UC Hastings 2010!!! Forum

[missinglink]

I just got an email from the assistant dean saying there was a spot on the waitlist available for me. Does anyone know how Hastings is doing? I heard it was expected to go down hill the last time I was on this thread. I love San Francisco and would love to live in the area for possibly all of eternity.

But would it be worth turning down GW or Brooklyn@full ride?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'expected to go down hill.'

Is that Brooklyn and GW at a full ride, or is it just Brooklyn full ride?

If it's a question between GW @ sticker and Hastings @ sticker, and you goal is SF, I think you would be hard pressed to choose GW.

[sibley]

I just got an email from the assistant dean saying there was a spot on the waitlist available for me. Does anyone know how Hastings is doing? I heard it was expected to go down hill the last time I was on this thread. I love San Francisco and would love to live in the area for possibly all of eternity.

But would it be worth turning down GW or Brooklyn@full ride?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'expected to go down hill.'

Is that Brooklyn and GW at a full ride, or is it just Brooklyn full ride?

If it's a question between GW @ sticker and Hastings @ sticker, and you goal is SF, I think you would be hard pressed to choose GW.

I have 15k off at GW, brooklyn's full... I don't want to have to pay full at Hastings but I don't think they have any need-based aid and doubt they'd give me any merit from the waitlist

[missinglink]

I just got an email from the assistant dean saying there was a spot on the waitlist available for me. Does anyone know how Hastings is doing? I heard it was expected to go down hill the last time I was on this thread. I love San Francisco and would love to live in the area for possibly all of eternity.

But would it be worth turning down GW or Brooklyn@full ride?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'expected to go down hill.'

Is that Brooklyn and GW at a full ride, or is it just Brooklyn full ride?

If it's a question between GW @ sticker and Hastings @ sticker, and you goal is SF, I think you would be hard pressed to choose GW.

I have 15k off at GW, brooklyn's full... I don't want to have to pay full at Hastings but I don't think they have any need-based aid and doubt they'd give me any merit from the waitlist

I wouldn't be so sure on either account.

From what I understand, Hastings gives out need-based grants ranging from 7 - 10 k to a large proportion of students.

I've also read about people getting money off the WL in the past. And since people with $$ have withdrawn, it stands to reason they might have some left. It can't hurt to ask.

[sibley]

I just got an email from the assistant dean saying there was a spot on the waitlist available for me. Does anyone know how Hastings is doing? I heard it was expected to go down hill the last time I was on this thread. I love San Francisco and would love to live in the area for possibly all of eternity.

But would it be worth turning down GW or Brooklyn@full ride?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'expected to go down hill.'

Is that Brooklyn and GW at a full ride, or is it just Brooklyn full ride?

If it's a question between GW @ sticker and Hastings @ sticker, and you goal is SF, I think you would be hard pressed to choose GW.

I have 15k off at GW, brooklyn's full... I don't want to have to pay full at Hastings but I don't think they have any need-based aid and doubt they'd give me any merit from the waitlist

I wouldn't be so sure on either account.

From what I understand, Hastings gives out need-based grants ranging from 7 - 10 k to a large proportion of students.

I've also read about people getting money off the WL in the past. And since people with $$ have withdrawn, it stands to reason they might have some left. It can't hurt to ask.

Yeah. I guess I'll call him back when I get home from work and inquire about it.

[tommytahoe]

I just got an email from the assistant dean saying there was a spot on the waitlist available for me. Does anyone know how Hastings is doing? I heard it was expected to go down hill the last time I was on this thread. I love San Francisco and would love to live in the area for possibly all of eternity.

But would it be worth turning down GW or Brooklyn@full ride?

Yeah, it's a tough question to ask yourself: Is the BIG savings in debt at BLS important enough in your priorities to outweigh the need to (a) be in SF and (b) the (supposed) desire to be at a school with very good rep. and job placement in that area (such as Hastings is)?
Secondly, RE: GW, is that same SF love more important than the advantage gained by being at really high-end school such as GW is?

GW should be looked at seriously only if you can foresee the possibility of studying/practicing in DC (of course you could probably take GW JD to NYC or even SF maybe!). If you can see yourself in DC, then there would be no other drawback to it (b/c debt more or less the same), and there would be a gain in prestige too. But if the DC life (which I like b/c I grew up there) is just not amenable to you AT ALL, then there's no need to leave SF.

That's the best way I can reason it. GL!!

[lawstudent2010]

I withdrew my application from Hastings and they gave me a pretty good Hastings grant so there should definitely be money around now for people who are accepting offers.

[Headybrah]

GW:

1. You are in meca of legal world - so many great opportunities at your finger tips
2. if your not set on biglaw - I can't see too much a barrier for you to get from GW to SF
my buddy is going to EPA office in SF from GW...

GW is on rise

[tommytahoe]

GW:

1. You are in meca of legal world - so many great opportunities at your finger tips
2. if your not set on biglaw - I can't see too much a barrier for you to get from GW to SF
my buddy is going to EPA office in SF from GW...

GW is on rise

Good points for sure. GW is not as portable as GULC, of course, but it has some measure of national clout, magnified by those who can place in the higher class ranks (top 25% ??).
There are a gazillion courts and gov't connections in DC, yes, but there is something very similar to that in SF too, though distinct in its own way.
But this is relevant only if there is ANY reason for Sibley (note how I just decided to turn you into 3rd person! ) to be concerned about being able to use a Hastings JD to study, then practice and live in the Bay Area. I would imagine Hastings places better in SF than does GW...

[missinglink]

GW:

1. You are in meca of legal world - so many great opportunities at your finger tips
2. if your not set on biglaw - I can't see too much a barrier for you to get from GW to SF
my buddy is going to EPA office in SF from GW...

GW is on rise

GW on the rise? Looks to be holding pretty steady.

Employment statistics might be of use: http://www.law.gwu.edu/Careers/prospect ... stics.aspx

Geographic Distribution

South Atlantic
(DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)
64%

Middle Atlantic
(NJ, NY, PA)

17%

Pacific
(AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)
6%

Certainly not impossible to go back east from west. If you choose GW, you have to be comfortable with the possibility of staying in the South Atlantic, where GW places a majority of its grads.

What Hastings has to say re: money makes all the difference, I think. At sticker it's a tough call, and one you'd have to make. If you can snag a Hastings grant or merit aid, it makes the cost pretty similar.

If I remember, there was someone in your position who last year, who ended up choosing UC Davis over GW because of geographic preference.

[Borhas]

this on rise/fall stuff is illusory

ranking change, but GW has been an excellent school for a very long time, so has Hastings. GW wasn't on the decline when it took a dip last year, it's not on the rise when it went back up.

[tommytahoe]

this on rise/fall stuff is illusory

ranking change, but GW has been an excellent school for a very long time, so has Hastings. GW wasn't on the decline when it took a dip last year, it's not on the rise when it went back up.

Absolutely agree. And, even iof there were credence to what is rising or not, and countless data to support either one), that wouldn't solve the issues of cost, location, and quality of education/job placement. Both school's rank will go up and down over coming years I bet.

[tommytahoe]

I just got an email from the assistant dean saying there was a spot on the waitlist available for me. Does anyone know how Hastings is doing? I heard it was expected to go down hill the last time I was on this thread. I love San Francisco and would love to live in the area for possibly all of eternity.

But would it be worth turning down GW or Brooklyn@full ride?

btw, Sibley, this was an actual offer email (not a call)?
I got the first email (testing my interest) two days ago... should i be concerned they won't be making an offer? I don't know what to expect here.

[bearsEATtrees]

this on rise/fall stuff is illusory

ranking change, but GW has been an excellent school for a very long time, so has Hastings. GW wasn't on the decline when it took a dip last year, it's not on the rise when it went back up.

+1!

I spoke with a family friend who is on an out reach board at Hastings who said they were told by USNWR that their ranking difference was caused by per-pupil spending. Essentially one of the main factors used in USNWR rankings is how much money per student the school spends. Private schools and schools with huge endowments or large universities behind them are able to spend more per student while a stand alone institution such as Hastings with ever dwindling state support simple doesn't spend the same amount per pupil. Especially at a larger school like Hastings.

I really don't think the ranking change at all reflects the QUALITY of the school/education. Which is what we should be concerned with right? Also for California based firms Hastings is consistently one of the top 3 or top 5 heavily recruited schools.

[Regionality]

this on rise/fall stuff is illusory

ranking change, but GW has been an excellent school for a very long time, so has Hastings. GW wasn't on the decline when it took a dip last year, it's not on the rise when it went back up.

+1!

I spoke with a family friend who is on an out reach board at Hastings who said they were told by USNWR that their ranking difference was caused by per-pupil spending. Essentially one of the main factors used in USNWR rankings is how much money per student the school spends. Private schools and schools with huge endowments or large universities behind them are able to spend more per student while a stand alone institution such as Hastings with ever dwindling state support simple doesn't spend the same amount per pupil. Especially at a larger school like Hastings.

I really don't think the ranking change at all reflects the QUALITY of the school/education. Which is what we should be concerned with right? Also for California based firms Hastings is consistently one of the top 3 or top 5 heavily recruited schools.

I'm not defending the USNWR rankings, but isn't there something to be said for per student spending being indicative of something? Perhaps number of full time career counselors, or librarian staff, or smaller class sizes, or more modern facilities, or the ability to buy higher qualified students, or the ability to have more successful outreach/recruiting to potential employers, etc? I'm not saying that a blind view of spending/student is a good indicator of school quality, but isn't the richer a school is (per capita) the more resources it has to fight for its students in all the various fields students need fighting for?

[bearsEATtrees]

this on rise/fall stuff is illusory

ranking change, but GW has been an excellent school for a very long time, so has Hastings. GW wasn't on the decline when it took a dip last year, it's not on the rise when it went back up.

+1!

I spoke with a family friend who is on an out reach board at Hastings who said they were told by USNWR that their ranking difference was caused by per-pupil spending. Essentially one of the main factors used in USNWR rankings is how much money per student the school spends. Private schools and schools with huge endowments or large universities behind them are able to spend more per student while a stand alone institution such as Hastings with ever dwindling state support simple doesn't spend the same amount per pupil. Especially at a larger school like Hastings.

I really don't think the ranking change at all reflects the QUALITY of the school/education. Which is what we should be concerned with right? Also for California based firms Hastings is consistently one of the top 3 or top 5 heavily recruited schools.

I'm not defending the USNWR rankings, but isn't there something to be said for per student spending being indicative of something? Perhaps number of full time career counselors, or librarian staff, or smaller class sizes, or more modern facilities, or the ability to buy higher qualified students, or the ability to have more successful outreach/recruiting to potential employers, etc? I'm not saying that a blind view of spending/student is a good indicator of school quality, but isn't the richer a school is (per capita) the more resources it has to fight for its students in all the various fields students need fighting for?

I definitely think that's true... but Hastings this funding deficit isn't a new problem yet they have continued to produce outstanding graduates and have some of the best placement numbers. They have the 2nd best Moot Court team in the country, the SFDA who was named by NYT as a potential candidate to be the first female President is a graduate, as is some ridiculous percentage of practicing lawyers in California (I don't know the exact statistic and I don't want to get torn apart for being wrong so I won't quote it) so I think Hastings is one of the best cases where looking at the skewed USNWR rankings is insufficient for determining the quality of the school and future employment opportunities.

[pamcasso]

REALLY NEED HELP: financial aid questions (i would ask the school but they have been really rude the last few times i tried and i dont want to keep asking them questions):

1. do i need a separate MPN for stafford and grad plus loans?
2. do i need to fill out any additional applications for any loans yet?

[a male human]

REALLY NEED HELP: financial aid questions (i would ask the school but they have been really rude the last few times i tried and i dont want to keep asking them questions):

1. do i need a separate MPN for stafford and grad plus loans?
2. do i need to fill out any additional applications for any loans yet?

1. I think tells you which ones you need, after you get to the loan website.
2. None that I know of. You sign the loan from Hastings and the MPN as far as I know.

Speaking of which, am I supposed to be an email saying that the MPN was processed or anything? I didn't get any confirmation.

[gfg12]

I got the first email (testing my interest) two days ago... should i be concerned they won't be making an offer? I don't know what to expect here.

I saw on the last page that they said the turnaround was about one day, but I'm anxious too. I bunch of people got the email yesterday, so fingers crossed for tomorrow?

[tommytahoe]

I got the first email (testing my interest) two days ago... should i be concerned they won't be making an offer? I don't know what to expect here.

I saw on the last page that they said the turnaround was about one day, but I'm anxious too. I bunch of people got the email yesterday, so fingers crossed for tomorrow?

Just what I need, hopes spiked to the ceiling, and the possibility that it's just a chimera

[savesthedayajb]

Any of you guys still waiting able to visit the campus yet?

[missinglink]

I got the first email (testing my interest) two days ago... should i be concerned they won't be making an offer? I don't know what to expect here.

I saw on the last page that they said the turnaround was about one day, but I'm anxious too. I bunch of people got the email yesterday, so fingers crossed for tomorrow?

Looking at last year's pattern, the first round of emails invariably led to a call.

After that it is harder to predict. Some people even got those emails multiple times before getting the call, and some people never got the call. I'd say it's a good sign that you're receiving those WL email updates. It means you're actively under consideration, so hang in there.

[sibley]

I got the first email (testing my interest) two days ago... should i be concerned they won't be making an offer? I don't know what to expect here.

I saw on the last page that they said the turnaround was about one day, but I'm anxious too. I bunch of people got the email yesterday, so fingers crossed for tomorrow?

Looking at last year's pattern, the first round of emails invariably led to a call.

After that it is harder to predict. Some people even got those emails multiple times before getting the call, and some people never got the call. I'd say it's a good sign that you're receiving those WL email updates. It means you're actively under consideration, so hang in there.

I got my WL interest email on May 6 and was called the 14th. I didn't get an offer email, I got a call from the dean... typo, sorry. He left a voicemail in which he stated "I'm calling because you said you were still interested and we have a seat available." or something along those lines. But he definitely said there was a spot and lead me strongly to believe I could have it if I wanted it.

Also.... I live in NY. I think that's one of the reasons Hastings WL'd me in the first place. I LOVE san francisco but my family is on the east coast. I have no true geographic preference other than an emotional one. Hastings was the first law school I wanted to go to... my boyfriend and I went to san fran for spring break last year and had trouble leaving. I know GW's well known here and most of their grads take the bar in NY (odd considering their placement). obviously hastings to east coast wouldn't make much sense especially when I could do brooklyn for free (brooklyn I assume is better known, at least in NY). But I don't have any need to stay on the east coast - I'm not close to most of my family anyway. the san francisco lifestyle and weather has me drooling.

teo- gw's hard to pass up. they have yellow id cards and that gets me every time.

[Headybrah]

lol SF weather


spend a year there before you say that and don't think its going to be like SO Cal...

Wet, Cold to the bone and foggy.....


I love SF don't get me wrong but the weather isn't drool-able

[OhWell]

Can anyone dig up the subject/address for the email that details the financial aid package offered? I accidently deleted it.

[missinglink]

Just received my fin-aid info: Your Financial Aid Award for UC Hastings is ready. ( --LinkRemoved-- )

Can anyone dig up the subject/address for the email that details the financial aid package offered? I accidently deleted it.

That should be the address from the lost email.

Hot damn. 12.5k Hastings grant. For anyone who is wondering if there is money off the waitlist, there is. This makes it infinitely easier to turn down 16k per year at U of Arizona.