UC Hastings 2010!!! Forum

[msch0i]

One concern I had with Hastings is that its students may have to compete with Boalt students when it comes to externships/summer law clerkships, etc, especially in the government/public service sector because there are such limited spaces. Is that a real issue up there or do Hastings students usually not have a problem getting clerkships?

Depends on the type of clerkship. I am sure the federal ones were very competitive this year, for the summer. Where Hastings students have a real advantage is in being able to clerk during the SEMESTER, as opposed to during the summer. It's not easy for a Boalt or Stanford guy to get out of class at 1 or 2 pm, then travel to the Civic Center to clerk at the 9th Circuit. Hastings students on the other hand, are a 5 minute walk away.

Thanks for the info! I didn't think about the edge Hastings students have for clerkships during the semester. A definite plus

[finalaspects]

Only the T20 + ND + UW are solid out of state bets if you want to work in CA.

you would choose ND over Hastings if the ultimate goal was to end up in CA?

[a male human]

I think intellectual property is a concentration Hastings offers.

I'm really considering Hastings (vs. Santa Clara + $ because I want to work in Silicon Valley), but there hasn't been any scholarship news for me. My acceptance letter was dated 1/13, so it's been over a couple of weeks.

[General Tso]

Only the T20 + ND + UW are solid out of state bets if you want to work in CA.

you would choose ND over Hastings if the ultimate goal was to end up in CA?

Hah - not sure about that. I'd probably give the advantage to the more cost-friendly option. I don't really know much about ND's placement in CA, only that it places around 7-8% of its classes out here each year.

My thinking is that the UC's are so expensive right now that it is almost a better bet to gamble on a school like UW, WUSTL, or ND if it will be cheaper for you. I personally don't believe it is wise to go too far in excess of 100k loans for any non-T14 school.

[finalaspects]

Only the T20 + ND + UW are solid out of state bets if you want to work in CA.

you would choose ND over Hastings if the ultimate goal was to end up in CA?

Hah - not sure about that. I'd probably give the advantage to the more cost-friendly option. I don't really know much about ND's placement in CA, only that it places around 7-8% of its classes out here each year.

My thinking is that the UC's are so expensive right now that it is almost a better bet to gamble on a school like UW, WUSTL, or ND if it will be cheaper for you. I personally don't believe it is wise to go too far in excess of 100k loans for any non-T14 school.

costs are around the same now with the increase... actually since i'm a CA resident hastings would be slightly cheaper...

im sure ND only places 7-8% because a lot of people choose to stay in the east coast. if you had to take a guess at big law placements for both ND and Hastings that wish to work in CA... who do you think would have a better shot if they ranked the same in each respective school. (ignoring the costs of law school)

[General Tso]

costs are around the same now with the increase... actually since i'm a CA resident hastings would be slightly cheaper...

im sure ND only places 7-8% because a lot of people choose to stay in the east coast. if you had to take a guess at big law placements for both ND and Hastings that wish to work in CA... who do you think would have a better shot if they ranked the same in each respective school. (ignoring the costs of law school)

Hastings would probably win in that scenario I guess. There's a guy on here...legends something I believe...he is an east coast guy who is attending Stanford. Well anyway he has apparently been getting grilled at his interviews about his commitment to living and working in CA. I am not sure why they would be skeptical of an east coast guy wanting to live in CA. It seems obvious to me that pretty much anybody would be happy making big bucks on the west coast.

I will try to find out who I am talking about exactly...he might be able to give you more insight. I haven't interviewed for anything yet, so I am probably not the most qualified to answer this.

[General Tso]

CA is tough with no ties.

I've interviewed with CA firms as a 1L and i'm not from CA nor have I ever worked in CA and even though I currently go to school in CA they grill me on my commitment to CA.
-legends159

[finalaspects]

CA is tough with no ties.

I've interviewed with CA firms as a 1L and i'm not from CA nor have I ever worked in CA and even though I currently go to school in CA they grill me on my commitment to CA.
-legends159

hmm but i am from CA. CA firms should know regardless of which law school i go to, that i want to come back to CA. i think i can convince them considering that i lived here all my life.

i am just wondering about job prospects if the firm was confident in your dedication to CA. if someone from hastings and notre dame had the same GPA/Ranking in their respective school, who would they prefer just based on schools?

[General Tso]

CA is tough with no ties.

I've interviewed with CA firms as a 1L and i'm not from CA nor have I ever worked in CA and even though I currently go to school in CA they grill me on my commitment to CA.
-legends159

hmm but i am from CA. CA firms should know regardless of which law school i go to, that i want to come back to CA. i think i can convince them considering that i lived here all my life.

i am just wondering about job prospects if the firm was confident in your dedication to CA. if someone from hastings and notre dame had the same GPA/Ranking in their respective school, who would they prefer just based on schools?

I guess so, but the real trick is getting the interview in the first place. If OCI doesn't get you a job out here, then you won't have any alumni network to fall back on. That is a real strength of Hastings...something like 8 or 10,000 alumni in CA. With Notre Dame you are almost certainly looking at fewer than 1,000. Not that absolute numbers really mean all that much I guess...knowing just ONE guy in the right place and the right time might do the trick.

[Veritas]

when can we expect to hear some financial information?

[finalaspects]

I guess so, but the real trick is getting the interview in the first place. If OCI doesn't get you a job out here, then you won't have any alumni network to fall back on. That is a real strength of Hastings...something like 8 or 10,000 alumni in CA. With Notre Dame you are almost certainly looking at fewer than 1,000. Not that absolute numbers really mean all that much I guess...knowing just ONE guy in the right place and the right time might do the trick.

hmm i c... but am i correct in assuming that Notre Dame can be put around the same ranking as hastings in terms of name prestige when it comes to getting a job in CA?

[General Tso]

I guess so, but the real trick is getting the interview in the first place. If OCI doesn't get you a job out here, then you won't have any alumni network to fall back on. That is a real strength of Hastings...something like 8 or 10,000 alumni in CA. With Notre Dame you are almost certainly looking at fewer than 1,000. Not that absolute numbers really mean all that much I guess...knowing just ONE guy in the right place and the right time might do the trick.

hmm i c... but am i correct in assuming that Notre Dame can be put around the same ranking as hastings in terms of name prestige when it comes to getting a job in CA?

haha this is like that scene from Fracture where Ryan Gosling is hoping that the victim will wake up from the coma so she can testify against the attempted murderer...

Nurse: "What are you going to do, keep asking the same question in different ways until you get the answer you want?"
Ryan Gosling: "I'm a lawyer...that's what I do."

So at least we know the legal field is right for you Seriously though...I have no idea. In any event, good grades + ND name + several years' experience would do nicely in CA if you had to work on the east coast for a while. Smaller and midsized firms are usually more interested in hiring people with experience, so even if you can't work in CA right away it should probably be possible after a few years. I am just speculating here...I don't know if anyone has any hard and fast answer for you.

Hell if you are that worried about it, start sending random emails to lawyers in CA. You might find a few people willing to talk. Martindale is a nice directory. Honestly I think that is the only way you will ever get the answers you seek.

[azukibeanlove]

when can we expect to hear some financial information?

I e-mailed the Financial Aid director, and he said if you have already completed your FAFSA and Need Access application, you should be getting your financial award package some time in April.

[Veritas]

when can we expect to hear some financial information?

I e-mailed the Financial Aid director, and he said if you have already completed your FAFSA and Need Access application, you should be getting your financial award package some time in April.

wtf, so after I have to commit to other schools?

[General Tso]

when can we expect to hear some financial information?

I e-mailed the Financial Aid director, and he said if you have already completed your FAFSA and Need Access application, you should be getting your financial award package some time in April.

wtf, so after I have to commit to other schools?

Do you have debt from UG? Did you report any savings (say, greater than $5,000)? If yes to first and no to second you will probably get a Hastings grant. Just my guess based on the way it worked last year.

If you do get a Hastings grant, it will probably be around 10k per year; minimum end of spectrum is likely 9k, max end is 12-13k.

[Veritas]

when can we expect to hear some financial information?

I e-mailed the Financial Aid director, and he said if you have already completed your FAFSA and Need Access application, you should be getting your financial award package some time in April.

wtf, so after I have to commit to other schools?

Do you have debt from UG? Did you report any savings (say, greater than $5,000)? If yes to first and no to second you will probably get a Hastings grant. Just my guess based on the way it worked last year.

If you do get a Hastings grant, it will probably be around 10k per year; minimum end of spectrum is likely 9k, max end is 12-13k.

I want to be sold on Hastings, but I just can't get excited about it.

[General Tso]

I should have included that in my list of cons -- Hastings financial aid sucks a big one. I was FURIOUS last year when I didnt get a Hastings grant. I grew up on a freaking farm in the middle of nowhere. My dad makes like 15k per year. But I had some savings since I was a kid and I had a scholarship to attend UG so apparently I am among the richest 25% of Hastings students.

[lateforthesky16]

I should have included that in my list of cons -- Hastings financial aid sucks a big one. I was FURIOUS last year when I didnt get a Hastings grant. I grew up on a freaking farm in the middle of nowhere. My dad makes like 15k per year. But I had some savings since I was a kid and I had a scholarship to attend UG so apparently I am among the richest 25% of Hastings students.

what about merit aid? looking at last year's LSN graph hardly anyone seems to get merit money. should I just give up hope?

[General Tso]

I should have included that in my list of cons -- Hastings financial aid sucks a big one. I was FURIOUS last year when I didnt get a Hastings grant. I grew up on a freaking farm in the middle of nowhere. My dad makes like 15k per year. But I had some savings since I was a kid and I had a scholarship to attend UG so apparently I am among the richest 25% of Hastings students.

what about merit aid? looking at last year's LSN graph hardly anyone seems to get merit money. should I just give up hope?

Yeah they don't give much merit aid either. But supposedly 75% of Hastings students get grants so the odds are theoretically in your favor.

[msch0i]

I should have included that in my list of cons -- Hastings financial aid sucks a big one. I was FURIOUS last year when I didnt get a Hastings grant. I grew up on a freaking farm in the middle of nowhere. My dad makes like 15k per year. But I had some savings since I was a kid and I had a scholarship to attend UG so apparently I am among the richest 25% of Hastings students.

so basically the money i've been saving up for law school is what's going to cancel out my grant -___-

...shopping spree?

[2013esq]

Just got my acceptance letter today!!!!!!!!!!!

[General Tso]

I should have included that in my list of cons -- Hastings financial aid sucks a big one. I was FURIOUS last year when I didnt get a Hastings grant. I grew up on a freaking farm in the middle of nowhere. My dad makes like 15k per year. But I had some savings since I was a kid and I had a scholarship to attend UG so apparently I am among the richest 25% of Hastings students.

so basically the money i've been saving up for law school is what's going to cancel out my grant -___-

...shopping spree?

Yeah I know, right? I think they should look more at your past income level and your parents' income level. This system could benefit a 25 year old who has rich parents but no savings of his own.

At this point there isn't much you can do though.

[Great Satchmo]

If ya'll won't go without a big scholly, you can relinquish your seat. I'll pay full tuition, almost happily!



Congrats though. I applied ED and got deferred, and still waiting on word.

[msch0i]

Just got my acceptance letter today!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats May I ask where in CA you are located?

[2013esq]

Just got my acceptance letter today!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats May I ask where in CA you are located?

Thanks!! East Bay - just across the Bay Bridge from SF (if you're not familiar with the area). It was dated 2/2.