Texas 1L taking questions, 2010-'11 edition Forum

[Leira7905]

Yeah it was in the mail yesterday. I live in Austin though so I'm probably among the first.

Well, I'm in San Antonio so, I should be getting one soon too! Yay!

[keayts]

How exactly does LR work? I've read that some people grade on and some write on, but I've also read it is a combination of the two. Can anyone cast light on what it takes to become a member of LR?

A friend of mine is on law review and told me that they consider grades and the writing sample, but he said you'd have to basically be the worst writer in history to get top 10% and not get onto LR.

Is that indicative of a grade-heavy scale, or is it possible to write on with lower grades?

All journal applicants must participate in the write-on competition, unless they had worked on the journal as a 1L (I know for a fact that Oil & Gas, IP, civil liberties/civil rights, and the women's law journal permit 1Ls to serve as staff, and that the law review does not). All applicants are automatically considered for the law review.

The law review assigns 3 ed board members to blind-grade each write-on submission, with 2nd and 3rd rounds of grading taken if the assigned grades are beyond a certain level of variance. The scores and applicant GPAs are inserted into a formula, which spits out the order of offers to be made. The ed board calls to extend offers in the order provided by the formula, and stops when all spots are taken (not everyone who submits to the write-on wants to do law review, as some are more interested in specialty journals).

The formula is weighted toward GPA, but the writing submission does matter, especially for people on the bubble. 10 spots are reserved for students who submit especially strong write-ons but would not otherwise receive an offer due to their GPAs.

The write-on does matter. A friend of mine had a GPA in the high 3.8s, and the bubble my year was around a 3.7, but because she had to go in for surgery, she didn't have time to work on her submission, so her submission was not very good and she was not extended an offer. She ended up transferring, anyways, but her circumstances demonstrate the importance of doing a decent job with the write-on submission.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

oops. (pm fail.)

[Pricer]

How exactly does LR work? I've read that some people grade on and some write on, but I've also read it is a combination of the two. Can anyone cast light on what it takes to become a member of LR?

A friend of mine is on law review and told me that they consider grades and the writing sample, but he said you'd have to basically be the worst writer in history to get top 10% and not get onto LR.

Is that indicative of a grade-heavy scale, or is it possible to write on with lower grades?

All journal applicants must participate in the write-on competition, unless they had worked on the journal as a 1L (I know for a fact that Oil & Gas, IP, civil liberties/civil rights, and the women's law journal permit 1Ls to serve as staff, and that the law review does not). All applicants are automatically considered for the law review.

The law review assigns 3 ed board members to blind-grade each write-on submission, with 2nd and 3rd rounds of grading taken if the assigned grades are beyond a certain level of variance. The scores and applicant GPAs are inserted into a formula, which spits out the order of offers to be made. The ed board calls to extend offers in the order provided by the formula, and stops when all spots are taken (not everyone who submits to the write-on wants to do law review, as some are more interested in specialty journals).

The formula is weighted toward GPA, but the writing submission does matter, especially for people on the bubble. 10 spots are reserved for students who submit especially strong write-ons but would not otherwise receive an offer due to their GPAs.

The write-on does matter. A friend of mine had a GPA in the high 3.8s, and the bubble my year was around a 3.7, but because she had to go in for surgery, she didn't have time to work on her submission, so her submission was not very good and she was not extended an offer. She ended up transferring, anyways, but her circumstances demonstrate the importance of doing a decent job with the write-on submission.

Very helpful, thanks.

[nego123]

Does anyone know when the deadline to send in your LOI is?

[juliachild-ish]

Does anyone know when the deadline to send in your LOI is?

I'm curious about this too. Also, when they say binding, does that mean they want you to withdraw from waitlists or just from other schools you've been accepted to?

[Pricer]

Does anyone know when the deadline to send in your LOI is?

I'm curious about this too. Also, when they say binding, does that mean they want you to withdraw from waitlists or just from other schools you've been accepted to?

I'm pretty sure that binding means you are required to either attend UT Law or wait until next cycle.

[awilson11]

Does anyone know when the deadline to send in your LOI is?

I'm curious about this too. Also, when they say binding, does that mean they want you to withdraw from waitlists or just from other schools you've been accepted to?

I'm pretty sure that binding means you are required to either attend UT Law or wait until next cycle.

Everything I have been told from the OMV and read has implied that binding means you withdraw from all acceptances. Not waitlists.

[nonprofit-prophet]

Are you supposed to get a confirmation when you withdraw from a school? I sent USC an email about a week after they gave me a scholarship, and never received any sort of confirmation for the withdrawal. Pretty typical of their bush league admissions office.

[Leira7905]

Are you supposed to get a confirmation when you withdraw from a school? I sent USC an email about a week after they gave me a scholarship, and never received any sort of confirmation for the withdrawal. Pretty typical of their bush league admissions office.

I wouldn't worry about it... Withdrawls are a courtesy, but not mandatory... You did your part.

[nonprofit-prophet]

Are you supposed to get a confirmation when you withdraw from a school? I sent USC an email about a week after they gave me a scholarship, and never received any sort of confirmation for the withdrawal. Pretty typical of their bush league admissions office.

I wouldn't worry about it... Withdrawls are a courtesy, but not mandatory... You did your part.

I thought you had to withdraw from acceptances when you sign the LOI.

(also, any other college sports fans getting a kick out of all this? Picking schools and signing LOIs... hell even the seat deposit thing is kind of like a verbal)

[Leira7905]

Are you supposed to get a confirmation when you withdraw from a school? I sent USC an email about a week after they gave me a scholarship, and never received any sort of confirmation for the withdrawal. Pretty typical of their bush league admissions office.

I wouldn't worry about it... Withdrawls are a courtesy, but not mandatory... You did your part.

I thought you had to withdraw from acceptances when you sign the LOI.

(also, any other college sports fans getting a kick out of all this? Picking schools and signing LOIs... hell even the seat deposit thing is kind of like a verbal)

oh... I didn't realize the LOI... That may be different... Carry on. (although I think ur still ok if you saved the email)

[crit_racer]

wait, yall are freaking me out. The LOI isn't due until June, correct? They still haven't even sent me a LOI to sign.

[nego123]

wait, yall are freaking me out. The LOI isn't due until June, correct? They still haven't even sent me a LOI to sign.

Yea, from what I read on Freshlaw (which was pretty vague), they aren't due until June. Haven't gotten anything either.

The vagueness leads me to believe it's something we'll be updated about/coerced into considering in the near future.

[BeachandRun23]

Does anyone know when the deadline to send in your LOI is?

I'm curious about this too. Also, when they say binding, does that mean they want you to withdraw from waitlists or just from other schools you've been accepted to?

I'm pretty sure that binding means you are required to either attend UT Law or wait until next cycle.

Everything I have been told from the OMV and read has implied that binding means you withdraw from all acceptances. Not waitlists.

I didnt really think a school could make you withdraw from waitlists. But when i asked this question before, people said that binding means you have to withdraw from everything. But I still dont really see how that could be. Someone posted ABA policy in another thread, and the policy seems to say that people should always be allowed to ride out waitlists (as long as they are not recipients of binding scholarships or ED contracts). I wish we could get a definitive answer on this.

[IgnatiusJ]

I'm sure you guys have already covered places to live, and Hyde Park seems to be the consensus place to live for law students, but how is the North University area? I was looking online at a few condos on duval street and cedar street, and was wondering about the area. My parents are contemplating moving to Austin after I'm done with law school, so I might be the beneficiary with some sweet digs during (believe me I couldn't afford that on my own). Anyways, any advice is appreciated.

Oh, and by the way, just reading all the Texas information on this site, everyone seems friendly and just generally awesome. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm so excited to become a longhorn. It looks like onward and upward led by the fearless Dean Sager.

[japes]

I'm sure you guys have already covered places to live, and Hyde Park seems to be the consensus place to live for law students, but how is the North University area? I was looking online at a few condos on duval street and cedar street, and was wondering about the area. My parents are contemplating moving to Austin after I'm done with law school, so I might be the beneficiary with some sweet digs during (believe me I couldn't afford that on my own). Anyways, any advice is appreciated.

Oh, and by the way, just reading all the Texas information on this site, everyone seems friendly and just generally awesome. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm so excited to become a longhorn. It looks like onward and upward led by the fearless Dean Sager.

North campus is essentially the area between Hyde Park and campus, so it's kinda hard to really tell where one ends and the other begins. Most of what is great about Hyde Park applies to north campus - it's close, it's a safe neighborhood, there are lots of cool things in walking distance. I would think the primary difference would be higher prices versus closer proximity to the law school. A good friend lives in north campus (around the intersection of San Jacinto and Duval) and he loves it. It's really convenient - I stayed with him for ASD and it was an easy walk to school.

tl;dr
If you can afford it, do it.

[zengyy]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

Thanks.

[Shem]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

Piggybacking - do you guys think it's possible to get by taking handwritten notes during class lectures? I just really hate bringing laptops, I hate typing, I never did it during undergrad, basically computers blow. But be honest, if i really have to i will.

[LawSchoolWannaBe]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

Thanks.

If by requirements you mean what is required for exams, here's the exam software FAQ: --LinkRemoved--

I've seen people use both Macs and PCs with no problems.

17" is pretty big. I'm not sure it is too heavy, but it's a sizable load.

[LawSchoolWannaBe]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

Piggybacking - do you guys think it's possible to get by taking handwritten notes during class lectures? I just really hate bringing laptops, I hate typing, I never did it during undergrad, basically computers blow. But be honest, if i really have to i will.

There are definitely people who take handwritten notes. And some professors don't allow laptops. Not a big deal at all.

[zengyy]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

Thanks.

If by requirements you mean what is required for exams, here's the exam software FAQ: --LinkRemoved--

I've seen people use both Macs and PCs with no problems.

17" is pretty big. I'm not sure it is too heavy, but it's a sizable load.

Thank you very much for the link! Besides the exam, are there any courses or homework that need special software or anything? Thanks.

[Cade McNown]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

No. Especially if you get a backpack/briefcase with a computer pouch.

[keayts]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

Thanks.

If by requirements you mean what is required for exams, here's the exam software FAQ: --LinkRemoved--

I've seen people use both Macs and PCs with no problems.

17" is pretty big. I'm not sure it is too heavy, but it's a sizable load.

Thank you very much for the link! Besides the exam, are there any courses or homework that need special software or anything? Thanks.

Not to my knowledge, there isn't. And if you need a copy of MS Office, you can bring your laptop (or desktop) to the helpdesk at the computer lab in the law school and they'll install Office 2010 on your computer. The helpdesk is located on the 5th floor, in the section of the building housing the new faculty offices. Just get off the elevator and you'll see it.

[zengyy]

I am wondering where we can find info regarding laptop requirements. Which operating system does UT support? Is a 17" laptop too heavy to carry around everyday? etc.

No. Especially if you get a backpack/briefcase with a computer pouch.

Thanks a lot!