Columbia students taking questions Forum

[Tiago Splitter]

Question for all you awesome 2Ls and 3Ls: Do you recommend purchasing a nice tailored suit now, or wait? I have the money in my accout to pull the trigger now ($700ish). On those same lines, any reputable tailors and dry cleaners in the area?

There's an event towards the end of legal methods that everyone wears a suit to but if you have a suit that fits now there's no reason to buy a new one.

[mylifeis24]

Question for all you awesome 2Ls and 3Ls: Do you recommend purchasing a nice tailored suit now, or wait? I have the money in my accout to pull the trigger now ($700ish). On those same lines, any reputable tailors and dry cleaners in the area?

There's an event towards the end of legal methods that everyone wears a suit to but if you have a suit that fits now there's no reason to buy a new one.

Awesome, thanks. What's the event at the end of LM?

[JVK]

http://web.law.columbia.edu/admissions/ ... riculum/1l

According to this everyone has torts, civil procedure and contracts in the fall. Is that not accurate then?

Yeah that's not always true. While that was my setup, some of my friends had property first semester and contracts second. I think crim and torts might have also been switched too for some people.

Can confirm! I had Property fall semester!

To the later guy, the event near the end of Legal Methods is a large dinner, where the Dean spoke and highlighted a couple things about Columbia and the upcoming year - a welcome event, more or less. It had an open bar. I forget exactly what it was called, my bad, but it was a lot of fun and you'll have a good time. If you get Bobbitt as your Legal Methods professor, you may also need a suit for a couple of his events (he does a reception over at Covington's office in the New York Times building, and another involved a courthouse visit to see a 2d Cir. judge). Which Legal Methods prof. you get is purely by chance and you won't know until Orientation.

It helps to have one suit from the beginning, but it'll be used pretty sparingly. I bought a second over winter break 'cause it went on a nice sale, but just know that you're in no rush at all, especially if you have a first one. I don't know too much about reputable dry cleaners, but there's one 6-7 blocks from the law school that I've been using without any problems!

[mylifeis24]

To the later guy, the event near the end of Legal Methods is a large dinner, where the Dean spoke and highlighted a couple things about Columbia and the upcoming year - a welcome event, more or less. It had an open bar. I forget exactly what it was called, my bad, but it was a lot of fun and you'll have a good time. If you get Bobbitt as your Legal Methods professor, you may also need a suit for a couple of his events (he does a reception over at Covington's office in the New York Times building, and another involved a courthouse visit to see a 2d Cir. judge). Which Legal Methods prof. you get is purely by chance and you won't know until Orientation.

It helps to have one suit from the beginning, but it'll be used pretty sparingly. I bought a second over winter break 'cause it went on a nice sale, but just know that you're in no rush at all, especially if you have a first one. I don't know too much about reputable dry cleaners, but there's one 6-7 blocks from the law school that I've been using without any problems!

Sounds awesome, and Bobbitt sounds legendary from the 5+ references I've seen in these 73 pages. How many students are in each LM section?

[txdude45]

Sounds awesome, and Bobbitt sounds legendary from the 5+ references I've seen in these 73 pages. How many students are in each LM section?

Bobbitt is the man. He doesn't make a ton of appearances at his section's events, but 1) his section has a ton of events 2) his class is incredible 3) he tells great stories 4) he chooses "preceptors" very well.

Each LM section is made up of a regular section, so it's ~90 ppl.

[mylifeis24]

Sounds awesome, and Bobbitt sounds legendary from the 5+ references I've seen in these 73 pages. How many students are in each LM section?

Bobbitt is the man. He doesn't make a ton of appearances at his section's events, but 1) his section has a ton of events 2) his class is incredible 3) he tells great stories 4) he chooses "preceptors" very well.

Each LM section is made up of a regular section, so it's ~90 ppl.

Oh that's great that we'll be able to start bonding with our 1L section during the downtime that is LM (or so I'm constantly told). To illustrate my 0Lness, what is a "preceptor" exactly? Thanks to all you current students that have filled these interwebs with your vast knowledge.

[JVK]

Sounds awesome, and Bobbitt sounds legendary from the 5+ references I've seen in these 73 pages. How many students are in each LM section?

About 90, give or take! Our class started with 360 or so, and was split evenly into four sections. If you're curious about the time, it ran from 9:10 to the very early afternoon with a nice lunch break in the middle. You'll have enough time to do whatever else you need to afterward, and the law school's pretty good about hosting some fun events on a daily or near-daily basis.

Bobbitt himself's unreal. Like you're not sure how any person could turn out this way, or what his childhood was like to make him who he is. He's very conservative with his mannerisms ("Never wear anything but black shoes after dark," or "There's only one way to make a proper martini, i.e..."), and feels extremely strongly about certain legal points ("Marbury v. Madison did not create judicial review").

That said, it'll be a great time - he'll sometimes bring in some interesting speakers in the early afternoon.

The others are great too, don't get me wrong (though they'll involve a little more work for class). Strauss is a god in his field (Admin Law), Ginsburg (RBG's daughter) is a Copyright mastermind in her own right, and Sovern was a former dean of the law school. All are super nice people.

Regardless of who you get, don't take Legal Methods too seriously (people will, though nobody ultimately fails and it's the best time to spend three stress-free weeks to meet your classmates).

Edit: Txdude's spot on haha. A preceptor's just a glorified name for a teaching assistant. You'll see what choosing well means when you start at Columbia

[mylifeis24]

Sounds awesome, and Bobbitt sounds legendary from the 5+ references I've seen in these 73 pages. How many students are in each LM section?

About 90, give or take! Our class started with 360 or so, and was split evenly into four sections. If you're curious about the time, it ran from 9:10 to the very early afternoon with a nice lunch break in the middle. You'll have enough time to do whatever else you need to afterward, and the law school's pretty good about hosting some fun events on a daily or near-daily basis.

Bobbitt himself's unreal. Like you're not sure how any person could turn out this way, or what his childhood was like to make him who he is. He's very conservative with his mannerisms ("Never wear anything but black shoes after dark," or "There's only one way to make a proper martini, i.e..."), and feels extremely strongly about certain legal points ("Marbury v. Madison did not create judicial review").

That said, it'll be a great time - he'll sometimes bring in some interesting speakers in the early afternoon.

The others are great too, don't get me wrong (though they'll involve a little more work for class). Strauss is a god in his field (Admin Law), Ginsburg (RBG's daughter) is a Copyright mastermind in her own right, and Sovern was a former dean of the law school. All are super nice people.

Regardless of who you get, don't take Legal Methods too seriously (people will, though nobody ultimately fails and it's the best time to spend three stress-free weeks to meet your classmates).

Edit: Txdude's spot on haha. A preceptor's just a glorified name for a teaching assistant. You'll see what choosing well means when you start at Columbia

Started doing some research into Bobbitt and this popped up.

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/a-law-sc ... lumbia-3l/

The James Bond of Columbia Law and married a 3L... obviously quite the character. Crossing my fingers to get him, especially since he is ALL national security law, and I'm highly interested in that field and becoming a JAG.

[txdude45]

Started doing some research into Bobbitt and this popped up.

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/a-law-sc ... lumbia-3l/

The James Bond of Columbia Law and married a 3L... obviously quite the character. Crossing my fingers to get him, especially since he is ALL national security law, and I'm highly interested in that field and becoming a JAG.

I met his wife and baby at a LM event. His wife was perfectly nice, but his son was the best dressed person under 35 that I have ever seen. No one has crapped themselves in a better wardrobe and I'm including drunk celebrities.

[mylifeis24]

Started doing some research into Bobbitt and this popped up.

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/a-law-sc ... lumbia-3l/

The James Bond of Columbia Law and married a 3L... obviously quite the character. Crossing my fingers to get him, especially since he is ALL national security law, and I'm highly interested in that field and becoming a JAG.

I met his wife and baby at a LM event. His wife was perfectly nice, but his son was the best dressed person under 35 that I have ever seen. No one has crapped themselves in a better wardrobe and I'm including drunk celebrities.

I'm imagining this:

[txdude45]

Bobbit's son makes that kid look prole.

[ph5354a]

Started doing some research into Bobbitt and this popped up.

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/a-law-sc ... lumbia-3l/

The James Bond of Columbia Law and married a 3L... obviously quite the character. Crossing my fingers to get him, especially since he is ALL national security law, and I'm highly interested in that field and becoming a JAG.

I met his wife and baby at a LM event. His wife was perfectly nice, but his son was the best dressed person under 35 that I have ever seen. No one has crapped themselves in a better wardrobe and I'm including drunk celebrities.

To be fair, we don't know for sure that Pasha has ever actually crapped his pants. If there's a kid that came out of the womb trained to use a bidet, he would be it.

[JVK]

Started doing some research into Bobbitt and this popped up.

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/a-law-sc ... lumbia-3l/

The James Bond of Columbia Law and married a 3L... obviously quite the character. Crossing my fingers to get him, especially since he is ALL national security law, and I'm highly interested in that field and becoming a JAG.

I met his wife and baby at a LM event. His wife was perfectly nice, but his son was the best dressed person under 35 that I have ever seen. No one has crapped themselves in a better wardrobe and I'm including drunk celebrities.

To be fair, we don't know for sure that Pasha has ever actually crapped his pants. If there's a kid that came out of the womb trained to use a bidet, he would be it.

It's true. I've been emasculated by a baby.

[toothbrush]

Just wiki'd Bobbitt after this discussion. My god. He sounds so... thoroughbred? Definitely one of the most interesting men alive.

[ph5354a]

Just wiki'd Bobbitt after this discussion. My god. He sounds so... thoroughbred? Definitely one of the most interesting men alive.

He especially loves to offhandedly refer to his "dear uncle"


...who was President Johnson.

[mylifeis24]

Just wiki'd Bobbitt after this discussion. My god. He sounds so... thoroughbred? Definitely one of the most interesting men alive.

He especially loves to offhandedly refer to his "dear uncle"


...who was President Johnson.

Bobbitt for President 2016?

[txdude45]

Just wiki'd Bobbitt after this discussion. My god. He sounds so... thoroughbred? Definitely one of the most interesting men alive.

He especially loves to offhandedly refer to his "dear uncle"


...who was President Johnson.

Bobbitt for President 2016?

Lets not get carried away.

[Humbert Humbert]

Thanks to everyone for the answers.

Another question: when do our loans get disbursed?

[FredJones]

Thanks to everyone for the answers.

Another question: when do our loans get disbursed?

Loans get disbursed to your student account fairly quickly. It can take a bit of time for the refund for the amount above tuition/fees to be sent to you. In the fall, I got my refund around mid September. The lag time between refund sent and refund received is around 14 days. The spring was much faster.

If you are financing in part with a 529 plan, you will need to be all over student services about it. It is more work and they have a tendency to drag their feet.

[Humbert Humbert]

Thanks to everyone for the answers.

Another question: when do our loans get disbursed?

Loans get disbursed to your student account fairly quickly. It can take a bit of time for the refund for the amount above tuition/fees to be sent to you. In the fall, I got my refund around mid September. The lag time between refund sent and refund received is around 14 days. The spring was much faster.

If you are financing in part with a 529 plan, you will need to be all over student services about it. It is more work and they have a tendency to drag their feet.

Seriously? Mid-September? So the expectation is that folks will finance the first month of living expenses (orientation starts on August 15) with savings?

[ph5354a]

Thanks to everyone for the answers.

Another question: when do our loans get disbursed?

Loans get disbursed to your student account fairly quickly. It can take a bit of time for the refund for the amount above tuition/fees to be sent to you. In the fall, I got my refund around mid September. The lag time between refund sent and refund received is around 14 days. The spring was much faster.

If you are financing in part with a 529 plan, you will need to be all over student services about it. It is more work and they have a tendency to drag their feet.

Seriously? Mid-September? So the expectation is that folks will finance the first month of living expenses (orientation starts on August 15) with savings?

I got my refund via direct deposit on August 22.

[jbagelboy]

Thanks to everyone for the answers.

Another question: when do our loans get disbursed?

Loans get disbursed to your student account fairly quickly. It can take a bit of time for the refund for the amount above tuition/fees to be sent to you. In the fall, I got my refund around mid September. The lag time between refund sent and refund received is around 14 days. The spring was much faster.

If you are financing in part with a 529 plan, you will need to be all over student services about it. It is more work and they have a tendency to drag their feet.

Seriously? Mid-September? So the expectation is that folks will finance the first month of living expenses (orientation starts on August 15) with savings?

Maybe not mid september, but there is an expectation that you will pay your own way for rent downpayment (which can be very steep w/ security deposit), moving, purchasing furniture, food, ect. for the first couple weeks. You should come with either some savings or a flexible credit line.

[Humbert Humbert]

Thanks to everyone for the answers.

Another question: when do our loans get disbursed?

Loans get disbursed to your student account fairly quickly. It can take a bit of time for the refund for the amount above tuition/fees to be sent to you. In the fall, I got my refund around mid September. The lag time between refund sent and refund received is around 14 days. The spring was much faster.

If you are financing in part with a 529 plan, you will need to be all over student services about it. It is more work and they have a tendency to drag their feet.

Seriously? Mid-September? So the expectation is that folks will finance the first month of living expenses (orientation starts on August 15) with savings?

Maybe not mid september, but there is an expectation that you will pay your own way for rent downpayment (which can be very steep w/ security deposit), moving, purchasing furniture, food, ect. for the first couple weeks. You should come with either some savings or a flexible credit line.

Yeah, I mean I live in New York already so all of that stuff re: apartments is taken care of already. Regardless, I guess I should be a bit more frugal this summer with this timeline in mind.

[lunaraeon]

Sounds awesome, and Bobbitt sounds legendary from the 5+ references I've seen in these 73 pages. How many students are in each LM section?

Bobbitt is the man. He doesn't make a ton of appearances at his section's events, but 1) his section has a ton of events 2) his class is incredible 3) he tells great stories 4) he chooses "preceptors" very well.

Each LM section is made up of a regular section, so it's ~90 ppl.

Egregious anti-Strauss trolling.

[starrydreamz3]

Sounds awesome, and Bobbitt sounds legendary from the 5+ references I've seen in these 73 pages. How many students are in each LM section?

Bobbitt is the man. He doesn't make a ton of appearances at his section's events, but 1) his section has a ton of events 2) his class is incredible 3) he tells great stories 4) he chooses "preceptors" very well.

Each LM section is made up of a regular section, so it's ~90 ppl.

Egregious anti-Strauss trolling.

0Ls should definitely follow all this advice about not taking LM seriously...unless you have Strauss. Strauss will cold-call the shit out of you for 30 minutes and make you feel bad because you didn't read the footnotes from a section that he DIDN'T assign to your half of the room!!!!

(I have obviously failed at repressing these feelings.)