UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[oneforship]

Amelie: I am in no way making fun of you, but it is kind of intriguing to hear a liberal talk about feeling awkward in an academic environment because of apparent conservative dominance. That's the way we conservatives feel at, well, just about every university in the country. I hope it doesn't deter you from attending.

Kohinoor: It is possible I may be speaking out of ignorance, given that I have not yet started law school. That said, law school is an environment dominated by members of one of the most liberal groups in America (academics), and it produces one of the Democratic Party's most stalwart constituencies (trial lawyers). I find it hard to believe that such places tend to be bastions of conservatism. Could it be that your views are just really far to the left on the American spectrum? (Again, I don't mean offense. I don't believe that the quality of an idea is necessarily correlated with its popularity. Just suggesting an explanation for your perception.)

The law is a historically conservative profession, so even the most liberal law schools will have some strong conservative opinions.

[billyez]

Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that discussions of how liberal/conservative law schools is tend to be overblown and almost entirely subjective. I found some fairly liberal folks when I went to UVA, but as Amelie's perspective proves, it just depends on your experience there.

[Stringer Bell]

Amelie: I am in no way making fun of you, but it is kind of intriguing to hear a liberal talk about feeling awkward in an academic environment because of apparent conservative dominance. That's the way we conservatives feel at, well, just about every university in the country. I hope it doesn't deter you from attending.

Kohinoor: It is possible I may be speaking out of ignorance, given that I have not yet started law school. That said, law school is an environment dominated by members of one of the most liberal groups in America (academics), and it produces one of the Democratic Party's most stalwart constituencies (trial lawyers). I find it hard to believe that such places tend to be bastions of conservatism. Could it be that your views are just really far to the left on the American spectrum? (Again, I don't mean offense. I don't believe that the quality of an idea is necessarily correlated with its popularity. Just suggesting an explanation for your perception.)

The law is a historically conservative profession, so even the most liberal law schools will have some strong conservative opinions.

Are you serious? What professions are we comparing? And what are we defining as liberal and conservative? I really don't think any white collar profession votes with the Democratic party more than attorneys.

[oneforship]

Are you serious?

yes

[Stringer Bell]

Are you serious?

yes

So what white collar profession would you say is less conservative than the legal profession?

[Cavalier]

Amelie: I am in no way making fun of you, but it is kind of intriguing to hear a liberal talk about feeling awkward in an academic environment because of apparent conservative dominance. That's the way we conservatives feel at, well, just about every university in the country. I hope it doesn't deter you from attending.

Kohinoor: It is possible I may be speaking out of ignorance, given that I have not yet started law school. That said, law school is an environment dominated by members of one of the most liberal groups in America (academics), and it produces one of the Democratic Party's most stalwart constituencies (trial lawyers). I find it hard to believe that such places tend to be bastions of conservatism. Could it be that your views are just really far to the left on the American spectrum? (Again, I don't mean offense. I don't believe that the quality of an idea is necessarily correlated with its popularity. Just suggesting an explanation for your perception.)

Legal academia isn't nearly as liberal as the social sciences. Overall it's still liberal, but there are many well-respected conservatives on the faculties of the top schools. As long as you're prepared to provide a rational defense for the views you express, you shouldn't have any concern in law school.

[Stringer Bell]

I know this question is going to deservedly make me look like an ard-tard, but I am currently shopping for a new laptop and am wondering if I should focus on any feature or included software package (besides the obvious like MS Office) that would be useful/necessary for UVA Law. I'm 99% sure the answer is "no", but I thought I'd ask since I am not very technically savvy and have just been using company laptops for the past several years.

[RVP11]

I know this question is going to deservedly make me look like an ard-tard, but I am currently shopping for a new laptop and am wondering if I should focus on any feature or included software package (besides the obvious like MS Office) that would be useful/necessary for UVA Law. I'm 99% sure the answer is "no", but I thought I'd ask since I am not very technically savvy and have just been using company laptops for the past several years.

I got one with a 17" screen and was very thankful for that fact during exam time.

[Cavalier]

I know this question is going to deservedly make me look like an ard-tard, but I am currently shopping for a new laptop and am wondering if I should focus on any feature or included software package (besides the obvious like MS Office) that would be useful/necessary for UVA Law. I'm 99% sure the answer is "no", but I thought I'd ask since I am not very technically savvy and have just been using company laptops for the past several years.

Screw Microsoft Office. UVA Law sells it for $10, so if you don't need it until August, just get it here. Windows 7 is also $10 here too, BTW. Other than that, I can't think of any software that you'd need. I would certainly not recommend one of their laptop bundles - those are horrendously overpriced.

[napolnic]

I know this question is going to deservedly make me look like an ard-tard, but I am currently shopping for a new laptop and am wondering if I should focus on any feature or included software package (besides the obvious like MS Office) that would be useful/necessary for UVA Law. I'm 99% sure the answer is "no", but I thought I'd ask since I am not very technically savvy and have just been using company laptops for the past several years.

I got one with a 17" screen and was very thankful for that fact during exam time.

Just for another opinion, I felt that my 10" netbook was just fine for exams. Now I'm not sure I could say the same thing if it did not come with a full sized keyboard, because that might have driven me insane. (This also does not apply if you are using this purchase to get your main computer.)

+1 to the super cheap software from the bookstore.

[mikeh915]

After visiting, I get the feeling that there are a lot of conservative students, whereas I am pretty liberal. I don't think I'd be bothered by the fact that there is more political diversity at UVA versus other schools, but does the conservative viewpoint seem to dominate among students?

I understand where you are coming from, I think it is just a southern thing. My girlfriend and I are both very liberal and will be attending UVA. I feel like there will be enough of us for it to not be lonely.

[vanwinkle]

After visiting, I get the feeling that there are a lot of conservative students, whereas I am pretty liberal. I don't think I'd be bothered by the fact that there is more political diversity at UVA versus other schools, but does the conservative viewpoint seem to dominate among students?

I understand where you are coming from, I think it is just a southern thing. My girlfriend and I are both very liberal and will be attending UVA. I feel like there will be enough of us for it to not be lonely.

UVA is very politically diverse, and for the most part everyone is extremely cordial toward one another. You get the chance to experience many different opinions without facing much hostility from any particular side. I know both liberals and conservatives of different stripes here and they all seem to enjoy both the school and the social aspects of being here.

[ewc227]

Netbook or laptop?

I know there's been other threads asking the same question, but I was wondering about the specifics @ UVA.

What is required for exams? Will a netbook suffice?

Currently I own a standard 15.4" Toshiba Laptop that is totally falling apart. It freezes a lot and lasts about 30 minutes when not plugged in to the battery. But it still functions lol.

Should I get a new laptop completely? If so, which? To be honest, I am leaning towards getting a netbook, because I hate lugging around my current laptop.

[vanwinkle]

Netbook or laptop?

I know there's been other threads asking the same question, but I was wondering about the specifics @ UVA.

What is required for exams? Will a netbook suffice?

Currently I own a standard 15.4" Toshiba Laptop that is totally falling apart. It freezes a lot and lasts about 30 minutes when not plugged in to the battery. But it still functions lol.

Should I get a new laptop completely? If so, which? To be honest, I am leaning towards getting a netbook, because I hate lugging around my current laptop.

Exams are taken in MS Word. Any machine that can run Word is technically fine; you don't need to get Word before coming here, either, since the university sells Office to students for $10.

That said, a small screen and cramped keyboard are IMO not ideal for taking an exam on. I highly recommend something with a full-size keyboard, and the larger screen that comes with larger laptops can help too. I love my 13" MBP as a mix of portability and usability, and I know lots of folks who get by with 13" laptops. That I think is big enough, but smaller is likely asking for trouble.

[YCrevolution]

..

[superflush]

And now U-V-A has turned to Cooley?
What's going on????

[Apple Tree]

Shouldn't Michigan turn into Cooley? I mean, they are even in the same city...Why did they get a name that's cooler?
All in all, this is so much fun!

And now U-V-A has turned to Cooley?
What's going on????

Check your calendar.

Edit: okay, I guess they got the name because their building looks like it came out of Harry Potter.

[isaiah6v8]

Nicely done for April Fools. I stopped reading after two pages, but I hope you didn't go through all 36 pages changing UVA to CCoL....

[vanwinkle]

Nicely done for April Fools. I stopped reading after two pages, but I hope you didn't go through all 36 pages changing Cooley College of Law to CCoL....

It's some kind of automatic filter. It also works on the 138-page "Cooley College of Law" 2010 admissions thread.

Well done, though. This is one of the funniest April Fools things I've ever seen.

[showNprove]

Nicely done for April Fools. I stopped reading after two pages, but I hope you didn't go through all 36 pages changing Cooley College of Law to CCoL....

It's some kind of automatic filter. It also works on the 138-page "Cooley College of Law" 2010 admissions thread.

Well done, though. This is one of the funniest April Fools things I've ever seen.

You must must not have seen the UVA Law Blog

[napolnic]

Netbook or laptop?

I know there's been other threads asking the same question, but I was wondering about the specifics @ Cooley College of Law.

What is required for exams? Will a netbook suffice?

Currently I own a standard 15.4" Toshiba Laptop that is totally falling apart. It freezes a lot and lasts about 30 minutes when not plugged in to the battery. But it still functions your attempt at humor is the most laughable thing about your post; sadly, it is not that laughable.

Should I get a new laptop completely? If so, which? To be honest, I am leaning towards getting a netbook, because I hate lugging around my current laptop.

For intensive stuff and viewing several documents at once, I use a desktop. For taking notes, I use a netbook with a near-full keyboard. The same thing I used for exams and had no problems.

[billyez]

I know it's quite a ways from now for us, but when did ya'll find out what books and such you would need for class?

[vanwinkle]

I know it's quite a ways from now for us, but when did ya'll find out what books and such you would need for class?

Sometime during the week before classes start, they'll post lists telling all the new 1Ls what section they're in. The bookstore will likely do what they did last year and have lists up of what books are needed for each section's classes at that time. Once you find out your section you can go to the bookstore and grab all your books.

[YCrevolution]

..

[billyez]

This is going to be a bit of a random question, but is there a bike rack next to the law school?