Chicago 1L Taking Questions! Forum

[tintin]

Try contacting these people with your questions: http://outlaw.uchicago.edu/

Chicago isn't necessarily more conservative, it's more of a place where there is NO open hostility to conservatives. Most people bend libertarian or liberal. I went to NYU for undergrad and worried about being tarred and feathered for being on the conservative side. If you speak your mind at NYU [undergrad! hopefully the law students have some maturity], you get shouted down. You speak your mind at Chicago and people will pick apart your arguments over lunch.

interesting, thanks for the link!

[RussianGirl]

Chicago isn't necessarily more conservative, it's more of a place where there is NO open hostility to conservatives. Most people bend libertarian or liberal. I went to NYU for undergrad and worried about being tarred and feathered for being on the conservative side. If you speak your mind at NYU [undergrad! hopefully the law students have some maturity], you get shouted down. You speak your mind at Chicago and people will pick apart your arguments over lunch.

Couldn't agree more.

[shmoo597]

What other schools did you have the option of attending? Looking back now, would you take chicago over anywhere else, HYS?

[RussianGirl]

What other schools did you have the option of attending? Looking back now, would you take chicago over anywhere else, HYS?

I know several people here who picked Chi over H. I picked U of C over NYU and Berkeley. Great decision. If I had to do it over, I'd go anywhere in the T10 with a full ride. I was a little obsessed with Harvard when I was applying to law schools, so I was super sad to not get in, but in retrospect that seems really silly. I love Chicago, and I have found everything I was seeking here. Maroons, baby.

[pehaigllleises]

I picked Chicago over Columbia and NYU. Didn't get into H, didn't apply to YS. I got more money from Chicago than the others, which obviously impacted my decision, but I would have come here had it been equal because I liked it more here when I visited. I'm 90% happy with my decision to come here. I love my school. The other 10% of the time it's 5 degrees outside.

[rogerlodge]

I hate buses. Do people take the green line to the cottage grove/63rd stop and walk to the law school? I heard most students live in regents which is east and maybe a little north of the school. Does anyone live just south of the school within walking distance of the green line? Does a monthly pass on the L work on the buses and Metra line as well? What other options for commuting to the city to go out or to school for class are there?

[pehaigllleises]

The general rule is don't go south of the law school and don't go west of Cottage Grove.

I personally don't even know a single person who has seen the Green Line (and lived to come back). The area below the law school gets very frightening very fast.

I lived in Harlem and Washington Heights in New York for 3-4 years prior to law school and had no problem walking around at night. I think the area south of the law school is too frightening to go to at all hours of the day.

I've been on the 55 bus west of the law school because I was going to Midway. I thought it would be fine to take the 55 to get on the red line during the daytime. I wouldn't do it at night, and I wouldn't take red line back and wait for the 55 back at any time.

If you want mobility, get a car. I know a lot of people with cars. There's a 6 bus that stops right in front of Regents and runs fairly express to downtown (20 minutes normally, up to 40). It's very convenient, I don't have a car and I take it. I don't know how you would get out of the city because I have never wanted to or tried. I hated buses too, I was subway all the way, but that mindset won't work down here.

[natalie123]

tag... thanks for being here and answering questions... i'm still waiting for a response, under review since 1/13.

[hiro86]

Anyone have thoughts on whether the Chicago market is tougher than the NYC market for around median U of C students?

[rogerlodge]

The general rule is don't go south of the law school and don't go west of Cottage Grove.

I personally don't even know a single person who has seen the Green Line (and lived to come back). The area below the law school gets very frightening very fast.

I lived in Harlem and Washington Heights in New York for 3-4 years prior to law school and had no problem walking around at night. I think the area south of the law school is too frightening to go to at all hours of the day.

I've been on the 55 bus west of the law school because I was going to Midway. I thought it would be fine to take the 55 to get on the red line during the daytime. I wouldn't do it at night, and I wouldn't take red line back and wait for the 55 back at any time.

If you want mobility, get a car. I know a lot of people with cars. There's a 6 bus that stops right in front of Regents and runs fairly express to downtown (20 minutes normally, up to 40). It's very convenient, I don't have a car and I take it. I don't know how you would get out of the city because I have never wanted to or tried. I hated buses too, I was subway all the way, but that mindset won't work down here.

thanks, but damn.

[lsnate]

I've got an OCI question. I noticed that OCI for 2Ls is in mid-August while classes don't actually start until late September. How does this fit in to a 1L summer job/free labor position? 1L classes don't get out until June and then add a week for Law Review write-on, that only gives you two months before OCI. Then does everyone just sit around and watch baseball for a month before class? Would a 1L summer firm/clerkship care if you took two weeks off in August and then came back to finish the summer? I don't know if this is actually a problem, I'm just confused about the empty month between OCI and classes.

Thanks.

[pehaigllleises]

Hahaha. What 1L summer firm job?

[RussianGirl]

I've got an OCI question. I noticed that OCI for 2Ls is in mid-August while classes don't actually start until late September. How does this fit in to a 1L summer job/free labor position? 1L classes don't get out until June and then add a week for Law Review write-on, that only gives you two months before OCI. Then does everyone just sit around and watch baseball for a month before class? Would a 1L summer firm/clerkship care if you took two weeks off in August and then came back to finish the summer? I don't know if this is actually a problem, I'm just confused about the empty month between OCI and classes.

Thanks.

I'm externing for a judge this summer and will be working for 8 weeks. I don't know much about OCI, but doesn't that month before school go to callbacks (fingers crossed)?

[Whatisthis]

The general rule is don't go south of the law school and don't go west of Cottage Grove.

I personally don't even know a single person who has seen the Green Line (and lived to come back). The area below the law school gets very frightening very fast.

I lived in Harlem and Washington Heights in New York for 3-4 years prior to law school and had no problem walking around at night. I think the area south of the law school is too frightening to go to at all hours of the day.

I've been on the 55 bus west of the law school because I was going to Midway. I thought it would be fine to take the 55 to get on the red line during the daytime. I wouldn't do it at night, and I wouldn't take red line back and wait for the 55 back at any time.

If you want mobility, get a car. I know a lot of people with cars. There's a 6 bus that stops right in front of Regents and runs fairly express to downtown (20 minutes normally, up to 40). It's very convenient, I don't have a car and I take it. I don't know how you would get out of the city because I have never wanted to or tried. I hated buses too, I was subway all the way, but that mindset won't work down here.

thanks, but damn.

This is what I feared

I have a family (a wife and two young children) who will be making the move with me. We will be on a tight budget, so I've been thinking we would probably take advantage of university housing. As it turns out, U of C has graduate family housing just a few blocks away from the law school at 61st and S. Ingleside Ave. The rent is unbelievable low and there's also an elementary school just down the street. This really seems too good to be true, and it sounds like such convenience may come at the cost of our safety.

Is the neighborhood around the law school really that bad? And, can any current students comment on the elementary schools in the area? Are they all bad?


Thanks!

[hmlee]

Did you find my guide to Hyde Park useful?

Okay, I know that's an absurdly shameless plug, but I've kind of been wondering if anyone who actually ended up going to the U of C used it and/or found it interesting.

[Whatisthis]

Did you find my guide to Hyde Park useful?

Okay, I know that's an absurdly shameless plug, but I've kind of been wondering if anyone who actually ended up going to the U of C used it and/or found it interesting.

I just found out about it, but it sure looks promising.

Thank you for creating this!

[freeflowfox]

To Hmlee, Yeah i found your guide extremely helpful, especially your references to house searching websites and the locations of everything mapped out, it was great work, thanks!

[echoi]

Did you find my guide to Hyde Park useful?

Okay, I know that's an absurdly shameless plug, but I've kind of been wondering if anyone who actually ended up going to the U of C used it and/or found it interesting.

It's bookmarked

[USAIRS]

This is what I feared

I have a family (a wife and two young children) who will be making the move with me. We will be on a tight budget, so I've been thinking we would probably take advantage of university housing. As it turns out, U of C has graduate family housing just a few blocks away from the law school at 61st and S. Ingleside Ave. The rent is unbelievable low and there's also an elementary school just down the street. This really seems too good to be true, and it sounds like such convenience may come at the cost of our safety.

Is the neighborhood around the law school really that bad? And, can any current students comment on the elementary schools in the area? Are they all bad?


Thanks!

I'm not a 1L but I lived in Hyde Park 2 of the three years when I went there. I didn't have kids then, but I do now, so I at least have some perspective.

First, if your have a school-age kid, southside chicago's good schools are going to be the private ones. If you are concerned about money, I don't know how grants etc. work for going the private school route, but I doubt the public schools in the area are very good. Having lived in a couple of major cities, good public schools are hard to find outside of suburbs. Even in good metropolitan areas, people who can afford it opt for private, leaving the public schools with few students whose parents are active in the school. For that reason, I'd even doubt that nicer areas in Chicago will have good public schools. You'd probably have to go as far as Evanston, Winetka,or other suburbia. As much as I'd like to push UofC, you have to balance the education of your child with your own, so if UVa or Michigan are within the boundaries of a good elementary school, you should do it.

I do have another suggestion that may help. If you do really want Chicago, consider applying to be an UG resident advisor. I know of one grad-student couple that did that with at least one kid, and it paid for housing and then some.

The area around UofC is not as bad as some feel it is. I took the bus down south a couple of times for food, etc. I also took the green line a couple of times. Would I do it at night? probably not. But I grew up in gangland so it takes a bit more to unsettle me. Since having a kid, on the other hand, I don't justify minor risks as much. Hyde Park is actually totally fine, but 61st street is right on the dividing line between where it is nice to where it gradually gets worse. I would not live there if I had a family. You want to be from 59th down to 51st, between Woodlawn and lakeshore, if you have any choice at all. It is the heart of hyde park and close to things that make life easier, like the metra, the 6 bus, restaurants and grocery.

[prefontaine]

Did you find my guide to Hyde Park useful?

Okay, I know that's an absurdly shameless plug, but I've kind of been wondering if anyone who actually ended up going to the U of C used it and/or found it interesting.

Bookmarked it, and having been using it during my apartment search. Thanks for making it.

[Core]

I apologize if this question is stupid, but can one qualify for IBR and still receive the HPIP benefits post-graduation?

[marburger06]

I apologize if this question is stupid, but can one qualify for IBR and still receive the HPIP benefits post-graduation?

yes. in fact, if you have all federal GradPLUS loans, I can't think of a way off the top of my head that you could qualify for HPIP and NOT IBR.

[scat_cat]

Try contacting these people with your questions: http://outlaw.uchicago.edu/

interesting, thanks for the link!

hey tintin--

the gay scene in chicago (the city) is pretty fun--boystown (part of lakeview along halsted) for guys and mixed groups, andersonville for girls. outlaw here is a relatively small group, but that's not such a bad thing; you have fewer competitors for the stonewall scholarship and you can get a leadership position fairly easily. there's a great upper-level course on sexual orientation and the law if you're interested in working or doing pro bono in that area or after law school. homophobia is very rare (most of the "conservatives" are actually libertarian). but don't take my word for it--if you come to admitted students weekend and express interest outlaw will take you out for drinks and you can get the low-down.

[solidsnake]

How many units per quarter do 2/3Ls typically take (assuming no journal)? Is there typically variation in course load between fall/winter/spring?

[motiontodismiss]

So is there any truth to the "where fun goes to die" reputation and rumors of rampant grade deflation and a ridiculous workload at Chicago? I'm kind of hesitant because of UChicago's um, nerdy reputation. I guess that's fine if you're headed into academia, but I'm definitely going to be headed into private practice after law school, so um yeah...I don't want to be sitting in law school for 3 years and learn a bunch of useless theory, none of which I got to learn to apply. Do you feel like your professors use relevant real-life examples when they lecture or do they just ramble on and on about some obscure theory?

What kinds of clinical programs does UofC offer? And how do they compare with your arch-nemesis up the street, Northwestern?