In at University of Houston Forum

[HOPPER4213]

Congrats Rachel, seems like we have had the same experience with UH with the wait so Im sure you are as relieved to be through the process as I am. Im thinking of deferring to finish up this big project at my current place of employment with the Attorney General, so not sure if Ill be a part of the 2010 or 2011 class just yet.

Good luck with law school and glad to see the wait finally paying off for some of us.

[colemf]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

[Texasboundanddown]

Hey guys quick question. So I've been turning it over in my mind and I've decided to kinda wait things out even though my current employer said the city will work with me to work around my law schedule (if I do part time). I'm currently still a FT applicant but was thinking about changing to PT cause I like my current job (for the city of houston downtown) and maybe my grades aren't good enough. I applied last year FT and got waitlisted, took the year off to work, scored 11 points higher on the LSAT, and now reapplied. Stay the course even though I haven't heard anything? I applied at the beginning of Feb cause I was trying to get my work to commit to scheduling around me which they finally did but I had already marked FT.

I'm at a 166/2.6 URM from Houston. Graduated from a t5 undergrad. Wait it out? Switch? And if I switch can I just send them a letter basically saying what I said about my work lol?

[raoul79]

Hey guys quick question. So I've been turning it over in my mind and I've decided to kinda wait things out even though my current employer said the city will work with me to work around my law schedule (if I do part time). I'm currently still a FT applicant but was thinking about changing to PT cause I like my current job (for the city of houston downtown) and maybe my grades aren't good enough. I applied last year FT and got waitlisted, took the year off to work, scored 11 points higher on the LSAT, and now reapplied. Stay the course even though I haven't heard anything? I applied at the beginning of Feb cause I was trying to get my work to commit to scheduling around me which they finally did but I had already marked FT.

I'm at a 166/2.6 URM from Houston. Graduated from a t5 undergrad. Wait it out? Switch? And if I switch can I just send them a letter basically saying what I said about my work lol?

I think your chances will increase if you try PT. But I do think you will get in FT program with your LSAT score, URM status. Don't get anxious. Some people got accepted yesterday and they had applied in November. I would really make decision based on whether you want to keep your job. I would write admissions explaining your situation if you decide to make switch.

[HOPPER4213]

Dont freak out just yet. First off, admissions is really behind on applications, so dont really get too worked up if you havent gotten a decision back at this point. I went complete in November, and got my acceptance yesterday. Time is not necessarily problematic with UH Law.

Secondly, your LSAT is very good and thus you have a great shot at acceptance with your URM status. The GPA is probably the only thing holding you back from getting into a school like Texas, so you should be quite competitive at UHL.

Third, if they waitlist you this cycle(which is possible), you should then contact admissions and see if you can switch to the PT program. If you want FT, wait it out. If you want your job, try and get it done as soon as possible, because it will be alot harder I think to swing the switch with a denied verdict rather than a standard pending application.

Good Luck, but I see you getting into UH in a couple weeks.

[madmartigan]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

well, I'm still hard a lean to UH until scholly $ comes out. But I don't think Calhoun is up my alley. I've heard there's much cheaper living within 20-30 mins of campus with much more space. Plus, the 1-bdroom and studio in Calhoun don't have a dishwasher (no way in hells I'm washing dishes with my hands).

I've been down to visit Htown recently, and thus far I'm diggin Montrose and Kirby. Nice urban walkable neighborhoods with cool spots to hang out. Anybody know of any other neighborhoods that fit that bill, let me know please - I'm not privy to the houston area.

We'll have to start up a new UH thread in 'Class of 2013' section soon and yap about living/1L shite.

[sjg64]

No financial aid info makes UH a hard sell to me. I was accepted, but I'm pretty sure I'm going somewhere that promised me money up front.

[upfish]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

well, I'm still hard a lean to UH until scholly $ comes out. But I don't think Calhoun is up my alley. I've heard there's much cheaper living within 20-30 mins of campus with much more space. Plus, the 1-bdroom and studio in Calhoun don't have a dishwasher (no way in hells I'm washing dishes with my hands).

I've been down to visit Htown recently, and thus far I'm diggin Montrose and Kirby. Nice urban walkable neighborhoods with cool spots to hang out. Anybody know of any other neighborhoods that fit that bill, let me know please - I'm not privy to the houston area.

We'll have to start up a new UH thread in 'Class of 2013' section soon and yap about living/1L shite.

Currently living in Montrose and can confirm that it is AWESOME, especially being walking distance from Brasil. =)

[TCScrutinizer]

Dear someone,

Enjoy my admit spot!

[Bustang]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

well, I'm still hard a lean to UH until scholly $ comes out. But I don't think Calhoun is up my alley. I've heard there's much cheaper living within 20-30 mins of campus with much more space. Plus, the 1-bdroom and studio in Calhoun don't have a dishwasher (no way in hells I'm washing dishes with my hands).

I've been down to visit Htown recently, and thus far I'm diggin Montrose and Kirby. Nice urban walkable neighborhoods with cool spots to hang out. Anybody know of any other neighborhoods that fit that bill, let me know please - I'm not privy to the houston area.

We'll have to start up a new UH thread in 'Class of 2013' section soon and yap about living/1L shite.

Currently living in Montrose and can confirm that it is AWESOME, especially being walking distance from Brasil. =)

Can you post a screenshot of your commute the school everyday? How long is the drive?

[upfish]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

well, I'm still hard a lean to UH until scholly $ comes out. But I don't think Calhoun is up my alley. I've heard there's much cheaper living within 20-30 mins of campus with much more space. Plus, the 1-bdroom and studio in Calhoun don't have a dishwasher (no way in hells I'm washing dishes with my hands).

I've been down to visit Htown recently, and thus far I'm diggin Montrose and Kirby. Nice urban walkable neighborhoods with cool spots to hang out. Anybody know of any other neighborhoods that fit that bill, let me know please - I'm not privy to the houston area.

We'll have to start up a new UH thread in 'Class of 2013' section soon and yap about living/1L shite.

Currently living in Montrose and can confirm that it is AWESOME, especially being walking distance from Brasil. =)

Can you post a screenshot of your commute the school everyday? How long is the drive?

Haha, I'm currently still waiting to get admitted, so I don't have the commute yet. Based on Google maps and driving around midtown Houston everyday, I'd say that the commute would be 20-30 minutes depending on traffic coming from my apartment. (Here is a basic screenshot: http://grab.by/3jYV)

I can take some pictures of Montrose and link you to some of my favorite bars/clubs if you'd like, too.

[madmartigan]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

well, I'm still hard a lean to UH until scholly $ comes out. But I don't think Calhoun is up my alley. I've heard there's much cheaper living within 20-30 mins of campus with much more space. Plus, the 1-bdroom and studio in Calhoun don't have a dishwasher (no way in hells I'm washing dishes with my hands).

I've been down to visit Htown recently, and thus far I'm diggin Montrose and Kirby. Nice urban walkable neighborhoods with cool spots to hang out. Anybody know of any other neighborhoods that fit that bill, let me know please - I'm not privy to the houston area.

We'll have to start up a new UH thread in 'Class of 2013' section soon and yap about living/1L shite.

Currently living in Montrose and can confirm that it is AWESOME, especially being walking distance from Brasil. =)

Uh oh, you may have just signed yourself up as the montrose expert. jk.

but i do and may have some questions if you don't mind. I see you live a few blocks of westheimer. All i've ever visitid is that park by the church and the strip of stuff on westheimer (i remember one place was called agora's). hows life in montrose like off of westheimer? is it mostly residential?

and this may be too subjective of a question. but what is the $ range for 1-bedrooms in that area? i tried to figure it out on craigslist, but craigslist is all over the map.

[upfish]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

well, I'm still hard a lean to UH until scholly $ comes out. But I don't think Calhoun is up my alley. I've heard there's much cheaper living within 20-30 mins of campus with much more space. Plus, the 1-bdroom and studio in Calhoun don't have a dishwasher (no way in hells I'm washing dishes with my hands).

I've been down to visit Htown recently, and thus far I'm diggin Montrose and Kirby. Nice urban walkable neighborhoods with cool spots to hang out. Anybody know of any other neighborhoods that fit that bill, let me know please - I'm not privy to the houston area.

We'll have to start up a new UH thread in 'Class of 2013' section soon and yap about living/1L shite.

Currently living in Montrose and can confirm that it is AWESOME, especially being walking distance from Brasil. =)

Uh oh, you may have just signed yourself up as the montrose expert. jk.

but i do and may have some questions if you don't mind. I see you live a few blocks of westheimer. All i've ever visitid is that park by the church and the strip of stuff on westheimer (i remember one place was called agora's). hows life in montrose like off of westheimer? is it mostly residential?

and this may be too subjective of a question. but what is the $ range for 1-bedrooms in that area? i tried to figure it out on craigslist, but craigslist is all over the map.

I live near Agora, actually and that strip on Westheimer. It is a pretty fantastic area, with a great mix of residential quietness and walkable groceries, coffeeshops, stores, and restaurants. There's also a higher-end shopping center (River Oaks) that has a B&N, and a post office, Walgreens, and Blockbuster all in the same general area. It's pretty much ideal for biking/walking, but is car-friendly too.

Another thing I really like about it is that there are some smaller, totally unnoticeable shops threaded into the neighborhoods, like La Guadalupana Restaurant and the Té House of Tea.

As for apartment rent, Craigslist is relatively on target, as weird as that sounds. I would say that on average, you can expect to pay between $550-$975 depending on building, specific location, and size. When my SO and I were shopping around, we were pretty baffled at the wide range in price v. square feet.

[Josh the Goat]

Can you post a screenshot of your commute the school everyday? How long is the drive?

I've lived in the downtown area for about 6 years now. I've visited a lot of the apartment complexes while looking for housing, so feel free to ask about any you're considering.

Here's my opinion on the major downtown locations where UH students tend to live:


Midtown: The place to be for single and young working people in Downtown. Very expensive, small spaces, good chance your neighbors will be loud. Quite a few coffee shops, one large grocery store. Very short drive to school, but not worth the price in my opinion.

Montrose: Impossible to categorize because every block can have very different atmospheres. Lots of houses/duplexes for rent, but I highly recommend you physically visit before locking into a contract because some of the buildings are very old. Check out the area as well to make sure you're not next door to a club. Mostly a great place to live though.

Greenway Plaza: More expensive than Montrose, and a little bit further away, but typically quieter than the Montrose area. Traffic can be a pain during rush hour, and there's a mega-church that causes traffic near the freeway. Most apartment complexes are pretty nice though.

Rice U: Beautiful area, plenty of places to go running and experience art, but can be loud with the Rice undergrad students partying in the Rice Village area.

West U: Imagine the suburbs right in the middle of the city, and you've got West University. Very expensive, lots of families, lots of restaurants and shopping centers. Several apartment complexes, probably a few people leasing out rooms on Craigslist. Probably the quietest part of town.

Med Center: Lots of med students and medical staff. Usually pretty quiet, but lots of ambulances driving around with the sirens on. I lived here during 1L year and really enjoyed it. There's a few good apartment complexes south of Old Spanish Trail, but I wouldn't recommend many further south than Holly Hall St.

Scratched Out Areas: The area's I've scratched off are not usually recommended for law students, unless you like the occasional break-in or mugging. If you really want to live there, drive around the neighborhood to know what you're getting into.

I put three rings on the map representing commuting time to UH. Inside the red ring is about a 0-5 minute drive, inside the green ring is about 5 - 15 minute drive, and inside the blue ring is a 15-25 minute drive. All of these times depend on how close you are to the freeway, and what time you're driving. From 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Highway 59 Eastbound/Northbound becomes bumper to bumper.

I can elaborate if anyone wants me to.

[FunkyJD]

^^ The above is awesome and helpful.

[FB567]

So where is everyone planning on living next year? Anyone else staying at the Calhoun Lofts?

I plan to stay at the Calhoun Lofts if I go to UH.

Has anybody else (other than the 2 on LSN) received scholarship info?

[hotdog123]

awesome post josh.

that thing should be stickied for all future U-HOU applicants.

[texlawtex]

Anyone have any UH waitlist information, suggestion or advice?

[0 and 16]

In.

"If you will it, it is no dream"

[hotdog123]

"If you will it, it is no dream"

WALTER
Way to go, Dude. If you will it, it
is no dream.

DUDE
You're fucking twenty minutes late.
What the fuck is that?

WALTER
Theodore Herzel.

DUDE
Huh?

WALTER
State of Israel. If you will it,
Dude, it is no--

DUDE
What the fuck're you talking about?
The carrier. What's in the fucking
carrier?

WALTER
Huh? Oh--Cynthia's Pomeranian.
Can't leave him home alone or he
eats the furniture.

DUDE
What the fuck are you--

WALTER
I'm saying, Cynthia's Pomeranian.
I'm looking after it while Cynthia
and Marty Ackerman are in Hawaii.

DUDE
You brought a fucking Pomeranian
bowling?

WALTER
What do you mean "brought it bowling"?
I didn't rent it shoes. I'm not
buying it a fucking beer. He's not
gonna take your fucking turn, Dude.

[0 and 16]

thought I was going out on a limb, glad you caught it.

[hotdog123]

you're talking to one of the co-founders of the houston lebowski fest.

ain't none of that shit getting past me, dude.

[Texasboundanddown]

Dont freak out just yet. First off, admissions is really behind on applications, so dont really get too worked up if you havent gotten a decision back at this point. I went complete in November, and got my acceptance yesterday. Time is not necessarily problematic with UH Law.

Secondly, your LSAT is very good and thus you have a great shot at acceptance with your URM status. The GPA is probably the only thing holding you back from getting into a school like Texas, so you should be quite competitive at UHL.

Third, if they waitlist you this cycle(which is possible), you should then contact admissions and see if you can switch to the PT program. If you want FT, wait it out. If you want your job, try and get it done as soon as possible, because it will be alot harder I think to swing the switch with a denied verdict rather than a standard pending application.

Good Luck, but I see you getting into UH in a couple weeks.

Thanks to you and raoul for the answers. I guess I will wait it out and hope. If I was waitlisted last year and did the only thing I could do (work and lsat improvement) I feel I should be rewarded :p. Also, if I get waitlisted again I will ask for PT. That would be the best way to do it, then I get to keep the job.

[madmartigan]

^^ The above is awesome and helpful.

word. josh, that is a huge help, much thanks.

[Josh the Goat]

word. josh, that is a huge help, much thanks.

No problem. I figured it would give people an idea of what the different ares of Houston are if they're not familiar with the city.