Ask me about UNLV... Forum

[guvna2030]

Hi Everyone,

I've responded to a couple of posts on here regarding UNLV, so I just thought I'd make myself available for anyone who has questions about the school. I'm currently a 3L here, so I think I've got some pretty good insight about the law school, the community, and why UNLV is a great choice. If you're thinking about UNLV, don't hesitate to ask me anything you want to know.

[yo!]

Hi Everyone,

I've responded to a couple of posts on here regarding UNLV, so I just thought I'd make myself available for anyone who has questions about the school. I'm currently a 3L here, so I think I've got some pretty good insight about the law school, the community, and why UNLV is a great choice. If you're thinking about UNLV, don't hesitate to ask me anything you want to know.

This probably needs to be moved into the "Discuss your law school forum," but I'm happy to take advantage.

Do you have any employment lined up at graduation?

How brutal is the job market for Boyd grads at the moment? Have most people at least found some type of legal job? What about people in to top 10%? People in the bottom 10%?

What is your favorite/ least favorite thing about the school?

What made you choose Boyd? (location, best school you got into, money?)

This may be a little too personal, but where are you in the class and how many hours did you study per week during 1L?

Thanks a lot for this. There aren't many Boyd grads on here, so it is a big help.

[remotelyfeasible]

How often do students, either 1Ls or higher, go out as a group to the Strip and gamble/drink/gamble (just basically degen) it up?

[guvna2030]

You're right, I probably should have posted this in a different place. Oops! Anyway, here are the answers to your questions:

1. I do have employment lined up after graduation. I'm clerking for the NV Supreme Court for a year and then I have a tentative offer to work for a medium-sized firm in Las Vegas.

2. Even though the market is tough, most of my friends have jobs. Obviously, those in the top 10% have fared better, but because of the networking opportunities available in Las Vegas, many students who are not at the top of the class have found jobs as well (mostly clerking for local judges). I'm sure Career Services could give you more specific data and I'm certainly not saying that Boyd grads are guaranteed jobs, but there are certainly plenty of opportunities to meet the people who are making offers.

3. My favorite thing about Boyd is the small size and congenial atmosphere. I have friends at larger schools who complain that they aren't involved and don't feel like they are a part of the law school community. You'll NEVER feel that way here...it really is a close-knit group. I've also been extremely impressed with the legal writing program. Having worked with summer associates at a local firm who were from other schools, I can definitely say that the training I got at UNLV set me apart. My least favorite thing is class schedules. Because we are small but also have a part-time program, some of the classes I wanted to take after my first year were only offered at night to accommodate the part-time students (and I'm a morning person). The advantage to this, though, is that if you want to pick up an externship with a judge during the semester, you can do so without compromising your classes.

4. I chose Boyd for a few reasons. It wasn't the best school I got into, but it was the most cost effective. I was already living and working in Las Vegas and I knew I wanted to stay in this area. I had also heard great things about the legal writing program and knew I valued practical skills over top rankings. Las Vegas is a great place to live, even if it's only for a short time. The weather is nice (except July and August) and there's something here for everyone. Obviously, money was another important factor and I'll be graduating with minimal law school debt.

5. As of this year, I'm in the top 10%. My first year, I probably spent 60-70 hours per week at school, and studied at home on the weekends. However, I didn't find that it took over my life and I still kept up with my outside activities (I even joined a band and started playing shows halfway through my first year).

If you have any additional questions, don't hesitate to ask...

[guvna2030]

How often do students, either 1Ls or higher, go out as a group to the Strip and gamble/drink/gamble (just basically degen) it up?

That definitely depends on the group. The school itself doesn't sponsor too many events on the Strip, but student organizations host weekly "bar reviews" at various establishments (read: casinos, lounges, bars, clubs). Also, UNLV is conveniently located within walking distance of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, so if you want to make sure your social life remains vibrant while you're here then it's a great choice.

That said, Boyd itself is pretty professional and the student body is surprisingly eclectic for a school of our size.

[NUMB3RFIFTY]

If you're not from Nevada, don't bother applying.

There are 150 seats and 70% of them are reserved for Nevada residents.

That leaves about 45 seats for basically, the rest of the world.

[PhantaManta]

If you're not from Nevada, don't bother applying.

There are 150 seats and 70% of them are reserved for Nevada residents.

That leaves about 45 seats for basically, the rest of the world.

Uhhh... I think this is bad advice in general. A lot of state schools take more in-state students, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't apply. You might want to take into consideration that it will be more difficult to get in if you are on the low end of their numbers, but if you are above median, you will probably get in regardless of where you are from, with money (maybe.)

[Vegas_Rebel]

If you're not from Nevada, don't bother applying.

There are 150 seats and 70% of them are reserved for Nevada residents.

That leaves about 45 seats for basically, the rest of the world.

Your numbers are right (at least, it may be 80%) but your conclusion is wrong.

There are several people from these boards that have been accepted to UNLV (with money) that are out of state students.

Also, Phanta is right. With a percentage quota for in state students, out of state students with high numbers are in demand so that the school can bump up its LSAT/GPA numbers. I'm not sure what UNR's mean LSAT score is, but UNLV's is, according to my LSAC profile, about a 149.

[NUMB3RFIFTY]

If you're not from Nevada, don't bother applying.

There are 150 seats and 70% of them are reserved for Nevada residents.

That leaves about 45 seats for basically, the rest of the world.

Your numbers are right (at least, it may be 80%) but your conclusion is wrong.

There are several people from these boards that have been accepted to UNLV (with money) that are out of state students.

Also, Phanta is right. With a percentage quota for in state students, out of state students with high numbers are in demand so that the school can bump up its LSAT/GPA numbers. I'm not sure what UNR's mean LSAT score is, but UNLV's is, according to my LSAC profile, about a 149.

Hey I understand you're trying to defend your school, but your defense is a bit of a stretch.

Lets say you're right and 80% of the seats are saved for residents. That's 40 seats for everyone else in the country.

According to the rejection letter, last cycle they got about 2000 applicants.

Let's assume (you've taken a stats class) that the applicant pool is normally distributed with an X-Bar value of a 150 LSAT.

I'll spare you the calculations, but there will be 150 applicants in the 75-99 percentile alone (in-state or otherwise.)

40 seats for everyone outside of Nevada means almost 1 person per STATE.

This of course, ignores outliers such as adcomm bias, sympathy admits, and assumes that all applicants have an equal GPA. But you can create another example with a normally distributed GPA's and you'd be back to square 1.

Point being, that an out of state applicant should think twice (maybe 3 times) before wasting 60 big-ones to apply.

[PhantaManta]

If you're not from Nevada, don't bother applying.

There are 150 seats and 70% of them are reserved for Nevada residents.

That leaves about 45 seats for basically, the rest of the world.

Your numbers are right (at least, it may be 80%) but your conclusion is wrong.

There are several people from these boards that have been accepted to UNLV (with money) that are out of state students.

Also, Phanta is right. With a percentage quota for in state students, out of state students with high numbers are in demand so that the school can bump up its LSAT/GPA numbers. I'm not sure what UNR's mean LSAT score is, but UNLV's is, according to my LSAC profile, about a 149.

Hey I understand you're trying to defend your school, but your defense is a bit of a stretch.

Lets say you're right and 80% of the seats are saved for residents. That's 40 seats for everyone else in the country.

According to the rejection letter, last cycle they got about 2000 applicants.

Let's assume (you've taken a stats class) that the applicant pool is normally distributed with an X-Bar value of a 150 LSAT.

I'll spare you the calculations, but there will be 150 applicants in the 75-99 percentile alone (in-state or otherwise.)

40 seats for everyone outside of Nevada means almost 1 person per STATE.

This of course, ignores outliers such as adcomm bias, sympathy admits, and assumes that all applicants have an equal GPA. But you can create another example with a normally distributed GPA's and you'd be back to square 1.

Point being, that an out of state applicant should think twice (maybe 3 times) before wasting 60 big-ones to apply.

Even if there are only 40 seats for out of state students, a lot less out of state students are in the application pool to begin with.

No one is getting rejected from UNLV with >160/>3.5 regardless of which state they are from, and lawschoolnumbers supports this. If you have a 155 and aren't in love with UNLV to begin with, then fine, you might want to take residency into consideration - but seriously... it's about the numbers.

[yo!]

If you're not from Nevada, don't bother applying.

There are 150 seats and 70% of them are reserved for Nevada residents.

That leaves about 45 seats for basically, the rest of the world.

Your numbers are right (at least, it may be 80%) but your conclusion is wrong.

There are several people from these boards that have been accepted to UNLV (with money) that are out of state students.

Also, Phanta is right. With a percentage quota for in state students, out of state students with high numbers are in demand so that the school can bump up its LSAT/GPA numbers. I'm not sure what UNR's mean LSAT score is, but UNLV's is, according to my LSAC profile, about a 149.

Hey I understand you're trying to defend your school, but your defense is a bit of a stretch.

Lets say you're right and 80% of the seats are saved for residents. That's 40 seats for everyone else in the country.

According to the rejection letter, last cycle they got about 2000 applicants.

Let's assume (you've taken a stats class) that the applicant pool is normally distributed with an X-Bar value of a 150 LSAT.

I'll spare you the calculations, but there will be 150 applicants in the 75-99 percentile alone (in-state or otherwise.)

40 seats for everyone outside of Nevada means almost 1 person per STATE.

This of course, ignores outliers such as adcomm bias, sympathy admits, and assumes that all applicants have an equal GPA. But you can create another example with a normally distributed GPA's and you'd be back to square 1.

Point being, that an out of state applicant should think twice (maybe 3 times) before wasting 60 big-ones to apply.

You are just way off base here. On TLS, the UNLV c/o 2013 FB group and other places, there are tons of out of out of state students. In fact, many of them got big scholarships. Sure it is true that most of the admnits are NV residents, but it surely isn't a waste of money to apply if you are interested in the school.

EDIT: I should clarify that I don't mean that they wouldn't take the resident in a situation where they were choosing between two equal students. However, if your numbers are at least above median, it is silly to think that applying is a waste of money.

[kittenmittons]

Better chance of payout: UNLV Law or 150k on one roulette spin?

[yo!]

Better chance of payout: UNLV Law or 150k on one roulette spin?

You are all class kittenmittons, that's for sure.....

[oneforship]

Better chance of payout: UNLV Law or 150k on one roulette spin?

If you're betting the 1:1 or 2:1 spots, I gotta lean roulette on this one.

[Vegas_Rebel]

Better chance of payout: [strike]UNLV[/strike] Law or 150k on one roulette spin?

FTFY

[PhantaManta]

Better chance of payout: UNLV Law or 150k on one roulette spin?

Is the casino gonna give you the 150k to play roulette with as long as you remain top 33% of rouletters?

[YCrevolution]

..

[yo!]

Better chance of payout: UNLV Law or 150k on one roulette spin?

Is the casino gonna give you the 150k to play roulette with as long as you remain top 33% of rouletters?

haha I love that! You can totally convert this decision into pot odds

[houston]

I heart spam. (LinkRemoved)

[ellebee]

Any advice on how to get off the waitlist? Aside from the typical LOCI, LOR, and updated resume.

I just got the WL email today and I'm pretty bummed out.

[guvna2030]

In this economy, every law school is much harder to get into than when I applied 3 years ago. My advice is to contact someone in admissions and get their advice. They have always been very helpful to me and they want to see all applicants succeed and get in if possible. Also, don't be discouraged. I got waitlisted at several schools and, in one case, I finally got in on August 16th...two days before classes started!

[Generic20101L]

Do you know anyone who works for a casino? Are there jobs with the Nevada Gaming Commission you can get with a UNLV JD? Anything having to do with gambling and the law basically?

[guvna2030]

Gaming law is an area that UNLV has been developing extensively over the last few years. In fact, this year, we started a specialized Gaming Law Journal for students interested in gaming law.

I do know a few people who work or have worked for casinos, including general counsel for one of the bigger operations here in town. Also, UNLV offers a number of gaming courses taught by people working in the industry and there are many opportunities to network in that field (including the Gaming Law Society). Unfortunately, a UNLV law degree won't necessarily get you a spot on the Gaming Control Board or Gaming Commission because I'm pretty sure those are appointed positions. But, going to Boyd will ensure that you have an opportunity to network with state leaders who may be able to help you get appointed.

Hope that helps!

[Generic20101L]

Gaming law is an area that UNLV has been developing extensively over the last few years. In fact, this year, we started a specialized Gaming Law Journal for students interested in gaming law.

I do know a few people who work or have worked for casinos, including general counsel for one of the bigger operations here in town. Also, UNLV offers a number of gaming courses taught by people working in the industry and there are many opportunities to network in that field (including the Gaming Law Society). Unfortunately, a UNLV law degree won't necessarily get you a spot on the Gaming Control Board or Gaming Commission because I'm pretty sure those are appointed positions. But, going to Boyd will ensure that you have an opportunity to network with state leaders who may be able to help you get appointed.

Hope that helps!

I checked the website and could only find a couple courses involving gaming law. What are these courses you are talking about?

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.

How does the gaming commission appoint? How would you get yourself into a position to be appointed?

[Vegas_Rebel]

I checked the website and could only find a couple courses involving gaming law. What are these courses you are talking about?

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.

How does the gaming commission appoint? How would you get yourself into a position to be appointed?

There are 3 or 4 classes focusing on gaming law that UNLV offers, which is about 2 or 3 more classes offered than are offered by the next closest school. The Gaming Law Journal adds another aspect to UNLV's gaming offerings, and Dean White recently said that they are looking to open classes for a Gaming LLM several years from now.

When it comes to gaming law, UNLV is as extensive as it gets by a large margin.

The Nevada Gaming Commission is a five-member council appointed by the Governor. As such, my understanding is that the best way to get appointed to the Commission is to A) Have the Governor owe you a favor and B) Be highly qualified, with A being several times more important than B.

Here's some more information: --LinkRemoved--