Yale 1L taking questions Forum

[Gabriel_is_Satan]

If I am looking for housing in New Haven, what part of downtown New Haven is generally the safer area?

Downtown New Haven is pretty safe in general, as there is a large police presence, many lights, and constant foot-traffic. I think the New Haven stigma is really overblown. I think it's more that many students go to college at Yale from extremely wealthy backgrounds and were largely insulated from the world. Then they get to New Haven, and for the first time in their life, see poverty, and are terrified. Now, I would not recommend living very south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, or much further west than Dwight Street. But I would say other than that, New Haven is pretty safe. Even the hill is safe during the day. We get told of crimes, and they invariably involve students (not law students to my knowledge) walking alone at like 3 am in rougher areas.

But a lot of students live in the Novella, 360 State, and The Taft and all are happy with their choices. East Rock is a bit of a further walk, but a lot of people live there as well and like it (and most professors live in that area). I would not live in the Towers, as some students in my class have had some serious issues there.

This is all 100% correct. There are admittedly one or two good reasons to prefer HLS over YLS. New Haven being too unsafe is certainly not one of them.

Just apply Obama's foreign policy mantra ("don't do stupid shit"), and you'll be fine. One caveat is your car: never ever leave anything of value in it. Same applies to anything on your porch that isn't bolted down. But aside from these property crimes, you actually need to seek out trouble, or be really unlucky, for anything to happen to you. Yale has a night shuttle that drives you home btw.

NB: I prefer east rock over downtown, but that's just a personal preferences.

[20170322]

Currently deciding between Yale and full ride to lower t14 that I really like. Any input? Goals are biglaw and eventually government.

[KissMyAxe]

If I am looking for housing in New Haven, what part of downtown New Haven is generally the safer area?

Downtown New Haven is pretty safe in general, as there is a large police presence, many lights, and constant foot-traffic. I think the New Haven stigma is really overblown. I think it's more that many students go to college at Yale from extremely wealthy backgrounds and were largely insulated from the world. Then they get to New Haven, and for the first time in their life, see poverty, and are terrified. Now, I would not recommend living very south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, or much further west than Dwight Street. But I would say other than that, New Haven is pretty safe. Even the hill is safe during the day. We get told of crimes, and they invariably involve students (not law students to my knowledge) walking alone at like 3 am in rougher areas.

But a lot of students live in the Novella, 360 State, and The Taft and all are happy with their choices. East Rock is a bit of a further walk, but a lot of people live there as well and like it (and most professors live in that area). I would not live in the Towers, as some students in my class have had some serious issues there.

This is all 100% correct. There are admittedly one or two good reasons to prefer HLS over YLS. New Haven being too unsafe is certainly not one of them.

Just apply Obama's foreign policy mantra ("don't do stupid shit"), and you'll be fine. One caveat is your car: never ever leave anything of value in it. Same applies to anything on your porch that isn't bolted down. But aside from these property crimes, you actually need to seek out trouble, or be really unlucky, for anything to happen to you. Yale has a night shuttle that drives you home btw.

NB: I prefer east rock over downtown, but that's just a personal preferences.

Yes, I haven't heard of any sort of violent crime against a law student, and I'm not aware of any Yale student being hurt in a crime since Annie Le, and that was obviously a very different sort of thing than a mugging. I walk home through the green, which law revue makes fun of yearly, often at dusk, and have never felt unsafe. And as Gabriel_is_Satan said, being smart about property really cuts down on the chance of those crimes, though you can just be unlucky (but of course, you can be unlucky and have your car broken into anywhere). And I've never taken the shuttle, but that's a really good point Gabriel raised. Past a certain time (maybe 5ish? it gets dark early in New England in the winter), there is a shuttle that waits outside the front door of the building, leaving every 15 minutes and taking students to their front door. I want to say at :00 and :30 of every hour, it goes to the downtown areas, and at :15 and :30, it goes to east rock, but I could have that backwards since I've always just walked.

I would pushback a little against a blanket preference for east rock. If you have a family (one YLS poster here does), then East Rock makes perfect sense and is better, as it's more suburban and quiet and your kids can have a yard and ride their bikes. But if you're childless (especially if you're single), I'd highly recommend a downtown apartment. A lot of East Rock students get really frustrated because it's a bit of a walk from the school and downtown. It's not as easy to participate in a ton of the outside social events (since East Rock is so quiet, there's typically only one bar review done near East Rock a year, the rest are a 30 minute+ walk away). There's a lot to be said for being near all the action at the school, and all the bars and restaurants.

[KissMyAxe]

Currently deciding between Yale and full ride to lower t14 that I really like. Any input? Goals are biglaw and eventually government.

It's definitely a tough decision. As you can see from my profile, I had to make a very similar decision since I had some full-rides vs admission to YLS (I was STRONGLY considering Columbia). I'd guess almost all students here made a decision re: YLS vs some full ride. If you think you're going to be receiving need-based aid, then I would wait for that and do some serious calculation of prices. Some students receive substantial financial aid packages from YLS, that end up being comparable in total cost of attendance to many of the T14 full-rides. If not, then it's tougher, and I think it largely depends on your individual circumstances. If you definitely want to work in California for the rest of your career, then a full-ride at Berkeley is interesting. Similarly, If you want to work in Atlanta biglaw and then government in the South, then I think a Mordecai could be worth exploring. And of course, if you want just biglaw in NYC or Chicago, then Hamiltons or Rubies are really fantastic (but I'm guessing that you're not talking about those).

In most situations though, students aren't 100% on their goals or where they want to work. In that case, I always think YLS wins, because it gives flexibility in that it excels at everything employment related. You really want a clerkship of any kind? You can get one, even a COA one, though of course the 2nd, 9th, and DC, and a couple other feeders are foreclosed to you without good grades/professor recommendations. You want to go to biglaw but you have all P's, maybe an LP too? You can still land a V10 if you want that, and only Wachtell is really closed to you if you're a decent interviewer. And anyone who really wants government honors or public interest seems to do just fine. Even academia has a really high success rate for those gunning for that, since graduation requires 2 substantial writing assignments done under a professor's supervision (and you can just let the professor know that you want to make them publishable), so YLS students can come out of here with a YLS diploma, 2 published pieces, and several recommendations from the very best in the field, giving a huge leg-up in the job hunt. You can also go work for a start-up, or consulting, or on capital hill as a policy analyst. Or even go to the circus and become a clown and take advantage of COAP. You're buying a huge amount of flexibility at YLS, which 85% of admits here think is worth it.

So it's not a clear answer that depends on your individual goals. You're in a great position that I would say is no-lose. You're going to be successful wherever you choose. If you want to discuss it more in depth and get into yours and my specifics, then I'm happy to help, just PM me.

[20170322]

Currently deciding between Yale and full ride to lower t14 that I really like. Any input? Goals are biglaw and eventually government.

It's definitely a tough decision. As you can see from my profile, I had to make a very similar decision since I had some full-rides vs admission to YLS (I was STRONGLY considering Columbia). I'd guess almost all students here made a decision re: YLS vs some full ride. If you think you're going to be receiving need-based aid, then I would wait for that and do some serious calculation of prices. Some students receive substantial financial aid packages from YLS, that end up being comparable in total cost of attendance to many of the T14 full-rides. If not, then it's tougher, and I think it largely depends on your individual circumstances. If you definitely want to work in California for the rest of your career, then a full-ride at Berkeley is interesting. Similarly, If you want to work in Atlanta biglaw and then government in the South, then I think a Mordecai could be worth exploring. And of course, if you want just biglaw in NYC or Chicago, then Hamiltons or Rubies are really fantastic (but I'm guessing that you're not talking about those).

In most situations though, students aren't 100% on their goals or where they want to work. In that case, I always think YLS wins, because it gives flexibility in that it excels at everything employment related. You really want a clerkship of any kind? You can get one, even a COA one, though of course the 2nd, 9th, and DC, and a couple other feeders are foreclosed to you without good grades/professor recommendations. You want to go to biglaw but you have all P's, maybe an LP too? You can still land a V10 if you want that, and only Wachtell is really closed to you if you're a decent interviewer. And anyone who really wants government honors or public interest seems to do just fine. Even academia has a really high success rate for those gunning for that, since graduation requires 2 substantial writing assignments done under a professor's supervision (and you can just let the professor know that you want to make them publishable), so YLS students can come out of here with a YLS diploma, 2 published pieces, and several recommendations from the very best in the field, giving a huge leg-up in the job hunt. You can also go work for a start-up, or consulting, or on capital hill as a policy analyst. Or even go to the circus and become a clown and take advantage of COAP. You're buying a huge amount of flexibility at YLS, which 85% of admits here think is worth it.

So it's not a clear answer that depends on your individual goals. You're in a great position that I would say is no-lose. You're going to be successful wherever you choose. If you want to discuss it more in depth and get into yours and my specifics, then I'm happy to help, just PM me.

Bolded is pretty much my situation, but sub Mordecai with Dillard.

[KissMyAxe]

Currently deciding between Yale and full ride to lower t14 that I really like. Any input? Goals are biglaw and eventually government.

It's definitely a tough decision. As you can see from my profile, I had to make a very similar decision since I had some full-rides vs admission to YLS (I was STRONGLY considering Columbia). I'd guess almost all students here made a decision re: YLS vs some full ride. If you think you're going to be receiving need-based aid, then I would wait for that and do some serious calculation of prices. Some students receive substantial financial aid packages from YLS, that end up being comparable in total cost of attendance to many of the T14 full-rides. If not, then it's tougher, and I think it largely depends on your individual circumstances. If you definitely want to work in California for the rest of your career, then a full-ride at Berkeley is interesting. Similarly, If you want to work in Atlanta biglaw and then government in the South, then I think a Mordecai could be worth exploring. And of course, if you want just biglaw in NYC or Chicago, then Hamiltons or Rubies are really fantastic (but I'm guessing that you're not talking about those).

In most situations though, students aren't 100% on their goals or where they want to work. In that case, I always think YLS wins, because it gives flexibility in that it excels at everything employment related. You really want a clerkship of any kind? You can get one, even a COA one, though of course the 2nd, 9th, and DC, and a couple other feeders are foreclosed to you without good grades/professor recommendations. You want to go to biglaw but you have all P's, maybe an LP too? You can still land a V10 if you want that, and only Wachtell is really closed to you if you're a decent interviewer. And anyone who really wants government honors or public interest seems to do just fine. Even academia has a really high success rate for those gunning for that, since graduation requires 2 substantial writing assignments done under a professor's supervision (and you can just let the professor know that you want to make them publishable), so YLS students can come out of here with a YLS diploma, 2 published pieces, and several recommendations from the very best in the field, giving a huge leg-up in the job hunt. You can also go work for a start-up, or consulting, or on capital hill as a policy analyst. Or even go to the circus and become a clown and take advantage of COAP. You're buying a huge amount of flexibility at YLS, which 85% of admits here think is worth it.

So it's not a clear answer that depends on your individual goals. You're in a great position that I would say is no-lose. You're going to be successful wherever you choose. If you want to discuss it more in depth and get into yours and my specifics, then I'm happy to help, just PM me.

Bolded is pretty much my situation, but sub Mordecai with Dillard.

PM me.

[pandaaa]

If I am looking for housing in New Haven, what part of downtown New Haven is generally the safer area?

Downtown New Haven is pretty safe in general, as there is a large police presence, many lights, and constant foot-traffic. I think the New Haven stigma is really overblown. I think it's more that many students go to college at Yale from extremely wealthy backgrounds and were largely insulated from the world. Then they get to New Haven, and for the first time in their life, see poverty, and are terrified. Now, I would not recommend living very south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, or much further west than Dwight Street. But I would say other than that, New Haven is pretty safe. Even the hill is safe during the day. We get told of crimes, and they invariably involve students (not law students to my knowledge) walking alone at like 3 am in rougher areas.

But a lot of students live in the Novella, 360 State, and The Taft and all are happy with their choices. East Rock is a bit of a further walk, but a lot of people live there as well and like it (and most professors live in that area). I would not live in the Towers, as some students in my class have had some serious issues there.

This is all 100% correct. There are admittedly one or two good reasons to prefer HLS over YLS. New Haven being too unsafe is certainly not one of them.

Just apply Obama's foreign policy mantra ("don't do stupid shit"), and you'll be fine. One caveat is your car: never ever leave anything of value in it. Same applies to anything on your porch that isn't bolted down. But aside from these property crimes, you actually need to seek out trouble, or be really unlucky, for anything to happen to you. Yale has a night shuttle that drives you home btw.

NB: I prefer east rock over downtown, but that's just a personal preferences.

Yes, I haven't heard of any sort of violent crime against a law student, and I'm not aware of any Yale student being hurt in a crime since Annie Le, and that was obviously a very different sort of thing than a mugging. I walk home through the green, which law revue makes fun of yearly, often at dusk, and have never felt unsafe. And as Gabriel_is_Satan said, being smart about property really cuts down on the chance of those crimes, though you can just be unlucky (but of course, you can be unlucky and have your car broken into anywhere). And I've never taken the shuttle, but that's a really good point Gabriel raised. Past a certain time (maybe 5ish? it gets dark early in New England in the winter), there is a shuttle that waits outside the front door of the building, leaving every 15 minutes and taking students to their front door. I want to say at :00 and :30 of every hour, it goes to the downtown areas, and at :15 and :30, it goes to east rock, but I could have that backwards since I've always just walked.

I would pushback a little against a blanket preference for east rock. If you have a family (one YLS poster here does), then East Rock makes perfect sense and is better, as it's more suburban and quiet and your kids can have a yard and ride their bikes. But if you're childless (especially if you're single), I'd highly recommend a downtown apartment. A lot of East Rock students get really frustrated because it's a bit of a walk from the school and downtown. It's not as easy to participate in a ton of the outside social events (since East Rock is so quiet, there's typically only one bar review done near East Rock a year, the rest are a 30 minute+ walk away). There's a lot to be said for being near all the action at the school, and all the bars and restaurants.

Thank you! This is all so helpful!!

What's the consensus on graduating housing? The apartments, not the dorms. I'm looking into one of them since I'm moving out from California and don't know too much about the area or have the capacity to go apt-hunting...

[Gabriel_is_Satan]

What's the consensus on graduating housing? The apartments, not the dorms. I'm looking into one of them since I'm moving out from California and don't know too much about the area or have the capacity to go apt-hunting...

Coming alone or with a spouse? kids?

[KissMyAxe]

Thank you! This is all so helpful!!

What's the consensus on graduating housing? The apartments, not the dorms. I'm looking into one of them since I'm moving out from California and don't know too much about the area or have the capacity to go apt-hunting...

So, Gabriel made a good point, I'll give my advice for a single student. However, I especially wouldn't use any university housing if you have children.

So, I'm going to also talk about Dorms for others who might be thinking about them, but I'll talk about apartments in the next paragraph. But Dorms are extremely difficult to get as a law student. I think I only know one person who does so, and it's because of very special circumstances. So, the main graduate building is the Hall of Graduate Studies, next door to the law school actually. However, a few years back, because law students were not active in graduate student government, they voted to ban all law students from that building. That's still the case. So if you want to live in dorms, I believe you have to apply for the med school dorms or HHH(which is typically saved for international graduate students), which are a hike away from the school right where the city turns rough, have communal bathrooms, and generally suck (if you can get in there at all).

I have a friend in Yale apartments. I will say that there are not an unlimited number of these things, so most hook up with an older student already living in one as a roommate. But they do exist, I think they're okay, and they're comparably priced. That said, I really disagree with getting one just for the convenience. Many students who come here do not know about the area or go apartment hunting. They do it online or use word of mouth. I see no reason you can't research it as well and see what you think, I listed some of the more used landlords up above, but there are dozens. And you're probably jumping the gun. I know it's natural to think you need to go ahead and secure housing, but if I were you, I'd hang back for a few months. There should be a housing spreadsheet distributed on the facebook class page for you to find roommates, and there will be a TON of vacancies in May, meaning rent prices will go down. Also, if you used a roommate, there's a good chance they will be ASW, and so will probably do apartment hunting themselves, and you can just jump on board with them. Just a thought.

[Gabriel_is_Satan]

You're buying a huge amount of flexibility at YLS, which 85% of admits here think is worth it.

Really curious now. 15% regret choosing YLS? Why? They regret turning down a full scholarship at CCN or something? or HLS? (and again: why?)

[KissMyAxe]

You're buying a huge amount of flexibility at YLS, which 85% of admits here think is worth it.

Really curious now. 15% regret choosing YLS? Why? They regret turning down a full scholarship at CCN or something? or HLS? (and again: why?)

Oh, sorry Gabriel. I was referring to the typical retention rate. It's more like 82-83%, but it's easier to round. I was saying that of all the YLS admits, like 85% choose YLS, and the majority are going to have a full-ride somewhere in the T14 (though not necessarily to CCN). Only like 35 people each year choose not to come, and that encompasses those that are from Cali and choose Stanford, people who choose HLS, those that decide not to attend law school, and those that decide to take the money elsewhere. I do know a couple people who feel law wasn't for them, but they still think YLS is the best option. I was talking to someone in the know last month, who said they weren't aware of a single person transferring out to another school in the past 20 years.

[pandaaa]

Thank you! This is all so helpful!!

What's the consensus on graduating housing? The apartments, not the dorms. I'm looking into one of them since I'm moving out from California and don't know too much about the area or have the capacity to go apt-hunting...

So, Gabriel made a good point, I'll give my advice for a single student. However, I especially wouldn't use any university housing if you have children.

So, I'm going to also talk about Dorms for others who might be thinking about them, but I'll talk about apartments in the next paragraph. But Dorms are extremely difficult to get as a law student. I think I only know one person who does so, and it's because of very special circumstances. So, the main graduate building is the Hall of Graduate Studies, next door to the law school actually. However, a few years back, because law students were not active in graduate student government, they voted to ban all law students from that building. That's still the case. So if you want to live in dorms, I believe you have to apply for the med school dorms or HHH(which is typically saved for international graduate students), which are a hike away from the school right where the city turns rough, have communal bathrooms, and generally suck (if you can get in there at all).

I have a friend in Yale apartments. I will say that there are not an unlimited number of these things, so most hook up with an older student already living in one as a roommate. But they do exist, I think they're okay, and they're comparably priced. That said, I really disagree with getting one just for the convenience. Many students who come here do not know about the area or go apartment hunting. They do it online or use word of mouth. I see no reason you can't research it as well and see what you think, I listed some of the more used landlords up above, but there are dozens. And you're probably jumping the gun. I know it's natural to think you need to go ahead and secure housing, but if I were you, I'd hang back for a few months. There should be a housing spreadsheet distributed on the facebook class page for you to find roommates, and there will be a TON of vacancies in May, meaning rent prices will go down. Also, if you used a roommate, there's a good chance they will be ASW, and so will probably do apartment hunting themselves, and you can just jump on board with them. Just a thought.

I'm single, and I would want a studio. I don't intend on living with others. It is a personal preference. How easy it is to come by a studio or even a 1 bedroom?

[KissMyAxe]

Thank you! This is all so helpful!!

What's the consensus on graduating housing? The apartments, not the dorms. I'm looking into one of them since I'm moving out from California and don't know too much about the area or have the capacity to go apt-hunting...

So, Gabriel made a good point, I'll give my advice for a single student. However, I especially wouldn't use any university housing if you have children.

So, I'm going to also talk about Dorms for others who might be thinking about them, but I'll talk about apartments in the next paragraph. But Dorms are extremely difficult to get as a law student. I think I only know one person who does so, and it's because of very special circumstances. So, the main graduate building is the Hall of Graduate Studies, next door to the law school actually. However, a few years back, because law students were not active in graduate student government, they voted to ban all law students from that building. That's still the case. So if you want to live in dorms, I believe you have to apply for the med school dorms or HHH(which is typically saved for international graduate students), which are a hike away from the school right where the city turns rough, have communal bathrooms, and generally suck (if you can get in there at all).

I have a friend in Yale apartments. I will say that there are not an unlimited number of these things, so most hook up with an older student already living in one as a roommate. But they do exist, I think they're okay, and they're comparably priced. That said, I really disagree with getting one just for the convenience. Many students who come here do not know about the area or go apartment hunting. They do it online or use word of mouth. I see no reason you can't research it as well and see what you think, I listed some of the more used landlords up above, but there are dozens. And you're probably jumping the gun. I know it's natural to think you need to go ahead and secure housing, but if I were you, I'd hang back for a few months. There should be a housing spreadsheet distributed on the facebook class page for you to find roommates, and there will be a TON of vacancies in May, meaning rent prices will go down. Also, if you used a roommate, there's a good chance they will be ASW, and so will probably do apartment hunting themselves, and you can just jump on board with them. Just a thought.

I'm single, and I would want a studio. I don't intend on living with others. It is a personal preference. How easy it is to come by a studio or even a 1 bedroom?

Extremely easy, I'm alone in a 1 bedroom, many of my friends are in studios or 1 bedrooms. Come May, when tons of Yale University students are leaving, there will be hundreds of availabilities.

[Gabriel_is_Satan]

I'm single, and I would want a studio. I don't intend on living with others. It is a personal preference. How easy it is to come by a studio or even a 1 bedroom?

Extremely easy, I'm alone in a 1 bedroom, many of my friends are in studios or 1 bedrooms. Come May, when tons of Yale University students are leaving, there will be hundreds of availabilities.

It's one of the upsides of New Haven. Being a student living off debt makes you a good candidate on the rental market .

[pawneeron]

If I am looking for housing in New Haven, what part of downtown New Haven is generally the safer area?

But a lot of students live in the Novella, 360 State, and The Taft and all are happy with their choices. East Rock is a bit of a further walk, but a lot of people live there as well and like it (and most professors live in that area). I would not live in the Towers, as some students in my class have had some serious issues there.

A little late to the boat here, but could you elaborate on what types of issues students have had with the Towers?

[KissMyAxe]

If I am looking for housing in New Haven, what part of downtown New Haven is generally the safer area?

But a lot of students live in the Novella, 360 State, and The Taft and all are happy with their choices. East Rock is a bit of a further walk, but a lot of people live there as well and like it (and most professors live in that area). I would not live in the Towers, as some students in my class have had some serious issues there.

A little late to the boat here, but could you elaborate on what types of issues students have had with the Towers?

PM me.

[anacabana]

This thread seems a little old, so I hope someone will see this.

I feel like Yale is lacking in regards to international opportunities. For example, it doesn't have any semester/quarter abroad programs like Stanford and Harvard; doesn't seem like there are a lot of opportunities to travel internationally and do field work like with Harvard's winter term abroad etc.

I found that Yale does have some interesting opportunities at the Hague and ICJ, but they're for post-grads.

As someone interested in international law/development would Harvard be the better choice?
What if I'm interested in foreign policy/exploring a career with the state department?

[KENYADIGG1T]

Are there/have there ever been any undocumented YLS students? Asking for a friend

[KENYADIGG1T]

Thank you! This is all so helpful!!

What's the consensus on graduating housing? The apartments, not the dorms. I'm looking into one of them since I'm moving out from California and don't know too much about the area or have the capacity to go apt-hunting...

So, Gabriel made a good point, I'll give my advice for a single student. However, I especially wouldn't use any university housing if you have children.

So, I'm going to also talk about Dorms for others who might be thinking about them, but I'll talk about apartments in the next paragraph. But Dorms are extremely difficult to get as a law student. I think I only know one person who does so, and it's because of very special circumstances. So, the main graduate building is the Hall of Graduate Studies, next door to the law school actually. However, a few years back, because law students were not active in graduate student government, they voted to ban all law students from that building. That's still the case. So if you want to live in dorms, I believe you have to apply for the med school dorms or HHH(which is typically saved for international graduate students), which are a hike away from the school right where the city turns rough, have communal bathrooms, and generally suck (if you can get in there at all).

I have a friend in Yale apartments. I will say that there are not an unlimited number of these things, so most hook up with an older student already living in one as a roommate. But they do exist, I think they're okay, and they're comparably priced. That said, I really disagree with getting one just for the convenience. Many students who come here do not know about the area or go apartment hunting. They do it online or use word of mouth. I see no reason you can't research it as well and see what you think, I listed some of the more used landlords up above, but there are dozens. And you're probably jumping the gun. I know it's natural to think you need to go ahead and secure housing, but if I were you, I'd hang back for a few months. There should be a housing spreadsheet distributed on the facebook class page for you to find roommates, and there will be a TON of vacancies in May, meaning rent prices will go down. Also, if you used a roommate, there's a good chance they will be ASW, and so will probably do apartment hunting themselves, and you can just jump on board with them. Just a thought.

I'm single, and I would want a studio. I don't intend on living with others. It is a personal preference. How easy it is to come by a studio or even a 1 bedroom?

I hate living with other people too, so I'm also interested in a 1BR or a studio.

[KissMyAxe]

This thread seems a little old, so I hope someone will see this.

I feel like Yale is lacking in regards to international opportunities. For example, it doesn't have any semester/quarter abroad programs like Stanford and Harvard; doesn't seem like there are a lot of opportunities to travel internationally and do field work like with Harvard's winter term abroad etc.

I found that Yale does have some interesting opportunities at the Hague and ICJ, but they're for post-grads.

As someone interested in international law/development would Harvard be the better choice?
What if I'm interested in foreign policy/exploring a career with the state department?

Sorry, It is a bit of an old thread, and while I've done a lot of the answering in here, I'm not the OP so am not alerted about new questions. I will check it out over the next few weeks while we're enjoying Christmas bank, and if you have a question afterward, just quote me (or PM me, as most people do). I'm always happy to help if possible.

So I'm not really interested in international law and haven't researched it, so take all of this with a grain of salt. I definitely could see the other schools having more formal structures in place for international law. Yale is not about structure and formalities. That's why it's called a "choose your own adventure book." We don't have any requirements after first semester outside of criminal law, so you can explore whatever interests you, and they try to give you the resources for you to do that.

After your first semester, you can feel free to take all international law classes if you want. And we have some great international law professors, like Harold Koh, Amy Chua, and Paul Gewirtz (he's also the director of the Paul Tsai China Center, which is probably the best program for Chinese law and policy in the country). Ackerman, Amar, and Steve Calabresi (he visits every fall) offer comparative constitution classes regularly. Dieter Grimm, retired judge on the German Constitutional Court, regularly teaches classes on Constitutional Courts around the world. I'd guess you could end up having 12 hours of international classes every semester if you wanted. This last semester we offered like 10 different international classes, which I can say from talking to my HLS friends, are much easier to get into here. We also have three great international opportunities: the Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic, IRAP, and the Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women's Rights. These projects are highly regarded and offer travel opportunities. IRAP does a really cool trip to the middle east every Spring.

There are also a lot of informal opportunities. We have more lunch talks than you could ever go to, and many of them deal with international law. Every year, Judith Resnik leads the Global Constitutionalism Seminar, where the top justices from Supreme Courts all over the world gather to discuss human rights and updates in Constitutional thinking. Typically, there will be a couple SCOTUS justices and then dozens of other justices. They will sit in panels and discuss these things, and then engage in discussion with the audience, who are often a mix of justices and students. I didn't go this year, but last year Justice Breyer had a really interesting back and forth with Judge Luis Barroso from Brazil's Supreme Federal Court. Haha, I was actually sitting next to him and talking to him before the talk started, and had no idea who he was until that moment. You can learn more about that seminar and the Gruber Program here: https://law.yale.edu/centers-workshops/ ... sm-seminar. You can also visit pretty much any other country on Yale's dollar if you're willing to do a research project and write a paper while there. Yale makes it really easy to study at other schools as well, so you could take a lot of other graduate programs if they'd be helpful. And there are far more opportunities I'm forgetting.

Ultimately, that's what Yale is like for any field of law. There are never formal curricula and the school doesn't hold your hand. That freedom, as well as our grading system, basically means you can do whatever you want. I have friends that find classes that don't cold call (which is most), then bring flasks and drink in all of their classes. But if you want to take full advantage of your interests, I think you can build a more comprehensive curriculum than at any other school. I like getting into the courtroom and doing stuff, so I spend the vast majority of my time doing multiple clinics and taking mostly classes in writing and advocacy, with 1 or 2 black-letters thrown in. Other students want to do corporate law and basically take an MBA schedule with classes revolving entirely around businesses. You could take purely international classes. Or anything else you can imagine. It depends on you. If you'd rather have rigid programs of study that spoon-feed the classes to you, it might not be the best fit. But if you're serious about your interest and are willing to reach out and grab opportunities, no school is close to us.

As far as international hiring, I'm not sure as I'm going a different route. I know we have very close relations with the Hague and other justices. There are students clerking for Supreme Courts all over the world. But that's where my knowledge ends. I'd probably reach out to YLS professors if you're curious, especially the ones listed above. Explain that you're an accepted student and want to know about international law opportunities. Many would be willing to talk. I reached out to probably seven professors when I was making my decision and I think six responded, and two just asked for my phone number and talked to me for an hour or so.

As far as government hiring, Yale's pretty much the best. We have a ton of students that end up there. It seems like pretty much anyone who is interested in it, gets it. And YLS is literally the policy law school. That's where that famous line comes from "Harvard students learn what the law is, Yale students learn what the law should be." I'd be shocked if any other school has anywhere near the same number of students going into policy work. So do your research, it's one of the biggest decisions of your life. And if you're choosing between HYS, then you really can't go wrong.

Congratulations and I hope I helped a little. Merry Christmas!

[KissMyAxe]

Are there/have there ever been any undocumented YLS students? Asking for a friend

I'll ask Wintercoming to reply to this thread if they have time and are willing. They know some students better than I do, so they might know more than me about these questions. However, I can say, I know two students in the school who have mentioned being undocumented before. That said, most students are not upfront and open about that, so it's entirely possible (probable(?)) there are more, and I just don't know it. Sorry I don't know more!

And yeah, I have a 1BR, and don't regret it for a second. While there are benefits to roommates, it often backfires and destroys friendships as well. In college, I had a great one who made my college for me, and a terrible one, who ruined my year. I didn't want that additional stress and to gamble during such an important time.

Merry Christmas to you as well.

[KENYADIGG1T]

Are there/have there ever been any undocumented YLS students? Asking for a friend

I'll ask Wintercoming to reply to this thread if they have time and are willing. They know some students better than I do, so they might know more than me about these questions. However, I can say, I know two students in the school who have mentioned being undocumented before. That said, most students are not upfront and open about that, so it's entirely possible (probable(?)) there are more, and I just don't know it. Sorry I don't know more!

And yeah, I have a 1BR, and don't regret it for a second. While there are benefits to roommates, it often backfires and destroys friendships as well. In college, I had a great one who made my college for me, and a terrible one, who ruined my year. I didn't want that additional stress and to gamble during such an important time.

Merry Christmas to you as well.

Thank you so much for your insight! The reason I ask is not only out of general curiosity, but it seems that YLS is particularly situated (both financially and legally) to protect undocumented members of its community. Right now I'm at UCB, and though I have certain institutional commitments to protecting students like me, that might run into limits based on it being a public school. Even though you might not know any undocumented students, I wonder if you share my hypothesis somewhat.

I'm, 100% with you on the living alone bit. I lived with a roommate my first year of grad school and it was absolute hell. Since I was studying for the LSAT and applying to law schools, I figured I would rather spend the extra money upfront by living alone than lose untold dollars down the line because I didn't get the best LSAT possible. I'm pretty sure I'll snag a 1BR in New Haven. The potential of being legally bound to an abusive situation outweighs any rent savings for me.

[WinterComing]

Are there/have there ever been any undocumented YLS students? Asking for a friend

I'll ask Wintercoming to reply to this thread if they have time and are willing. They know some students better than I do, so they might know more than me about these questions. However, I can say, I know two students in the school who have mentioned being undocumented before. That said, most students are not upfront and open about that, so it's entirely possible (probable(?)) there are more, and I just don't know it. Sorry I don't know more!

And yeah, I have a 1BR, and don't regret it for a second. While there are benefits to roommates, it often backfires and destroys friendships as well. In college, I had a great one who made my college for me, and a terrible one, who ruined my year. I didn't want that additional stress and to gamble during such an important time.

Merry Christmas to you as well.

Thank you so much for your insight! The reason I ask is not only out of general curiosity, but it seems that YLS is particularly situated (both financially and legally) to protect undocumented members of its community. Right now I'm at UCB, and though I have certain institutional commitments to protecting students like me, that might run into limits based on it being a public school. Even though you might not know any undocumented students, I wonder if you share my hypothesis somewhat.

I'm, 100% with you on the living alone bit. I lived with a roommate my first year of grad school and it was absolute hell. Since I was studying for the LSAT and applying to law schools, I figured I would rather spend the extra money upfront by living alone than lose untold dollars down the line because I didn't get the best LSAT possible. I'm pretty sure I'll snag a 1BR in New Haven. The potential of being legally bound to an abusive situation outweighs any rent savings for me.

Unfortunately, I don't have any more expertise about the experience of undocumented students at YLS than Kiss My Axe does. I'm sure you're already thinking about this, but wherever you decide to matriculate, you should start having conversations early on with the administration about what support they will provide you, not just during law school, but also after, when you're working to be admitted to the bar and to practice law. I know that undocumented status can pose special hurdles in this regard, and you don't want to spend hundreds of thousands on a law degree unless you're fairly certain that you'll be able to use it when you're done. Of course, I don't know your personal situation, so it's possible that you already have this totally figured out, in which case, please ignore me.

As a political matter, I agree with you that YLS is in a position where it could take the lead on supporting undocumented students. I am happy to talk more about that by PM, if you'd like.

[bgt1995]

Current 1L here, happy to take more qs if people have any.

[KENYADIGG1T]

How's the first-generation community at YLS? I'd love to be connected to some of the folks over there. Also, for people who come from smaller colleges/otherwise humble backgrounds, how much of a culture shock is it?

Thanks to the YLS students for taking the time. I really appreciate it.