South Texas 2011 Forum

[Grad_Student]

Hey 0L's I thought I'd plug the ADRA program since you guys can actually partake in the summer academy before law school even starts.

ADRA is alternative disputer resolution association and it's basically mediation and negotiation. The great thing about it is incoming 1L's can partake in the summer academy so you can get a head start on the program. It's a lot of fun even if you don't know what you are doing. They travel just like the Advocacy program but it's not as political and smaller so you have a better chance of making a team. This past year we traveled to Paris, Prague, London, Chicago, LA and I think NY. Not every team will go to every city, teams are split up to go to different cities.

If you guys are accepted and think you want to participate (and I think you all should as you'll get to know each other before school starts) PM and I'll give you the incoming presidents email so she can add you to the listserv. I'd put it on here but I don't really want to put her email out like that.

[Mce252]

would the grad plus loan cover all the costs that a scholarship doesnt pay or does it top out at $20K? Aren't discover loans good, if grad plus loans don't work out?

Stafford, Federal Direct is 20,500 total (8,500 of it is interest free until graduation) The interest rate is currently 6.8%
Grad Loan Plus will let you borrow up to the school's "max", after the direct, interest is 7.9%

So for STCL at sticker, NO grants or scholarships assumed.
49,000 is the MAX that you could borrow. I think things change for married people, but I'll keep it easy. TEG could factor in, so would military benefits, I guess?

20,500 Federal Direct
28,500 Grad Loan Plus
49,000 Total.

Grad Loan Plus requires a credit check, but I think they only look for negative things like defaults, levies, leins, etc

Thanks for the info. Why is it that some people go to third party lenders, is it because they don't get approved for the government loans?

Probably not. It's because they need more than that 49,000 previously mentioned. Those that pay 100% of tuition and COL with debt are not going to be able to cover everything with federal loans.

[jacketman03]

Hey 0L's I thought I'd plug the ADRA program since you guys can actually partake in the summer academy before law school even starts.

ADRA is alternative disputer resolution association and it's basically mediation and negotiation. The great thing about it is incoming 1L's can partake in the summer academy so you can get a head start on the program. It's a lot of fun even if you don't know what you are doing. They travel just like the Advocacy program but it's not as political and smaller so you have a better chance of making a team. This past year we traveled to Paris, Prague, London, Chicago, LA and I think NY. Not every team will go to every city, teams are split up to go to different cities.

If you guys are accepted and think you want to participate (and I think you all should as you'll get to know each other before school starts) PM and I'll give you the incoming presidents email so she can add you to the listserv. I'd put it on here but I don't really want to put her email out like that.

Is that the program that just won a competition in London? When I went to the ASR on the 2nd they were talking about some team that won a competition in London, and I thought it was the ADR thing.

[softenedheart404]

More decisions will come on the 15th when they don't receive checks from people going to other schools. That was the due date for my check.

Agreed, I just wish it wouldn't seem like forever between now and then. I'm still seriously interested in STCL, so it's that much more painful to look everyday..

[AdlTX4]

Withdrawing and freeing up $12,400. Good luck to y'all!

[txadv11]

Withdrawing and freeing up $12,400. Good luck to y'all!

From what it sounds like, you might free up a spot, but the money just goes away, sigh.


Also, kind of a new question: For those you you moving to Houston for STCL, when are you moving there? I'm thinking July?

[jacketman03]

Withdrawing and freeing up $12,400. Good luck to y'all!

From what it sounds like, you might free up a spot, but the money just goes away, sigh.


Also, kind of a new question: For those you you moving to Houston for STCL, when are you moving there? I'm thinking July?

I'll be moving at the end of July, but I'm gonna have to go back to Aggieland for the first week and a half of August.

[tiger225]

Yeah, born and raised in Houston myself, and currently live here now, so this is tough...

I think you should to come to STCL. We can discuss Wiz, Weezy, and other lyrical wordsmiths.

LOL, that is very enticing...Okay, STCL it is.

j.cole doesn't think so...

lyrics from Blow Up

Momma said I should reconsider law school
that means I wear a suit and bend the truth and feel awful
hell naw, got a degree but what that cost you
you make a good salary just to pay SallieMae

[OoOLaLa]

Morning All! According to STCL admissions office decisions will continue to go out this week and of course you can expect more next week. So, do not feel discouraged if you have not heard back with a decision from admissions yet. Just be sure to have your seat deposit $$$ ready if you should get accepted at some point this week. Hope this helps, and good luck to all still pending an admissions decision, be encouraged, I am!

[upfish]

Just confirmed my overnighting of a check for my seat deposit. Hopefully I can make a decision on a school before their 2nd deposit is due.

[jacketman03]

Just confirmed my overnighting of a check for my seat deposit. Hopefully I can make a decision on a school before their 2nd deposit is due.

I really need to mail them my deposit check this week.

[Mce252]

Just confirmed my overnighting of a check for my seat deposit. Hopefully I can make a decision on a school before their 2nd deposit is due.

What schools are you debating between?

[upfish]

Just confirmed my overnighting of a check for my seat deposit. Hopefully I can make a decision on a school before their 2nd deposit is due.

What schools are you debating between?

I know it sounds weird, but CU-Boulder and STCL.

[Mce252]

Just confirmed my overnighting of a check for my seat deposit. Hopefully I can make a decision on a school before their 2nd deposit is due.

What schools are you debating between?

I know it sounds weird, but CU-Boulder and STCL.

I'd take CU, but I also think the state of Colorado is heavenly. It's a T1 school and in a great location.

[txadv11]

Damn, thanks for making me realize money is due THIS FRIDAY.

I'm back to rethinking TX Tech and Tulsa, but if I had to choose this moment, I guess I'd choose STCL

[Mce252]

Damn, thanks for making me realize money is due THIS FRIDAY.

I'm back to rethinking TX Tech and Tulsa, but if I had to choose this moment, I guess I'd choose STCL

Would you want to work in Oklahoma?

[jacketman03]

Damn, thanks for making me realize money is due THIS FRIDAY.

I'm back to rethinking TX Tech and Tulsa, but if I had to choose this moment, I guess I'd choose STCL

You still riding the WL at Tech?

[txadv11]

Would you want to work in Oklahoma?

Eh, I'm iffy on the subject, ideally, I'd be in DFW or at least TX, but my reasoning is:
#1 I have about a 50% scholarship there (plus lower COL), Tulsa is at the top of "tier 3" or w/e schools. Now, I know that doesn't mean jack for jobs unless we were talking top 25-MAYBE top 50, it is really regional. BUT, I feel that it would be easier to be at the top portion of the class with a entire 1L size of 140, than STCL-nearing 300, with some doing a lighter-load/Part-time and spending more time studying per class. At a minimum, I know if I wanted to transfer "up" after 1L, that I'd probably be better of at Tulsa. I know top 10% is literally 10 percent regardless of 140 or 300, but I just feel the higher the number, the harder it is.
Downsides: they specialize in things I have no interest in, and don't have much of a trial ad program (like literally everyone there wants energy law or Native American law, not my "thing" The public interest and litigation stuff was almost non-existant. Also the area is quite a bit different than Houston.
"The only reason Texas doesn't float off into the Gulf, is because Oklahoma sucks"

Financially, the alarms are going off in my head about Sticker and COL at STCL, vs Tulsa, but education-wise and networking/opportunites, my heart is at STCL.

You still riding the WL at Tech?

Yep. They have had some activity from the looks of things, a fellow poster on this thread, TT09, got bumped into accepted. If they don't let me in VERY soon, I think I'll withdraw so I don't get upset/second guess if they call in like June.

[txag10]

I got in off the waitlist friday at Tech. If they give me in-state tuition, which I am negotiating, then its my best option. Does anyone know how Tech compares to STCL in terms of employment in Houston?

[jacketman03]

I got in off the waitlist friday at Tech. If they give me in-state tuition, which I am negotiating, then its my best option. Does anyone know how Tech compares to STCL in terms of employment in Houston?

I think the general consensus is that they're about even in most of the state, but STCL kills them in Houston.

You still riding the WL at Tech?

Yep. They have had some activity from the looks of things, a fellow poster on this thread, TT09, got bumped into accepted. If they don't let me in VERY soon, I think I'll withdraw so I don't get upset/second guess if they call in like June.

Good luck on the Tech WL. Only way that I'm not at STCL this fall is if SMU lets me in or WUSTL decides they need another po' black child off the WL.

[txag10]

I got in off the waitlist friday at Tech. If they give me in-state tuition, which I am negotiating, then its my best option. Does anyone know how Tech compares to STCL in terms of employment in Houston?

I think the general consensus is that they're about even in most of the state, but STCL kills them in Houston.

You still riding the WL at Tech?

Yep. They have had some activity from the looks of things, a fellow poster on this thread, TT09, got bumped into accepted. If they don't let me in VERY soon, I think I'll withdraw so I don't get upset/second guess if they call in like June.

Good luck on the Tech WL. Only way that I'm not at STCL this fall is if SMU lets me in or WUSTL decides they need another po' black child off the WL.

That was one of the funniest comments I've ever read on this site.

[scherian11]

Hey guys just got the good news of being accepted into STCL! Kind of weird because I got wl'd on Friday but then accepted today, but i'll take it. Now I have to decide between Loyola NO or STCL?

[jacketman03]

Hey guys just got the good news of being accepted into STCL! Kind of weird because I got wl'd on Friday but then accepted today, but i'll take it. Now I have to decide between Loyola NO or STCL?

Congrats!

[Mce252]

I got in off the waitlist friday at Tech. If they give me in-state tuition, which I am negotiating, then its my best option. Does anyone know how Tech compares to STCL in terms of employment in Houston?

STCL definitely has the advantage. Do you plan on pursuing the waitlist at U of H at all?

[lucygirl]

I applied for STCL part-time program, and not going to lie I am really getting nervous that a decision hasn't been made yet! my friend got waitlisted and then 2 days later got accepted.... yet I haven't heard anything... how does this make sense? I thought waitlist means they wait to see which admitted students do not pay their deposit..... I have a 156 and a 3.19... someone tell me they are in the same boat? I just wish I could find out