silly tho

Its not far away

Actually 120-124/amsterdam is sort of charming, you have max caffe and restaurant which are both clutch spaces, and the restaurants up north one block over on broadway are picking up (e.g. Chapati) and on the other side, you're adjacent to morningside park and closer to streetbird/other harlem stuff

[dabigchina]

Complaining about lenfest as being too far away is a little silly tho

Its not far away

Actually 120-124/amsterdam is sort of charming, you have max caffe and restaurant which are both clutch spaces, and the restaurants up north one block over on broadway are picking up (e.g. Chapati) and on the other side, you're adjacent to morningside park and closer to streetbird/other harlem stuff

This. Also the apartments at 125/Riverside seem to be gigantic and cheap. If I had known I probably would have just sucked it up and rode the subway 1 stop down everyday to school.

[GoneSouth]

Complaining about lenfest as being too far away is a little silly tho

Its not far away

Actually 120-124/amsterdam is sort of charming, you have max caffe and restaurant which are both clutch spaces, and the restaurants up north one block over on broadway are picking up (e.g. Chapati) and on the other side, you're adjacent to morningside park and closer to streetbird/other harlem stuff

100% all of this. I lived there and walked to places near 110th and Broadway (Chipotle, Mels, etc.) all the time. It's not that far. Plus you have Max Caffe, etc. which you would never go to if you lived around 112th. It's also probably the only Columbia student housing location with easy access to the A and D trains which often are the fastest way to get downtown depending on where you're going

[timbs4339]

Unrelated -- course list is out for next semester. Any recommendations on what to take 2L Fall vs. later? My priorities to eventually get to are Evidence, Corps, Admin, and FedCourts. Thinking about getting Evidence and Corps out of the way this fall if possible, and wait on Admin for the Spring, along with a seminar, and then FedCourts in 3L. Beyond those, does anything else matter?

I strongly recommend Paul Shechtman for Evidence. Easily my favorite class at Columbia.

He's teaching adjudication and not evidence in the fall which sucks

CLS alum/former judicial clerk here. Never had him for evidence, but based on what I saw when clerking he's easily one of the best litigators in the city right now, both in written briefs and at oral argument.

[john_brown]

Unrelated -- course list is out for next semester. Any recommendations on what to take 2L Fall vs. later? My priorities to eventually get to are Evidence, Corps, Admin, and FedCourts. Thinking about getting Evidence and Corps out of the way this fall if possible, and wait on Admin for the Spring, along with a seminar, and then FedCourts in 3L. Beyond those, does anything else matter?

I strongly recommend Paul Shechtman for Evidence. Easily my favorite class at Columbia.

He's teaching adjudication and not evidence in the fall which sucks

CLS alum/former judicial clerk here. Never had him for evidence, but based on what I saw when clerking he's easily one of the best litigators in the city right now, both in written briefs and at oral argument.

As it happens, I had Shechtman for both evidence and criminal adjudication. I took evidence first because I thought it would be useful for the bar (I've forgotten most of it by now, but never mind). By chance, I ended up in Shechtman's class and loved it. He's a brilliant man: Rhodes Scholar, SCOTUS clerk, long and distinguished career etc. But he's so modest and unassuming that you would never know it from his lectures. He doesn't cold call or try to show off his formidable intellect. He probably doesn't even need the teaching gig, he seems to do it because he loves the law and wants to share that with others.

I had no interest in criminal adjudication as a subject, but I put the class high on my bid list just to have PS again -- and I'm glad I did. We're very lucky to have him, it's just a shame he doesn't quite get the accolades showered on certain other profs.