alright...sorry I didn't reply sooner
kalvano wrote:Your stats? Other people's stats that you might know about?
Are they a GPA school or an LSAT school?
Cost of living in the area, specifically house rentals?
What kind of workload?
My stats are 166, 4.0, and here is a link to LSN's acceptance graph from last cycle:
http://bc.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/08 ... Cycle=0910
Remember, that's going to be skewed a little high from voluntary response bias. I know people who got in with LSATS in the 162-164 range. The cost of living is pretty rough. My rent is $650, and that's a lot less than most of the other people I know. My advice is to start looking early and to live with roommates. I've had a very good experience living with two other 1Ls. Having a car can also be very expensive, as you have to register your car, get massachusetts insurance, get a parking permit, get a parking spot at some apartments, etc...all of which costs money. There are a lot of upfront costs, but the advantage is that you can find housing away form campus that is less expensive. That being said, it is possible to do Boston without a car...I do, and it saves me a ton of money. It is pretty inconvenient, but I live close enough to the BC shuttle that I can at least get to and from school with relative ease.
Finally, the workload: not too bad, though it does somewhat depend on your section and professors (my roommates are in different sections and they seem to have it a little worse). It's a lot of reading, and it takes a while at first, but you learn how to read cases and pick out the salient information and it becomes a little easier. One thing I'd recommend is that you really utilize the time you have off during the day...you might have 30 minutes or an hour between classes a couple times a day, and it really cuts down on your after school work if you use that time to get ahead. I'd say I usually go to class, read during breaks, and then do 2-4 hours of work after school generally. The only times I've actually felt overwhelmed are when major legal writing papers are due (two or three times during the semester) and exams (I'm assuming).
Pearalegal wrote:Tell me about your social life.
There is real collegial atmosphere at BC and people seem to get along really well. There are a ton of clubs and activities to get involved with, and a lot of these clubs arrange activities for the weekends. Hiking trips, ski trips, intramural sports, etc. If you're more into the drinking culture, there is plenty of that to be found in LS too. A lot of people from class usually go out to the bars on Thursday nights, and the law school arranges a monthly bar review that is always very well attended and a lot of fun. People that say LS does not afford any opportunity for a social life are doing it wrong--I'm always very well prepared for class and still find plenty of time to go out.
kilo wrote:How are the students? Laid back?
How is the diversity of the school?
How does the market look for BC grads? Do most people stay in MA or move along the East coast or what?
How are scholarships and what is COL like?
The students? Here's a story that should demonstrate the atmosphere at BC: The second or third week of school, I missed torts. Our section has a email listserv, so I sent out a request asking for notes. I checked my email 2 hours later and probably had about 30 replies w/ notes attached. I actually had to send out another email telling people to
stop sending me notes. That's how collegial it is here, and what's more: There is not a single gunner in our section. One professor actually had to break his policy against cold calling because our section is so anti-gunnerish that people weren't raising their hands enough.
Diversity seems to be a strong point at BC. The different associations (i.e. asian pacific law student assoc) have a big presence on campus. I will admit that african americans seem to be somewhat underrepresented in the student body.
Job prospects are the one thing I really can't speak to--we really aren't far enough into that dimension of LS yet. Before the big economic fiasco, BC was putting something like 45% of its graduates into big law. Essentially, you could be at the median at BC and still have a decent shot at big law, which is fantastic placement for a school of BC's rank. Haven't seen the latest stats yet, but I'm sure they're pretty fucked (but no more fucked than any other school of similar rank). That being said, it's not like the gears have stopped turning...there are still plenty of interviews on campus, 2ls and 3 ls are still walking around in suits all the time, and theie morale even seems to be very good. Most people do tend to stay on the East Coast, and really New England in particular. It's not really as easy to get to NYC out of BC as some people might have you believe. But if you want to stay in the area, a BC degree carries a lot of weight
BC seems to use a very holistic approach when it comes to scholarships. They're going to look at your numbers, but they're also going to make a very strong consideration of your financial condition. BC was exceedingly generous to me -- I got 90k with on gpa requirement, and my numbers weren't great and I wasn't really in any bad financial condition. Also, NEGOTIATE. BC will allow you to negotiate for more money if you can show that you have good offers from other schools.
Matypete wrote:Girls?
*begrudgingly answers* I've heard some 2Ls complain that there aren't any good looking girls in their class, but then say that our class has a bunch of them. I mean...its law school at boston college, not communications major at Florida, so its not like its overrun with gorgeous women. Still, I'd say in my section of about 90 people, there are probably 10 girls who run the gamut from pretty good looking to smoking hot, and from what I've heard that is a damn good ratio for LS.
scribelaw wrote:I'm curious to know, folks who live in the city, how do they get to campus and it is a pain on the green line?
If I get in, I'd most likely be living in Cambridge because of my SO, it'd be nice to know if public transportation would be workable or if I'd need to keep my car.
Most people live in the cleveland circle/brighton/allston area and drive to school. You can take the green line in, but it is very inconvenient: the b line--which has the BC stop--is really slow and even then it only takes you to the undergrad. From there, you have to catch a shuttle to the LS. Life in Boston is a lot easier with a car, but it can definitely be done without one if you're willing to put up with a lot of walking and waiting for buses and the like (as I am). That being said, I really don't think you could swing it in Cambridge without a car. The only T line there is the red, and you can only switch to the green line downtown. I'm not kidding when I say it would probably take you an hour and half to get to school that way, if not more. I'm running through th bus routes I know too in my head and can't think of one that would work well. If you're gonna do BC without a car, its really almost essential that you live within walking distance of the B line or a BC shuttle stop.
chicoalto0649 wrote:I just decided I am applying to BC and I am very curious about this school since everyone seems to love it sooo much (my little brother is applying early decision for undergrad)
Also can you chance me?
3.3/163 GPA urm (mexican american) strong upward trend/great compelling story that will be talked about in personal statement.
with the urm status I'd say you have a very respectable shot at BC.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So far, I'm very happy with my decision to attend BC. There are a couple things that bug me--for example, I don't really like how the law school is separated from the main undergrad campus, and I wish the area around BC had more of a "city" feel. It's close to the city, but it definitely feels pretty removed and actually getting into the city on the public transportation can be a time-consuming hassle. But I really like the school itself for two main reasons: (1) What they emphasize. Legal writing is a huge emphasis here. It's a two-semester course. You will probably hate it. I do. Its a pain in the ass, and the teachers really kick your ass in grading in that class. But by the end, I think I'll have a huge advantage over students form other schools who didn't have such rigorous training in legal writing. My professor in the class says she still gets calls from former students who get job offers after summer over students from Harvard because--for all their brilliance--they can't write a legal memo as well as her former students (I don't want to give the impression that's the norm, but you see what I'm saying). (2) The professors. I have two classes where not a day goes by without the whole class bursting into laughter multiple times. So the professors (mine, at least) are not only brilliant, they're also fun and engaging. (3) free food. Clubs always have free food. I'm pretty sure if you joined enough clubs/lecture series, you could eat a free lunch almost everyday at the LS.
