Pittsburgh 2011 Forum

[BarbellDreams]

How long of a commute is Shadyside --> the law school by bus?

Depends on whether you get a bus right away cause they are VERY crowded and run without any real schedule. Assuming ideal conditions 7-10 mins.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Someone just posted on LSN that they were accepted today: 152/3.17 self-selected URM. You have to scroll down to see their notes to verify that it was today that they were admitted.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Sorry, she had a 3.14, not a 3.17. There is really no indication of when this person applied. She listed that she applied to one school on 1/27 though.

[BarbellDreams]

Honestly unless you are a URM, another URM's acceptance numbers are meaningless to you.

[bballfreak56]

Has anyone heard back about financial aid?

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Honestly unless you are a URM, another URM's acceptance numbers are meaningless to you.

I agree, but I was just letting people know that Pitt is still making decisions since it has been quiet during the past few weeks. I also thought it would be helpful for them to know the stats since someone who is waiting would ask that next.

[rs2004]

learned i got an additional $2000 truxall scholarship on top of a 14,000 dean's scholarship.

[northwood]

nice- i spoke with financial aid and they will send out award notices as they get completed.


any current students care to talk about the ATL article??

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

I'm not a current student, but I will start. I guess that article is a big hint about the value of internships and networking strategies while you're in law school. I obtained a paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved program after undergrad. During that time, I completed an internship. Let me tell you, it was HORRIBLE. I have a job that I work from home that gets busy during the warm months (so I get around 40 hours per week as a yearly average). Two weeks after I started my internship, I was getting almost 40 hours per week, had a 20 hour per week internship, and had class. It wasn't so much that it was a lot, but that I had something to do every moment of the day. I had the internship during the day, class in the evening, and my regular job after class. Anyway, I stuck through it and now work for that attorney part-time in addition to my regular job. I basically get as a few or as many hours as I want with the attorney. Sure, it isn't ideal (such as having a full-time, nicely paid paralegal job), but it is better than the file clerk jobs I was offered by staffing agencies and I have been employed throughout the recession. I find that especially in Pittsburgh, you need to build your network. Also, some girl in my paralegal program did an internship with the courts at the same time as when I was doing my internship and she quickly was employed with a midsize firm as a paralegal after she completed her certificate. Please don't bite my head off current students, I know it isn't THAT easy and there are definitely exceptions. My only point is, most legal jobs are word of mouth.

[april3141]

In via status checker!

[rs2004]

if a law school is not doing its duty by having an active career office, then what the hell is it doing? offering an education for $$$ to what end? how can a school expect their students to pay $$$ when it does not even take care to look at what jobs go through their job searching system? i have read from this thread by current pitt students that its career offices is not that great but after i read the ATL article, i was just really unimpressed and actually pissed that i spent $200 to visit a school that may not work hard to help me find a job. i understand that pittsburgh is a small city and a lot of job-acquiring in this city has to do with networking but a career office should at least make attempts to create oppportunities for its students. im not saying that students should wholly depend on its career office but it should be available as a resource and not treated as a joke.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

In via status checker!

Congrats! If you don't mind, what are your stats and UR date? Thanks

[mhd08]

if a law school is not doing its duty by having an active career office, then what the hell is it doing? offering an education for $$$ to what end? how can a school expect their students to pay $$$ when it does not even take care to look at what jobs go through their job searching system? i have read from this thread by current pitt students that its career offices is not that great but after i read the ATL article, i was just really unimpressed and actually pissed that i spent $200 to visit a school that may not work hard to help me find a job. i understand that pittsburgh is a small city and a lot of job-acquiring in this city has to do with networking but a career office should at least make attempts to create oppportunities for its students. im not saying that students should wholly depend on its career office but it should be available as a resource and not treated as a joke.

I understand the concern, but if you look at threads for other schools you'll find that a lot of people are unhappy with their CSOs. For what you're spending, I definitely agree that it's not ideal, but you'll find that it's not unique to Pitt. That being said, CSO can't do everything for you and they actually aren't completely useless, as ATL would make it seem. Symplicity (the job posting website mentioned in the ATL article) is not the only way to go about your job search, and it shouldn't be. However, I did get 2 legit legal interviews from Symplicity postings. By legit, I mean not flyer distributing jobs. Only about 20-30 jobs are posted at a time on Symplicity, but it is constantly updated throughout the year with a variety of real legal positions.

Like everyone says, it is up to you to put yourself out there and network. I happen to think that CSO and student organizations create a lot of opportunities to network... every event they host is an opportunity to meet attornies, judges, etc. We get constant e-mail updates from CSO about government internships. We also get bombarded on a weekly basis with e-mails about upcoming events, which can lead to networking opportunities if you go about it that way. There are also plenty of networking opportunities available if you're involved in the student organizations. I actually attended one such event and ended up clicking with one of the attornies, which resulted in an inteview and subsequent offer with his firm. You have to get creative about your job search and not rely simply on CSO... it's really not that hard and can be fun if you have the right attitude.

EDIT: I only speak about my personal experience with looking for summer internships. As far as the 3Ls looking for permanent jobs, I can't speak to that. However, I'm sure it's the same as far as networking and all that jazz.

[BarbellDreams]

I landed a 1L paid SA position from a Symplicity posting FWIW.

[northwood]

They just hired a new career services director. give him a chance to change things up before you go tearing him apart

[OGR3]

if a law school is not doing its duty by having an active career office, then what the hell is it doing? offering an education for $$$ to what end? how can a school expect their students to pay $$$ when it does not even take care to look at what jobs go through their job searching system? i have read from this thread by current pitt students that its career offices is not that great but after i read the ATL article, i was just really unimpressed and actually pissed that i spent $200 to visit a school that may not work hard to help me find a job. i understand that pittsburgh is a small city and a lot of job-acquiring in this city has to do with networking but a career office should at least make attempts to create oppportunities for its students. im not saying that students should wholly depend on its career office but it should be available as a resource and not treated as a joke.

I understand the concern, but if you look at threads for other schools you'll find that a lot of people are unhappy with their CSOs. For what you're spending, I definitely agree that it's not ideal, but you'll find that it's not unique to Pitt. That being said, CSO can't do everything for you and they actually aren't completely useless, as ATL would make it seem. Symplicity (the job posting website mentioned in the ATL article) is not the only way to go about your job search, and it shouldn't be. However, I did get 2 legit legal interviews from Symplicity postings. By legit, I mean not flyer distributing jobs. Only about 20-30 jobs are posted at a time on Symplicity, but it is constantly updated throughout the year with a variety of real legal positions.

Like everyone says, it is up to you to put yourself out there and network. I happen to think that CSO and student organizations create a lot of opportunities to network... every event they host is an opportunity to meet attornies, judges, etc. We get constant e-mail updates from CSO about government internships. We also get bombarded on a weekly basis with e-mails about upcoming events, which can lead to networking opportunities if you go about it that way. There are also plenty of networking opportunities available if you're involved in the student organizations. I actually attended one such event and ended up clicking with one of the attornies, which resulted in an inteview and subsequent offer with his firm. You have to get creative about your job search and not rely simply on CSO... it's really not that hard and can be fun if you have the right attitude.

EDIT: I only speak about my personal experience with looking for summer internships. As far as the 3Ls looking for permanent jobs, I can't speak to that. However, I'm sure it's the same as far as networking and all that jazz.

Agreed. While I've done my fair share of complaining about the CSO, they are certainly making a lot of progress with the new people they've brought in and I sincerely think it was just an honest mistake on the part of the director.

Also, it was commendable the CSO responded so quickly to the ATL posting by taking full responsibility and apologizing. Like ATL said in the follow up post, many schools would not have done the same.

[Scurredsitless1]

I landed a 1L paid SA position from a Symplicity posting FWIW.

Me too. I really agree with mdh08 too. At anytime there were usually 20-30 posting, but some were only listed for a few days. It's a rolling system. I got several interviews through symplicity, including an in-house gig and a biglaw gig.

Personally, I don't like our CSO director. I don't find him particularly helpful. But nearly EVERYONE that works in the law school is a lawyer. Most have connections in the area. I know people that have gotten hooked up with a job from the direction of professors, not CSO. There are many resources outside of CSO that can help you. I know someone that got an internship with a judge because of another student's recommendation (it was a 2L that previously interned with that judge).

CSO did a lot of programs that helped a lot of people too. The programs that I attended were well done.

[Adrian Yale]

Who else is going to the open house?

[VTOrange19]

Called and emailed asking about my status not being updated although I applied in mid-February. I knew the Feb LSAT score would hold my file back, but it never changed past "Received". So today I called and spoke to someone in the office (as well as finally getting a response to an email I sent last week - shocking), and they said it was under review. The email looked very prepackaged and seemed like the blowing of smoke. Anyone know what to think of this? Also, the email in which I said "I just want to know if I am even under review at this point, I like Pitt but have other offers already with deposit dates looming" was forwarded to my file as an LOCI. Great.... I didn't mean it to be my LOCI, either, it was just a "what the fuck is going on with my file guys?" email. It was an LOWTFIGOWMFG, a new TLS tool for gaining acceptance.

[Gamecock227]

Called and emailed asking about my status not being updated although I applied in mid-February. I knew the Feb LSAT score would hold my file back, but it never changed past "Received". So today I called and spoke to someone in the office (as well as finally getting a response to an email I sent last week - shocking), and they said it was under review. The email looked very prepackaged and seemed like the blowing of smoke. Anyone know what to think of this? Also, the email in which I said "I just want to know if I am even under review at this point, I like Pitt but have other offers already with deposit dates looming" was forwarded to my file as an LOCI. Great.... I didn't mean it to be my LOCI, either, it was just a "what the fuck is going on with my file guys?" email. It was an LOWTFIGOWMFG, a new TLS tool for gaining acceptance.

In same boat I sent in my application and it was complete Jan 19th, UR 2/17. I have called to answering machines for over a week. TOday sOmeone answered and her only reply is this takes 8-12'weeks so we can give your file due consideration. They need to give my life consideration since I have a deposit due 4/1.

[bport hopeful]

I hear you guys. Ive been UR for more than two months and still havnt heard anything. I have schollarships at better schools that I have to accept or decline on the 1st, so I really need an answer asap.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

I don't know, not to play devil's advocate, but it's better to wait for a long acceptance than to get a quick rejection because they skimmed your app because they were so tired of reading them. Goodluck to all of you - I am still waiting as well and I have the deposit deadline issue too, but I have about a month left for that.

[northwood]

if you are worried about losing the scholly- put a deposit down before that date! ( Or contact admissions and see where they are- but im sure you all have done this allready!!)

[VTOrange19]

No, I think you guys misunderstood me. My status checker says "application received" and the date, nothing about complete even. So I have called and emailed, and I got an email about "your file is under review, the process takes a while so be patient. I will add this interest email to your file." All my email to them said "hey, what's the word, I have other options with deposits coming up, but Pitt is still my numero uno, can I get a response?" The response seemed canned and really fake/general.

Should I even consider Pitt anymore at this point? Got my app in in early-February, but Jesus. Maybe this is a sign to take my money to Ga State now. The admissions department should have an article on ATL, not the CSO.

[OGR3]

No, I think you guys misunderstood me. My status checker says "application received" and the date, nothing about complete even. So I have called and emailed, and I got an email about "your file is under review, the process takes a while so be patient. I will add this interest email to your file." All my email to them said "hey, what's the word, I have other options with deposits coming up, but Pitt is still my numero uno, can I get a response?" The response seemed canned and really fake/general.

Should I even consider Pitt anymore at this point? Got my app in in early-February, but Jesus. Maybe this is a sign to take my money to Ga State now. The admissions department should have an article on ATL, not the CSO.

February is really late in the game. I'm not surprised you haven't heard back.