Northwestern 1L/2L/3L/Grads Taking Questions and Challenges Forum

[lgleye]

.

[bjsesq]

If I can I think I'll donate at some point, but I'd do something like donate to a fund earmarked for student schollys or something, not tech for a room.

Super-ditto on targeting allocation. It's your hard-earned money....not for some self-centered Dean to get his personal jollies off with.

Don't most schools balk at donors telling them how to use the funds?

[Micdiddy]

For some reason, I feel like zero loyalty to NU... if I had the money to donate, I'd definitely give to my undergrad before law school.

Interesting. In just a few months here I feel way more loyalty to NU than my undergrad. Possibly the fact NU staff actually knows the students and pays attention to them makes a difference. I doubt a single person at my undergrad remembers me (except maybe one Professor..maybe).

[Ricky-Bobby]

If I can I think I'll donate at some point, but I'd do something like donate to a fund earmarked for student schollys or something, not tech for a room.

Super-ditto on targeting allocation. It's your hard-earned money....not for some self-centered Dean to get his personal jollies off with.

Don't most schools balk at donors telling them how to use the funds?

They can balk all they want. If I'm donating, I'll tell you where the money goes.

Edit: I mean if I were to donate big money I'd want a say in where it goes. I'm not being a diva about $100 or anything

[rinkrat19]

If I can I think I'll donate at some point, but I'd do something like donate to a fund earmarked for student schollys or something, not tech for a room.

Super-ditto on targeting allocation. It's your hard-earned money....not for some self-centered Dean to get his personal jollies off with.

Don't most schools balk at donors telling them how to use the funds?

My undergrad lets us choose pretty specifically. Which department/school and sub-department, and whether it gets used for new buildings/upgrades, or scholarships, or what.

[Big Dog]

Don't most schools balk at donors telling them how to use the funds?

Not at all. Of course, the fundraising department will try to guide you toward the school's most pressing needs -- as the Dean sees fit -- but if you want to donate money to ensure flowers in the library, they'll happily accept your cash/pledge.

[paglababa]

Did any of you turn down acceptances at t6 for NU due to money? How do you feel about your decision?

[Pokemon]

For some reason, I feel like zero loyalty to NU... if I had the money to donate, I'd definitely give to my undergrad before law school.

Interesting. In just a few months here I feel way more loyalty to NU than my undergrad. Possibly the fact NU staff actually knows the students and pays attention to them makes a difference. I doubt a single person at my undergrad remembers me (except maybe one Professor..maybe).

I kind of agree with this. Sure there are more than a few bad apples (cough cough D-Rod, Cliff & co) but most professors are nice and more than willing to talk to you.

[lgleye]

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[Micdiddy]

For some reason, I feel like zero loyalty to NU... if I had the money to donate, I'd definitely give to my undergrad before law school.

Interesting. In just a few months here I feel way more loyalty to NU than my undergrad. Possibly the fact NU staff actually knows the students and pays attention to them makes a difference. I doubt a single person at my undergrad remembers me (except maybe one Professor..maybe).

Since you're a relative newbie, let's hold off until you experience the help (or lack thereof) from NU's Career Services in dealing with OCI (After all, our primary purpose here is to get a job). Look back at this thread and you'll find a mixed review....either people love them or hate them. As for me, I'm pretty neutral but only because I chose not to rely on them at all.

Fair. So far the Career Center has done basically everything they can to get me a 1L Summer Job from reviewing and editing my resume and cover letter and greatly helping my search for a possible employer, not to mention taking my frantic calls when I don't know the "proper" way to respond to employer emails. Thus, I am extremely happy with them so far. I have friends who have never even met with their Career Adviser, but I feel that's a failing on their part, though I suppose it's a mix since the Career Center could do more to reach out as well.

[crumpetsandtea]

For some reason, I feel like zero loyalty to NU... if I had the money to donate, I'd definitely give to my undergrad before law school.

Interesting. In just a few months here I feel way more loyalty to NU than my undergrad. Possibly the fact NU staff actually knows the students and pays attention to them makes a difference. I doubt a single person at my undergrad remembers me (except maybe one Professor..maybe).

Since you're a relative newbie, let's hold off until you experience the help (or lack thereof) from NU's Career Services in dealing with OCI (After all, our primary purpose here is to get a job). Look back at this thread and you'll find a mixed review....either people love them or hate them. As for me, I'm pretty neutral but only because I chose not to rely on them at all.

Fair. So far the Career Center has done basically everything they can to get me a 1L Summer Job from reviewing and editing my resume and cover letter and greatly helping my search for a possible employer, not to mention taking my frantic calls when I don't know the "proper" way to respond to employer emails. Thus, I am extremely happy with them so far. I have friends who have never even met with their Career Adviser, but I feel that's a failing on their part, though I suppose it's a mix since the Career Center could do more to reach out as well.

1L and 2L summer hiring are two completely different beasts, and it is significantly less stressful and easier to "help" a 1L in their search compared to a 2L.

[lgleye]

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[Micdiddy]

Fair. So far the Career Center has done basically everything they can to get me a 1L Summer Job from reviewing and editing my resume and cover letter and greatly helping my search for a possible employer, not to mention taking my frantic calls when I don't know the "proper" way to respond to employer emails. Thus, I am extremely happy with them so far. I have friends who have never even met with their Career Adviser, but I feel that's a failing on their part, though I suppose it's a mix since the Career Center could do more to reach out as well.

Glad that's working out for you and you're getting good results with OCS......(we have a future donor here).
Yep, your friends could be more diligent. Also, OCS seems to be more responsive now after last summer's complaints by a bunch of people (couple key people left).

Yes, at leas they seem to be learning from the mistakes of the past. I hope to pass that along to future students as I make it my life mission to remove Connies permanently from school functions. If I ever do become a donor, I will give funds only for better lunches.

[jn7]

Fair. So far the Career Center has done basically everything they can to get me a 1L Summer Job from reviewing and editing my resume and cover letter and greatly helping my search for a possible employer, not to mention taking my frantic calls when I don't know the "proper" way to respond to employer emails. Thus, I am extremely happy with them so far. I have friends who have never even met with their Career Adviser, but I feel that's a failing on their part, though I suppose it's a mix since the Career Center could do more to reach out as well.

Glad that's working out for you and you're getting good results with OCS......(we have a future donor here).
Yep, your friends could be more diligent. Also, OCS seems to be more responsive now after last summer's complaints by a bunch of people (couple key people left).

Yes, at leas they seem to be learning from the mistakes of the past. I hope to pass that along to future students as I make it my life mission to remove Connies permanently from school functions. If I ever do become a donor, I will give funds only for better lunches.

Everybody gets Rosemary Chicken Sandwiches from Harry's!

[parkslope]

Fair. So far the Career Center has done basically everything they can to get me a 1L Summer Job from reviewing and editing my resume and cover letter and greatly helping my search for a possible employer, not to mention taking my frantic calls when I don't know the "proper" way to respond to employer emails. Thus, I am extremely happy with them so far. I have friends who have never even met with their Career Adviser, but I feel that's a failing on their part, though I suppose it's a mix since the Career Center could do more to reach out as well.

Glad that's working out for you and you're getting good results with OCS......(we have a future donor here).
Yep, your friends could be more diligent. Also, OCS seems to be more responsive now after last summer's complaints by a bunch of people (couple key people left).

Yes, at leas they seem to be learning from the mistakes of the past. I hope to pass that along to future students as I make it my life mission to remove Connies permanently from school functions. If I ever do become a donor, I will give funds only for better lunches.

Everybody gets Rosemary Chicken Sandwiches from Harry's!

Love how the ostensible Harry's reboot means that Harry's is actually less well-stocked than it was before and the sandwiches are not any better.

[rinkrat19]

Everybody gets Rosemary Chicken Sandwiches from Harry's!

Love how the ostensible Harry's reboot means that Harry's is actually less well-stocked than it was before and the sandwiches are not any better.

The brie one is pretty good, but I definitely miss the variety we had before. We went from like 15 sandwiches (which were more customizable because they weren't pre-made) to like 5. Lame.

[jn7]

Everybody gets Rosemary Chicken Sandwiches from Harry's!

Love how the ostensible Harry's reboot means that Harry's is actually less well-stocked than it was before and the sandwiches are not any better.

The brie one is pretty good, but I definitely miss the variety we had before. We went from like 15 sandwiches (which were more customizable because they weren't pre-made) to like 5. Lame.

Oh it was way better before. The chickpea salad is also decent if you enjoy remaining relatively hungry after eating

[fishfry111]

.

[whereskyle]

Everybody gets Rosemary Chicken Sandwiches from Harry's!

Love how the ostensible Harry's reboot means that Harry's is actually less well-stocked than it was before and the sandwiches are not any better.

The brie one is pretty good, but I definitely miss the variety we had before. We went from like 15 sandwiches (which were more customizable because they weren't pre-made) to like 5. Lame.

Oh it was way better before. The chickpea salad is also decent if you enjoy remaining relatively hungry after eating

Mmm, I love the taste of hunger.

[basilseal]

Did any of you turn down acceptances at t6 for NU due to money? How do you feel about your decision?

Yes. Wanted to end up in Chicago. No regrets.

[Icculus]

For some reason, I feel like zero loyalty to NU... if I had the money to donate, I'd definitely give to my undergrad before law school.

Interesting. In just a few months here I feel way more loyalty to NU than my undergrad. Possibly the fact NU staff actually knows the students and pays attention to them makes a difference. I doubt a single person at my undergrad remembers me (except maybe one Professor..maybe).

Since you're a relative newbie, let's hold off until you experience the help (or lack thereof) from NU's Career Services in dealing with OCI (After all, our primary purpose here is to get a job). Look back at this thread and you'll find a mixed review....either people love them or hate them. As for me, I'm pretty neutral but only because I chose not to rely on them at all.

Fair. So far the Career Center has done basically everything they can to get me a 1L Summer Job from reviewing and editing my resume and cover letter and greatly helping my search for a possible employer, not to mention taking my frantic calls when I don't know the "proper" way to respond to employer emails. Thus, I am extremely happy with them so far. I have friends who have never even met with their Career Adviser, but I feel that's a failing on their part, though I suppose it's a mix since the Career Center could do more to reach out as well.

What people here seem to forget is that there really isn't much career services can do to get you a job 2L. I think people tend to put a lot of blame on them as worthless when really there isn't much they can actually do. There are valid complaints when certain members of the office gave people objectively bad advice about certain things, but what are they supposed to do? They can't make a firm hire you.

[lgleye]

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[Icculus]

What people here seem to forget is that there really isn't much career services can do to get you a job 2L. I think people tend to put a lot of blame on them as worthless when really there isn't much they can actually do. There are valid complaints when certain members of the office gave people objectively bad advice about certain things, but what are they supposed to do? They can't make a firm hire you.

Yeah, seems like Career Services often became a scapegoat, probably because of unrealistic expectations of people who were caught off-guard and hurt by the OCI process. It’s not like they can reach behind the counter for a “secret list” of firms.
However, to be fair, OCS could have been more proactive in making rising 2L’s aware of OCI pitfalls such as: procrastination in prepping interview skills, massmailing, and worst of all, bad bidding at OCI. Seems like there were so many people who, frustrated by OCS’s lack of input, had to rely on blogs for bidding advice. Saw quite a few people, with decent GPA’s, screw themselves by targeting too many markets or wholly unrealistic bids.
In this market, I don't think that anyone would complain if OCS acted more like a mother-hen nagging us to prepare more.

Right, but OCS can't tell you what to bid. I will say I did get advice to only bid one major market and my home market. I think sometimes OCS does tell people stuff like this but people don't listen because they think they are the exception. I do think sometimes OCS gives bad advice but most time people complain about them it isn't really anything OCS could have done differently.

[LRGhost]

What people here seem to forget is that there really isn't much career services can do to get you a job 2L. I think people tend to put a lot of blame on them as worthless when really there isn't much they can actually do. There are valid complaints when certain members of the office gave people objectively bad advice about certain things, but what are they supposed to do? They can't make a firm hire you.

Yeah, seems like Career Services often became a scapegoat, probably because of unrealistic expectations of people who were caught off-guard and hurt by the OCI process. It’s not like they can reach behind the counter for a “secret list” of firms.
However, to be fair, OCS could have been more proactive in making rising 2L’s aware of OCI pitfalls such as: procrastination in prepping interview skills, massmailing, and worst of all, bad bidding at OCI. Seems like there were so many people who, frustrated by OCS’s lack of input, had to rely on blogs for bidding advice. Saw quite a few people, with decent GPA’s, screw themselves by targeting too many markets or wholly unrealistic bids.
In this market, I don't think that anyone would complain if OCS acted more like a mother-hen nagging us to prepare more.

Right, but OCS can't tell you what to bid. I will say I did get advice to only bid one major market and my home market. I think sometimes OCS does tell people stuff like this but people don't listen because they think they are the exception. I do think sometimes OCS gives bad advice but most time people complain about them it isn't really anything OCS could have done differently.

They could certainly do more. You could hire people who work to foster relationships with partners and students and then try to go to bat for them. Obviously you wouldn't take a marginal student and try to place them at an absolute top firm, but they could do more than say 'apply broadly' or whatever. It'd be more work than revising resumes, but there was that whole ATL article about different ways to adjust Career Services at schools. It'd be an overhaul, not a tweak. There are some things that I don't know would be good ideas but may be novel like maybe trying to adjust people's notion of success being outside of $160,000 and a couple dozen firms in a three or four markets. Also providing actual career advice for how to succeed five and ten years after graduation and not just during OCI would be pretty good.

[lgleye]

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