Penn Students Taking Questions Forum

[Georgiana]

On a scale of 1-10, how common is it for Penn Law students to live alone in studios/efficiency apartments? I'm having some roomate-search issues - everyone wants to live in CC lol...

I'd say 4 maybe? I really don't know. I live alone and very much prefer it. My best friend at the LS also lives alone. My boyfriend also lives alone. People live alone

If you want to live alone you should. Roomies aren't worth the trouble IMO. Set a limit on what you're willing to pay and try to stick to it (mine was $1,000 including all utilities).

[Core]

On a scale of 1-10, how common is it for Penn Law students to live alone in studios/efficiency apartments? I'm having some roomate-search issues - everyone wants to live in CC lol...

I'd say 4 maybe? I really don't know. I live alone and very much prefer it. My best friend at the LS also lives alone. My boyfriend also lives alone. People live alone

If you want to live alone you should. Roomies aren't worth the trouble IMO. Set a limit on what you're willing to pay and try to stick to it (mine was $1,000 including all utilities).

...

[kurla88]

On a scale of 1-10, how common is it for Penn Law students to live alone in studios/efficiency apartments? I'm having some roomate-search issues - everyone wants to live in CC lol...

I'd say 4 maybe? I really don't know. I live alone and very much prefer it. My best friend at the LS also lives alone. My boyfriend also lives alone. People live alone

If you want to live alone you should. Roomies aren't worth the trouble IMO. Set a limit on what you're willing to pay and try to stick to it (mine was $1,000 including all utilities).

Thanks - glad to hear it. I found some studios for ~$700 including utilities so I might jump on this.
I don't really want to live alone. My issue is that everyone wants to live in CC (I want to live in UC) and I don't want to be randomly placed with somebody through some automated system, if that's even available.

You're not going to be the only one who wants to live in UC. If you'd rather have a roommate (lots of pros to this too) I might just wait till after May 1st... it's not too far away from now and a lot more people will have made their final decision on schools by then.

[mrm2083]

I'm also planning on living in UC but I'm not sure if I want a roommate I kind of like living alone. Core: I saw on LSN that ur PR, are you planning on joining LALSA? We should have like TLS get to gether at a bar or something before we start school.

[Core]

I'm also planning on living in UC but I'm not sure if I want a roommate I kind of like living alone. Core: I saw on LSN that ur PR, are you planning on joining LALSA? We should have like TLS get to gether at a bar or something before we start school.

...

[alex06]

calawbiz-- I had found Park Towne Place online and it does look a bit cheaper. Do you recommend it? And good to know there are specials during the summer. If it's a bit farther away, does it make walking too much of a hassle? Or too dangerous to get home at night after going out in CC?

I've decided to force myself to chill out about this a bit. I have months to find an apartment! Plus, just found out I got the Levy, too, so money looks like less of a concern than it was!! Although after living in (what will on the internet remain an un-named) third world country for the last two years, I just can't stand the thought of paying so much for rent (even the $700 sounds like a lot, but that's MY problem, not Philly's).

[Georgiana]

calawbiz-- I had found Park Towne Place online and it does look a bit cheaper. Do you recommend it? And good to know there are specials during the summer. If it's a bit farther away, does it make walking too much of a hassle? Or too dangerous to get home at night after going out in CC?

It looks like its about a 30 min walk from the law school but its not very public transportation friendly for winter or nights out. The Art Museum is a nice area though. Just consider the days when its rainy, snowing, cold etc.

[mrm2083]

What are some nice things in CC? I'm looking for a 1 bedroom and so far have been looking at Domus, Left Bank, and Old Quaker.

[Georgiana]

What are some nice things in CC? I'm looking for a 1 bedroom and so far have been looking at Domus, Left Bank, and Old Quaker.

A lot of people live in 2400 Chestnut.
There's also:
-The Embassy
-Locust on the Park
-The Wellington
-RiverLoft
-The Roosevelt
-The Chatham
-The Sterling
-Rittenhouse Claridge
-222 Rittenhouse

[calawbiz]

calawbiz-- I had found Park Towne Place online and it does look a bit cheaper. Do you recommend it? And good to know there are specials during the summer. If it's a bit farther away, does it make walking too much of a hassle? Or too dangerous to get home at night after going out in CC?

It looks like its about a 30 min walk from the law school but its not very public transportation friendly for winter or nights out. The Art Museum is a nice area though. Just consider the days when its rainy, snowing, cold etc.

I cosign this. There were plenty of Penn (though not necessarily law) grad students living in Park Towne when I was there, and I think they did all right with the free shuttle to University City that PT runs, though that isn't really an option after a certain point in the evening when it stops running. But during the day, it runs pretty regularly.

As far as safety is concerned, the Art Museum area is essentially as safe as the rest of CC. It borders on some of the sketchier areas of Philly, so you might not feel as secure there as you would in Rittenhouse, but it is a massively gentrified area that is dominated by yuppies with small children. One of the crim professors lives there, actually. Provided you are aware of your surroundings and don't get complacent, there's no reason why you would be any less safe than in the heart of CC.

[calawbiz]

This is kind of random. What courses satisfy the professional responsibility requirement apart from the course called Professional Responsibility?

[Georgiana]

This is kind of random. What courses satisfy the professional responsibility requirement apart from the course called Professional Responsibility?

the course called Professional Responsibility

[calawbiz]

This is kind of random. What courses satisfy the professional responsibility requirement apart from the course called Professional Responsibility?

the course called Professional Responsibility

Why don't they say so, rather than lead students to believe they have some choice in the matter?! Sorry, a lot of law schools present the professional responsibility requirement the same vague way, and it's just annoying. Thanks for your help!

[Georgiana]

This is kind of random. What courses satisfy the professional responsibility requirement apart from the course called Professional Responsibility?

the course called Professional Responsibility

Why don't they say so, rather than lead students to believe they have some choice in the matter?! Sorry, a lot of law schools present the professional responsibility requirement the same vague way, and it's just annoying. Thanks for your help!

There's choice in when you take it and who you take it with... and if you do the 2 cred or the 3 cred version...

[calawbiz]

This is kind of random. What courses satisfy the professional responsibility requirement apart from the course called Professional Responsibility?

the course called Professional Responsibility

Why don't they say so, rather than lead students to believe they have some choice in the matter?! Sorry, a lot of law schools present the professional responsibility requirement the same vague way, and it's just annoying. Thanks for your help!

There's choice in when you take it and who you take it with... and if you do the 2 cred or the 3 cred version...

Small potatoes, but thanks

[Core]

Thanks for answering all of our questions. I'll probably be posting more as they come to mind. I'm 99% sure I'll be at Penn in the fall, so this thread has been of great value to me. I'm going to visit next week and hopefully I walk away impressed (I'm sure I will).

Does Penn have any sort of mentor system? I know Chicago has something like this.

Do you find Penn offers a lot of support for those students interested in publishing?

What is your favorite aspect of your experience at Penn thus far (cheesey, I know)?

[Georgiana]

Does Penn have any sort of mentor system? I know Chicago has something like this.

There's the Morris Fellow program, it is what you make of it. I never had any desire to meet my fellow. I thought that the most helpful mentor was my legal writing instructor (3L). You can pretty much ask anyone for help, we all remember what it's like (just keep in mind that we're jaded)

Do you find Penn offers a lot of support for those students interested in publishing?

Yes, if you want to publish the faculty and staff will be behind you 100% you just have to ask them. Some profs will even offer to co-author things with you to increase chances of publishing a legit article, not just a comment.

What is your favorite aspect of your experience at Penn thus far (cheesey, I know)?

Being done with almost 2 years of it? I really enjoyed OCI minus the OMG will I get a job aspect of this year. I also really enjoy journal no matter how much I complain about it. Board is like my own little law school family We fight, we have fun, we bond... talk about cheesy

Less important, but...
I've read that Penn is very supportive of (and boasts a fairly large contingent of) LGBT students - how true have you found this?

It's quite supportive based on what I've seen but I am not involved with Lambda so I can't really speak from the perspective of someone who is LGBT. The people I know who are involved really seem to love the group though.

[violaboy]

Less important, but...
I've read that Penn is very supportive of (and boasts a fairly large contingent of) LGBT students - how true have you found this?

I'll throw in my two cents. I've found that the LGBT community at Penn has been very accommodating. Everyone has been so wonderful about helping me feel comfortable, etc., from Dean Clinton to a 1L. Must say that it was quite different at Chicago, where they were all Republicans. It was kind of trippy. But anyways, Lambda seems to be a very active organization that has lots of fun.

[Core]

Thanks. Glad to hear all of that.
Another quick question - Do you get the sense that Penn places well in L.A./the rest of the west coast? I read earlier in this thread that Penn hosts regional interviews for Cali jobs, but does it seem like these are successful?

This isn't a Penn-specific question, but is it true that working in a region (not including NYC) that you have no previous ties to is a huge challenge, regardless of one's school or grades?

[Georgiana]

Thanks. Glad to hear all of that.
Another quick question - Do you get the sense that Penn places well in L.A./the rest of the west coast? I read earlier in this thread that Penn hosts regional interviews for Cali jobs, but does it seem like these are successful?

If you have ties to the region I think it's much easier. I participated in regionals in LA this past year and went on 6 screening interviews and got one callback. Additionally I did some LA firms at OCI and got one callback (so two in LA total). I didn't have a connection to the region and didn't end up getting an offer (I was rejected from one and pulled out of the other).

This isn't a Penn-specific question, but is it true that working in a region (not including NYC) that you have no previous ties to is a huge challenge, regardless of one's school or grades?

Even NYC this past cycle was looking for at least minor ties. Come up with a very good reason for a region no matter what. You will likely be asked WHY you want to be there.

[motiontodismiss]

Being done with almost 2 years of it? I really enjoyed OCI minus the OMG will I get a job aspect of this year. I also really enjoy journal no matter how much I complain about it. Board is like my own little law school family We fight, we have fun, we bond... talk about cheesy

So did you?

What exactly is a "good reason" anyway? Is Cost of Living a good reason?

[lostmyname]

Less important, but...
I've read that Penn is very supportive of (and boasts a fairly large contingent of) LGBT students - how true have you found this?

I'll throw in my two cents. I've found that the LGBT community at Penn has been very accommodating. Everyone has been so wonderful about helping me feel comfortable, etc., from Dean Clinton to a 1L. Must say that it was quite different at Chicago, where they were all Republicans. It was kind of trippy. But anyways, Lambda seems to be a very active organization that has lots of fun.

People are very supportive of the LGBT community in Penn, regardless of sexual orientation. Penn is definitely one of the gayest law schools -- I say that with pride.

[Georgiana]

So did you?

Yep, I'll be at a V10 in DC

What exactly is a "good reason" anyway? Is Cost of Living a good reason?

Good reasons:
-Family
-Fiance
-Undergrad there
-Prior work there
-Particulars about the firm (special practice area)

Not good reasons:
-Weather
-Sounds fun
-Beach
-Relaxed
-CoL (because its not true re: CA, CoL is pretty high there)

[motiontodismiss]

Well CoL was a reason to choose Chicago (anywhere but NY/LA), not CA. I wouldn't touch CA with a 100 mile pole.

Sidebar: Congrats

[Georgiana]

Sidebar: Congrats

Thanks! (I had ties to DC... figures that's where I get an offer )