Iowa Class of 2019 Applicants (2015-2016) Forum

[Dream_weaver32]

Haven't logged on here in about a year, but I'm also a 1l at Iowa. Feel free to ask any questions.

[alopez93]

Haven't logged on here in about a year, but I'm also a 1l at Iowa. Feel free to ask any questions.

how is the envronment among students? Are there any 1l summer internships in Iowa (Des Moines mainly) and how competitive are those if you know/have any experience?
Have you talked to any 3ls about job prospects even if they are in state/regional?

[acr]

Haven't logged on here in about a year, but I'm also a 1l at Iowa. Feel free to ask any questions.

how is the envronment among students? Are there any 1l summer internships in Iowa (Des Moines mainly) and how competitive are those if you know/have any experience?
Have you talked to any 3ls about job prospects even if they are in state/regional?

Full-disclaimer: I'm a WUSTL 1L but I can help answer this question.

I targeted Des Moines for this summer. I'm from the area originally, still have family there, went to Iowa for undergrad, and have extensive work experience in the Des Moines market.

I did well at WUSTL 1st semester, but not great (Top 20%). I was denied for a 1L SA at all of the noteworthy firms in Des Moines, and had a few callbacks here and there.

I got an offer from the Iowa AG but decided to do PI in Chicago this summer instead. Unless you have ties to Des Moines, do exceptionally well first semester, and are diverse, I would not count on landing a firm or anything competitive in Des Moines. Despite being reassured by my CSO and people in the Des Moines legal market that I would land something, I found it exceedingly difficult. It's an incredibly small legal market and the largest firm there hired less than 10 summer associates last year. And it's not exactly a robust PI market.

Also, the US Attorney's Office for SDIA (which is in Des Moines) has a weird hiring process as well. By the time I even looked at their page to apply it was too late.

[alopez93]

Haven't logged on here in about a year, but I'm also a 1l at Iowa. Feel free to ask any questions.

how is the envronment among students? Are there any 1l summer internships in Iowa (Des Moines mainly) and how competitive are those if you know/have any experience?
Have you talked to any 3ls about job prospects even if they are in state/regional?

Full-disclaimer: I'm a WUSTL 1L but I can help answer this question.

I targeted Des Moines for this summer. I'm from the area originally, still have family there, went to Iowa for undergrad, and have extensive work experience in the Des Moines market.

I did well at WUSTL 1st semester, but not great (Top 20%). I was denied for a 1L SA at all of the noteworthy firms in Des Moines, and had a few callbacks here and there.

I got an offer from the Iowa AG but decided to do PI in Chicago this summer instead. Unless you have ties to Des Moines, do exceptionally well first semester, and are diverse, I would not count on landing a firm or anything competitive in Des Moines. Despite being reassured by my CSO and people in the Des Moines legal market that I would land something, I found it exceedingly difficult. It's an incredibly small legal market and the largest firm there hired less than 10 summer associates last year. And it's not exactly a robust PI market.

Also, the US Attorney's Office for SDIA (which is in Des Moines) has a weird hiring process as well. By the time I even looked at their page to apply it was too late.

Ok thanks for the reply! It sounds kind of like what I was expecting.

I am An URM do you think that would help at all to at least get my foot in the door/considered if I do well first semester?

Do you happen to know where most Iowa 1ls that do get something end up going? Is it more or less just all over Iowa or is there a few specific locations where they tend to be located?

[acr]

Haven't logged on here in about a year, but I'm also a 1l at Iowa. Feel free to ask any questions.

how is the envronment among students? Are there any 1l summer internships in Iowa (Des Moines mainly) and how competitive are those if you know/have any experience?
Have you talked to any 3ls about job prospects even if they are in state/regional?

Full-disclaimer: I'm a WUSTL 1L but I can help answer this question.

I targeted Des Moines for this summer. I'm from the area originally, still have family there, went to Iowa for undergrad, and have extensive work experience in the Des Moines market.

I did well at WUSTL 1st semester, but not great (Top 20%). I was denied for a 1L SA at all of the noteworthy firms in Des Moines, and had a few callbacks here and there.

I got an offer from the Iowa AG but decided to do PI in Chicago this summer instead. Unless you have ties to Des Moines, do exceptionally well first semester, and are diverse, I would not count on landing a firm or anything competitive in Des Moines. Despite being reassured by my CSO and people in the Des Moines legal market that I would land something, I found it exceedingly difficult. It's an incredibly small legal market and the largest firm there hired less than 10 summer associates last year. And it's not exactly a robust PI market.

Also, the US Attorney's Office for SDIA (which is in Des Moines) has a weird hiring process as well. By the time I even looked at their page to apply it was too late.

Ok thanks for the reply! It sounds kind of like what I was expecting.

I am An URM do you think that would help at all to at least get my foot in the door/considered if I do well first semester?

Do you happen to know where most Iowa 1ls that do get something end up going? Is it more or less just all over Iowa or is there a few specific locations where they tend to be located?

I think that being a URM can only help you when it comes to Des Moines hiring. The market itself is known for not being diverse, so they have really tried to change this over the last few years. Being a URM might help you outperform similar candidates but you will still need to do well and convince the firms that you have a commitment to staying in Des Moines long term. It's a very tight-knit community where everyone knows everyone and the firms greatly value activity in the community (I had a ton of community involvement and it didn't even help me).

As to where most Iowa 1Ls go for their first summer and beyond, I really can't speak to this. A current 1L in this thread would probably be better able to accurately answer this question. But I would assume that many look for opportunities in Chicago, other Midwestern markets (Minneapolis, KC, etc), their home market, or even at the school itself over the summer. But again I really have no idea about this.

[WaitersIsland]

One thing you have to remember about the Des Moines market is that there is a law school in Des Moines, even if it is a TTT (Drake). So not only are you fighting amongst fellow classmates at Iowa for those limited positions, but you are also up against Drake graduates and the occasional T-14 student who decides to come back home. Without ties to the area, it can be a very difficult market to crack.

[Dream_weaver32]

I'm going to try and go over all the concerns/questions I saw in this thread.

Environment: Iowa Law for the most part is very laid back. Obviously you are going to have some people at every school that need to be the smartest people in the room (don't be that person), but for the most part everyone here works hard but isn't in your face about it.

On that same note, the saying that law school is a lot like high school is very much true. Now when I say that, I mean that most people have formed small groups of friends and if you find one person in a group the others are likely pretty close behind. It is not jocks v. the band kids though. For the most part everyone here gets along very well.

If you are looking for a school that is laid back, but still work hard play hard, Iowa is pretty good at that.

I am very sociable and like going out on the weekend. I put in my work during the week so I can enjoy the weekends, and I'm doing just fine. You don't have to kill yourself to be successful. It's about efficiency. Iowa City is a really fun place, and there is so much to do.

Climate: I'm from Texas, so obviously it was a climate change for me, but it really hasn't been that bad. Yes it is going to get cold and snow.

Research Assistants: I know some people are concerned about this, but don't be. You have a chance to spend 10 hours a semester working directly with a professor and get paid to do it. Semesters are 14 weeks long, so we are talking about a very minimal time commitment. You are going to need LOR's to get a job, so why anyone would complain about the chance to have a really great recommendation from a professor is beyond me.

1L SA: I'm going to be blunt here. I interviewed with 2 Omaha firms and a KC firm, they were hiring 3, yes 3 1L's for their 1L summers. You HAVE to show 2 things. 1) You have to have awesome grades. Not average, great. 2) They are only going to hire someone for 1L that they plan on bringing back as a 2L and then full-time. If you can't show those two things, your chances aren't great.


Advice for any schools ASW: I went on about 4 admitted student weekend events. Don't drink the Koolaid. Everyone is going to tell you they are awesome, that's the whole point of the weekend. Find a current student and talk to them, that will give you a much better idea about a school. I'll be around next weekend, which I believe is an ASW. Feel free to message me and we can talk in person. I chose Iowa after having a great visit and the chance to go out with some current students.


Hopefully this covers a lot of basic questions, feel free to ask any others.

[Shib26]

I interviewed with 2 Omaha firms and a KC firm

As an out of stater do you feel like you were restricted geographically? I ask because I'm a fellow Texan, and I wouldn't have applied at Iowa if I couldn't see myself working in the midwest, but just curious what the employment situation looks like from that angle.

[Dream_weaver32]

I interviewed with 2 Omaha firms and a KC firm

As an out of stater do you feel like you were restricted geographically? I ask because I'm a fellow Texan, and I wouldn't have applied at Iowa if I couldn't see myself working in the midwest, but just curious what the employment situation looks like from that angle.

I wouldn't say i'm restricted geographically. If you interview with firms in this region you better be able to show you plan on sticking around. They don't want to hire someone who is going to flake. Now remember that this is 1L SA stuff, 2L is a whole different ball game,to which I can't speak. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have anymore questions about this topic.

[d237]

1L SA: I'm going to be blunt here. I interviewed with 2 Omaha firms and a KC firm, they were hiring 3, yes 3 1L's for their 1L summers. You HAVE to show 2 things. 1) You have to have awesome grades. Not average, great. 2) They are only going to hire someone for 1L that they plan on bringing back as a 2L and then full-time. If you can't show those two things, your chances aren't great.

Do you have an estimate on what % of the class you have to be in to get a 1L SA position? Thanks!

[Dream_weaver32]

1L SA: I'm going to be blunt here. I interviewed with 2 Omaha firms and a KC firm, they were hiring 3, yes 3 1L's for their 1L summers. You HAVE to show 2 things. 1) You have to have awesome grades. Not average, great. 2) They are only going to hire someone for 1L that they plan on bringing back as a 2L and then full-time. If you can't show those two things, your chances aren't great.

Do you have an estimate on what % of the class you have to be in to get a 1L SA position? Thanks!

The listings all say that top 20% is preferred. But like I said earlier you are competing with Nebraska, Drake, UMKC, WUSTL for 2-3 1L spots at these firms. Obviously the higher the grades the better, but there isn't a cutoff for who might get what offer.

[tuesdayninja]

In today via email. Does scholarship information come later?

[Shib26]

In today via email. Does scholarship information come later?

Yes. In fact I'm not sure anyone has gotten scholarship information yet. It's been a little over a month for me personally.

[CJRpnw]

In today via email. Does scholarship information come later?

Yes. In fact I'm not sure anyone has gotten scholarship information yet. It's been a little over a month for me personally.

I have! I received it in almost immediately via email... They must move a little randomly.

[TheRedViper]

I applied 01/05 and was admitted 01/19. I haven't heard of any scholarship information yet, but I was hoping that their eagerness to accept me meant they would probably offer something. However, I've noticed that their admissions committee is just seriously awesome at cranking out decisions and it probably has no implications on scholarship awards. Anyways, any feedback is appreciated. As of now, Iowa is my front-runner!

I'll also be going to ASW this upcoming weekend. I was wondering if there's a general consensus on a dress code for these types of events? Also, they mentioned that they'll reimburse us for mileage but didn't specify as to what the rate was. Do any current students who drove last year know? Thanks!

[Dream_weaver32]

I applied 01/05 and was admitted 01/19. I haven't heard of any scholarship information yet, but I was hoping that their eagerness to accept me meant they would probably offer something. However, I've noticed that their admissions committee is just seriously awesome at cranking out decisions and it probably has no implications on scholarship awards. Anyways, any feedback is appreciated. As of now, Iowa is my front-runner!

I'll also be going to ASW this upcoming weekend. I was wondering if there's a general consensus on a dress code for these types of events? Also, they mentioned that they'll reimburse us for mileage but didn't specify as to what the rate was. Do any current students who drove last year know? Thanks!

Don't be the guy that shows up in a suit and tie. I wore jeans and a sweater. I drove last year but from Texas, so I got the full amount refunded back. Between driving all that far and a hotel for a night or two, you likely should get most of the refund back.

[d237]

Sorry for the atrocious catch-up here: the law school's lot is a paid per semester basis lot OR you can get a permit that allows you to pay per hour. I believe that the semester based option is $200/semester or so and that allows you to simply park in the lot without feeding the meter. If you get the non-prepaid permit, you can park, but it costs $.70/hour (no partial hours) to park. Parking is only enforced from 0830-1630 a day (8 hours, total of $5.60 a day) so if you're parking at the law school fewer than 35 whole days it's worth it to get the prepaid (which I do, since I'm about 20 minutes walking distance from the school).

Everywhere else on campus is awful- if you show up before a certain time, the rate for parking is something like $3-4 an hour with a daily cap at $25; otherwise it's about a dollar an hour after about 0900-1000. Downtown ramps are best since they're $1/hr with the first hour free but that's a bit of a walk to the law school. In general, the University parking sucks due to their design and locations, as they'll get full or otherwise backed up really quickly. I like the downtown parking ramps, but again, they're far.

Thanks for all of your insight! Where is the law school's parking lot? Going to ASW this weekend and I want to check it out. Would you say that someone who wants to park in the law school lot and shows up at 10am on a week day won't find a spot? Just trying to weigh whether it would be better to live closer and walk rather than deal with possibly not finding parking.

[Dream_weaver32]

Sorry for the atrocious catch-up here: the law school's lot is a paid per semester basis lot OR you can get a permit that allows you to pay per hour. I believe that the semester based option is $200/semester or so and that allows you to simply park in the lot without feeding the meter. If you get the non-prepaid permit, you can park, but it costs $.70/hour (no partial hours) to park. Parking is only enforced from 0830-1630 a day (8 hours, total of $5.60 a day) so if you're parking at the law school fewer than 35 whole days it's worth it to get the prepaid (which I do, since I'm about 20 minutes walking distance from the school).

Everywhere else on campus is awful- if you show up before a certain time, the rate for parking is something like $3-4 an hour with a daily cap at $25; otherwise it's about a dollar an hour after about 0900-1000. Downtown ramps are best since they're $1/hr with the first hour free but that's a bit of a walk to the law school. In general, the University parking sucks due to their design and locations, as they'll get full or otherwise backed up really quickly. I like the downtown parking ramps, but again, they're far.

Thanks for all of your insight! Where is the law school's parking lot? Going to ASW this weekend and I want to check it out. Would you say that someone who wants to park in the law school lot and shows up at 10am on a week day won't find a spot? Just trying to weigh whether it would be better to live closer and walk rather than deal with possibly not finding parking.

There is a law school lot. I don't drive to class so I can't speak to how open it is. Ask this weekend. I'll be helping out with ASW so feel free to find me and ask any Q's. Bus system in town is great, very bike friendly. You just have to decide what is best for you.

[alopez93]

For those going to ASW can you please post something after your trip about what you thought about the school, Iowa city, etc?

[sheboygan!]

Sorry for the atrocious catch-up here: the law school's lot is a paid per semester basis lot OR you can get a permit that allows you to pay per hour. I believe that the semester based option is $200/semester or so and that allows you to simply park in the lot without feeding the meter. If you get the non-prepaid permit, you can park, but it costs $.70/hour (no partial hours) to park. Parking is only enforced from 0830-1630 a day (8 hours, total of $5.60 a day) so if you're parking at the law school fewer than 35 whole days it's worth it to get the prepaid (which I do, since I'm about 20 minutes walking distance from the school).

Everywhere else on campus is awful- if you show up before a certain time, the rate for parking is something like $3-4 an hour with a daily cap at $25; otherwise it's about a dollar an hour after about 0900-1000. Downtown ramps are best since they're $1/hr with the first hour free but that's a bit of a walk to the law school. In general, the University parking sucks due to their design and locations, as they'll get full or otherwise backed up really quickly. I like the downtown parking ramps, but again, they're far.

Thanks for all of your insight! Where is the law school's parking lot? Going to ASW this weekend and I want to check it out. Would you say that someone who wants to park in the law school lot and shows up at 10am on a week day won't find a spot? Just trying to weigh whether it would be better to live closer and walk rather than deal with possibly not finding parking.

On Friday, the law school lot will be a no-go for part of the day, as it's restricted to permit holders only from 0800-1630. On Saturday, it's fair game though (and free!)- the best address I have for it is 209 Myrtle Ave (although that is some rando's house, not the actual lot).

As far as parking goes if you actually go here, I've not had any issues getting a spot, even on the really cold sucky days where everyone drives (although I tend to walk anyways since I'm close enough).

[alopez93]

Anyone who went to ASW care to comment on what they thought of the school? The city?

[yenisey]

Have anybody received information about scholarship? My nerve are going fretted out.

[TheRedViper]

Have anybody received information about scholarship? My nerve are going fretted out.

Believe it or not, while at ASW, the financial aid lady said that all scholarship offers had already been made. There is a waitlist that has been made in case an applicant with a scholarship offers withdraws, and you can find out if you're on it by emailing the financial aid email.

[tuesdayninja]

Have anybody received information about scholarship? My nerve are going fretted out.

Believe it or not, while at ASW, the financial aid lady said that all scholarship offers had already been made. There is a waitlist that has been made in case an applicant with a scholarship offers withdraws, and you can find out if you're on it by emailing the financial aid email.

Really? That sucks, I was accepted 2.26 and haven't heard anything about scholarship. >75 LSAT and <25 GPA. Guess Iowa is out.

[yenisey]

Have anybody received information about scholarship? My nerve are going fretted out.

Believe it or not, while at ASW, the financial aid lady said that all scholarship offers had already been made. There is a waitlist that has been made in case an applicant with a scholarship offers withdraws, and you can find out if you're on it by emailing the financial aid email.

Are the scholarship offers delivered by Email or by snail mail?