University of Illinois c/o 2019 Applicants Forum

[mornincounselor]

@allthelawls -- Thank you for the recommendation, I will check them out.

@Harry_Pluxen -- I was looking into renting a car.

[ArticSnowPanther]

The ride on Amtrak is pretty chill. You get your own outlet and there is wi-fi on the train.

[ds.om]

Anyone visiting this week?

[bievmic]

Anyone visiting this week?

No but I will be going to see Justice Sotomayor speak on the 7th.

[mornincounselor]

Anyone visiting this week?

No but I will be going to see Justice Sotomayor speak on the 7th.

+1

Looking forward to it.

[Chardee_MacDennis]

Anyone visiting this week?

No but I will be going to see Justice Sotomayor speak on the 7th.

+1

Looking forward to it. I believe the moot court competition on the 8th is also open to the public so I'm hopeful I will have an opporutnity to check out that as well.

The website says it is an all-day event. Do any current students know if this is the case? My tour takes up most of the afternoon.

There are a few events tied to Justice Sotomayor's presence on the 8th, but as far as I'm aware, only the Moot Court competition is open to the public, and that is later in the afternoon at 4:30p. The other events begin around noon.

[mornincounselor]

Perfect! Thanks for the info.

[lawpinki]

I was accepted first week of Feb and I just received an email that the Illinois Graduate Admissions received my application. What does this mean?? Thanks in advance.

[Harry_Pluxen]

I was accepted first week of Feb and I just received an email that the Illinois Graduate Admissions received my application. What does this mean?? Thanks in advance.

I spoke to them over the phone about this earlier today. Apparently it is a glitch; forward the e-mail to them and they will correct it.

[lawpinki]

I was accepted first week of Feb and I just received an email that the Illinois Graduate Admissions received my application. What does this mean?? Thanks in advance.

I spoke to them over the phone about this earlier today. Apparently it is a glitch; forward the e-mail to them and they will correct it.

Thank you soo much!

[Harry_Pluxen]

Question for those who have successfully negotiated scholarships at UIUC:

How long did the process take and was UIUC amenable to increasing your scholarship offer? And just to confirm, who did you e-mail regarding this scholarship negotiation?

I'm contemplating e-mailing UIUC with the offers I have received from other schools right now or waiting until after the open house. I feel like I'll be able to stand more firmly after the open house and be more sincere with my request. What do the rest of you think?

[mornincounselor]

Any current students/locals have recommendations for parks?

[Chardee_MacDennis]

Any current students/locals have recommendations for bars? Or if anyone wants to meet up I have no plans tonight or all day tomorrow.

Barrelhouse, Blind Pig, or Quality in downtown. If you want to go to campus, White Horse has live music tonight. It is Unofficial weekend, so just beware.

[allthelawls]

do I have a shot at getting in? 3.5gpa 153 LSAT URM AA male

tuition isn't a concern considering I have the GI Bill

I hope you already applied because you're probably in with those numbers.

[kinglew]

Have had my application complete for over a month, should I be worried?

[FreeTheChief]

Anyone else here slightly worried Illinois rank didn't go up at all? Slightly unexpected, especially when Iowa is in the top 20, and Indiana at 25. Not sure how much if at all it will affect employment stats, especially biglaw and fed clerk ship.

[Chardee_MacDennis]

Anyone else here slightly worried Illinois rank didn't go up at all? Slightly unexpected, especially when Iowa is in the top 20, and Indiana at 25. Not sure how much if at all it will affect employment stats, especially biglaw and fed clerk ship.

This shouldn't concern you in the slightest. Look at the school's placement and employment outcomes, the only two factors that matter.

[FreeTheChief]

Anyone else here slightly worried Illinois rank didn't go up at all? Slightly unexpected, especially when Iowa is in the top 20, and Indiana at 25. Not sure how much if at all it will affect employment stats, especially biglaw and fed clerk ship.

This shouldn't concern you in the slightest. Look at the school's placement and employment outcomes, the only two factors that matter.

Right, obviously that's what matters most. However, I guess you didn't fully grasp what I was asking. You're right by saying that today the rankings are totally irrelevant. If you were to graduate within the next year and look to work regionally UIUC would still be a strong choice. What I'm more wondering is if sitting at 40 will eventually affect the job placement, especially if the school stays at 40 for another 3-4 years. I think UIUC is a great regional school and has good placement in Illinois (where I want to work). Much of that stems from the alumni base, and a general understanding that the reputation is better than that of the ranking, and that the scandal is why they are ranked 20 spots lower than were they sat for 25+ years. However, I'm curious if the school continues to sit where they are at, and the competitors (Iowa, Indiana, Minn, ND) all sit higher, will employers change their perspective on UIUC in the greater Chicago area especially when comparing it to the other T1 competition? Obviously no one can tell or see into the future, but it is interesting, and I'm sure there have been similar schools in the past that were in this situation.

[illini2013]

Anyone else here slightly worried Illinois rank didn't go up at all? Slightly unexpected, especially when Iowa is in the top 20, and Indiana at 25. Not sure how much if at all it will affect employment stats, especially biglaw and fed clerk ship.

This shouldn't concern you in the slightest. Look at the school's placement and employment outcomes, the only two factors that matter.

Right, obviously that's what matters most. However, I guess you didn't fully grasp what I was asking. You're right by saying that today the rankings are totally irrelevant. If you were to graduate within the next year and look to work regionally UIUC would still be a strong choice. What I'm more wondering is if sitting at 40 will eventually affect the job placement, especially if the school stays at 40 for another 3-4 years. I think UIUC is a great regional school and has good placement in Illinois (where I want to work). Much of that stems from the alumni base, and a general understanding that the reputation is better than that of the ranking, and that the scandal is why they are ranked 20 spots lower than were they sat for 25+ years. However, I'm curious if the school continues to sit where they are at, and the competitors (Iowa, Indiana, Minn, ND) all sit higher, will employers change their perspective on UIUC in the greater Chicago area especially when comparing it to the other T1 competition? Obviously no one can tell or see into the future, but it is interesting, and I'm sure there have been similar schools in the past that were in this situation.

It will not matter, especially in Chicago.

[Chardee_MacDennis]

Anyone else here slightly worried Illinois rank didn't go up at all? Slightly unexpected, especially when Iowa is in the top 20, and Indiana at 25. Not sure how much if at all it will affect employment stats, especially biglaw and fed clerk ship.

This shouldn't concern you in the slightest. Look at the school's placement and employment outcomes, the only two factors that matter.

Right, obviously that's what matters most. However, I guess you didn't fully grasp what I was asking. You're right by saying that today the rankings are totally irrelevant. If you were to graduate within the next year and look to work regionally UIUC would still be a strong choice. What I'm more wondering is if sitting at 40 will eventually affect the job placement, especially if the school stays at 40 for another 3-4 years. I think UIUC is a great regional school and has good placement in Illinois (where I want to work). Much of that stems from the alumni base, and a general understanding that the reputation is better than that of the ranking, and that the scandal is why they are ranked 20 spots lower than were they sat for 25+ years. However, I'm curious if the school continues to sit where they are at, and the competitors (Iowa, Indiana, Minn, ND) all sit higher, will employers change their perspective on UIUC in the greater Chicago area especially when comparing it to the other T1 competition? Obviously no one can tell or see into the future, but it is interesting, and I'm sure there have been similar schools in the past that were in this situation.

We will always out-place Loyola/DePaul/JMLS/Iowa/Ind in Chicago. We will most likely place at or near the same as WUSTL/ND/other lower T-14s. We will never out-place U of C/NU. That is the Chicago pecking order for the foreseeable future. Employers don't care about the rankings, and I cannot emphasize that enough. The rankings are largely a marketing tool for schools, not a selection-factor for employers. Until this has a demonstrable effect on the quality of lawyer coming out of UIUC, it won't matter.

[FreeTheChief]

Anyone else here slightly worried Illinois rank didn't go up at all? Slightly unexpected, especially when Iowa is in the top 20, and Indiana at 25. Not sure how much if at all it will affect employment stats, especially biglaw and fed clerk ship.

This shouldn't concern you in the slightest. Look at the school's placement and employment outcomes, the only two factors that matter.

Right, obviously that's what matters most. However, I guess you didn't fully grasp what I was asking. You're right by saying that today the rankings are totally irrelevant. If you were to graduate within the next year and look to work regionally UIUC would still be a strong choice. What I'm more wondering is if sitting at 40 will eventually affect the job placement, especially if the school stays at 40 for another 3-4 years. I think UIUC is a great regional school and has good placement in Illinois (where I want to work). Much of that stems from the alumni base, and a general understanding that the reputation is better than that of the ranking, and that the scandal is why they are ranked 20 spots lower than were they sat for 25+ years. However, I'm curious if the school continues to sit where they are at, and the competitors (Iowa, Indiana, Minn, ND) all sit higher, will employers change their perspective on UIUC in the greater Chicago area especially when comparing it to the other T1 competition? Obviously no one can tell or see into the future, but it is interesting, and I'm sure there have been similar schools in the past that were in this situation.

We will always out-place Loyola/DePaul/JMLS/Iowa/Ind in Chicago. We will most likely place at or near the same as WUSTL/ND/other lower T-14s. We will never out-place U of C/NU. That is the Chicago pecking order for the foreseeable future. Employers don't care about the rankings, and I cannot emphasize that enough. The rankings are largely a marketing tool for schools, not a selection-factor for employers. Until this has a demonstrable effect on the quality of lawyer coming out of UIUC, it won't matter.

So then based on that you're saying we out place Depaul/Loyola/Kent because the employers (based on past hiring experience/alumni) feel the quality of lawyer from UIUC is better, and that those schools being ranked 70+ doesn't matter? Furthermore even if UIUC was 16th it wouldn't matter because they would feel a NW or UC lawyer would be more competent, based on past hiring practices? So hypothetically even if Illinois was only 10 spots higher than Loyola at like 65th, you're saying it still wouldn't matter?

[illegallad]

Illinois 3L here. Employers don't care about the actual rank of the school. In fact we've had more employers show up at OCI, and have stronger placement over all, than we did when we were ranked in the 20's. Employers see it as Harvard> NU/Chicago/Mich>>Illinois/ND/Wisconsin/other B1G>>Loyola/Kent/Depaul>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.JMLS in terms of prestige. That's close to how it's always been in Chicago and I imagine it always will be.

[mornincounselor]

We will always out-place Loyola/DePaul/JMLS/Iowa/Ind in Chicago. We will most likely place at or near the same as WUSTL/ND/other lower T-14s. We will never out-place U of C/NU. That is the Chicago pecking order for the foreseeable future. Employers don't care about the rankings, and I cannot emphasize that enough. The rankings are largely a marketing tool for schools, . . .

Yeah, I have to push back on this just a little bit. Illinois certainly does outpace it's ranking in terms of employment (at least at the high end). But, I think if you are arguing that the precipitous drop from 17th in the country to somewhere in the top 50 had no impact whatsoever on employment prospects -- that's a bit hard to swallow. If you are arguing the controversy surrounding the misreported LSAT numbers which led to said drop had no effect whatsoever on the prestige and reputation of the institution -- again I cannot take you on your word there.

You say "We will most likely place at or near the same as WUSTL/ND/other lower T-14s" but then concede (rightfully) that Illinois is in a different ballpark than Northwestern. If you are trying to compare Illinois to Cornell and say that Illinois places better into Chitown you have to account for selection bias. The students at Illinois are forced into Chicago out of necessity . . it's not as if a student from Cornell couldn't get Chicago BL . . they just don't want it as much / have other options.

So who does that leave in the t14? Georgetown? We can quibble over whether GULC is a national school (I think it's closer to a high-end regional like Texas and UCLA) but again even if Illinios places the same percentage of graduates into Chicago BL as GUlC (which I assume they probably do) you are forgetting that GULC also places into a number of other highly sought after markets as well. This is impactful in two ways (1) if one misses on Chi BL they are not in nearly as horrible of a position, and (2) some GULC students who were offered Chi BL turned it down in favor of other markets (thereby making the comparison of questionable validity in the first place).

If we limit the scope of your argument to just "WUSTL and ND" (by the way would you put Vandy into this comparison?) than it's a much more reasonable argument.

[Chardee_MacDennis]

We will always out-place Loyola/DePaul/JMLS/Iowa/Ind in Chicago. We will most likely place at or near the same as WUSTL/ND/other lower T-14s. We will never out-place U of C/NU. That is the Chicago pecking order for the foreseeable future. Employers don't care about the rankings, and I cannot emphasize that enough. The rankings are largely a marketing tool for schools, . . .

Yeah, I have to push back on this just a little bit. Illinois certainly does outpace it's ranking in terms of employment (at least at the high end). But, I think if you are arguing that the precipitous drop from 17th in the country to somewhere in the top 50 had no impact whatsoever on employment prospects -- that's a bit hard to swallow. If you are arguing the controversy surrounding the misreported LSAT numbers which led to said drop had no effect whatsoever on the prestige and reputation of the institution -- again I cannot take you on your word there.

You say "We will most likely place at or near the same as WUSTL/ND/other lower T-14s" but then concede (rightfully) that Illinois is in a different ballpark than Northwestern. If you are trying to compare Illinois to Cornell and say that Illinois places better into Chitown you have to account for selection bias. The students at Illinois are forced into Chicago out of necessity . . it's not as if a student from Cornell couldn't get Chicago BL . . they just don't want it as much / have other options.

So who does that leave in the t14? Georgetown? We can quibble over whether GULC is a national school (I think it's closer to a high-end regional like Texas and UCLA) but again even if Illinios places the same percentage of graduates into Chicago BL as GUlC (which I assume they probably do) you are forgetting that GULC also places into a number of other highly sought after markets as well. This is impactful in two ways (1) if one misses on Chi BL they are not in nearly as horrible of a position, and (2) some GULC students who were offered Chi BL turned it down in favor of other markets (thereby making the comparison of questionable validity in the first place).

If we limit the scope of your argument to just "WUSTL and ND" (by the way would you put Vandy into this comparison?) than it's a much more reasonable argument.

Thanks 0L.

1. As someone who has gone through OCI and has a job, the rankings had literally ZERO impact on hiring decisions. I never argued it didn't hurt prestige, I said it doesn't matter in terms of hiring (which it doesn't) and hurt the school from a marketing standpoint. So take my word, don't take my word, at least characterize my premise correctly.

2. Re NU: yeah, so what's your point? I said that we will likely place the same or near the other schools (not more than), which is true. Of course selection bias has some impact, but our proximity to Chicago, coupled with our alumni base and selection bias, makes it more likely that the relative percentages of students we place in Chicago will be on par with those other schools. But yeah, if Cornell/Duke/GULC students decided to exclusively target Chicago, that may have an impact on the school's placement, but that's highly unlikely.

3. I have literally no idea what you're talking about in this last paragraph. I never said T-14 students didn't have better prospects than we did.

So again, the rankings have no impact on hiring decisions.

[Chardee_MacDennis]

Anyone else here slightly worried Illinois rank didn't go up at all? Slightly unexpected, especially when Iowa is in the top 20, and Indiana at 25. Not sure how much if at all it will affect employment stats, especially biglaw and fed clerk ship.

This shouldn't concern you in the slightest. Look at the school's placement and employment outcomes, the only two factors that matter.

Right, obviously that's what matters most. However, I guess you didn't fully grasp what I was asking. You're right by saying that today the rankings are totally irrelevant. If you were to graduate within the next year and look to work regionally UIUC would still be a strong choice. What I'm more wondering is if sitting at 40 will eventually affect the job placement, especially if the school stays at 40 for another 3-4 years. I think UIUC is a great regional school and has good placement in Illinois (where I want to work). Much of that stems from the alumni base, and a general understanding that the reputation is better than that of the ranking, and that the scandal is why they are ranked 20 spots lower than were they sat for 25+ years. However, I'm curious if the school continues to sit where they are at, and the competitors (Iowa, Indiana, Minn, ND) all sit higher, will employers change their perspective on UIUC in the greater Chicago area especially when comparing it to the other T1 competition? Obviously no one can tell or see into the future, but it is interesting, and I'm sure there have been similar schools in the past that were in this situation.

We will always out-place Loyola/DePaul/JMLS/Iowa/Ind in Chicago. We will most likely place at or near the same as WUSTL/ND/other lower T-14s. We will never out-place U of C/NU. That is the Chicago pecking order for the foreseeable future. Employers don't care about the rankings, and I cannot emphasize that enough. The rankings are largely a marketing tool for schools, not a selection-factor for employers. Until this has a demonstrable effect on the quality of lawyer coming out of UIUC, it won't matter.

So then based on that you're saying we out place Depaul/Loyola/Kent because the employers (based on past hiring experience/alumni) feel the quality of lawyer from UIUC is better, and that those schools being ranked 70+ doesn't matter? Furthermore even if UIUC was 16th it wouldn't matter because they would feel a NW or UC lawyer would be more competent, based on past hiring practices? So hypothetically even if Illinois was only 10 spots higher than Loyola at like 65th, you're saying it still wouldn't matter?

I'm not exactly sure what it would take to see a significant shift, but it would at least have to be a consistent pattern of low quality lawyers coming from the school for an extended period of time. Sure, its disappointing, but then again, most people around here kinda shrugged.