UCLA 1L taking questions Forum

[SisyphusHappy]

I saw a bump in last year's thread, so I figured I'd start a new one.

I'm happy to answer any questions about how I picked UCLA, life out here, and how the first semester went.

[SuperCool23]

What other schools did you get accepted into and why ucla? How is the social life, do you think its possible to date while in law school? I'm a URM,do you feel they are represented well on campus? How did your schedule look, and how much time did you spend reading and prepping for class?

[fakehunter]

Thanks, sisyphus - I was the person who bumped last year's thread because I got in with a good scholarship and want to end up in CA, so UCLA seems like a perfect choice.

Anyway, did you go straight from UG or did you take time off? And what's the proportion of K-JDs compared to people with WE? I'm coming straight from school and don't want to be super young. And do you know anything about housing, specifically Weyburn?

[SisyphusHappy]

Sorry about the slow replies. Christmas and what not. They should be quicker from here on.

What other schools did you get accepted into and why ucla? How is the social life, do you think its possible to date while in law school? I'm a URM,do you feel they are represented well on campus? How did your schedule look, and how much time did you spend reading and prepping for class?

Strongly considered WUSTL, Vandy, Illinois (lolol), and Cornell. I picked UCLA for its strong PI program and the culture. It's a very laid back atmosphere, which is what I'm looking for. Social life has been fine. Law school lives up to its round-2-of-high-school reputation. It's cliquey, but I imagine most schools are. A large percentage of people I know are in relationships, they seem to handle it just fine. You'll have plenty of free time at the start of the semester. The month before finals is terrible, but as long as you have an understanding SO, it should be fine.

I think the numbers say UCLA has a large URM community, but it hasn't been my experience. The undergrad population has a reputation for many Asian students and very few African-American students. That seems to be the case in law school, as well. That said, the URM student groups are very active and very well-run.

Uhhh, what can I tell you about the schedule without outing myself? Everyone has a Friday class. The rest of the days vary between 1 and 3 classes. You can get lucky with no 9ams. I'd say maybe half of 1Ls don't have any? Everyone takes 3 of Torts, Contracts, Crim, Property, and Civ Pro their first semester. Con Law comes 2nd semester. Everyone takes Lawyering Skills, as well.

It's hard for me to re-imagine life before finals. I'd say I spent a couple of hours for each class? Many people spent much more.

I hope that helps. If I'm missing something, please feel free to follow-up.

Thanks, sisyphus - I was the person who bumped last year's thread because I got in with a good scholarship and want to end up in CA, so UCLA seems like a perfect choice.

Anyway, did you go straight from UG or did you take time off? And what's the proportion of K-JDs compared to people with WE? I'm coming straight from school and don't want to be super young. And do you know anything about housing, specifically Weyburn?

A good scholarship and the CA area brought me here as well. I'm glad it did. I'm a K-JDer, as well. I'd say the norm is a year or two off, but K-JD isn't rare. I've only met a handful of people who had significant WE. I've never felt too young, especially in Weyburn. Most of us there are K-JD or close to it.

Weyburn is expensive, but for me, well-worth it. I came from out-of-state, didn't know many people, and wanted a way to meet people. Weyburn is the social hub at the start of the year. I know plenty of people who live elsewhere, but it's more work on their part. You can find a much cheaper place if you're willing to take the bus. Brentwood is a popular location for twenty-somethings. I know a handful of people who live downtown as well.

One of the things I really like about Weyburn is the opportunity to meet non-law students. The apartment hosts several mixer that correspond with move-in days. Every 1L gets stressed out at the same times of the year. Meeting grad students allowed me to keep my sanity when the law library was too much to handle.

One piece of advice: be careful with Weyburn roommates. If you can find a way to avoid random matches, do it. I've heard countless horror stories about being paired with socially awkward grad students.

[paul34]

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[SisyphusHappy]

Do you know how the job market is for 2Ls and 3Ls? Is the CA legal market recovering?

To be honest, I really don't know.

[Dman]

Do you know how the job market is for 2Ls and 3Ls? Is the CA legal market recovering?

To be honest, I really don't know.

I am a 3L at UCLA. The job market is far from being all rainbows and happy thoughts. I do not have official numbers on how the 2L class fared this past fall OCI, but I do know a few 2Ls with strong GPAs and LR who struck out. Also many of the people that did get offers, got only one and were extremely thankful something came through.

The 3l job market is pretty much abysmal for most students looking, there are very few posted opportunities on symplicity and an extremely small 3L OCI. Career services has tried to help those still looking to network by providing small networking sessions focused on different practice areas. However, the reality is if you are a jobless 3L you are on your own.

Nevertheless, even with all the doom and gloom, there are opportunities. For example, A friend of mine secured a permanent position with HP, and I was able to get an amazing corporate boutique gig (big law pay without the biglaw hours/lifestyle). Both of us struck out our 2L year but ended up with what I view as better than standard big law opportunities.

UCLA has some serious street cred in LA. IF that is your target market, UCLA is an excellent choice. However, don't expect a job or legal career to be tossed at your feet.

If anyone has specific questions feel free to PM me.

[fakehunter]

Can you fit a full bed in Weyburn, either the studio or the 2BR?

[SisyphusHappy]

Can you fit a full bed in Weyburn, either the studio or the 2BR?

Absolutely. I have a full bed in a 2BR with plenty of extra space.

[squintspalledorous]

How advisable is living farther away from campus, such as in Palms or Culver City? There is obviously the convenience factor of living close in terms of commute time, but is there anything else that 0Ls might not realize about living closer/farther to/from UCLA?

[SisyphusHappy]

How advisable is living farther away from campus, such as in Palms or Culver City? There is obviously the convenience factor of living close in terms of commute time, but is there anything else that 0Ls might not realize about living closer/farther to/from UCLA?

I'd give some thought to the bus system in the neighborhood. The Big Blue Bus and Culver City Bus systems are really nice and cheap for students ($.50/ride, $30/quarter). The Metro system is more expensive ($1.50/ride, more expensive unlimited pass) and more rundown. Then again, I use the buses way more than most students, so YMMV.

Other than that, I think it just depends on what you're looking for in terms of community, price, culture, etc, etc. I'd really enjoy the Culver City area, but I don't know of many 1Ls living there.

[SuperCool23]

How does UCLA, place graduates in NYC

[SisyphusHappy]

How does UCLA, place graduates in NYC

2Ls tell me that the strong Cali bias for graduates is a lot of self-selection (and after experiencing LA life, I can understand why).

That said, the NYC market is saturated. It's going to be tough for anyone to land jobs there, let alone someone who went to school across the country.

[squintspalledorous]

Thanks Sisyphus for the answers. Couple more...

1. How closely do you stick with your 1L section? Are all 1L classes strictly with your section?
2. How's the intramural scene? What about UCLA sports? Any time to attend basketball/football games?
3. How's the selection for 2L/3L classes? The brochure shows a gigantic list... have you been able to get into everything you've been interested in? Is there anything you wish UCLA offered that is currently lacking?
4. How popular/useful are specializations in areas like CRS and Business Law? Are some seen as prestigious while others useless?

[SisyphusHappy]

Thanks Sisyphus for the answers. Couple more...

1. How closely do you stick with your 1L section? Are all 1L classes strictly with your section?
2. How's the intramural scene? What about UCLA sports? Any time to attend basketball/football games?
3. How's the selection for 2L/3L classes? The brochure shows a gigantic list... have you been able to get into everything you've been interested in? Is there anything you wish UCLA offered that is currently lacking?
4. How popular/useful are specializations in areas like CRS and Business Law? Are some seen as prestigious while others useless?

1. Each semester, you have four class. Two of them (Torts, Crim, Civ Pro, Con Law) have two sections. Your section is paired with the same section all year. One class (Contracts, Property) is only your section. Lawyering skills is half your section (the other half has the same professor, but a different time slot). There are a few exceptions to this -- I don't think lawyering skills works out quite perfectly -- but it's the general rule.

2. I don't know much about intramurals, but the law school is pretty active. There were weekly soccer and basketball games last semester. They tried to get some racquetball together too, I think. I haven't had time to attend basketball/football, but that's only because it's all off campus this year and it's not a big priority of mine. There was a decent sized group of students who went to the football games. There is plenty of time to do so early in the semester...at least once you realize you don't need to do full case briefs.

3. I haven't signed up for electives yet, but I'm happy with the list. Maybe Dman can say more if he finds his way back to the thread.

4. CRS and the Epstein program share many of the same students. I'm not in either, but I've heard nothing but good things. Their advising is much better than career services and their mentor program with professors is great, I hear. I don't think Business Law is too popular, but the professor advising it is incredible. I think the Epstein program is sort of seen as prestigious for those of us interested in public interest, but I don't think any others are.

CRS/PILP bring awesome speakers to campus, but it's irrelevant to the program. Most all CRS/PILP/Business Law events are open to everyone. There's not much of an advantage to being in them unless it's something you want it on your transcript.

[kings84_wr]

Thought I'd chime in as well. I'm also a 3L.

Most upper division classes are pretty easy to get. But some clinics like Trial Ad fill up very fast. Ive never had a problem filling my schedule with the classes I wanted.

The job market is tough. My guess is about 33% to 40% got jobs through OCI. But I also know a lot of people who have jobs outside of OCI as mentioned above. 3L OCI was brutal and Symplicity is barren. I was lucky enough to get a job at a mid-sized firm in Orange County.

Honestly the hiring partners in LA or even OC view UCLA really highly. The employment options really depend on the SoCal market.

But I do know a significant amount of students who are not employed. I also know quite a few students who graduated last May with no job, and were working in the Post-Bar funding program.

I dont know much about the NYC market for UCLA. I do know a couple people who got Big Law in NYC, but not much else.

[thesmark]

Do you know how UCLA places in the Bay Area job market? I'm considering UCLA/Duke/Cornell as far as the places I've been accepted to so far.

[horrorbusiness]

Do you know how UCLA places in the Bay Area job market? I'm considering UCLA/Duke/Cornell as far as the places I've been accepted to so far.

similar question, for those admitted to both UCLA and Cornell, why'd you choose UCLA? i'm in at both right now, and am a CA native. leaning towards UCLA, but Cornell's reputation for high biglaw placement is also really attractive..

[SisyphusHappy]

Do you know how UCLA places in the Bay Area job market? I'm considering UCLA/Duke/Cornell as far as the places I've been accepted to so far.

similar question, for those admitted to both UCLA and Cornell, why'd you choose UCLA? i'm in at both right now, and am a CA native. leaning towards UCLA, but Cornell's reputation for high biglaw placement is also really attractive..

I was in the same boat, actually. My choice came down to UCLA and Cornell. My PI interest changes the equation a bit, though.

Cornell certainly places better in biglaw, and if that's all it comes down to, it's probably the better place for you. I came to UCLA for the weather, the less competitive atmosphere, the more attractive city, and the better scholarship. I'm interning on the east coast this summer, and I know several others in my class who are, too.

If you want to be in the Bay Area, we're going to have better placement than Duke/Cornell. I can't speak to OCIs, but our public interest career day is mostly SoCal firms, but there's a smattering of the Bay. I'm sure Berkeley and Stanford place better, but that's sort of to be expected.

[Mapleash]

I'll chime in. I just got a need-based award for the upcoming school year at UCLA that makes it a very attractive option for me. I understand that need-based aid has to be reapplied for every year, but I was wondering if any of the current students on here have seen your grants change significantly from your first year to the next (or second to third) without having a huge change in personal finances. Or maybe your need-based aid amount never changed? I'd appreciate any input on this.

[johansantana21]

Choose UCLA over Cornell if you value happiness.

[horrorbusiness]

What % of students that want biglaw get it? Your anecdotes or estimations are welcome.

[shbe0701]

tag

[calvinlovehobbes]

having a hard decision right now.

got ample $$ at UCLA but also in at NYU no money. (rejected, w/list everywhere else lol)

to be honest i don't know exactly what kind of postgrad work i want to do, so the less debt factor pushes me towards UCLA aside from already growing up in SoCal and wanting to stay in the area after.

However, anyone know the realistic degree difference in how a UCLA degree would fare against an NYU degree in the LA job market? Is there a significant edge with an NYU degree that's worth eating up years of debt?

Also I'm really curious about the student life at UCLA law. Any double bruin 1L's? I went to UCLA undergrad and im curious to know if there are any significant social opportunities or differences? NYU offers a very interesting social atmosphere different from UCLA...

[SisyphusHappy]

What % of students that want biglaw get it? Your anecdotes or estimations are welcome.

I've heard stories of median students making it. I really don't know, though.