UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[Madmen321]

Thanks for everyone's replies. It's does seem that Yelp gives Arden a bad rap overall but it seems to be the same with the Pavilion. For anyone living at the Pavillion: is it really that bad? Some of the reviews almost go as far as to suggest that the building might just come toppling down on top of you... Seriously though, noise complaints, cheap appliances, cheap construction, fire alarms, staff complaints etc... Are these reviewers just being really picky or are these serious problems? I called and inquired at the leasing office but did not get far, everyone I spoke with said these issues "were being resolved and that they were a well respected complex" blah blah blah... Given the price I would expect it to be at least somewhat decent. Can any residents comment?

[5ky]

I still maintain it's absurd to live at the Pavilion when there are good apartments LITERALLY 30 walking seconds away that are substantially less expensive

[North]

I still maintain it's absurd to live at the Pavilion when there are good apartments LITERALLY 30 walking seconds away that are substantially less expensive

[anon sequitur]

I have heard a lot of complaints about the pavilion, but it's not like everyone there is planning to move somewhere else next year. The complaints are legit, it's not very quiet, the are a lot of minor problems with stuff due to careless construction, and the big one to me, no HD cable. They're also not nearly as nice as some of the other places further out (belvedere, jefferson ridge, etc.). still, if you've looked at the apartments and added all the extra costs (gotta pay for parking, lol), and you think it's worth the extra cash compared to the other places on Arlington, you'll probably get about what you'd expect. I think it's a crappy deal, but not a completely irrational choice. If having your own washing machine is a deal breaker, I could understand it.

[sprezz]

if you want a larger sample of comments about pavilion at north grounds, i'd just go read the reviews for grandmarc on the corner. there is one huge grain of salt* (grandmarc=tons of drunk 20 year olds; pavilion=different demographic) but the build quality and relationship of marketing hype to actual experience is functionally identical. their construction timeframes were very similar and the general strategy was "take a convenient location and add a bunch of amenities at the expense of square footage or build quality and assume students will pay premiums for the amenities + location." as mentioned above, if you're inelastic on some of the amenities or the combination of those amenities plus the location, allright then. enjoy the pavilion.

*also, you can ignore the meth lab thing from grandmarc reviews. no reason to think that's migrated to north grounds!

[tridog]

What does the typical 1L weekly schedule look like? I looked on UVA's website and they had a sample, but do they vary a lot depending on section?

[Yardbird]

What does the typical 1L weekly schedule look like? I looked on UVA's website and they had a sample, but do they vary a lot depending on section?

Here's the schedule for my section. Every section has about the same amount of class "hours" per week unless a prof cancels class.

Monday
Crim 1000-1100
Torts 1410-1530
CivPro 1540-1640

Tuesday
Ks 0830-0950
Crim 1000-1100
CivPro 1540-1640

Wednesday
Ks 0830-0950
Crim 1000-1100
Torts 1410-1530
CivPro 1540-1640

Thursday
LRW 0850-0950
Torts 1410-1530
CivPro 1540-1640

Friday
Ks 0830-0950

Though the days certain classes are off may change, its generally classes from 0830-1100 and 1400-1700 for each section.

[sprezz]

What does the typical 1L weekly schedule look like? I looked on UVA's website and they had a sample, but do they vary a lot depending on section?

here's the complete schedule:

http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/mySIS/CS2 ... &Group=LAW

the second column tells you which sections (civpro with collins says 1AF = sections A and F share that section) you can click the drop down menu to see the spring semester schedule too.

tldr the sample will be pretty representative. there is a decent amount of variance but the school tries squeezes the courses into similar timeslots so it can then schedule mass 1L meetings easily. the same holds for spring semester where the school frees up certain blocks for all sections so that the big electives like corporations and evidence can fit 1L schedules.

[meegee]

I'm pretty sure this topic has been asked many times in the past, but I'm having trouble bringing up useful results with the search function (is there a way to limit the search function to a specific thread?).

I won't be having a car, and I don't plan on buying one in the near future. My main mode of transportation will be walking and biking. As such, I plan on living somewhere very close to UVA. The common housing options that I've seen come up are 1) Pavillion 2) Jeffersonian 3) Ivy. Are there any other housing options within walking distance of campus? I'm currently checking out apartmentguide.com but I assume it's using UVA's undergrad campus to measure the distance from the housing options (for instance, Ivy Gardens is listed as 0.92 miles away). I just want to make sure I know what available options there are.

Additionally, since I won't have a car, what apartments are most conveniently located near food sources/super markets/etc?

My main concern is just finding somewhere within walking distance of campus, somewhere cheap, and some place where I can still buy groceries and whatnot with only a bike. Thanks.

[North]

First,




Second, live on Arlington (as noted several times in recent pages, that does not necessarily mean Pavillion -- plenty of better places right across the street). My garbage car broke down the week I moved in. No problems, everything's comfortably withing walking distance.

[RCO2012]

I'm pretty sure this topic has been asked many times in the past, but I'm having trouble bringing up useful results with the search function (is there a way to limit the search function to a specific thread?).

I won't be having a car, and I don't plan on buying one in the near future. My main mode of transportation will be walking and biking. As such, I plan on living somewhere very close to UVA. The common housing options that I've seen come up are 1) Pavillion 2) Jeffersonian 3) Ivy. Are there any other housing options within walking distance of campus? I'm currently checking out apartmentguide.com but I assume it's using UVA's undergrad campus to measure the distance from the housing options (for instance, Ivy Gardens is listed as 0.92 miles away). I just want to make sure I know what available options there are.

Additionally, since I won't have a car, what apartments are most conveniently located near food sources/super markets/etc?

My main concern is just finding somewhere within walking distance of campus, somewhere cheap, and some place where I can still buy groceries and whatnot with only a bike. Thanks.

http://www.law.virginia.edu/offgrounds/offgrounds.htm This is a decent resource that gives you results with distance from the law school. HTH.

[jkpolk]

I still maintain it's absurd to live at the Pavilion when there are good apartments LITERALLY 30 walking seconds away that are substantially less expensive

My dish washer and washing machine work. I have a balcony. The walls of my apartment provide decent resistance to both sound and the elements. I can go to the gym without going outside. There is free printing. I (think) I'm the first person to pass out on the various parts of my floor. There is a management group with at least a vague interest in maintenance. The internet works. And, in the scheme of things, an additional $1800/year for rent/utilities is nothing.

[anon sequitur]

My main concern is just finding somewhere within walking distance of campus, somewhere cheap, and some place where I can still buy groceries and whatnot with only a bike. Thanks.

If you wait until early spring, you'll start seeing all the Arlington Blvd. condos and apartments going up on craigslist. I set up an alert for craigslist and "Arlington" and waited until I found one I liked. There is not a shortage of places to live on Arlington, you can get a place in May or even June. If you get one in March or April you might even be too early, I know my landlord didn't ask me whether or not I was going to renew lat year until May.

[Yardbird]

My 2 cents:

There is absolutely NO REASON to live at the Pavilion when there are cheaper options. It has a gym, so what? If you're gonna work out a walk to the North Grounds Gym isn't gonna kill you - its literally two blocks away. The Pavilion rooms are tiny compared to other Arlington apartments and cost way more, especially when comparing doubles to doubles - you can get a 1BR on Arlington for less than the price of a room in a double in the Pavilion. Also, many Arlington places have free parking which, in my opinion, is better than having free laundry in unit for those who are bringing cars. The Jeff has the added benefit of a resident manager and maintenance and they are the nicest people in the world. Although a large portion of the 1L class currently lives in the Pavilion, a good portion of them are moving out to houses/cheaper apartments after this year.

If you are looking at the Jeffersonian specifically, make sure to apply when the clock strikes 12 am on New Years. Also make sure your Gmail doesn't have a 10 second delay to allow you to "undo" your message because you will end up 37th on the waitlist. There's a reason why the Jeffersonian fills up so quickly.

[thesealocust]

If you are looking at the Jeffersonian specifically, make sure to apply when the clock strikes 12 am on New Years. Also make sure your Gmail doesn't have a 10 second delay to allow you to "undo" your message because you will end up 37th on the waitlist. There's a reason why the Jeffersonian fills up so quickly.

+1, but to add - ride out the waitlist if you wind up on it. I got offered a spot and was very far down on the list / missed the midnight application.

[Yardbird]

If you are looking at the Jeffersonian specifically, make sure to apply when the clock strikes 12 am on New Years. Also make sure your Gmail doesn't have a 10 second delay to allow you to "undo" your message because you will end up 37th on the waitlist. There's a reason why the Jeffersonian fills up so quickly.

+1, but to add - ride out the waitlist if you wind up on it. I got offered a spot and was very far down on the list / missed the midnight application.

+1 on riding the waitlist. I was #37 and got a nice 1 BR

[Br3v]

If you are looking at the Jeffersonian specifically, make sure to apply when the clock strikes 12 am on New Years. Also make sure your Gmail doesn't have a 10 second delay to allow you to "undo" your message because you will end up 37th on the waitlist. There's a reason why the Jeffersonian fills up so quickly.

+1, but to add - ride out the waitlist if you wind up on it. I got offered a spot and was very far down on the list / missed the midnight application.

+1 on riding the waitlist. I was #37 and got a nice 1 BR

Especially with (whether wisely or not) a huge proportion of the 1L class lives in Pavilion alone, thus lowering demand for Jeffersonian. I imagine if you want Jeffersonian you'll get it.

[5ky]

I still maintain it's absurd to live at the Pavilion when there are good apartments LITERALLY 30 walking seconds away that are substantially less expensive

My dish washer and washing machine work. I have a balcony. The walls of my apartment provide decent resistance to both sound and the elements. I can go to the gym without going outside. There is free printing. I (think) I'm the first person to pass out on the various parts of my floor. There is a management group with at least a vague interest in maintenance. The internet works. And, in the scheme of things, an additional $1800/year for rent/utilities is nothing.

Yeah but the point is you can do all of that except wash clothes in your apartment and not leave your building to go to the gym (which is right in between ivy and the law school) and live at ivy or some other place on Arlington for literally half the price. I had a nice balcony at Ivy with a dishwasher and a 2 min walk to the gym, and the people in some places on Arlington I knew had a washer/dryer and also fenced-in backyards where they could relax outside and grill

Just because you're spending a shitload of money on tuition doesn't mean you should say "well, fuck it" and spend double the amount on COL while you're there.

[WahooLaw24]

+1 to most of what's been said regarding housing. Highly recommend the Jeffersonian if you can get it and if not I would look at some of the other places on Arlington. The Pavilion is very nice, but I just don't see how it could make sense for most people financially.

[danitt]

Every time the Pavilion comes up people get so pressed. There are reasons to live there. They may not be your reasons, or reasons you understand but living there isn't without merit. I have a pet. I wanted my own bathroom. I don't have a car. I couldn't get all of those things anywhere else.

You're going to be here for 3 years. Live where you think you'll be comfortable.

[Doritos]

If you are looking at the Jeffersonian specifically, make sure to apply when the clock strikes 12 am on New Years. Also make sure your Gmail doesn't have a 10 second delay to allow you to "undo" your message because you will end up 37th on the waitlist. There's a reason why the Jeffersonian fills up so quickly.

+1, but to add - ride out the waitlist if you wind up on it. I got offered a spot and was very far down on the list / missed the midnight application.

+1 on riding the waitlist. I was #37 and got a nice 1 BR

I was in the high 40s and got offered a 2 br in the spring.

[RCO2012]

I know this is highly subjective, but what do you all think is a reasonable amount to borrow for living expenses each year?

[daleearnhardt123]

I know this is highly subjective, but what do you all think is a reasonable amount to borrow for living expenses each year?

No one can help you make a budget man. Do you have car payments? what's your car insurance? where are you gonna be living (i.e. what is your rent?) What are your social habits like (do you blow $50 at the bar every time you go out?) What are your eating habits? (Does everything have to be from whole foods?)

All anyone here can tell you is that Charlottesville is a pretty affordable place to live. Beyond that, anyone who recommends a # to you without any (much less all) of that information is doing you a disservice.

[Yardbird]

I know this is highly subjective, but what do you all think is a reasonable amount to borrow for living expenses each year?

No one can help you make a budget man. Do you have car payments? what's your car insurance? where are you gonna be living (i.e. what is your rent?) What are your social habits like (do you blow $50 at the bar every time you go out?) What are your eating habits? (Does everything have to be from whole foods?)

All anyone here can tell you is that Charlottesville is a pretty affordable place to live. Beyond that, anyone who recommends a # to you without any (much less all) of that information is doing you a disservice.

I will give a ROUGH estimate:

Rent - $750 (1 BR)
Utilities - $50-60
Cable/Internet - $70
Food - $150-250 (depending on when I ate out; I don't go out often so bars aren't included)
Misc. - $100

That's ~$1100/mo. on the liberal side and ~$1250 on the conservative side. Just know you will have many one time expenses as well:
section dues
club dues
jerseys if your sponsorship doesn't cover all of it
beer money
a (pair of) suit(s) if your old ones are raggedy or don't fit properly (or aren't charcoal or navy)

These all vary per person so I won't even attempt to put numbers on those. COL adds up, and if you are ok with living with another person, the amenities in a Pavilion 2BR aren't worth it over an Arlington 2BR that costs $400/mo cheaper per person.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Lastly, some general financial advice:
I hear a lot of law students say they're "taking out loans so what's another couple $1,000." Many law students also seem to shy away from math where possible. If you haven't ever looked at how interest builds on a loan (GOOGLE amortization table) and how much you will actually owe after you graduate, then you are not choosing a place to live properly. When you have no income, you should be minimizing the amount you borrow so you have more disposable money when you do have income (so you can afford a nicer place when you're out of law school).

"Live like a lawyer in law school and you will live like a law student when you are a lawyer."

The only exception to this should be if you have parents fronting the bill, you saved up money yourself, or you have a sugar daddy. A substantial scholarship is not a good reason to be financially imprudent. If anything you should be the opposite.

[swampman]

I hear a lot of law students say they're "taking out loans so what's another couple $1,000." Many law students also seem to shy away from math where possible. If you haven't ever looked at how interest builds on a loan (GOOGLE amortization table) and how much you will actually owe after you graduate, then you are not choosing a place to live properly. When you have no income, you should be minimizing the amount you borrow so you have more disposable money when you do have income (so you can afford a nicer place when you're out of law school).

"Live like a lawyer in law school and you will live like a law student when you are a lawyer."

The only exception to this should be if you have parents fronting the bill, you saved up money yourself, or you have a sugar daddy. A substantial scholarship is not a good reason to be financially imprudent. If anything you should be the opposite.

I'm going to justify maxing out my loans with consumption smoothing theory. I'd rather have roughly the same, comfortable amount of consumption spread through my whole life than be starving in my twenties and driving a Mercedes when I'm 60. Also, gunning for that PAYE/LRAP, so not actually planning on paying any of this stuff back.

I'll check in with you guys in a few years when my credit is destroyed and I'm living in a cardboard box.