Illinois 2011 applicants! Forum

[pereira6]

I flew into Indy and drove (it was a REALLY easy drive) and the flight was, like, $70 both way and the car rental was really cheap also.

Mind if I ask where you are from? A region if you're not comfy revealing your city?

And I'm under 25, and never owned a car or been on anyone's car insurance (I'm a bicycle rider, yo). I think a car rental would get mighty pricey for me.

Edit: No I'm not an environmental hipster that thinks he's saving the planet riding a bike. I just never needed a car my whole life and a bike gets me everywhere in ~15 min . If I need a ride somewhere I just pay a friend for gas money to haul my ass (I pay generously haha)

From Florida, and I am only 22 and rented the car. It was llike 20 bucks a day.

Hm, maybe I'll see if I can find a 70$ flight to a bigger metro area then! (Where did you find that?! I can't find a remote-controlled airplane for that much)

[Barbie]

Paying deposit on my dream house tomorrow in Illinois. 1 mile from the law school, 2500 square feet, and a HUGE fenced in back yard. BBQs are for SURE now. This should definitly sway anyone who was still between schools that Illinois is > !

[krad]

Dude this is totally going to weigh heavily on my decision

[egilb]

Barbie, thanks for the pictures! I wish there had been snow when I visited!

[KingRajesh]

The more and more I wait, the more I want to just give up on Cornell/Michigan/GWU/WUSTL/ and just decide on Illinois.

[mez06]

Paying deposit on my dream house tomorrow in Illinois. 1 mile from the law school, 2500 square feet, and a HUGE fenced in back yard. BBQs are for SURE now. This should definitly sway anyone who was still between schools that Illinois is > !

Hah so I guess you were sold then ey? Still have to wait for my trip in April. I'm reluctant to leave the south

But it's a GREAT school so I'm tripping right? *shrugs*

[melamine]

so if it currently says "File Complete - Ready for Review" that means we're getting our decision this Friday - or is there another status like "In review" that means that i'm getting a decision on Friday?

[Gotti]

so if it currently says "File Complete - Ready for Review" that means we're getting our decision this Friday - or is there another status like "In review" that means that i'm getting a decision on Friday?

there's an "In Review"....sorry you're gonna have to wait a bit

[melamine]

so if it currently says "File Complete - Ready for Review" that means we're getting our decision this Friday - or is there another status like "In review" that means that i'm getting a decision on Friday?

there's an "In Review"....sorry you're gonna have to wait a bit

haha - okay, i thought so but wasn't sure. Thanks for the info.

[Kinderby]

so if it currently says "File Complete - Ready for Review" that means we're getting our decision this Friday - or is there another status like "In review" that means that i'm getting a decision on Friday?

Dean Pless will probably post in the other Illinois thread (Illinois Class of 2014 with Dean Pless) on Friday, saying if you have such-and-such a date that your application is Complete by, you'll have your decision next Friday.

Two weeks ago, it was Complete by 1/10 would have their answer 1/21 (and go into Review 1/14), last Friday it was Complete by 1/14 (me! 1/11!) would have their answer this Friday (1/28--going into Review 1/21). He said it might not be every Friday, but that they were trying to keep a schedule similar to that.

[Barbie]

Paying deposit on my dream house tomorrow in Illinois. 1 mile from the law school, 2500 square feet, and a HUGE fenced in back yard. BBQs are for SURE now. This should definitly sway anyone who was still between schools that Illinois is > !

Hah so I guess you were sold then ey? Still have to wait for my trip in April. I'm reluctant to leave the south

But it's a GREAT school so I'm tripping right? *shrugs*

I put the deposit down because I'm pretty sure I want to go there (like, 90%) and if I do I definitly want THIS house . There is only one school that could even tempt me a little bit that I haven't heard from, but I'm still leaning towards Illinois way more with an acceptance from them but its my similar reluctancy to leave the south haha

[Sandro]

damn Barbie deposit on house already?!?! Must be a good feeling to have all the uncertainty going away.

[Barbie]

damn Barbie deposit on house already?!?! Must be a good feeling to have all the uncertainty going away.

Well, I luckily stumbled upon the perfect house while I was up there. Now I can't imagine living there and not having it so I wanted to make sure I got it!

[Sandro]

damn Barbie deposit on house already?!?! Must be a good feeling to have all the uncertainty going away.

Well, I luckily stumbled upon the perfect house while I was up there. Now I can't imagine living there and not having it so I wanted to make sure I got it!

Thats cool - how did it work with it being ~7 months from start of school ? I really, really, really want to rent a house next fall. I'm over apartments.

edit - unless you meant deposit to buy ? lol

[Barbie]

damn Barbie deposit on house already?!?! Must be a good feeling to have all the uncertainty going away.

Well, I luckily stumbled upon the perfect house while I was up there. Now I can't imagine living there and not having it so I wanted to make sure I got it!

Thats cool - how did it work with it being ~7 months from start of school ? I really, really, really want to rent a house next fall. I'm over apartments.

edit - unless you meant deposit to buy ? lol

No I'm renting. Houses are significantly more expensive, but I have 3 pets and a husband coming up there with me so its worth it. If you can find enough roommates who you really trust you could easily make it the same price as an apartment, though! The house is empty now, but to make them wait until July (I'm moving up a bit early) I signed a long-term lease and put down the $2,500 deposit.

[Sandro]

damn Barbie deposit on house already?!?! Must be a good feeling to have all the uncertainty going away.

Well, I luckily stumbled upon the perfect house while I was up there. Now I can't imagine living there and not having it so I wanted to make sure I got it!

Thats cool - how did it work with it being ~7 months from start of school ? I really, really, really want to rent a house next fall. I'm over apartments.

edit - unless you meant deposit to buy ? lol

No I'm renting. Houses are significantly more expensive, but I have 3 pets and a husband coming up there with me so its worth it. If you can find enough roommates who you really trust you could easily make it the same price as an apartment, though! The house is empty now, but to make them wait until July (I'm moving up a bit early) I signed a long-term lease and put down the $2,500 deposit.

wow thats pretty crazy that they would let the house sit empty for so long in exchange for guaranteed tenant. Post pics! haha

[JJDancer]

Paying deposit on my dream house tomorrow in Illinois. 1 mile from the law school, 2500 square feet, and a HUGE fenced in back yard. BBQs are for SURE now. This should definitly sway anyone who was still between schools that Illinois is > !

Wow. Congrats Barbie!
I can't wait to figure out where I'll be living next but that won't be until June at least.
JW, how many bed/bath is that?

[Barbie]

Paying deposit on my dream house tomorrow in Illinois. 1 mile from the law school, 2500 square feet, and a HUGE fenced in back yard. BBQs are for SURE now. This should definitly sway anyone who was still between schools that Illinois is > !

Wow. Congrats Barbie!
I can't wait to figure out where I'll be living next but that won't be until June at least.
JW, how many bed/bath is that?

You don't think you'll decide on a law school until June?
and its 3bed/3bath and a full, finished basement. I love it! It has a huge, open kitchen with a lot of cabinet space which is really important to me, a huge living room with working fire place (not common in florida!), 3 stories, cutest w/d room with new w/d, a FLORIDA ROOM (hehe) which apparently means a room that is completely glassed in (see-through cieling to floor) that overlooks the enormous fenced in yard that has 6 gardens (and a free gardener to take care of them because I kill every plant ever). I love hosting huge events (like the BBQs) and in UG I've always done big thanksgiving dinners for people who don't have time to go home, and I cook a feast every Sunday for whoever wants to come eat a good, homecooked meal. Its the perfect place for hosting which makes me a VERY happy girl!

[grayfoxx13]

I am on the waiting list

[spacepenguin]

Paying deposit on my dream house tomorrow in Illinois. 1 mile from the law school, 2500 square feet, and a HUGE fenced in back yard. BBQs are for SURE now. This should definitly sway anyone who was still between schools that Illinois is > !

Wow. Congrats Barbie!
I can't wait to figure out where I'll be living next but that won't be until June at least.
JW, how many bed/bath is that?

You don't think you'll decide on a law school until June?
and its 3bed/3bath and a full, finished basement. I love it! It has a huge, open kitchen with a lot of cabinet space which is really important to me, a huge living room with working fire place (not common in florida!), 3 stories, cutest w/d room with new w/d, a FLORIDA ROOM (hehe) which apparently means a room that is completely glassed in (see-through cieling to floor) that overlooks the enormous fenced in yard that has 6 gardens (and a free gardener to take care of them because I kill every plant ever). I love hosting huge events (like the BBQs) and in UG I've always done big thanksgiving dinners for people who don't have time to go home, and I cook a feast every Sunday for whoever wants to come eat a good, homecooked meal. Its the perfect place for hosting which makes me a VERY happy girl!

Sounds reallllly expensive. Any recommendations on what you consider the best apartments?

[blurbz]

Sounds reallllly expensive. Any recommendations on what you consider the best apartments?

What kind of place are you looking for?

[Barbie]

Sounds reallllly expensive. Any recommendations on what you consider the best apartments?

What kind of place are you looking for?

It is expensive but luckily my husband will be working and paying the rent. I'm sorry but I can't really recommend a place because I never even considered apartments. Apparently all the law students I met up with live in the same place but then said to NOT live there, lol, so I'm not sure what to tell you (PS- there are some cheap houses too. like 800 I think for a 2 or 3 bedroom. check out all the internet sites!)

[Hannibal]

Where's the place they said not to live?

[MBZags]

Where's the place they said not to live?

Village at Colbert Park...at least I'm assuming.

It's not a bad place to live for a lot of people, though the staff tries to pimp out how great it is, even though it's not. A lot of the law students live there, and they have a shuttle that goes right to the law school. Anecdotally, I've just had some problems there (e.g. not enough heat + a ridiculously electric bill, among other things). Plus, it's more convenient (at least for me) to be closer to the school than four miles away in Savoy.

[NancyBotwin]

Yeah, if you're relying on public transportation, the Village is not a good option. The bus lines down there are limited, so you're pretty much stuck with the shuttle or walking (and your grocery options if you're walking are limited to Wal-mart and Schnucks about a mile and a half (or 2? not sure) away.

On that note - I've heard great things about Barr as a management company, except that all their leases start August 20 (though you can manage a move-in on the 18th, at the earliest), which is annoying considering you'd have orientation starting the 17th. I have Green Street Realty, and they're okay until you have a problem - for example, I live in an older house on the top floor (lots of converted houses here) and people moved in downstairs, and they smoke. The smoke comes up through the heating system and makes my whole apartment stink, so I was going to try to transfer...yeah, no can do. I've been stuck with the smoke.

Anyway, there are other big complexes, but most will be places where you'll have a roommate, so if you prefer to live alone you'll be looking mostly at smaller buildings and converted houses through other management companies. Some others I know of: Weiner, Wampler, Joe Allen, University Group, PPM, Royse-Brinkmeyer, etc. etc. If you come visit and drive around, you'll see signs for tons more on the sides of buildings.