UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[dailygrind]

Top 10% is a decent spot to think of for appeals court judges. If you want D.C. Circuit, you may need to better than top 10%. If you want to clerk for an appeals court justice who sits in the middle of nowhere maybe you only need a 3.60 or so.

Location of the appeals court doesn't really matter—the competition for all these clerkships is incredibly high, regardless of location.

You can get a GPA list once you're on lawweb.

http://lawnotes2.law.virginia.edu/lawit ... ment&login

[desertlaw]

so how much is not drinking going to be a problem for my social life ?

Plenty of people at UVa don't drink and the rest of us are cool with it and would be cool with you hanging out with us. But, people will still drink regardless of how much you don't.

[Doritos]

Top 10% is a decent spot to think of for appeals court judges. If you want D.C. Circuit, you may need to better than top 10%. If you want to clerk for an appeals court justice who sits in the middle of nowhere maybe you only need a 3.60 or so.

Location of the appeals court doesn't really matter—the competition for all these clerkships is incredibly high, regardless of location.

You can get a GPA list once you're on lawweb.

http://lawnotes2.law.virginia.edu/lawit ... ment&login

I don't know how accurate those stats are nowadays FYI

[dailygrind]

Top 10% is a decent spot to think of for appeals court judges. If you want D.C. Circuit, you may need to better than top 10%. If you want to clerk for an appeals court justice who sits in the middle of nowhere maybe you only need a 3.60 or so.

Location of the appeals court doesn't really matter—the competition for all these clerkships is incredibly high, regardless of location.

You can get a GPA list once you're on lawweb.

http://lawnotes2.law.virginia.edu/lawit ... ment&login

I don't know how accurate those stats are nowadays FYI

Yeah, a lot of it is from better, less competitive times.

[Br3v]

Top 10% is a decent spot to think of for appeals court judges. If you want D.C. Circuit, you may need to better than top 10%. If you want to clerk for an appeals court justice who sits in the middle of nowhere maybe you only need a 3.60 or so.

Location of the appeals court doesn't really matter—the competition for all these clerkships is incredibly high, regardless of location.

You can get a GPA list once you're on lawweb.

http://lawnotes2.law.virginia.edu/lawit ... ment&login

Considering I don't have a UVA sign in, can you explain what this link is?

[dailygrind]

Sorry, that was sort of tangential to your question, and more meant to give insight into those who were wondering about clerkships. It's a list of average GPAs for various courts UVA students have gone to. I don't know much about academic hiring, though what little I know implies that the boost from any school not YHS and maybe Chicago is small enough to be a nonfactor for people considering academia outside other compelling circumstances (PhD in relevant field, absolute prodigy, already published, etc.).

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

I've been offered a job in an area that I'm interested in that is somewhat non-law related (policy research) and am thinking about deferring. I would like to take it and work for a year, but I am concerned about not getting the same scholarship amount the following year. Would current students recommend taking the gig, or matriculating next year due to concerns about not getting as much scholly when I matriculate the following year? In an ideal world I would take the gig and receive the same amount next year, but I would hate to receive less scholly next cycle after working for a year. Thoughts?

[5ky]

I've been offered a job in an area that I'm interested in that is somewhat non-law related (policy research) and am thinking about deferring. I would like to take it and work for a year, but I am concerned about not getting the same scholarship amount the following year. Would current students recommend taking the gig, or matriculating next year due to concerns about not getting as much scholly when I matriculate the following year? In an ideal world I would take the gig and receive the same amount next year, but I would hate to receive less scholly next cycle after working for a year. Thoughts?

I can't imagine they would take away scholarship money if you deferred. Often UVA has had to offer extra scholarship money to get students to defer. If your first choice is taking the job, I would. Work experience, even if just a little, plays a big role at OGI.

I would just email Fin Aid/Admissions and ask, though.

[005618502]

I've been offered a job in an area that I'm interested in that is somewhat non-law related (policy research) and am thinking about deferring. I would like to take it and work for a year, but I am concerned about not getting the same scholarship amount the following year. Would current students recommend taking the gig, or matriculating next year due to concerns about not getting as much scholly when I matriculate the following year? In an ideal world I would take the gig and receive the same amount next year, but I would hate to receive less scholly next cycle after working for a year. Thoughts?

I can't imagine they would take away scholarship money if you deferred. Often UVA has had to offer extra scholarship money to get students to defer. If your first choice is taking the job, I would. Work experience, even if just a little, plays a big role at OGI.

I would just email Fin Aid/Admissions and ask, though.

I havent heard of this, and know someone who deferred when I did and was told his Scholly couldnt be guaranteed. Also, were you ED? This might also increase the difficulty. But yeah, I would just email and ask it cannot hurt and it will answer your question with more certainty.

[crossingforHYS]

I would love to agree with the teaching bit...but I have heard a lot from people that publishing may actually outweigh grades on the meat market...anyone know how true that is?

I have read a couple different places (Internet so who knows the validity) that outside of YHS UVA has a slightly better edge for paths into academia. Do you guys think there is truth to that. If so, care to give any explanations? Is it because UVA sends more clerks? Do you know any graduating classmates pursuing academia?

There are a few sites that have ranked law schools by how they place in teaching jobs. I've seen a newer list than this one, but this is the best I could find with a quick search http://www.concurringopinions.com/archi ... iring.html

Short answer is that if you want to teach, Yale is by far the best place.

If you want to teach, a court of appeals clerkship is (almost) a prerequisite, while a Supreme Court clerkship is (almost) a guarantee— but the odds of clerking for the SC are probably roughly the same as winning the lottery, founding your own law school and hiring yourself.

That said, UVa has really been doing well placing clerks in court of appeals the last few years, which will probably mean an uptick in academic placement. We've also done pretty well at the Supreme Court (I think three in the past two years, but I might be wrong about that).

To get one of these clerkships, you need very good grades. And to teach, you need very good grades. It doesn't matter what law school you go to—if you don't have very good grades, teaching is out.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

I would love to agree with the teaching bit...but I have heard a lot from people that publishing may actually outweigh grades on the meat market...anyone know how true that is?

I have read a couple different places (Internet so who knows the validity) that outside of YHS UVA has a slightly better edge for paths into academia. Do you guys think there is truth to that. If so, care to give any explanations? Is it because UVA sends more clerks? Do you know any graduating classmates pursuing academia?

There are a few sites that have ranked law schools by how they place in teaching jobs. I've seen a newer list than this one, but this is the best I could find with a quick search http://www.concurringopinions.com/archi ... iring.html

Short answer is that if you want to teach, Yale is by far the best place.

If you want to teach, a court of appeals clerkship is (almost) a prerequisite, while a Supreme Court clerkship is (almost) a guarantee— but the odds of clerking for the SC are probably roughly the same as winning the lottery, founding your own law school and hiring yourself.

That said, UVa has really been doing well placing clerks in court of appeals the last few years, which will probably mean an uptick in academic placement. We've also done pretty well at the Supreme Court (I think three in the past two years, but I might be wrong about that).

To get one of these clerkships, you need very good grades. And to teach, you need very good grades. It doesn't matter what law school you go to—if you don't have very good grades, teaching is out.

Sorry for the long quote. Check out the thread a current law prof has written in. Informative stuff.

[Br3v]

I would love to agree with the teaching bit...but I have heard a lot from people that publishing may actually outweigh grades on the meat market...anyone know how true that is?

I have read a couple different places (Internet so who knows the validity) that outside of YHS UVA has a slightly better edge for paths into academia. Do you guys think there is truth to that. If so, care to give any explanations? Is it because UVA sends more clerks? Do you know any graduating classmates pursuing academia?

There are a few sites that have ranked law schools by how they place in teaching jobs. I've seen a newer list than this one, but this is the best I could find with a quick search http://www.concurringopinions.com/archi ... iring.html

Short answer is that if you want to teach, Yale is by far the best place.

If you want to teach, a court of appeals clerkship is (almost) a prerequisite, while a Supreme Court clerkship is (almost) a guarantee— but the odds of clerking for the SC are probably roughly the same as winning the lottery, founding your own law school and hiring yourself.

That said, UVa has really been doing well placing clerks in court of appeals the last few years, which will probably mean an uptick in academic placement. We've also done pretty well at the Supreme Court (I think three in the past two years, but I might be wrong about that).

To get one of these clerkships, you need very good grades. And to teach, you need very good grades. It doesn't matter what law school you go to—if you don't have very good grades, teaching is out.

[pjo]

Does anyone know when we schedule Fall classes?

[desertlaw]

Does anyone know when we schedule Fall classes?

Sometime in the summer. So if you want to check the grade distribution thing in the library and will be half-way across the country when you get an e-mail from Dean Bennett about how to sign up for classes, you better check it now gunner.

[pjo]

Does anyone know when we schedule Fall classes?

Sometime in the summer. So if you want to check the grade distribution thing in the library and will be half-way across the country when you get an e-mail from Dean Bennett about how to sign up for classes, you better check it now gunner.

I’ve already photocopied it…then I ripped all the pages from Fall 2010 out.

[catholicgirl]

so how much is not drinking going to be a problem for my social life ?

I'm not a big drinker but almost everyone I've spoken to attending UVA says it really doesn't matter as long as

1) you're not a dick about it.
2) you're not weird about it.

[jawsthegreat]

so how much is not drinking going to be a problem for my social life ?

I'm not a big drinker but almost everyone I've spoken to attending UVA says it really doesn't matter as long as

1) you're not a dick about it.
2) you're not weird about it.

As you go through life I think you'll find that this applies to almost every situation involving drinking.

[005618502]

Does anyone know when we schedule Fall classes?

Sometime in the summer. So if you want to check the grade distribution thing in the library and will be half-way across the country when you get an e-mail from Dean Bennett about how to sign up for classes, you better check it now gunner.

I’ve already photocopied it…then I ripped all the pages from Fall 2010 out.

When do incoming 1Ls get their class (professor) assignments. I have a couple attorneys who work at my firm that are asking i think partially to help me out but also just to relive the glory days. I told them about ASW and the Keg thursday afternoon and I could see them wishing they were there again lol

[catholicgirl]

so how much is not drinking going to be a problem for my social life ?

I'm not a big drinker but almost everyone I've spoken to attending UVA says it really doesn't matter as long as

1) you're not a dick about it.
2) you're not weird about it.

As you go through life I think you'll find that this applies to almost every situation involving drinking.

Yup.

I physically can't handle drinking more than 1 beer. I am the ultimate light-weight. 12 year old gymnasts laugh at my inability to drink more than them.
I was a little worried about going to UVA because of the social scene but calmed down significantly when I realized as long as I don't make a big deal of not liking to drink that much, no one else will.

[5ky]

Does anyone know when we schedule Fall classes?

Sometime in the summer. So if you want to check the grade distribution thing in the library and will be half-way across the country when you get an e-mail from Dean Bennett about how to sign up for classes, you better check it now gunner.

I’ve already photocopied it…then I ripped all the pages from Fall 2010 out.

When do incoming 1Ls get their class (professor) assignments. I have a couple attorneys who work at my firm that are asking i think partially to help me out but also just to relive the glory days. I told them about ASW and the Keg thursday afternoon and I could see them wishing they were there again lol

Not til a few days before classes start.

[desertlaw]

so how much is not drinking going to be a problem for my social life ?

I'm not a big drinker but almost everyone I've spoken to attending UVA says it really doesn't matter as long as

1) you're not a dick about it.
2) you're not weird about it.

As you go through life I think you'll find that this applies to almost every situation involving drinking.

Yup.

I physically can't handle drinking more than 1 beer. I am the ultimate light-weight. 12 year old gymnasts laugh at my inability to drink more than them.
I was a little worried about going to UVA because of the social scene but calmed down significantly when I realized as long as I don't make a big deal of not liking to drink that much, no one else will.

UVa will increase your drinking ability/tolerance.

[Doritos]

I'm not a big drinker but almost everyone I've spoken to attending UVA says it really doesn't matter as long as

1) you're not a dick about it.
2) you're not weird about it.

As you go through life I think you'll find that this applies to almost every situation involving drinking.

Yup.

I physically can't handle drinking more than 1 beer. I am the ultimate light-weight. 12 year old gymnasts laugh at my inability to drink more than them.
I was a little worried about going to UVA because of the social scene but calmed down significantly when I realized as long as I don't make a big deal of not liking to drink that much, no one else will.

UVa will increase your drinking ability/tolerance.

Yes it will. It's a magical place.

[envisciguy]

so how much is not drinking going to be a problem for my social life ?

I'm not a big drinker but almost everyone I've spoken to attending UVA says it really doesn't matter as long as

1) you're not a dick about it.
2) you're not weird about it.

As you go through life I think you'll find that this applies to almost every situation involving drinking.

Yup.

I physically can't handle drinking more than 1 beer. I am the ultimate light-weight. 12 year old gymnasts laugh at my inability to drink more than them.
I was a little worried about going to UVA because of the social scene but calmed down significantly when I realized as long as I don't make a big deal of not liking to drink that much, no one else will.

I'd look at it as a positive. Think of all the $ you'll save if you only have to buy 1 beer whenever you do choose to go out drinking!

[desertlaw]

I'd look at it as a positive. Think of all the $ you'll save if you only have to buy 1 beer whenever you do choose to go out drinking!

Right. Because beer is so expensive at all the 1L mixers.

[Cavalier]

I'd look at it as a positive. Think of all the $ you'll save if you only have to buy 1 beer whenever you do choose to go out drinking!

Charlottesville isn't New York or DC. Beers are only $2-$3 at many of the popular bars!