Cornell 1L taking questions Forum

[LeahNic]

I believe that interview is from last year, but I am dont know anything about interviews for waitlisted candidates.

[hopingtogo]

So I have started looking for apartments and I am feeling a little clueless as to how I should go about this process. I found a really cute apartment that I loved for $600/month. BUT, the rent does not cover utilities. How important is that, considering the cost of heating in the winter? Also, the apartment is about 8 miles away from Cornell (in Lansing?). I will have a car while I am there, but one of my friends told me I should look for something closer nevertheless because of the complications of driving in the winter. Is this true? Is it better to look for something closer to campus?

Thanks for your help in advance!

If it's really 8 miles from the law school it is probably North Lansing and buses run up there much less frequently. I would recommend looking for something closer. I live about 3 miles from the law school, and I like it, but a lot of my friends think its quite far away. I think 8 miles would just be inconvenient and you would get tired of it.

Thanks for everyone's input. I guess I am so used to driving 20 miles to school everyday that I really didn't consider it an issue, but the more I think about it the more uncomfortable I am with the possibility of having to drive through snow storms and the limited access of the bus line in that area. I have started looking for areas closer to the school, but I must say this is such a daunting process! Do housing options really become more limited the longer you wait? Because I was originally planning to wait until June or July to look for housing. I will be living in DC over the summer and I was going to drive up one weekend and spend a couple of days searching for a place. Now I am getting more and more worried as the days go by!

[jxk]

it depends on where you want to live. if you want to live in the area closest to the law school (collegetown) which will be a 2-10 min walk to the law school depending on how far into collegetown you live, i would not recommend waiting until june or july to look for housing. a huge chunk of cornell's undergrad population also lives in collegetown (besides freshmen) so competition for good, affordable places close to campus is pretty high. when i was a freshman at cornell looking for a place to live in collegetown during my sophomore year, my roomies and i went apartment hunting in late november/early december and had a lease signed soon after we got back from winter break in late jan/early feb. this timeframe is pretty typical for people looking to live in c-town. i'm sure that there are still apartments available at this point but the selection will be limited. i'm not sure how much activity there is from now until june or july in terms of people still signing leases but i think the earlier you start looking, the better. i can't speak to how limited the selection is in other areas (like the commons).

[hopingtogo]

Thanks!

[sheltron5000]

New question!

If you wanted to could you borrow a computer for exams?

[thesouthside]

So, I have the option of bringing a car (c230) or an suv (explorer). Would it be foolish to bring the car because of the amount of snow? OR because of the amount of snow, Ithaca is always prepared and I wouldn't have too many issues driving it...? I have almost exclusively driven my car for the last three years and would hate to leave it at my moms house...

[kn6542]

New question!

If you wanted to could you borrow a computer for exams?

Sure, why not....except I'm sure where you'd get one from. Occasionally someone will email the listserv asking if anyone has a puter they can borrow, but I've no idea if they've any luck with that. There isn't a place that I know of that loans out puters short term like that.

[kn6542]

So, I have the option of bringing a car (c230) or an suv (explorer). Would it be foolish to bring the car because of the amount of snow? OR because of the amount of snow, Ithaca is always prepared and I wouldn't have too many issues driving it...? I have almost exclusively driven my car for the last three years and would hate to leave it at my moms house...

What do you plan on using the car for? Getting to class every day? I mean, if it's just for going to the store and whatnot I don't see why you would need an SUV. You'd be fine without an SUV anyway, but if you're going to depend on it for getting to school I guess it come in handy when the snow first comes down and stuff.

[como]

You'll want the car so you don't get dirty looks from the Ithaca hippies. Man those eyes can burn...

[LeahNic]

New question!

If you wanted to could you borrow a computer for exams?

I believe you can take your exams in the computer lab if you want to.

[18488]

New question!

If you wanted to could you borrow a computer for exams?

I believe you can take your exams in the computer lab if you want to.

Yeah, my computer crashed right before exams last semester and I took them in the computer lab--same thing happened with about 4 other people. They had a special proctor for the lab and everything.

[thesouthside]

So, I have the option of bringing a car (c230) or an suv (explorer). Would it be foolish to bring the car because of the amount of snow? OR because of the amount of snow, Ithaca is always prepared and I wouldn't have too many issues driving it...? I have almost exclusively driven my car for the last three years and would hate to leave it at my moms house...

What do you plan on using the car for? Getting to class every day? I mean, if it's just for going to the store and whatnot I don't see why you would need an SUV. You'd be fine without an SUV anyway, but if you're going to depend on it for getting to school I guess it come in handy when the snow first comes down and stuff.

Thanks. Yeah, it will be to get to the store and whatnot. Also, I am bringing my dog so when I head home I will likely drive. Thanks again.

[thesouthside]

You'll want the car so you don't get dirty looks from the Ithaca hippies. Man those eyes can burn...

lol

[kn6542]

New question!

If you wanted to could you borrow a computer for exams?

I believe you can take your exams in the computer lab if you want to.

Yeah, my computer crashed right before exams last semester and I took them in the computer lab--same thing happened with about 4 other people. They had a special proctor for the lab and everything.

I think your computer crashed DURING the property exam, didn't it?

[argelfraster]

Somewhat random questions:

1) Do the Civ Pro (or really any of the 1L required courses) professors use the same book (s)?

2) Any ideas for really cheap (or even free--perhaps, a bit of wishful thinking) parking in Ithaca? Still deciding as to whether I want to bring a car or not.

3) Do professors post past exams online?

4) Is it really a bad idea to be a bum for the summer between college and law school??

[18488]

Somewhat random questions:

1) Do the Civ Pro (or really any of the 1L required courses) professors use the same book (s)?

2) Any ideas for really cheap (or even free--perhaps, a bit of wishful thinking) parking in Ithaca? Still deciding as to whether I want to bring a car or not.

3) Do professors post past exams online?

4) Is it really a bad idea to be a bum for the summer between college and law school??

1) The civ pro teachers all use the Clermont book, and the contracts teachers all use the Hillman/Summers book. Aside from that, I think the different profs each use their casebook of choice.

2) don't have a car--myabe kn can help you on that one.

3) most of them do.

4) being a bum would be my highest recommendation--you'll never have the opportunity again till you retire.

[18488]

New question!

If you wanted to could you borrow a computer for exams?

I believe you can take your exams in the computer lab if you want to.

Yeah, my computer crashed right before exams last semester and I took them in the computer lab--same thing happened with about 4 other people. They had a special proctor for the lab and everything.

I think your computer crashed DURING the property exam, didn't it?

luckily it crashed like 10 minutes BEFORE the property exam, so I had time to take charge of the situation.

[argelfraster]

argelfraster wrote:
Somewhat random questions:

1) Do the Civ Pro (or really any of the 1L required courses) professors use the same book (s)?

2) Any ideas for really cheap (or even free--perhaps, a bit of wishful thinking) parking in Ithaca? Still deciding as to whether I want to bring a car or not.

3) Do professors post past exams online?

4) Is it really a bad idea to be a bum for the summer between college and law school??


1) The civ pro teachers all use the Clermont book, and the contracts teachers all use the Hillman/Summers book. Aside from that, I think the different profs each use their casebook of choice.

2) don't have a car--myabe kn can help you on that one.

3) most of them do.

4) being a bum would be my highest recommendation--you'll never have the opportunity again till you retire.

Just realized how odd my questions seem (the first one is for the possibility of cross-section study groups)...thanks for your help!

Here's to bumhood! Actually considering the cross country trip that I never did after high school...

[CLMoose8]

man, i wish i could bum around this summer. i graduated from undergrad on sunday and one week from today i start a 40 hour a week job working on a road crew for the pennsylvania D.O.T.

but i will have the last laugh come fall when i can blow my own money on books and rubbish food instead of loan money!

working for a gloriously lazy state road crew gives me plenty of time to read (i basically credit working at PennDOT for my LSAT score last year, thanks to all the studying i was able to do) so i was wondering what the general consensus on 0L summer reading was. from what i've read on these boards, basically don't go crazy with hornbooks and E&E but read general stuff like getting to maybe and law school confidential, yeah?

i'm also wondering about the car thing, as i'd like to have one out there but at the same time i'm planning (well, hoping most likely in vain) to live in hughes. i'd just keep the car around for rare weekend trips and groceries and things like that, i'm wondering if theres a place we can park it on-street a good distance from the campus and its $700/year fees.

[fsohn]

man, i wish i could bum around this summer. i graduated from undergrad on sunday and one week from today i start a 40 hour a week job working on a road crew for the pennsylvania D.O.T.

but i will have the last laugh come fall when i can blow my own money on books and rubbish food instead of loan money!

working for a gloriously lazy state road crew gives me plenty of time to read (i basically credit working at PennDOT for my LSAT score last year, thanks to all the studying i was able to do) so i was wondering what the general consensus on 0L summer reading was. from what i've read on these boards, basically don't go crazy with hornbooks and E&E but read general stuff like getting to maybe and law school confidential, yeah?

i'm also wondering about the car thing, as i'd like to have one out there but at the same time i'm planning (well, hoping most likely in vain) to live in hughes. i'd just keep the car around for rare weekend trips and groceries and things like that, i'm wondering if theres a place we can park it on-street a good distance from the campus and its $700/year fees.

Definitely do not try to learn substantive law on your own--it will confuse you enough when you have a professor explaining and classmates to confer with.

Also, don't bother with "Getting To Maybe." I've had one professor tell me (and rightly so, I think, after I read it) that such books are simply part of the cottage industry that has sprung up to assuage the neuroses of 1Ls. Professors will tell you what the expect, and most will go over practice exams with you. You can also sometimes get the academic support staff to help you go over practice exams. My legal writing professor this year is going to be the head of the academic support staff next year, and he's highly approachable and a good mentor.

[spanktheduck]

man, i wish i could bum around this summer. i graduated from undergrad on sunday and one week from today i start a 40 hour a week job working on a road crew for the pennsylvania D.O.T.

but i will have the last laugh come fall when i can blow my own money on books and rubbish food instead of loan money!

working for a gloriously lazy state road crew gives me plenty of time to read (i basically credit working at PennDOT for my LSAT score last year, thanks to all the studying i was able to do) so i was wondering what the general consensus on 0L summer reading was. from what i've read on these boards, basically don't go crazy with hornbooks and E&E but read general stuff like getting to maybe and law school confidential, yeah?

i'm also wondering about the car thing, as i'd like to have one out there but at the same time i'm planning (well, hoping most likely in vain) to live in hughes. i'd just keep the car around for rare weekend trips and groceries and things like that, i'm wondering if theres a place we can park it on-street a good distance from the campus and its $700/year fees.

Definitely do not try to learn substantive law on your own--it will confuse you enough when you have a professor explaining and classmates to confer with.

Also, don't bother with "Getting To Maybe." I've had one professor tell me (and rightly so, I think, after I read it) that such books are simply part of the cottage industry that has sprung up to assuage the neuroses of 1Ls. Professors will tell you what the expect, and most will go over practice exams with you. You can also sometimes get the academic support staff to help you go over practice exams. My legal writing professor this year is going to be the head of the academic support staff next year, and he's highly approachable and a good mentor.

Agreed. Read GTM if you want and have time, it won't hurt, but it's also not necessary. Most of the info will becomes obvious when you start to take exams.

[LeahNic]

man, i wish i could bum around this summer. i graduated from undergrad on sunday and one week from today i start a 40 hour a week job working on a road crew for the pennsylvania D.O.T.

but i will have the last laugh come fall when i can blow my own money on books and rubbish food instead of loan money!

working for a gloriously lazy state road crew gives me plenty of time to read (i basically credit working at PennDOT for my LSAT score last year, thanks to all the studying i was able to do) so i was wondering what the general consensus on 0L summer reading was. from what i've read on these boards, basically don't go crazy with hornbooks and E&E but read general stuff like getting to maybe and law school confidential, yeah?

i'm also wondering about the car thing, as i'd like to have one out there but at the same time i'm planning (well, hoping most likely in vain) to live in hughes. i'd just keep the car around for rare weekend trips and groceries and things like that, i'm wondering if theres a place we can park it on-street a good distance from the campus and its $700/year fees.

Definitely do not try to learn substantive law on your own--it will confuse you enough when you have a professor explaining and classmates to confer with.

Also, don't bother with "Getting To Maybe." I've had one professor tell me (and rightly so, I think, after I read it) that such books are simply part of the cottage industry that has sprung up to assuage the neuroses of 1Ls. Professors will tell you what the expect, and most will go over practice exams with you. You can also sometimes get the academic support staff to help you go over practice exams. My legal writing professor this year is going to be the head of the academic support staff next year, and he's highly approachable and a good mentor.

I agree as well. I did not do one thing to prep for law school and I do not regret that decision at all.

For the car-- the problem with parking is that it is very limited during the winter since a lot of street parking becomes unavailable since they have to plow the snow into those spots.

But, I would still recommend bringing one even if you have to pay for a campus spot. It will save you enough time getting groceries, etc that its nice to have.

[stayingclassy]

Do any current law students remember when they began receiving coverage under Cornell's medical insurance? Was it at the start of August or not until the first day of classes?

Thanks!

[LeahNic]

Do any current law students remember when they began receiving coverage under Cornell's medical insurance? Was it at the start of August or not until the first day of classes?

Thanks!

I'm not sure exactly but I think it was closer to the first day of classes than the start of August.

[stayingclassy]

Do any current law students remember when they began receiving coverage under Cornell's medical insurance? Was it at the start of August or not until the first day of classes?

Thanks!

I'm not sure exactly but I think it was closer to the first day of classes than the start of August.

Too bad - thanks for the quick response though!