International Applicants 2014-15 Forum

[idee]

Checking in!!
Long time lurker here. Just made my account!
Also from South Korea, applied around mid January. Got accepted at WUSTL and Columbia after interviews.
I guess those two are big exceptions, since most of my other applications are not even complete yet.
But can't complain! I know that I applied really late in the cycle and there's a lot of waiting to do.
Wish I had applied sooner, but until the scores came up, I was sure I did really badly on the December LSAT and wasn't planning to apply this cycle.

I wanted to add my stats but got too scared that I might mess up the spreadsheet. I'll try to add them once I get home and could have a better look.

Wish good luck to all the international applicants!

[Hand]

Checking in!!
Long time lurker here. Just made my account!
Also from South Korea, applied around mid January. Got accepted at WUSTL and Columbia after interviews.
I guess those two are big exceptions, since most of my other applications are not even complete yet.
But can't complain! I know that I applied really late in the cycle and there's a lot of waiting to do.
Wish I had applied sooner, but until the scores came up, I was sure I did really badly on the December LSAT and wasn't planning to apply this cycle.

I wanted to add my stats but got too scared that I might mess up the spreadsheet. I'll try to add them once I get home and could have a better look.

Wish good luck to all the international applicants!

hi idee, just add your stats at the bottom; don't sort the sheet and you'll be fine. congrats on your acceptances, and good luck!

[jawsjawsjaws]

Checking in!!
Long time lurker here. Just made my account!
Also from South Korea, applied around mid January. Got accepted at WUSTL and Columbia after interviews.
I guess those two are big exceptions, since most of my other applications are not even complete yet.
But can't complain! I know that I applied really late in the cycle and there's a lot of waiting to do.
Wish I had applied sooner, but until the scores came up, I was sure I did really badly on the December LSAT and wasn't planning to apply this cycle.

I wanted to add my stats but got too scared that I might mess up the spreadsheet. I'll try to add them once I get home and could have a better look.

Wish good luck to all the international applicants!

Another Korean! Yay! And congrats on your acceptances!

[musedreverie]

Hello there starshine, the Earth says hello! (Sorry, I'm just really bored at work)

It's nice to see new faces late on in the cycle! Congrats on your acceptances Leo!

Oh yeah and you guys, make sure to fill out the spreadsheet for the benefit of future applicants!

Random but I love Hair, I assume you are a fan of the musical Hair since you just quoted it - technically its good morning starshine but whatever close enough. I'm usually terrible at quoting things.

Teh biggest fan yes. LOL it's my guilty pleasure along with legally blonde.

[adeel]

People, help me figure this out. After three years of law school on an F1 visa, you are given a year to work under the OPT arrangement, right? During this one year, you try to find an employer who is ready to sponsor you for your H-1B visa.

Now, this is interesting for me. "A computer-generated process will randomly select the number of petitions needed to meet the caps of 65,000 visas for the general category and 20,000 under the advanced degree exemption. USCIS will reject and return filing fees for all cap-subject petitions that are not selected, unless found to be a duplicate filing." So apparently 65,000 visas are handed out and for advanced degree (JD might be counted as one), 20,000. "It’s important to note that USCIS received about 172,500 H-1B petitions, more than twice the number of H1B visas available under regular cap of 65,000."

So basically after finding an employer who might be prepared to sponsor your H-1B visa, you essentially have to rely on a computer to generate your name during the lottery. Or else Goodbye, right? I mean you try to look for employment elsewhere.

[musedreverie]

People, help me figure this out. After three years of law school on an F1 visa, you are given a year to work under the OPT arrangement, right? During this one year, you try to find an employer who is ready to sponsor you for your H-1B visa.

Now, this is interesting for me. "A computer-generated process will randomly select the number of petitions needed to meet the caps of 65,000 visas for the general category and 20,000 under the advanced degree exemption. USCIS will reject and return filing fees for all cap-subject petitions that are not selected, unless found to be a duplicate filing." So apparently 65,000 visas are handed out and for advanced degree (JD might be counted as one), 20,000. "It’s important to note that USCIS received about 172,500 H-1B petitions, more than twice the number of H1B visas available under regular cap of 65,000."

So basically after finding an employer who might be prepared to sponsor your H-1B visa, you essentially have to rely on a computer to generate your name during the lottery. Or else Goodbye, right? I mean you try to look for employment elsewhere.

Fair point you make there, but isn't it hard to qualify for the 'advanced degree' category? I don't think the number of applicants with advanced degrees can be that high, given the quotas universities have (esp in PhD's case) for foreign intakes anyway.

In any case, I have friends working after their JDs, non US citizens and they all had no problem getting visas; it seems as long as you can get employed, visa's not really an issue

[altf4]

People, help me figure this out. After three years of law school on an F1 visa, you are given a year to work under the OPT arrangement, right? During this one year, you try to find an employer who is ready to sponsor you for your H-1B visa.

Now, this is interesting for me. "A computer-generated process will randomly select the number of petitions needed to meet the caps of 65,000 visas for the general category and 20,000 under the advanced degree exemption. USCIS will reject and return filing fees for all cap-subject petitions that are not selected, unless found to be a duplicate filing." So apparently 65,000 visas are handed out and for advanced degree (JD might be counted as one), 20,000. "It’s important to note that USCIS received about 172,500 H-1B petitions, more than twice the number of H1B visas available under regular cap of 65,000."

So basically after finding an employer who might be prepared to sponsor your H-1B visa, you essentially have to rely on a computer to generate your name during the lottery. Or else Goodbye, right? I mean you try to look for employment elsewhere.

Fair point you make there, but isn't it hard to qualify for the 'advanced degree' category? I don't think the number of applicants with advanced degrees can be that high, given the quotas universities have (esp in PhD's case) for foreign intakes anyway.

In any case, I have friends working after their JDs, non US citizens and they all had no problem getting visas; it seems as long as you can get employed, visa's not really an issue

USCIS has also received more than the limit of 20,000 H-1B petitions filed under the advanced degree exemption.
http://www.uscis.gov/news/uscis-reaches ... h-1b-cap-0

The Advance Degree Exemption petitions reach their cap slower, but the further into the year the time-limit progresses, the more likely that the cap will be reached.
http://www.workpermit.com/news/2006_06_ ... update.htm

So I guess if you have a job lined up by winter break-ish of your 3L year and your company applies for your H1B visa when slots open up in early April, you should have a decent chance at at least applying to be part of the 20,000. And if you don't win the lottery, your name goes into the pile of 65,000 to be re-chosen.
But yeah, I know some friends working in the US after their JDs too and none of them seemed to have had any issues with obtaining their visas.

[adeel]

Folks. Am I a pessimist or what?

"Each year, over 500,000 students earn a master’s degree, making the master’s the most frequently awarded graduate degree." http://www.internationalstudent.com/stu ... /graduate/

"International students now make up 17% of all U.S. graduate students, with more than half studying engineering, science and business, according to a report to be released Wednesday by the Council of Graduate Schools". http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-graduat ... 1415768821

So the total applicants for the H-1B visa is a minimum of 85,000 (even if we take 500,000 as the total number of graduate degrees awarded, which obviously is not the case). And there is a cap of 20,000. Doctors and engineers they like anyways, especially when it comes to retaining them; lawyers (devil's advocates from abroad) not so much. Things look bleak, my friends, things look bleak.

[altf4]

Folks. Am I a pessimist or what?

"Each year, over 500,000 students earn a master’s degree, making the master’s the most frequently awarded graduate degree." http://www.internationalstudent.com/stu ... /graduate/

"International students now make up 17% of all U.S. graduate students, with more than half studying engineering, science and business, according to a report to be released Wednesday by the Council of Graduate Schools". http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-graduat ... 1415768821

So the total applicants for the H-1B visa is a minimum of 85,000 (even if we take 500,000 as the total number of graduate degrees awarded, which obviously is not the case). And there is a cap of 20,000. Doctors and engineers they like anyways, especially when it comes to retaining them; lawyers (devil's advocates from abroad) not so much. Things look bleak, my friends, things look bleak.

Well.. There's always the hope that not every newly minted MA/MSc wants to stay in the States and find work?

Also kinda relevant: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=124424

[musedreverie]

Folks. Am I a pessimist or what?

"Each year, over 500,000 students earn a master’s degree, making the master’s the most frequently awarded graduate degree." http://www.internationalstudent.com/stu ... /graduate/

"International students now make up 17% of all U.S. graduate students, with more than half studying engineering, science and business, according to a report to be released Wednesday by the Council of Graduate Schools". http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-graduat ... 1415768821

So the total applicants for the H-1B visa is a minimum of 85,000 (even if we take 500,000 as the total number of graduate degrees awarded, which obviously is not the case). And there is a cap of 20,000. Doctors and engineers they like anyways, especially when it comes to retaining them; lawyers (devil's advocates from abroad) not so much. Things look bleak, my friends, things look bleak.

Master's doesn't qualify as advanced degrees; only PhDs, MDs, JDs I think.

And i think i'll worry about this when i get to my 2nd year when i actually get a job lol. Pointless speculations, my friend, until we actually find a job. ETA, someone on this forum told us we'll be at a complete disadvantage on our admissions outcome because we're foreign without GPA, but i got accepted to all my top 3 choices anyway so let's keep away from unnecessary negativities until warranted by evil situations

[altf4]

Folks. Am I a pessimist or what?

"Each year, over 500,000 students earn a master’s degree, making the master’s the most frequently awarded graduate degree." http://www.internationalstudent.com/stu ... /graduate/

"International students now make up 17% of all U.S. graduate students, with more than half studying engineering, science and business, according to a report to be released Wednesday by the Council of Graduate Schools". http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-graduat ... 1415768821

So the total applicants for the H-1B visa is a minimum of 85,000 (even if we take 500,000 as the total number of graduate degrees awarded, which obviously is not the case). And there is a cap of 20,000. Doctors and engineers they like anyways, especially when it comes to retaining them; lawyers (devil's advocates from abroad) not so much. Things look bleak, my friends, things look bleak.

Master's doesn't qualify as advanced degrees; only PhDs, MDs, JDs I think.

And i think i'll worry about this when i get to my 2nd year when i actually get a job lol. Pointless speculations, my friend, until we actually find a job. ETA, someone on this forum told us we'll be at a complete disadvantage on our admissions outcome because we're foreign without GPA, but i got accepted to all my top 3 choices anyway so let's keep away from unnecessary negativities until warranted by evil situations

Unfortunately, Mused:

An advanced degree exemption is provided for the first 20,000 petitions filed for a beneficiary who has obtained a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Once that limit is reached, any petitions filed for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree or higher will count against the regular cap, unless exempt for other reasons.

Mind, the school has to be not-for-profit + accredited but us int'l to-be JDs should be fine in that aspect.

But you're right. We're worrying about things far in the future that we don't even know will come up as (problematic) issues. It might be super easy to work around/through it for all we know

And I still believe not having a uGPA could disadvantage us slightly, but you had an awesome application package so were able to overcome it

[adeel]

Muse you have gotten in to Harvard and all man. You d get a job anywhere anyways. You can apply to the moon for a job and they ll work out a position for you there as well. You are not one of us. Or in fact I m not one of most of the people here. So ordinary mortals like me have ordinary worries in their lives. I brought up the visa thing because a friend in the US, who is a US national himself and law graduate has repeatedly asked me to not go to a law school in the US, since as an international chances of finding a job in the US would be minimal according to him. And financing such an expensive degree would not be worth it if one has to go back to ones home country which makes sense since even my grand children might not be able to reach a break even with the cost I might incur (if you think of a law degree as an investment which has to bear returns - not taking in to account the intrinsic value of education and all). And when I have tried to test out his claims with some preliminary internet research, he does make sense, unfortunately.

But I agree with ur thinking. What shall be shall be, and there is a proper time of worrying about everything. I do believe in the philosophy of going with the flow and things working out themselves. So yeahh. Chilling is what matters. And you for one need to be all chilled out man. Bear the fruits of your hard work in life.

[musedreverie]

Sorry, I didn't want to rub anyone the wrong way, and I do apologise if I came out unnecessarily harsh. But the point I wanted to make was that we only need to worry about visa stuff when we get a job and if we don't then visa problem becomes irrelevant anyway. And law firms wouldn't be as ignorant as to choose law students without citizenship if they knew the visa quota is a massive obstacle but as i've said, people do gain employment. And from looking at experiences of acquaintances, as long as they landed a job and had no c&f issues, they all got visas. What's more, they weren't ostracized or prejudiced in any way (or they say) just because they were foreign in their job interviews and selection.

But then again, gaining employment is hard even for US students in this economy and there may be impediments in gaining worthwhile job after JD. But we, as well as US students alike, all jump into the pit with bomb strapped to our bank accounts by taking the risk of going to law school in the first place.

what i said about worrying being unnecessary--I didn't say this to make myself feel superior or anything ridiculous like that. Again though i apologise for my insensitive remarks if i offended anyone.

[adeel]

I ve talked too much today, but that doesnt deter me to post one more. Muse chill out man. I am sorry if I made you feel that way. Obviously that wasnt the intention. You didnt come across as arrogant or vain or you know any of that sorts. What you said made sense irrespective of where you might have had gotten in. I am sorry for bringing in personal stuff. And my bad if I made you feel bad. Before it gets awkwarder, lets chill out. Congratulations though! And congratulations to everyone else who is getting in to places of awesomeness. Jobs, we ll figure out. Things have worked out till now, there is no reason to believe they wldnt in the future.

[2666]

I actually know a guy(though not a law student) who had to give up his Goldman Sachs offer because he couldn't get the H1-B, so I think your school or job offer doesn't really matter when it comes to the computerized process(even though rumor has it that STEM students tend to be surprisingly luckier compared to others). Let's just relax and savor the current joy of LS admissions and manage to survive 1L and kill the OCI and then probably worry about that. Who knows what the policy will look like at that time?

[Hand]

Just find a sweet American boy or girl to marry while in school, and apply for a green card. If all goes well, same sex marriage will be recognized at the federal level before too long, so this can be an option for everyone well before we graduate.

[adeel]

People, is Emory a good school for internationals? Like, how good is it?

[ncc1701]

Been lurking around this thread for a while, but was a little scared to post (no idea why).

Checking in. Superior, Filipino.
UG in the Philippines but I am a US Permanent Resident.

Applied to all the T14 except Columbia, Northwestern and UPenn.
Rejected from NYU and Harvard (no surprise there). I have yet to hear from the rest.

Good luck to everyone! And congratulations to all the admits.

[Hand]

People, is Emory a good school for internationals? Like, how good is it?

Well, if you want to measure how good a school is for international by your chances of finding a job with an employer that will allow you to obtain an H1B, then - given it's 20% biglaw placement - Emory is not a great school. Since getting these jobs is mostly grade-based, your grades better be in the top quartile at Emory to have a good shot at getting this sort of job. At schools that are only ranked a few spots higher, like UT and UCLA, that percentage is already significantly higher, and yet it is still below (and in many cases well below) that of the T14.

In other respects: 3 our of the 223 students (or about 1%) making up their 2014 entering class did not have reportable GPA (which often means that they completed their undergraduate studies abroad); and 30 out of a total of 815 students (or about 3.7%) is a nonresident alien. You can see in the OP how these last two numbers compare to the T14.

[williamsun]

oh sorry, long time no check here. some updates for me:

169 + AA

ED In Michigan: Admitted 11/25, $$$ 1/7: Dean's Scholarship: 120k (isn't Michigan amazing or what?!)
NYU: rejected (of course)
Cornell: in via email, withdrew after admission to Michigan
WUSTL: in via email, 120k scholarship, withdrew after Michigan
GW: in via email, 120k scholarship, withdrew after Michigan.

Others were still pending when I withdrew.

So I will definitely be going to UMich this summer, let me know if anyone of you might be my classmate!

That looks amazing! I'm also from China, 168+S and I applied for UMich as well in.... February =.=
I do hope that I can get my result soon. This waiting period is ruining my life.

[appind]

please don't quote

anyone know if a US citizen can clerk in India or work with the government there in some legal job post grad?

[Harry_Pluxen]

Does anyone know how well Canadian, Australian and British citizens do when they apply to American law schools? Are they seen as favourable applicants since they are english speaking countries? There being no TOEFL test and what not, education system somewhat similar, etc.

[Auxilio]

Does anyone know how well Canadian, Australian and British citizens do when they apply to American law schools? Are they seen as favourable applicants since they are english speaking countries? There being no TOEFL test and what not, education system somewhat similar, etc.

Canadians are mostly treated like Americans. I think the experience of Australian and British applicants will vary based on university.

[taptaptop]

If all goes well, same sex marriage will be recognized at the federal level before too long, so this can be an option for everyone well before we graduate.

Sweet.

[D.Kim]

Anyone planning on attending Emory's dinner event in Seoul?