penn state 1L taking questions Forum

[longroad]

just finished my first semester finals. i know this would have helped me if someone would have done this. i will be able to be on for about an hour. if anyone has any questions about penn state law or anything else, i can try to help or give you my opinions.

[allah6969]

just finished my first semester finals. i know this would have helped me if someone would have done this. i will be able to be on for about an hour. if anyone has any questions about penn state law or anything else, i can try to help or give you my opinions.

I visited Penn State Law back in October. I've been admitted and I'm above both medians. I've heard PSU isn't too generous withs scholarships, so I'm sort of nervous about attending. I'm not form the area but would love to move out there. I'm concerned about a few things. I'm concerned that the job prospects may not be as good as they once were. I've heard bad things about the legal job market in Pennsylvania right now, especially after the economic downturn. What have you heard about employment prospects from 3Ls? Are they getting jobs? I'm concerned, as is probably every new law student, about taking on more debt than I can handle.

Thoughts?

[Veyron]

How does it feel to get constantly confused with the real Penn?

[longroad]

just finished my first semester finals. i know this would have helped me if someone would have done this. i will be able to be on for about an hour. if anyone has any questions about penn state law or anything else, i can try to help or give you my opinions.

I visited Penn State Law back in October. I've been admitted and I'm above both medians. I've heard PSU isn't too generous withs scholarships, so I'm sort of nervous about attending. I'm not form the area but would love to move out there. I'm concerned about a few things. I'm concerned that the job prospects may not be as good as they once were. I've heard bad things about the legal job market in Pennsylvania right now, especially after the economic downturn. What have you heard about employment prospects from 3Ls? Are they getting jobs? I'm concerned, as is probably every new law student, about taking on more debt than I can handle.

Thoughts?

job prospects seem to kind of suck to be honest. i have heard of lots of 3Ls tying up jobs, but nothing seems to be very well paying or glamorous. i also have heard there was a hiring freeze with government jobs in PA. if you are above both medians, go somewhere else to guarantee better employment, unless they come through with a rocking scholarship. i would be worried about debt pretty much anywhere you head right now, with the exception of the top 3-15 (depending one who you talk to). good luck!

[longroad]

rude, unimportant, and off topic on both ends.

apologies

[longroad]

just finished my first semester finals. i know this would have helped me if someone would have done this. i will be able to be on for about an hour. if anyone has any questions about penn state law or anything else, i can try to help or give you my opinions.

I visited Penn State Law back in October. I've been admitted and I'm above both medians. I've heard PSU isn't too generous withs scholarships, so I'm sort of nervous about attending. I'm not form the area but would love to move out there. I'm concerned about a few things. I'm concerned that the job prospects may not be as good as they once were. I've heard bad things about the legal job market in Pennsylvania right now, especially after the economic downturn. What have you heard about employment prospects from 3Ls? Are they getting jobs? I'm concerned, as is probably every new law student, about taking on more debt than I can handle.

Thoughts?

in addition to what i wrote before: if you can be top 5-10 percent, come to penn state with a good scholarship. but there really is no guarantee you will finish that high. plus. people might not like you because you will not be at the real penn lol.

[idfatq]

How does it feel to get constantly confused with the real Penn?

1) feels fantastic to know i do not go to school with a bunch of pricks (yes, like you)

2) feels wonderful to go to school with a bunch of down to earth, well rounded people (like me)

3) feels great to know i am top five percent of my class, and will have better employment prospects than the median and below at your school (bet you i already have a better summer job lined up than you. actually, i know i do)

4) feels AMAZING to know i will always have more clients that a prick like you (i mean who would really want to even be your friend, let alone client, because you are such a jerk)

but yeah, sometimes i feel terrible when i am sitting in the stands at a big ten football game and everyone confuses us with the real penn. it really hurts my feelings to go to the bars at the best party school in the country and get confused with the real penn. i think we are the real penn, and you elitist morons are too full of yourselves to realize that. yeah, but our life sucks up here. i will be most upset when i leave here with no debt, a well paying job, and my investments in tact. the lucky few from your school will get your 160k jobs, slaving away for some loser the rest of your lives 90 hours a week as you grow uglier and fatter by the moment. your bosses will hide you all in the back corner windowless office because you are so ugly, but so brilliant they need you to slave away at research and writing briefs and memos all day. they will laugh behind your backs because if you are all as smart as you think, you could go do the work in your own company and get paid a lot more for a lot less work. you will look up at 50 and wonder where you life has gone. your bosses will fire you because they will be able to pay some kid fresh out from another top school less than they pay you. but you can still tell everyone you went to the real penn. they will like you for that. i will be retired by then, trust me. go put on your ivy blazer and pat yourself on the back for your only accomplishment in life: scoring highly on the lsat!

just a casual observer here, but you sound like a prick yourself reacting so poorly to what probably was a lighthearted joke. if this is indicative of how sensitive the penn state law community is about their inferiority complex with regards to penn (which you've ironically confirmed in the process of vehemently denying an inferiority complex), i'm not so sure many people would want to be a part of a community like that.

chill out man.

[acirilli1722]

Are you at University Park or Carlisle? Also if they aren't good with scholarships would you say for a PA resident Temple would be a smarter choice seeing they require similar numbers for admission and the in-state tuition is much cheaper. Though I will say that growing up in a PSU family that their alumni are obsessed with hiring other PSU alums so as that school continues to grow I am sure that more jobs will come.

[longroad]

How does it feel to get constantly confused with the real Penn?

1) feels fantastic to know i do not go to school with a bunch of pricks (yes, like you)

2) feels wonderful to go to school with a bunch of down to earth, well rounded people (like me)

3) feels great to know i am top five percent of my class, and will have better employment prospects than the median and below at your school (bet you i already have a better summer job lined up than you. actually, i know i do)

4) feels AMAZING to know i will always have more clients that a prick like you (i mean who would really want to even be your friend, let alone client, because you are such a jerk)

but yeah, sometimes i feel terrible when i am sitting in the stands at a big ten football game and everyone confuses us with the real penn. it really hurts my feelings to go to the bars at the best party school in the country and get confused with the real penn. i think we are the real penn, and you elitist morons are too full of yourselves to realize that. yeah, but our life sucks up here. i will be most upset when i leave here with no debt, a well paying job, and my investments in tact. the lucky few from your school will get your 160k jobs, slaving away for some loser the rest of your lives 90 hours a week as you grow uglier and fatter by the moment. your bosses will hide you all in the back corner windowless office because you are so ugly, but so brilliant they need you to slave away at research and writing briefs and memos all day. they will laugh behind your backs because if you are all as smart as you think, you could go do the work in your own company and get paid a lot more for a lot less work. you will look up at 50 and wonder where you life has gone. your bosses will fire you because they will be able to pay some kid fresh out from another top school less than they pay you. but you can still tell everyone you went to the real penn. they will like you for that. i will be retired by then, trust me. go put on your ivy blazer and pat yourself on the back for your only accomplishment in life: scoring highly on the lsat!

just a casual observer here, but you sound like a prick yourself reacting so poorly to what probably was a lighthearted joke. if this is indicative of how sensitive the penn state law community is about their inferiority complex with regards to penn (which you've ironically confirmed in the process of vehemently denying an inferiority complex), i'm not so sure many people would want to be a part of a community like that.

chill out man.

you are right. i came off like an ass last night, and i apologize for my comments, though i do believe them to be true. they just weren't said in the kindest of ways or in a way that best represents my professionalism. reality is there are like 300 law schools out there that have an inferiority complex to penn, not just penn state. my point was not clear, however, that most of the free world is very clear who penn state is, and most lay people know penn state is the big football school. the people on websites like these have made that up. people in the legal world are clear of the distinction, and people not involved with the profession are clear of the differnce. further, i didn't appreciate his/her comment, and i believe people should know there are some very successful people at all law schools, not just the top 10.

thank you for shedding light on my poor taste. have a nice weekend.

[longroad]

Are you at University Park or Carlisle? Also if they aren't good with scholarships would you say for a PA resident Temple would be a smarter choice seeing they require similar numbers for admission and the in-state tuition is much cheaper. Though I will say that growing up in a PSU family that their alumni are obsessed with hiring other PSU alums so as that school continues to grow I am sure that more jobs will come.

i am at UP...

temple is a better choice for a PA resident only if you want philly. you are right though, the alumni are crazy about their school. but i don't know how this will work for hiring law students. i don't know how the school can grow. dickinson is the oldest law school in PA and 5th oldest in the country. i think this may show hiring is best for undergrads.

[mpj_3050]

Since you are near the top of the class things are looking good for you, congratulations! But how is someone at median doing? Penn State isn't cheap for someone paying sticker price and certainly a decent percentage are doing so. FYI, almost applied to Penn State but I was a little scared by the tuition.

[longroad]

Since you are near the top of the class things are looking good for you, congratulations! But how is someone at median doing? Penn State isn't cheap for someone paying sticker price and certainly a decent percentage are doing so. FYI, almost applied to Penn State but I was a little scared by the tuition.

i would guess someone at median isn't looking too hot without connections. but i have always believed that if you are willing to work, you can graduate from any school, at any rank and become successful over time. and in reality, any school outside the top 20 the median people are getting hammered in this economy. i read article on it day after day.

further, what is your definition of success? i mean a $50k job with little debt and room to grow and learn may be a great measure of success for many people. just depends on you situation.

one more thing about price, cost of living here is DIRT cheap. so i think it might offset the high tuition cost slightly.

[mpj_3050]

Since you are near the top of the class things are looking good for you, congratulations! But how is someone at median doing? Penn State isn't cheap for someone paying sticker price and certainly a decent percentage are doing so. FYI, almost applied to Penn State but I was a little scared by the tuition.

i would guess someone at median isn't looking too hot without connections. but i have always believed that if you are willing to work, you can graduate from any school, at any rank and become successful over time. and in reality, any school outside the top 20 the median people are getting hammered in this economy. i read article on it day after day.

further, what is your definition of success? i mean a $50k job with little debt and room to grow and learn may be a great measure of success for many people. just depends on you situation.

one more thing about price, cost of living here is DIRT cheap. so i think it might offset the high tuition cost slightly.

50k starting would be great if you have 50k or less combined UG/LS debt would be awesome and would make the investment worth it. And the low cost of living is nice so at least your average student there isn't getting killed on living expenses. Any tips on how you got the grades you did?

[ran12]

Yea that's what a lot of people on TLS don't understand. If you're really determined to be a lawyer and have a successful career it's all about work ethic. Too many people look at 160k jobs out of the gate as success. Real success is achieved through hard work and perseverance. Plus in biglaw you never know what will happen. If you screw up, you're blackballed and I don't know if there's studies on this but I bet people who spend a majority of their career in biglaw end up with shorter life expectancies.

[mpj_3050]

Yea that's what a lot of people on TLS don't understand. If you're really determined to be a lawyer and have a successful career it's all about work ethic. Too many people look at 160k jobs out of the gate as success. Real success is achieved through hard work and perseverance. Plus in biglaw you never know what will happen. If you screw up, you're blackballed and I don't know if there's studies on this but I bet people who spend a majority of their career in biglaw end up with shorter life expectancies.

Hate to derail the thread, but there is some degree of truth to what is being said. Take Penn State, a school where a graduate can be successful provided they keep the debt low but sticker is near suicidal. Like I said before, 50k is great with 50k or under debt. However, I don't believe the majority of Penn State Law grads will be leaving with this level of debt and you have to actually get a job. And the median kids are getting killed ITE. The reason some people are so against lower ranked schools is that many of the students are paying tons of money to attend these schools and are taking out non-dischargeable debt.

[KingRajesh]

How quickly does Penn State send out the admitted student packets?

I got an email saying I was accepted from them in December, but haven't heard anything from them in weeks.

[ran12]

How quickly does Penn State send out the admitted student packets?

I got an email saying I was accepted from them in December, but haven't heard anything from them in weeks.

Check your status checker mailings. They sent stuff out last week.

[Veyron]

[/quote]

1) feels fantastic to know i do not go to school with a bunch of pricks (yes, like you)

2) feels wonderful to go to school with a bunch of down to earth, well rounded people (like me)

3) feels great to know i am top five percent of my class, and will have better employment prospects than the median and below at your school (bet you i already have a better summer job lined up than you. actually, i know i do)

4) feels AMAZING to know i will always have more clients that a prick like you (i mean who would really want to even be your friend, let alone client, because you are such a jerk)

but yeah, sometimes i feel terrible when i am sitting in the stands at a big ten football game and everyone confuses us with the real penn. it really hurts my feelings to go to the bars at the best party school in the country and get confused with the real penn. i think we are the real penn, and you elitist morons are too full of yourselves to realize that. yeah, but our life sucks up here. i will be most upset when i leave here with no debt, a well paying job, and my investments in tact. the lucky few from your school will get your 160k jobs, slaving away for some loser the rest of your lives 90 hours a week as you grow uglier and fatter by the moment. your bosses will hide you all in the back corner windowless office because you are so ugly, but so brilliant they need you to slave away at research and writing briefs and memos all day. they will laugh behind your backs because if you are all as smart as you think, you could go do the work in your own company and get paid a lot more for a lot less work. you will look up at 50 and wonder where you life has gone. your bosses will fire you because they will be able to pay some kid fresh out from another top school less than they pay you. but you can still tell everyone you went to the real penn. they will like you for that. i will be retired by then, trust me. go put on your ivy blazer and pat yourself on the back for your only accomplishment in life: scoring highly on the lsat![/quote]

You mad bro? (hint: he SO mad).

[jayman6]

I'd like to thank longroad for answering questions. Yes he got upset, but just let it go. At least he's kind enough to come answer questions for some of us who are considering attending.

[Black-Blue]

How does it feel to get constantly confused with the real Penn?

Funny that MVPB are all state schools.

[Veyron]

How does it feel to get constantly confused with the real Penn?

Funny that MVPB are all state schools.

Yah, your poin... waiiiit a minute, I see what you did there.

[NCtoDC]

If you are still browsing this thread longroad, do you know which campus offers the environmental law classes for 2L and 3L? Switching campuses after 1L is not an option for me, so I need to pick the campus that will offer the elective classes I want.

[longroad]

If you are still browsing this thread longroad, do you know which campus offers the environmental law classes for 2L and 3L? Switching campuses after 1L is not an option for me, so I need to pick the campus that will offer the elective classes I want.

you can take any class you want at either campus...

[Sarahblack06]

Do you live in White Course? What is your opinion?

[pjo]

How does it feel to get constantly confused with the real Penn?

The funny thing about this comment is it is almost ALWAYS the other way around. I would be more inclined to ask a Penn student how it feels to be confused with Penn State. My cousin went to Penn and she's always telling me that people think she went to Penn State. My cousin lives in PA too fwiw. Seriously, who in their right mind has heard of Penn but not Penn State? The reverse, not so true.

-OP, you mentioned you are top 5-10% and have a summer job lined up. Can you elaborate on what you'll be doing?