Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[OutCold]

I'm probably among the most detached from school social circles, but even I am friendly with a huge number of people. You'll get to know your 1L section well, your cohort even better, and even more people through journal, pro bono projects, and various other activities, small seminars, etc. You don't have to go to outside events like bar review to make friends at the law school.

That's not what I am talking about. One can make plenty of friends, but one are not warmly welcomed into every circle if one doesn't not appear to fit in.

I wasn't responding to you specifically, just adding my own anecdote. But I agree, that's accurate.

[HeavenWood]

I'm probably among the most detached from school social circles, but even I am friendly with a huge number of people. You'll get to know your 1L section well, your cohort even better, and even more people through journal, pro bono projects, and various other activities, small seminars, etc. You don't have to go to outside events like bar review to make friends at the law school.

That's not what I am talking about. One can make plenty of friends, but one are not warmly welcomed into every circle if one doesn't not appear to fit in.

TBF that's how it works just about anywhere.

[r6_philly]

TBF that's how it works just about anywhere.

Of course. I was simply trying to add a tint of reality to "everyone is VERY friendly."

[HeavenWood]

TBF that's how it works just about anywhere.

Of course. I was simply trying to add a tint of reality to "everyone is VERY friendly."

Ahh. I guess it bears reminding that "collegiality" doesn't override the basic tenets of human nature.

[5965]

Hi, are many professors, especially those teaching 1L classes, willing to assist their students and to answer students' questions? (I remember some professors in my undergrad who seemed to be bothered to meet students.) Thanks in advance!:)

[OutCold]

Hi, are many professors, especially those teaching 1L classes, willing to assist their students and to answer students' questions? (I remember some professors in my undergrad who seemed to be bothered to meet students.) Thanks in advance!:)

Some are more receptive than others. Most will stay a few minutes after to chat in my experience. I believe every 1L professor is required to hold office hours, and that is generally the best time to get questions answered. That or a quick email. All in all, almost all of the professors I've had have been pretty approachable. Some are just really, really busy though.

[SportsFan]

So I was just looking through my emails to delete a bunch from earlier in the semester, and found one about financial aid that said we should submit our FAFSA's by April 1st. Being an idiot (and a busy 1L), I hadn't even given the FAFSA or financial aid for next year much thought, so I just submitted it now. I'm not getting any need-based aid, just loans, so submitting my FAFSA 2 days late isn't going to hurt me, right?

[Nelson]

So I was just looking through my emails to delete a bunch from earlier in the semester, and found one about financial aid that said we should submit our FAFSA's by April 1st. Being an idiot (and a busy 1L), I hadn't even given the FAFSA or financial aid for next year much thought, so I just submitted it now. I'm not getting any need-based aid, just loans, so submitting my FAFSA 2 days late isn't going to hurt me, right?

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about that email since you can't even apply for new GradPlus money until May 1. Penn doesn't even have the GradPlus app unlocked yet. The feds technically give you until June 1 for FAFSA and that's just the recommendation to make sure your loans disburse in time for the fall, so you could actually wait longer than that I think.

[stacy]

3 questions:

1. Is it too late to apply for financial aid? If I am under 30 and my Parents make a high salary is there any reason to even apply?

2. Is there a way to apply for merit aid or it is selected?

3. I got into Penn easily with early decision. I now regret doing early decision as when I look at the numbers I could have had more options. Would anyone suggest I not go to law school this year (I believe that would void my ED agreement) and then reapply for class of 2017? I believe I could get into Harvard if I reapply. (This question makes me sound really dumb, but at the time of application I did not know about TLS, and I just took advice of a mentor who said Penn is an amazing law school.)

[Nelson]

3 questions:

1. Is it too late to apply for financial aid? If I am under 30 and my Parents make a high salary is there any reason to even apply?

2. Is there a way to apply for merit aid or it is selected?

3. I got into Penn easily with early decision. I now regret doing early decision as when I look at the numbers I could have had more options. Would anyone suggest I not go to law school this year (I believe that would void my ED agreement) and then reapply for class of 2017? I believe I could get into Harvard if I reapply. (This question makes me sound really dumb, but at the time of application I did not know about TLS, and I just took advice of a mentor who said Penn is an amazing law school.)

Hard to say without knowing your numbers but if you have HYS numbers you shouldn't go to Penn without a lot of money. If you break your ED, you're pretty much going to write off Penn.

[wert3813]

3 questions:

1. Is it too late to apply for financial aid? If I am under 30 and my Parents make a high salary is there any reason to even apply?

2. Is there a way to apply for merit aid or it is selected?

3. I got into Penn easily with early decision. I now regret doing early decision as when I look at the numbers I could have had more options. Would anyone suggest I not go to law school this year (I believe that would void my ED agreement) and then reapply for class of 2017? I believe I could get into Harvard if I reapply. (This question makes me sound really dumb, but at the time of application I did not know about TLS, and I just took advice of a mentor who said Penn is an amazing law school.)

Hard to say without knowing your numbers but if you have HYS numbers you shouldn't go to Penn without a lot of money. If you break your ED, you're pretty much going to write off Penn.

Know that many schools do not allow you to simply break your ED and then apply anywhere next year. They are sometimes binding in the future. Check your agreement carefully. But yes if you could get into Harvard then you should not have ED to Penn where you will be paying close to sticker since there is no incentive to give you a scholarship.

[r6_philly]

I believe ED is only binding for the current cycle. There was a long discussion about this in years past. But a contract without time constraints doesn't sound very enforceable.

[stacy]

I believe ED is only binding for the current cycle. There was a long discussion about this in years past. But a contract without time constraints doesn't sound very enforceable.

It is not the contract that is the problem. Penn informs all other top schools of the ED agreement and all those schools do not even consider you from acceptance.

If you could link to that earlier discussion it'd be greatly appreciated

[Veyron]

I believe ED is only binding for the current cycle. There was a long discussion about this in years past. But a contract without time constraints doesn't sound very enforceable.

It is not the contract that is the problem. Penn informs all other top schools of the ED agreement and all those schools do not even consider you from acceptance.

If you could link to that earlier discussion it'd be greatly appreciated

There really isn't any point in breaking ED unless you have HYS numbers has has been stated above. And I find it hard to believe that you really would have applied ED if you were rocking a 3.8, 174.

[PennBull]

I believe ED is only binding for the current cycle. There was a long discussion about this in years past. But a contract without time constraints doesn't sound very enforceable.

It is not the contract that is the problem. Penn informs all other top schools of the ED agreement and all those schools do not even consider you from acceptance.

If you could link to that earlier discussion it'd be greatly appreciated

There really isn't any point in breaking ED unless you have HYS numbers has has been stated above. And I find it hard to believe that you really would have applied ED if you were rocking a 3.8, 174.

They did say in their original post that they regret EDing.

[SportsFan]

Hi, are many professors, especially those teaching 1L classes, willing to assist their students and to answer students' questions? (I remember some professors in my undergrad who seemed to be bothered to meet students.) Thanks in advance!:)

Some are more receptive than others. Most will stay a few minutes after to chat in my experience. I believe every 1L professor is required to hold office hours, and that is generally the best time to get questions answered. That or a quick email. All in all, almost all of the professors I've had have been pretty approachable. Some are just really, really busy though.

One of my professors last semester ran out of the room at the end of class every day because he didn't want to stay and answer peoples questions (and sometimes they did manage to catch him and prevent him from leaving anyway!). Besides that, though, all of my professors have been nice and willing to meet and talk and help.

[Veyron]

I believe ED is only binding for the current cycle. There was a long discussion about this in years past. But a contract without time constraints doesn't sound very enforceable.

It is not the contract that is the problem. Penn informs all other top schools of the ED agreement and all those schools do not even consider you from acceptance.

If you could link to that earlier discussion it'd be greatly appreciated

There really isn't any point in breaking ED unless you have HYS numbers has has been stated above. And I find it hard to believe that you really would have applied ED if you were rocking a 3.8, 174.

They did say in their original post that they regret EDing.

Yah, but a lot of people regret EDing when they get in. A sort of buyers remorse that comes from the thought that things were a little too easy. When you let the whole cycle play out there are no "what-iffs." But that being said, people with true HYS numbers don't ED in the first place, these sound like the regrets of someone with numbers slightly above the medians.

[Veyron]

I'm probably among the most detached from school social circles, but even I am friendly with a huge number of people. You'll get to know your 1L section well, your cohort even better, and even more people through journal, pro bono projects, and various other activities, small seminars, etc. You don't have to go to outside events like bar review to make friends at the law school.

That's not what I am talking about. One can make plenty of friends, but one are not warmly welcomed into every circle if one doesn't not appear to fit in.

Maybe not in the sense that you could just call anyone at the school up to hang out but I haven't run into many groups at the law school I wasn't at least happy to have a casual conversation with. This isn't high school, we're all the nerd table.

[PennBull]

Yah, but a lot of people regret EDing when they get in. A sort of buyers remorse that comes from the thought that things were a little too easy. When you let the whole cycle play out there are no "what-iffs." But that being said, people with true HYS numbers don't ED in the first place, these sound like the regrets of someone with numbers slightly above the medians.

You are really, really underestimating the lack of information and good advice out there haha. I'm not saying a law school applicant shouldn't do more homework on the situation, but it's remarkably easy to not know what the hell you're doing.

That's neither here nor there tho. Regardless of anything, retracting an ED is the topic at hand

[Veyron]

Yah, but a lot of people regret EDing when they get in. A sort of buyers remorse that comes from the thought that things were a little too easy. When you let the whole cycle play out there are no "what-iffs." But that being said, people with true HYS numbers don't ED in the first place, these sound like the regrets of someone with numbers slightly above the medians.

You are really, really underestimating the lack of information and good advice out there haha. I'm not saying a law school applicant shouldn't do more homework on the situation, but it's remarkably easy to not know what the hell you're doing.

That's neither here nor there tho. Regardless of anything, retracting an ED is the topic at hand

My understanding, at least the year I applied, was that it was binding for the year. In order to get out of it, you would have to choose not to matriculate anywhere that cycle. The next cycle you would be free to apply wherever (although obviously, the school you bailed on would be out absent extraordinary circumstances).

[Sheffield]

I know a couple splitters who said they likely made it in because of ED. Usually a high GPA accompanied with a precarious LSAT (low-mid 160’s). Then it becomes a guessing game on what LS might be amenable to your situation. Splitters aside, unless you just LOVE the school (without a decent chance for $) ED usually isn't the best option.

Once you sign an ED, you are at the school's mercy.

[r6_philly]

I haven't run into many groups at the law school I wasn't at least happy to have a casual conversation with.

Can't make the same statement. Not that anyone is rude or anything, but some people lack the interest to have casual conversations depending on who you are. Remember I was just rebutting the "VERY friendly" comment made by someone many quotes ago.

[PennBull]

I haven't run into many groups at the law school I wasn't at least happy to have a casual conversation with.

Can't make the same statement. Not that anyone is rude or anything, but some people lack the interest to have casual conversations depending on who you are. Remember I was just rebutting the "VERY friendly" comment made by someone many quotes ago.

Just for sample size purposes, my experience has been much like Veyron's.

[r6_philly]

Just for sample size purposes, my experience has been much like Veyron's.

I'd venture to guess it depends on who you are.

ETA: I am not the only person who ever expressed this, but I don't want to speak for them.

[HeavenWood]

I haven't run into many groups at the law school I wasn't at least happy to have a casual conversation with.

Can't make the same statement. Not that anyone is rude or anything, but some people lack the interest to have casual conversations depending on who you are. Remember I was just rebutting the "VERY friendly" comment made by someone many quotes ago.

Just for sample size purposes, my experience has been much like Veyron's.

Some people are more cliquish than others, but most are at least outwardly friendly. Obviously you can't be best friends with everyone. But the more important thing, in my view, is that the truly cutthroat, competitive, backstabbing bullshit is at an absolute minimum.