University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law Forum

[Matokah]

Sort of random question, but is anyone getting all sad about moving away from their current location? I know I'm not having second thoughts, but it's times like these when I have a FANTASTIC night out with my skating buds that I wonder why the heck I'm moving cross-country to be in a location where none of my friends or family live. I'm a risk-taker that way, I suppose.

I felt a little better knowing that one of my skater buds is heading off to Indiana for their PhD, so I'm not alone in being the one who's leaving. I suppose it's just difficult to say good-bye to a life you've made for yourself in one city over the years to go to another city and start fresh. I bet I'll feel much better after I've met some people during orientation who did the same thing as me.

/end late Saturday night worry-wartedness. (see, herzchen? You're not the only one who makes up random words &btw, I owe you an email. Wait for it! It'll come!)

[herzchen]

i feel ya, matokah, but i (also) am not really having second thoughts about the planned move despite some feelings of nostalgia...

but the thing is, i've been moving around frequently like a nomad ever since midway thru college; and i'm gearing up right now to leave my peace corps host country, a place where i never intended to stay longer than 2 years, so i know it's not the same thing as what you're experiencing. while i'll miss it in a lot of ways, overall, i don't feel as if i'd rather stay longer.

it will be hard to again be away from a lot of my so cal & austin friends, but there's no one place i could go to be near them *all*... and like you, i look forward to making new friends.
not to mention that UT rejected me and i want my mom and bro to eventually move back to cali anyway; and at least during this time, they'll be only a short southwest flight(s) away!

we're turning a new leaf and it's normal to mourn the loss of your current connections/situation a bit, but don't get cold feet! mcgeorge/sacto will be fabulous for you, i KNOW it.
and how strange that in a couple short months, we will be in a position to meet e/o from this thread if we wanna... eh?! {-->haha, but if that mostly SCARES you, then disregard it and realize you'll also be able to avoid TLSers if you wanna!!}

[dannyk1101]

yeah MATOKAH, i can relate for sure.. it's definitely gonna be hard for me to leave my family in seattle. it's been a long time since i've lived in the same city as my closest friends so that part won't change much but i'll certainly miss having my parents and my sister around.

but its so exciting to think about entering a new phase of my life. LAW SCHOOL. who woulda thunk it? a year ago i was managing an international infectious disease study. how life changes... i'm SOOO looking forward to making new friends and exploring a new city. i've already started looking at season tickets to the opera there (anyone interested in joining me?) as well as joining the river city rowing club (that river along the city looks gorgeous!) and definitely am lookin forward to the weather.. chicago winters for 7 years was not fun at all. =T

anyways, i think i'm comin down with a cold or something. let's pray i'm not sick in the morning. nite mcgeorgers..

[Bizzle]

Nah, I'm sorry, I can't relate to you guys because I already live here - but trust me it's great: It's sunny most of the year round and there are lovely ladies that always look beautiful! Fun nightlife and good people. I think of Sacramento as a big town - not a city.

Enjoy the summer and have fun with all of your trips out here to California!

[Ipsa Dixit]

Hi there,

I will be going to McGeorge in the fall. I am new to this forum, but I know Matokah from the Law School Discussion forum. Anyway, I am eager for August to get here and for school to start.

danny, I just got Sac opera's guide to the 07-08 season. They'll be having Otello, The Turn of the Screw, and Tosca. I am interested in seeing Tosca, but don't think I can commit to a whole season. San Francisco isn't too far to see a show there either. San Francisco has a a lot more opera and theater options than Sacramento, but Sacramento still does all right. I think the Community Center Theater (where the opera is performed) is perhaps the most boring looking theater I have been in, but that's where the big shows go.

We also have the Music Circus (aka The Wells Fargo Pavilion, but called Music Circus since it literally used to be in a tent). I love the Music Circus venue since the productions are in the round and there's just not a bad seat to be had. I saw South Pacific there and it was great.

Has anyone selected a lender to take out their loans for McGeorge? I am leaning towards THE and was wondering what others might be doing.

[herzchen]

ipsa - are you saying that the music circus shows no longer take place in or involve tents?!
i used to go to a show every july with my grandma as my bday present/outing... and i liked the tent setting. :-/

[Ipsa Dixit]

herzchen, I would say the roof is tent-esque, but the Music Circus has been in a permanent structure for a few years now. It's a nice facility and true to the Music Circus origins (productions are still in the round), it's just that there are now nicer seats and air conditioning. Check it out when you are back in the Sac region. I think you will like it.

[dannyk1101]

hey guys!

so i was thinking of renting a uhaul and making a trip out to ikea before school starts (i have to furnish from scratch unfortunately). i'm sure we could all use an extra set of hands moving in and getting set up. we could split the cost of the rental. it'd be fun!!

any takers?

[herzchen]

the music circus setup sounds nice; thanks.

it looks like the shows go on through most of the month of august... maybe i will catch a show or two this year. YAY!

[Ipsa Dixit]

danny, I may be interested in that. I love IKEA

[gypsy]

I'm so slow to respond as usual. my meeting with dean barrett was on the 25th. went well & i actually found a decent apartment already. stressed about moving, though, but that doesn't seem so far off from what everyone else has been saying. i'm excited on top of the nervousness. can't wait to meet everyone and get to know the city a little better. I got lost a lot when i was in town last. also can't wait to quit my job. i already feel like i've mentally checked out. i hope it's not too noticeable!

[Matokah]

Yeah, I know I'm not moving until late July/early August, but GEEZ. . .it's going to go by so quickly, considering all the stuff I have yet to do.

I need to apply for loans THIS WEEK. Does anyone know if we apply directly through the private lender for loans or if there's also paperwork to fill out through McGeorge? That's one thing that's been confusing me.

As for jobs, my last day with my current job is tomorrow! Then I babysit for friends for the rest of the summer.

Can't wait to meet everyone!

[gypsy]

Matokah ~ I'm pretty sure you have to fill out the loan request form through the school. The form came in one of the several mailings I received from McG, but I think you can also get it online. I'm not sure if you apply for the Stafford & PLUS loans directly through the lender or not, but if I get any new info, I'll pass it along. I'm going to try to call the financial aid office tomorrow.

[Ipsa Dixit]

I applied for Stafford and Graduate PLUS directly through the lender, but then also completed some paperwork that I submitted to McGeorge (should be with your financial aid packet, but is also on the McGeorge website with the Financial Aid forms). There's a checklist that should be with your admissions materials and I have been using that to check things off as I do them. I certainly hope I am doing this correctly, but I'm sure I will hear if I did them incorrectly.

For Perkins loans, you can't complete that paperwork until July 1, but those forms will be on the McGeorge site as well according to the info in my packet.

[gypsy]

I filled out the Loan Request Form online and was able to choose my lender that way for the Stafford & PLUS loans. Pretty simple. I hope there's nothing else.

[Ipsa Dixit]

Gypsy, I think you will need to complete an application with your lender.

On McGeorge's check list, there is a spot for "Complete and e-sign loan applications on your lender's website." and there is also a spot for "Complete Loan Request Form on the Pacific McGeorge website.

Your lender will require you to sign a Master Promissory Note for each loan that you apply for. My lender, and I expect most, will let you e-sign the notes though you can probably print and mail if you want to (I had this option, but chose to e-sign.)

You will need two personal references. On the Stafford, one reference can be a parent, but does not have to be (according to my lender). Pick people who have known you at least 3 years.

[Matokah]

Ipsa and gypsy: Thanks for the info. I should probably get on with filling that stuff out.

Ipsa: Did you decide on T.H.E., then? I know Roman said they did do a 6 month grace period after graduation and there were no penalties for paying over the minimum monthly, but I wanted to verify that with the lender. I suppose I'll have to call them at some point.

[Ipsa Dixit]

I did use THE. There is no pre-payment penalty and there is a 6 month grace period on Stafford loans

There is no pre-payment penalty on Grad PLUS loans and there is no grace period. You may qualify for deferment or forebearance though. There are also flexible options for repayment plans including one that determines your payments based on income.

I have called THE a few times and like their phone service. There is a short phone menu, but you are not trapped in it and representatives answer the phone promptly.

[Matokah]

Thanks for the info, Ipsa! Good phone service is definitely a plus. I *hate* not being able to get through to anyone and then getting some rude person who won't answer my questions.

I think I'm going to spend today trying to get my loan stuff figured out. Hopefully it doesn't take hours. I feel a little silly saying this, but I have NO idea how to apply for loans as my mother helped me out in undergrad and filled that junk out for me (ah, to be 17 and oh so naive about financial issues, heh).

Now that I'm officially done with my job, it's time to get a move on with all this law school stuff before I move in less than two months! Things are going by so quickly.

[gypsy]

After reading everything more thoroughly, I realized I missed a step or 2. I completed the MPN for both Stafford & PLUS loans yesterday. I chose THE, too. I called them and they were very helpful.

Matokah ~ It shouldn't take you very long to get all this stuff done. It only seems a little overwhelming, but really it's not too bad.

Is anyone else petitioning for extra money for a new computer? My current laptop is about 2 years old, but I'm worried that it may not last me the entire 3 years, even though there's nothing wrong with it now. I called the financial aid office and they said I could petition for an extra PLUS loan to cover a new computer anytime during the 3 years. Should I get a new computer now to be safe or save the money and not take out an extra loan until (maybe) later? Opinions? Suggestions?

[Ipsa Dixit]

Matokah, once you have decided on a lender, I think you will find that the loan applications are not that complicated and it should not take very long to fill them out. Good luck!

Gypsy, if there is nothing wrong with your current laptop computer, I don't think you should get a new one. Just make sure to back it up regularly.

[Matokah]

gypsy: Is there any info on McGeorge's website about petitioning for a new printer/laptop? My laptop is 7 years old and my printer is 10. They're on their last legs, and I definitely need new ones. I just have no idea how I'm going to pay for it otherwise.

I can't wait until all this stuff is done with so I can feel completely finished with this process!

[Ipsa Dixit]

Damn, Matokah, 7 years and your laptop is still going

What brand is that laptop?!

[Matokah]

Ipsa: First off, *love* your avatar

My laptop's a Toshiba something or another. It might be slightly less than 7 years, but I don't know for certain since I purchased it from my father at the beginning of undergrad. The battery's died on this a few times, it's incredibly slow, and we've had to wipe the harddrive a few times to refresh the stupid thing, but I can't complain.

What's really amazing is my little Lexmark Z42 printer which is 10 years old. Up until this year, it was running fine. Now it still prints fine, but somehow the color printer broke so I can only print in black and white.

And for a random little note, I just got invited to fly to TX for a week for my babysitting charges. There won't be a salary, but all my expenses will be paid (including free ice time!!). The first dates I was given overlapped exactly with the time I would be moving to Sacramento but the second option I was given would work wonderfully. I'm mulling it over, but this could be a very busy yet fun summer for me

[herzchen]

hey matokah, where in TX would you be going? austin is my current home of record and i'm going to be around there july 3 - early aug. sometime.

on a more relevant note, i officially informed mcgeorge that i won't be coming, and received a quick reply from my admissions counselor wishing me the best at davis...
that was hard, but it had to be done. and today is UCD's reconfirmation deadline.

i feel like there has to be something i should be actively doing to gear up for orientation/registration/etc. but i don't know what it is... am waiting on further instruction re: accepting my financial aid offer... am going to look into purchasing a new laptop later in the summer once i'm back in the States... and i tentatively found a room in a private home to rent (where friends of my mom live).
oh, and still intend to read 'law school confidential.' but i'm in my last few weeks of peace corps service / in my host country- soooo yeah.

ah well. davis starts a couple weeks later than mcgeorge so i guess i get a bit more summertime, which is handy.