Top Law Schools

I'm six weeks into my tenure here at SLS, so take my impressions with the requisite amount of salt. I also might be a little delayed in my responses because I have a huge assignment due on Sunday and no time to do it. But ask away!

From a Stanford 2L, props for procrastinating that SFG brief by answering questions here.

4thand9 wrote:From a Stanford 2L, props for procrastinating that SFG brief by answering questions here.

Or not answering them apparently, haha. But yeah #SoniaForPrison.

ayylmao wrote:I'm six weeks into my tenure here at SLS, so take my impressions with the requisite amount of salt. I also might be a little delayed in my responses because I have a huge assignment due on Sunday and no time to do it. But ask away!

What's the class environment like? Are people cordial or mostly gunners?

Which schools were you deciding between when you picked SLS?

Do you think you'll be able to lsat a 1L SA spot?

What is the general feeling among students (yourself included) regarding debt? Stanford is an awesome school, but with no merit scholarships and likely a huge pricetag for most. Do folks seem to have an idea of how they will pay down debt after graduation such that it's not a huge source of stress during school?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

What type of law are you interested in after you graduate?

Why did you choose S? I'm assuming you had other amazing options (Harvard/Yale)?

AaronCarter wrote:

ayylmao wrote:I'm six weeks into my tenure here at SLS, so take my impressions with the requisite amount of salt. I also might be a little delayed in my responses because I have a huge assignment due on Sunday and no time to do it. But ask away!

What's the class environment like? Are people cordial or mostly gunners?

Which schools were you deciding between when you picked SLS?

Do you think you'll be able to lsat a 1L SA spot?

2L here, not OP 1L.

1. Class Environment: Everyone is cordial (unless someone says something really ignorant or offensive, but even it'd be cordial disagreement) and the culture kind of stifles a lot of in-class gunner-ness, but you still see some traits of it. A big determinant is the class and professors, where you have some of the more popular/influential professors who students want as mentors/recommenders (or want his or her clinic) you may see more of that.

2. Not sure about OP 1L, but I would say a frequent decision may be between HYS with no money (or just H or Y), some money at CCN, or more/all money at rest of T14.

3. Between Diversity 1L SAs and non-Diversity 1L SAs a decent number of folks landed 1L SAs, but I can't estimate on the success % of people of wanted it.

4thand9 wrote:

AaronCarter wrote:

ayylmao wrote:I'm six weeks into my tenure here at SLS, so take my impressions with the requisite amount of salt. I also might be a little delayed in my responses because I have a huge assignment due on Sunday and no time to do it. But ask away!

What's the class environment like? Are people cordial or mostly gunners?

Which schools were you deciding between when you picked SLS?

Do you think you'll be able to lsat a 1L SA spot?

2L here, not OP 1L.

1. Class Environment: Everyone is cordial (unless someone says something really ignorant or offensive, but even it'd be cordial disagreement) and the culture kind of stifles a lot of in-class gunner-ness, but you still see some traits of it. A big determinant is the class and professors, where you have some of the more popular/influential professors who students want as mentors/recommenders (or want his or her clinic) you may see more of that.

2. Not sure about OP 1L, but I would say a frequent decision may be between HYS with no money (or just H or Y), some money at CCN, or more/all money at rest of T14.

3. Between Diversity 1L SAs and non-Diversity 1L SAs a decent number of folks landed 1L SAs, but I can't estimate on the success % of people of wanted it.

I agree with this analysis.

(1), I think the standard person here is a "hidden gunner"; that is, they don't usually display their gunner tendencies outwardly, but you can bet they'll be pounding it out in the library during our lunch break. I was surprised by that, but you're not going to find people at an elite law school who are super chill. Edit: I'll add that I consider myself pretty liberal and I feel a little intimidated by how liberal the student body is. There is a Federalist Society here, but pointed liberalism absolutely dominates campus discussion.

(2), My decision was between Harvard and Stanford. I spent a long time thinking about it and am honestly still not positive I made the right pick, but I would have been perfectly happy at either place. I think Stanford's small size is great; I like the fact that I am cordial with a huge percentage of my class and it gives the place a relatively non-rat-racey feel (for a law school). Do I wish I was in a city? Yes.

(3), I was just talking to someone from career services about this. As a white person, it's unlikely unless you (1) apply very broadly, aggressively, and are lucky, or (2) have meaningful connections you can work. I'm gonna try hard in both the NYC and SF markets but I'll probably end up without one, based on what the career services people told me. That said, if you target a smaller market where you're from, you apparently have a decent shot since your resume says SLS.

#gobroncos wrote:What is the general feeling among students (yourself included) regarding debt? Stanford is an awesome school, but with no merit scholarships and likely a huge pricetag for most. Do folks seem to have an idea of how they will pay down debt after graduation such that it's not a huge source of stress during school?

I don't talk to people about debt loads because it never really comes up and is, IMO, awkward to talk about. I have heard multiple people say they turned down full rides from the likes of U Chicago to come here, which I think is insane. If I got a Ruby, I would've taken it. ($120K from UChi gave me pause and if I came from lesser means I would've taken it.) There is financial aid, but I think lots of people migrate to biglaw to reduce their debt burden quickly, before doing more fulfilling things.

Barack O'Drama wrote:What type of law are you interested in after you graduate?

Why did you choose S? I'm assuming you had other amazing options (Harvard/Yale)?

To your first question, I wish I knew. A surprisingly large percentage of 1Ls either don't know or have a faint idea. I could see myself doing venture capital/emerging companies work, but I've always been intrigued by public service. But those are litigation jobs by and large, and I'm not sure that I want to spend a lifetime slogging through minutiae, which is was litigation seems like to me. They do a good job of introducing people to different practice areas here though, through lunches with practitioners in different fields and individual counseling.

For your second question, I'll refer you to my answer to someone else above. I'll just add that I picked SLS over HLS because I thought it would be less competitive (at least overtly) and it would give me a little boost for clerkships/east coast jobs because of the "special snowflake" effect of coming from a tiny school. I doubt whether the first part is true, and have no idea about the second yet of course. But SLS does have some unique advantages (perfect weather, full-time clinics, beautiful environment, small sections [30 ppl], great student-to-faculty ratio).

ayylmao wrote:
I agree with this analysis.

(1), I think the standard person here is a "hidden gunner"; that is, they don't usually display their gunner tendencies outwardly, but you can bet they'll be pounding it out in the library during our lunch break. I was surprised by that, but you're not going to find people at an elite law school who are super chill. Edit: I'll add that I consider myself pretty liberal and I feel a little intimidated by how liberal the student body is. There is a Federalist Society here, but pointed liberalism absolutely dominates campus discussion.

(2), My decision was between Harvard and Stanford. I spent a long time thinking about it and am honestly still not positive I made the right pick, but I would have been perfectly happy at either place. I think Stanford's small size is great; I like the fact that I am cordial with a huge percentage of my class and it gives the place a relatively non-rat-racey feel (for a law school). Do I wish I was in a city? Yes.

(3), I was just talking to someone from career services about this. As a white person, it's unlikely unless you (1) apply very broadly, aggressively, and are lucky, or (2) have meaningful connections you can work. I'm gonna try hard in both the NYC and SF markets but I'll probably end up without one, based on what the career services people told me. That said, if you target a smaller market where you're from, you apparently have a decent shot since your resume says SLS.

OP has solid point about hidden gunner (tons of extremely intelligent, hard-working, and kind people who will end up with best grades without being gunnery). W/r/t liberalism, I can agree, but think that it's a more rational and informed liberalism/progressivism than the knee-jerk style you may see in UG. ACS and FedSoc folks respect each other, co-sponsor events, etc. and even within each group there are a spectrum of ideologies/opinions.