Top Law Schools

USC is my top choice so far.
Just thought I'd create a thread for those admitted.

DF: 2/7
In via email: 2/11
Complete: 12/12

JJDancer wrote:USC is my top choice so far.
Just thought I'd create a thread for those admitted.

DF: 2/7
In via email: 2/11
Complete: 12/12

Congrats!!! I go here for UG, so if anyone has any questions about the campus/LA/housing in general feel free to ask me.

law_monkey wrote:

JJDancer wrote:USC is my top choice so far.
Just thought I'd create a thread for those admitted.

DF: 2/7
In via email: 2/11
Complete: 12/12

Congrats!!! I go here for UG, so if anyone has any questions about the campus/LA/housing in general feel free to ask me.

1) Feeling about job prospects. Not statistics, just the general impression on and around campus.
2) Can you see any of the gorgeous campus from the plain 'ol LS?
3) Thanks!

lisjjen wrote:

law_monkey wrote:

JJDancer wrote:USC is my top choice so far.
Just thought I'd create a thread for those admitted.

DF: 2/7
In via email: 2/11
Complete: 12/12

Congrats!!! I go here for UG, so if anyone has any questions about the campus/LA/housing in general feel free to ask me.

1) Feeling about job prospects. Not statistics, just the general impression on and around campus.
2) Can you see any of the gorgeous campus from the plain 'ol LS?
3) Thanks!

1) For job prospects you'll probably get better answers from a law student. However, the Trojan network is pretty insane. All the rumors about Trojans being super arrogant and being exclusive are definitely true in a lot of cases. A lot of firms in LA are filled with USC alum, and at least for UG the Career Center gets calls all the time from Trojan employers wanting more Trojans in the company. I'm sure that holds true in the legal industry as well. Not that LA is ever an easy market, just that being part of the Trojan network could open some doors.
2) The law school is actually in my favorite part of campus. The building itself is kind of plain, but a lot of the buildings around there are some of the oldest ones on campus. I'm sure you can see some of it from certain windows, although the other side will just look out onto Exposition Blvd which is always under construction and not that pretty to look at. Also, the law library is actually kind of nice if you want the stereotypical green lamp, academic feel. I studied there for the LSAT a few times to get good vibes, and it was a pretty great place for studying. There are also several other libraries near the law school that are awesome (no one knows about the Philosophy Library, and it's AMAZING). Sorry I got a little off topic there, but it probably just depends what floor/what side of the building you're on as far as what your view will be.

Congrats everyone! 1L here to answer any questions you might have.

Foxes, what schools were you deciding on when you had to choose a law school, and how did you end up at USC?

So far I've gotten into Hastings and received a full ride at Cardozo. I am leaning toward USC out of these three, but finances will be a large part of my decision.

What was the deciding factor for USC?

Arelikefoxes wrote:Congrats everyone! 1L here to answer any questions you might have.

I heard there's a good 'ol boys club at USC? How true is that? I have a lot of options in play, including Cornell and UMich, but I loooooove SoCal and have family throughout the West Coast.

Also, I heard 1L is horrendous. Is that true?

Arelikefoxes wrote:Congrats everyone! 1L here to answer any questions you might have.

Thanks for answering qs!!

Could you share whether you are looking to get into PI or a firm in the long run? Also, have you gotten a summer position yet? How is the stress about that (in the general pop)? How helpful is USC's admin?

Thanks again!

Arelikefoxes wrote:Congrats everyone! 1L here to answer any questions you might have.

How generous is USC with scholarship money? Do you have a rough sense for what the numbers floor is for scholarships?

nonprofit-prophet wrote:

Arelikefoxes wrote:Congrats everyone! 1L here to answer any questions you might have.

How generous is USC with scholarship money? Do you have a rough sense for what the numbers floor is for scholarships?

I would like to know this too. Thanks!

Sorry guys, busy week.

SkinnyWhiteGuy wrote:Foxes, what schools were you deciding on when you had to choose a law school, and how did you end up at USC?

So far I've gotten into Hastings and received a full ride at Cardozo. I am leaning toward USC out of these three, but finances will be a large part of my decision.

What was the deciding factor for USC?

I was deciding between USC, UCLA and Penn. I knew I wanted to practice in Southern California (my wife and I have been living here for 8 years and love it.) I had similar fin aid offers at USC/UCLA, but ultimately I was wooed over by the strength of the Trojan alumni network here in SoCal, and the more professional (less academic) atmosphere at USC. It also has historically placed better in some of the areas that I am interested in than UCLA. So far, I have been incredibly happy with my decision. That said, that full ride at Cardozo I'm sure is appealing. I think the real question to ask yourself is where you want to practice, and what your tolerance for debt is. As is common TLS wisdom, you need to be realistic about the current job market, and look carefully at the debt/placement ratios in the kind of law you are interested in, and see what makes the most sense for you.

lisjjen wrote: I heard there's a good 'ol boys club at USC? How true is that? I have a lot of options in play, including Cornell and UMich, but I loooooove SoCal and have family throughout the West Coast.

Also, I heard 1L is horrendous. Is that true?

I am not sure what you mean by "good 'ol boys club." As I mentioned above, USC like an suber-regional -- incredibly well-respected, and well-connected, within the SoCal legal community. I have been able to meet with partners at nearly all the major firms here in SoCal as a 1L, nearly all of whom are alumni. We have great placement in all the SoCal Biglaw. As far as the sexist/racist connotations of "good 'ol boys," I have not seen any of that. We are a very diverse community, and I have not heard of any problems with that in hiring/using the Trojan network either. If you love it in SoCal, and really do want to work here, I think USC is a better choice than Cornell or UMich. But, if you are unsure of where you want to be, UMich is probably a safer choice.

Nah, 1L is fine. It's definitely a lot of work, much more than any undergrad, but it's not like it's as demanding as a real job. There are a lot of people who get stressed about it, but you really just need to do enough work to make sure you understand the material, and USC has a fairly friendly and non-competitive environment. Law school grading can be pretty stressful (100% final) but most people in my class are fairly happy. If you are worried, just give a read to the various "how to succeed" guides here on TLS -- they are all good and give practical advice that works. Arrow, Xeoh, and "How to Succeed in Law School: A unique perspective" are all really solid.

JJDancer wrote: Could you share whether you are looking to get into PI or a firm in the long run? Also, have you gotten a summer position yet? How is the stress about that (in the general pop)? How helpful is USC's admin?

I am looking to go into BigLaw corporate practice. I do have a SA at a V40 this summer, but that is rare (as it is at any school.) In general, we have had a lot of judicial externships and pro bono placements (again, which is typical of 1Ls), and a few paying positions. Not everyone has a job yet (as you will learn, 1L jobs tend to fill out at any time from December through May), but no one is really stressed about it. Word from the upper classmen is that OCI is still placing a solid number of people in biglaw, and so long as you have some legal experience in the summer, you will not be disadvantaged by it.

I have been very happy with the USC admin. We have a good Spring OCI with several biglaw firms, and work with other schools in the area to have more specialized job fairs (in IP, midlaw, government, PI, etc.) We also have a great job posting service that aggregates info on all positions available in the area. We also have great resources for resume writing, interviewing, using our alumni network, etc. which were all very useful. That all said, it is a hard economy out there, and no one is guaranteeing jobs to anyone. You do have to put in some work and spam a lot of companies, and I know some of my classmates looking to work outside of SoCal have been frustrated with the support available on that front. But overall, I think they do a very good job.

nonprofit-prophet wrote:How generous is USC with scholarship money? Do you have a rough sense for what the numbers floor is for scholarships?

They tend to be fairly generous. I know many people who are in the 25-50% scholarship range. Of course, there is no magic equation, but based on my anedotal evidence/LSN, it seemed like if you were over medians you would be offered somewhere in the 30-60k range. Over the 75 percentiles, you would get 75-90K. They generally do not do many full rides (something like 3-4 per year.) Based on my sense of the awards, it seems to be almost exclusively awarded on a merit basis, as opposed to need based, which seems to make sense given that there are very few people who can pay $45k/yr without batting an eye. URM status also probably influences the amount offered. They also seem to be somewhat willing to negotiate (they did for me), so it's worth a shot if you you have competitive offers from peer schools. Also, note that they tend to be fairly slow in awarding scholarships, so most won't come out until next month.

MVP goes to foxes. Thanks for the response.

Arelikefoxes wrote:

nonprofit-prophet wrote:How generous is USC with scholarship money? Do you have a rough sense for what the numbers floor is for scholarships?

They tend to be fairly generous. I know many people who are in the 25-50% scholarship range. Of course, there is no magic equation, but based on my anedotal evidence/LSN, it seemed like if you were over medians you would be offered somewhere in the 30-60k range. Over the 75 percentiles, you would get 75-90K. They generally do not do many full rides (something like 3-4 per year.) Based on my sense of the awards, it seems to be almost exclusively awarded on a merit basis, as opposed to need based, which seems to make sense given that there are very few people who can pay $45k/yr without batting an eye. URM status also probably influences the amount offered. They also seem to be somewhat willing to negotiate (they did for me), so it's worth a shot if you you have competitive offers from peer schools. Also, note that they tend to be fairly slow in awarding scholarships, so most won't come out until next month.

Thanks for your response, foxes! Do you know of anyone who was not awarded any scholarships despite significant financial need because their numbers were too low? I am concerned b/c one of my numbers is below median (maybe even below 25th). The other number is considerably above the 75th percentile, and my index number combination of LSAT/GPA is at the 75th percentile. But if I have to be above both medians...well then, I'm screwed.

Btw, I'm an 'SC undergrad, so feel free to ask me any questions about housing, COL, the neighborhood around USC, LA in general, etc.

Puttanesca wrote:Btw, I'm an 'SC undergrad, so feel free to ask me any questions about housing, COL, the neighborhood around USC, LA in general, etc.

Is living around the palms-culver city or la brea-miracle mile safe / are there CVS, Ralph's etc close by?
How long of a drive is it (say if I want to reach USC at 8.45 AM?)

This goes to law monkey as well. Thanks!

JJDancer wrote:

Puttanesca wrote:Btw, I'm an 'SC undergrad, so feel free to ask me any questions about housing, COL, the neighborhood around USC, LA in general, etc.

Is living around the palms-culver city or la brea-miracle mile safe / are there CVS, Ralph's etc close by?
How long of a drive is it (say if I want to reach USC at 8.45 AM?)

This goes to law monkey as well. Thanks!

I lived in Palms when I was a USC undergrad and loved it. The rents were a bit high--although I don't think they were quite as high as those around La Brea--but the area was relatively safe, I had secure underground parking, and it was very close to everything (shopping, the beach, museums, etc.) I walked to and from the grocery store, and a movie theater and live theater were within walking distance, as was Sony Pictures Studios.

I worked on campus, so I always arrived by about 8:30, and the drive wasn't any big deal. It took me maybe 10 or 15 minutes to get to school, but I did live right off the freeway. In my experience, traffic was usually heavy going the opposite direction I was heading (East-->West in the morning; West-->East at night).

JJDancer wrote: Is living around the palms-culver city or la brea-miracle mile safe / are there CVS, Ralph's etc close by?
How long of a drive is it (say if I want to reach USC at 8.45 AM?)

This goes to law monkey as well. Thanks!

Palms/Culver City is safe. I know a couple people who live in Palms/Culver City, and they really like it. I don't think Miracle Mile is that safe. It's not like you'll be having to dodge bullets or anything like that; it's just a place that you wouldn't want to walk around at night by yourself. I found this website that has safety ratings on the different neighborhoods in the LA area. I'm not sure how accurate the ratings are, but here is the website: http://www.lalife.com/

Just click on the safety tab above the map to see the safety ratings.

I think there are 2 or 3 CVS stores in the Culver City area. I know for sure that there's one on Venice Blvd. (I don't know the cross street though). There is also at least one Ralph's store at Venice/Overland. As for Miracle Mile, I know there is a Ralph's at 3rd/La Brea. I don't know about CVS in that area though. And FYI, there is a new CVS that opened up near USC and there is a Ralph's too.

I am not sure about the commute times, but I would estimate that it would be about 15-25 minutes from Culver City (depending on what part) and maybe 10 minutes longer from Miracle Mile at 8:45 in the morning. Since I don't live in either of those areas, someone else might be able to better answer your question re: commute times.

Hope this helps.

Puttanesca wrote:

JJDancer wrote: Is living around the palms-culver city or la brea-miracle mile safe / are there CVS, Ralph's etc close by?
How long of a drive is it (say if I want to reach USC at 8.45 AM?)

This goes to law monkey as well. Thanks!

Palms/Culver City is safe. I know a couple people who live in Palms/Culver City, and they really like it. I don't think Miracle Mile is that safe. It's not like you'll be having to dodge bullets or anything like that; it's just a place that you wouldn't want to walk around at night by yourself. I found this website that has safety ratings on the different neighborhoods in the LA area. I'm not sure how accurate the ratings are, but here is the website: http://www.lalife.com/

Just click on the safety tab above the map to see the safety ratings.

I think there are 2 or 3 CVS stores in the Culver City area. I know for sure that there's one on Venice Blvd. (I don't know the cross street though). There is also at least one Ralph's store at Venice/Overland. As for Miracle Mile, I know there is a Ralph's at 3rd/La Brea. I don't know about CVS in that area though. And FYI, there is a new CVS that opened up near USC and there is a Ralph's too.

I am not sure about the commute times, but I would estimate that it would be about 15-25 minutes from Culver City (depending on what part) and maybe 10 minutes longer from Miracle Mile at 8:45 in the morning. Since I don't live in either of those areas, someone else might be able to better answer your question re: commute times.

Hope this helps.

I agree that Culver City would be safe. It's a really nice area. I also don't know about commute times since I live right near campus. The only thing with the commute is that if there are special events going on both parking and traffic will be a major pain. They'll let people in for parking (at astronomical prices), so even if you have a pass it could be hard to find a spot. So during football season, trying to get to the library on a Saturday morning would be KILLER! And the tailgaters start early, so it's really hard to beat the traffic then. LA also has a ton of runs/walks that go by campus, so the streets get shut down for those too from time to time. It's not super often or anything, you would probably just want to plan ahead on those weekends (and they warn you about street closures/every Trojan should know the football schedule! ).

law_monkey wrote: I agree that Culver City would be safe. It's a really nice area. I also don't know about commute times since I live right near campus. The only thing with the commute is that if there are special events going on both parking and traffic will be a major pain. They'll let people in for parking (at astronomical prices), so even if you have a pass it could be hard to find a spot. So during football season, trying to get to the library on a Saturday morning would be KILLER! And the tailgaters start early, so it's really hard to beat the traffic then. LA also has a ton of runs/walks that go by campus, so the streets get shut down for those too from time to time. It's not super often or anything, you would probably just want to plan ahead on those weekends (and they warn you about street closures/every Trojan should know the football schedule! ).

+1

These events that cause traffic/road closures usually only happen on weekends though, so it should not affect your commute for classes.

Foxes,

Any idea when those money offers start to roll out?

DuxBellorum wrote:Foxes,

Any idea when those money offers start to roll out?

Fin aid told me they should start sending out stuff late Feb/early March.

JJDancer wrote:

DuxBellorum wrote:Foxes,

Any idea when those money offers start to roll out?

Fin aid told me they should start sending out stuff late Feb/early March.

+1

Though don't be too worried if it takes until the end of March...it just depends on how quickly they run through the remaining apps.

Am I right to assume that USC acts like a T14 given you only want to work in SoCal?

Any idea what USC placement is like in the NorCal markets?

lisjjen wrote:Am I right to assume that USC acts like a T14 given you only want to work in SoCal?

It is very hard to substantiate answers to this question in any way that I think would be relevant to incoming students (given the current economic conditions, lack of recent data, etc), but USC tends to consistently be in the top 1-3 schools that place in the Southern California biglaw market. So yes, it seems like USC acts like a "t14" in SoCal, but we'll have a bit better data once NLJ comes out this year.

I also think that the "T14" thing is somewhat silly.