Boston College 2L taking questions Forum

[JusticeHarlan]

The supplements debate isn't really a BC thing, it's a law school thing. Run a search on this site and you'll find any number of threads on it. I think most (including myself) are in the "supplements are kinda worthless as 0L prep" camp, but there are some who disagree. It depends on who you are, how you learn, and, I think, how good the professor is. Once section assignments come out and you know which profs you have, maybe we can give more specific and productive advice. But I wouldn't buy anything just yet unless it's a really good deal. You might get better prices buying off current 2Ls anyways, and I think there's always a student group that does a pretty decently priced supplements sale at some point.

[rubydandun]

Not to hijack the thread but...Spot just opened at our all-BU apartment!

The apartment is a very nice 4 bedroom/2 bathroom place located at Coolidge Corner in Brookline, MA. The area is very nice and eclectic, with everything you need within a couple of blocks of the building. The apartment is right by a T stop, and only a 15 minute trip from the law building. As for the rent, it is only $3300 for 4 people ($825 a person), including heat and hot water, which is a real steal for that area! All 3 roommates are incredibly easy-going, friendly and studious first year BU Law students.

If you are interested, please PM me.

[JetsFan1990]

Seeing as 1Ls should be getting their schedules in the coming weeks, which professors should I hope for and which should I hope not have?

[zonto]

Seeing as 1Ls should be getting their schedules in the coming weeks, which professors should I hope for and which should I hope not have?

Since you have no control over which section you're assigned to and which professors you have, I would suggest not spending any more time thinking/worrying about this.

If you want to read anything before school starts, here are some ideas:

1. 1. How to Read a Legal Opinion: A Guide for New Law Students. It's a short PDF that explains the structure of most of your upcoming readings.
   
   2. How to Brief Cases for Class (LinkRemoved). You'll probably receive plenty of instruction and input on this process from your professors, but once you've read the PDF above, this guide can help you begin planning out what to do with the info.
   
   3. The Buffalo Creek Disaster (in preparation for Civ Pro). It's an easy read and something we referred to throughout the year in my class, plus it gives you exposure to some behind-the-scenes work of an attorney. Reads like a novel.
   
   4. Getting to Maybe. I also found Getting to Maybe helpful and you could read/skim it now to get some exposure to the "forks" idea. I thought it was more helpful starting it later in the semester though (maybe a few weeks in) since it changed the way I took notes and structured my outlines. If you start it now, focus on the general, big ideas and read it again later in the semester when you have some experience under your belt to focus on the nitty gritty.

PM me if you're interested in buying 1L casebooks. I got most of mine new and highlighted very sparingly.

I'll end with my $0.02 regarding supplements and class prep. Read the guides to doing well on TLS, but know that they aren't gospel. I barely used supplements at all, and in the class I used one the most for I ended up tying my worst grade anyway. (Some of my professors even went out of their way to tell us that using supplements for their class was a waste of time and wouldn't help us.) However, I did read and fully brief every single assigned case for every class. It worked out well.

[JetsFan1990]

Great advice. I appreciate it. I've already read GTM, but I will definitely read it again further into the semester. Not even going to touch any supplements.

[matty]

Eh, what the hell. I'm a 3L who graduated in May but I was looking through this thread on behalf of a friend who'll be in the incoming class, just to get an idea of what people are talking about. I'll address some of the issues that have come up here, in no particular order.

1. I completely disagree with the poster who found BC Law to have a competitive atmosphere. It can be cliquish outside the school halls (which I think is a function of having so many straight-from-undergrad folks) and there is an undercurrent of high-school type gossip. But in school, everyone seemed to get along great. It was a incredibly friendly atmosphere and never once in three years did I feel any competitive tension among students. Anyone and everyone was always willing to help or share notes or talk through class material. I am actually astonished the admissions committee is able to put together a group of some 300 "law student types" who are that exceedingly normal and down-to-earth.

2. Don't be that kid that comes in having spent their entire summer reading legal supplements. You were smart enough to get into the school, and you'll be smart enough to learn the material through assigned texts. There were a few exceptions I found particularly useful in preparing for exams however: Chemerinsky's Con Law Supplement and the "ship book" contracts supplement. And then a checklist style guide for Civ Pro called Acing Civ Pro. Those are the only supplements I ever used and I used them more as review than for learning the material outright. Getting to Maybe was also useful for learning how to structure a law school exam answer.

3. Class rank is certainly becoming more important in the current legal market in terms of finding employment, but I never felt like this resulted in any tension among the students. You need to do your work, but there will be plenty of time to have a life too. Always keep in mind that it is the quality of work you are doing that is important, and not the quantity. Sitting in the library for 4 hours reading a single case highlighting every other line is probably not a worthwhile use of your time, for example. There are other time-saving measures other there. Eagle i online, a BC Law website, has a great outline bank. Using existing outlines is not for everyone, but it worked for me and never in 3 years did I make my own outline for a class. Instead, I would download from eagle i then meticulously go through it with my notes in hand to add in anything I thought was important.

4. Obviously BC Law can't compete with the very top schools when it comes to job placement, but I was fairly happy with the OCI program. I only wanted to work in NYC, and I thought the off campus interview program in NYC offered a good opportunity to meet with a fair number of respected firms. Boston College still places very strongly in Boston, as well, if that's your preference. Ropes and Wilmer were both very active in hiring from the BC ranks. If you're looking for a west coast or midwest (Chicago eg) job, however, you'll probably have a tougher time. In any case, the Career Services people are not going to be particularly helpful in affirmatively reaching out to you--you need to be very proactive in seeking out their help and giving them some direction, and then they can be of assistance.

I guess that's all I will add for now. Best of luck to the incoming class.

[BlueLotus]

1.) How typical is it for professors at BC to ban laptops in class?

2.) What sorts of opportunities are available to gov/public interest-minded students who end up at or below median? Do gov/PI employers come to OCI is is that more of a BigLaw thing?

[bostonlawchick]

1.) How typical is it for professors at BC to ban laptops in class?

2.) What sorts of opportunities are available to gov/public interest-minded students who end up at or below median? Do gov/PI employers come to OCI is is that more of a BigLaw thing?

None of my 1L professors banned laptops, I'm not sure about the other sections. One of my profs this year does though- that's going to be rough.

Personally I'm not sure about gov/PI for people below median because our class hasn't been through 2L hiring yet, but the school seems to try to do a lot for its PI students. I think we have two gov/PI fairs, one in the fall and one in the spring, as well as access to the Equal Justice Works fair that is in DC that I've heard people talk about.

I completely disagree with the poster who found BC Law to have a competitive atmosphere. It can be cliquish outside the school halls (which I think is a function of having so many straight-from-undergrad folks) and there is an undercurrent of high-school type gossip. But in school, everyone seemed to get along great.

I just wanted to say that I completely agree with this. There were definitely cliques and gossip, but for the most part everyone gets along very well. Everyone in class was willing to stop and chat, even if you hadn't talked to them before. There are very few people that I wouldn't sit down and have a conversation with.

[Sandstorm]

1.) How typical is it for professors at BC to ban laptops in class?

Three of my professors banned laptops this past year. I would say that's on the high end though.

I completely disagree with the poster who found BC Law to have a competitive atmosphere. It can be cliquish outside the school halls (which I think is a function of having so many straight-from-undergrad folks) and there is an undercurrent of high-school type gossip. But in school, everyone seemed to get along great.

I just wanted to say that I completely agree with this. There were definitely cliques and gossip, but for the most part everyone gets along very well. Everyone in class was willing to stop and chat, even if you hadn't talked to them before. There are very few people that I wouldn't sit down and have a conversation with.

Anyone who says BC isn't competitive is lying. All law schools are competitive. The people who were the most obnoxious were the ones who said law school was easy and then in private went on to study endlessly all night. My best advice, is to try your best and don't listen to the other students in your class. In fact, spend as much time away from BC law students as possible.

[ksllaw]

How have the job prospects been for BC law grads that you've come aross?

[bostonlawchick]

Can someone please educate me on how to drop/add classes? I am completely blanking on how I used this stupid program last semester.

I have a mac, and when I open the program it asks for a host name and window title before it will let the program open. I cannot for the life of me remember what goes in here, nor can I find it anywhere on our lovely website. Why can't we have a normal program that came from this millennium?

Edit: nevermind, figured it out.

[BlueLotus]

1.) How competitive is it to get a PILF grant? Do most students seeking unpaid summer work who apply get one?

2.) Is it a bad idea to do pro-bono work during 1L, whether it's on-going throughout the year or one of the spring break service trips? I am pretty set on PI, and they seem like amazing opportunities to get hands-on experience helping real people with real problems. However, I certainly don't want to bite off more than I can chew considering how much 1L grades can determine the course of your career.

[JusticeHarlan]

1.) How competitive is it to get a PILF grant? Do most students seeking unpaid summer work who apply get one?

2.) Is it a bad idea to do pro-bono work during 1L, whether it's on-going throughout the year or one of the spring break service trips? I am pretty set on PI, and they seem like amazing opportunities to get hands-on experience helping real people with real problems. However, I certainly don't want to bite off more than I can chew considering how much 1L grades can determine the course of your career.

1) Two years ago it was very easy. This past year it was tougher. Depends on how they decide to funds things.

2) I know a lot of people who did the spring break service trips 1L year and thought they were amazing experiences.

[bostonlawchick]

I know last year most of our class went in being told that it was easy to get a PILF grant, so it really sucked when a number of people didn't get stipends. I didn't get one and had to scramble at the last minute to find a paid gig. The key is to find something that really is public interest related, not just working with a judge or an unpaid government gig.

I did weekly pro-bono work throughout 1L and I really found it rewarding. There is a pro-bono fair sometime in September where you can find somewhere to volunteer. I only did two hours a week, but it honestly made me feel a lot better about my decision to go to law school. Doing actual legal work is so different from what you do in school, it was good to know what I was getting into.

I also did one of the spring break trips. It was cool to get a taste of doing a full day of legal work, and it was very rewarding meeting actual clients and helping them. Just know that it is a giant PITA to raise the money to go, and by the time spring break rolls around you might really appreciate having a week off to prepare for exams.

[timeandspace11]

What areas are common for BC students to live at?

Do any students commute from Brookline to BC?

BC seemed to do relatively strongly in employment opportunities this past year. What do you think makes BC competitive especially in a city like Boston where there is a lot of competition?

Does a BC JD have value in New York?

[AlanShore]

What areas are common for BC students to live at?

Do any students commute from Brookline to BC?

BC seemed to do relatively strongly in employment opportunities this past year. What do you think makes BC competitive especially in a city like Boston where there is a lot of competition?

Does a BC JD have value in New York?

BC students live in Newton (near the law school) though the public transportation isn't great there so you need a car. You can live in Brookline, Brighton, Allston and use public transportation to the shuttle that brings you to the law school. Brookline is a really great area with nice restaurants, bars, etc. Some people think its a pain to take the T to the shuttle, others are fine with it.

BC is the go to regional school here. BU is obviously the other regional school but within Boston, BC has a better reputation imo. I don't really know why.. it's just BC. People love BC around here. Of course youre still better off going t14 but if you really want to work in Boston, BC isn't a bad choice. It doesn't have much reach beyond Boston though.

BU has better JD value in NY.

[timeandspace11]

What areas are common for BC students to live at?

Do any students commute from Brookline to BC?

BC seemed to do relatively strongly in employment opportunities this past year. What do you think makes BC competitive especially in a city like Boston where there is a lot of competition?

Does a BC JD have value in New York?

BC students live in Newton (near the law school) though the public transportation isn't great there so you need a car. You can live in Brookline, Brighton, Allston and use public transportation to the shuttle that brings you to the law school. Brookline is a really great area with nice restaurants, bars, etc. Some people think its a pain to take the T to the shuttle, others are fine with it.

BC is the go to regional school here. BU is obviously the other regional school but within Boston, BC has a better reputation imo. I don't really know why.. it's just BC. People love BC around here. Of course youre still better off going t14 but if you really want to work in Boston, BC isn't a bad choice. It doesn't have much reach beyond Boston though.

BU has better JD value in NY.

Thanks for the response. I wont have a cr so I guess I will have to live in an area with better public transportation. I am originally from Massachusetts, and I certainly wouldn't mind working in BC.

Did you find a job that you are satisfied with, if you don't mind me asking?

[AlanShore]

What areas are common for BC students to live at?

Do any students commute from Brookline to BC?

BC seemed to do relatively strongly in employment opportunities this past year. What do you think makes BC competitive especially in a city like Boston where there is a lot of competition?

Does a BC JD have value in New York?

BC students live in Newton (near the law school) though the public transportation isn't great there so you need a car. You can live in Brookline, Brighton, Allston and use public transportation to the shuttle that brings you to the law school. Brookline is a really great area with nice restaurants, bars, etc. Some people think its a pain to take the T to the shuttle, others are fine with it.

BC is the go to regional school here. BU is obviously the other regional school but within Boston, BC has a better reputation imo. I don't really know why.. it's just BC. People love BC around here. Of course youre still better off going t14 but if you really want to work in Boston, BC isn't a bad choice. It doesn't have much reach beyond Boston though.

BU has better JD value in NY.

Thanks for the response. I wont have a cr so I guess I will have to live in an area with better public transportation. I am originally from Massachusetts, and I certainly wouldn't mind working in BC.

Did you find a job that you are satisfied with, if you don't mind me asking?

oh sorry, I am 0L. I live in Somerville though so I knew the answers to your questions. Answers regarding employment are just what other BC students say.. (and what employment statistics say)

[JusticeHarlan]

What areas are common for BC students to live at?

The plurality or small majority probably live in Brighton, around the Cleveland Circle area. Others common areas are Alston, Newton and Brookline, though I know people living everywhere from out in 'burbs to downtown. Depends on what kind of commute you're willing to put up with. Cleveland Circle is probably disproportionately well represented by the younger crowd.

Do any students commute from Brookline to BC?

Some, yes.

BC seemed to do relatively strongly in employment opportunities this past year. What do you think makes BC competitive especially in a city like Boston where there is a lot of competition?

What's the competition, though? Harvard students tend to go elsewhere. Suffolk has it's connections, but that's mainly in city government that isn't really hiring. Ditto for Northeastern and public interest. The other Boston area schools tend to place very poorly. BU is a peer school and certainly a competitor. Not sure how to explain any discrepancy in hiring, and those probably tend to even out over time.

All that said, it's not all sunshine and rainbows here. Things aren't easy out there, even at BC (and BU, for that matter). Those Harvard kids who stay around here tend to go after the most desirable jobs (big law, Article 3 clerkships), and there are only so many jobs to go around.

Does a BC JD have value in New York?

Some, yes.

[BlueLotus]

How does BC fare in the Philly market? (I know it's considered a pretty insular market, but I have ties)

[BlueLotus]

Do most people who want clinics get one or is it really competitive? I realllly wanna do JRAP!