Brooklyn Law School 2011 Cycle Forum

[rocon7383]

Has anybody been able to negotiate with BLS regarding scholarship amount/stipulations? If so, did you respond to the scholarship email or did you contact a specific individual? Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.

I sent an email to the admitq address over two weeks ago and despite two follow-up emails asking for confirmation of receipt, I still have not heard back from them. Probably going to withdraw any day now.

I recommend you send a negotiation letter to a person, rather than the generic admitq email.

[jplwine]

Sending deposit in tomorrow. Still waiting on a couple of ridiculous reach schools, but I'm excited about BLS and being back in the city.

[Dripworx]

Waitlisted today.....FUCK

[umilikechips]

I was admitted to BLS this morning. It took them forever to admit me. My application has been complete since November. Anyway, I've decided to accept an offer from a different law school...so once I withdraw from BLS, I hope that opens up a spot for someone. Best wishes!

[play2win]

Admitted as of Friday. I will probably be withdrawing unless I get substantial financial aid. BLS at sticker is not worth it to me compared to St. John's full tuition.

[lsapplicant]

I sent an email to the admitq address too and a response the next day about a small award, but not enough to make me want to go. I'm hoping some funds will be available soon

[jplwine]

Cycle finally over! Heading to BLS in the fall! Anyone else definitely going to Brooklyn?

[AssociateX]

Hello everyone,

I spent the past few days reading over every single message on this thread. I'm a BLS graduate (long time ago, but still keep contacts thru current students/recent alums to know the latest news) - and there are a bit of remarks made that I would really love to address - albeit most were made many months ago when this thread was first created.

I'd first like to add that I am a little disappointed that at least 1 of you who attended the Admitted Students Reception on 3/28 was persuaded not to attend BLS because of the presentation (for the record, I was not there, I'm just reacting to the comment). After reading that, I feel compelled to actually volunteer to speak because I remember applying to Brooklyn and going to several of these events and wondering "why do they always have recent alums who are doing top Clerkships or working at (insert big prestigious firm here) and maybe a token public interest attorney on the panels?". I dont really know why that was, my guess is the Admissions Office or the Administration never reached out to solicit speakers from all ranges but here are my 2 cents.

I was bottom 1/2 at Bklyn, even came in off the waitlist. I bombed 1L but managed to get my GPA up to some respectable level in 2L and 3L. I lived at home so managed to graduate with little debt (~68K which also included an undergrad loan and a bar exam loan thro[size=50][/size]ugh AccessGroup). I commuted to Bklyn all 3 years on the "A" train since I lived in Queens. If I had to go back in time, (assuming same GPA/LSAT), I would still choose Brooklyn. Scholarship money is available EVEN as a 2L and 3L...so dont let the fact that you did not get any money as an incoming 1L turn you off.

I attribute my current success at work because of my BLS degree. The fact is that the Alumni network in NYC can NOT be beat. I have gotten interviews at places I would never have qualifed for just because I knew aalums at the firm. I have gotten

[AssociateX]

Continued in a new message because my browser settings for some reason truncated my message:

I have gotten interviews at firms that were run by BLS graduates and received them just because my resume had "Brooklyn Law" written on them - the number of my classmates who I consider successful vastly outnumber the lax few who simply lost interest in their careers or have crawled into the woodwork (as goosey aptly points out, there are a few bottom ranked students who just lash out bitterly at everyone else because they can't accept responsibility for their own poor choices).

Lastly, while BLS is a good regional school - I applaud those of you who are looking at your prospective debt levels. I do not think BLS at sticker price is worth it IF YOU have another law school acceptance in a market in which you wish to practice. NYC is a VERY tight knit legal community. I've seen it at my firm already - graduates from "outside NY area" schools and relatively local schools outside the Northeast (ie Widener, Baylor, Miami, Wayne State, etc) do NOT get the same treatment in hiring as graduates from local T2s in our area like SJY, Cardozo, Hofstra, NYLS.


Another misconception: rankings mattering below the Biglaw level. I dont know where exactly BLS is ranking these days - but any resume crossing my desk or that of my firm's Hiring Partner that says "Hofstra/SJU/NYLS/Cardozo/Touro/CUNY" is perceived as the same. We do not sit in a meeting and say "ohh well this guy isfrom Touro so not as smart as the Cardozo grad"...it just doesnt work that way.


Any q's - feel free to PM me.

[musicalmissionary]

Just got wait listed via status checker. I applied back in November but my numbers are below their lower bracket. I'll be withdrawing my spot on the WL as I've decided to attend Cardozo.

[neptunestar]

Just got wait listed via status checker. I applied back in November but my numbers are below their lower bracket. I'll be withdrawing my spot on the WL as I've decided to attend Cardozo.

You were WL'd at BLS but admitted to Cardozo? Thats sorta abnormal, no?

[musicalmissionary]

Just got wait listed via status checker. I applied back in November but my numbers are below their lower bracket. I'll be withdrawing my spot on the WL as I've decided to attend Cardozo.

You were WL'd at BLS but admitted to Cardozo? Thats sorta abnormal, no?

The abnormal part is that I got accepted by either one with my numbers (156, 3.11). However I do have 10 years of work experience, an engineering degree, a digital media degree and an MBA. Plus, this might be Yeshiva's version of affirmative action since I'm Muslim

Either way I'm fuckin excited!

[love.noelle]

I was just Waitlisted via status checker.

For those of you who were also WL'ed, I was wondering how long it took for you guys to receive an e-mail from BLS containing "Special Information and Recommendations for Wait-listed Candidates""?

[neptunestar]

Just got wait listed via status checker. I applied back in November but my numbers are below their lower bracket. I'll be withdrawing my spot on the WL as I've decided to attend Cardozo.

You were WL'd at BLS but admitted to Cardozo? Thats sorta abnormal, no?

The abnormal part is that I got accepted by either one with my numbers (156, 3.11). However I do have 10 years of work experience, an engineering degree, a digital media degree and an MBA. Plus, this might be Yeshiva's version of affirmative action since I'm Muslim

Either way I'm fuckin excited!

Haha wow! Congrats!

Were you accepted off of the Cardozo WL or accepted initially?

[ohhenry]

In via email this morning Pacific time.

[musicalmissionary]

Haha wow! Congrats!

Were you accepted off of the Cardozo WL or accepted initially?

Off FT Fall wait list into PT May program. I'll take it however they want to let me in. This actually works better for me because my wife will be doing her medical residency near Hartford, CT, so the part-time class schedule (M-Th) affords me more time to go up and see her.

[jplwine]

In via email this morning Pacific time.

Congrats!

[play2win]

Got offered the 30.8K scholly. I'm sorry if this was covered already, but has anyone received more than that?

[davidjs23]

Hey everyone, I have a question. I applied to Brooklyn Law PT pretty late in the cycle. (I Just got a legal job at Allstate right across the street from BLS so I figured it would be worth a shot to apply) I applied on Feb 28, went to "Ready for review" on 3/9, and "In Review" on 4/6, 4/26 and now again on 5/3. My GPA is a 3.3 and my LSAT is a 156.

Is it customary to have 3 in review dates, is this a good sign or bad one?

Let me know. Thanks

[aknecht]

was just accepted from the WL for the part time program. Not really interested in anything but full time tho.

[love.noelle]

To those of you who were waitlisted-

when you guys sent them the Waiting List Reply form, did you receive any type of confirmation that they received it?

[aknecht]

To those of you who were waitlisted-

when you guys sent them the Waiting List Reply form, did you receive any type of confirmation that they received it?

nope but I got off the wait list for part time so they must have gotten it.

[love.noelle]

To those of you who were waitlisted-

when you guys sent them the Waiting List Reply form, did you receive any type of confirmation that they received it?

nope but I got off the wait list for part time so they must have gotten it.

Yeah, I ended up e-mailing them to make sure they received my form but I got the feeling they were a little annoyed that I had asked

How long did it take them to take you off the waitlist? (And are you planning on joining the PT program?)
I just sent my form/LOCI/op essay yesterday... I hope I don't have to wait too long for any type of answer :/

[davidjs23]

Accepted VIA status checker for PT!!!

[aknecht]

To those of you who were waitlisted-

when you guys sent them the Waiting List Reply form, did you receive any type of confirmation that they received it?

nope but I got off the wait list for part time so they must have gotten it.

Yeah, I ended up e-mailing them to make sure they received my form but I got the feeling they were a little annoyed that I had asked

How long did it take them to take you off the waitlist? (And are you planning on joining the PT program?)
I just sent my form/LOCI/op essay yesterday... I hope I don't have to wait too long for any type of answer :/

March 9th I was placed on the wait list and May 4th I got the offer for part time. I already told them I'm not interested in part time but to keep me on the full time wait list. They did not acknowledge that e-mail (seemed relevant for you is why I mention that).