GULC Waiting Thread Forum

[Emma1]

When I made that comment regarding Georgetown's prestige I wasn't trying to bash Georgetown. After all, I've spent a lot of time on this thread waiting to hear back from GULC. Also, for me personally GULC is far higher on my list than they're #14 ranking. I was just stating that on TLS GULC is not highly prestigious. Sorry for the misunderstandings and I apologize if I hurt anyone's feelings.

No hurt feelings here...Just trying to correct a misconception that keeps being repeated!

[Marionberry]

Georgetown gets a lot of shit on this website because many of the people who post on here are incredibly insecure, so they get satisfaction from being overly critical of things. Georgetown is an easier target than a lot of other schools because it's ranked at the bottom of the T14 (and I agree with the other poster who said that a few spots in the rankings at the top is pretty insignificant), has a big class size, etc. It's this same insecurity that leads to so many people being snide and condescending, which for some reason is seen as laudable in the prevailing group-think. I know this because I'm not without my own insecurities, and I can smell it on others.

Every practicing and retired attorney who I've told that I'm going to Georgetown has been very impressed, and everyone recognizes it as an elite law school, and I live half way across the country.

[bk1]

I dunno. While GULC is a great school, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging that their placement is nothing to write home about.

While it is fairly common to bash GULC by saying diploma mill, GeorgeTTTown, T13, etc, etc, there is a truth to the fact that their placement is underwhelming. They barely do any better in biglaw than a strong regional and probably place equivalently if not worse than some of the schools below them (i.e. UT/Vandy).

That being said, GULC is probably where I see myself most likely ending up at this point.

[Marionberry]

Meh, their placement for biglaw isn't that bad, it's just not as good as other schools in the T14. Even between schools that are seen as great on here, like UVA for example, the differences in stats that I've seen posted is not usually huge. Also, biglaw placement doesn't necessarily equal biglaw opportunities, because not everyone chooses to pursue that.

I just feel like so many people on here present themselves as experts on which school is better and job placement and all these other things, when their analysis of the statistics they present is often pretty simplistic. I may very possibly be wrong, but I take most of what I read on here with a big grain of salt.

[bk1]

It is simplistic because actually having some grandiose, complex evaluation of a school's placement power would take an insane amount of time and effort, not to mention the fact that the data to do it is definitely lacking. Because we have nothing better than certain statistics that can serve as a proxy for "prestige," I choose to base decisions off of what I do have rather than saying "hey this is too simple" when there is nothing else.

The thing about GULC is that, outside of extreme splitters, it isn't any easier to get into than schools with better placement power on the metric noted above. That is why I feel kind of meh about its placement.

[krad]

<ahem> interjection- enjoying this discussion.
That is all.

[Marionberry]

The thing about GULC is that, outside of extreme splitters, it isn't any easier to get into than schools with better placement power on the metric noted above. That is why I feel kind of meh about its placement.

You're right about this. I have wondered how they keep their medians so high when they seem to be as difficult to get into as higher ranked schools, and they don't seem to be overly generous with scholarship money. I'm assuming it's the location, but I'm not sure.

For me, a regular splitter, it was a combination of things. My fiancee didn't want Chicago (NU) and I had already been denied by UVA and UT(my first choice) as an RD applicant, and Charlottesville probably wouldn't have worked for us, anyway. So, it was pretty much GULC or a lower T1 for me. Given the choice and were I single, I would possibly have done ED to UVA or NU, but I'm definitely thrilled to be headed to georgetown.

[MissLucky]

It is simplistic because actually having some grandiose, complex evaluation of a school's placement power would take an insane amount of time and effort, not to mention the fact that the data to do it is definitely lacking. Because we have nothing better than certain statistics that can serve as a proxy for "prestige," I choose to base decisions off of what I do have rather than saying "hey this is too simple" when there is nothing else.

The thing about GULC is that, outside of extreme splitters, it isn't any easier to get into than schools with better placement power on the metric noted above. That is why I feel kind of meh about its placement.

I know - why do people pick it over better schools, then? It can't JUST be location (it's only 3 years of your life, and you can spend as much time after law school in d.c. if you want) and like the above poster said they are def not generous with scholarship money.

[bk1]

I imagine they keep their medians through a combination of location and the illusion of prestige. What I mean by the latter is that people would choose GULC over something like UVa because GULC, a private school in DC, seems more prestigious than a state school in Virginia.

But I think you guys are really undervaluing location because it definitely could have a lot to do with it. None of the similarly ranked schools are in large cities. Ithica, Durham, Charlottesville, Ann Arbor, etc. The only other T14s in big cities are much harder to get into: NU (need work experience) and CCN.

[xtine]

I imagine they keep their medians through a combination of location and the illusion of prestige. What I mean by the latter is that people would choose GULC over something like UVa because GULC, a private school in DC, seems more prestigious than a state school in Virginia.

But I think you guys are really undervaluing location because it definitely could have a lot to do with it. None of the similarly ranked schools are in large cities. Ithica, Durham, Charlottesville, Ann Arbor, etc. The only other T14s in big cities are much harder to get into: NU (need work experience) and CCN.

I was going to say the same thing about location. I might choose GULC (if they let me in) over UVA because of location. I want to be in a city, not Charlottesville for 3 more years.

[Dany]

But I think you guys are really undervaluing location because it definitely could have a lot to do with it. None of the similarly ranked schools are in large cities. Ithica, Durham, Charlottesville, Ann Arbor, etc. The only other T14s in big cities are much harder to get into: NU (need work experience) and CCN.

This.

[Marionberry]

Well, there's Penn, but it seems like you never hear anything about Penn on TLS. Is it because even though it's in a city, Philadelphia is not a desirable place to live?

[bk1]

Well, there's Penn, but it seems like you never hear anything about Penn on TLS. Is it because even though it's in a city, Philadelphia is not a desirable place to live?

I forgot about Philly, but yes Philly is probably less desirable than DC/NYC (on top of the smaller legal market). I think it probably has to do with naive undergrads going straight to law school and imagining themselves working for a huge NYC firm or big DC government agency and thus gravitate towards wanting to go to school in DC/NYC. On top of the fact that a lot of these kids who have never lived in a big city probably have an idealized view of that lifestyle.

[xtine]

I forgot about Philly, but yes Philly is probably less desirable than DC/NYC (on top of the smaller legal market). I think it probably has to do with naive undergrads going straight to law school and imagining themselves working for a huge NYC firm or big DC government agency and thus gravitate towards wanting to go to school in DC/NYC. On top of the fact that a lot of these kids who have never lived in a big city probably have an idealized view of that lifestyle.

Cities like DC/NYC might also offer more job opportunities for significant others of law students. Why do you have to be a naive undergrad to want to go to a city school? I think everyone should do it at some point in their life, so why not when you're a student and you expect to be broke and potentially miserable than later on in life?

[garrcv7]

Loving this convo, but I have to interrupt..... Just updated to 12/20, this is my 3rd or 4th update and it's a Monday so I'm hoping for a decision.... Anyone else update today? Anyone get access to admitted students site??

[Marionberry]

If the numbers in your profile are accurate, you're getting in.

[src42]

Loving this convo, but I have to interrupt..... Just updated to 12/20, this is my 3rd or 4th update and it's a Monday so I'm hoping for a decision.... Anyone else update today? Anyone get access to admitted students site??

Holy crap, mine just updated to today also. 3rd or 4th update for me too. Eek!

[xtine]

Loving this convo, but I have to interrupt..... Just updated to 12/20, this is my 3rd or 4th update and it's a Monday so I'm hoping for a decision.... Anyone else update today? Anyone get access to admitted students site??

Me too! I've been so resigned to always seeing 11/30 when I compulsively check it at work that I gasped pretty audibly when I saw it had updated to 12/20 (oops, busted! haha)

This is my 3rd or 4th update I think too. I can't access the admitted students site, but I'm telling myself that's okay

Edit: now I can start compulsively checking the ASW...

[Soda Mixer]

Loving this convo, but I have to interrupt..... Just updated to 12/20, this is my 3rd or 4th update and it's a Monday so I'm hoping for a decision.... Anyone else update today? Anyone get access to admitted students site??

Yep! I think this is my fourth (applied 11/18), so like you I'm hoping for a decision. I'll check the ASW this evening--hope we get good news soon!

[Redsgomarchingon]

updated to 12/20 from 12/15. 4th update

[garrcv7]

If the numbers in your profile are accurate, you're getting in.

Thanks, I hope you're right, I don't want to jinx it though.... I've wanted to go to Georgetown ever since I first decided on law school! Fingers crossed

Like everyone else who just posted, I can't get into the admitted students site yet either, but it seems like there was a delay of a few hours for past acceptances so I'm not tooooo worried yet......

[Kent M]

I got the 12/20 update as well.

[dytelb]

add me to the 12/20 update crew....aah!

[src42]

These status date updates are actually meaningful, right? I know at some schools they aren't...I'm so confused, and yet so hopeful.

[dytelb]

i'm not sure lol, but as far as thread wisdom goes, decisions seem to be made for GULC on Mondays, so hopefully we are in the admitted batch!