UNC 1L taking questions Forum

[borntorun86]

I'm currently applying to UNC Law, but I'm also a grad student at UNC right now and would be happy to answer any non-law questions about the university. Oh, and if you're going to UNC next year, you'd do well to watch the Greatest Rivalry in Sports tomorrow night when Carolina travels up 15-501 to Hansbrough Cameron indoor stadium. Go Heels!

[SupraVln180]

I was recently admitted, and I am seriously considering attending. I am from NYC so it is going to be difficult to move all my shit from NY to NC. Where are the best furnished apartments? (price-wise, but more importantly not undergraddy, I don't want a party on the otherwise of my bedroom wall every night)

[IhateFoxHunting]

I was recently admitted, and I am seriously considering attending. I am from NYC so it is going to be difficult to move all my shit from NY to NC. Where are the best furnished apartments? (price-wise, but more importantly not undergraddy, I don't want a party on the otherwise of my bedroom wall every night)

I'd love to help you out, but can't on this one. Just for information's sake, I live about 30 minutes out (which is actually a similar commute time to locals because I was given a parking permit, and don't have to deal with public transportation). For 1k a month mortgage I have a 5 year old 2,400 sq ft house on a postage stamp sized lot (.15 acres) in northern Raleigh.

[zdayar]

I'd love to help you out, but can't on this one. Just for information's sake, I live about 30 minutes out (which is actually a similar commute time to locals because I was given a parking permit, and don't have to deal with public transportation). For 1k a month mortgage I have a 5 year old 2,400 sq ft house on a postage stamp sized lot (.15 acres) in northern Raleigh.

How were you able to get the parking permit? I thought 1Ls couldn't. I live in Cary and so would loove to have a permit (if I get in that is

[queenlizzie13]

I was recently admitted, and I am seriously considering attending. I am from NYC so it is going to be difficult to move all my shit from NY to NC. Where are the best furnished apartments? (price-wise, but more importantly not undergraddy, I don't want a party on the otherwise of my bedroom wall every night)

I'd love to help you out, but can't on this one. Just for information's sake, I live about 30 minutes out (which is actually a similar commute time to locals because I was given a parking permit, and don't have to deal with public transportation). For 1k a month mortgage I have a 5 year old 2,400 sq ft house on a postage stamp sized lot (.15 acres) in northern Raleigh.

Is the public transportation not that great or do you just not like public transportation?

I want to be close to the school. Also do we get free tickets to the athletic games and things?

[TarHeel11]

Is the public transportation not that great or do you just not like public transportation?

I want to be close to the school. Also do we get free tickets to the athletic games and things?

The Chapel Hill bus system is very efficient and you don't pay a fare when you get on. Students fund the bus system through their student fees.

Similarly, you pay for admission to athletic events through your student fees, but don't have to "purchase" a ticket separately. Some events require a ticket in advance but the only payment is the one you make at the beginning of each semester.

[canes2011]

If we are visiting the Law school, should we set up an appointment with Dean States? Do you think this would be beneficial at all?

[SupraVln180]

If we are visiting the Law school, should we set up an appointment with Dean States? Do you think this would be beneficial at all?

It might be a good idea, I haven't met Dean States yet, I will be next weekend. From my e-mail interaction with him, he seems like a cool and easy-to-talk-to guy. I cannot see how speaking with him can hurt your application, so I would definitely give it a shot.

[queenlizzie13]

If we are visiting the Law school, should we set up an appointment with Dean States? Do you think this would be beneficial at all?

It might be a good idea, I haven't met Dean States yet, I will be next weekend. From my e-mail interaction with him, he seems like a cool and easy-to-talk-to guy. I cannot see how speaking with him can hurt your application, so I would definitely give it a shot.

He is very cool to talk to. Maybe that's how I got in, jk. Anyways, I met him at a law fair. It was an interesting law fair because everyone was trying to talk to all the reps from the CA schools and barely anyone was talking to the out of state schools.

My strategy was to hit all of the out of state schools and then just go to my undergrad's law fair to talk with CA schools.

[beccabea]

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[SupraVln180]

What kind of laptops do people usually get at UNC? I sat in on a class at U Georgia this week and about 80% of people had Macbooks, but the two tour guides on my tour both said that they regretted getting Macbooks because sometimes they weren't compatible with some stuff they needed for classes and internships, e.g. a citation tool on Lexus Nexus. I was thinking of switching to Mac but I guess not anymore. I want something kind of small/light and not infuriatingly slow (i.e. not a netbook), but I know nothing about computers.

Boot Camp. I am running Windows 7 on my Mac right now. Half my hard drive is Snow Leopard OS and the other half is windows. It's real easy and thats what I plan on doing for law school, so I cover all bases. Get a Mac regardless, coming from someone who has both, Macs are better computers.

[beccabea]

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[beccabea]

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[SupraVln180]

1. Sorry Becca, but lol at dances.

2. I think the correct answer for both of your questions is Franklin Street. I'm not sure if that's necessarily close enough to the LS. It's easily walking distance though.

[PDL]

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[beccabea]

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[queenlizzie13]

1. Sorry Becca, but lol at dances.

2. I think the correct answer for both of your questions is Franklin Street. I'm not sure if that's necessarily close enough to the LS. It's easily walking distance though.

Hey, it's not a lol-worthy question. I was sitting there with a letter from William & Mary about how they have ski trips, a semi-formal, a casino night where the professors man the tables, and an annual "ball," among other things. I was just wondering what stuff UNC did along those lines.

I agree. A lot of schools have formals and things actually. I would be interested in going!

[borntorun86]

There are way closer places than Franklin street to go get a cup of coffee. Alpine Bagel (in the student union) has good coffee, and there is another coffee shop in the student store (blanking on the name). Both are located in the Pit, a 3 minute walk from the LS.

The Daily Grind, which (imo) has the best coffee anywhere near campus, is the name of that place.

[SupraVln180]

1. Sorry Becca, but lol at dances.

2. I think the correct answer for both of your questions is Franklin Street. I'm not sure if that's necessarily close enough to the LS. It's easily walking distance though.

Hey, it's not a lol-worthy question. I was sitting there with a letter from William & Mary about how they have ski trips, a semi-formal, a casino night where the professors man the tables, and an annual "ball," among other things. I was just wondering what stuff UNC did along those lines.

I agree. A lot of schools have formals and things actually. I would be interested in going!

I would go if drinking was involved.

[queenlizzie13]

1. Sorry Becca, but lol at dances.

2. I think the correct answer for both of your questions is Franklin Street. I'm not sure if that's necessarily close enough to the LS. It's easily walking distance though.

Hey, it's not a lol-worthy question. I was sitting there with a letter from William & Mary about how they have ski trips, a semi-formal, a casino night where the professors man the tables, and an annual "ball," among other things. I was just wondering what stuff UNC did along those lines.

I agree. A lot of schools have formals and things actually. I would be interested in going!

I would go if drinking was involved.

Oh, I'm sure there will be drinking involved.

[ZeroEll]

UNC 1L here. There is a small snack shop in the law school that sells coffee - nothing fancy, just basic coffee, creamer, sweeteners, and syrup. There is a Starbucks that's about a 5 minute walk (by Ram's Head) as well.

The law schools has an annual Barrister's Ball, which is a semi-formal dance with plenty of drinking. It was held a few weeks ago, but since I didn't go I can't say much about it. There was also an auction in January that was a lot of fun, with faculty, alumni, and students involved. Of course, there is also the weekly Bar Review.

Good luck to all of you still waiting to hear back!

[beccabea]

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[IhateFoxHunting]

I've never met anyone who isn't collegiate. In fact, I send notes to classmates that I notice are absent immediately after class. I imagine others do this also, but I've never missed class I've never heard a single person mention their grade, nor not be willing to help someone figure something out. Don't get me wrong, all of us study our butt's off and do our best on exams, but I don't think we are to worried to worried about class rank, other than simply doing our best.

I am somewhere in between 1/3 and top 10%, but because we don't rank I'm not sure where exactly I fall. And to be honest, I don't need to be in top 10 % becuase I do not want big law in the slightest bit. At OCI this year I applied to exactly four jobs that interested me, I was selected to interview at three, and accepted a paid position (albeit not highly paid lol) that is 15 minutes down the road from me.

If you get into a T14 school, then go. Outside of that, UNC is one of the top schools you should consider. Do not rely on US News. outside of the T14, UNC is one of the schools you should attend if selected. UNC is consistently, year to year, one of the most respected schools outside of the T14, and is a mecca for those interested in everything that is NOT biglaw. Even if selected to a lower T14 (which I was not), you should still consider UNC. UNC at 16k or so a year (in my mind), is much better than 40k at a lower T14, if you do not want biglaw.

Alright, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my night. Best of luck in your decisions. If you got into UNC, then I am sure you have plenty of awesome schools to choose from.

[beccabea]

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[IhateFoxHunting]

Thanks! But how easy is it to talk to a professor? And do the professors know the names of the people in their classes? Or do I have to visit them between classes to get to that point?

Also, how would you describe the social scene at Carolina? Are 1L teams tight-knit? Is it cliquey?

Extremely easy. All of my profs are easy to talk with. They hang around after class and shoot the shit with whoever goes up front, and some have mentioned that no one is visiting during office hours and they wish more students would take advantage of the opportunity. I imagine it is like this at most schools though.

In the larger classes (approx 80 1L's) you will probably have to make yourself heard if you want them to remember your name. Some professors are good with remembering names quickly, and others aren't. I think my torts teacher knew everyone's name in the first week, yet my civ pro teacher still had to reference the seating chart at the end of the semester. There were many students even in that civ pro class who the professors knew, because they would speak up in class. In general they aren't gunning, but the same group tends to take take one for the team when no one is raising their hands.

Every 1L takes 4 classes at the same time. 2 large classes with the same group of students (approx 80?). That 80 person section is then divided into 3 smaller sections. You then take 2 small classes with that same small group. For better or worse, in the small group classes you will get to know your professor. It's hard to hide in the small class if you skimped on reading.

Social scene. It's seem active, and appears to revolve around alcohol. I've only been to one outing because I'm one of those dreaded non-traditional students I'll save this question for someone else to jump in. Cliquey...no-ish? There are groups that are literally attached at the hip (Same classes, same apartment, spring break together, etc), but you would have no problem doing something with them if you wanted, and in general I think their attitudes are the more the merrier.