Duke Law School c/o 2020 Applicants (2016-2017) Forum

[eck456]

Just got back from ASD. I was impressed overall. Can't compare to other places though.

+1 I thought it was awesome as well, but I've only visited the law school at my alma mater so not too much to go off of. The people seem great, whether they be the professors, administrators, current students, or other prospective students. Great environment and surrounding area

+2 likely the only ASD I will attend but I don't think other T13 ASDs will be too different. also, Dean Levi seems great/hilarious.

+3 I got the sense that students were a little younger and less stressed out about school as a whole in comparison to other T13s, I still have a couple other visits to go though

I agree. I had a great time. The quality of the people, closely followed by the low cost of living, definitely stood out as the highlights for me. I was even taken aback at just how friendly and generous the current students were. Deans Hoye and Levi were great too, as well as the few faculty members I got to speak with at length. And they proved me wrong in thinking Durham would just be a sleepy town, considering I got shuffled through three parties Friday night. (I am still worried, though, that it'll be a culture shock coming from NYC, but having a laidback atmosphere to focus on studying would be nice). Also, the facilities/library were hands-down beautiful, modern, and inviting. And it was unanimous that having a car is pretty much a necessity.

Honestly, the only qualms I had were very specific to me -- I'm not sure if Duke has strengths in the academic areas I'm especially interested in. Their career services staff didn't really persuade me otherwise except for a few talking points that felt like a stretch. And I'm a little wary about leaving NYC behind after years of developing a close support network (socially and professionally). It's a hard decision, considering Columbia has been my #1 choice for years and I was fortunate to get in. I'm visiting CLS for their ASP this week, and I feel like the stakes are much higher... (Everyone at Duke told me that everyone is miserable at CLS, which now terrifies me a bit...)

Hope this is helpful for anyone unable to make it for Duke's ASW

Heard similar comments made about Chicago being miserable from many

You need to see it for yourself; bf goes to CLS and he loves it, along with his friends

I have several friends who go to CLS and love it, but they're primarily public interest so have a little more breathing room than the biglaw-or-die folks is my guess

[texcellence]

Just got back from ASD. I was impressed overall. Can't compare to other places though.

+1 I thought it was awesome as well, but I've only visited the law school at my alma mater so not too much to go off of. The people seem great, whether they be the professors, administrators, current students, or other prospective students. Great environment and surrounding area

+2 likely the only ASD I will attend but I don't think other T13 ASDs will be too different. also, Dean Levi seems great/hilarious.

+3 I got the sense that students were a little younger and less stressed out about school as a whole in comparison to other T13s, I still have a couple other visits to go though

I agree. I had a great time. The quality of the people, closely followed by the low cost of living, definitely stood out as the highlights for me. I was even taken aback at just how friendly and generous the current students were. Deans Hoye and Levi were great too, as well as the few faculty members I got to speak with at length. And they proved me wrong in thinking Durham would just be a sleepy town, considering I got shuffled through three parties Friday night. (I am still worried, though, that it'll be a culture shock coming from NYC, but having a laidback atmosphere to focus on studying would be nice). Also, the facilities/library were hands-down beautiful, modern, and inviting. And it was unanimous that having a car is pretty much a necessity.

Honestly, the only qualms I had were very specific to me -- I'm not sure if Duke has strengths in the academic areas I'm especially interested in. Their career services staff didn't really persuade me otherwise except for a few talking points that felt like a stretch. And I'm a little wary about leaving NYC behind after years of developing a close support network (socially and professionally). It's a hard decision, considering Columbia has been my #1 choice for years and I was fortunate to get in. I'm visiting CLS for their ASP this week, and I feel like the stakes are much higher... (Everyone at Duke told me that everyone is miserable at CLS, which now terrifies me a bit...)

Hope this is helpful for anyone unable to make it for Duke's ASW

I could have written this word for word. Was very impressed by Duke but also "lucky" to be admitted at CLS. Guess I'll visit CLS and see how fin aid shakes out.

[VA2lawschool]

Just got back from ASD. I was impressed overall. Can't compare to other places though.

+1 I thought it was awesome as well, but I've only visited the law school at my alma mater so not too much to go off of. The people seem great, whether they be the professors, administrators, current students, or other prospective students. Great environment and surrounding area

+2 likely the only ASD I will attend but I don't think other T13 ASDs will be too different. also, Dean Levi seems great/hilarious.

+3 I got the sense that students were a little younger and less stressed out about school as a whole in comparison to other T13s, I still have a couple other visits to go though

I agree. I had a great time. The quality of the people, closely followed by the low cost of living, definitely stood out as the highlights for me. I was even taken aback at just how friendly and generous the current students were. Deans Hoye and Levi were great too, as well as the few faculty members I got to speak with at length. And they proved me wrong in thinking Durham would just be a sleepy town, considering I got shuffled through three parties Friday night. (I am still worried, though, that it'll be a culture shock coming from NYC, but having a laidback atmosphere to focus on studying would be nice). Also, the facilities/library were hands-down beautiful, modern, and inviting. And it was unanimous that having a car is pretty much a necessity.

Honestly, the only qualms I had were very specific to me -- I'm not sure if Duke has strengths in the academic areas I'm especially interested in. Their career services staff didn't really persuade me otherwise except for a few talking points that felt like a stretch. And I'm a little wary about leaving NYC behind after years of developing a close support network (socially and professionally). It's a hard decision, considering Columbia has been my #1 choice for years and I was fortunate to get in. I'm visiting CLS for their ASP this week, and I feel like the stakes are much higher... (Everyone at Duke told me that everyone is miserable at CLS, which now terrifies me a bit...)

Hope this is helpful for anyone unable to make it for Duke's ASW

[/quote][/quote]

I was also told by several Duke students that CLS students "hate themselves" or hate the school, which is absolutely not my impression from everyone I've talked to who goes there (and not even just the people admissions sends towards you). It seems odd that people who go to a a different school would try to declare something so broad.

[chargers21]

FWIW, a few students at Duke told me to go to a higher ranked school I am in at because the financials are close anyways. They seemed honest. I heard some ribbing on Columbia, Chicago, Michigan, etc. but most of it was lighthearted trash talk like rivals do

[proteinshake]

I didn't hear any of this while I was there, but if you have decent money at Duke or another T13, don't go to CLS at sticker or anything near it.

[VA2lawschool]

I didn't hear any of this while I was there, but if you have decent money at Duke or another T13, don't go to CLS at sticker or anything near it.

Yeah, I definitely get that, but when I was at Michigan and UVA they didn't do nearly as much "trash-talk" about other schools, so I just thought it was odd. Of course, it's all random who you end up in a conversation with.

[proteinshake]

I didn't hear any of this while I was there, but if you have decent money at Duke or another T13, don't go to CLS at sticker or anything near it.

Yeah, I definitely get that, but when I was at Michigan and UVA they didn't do nearly as much "trash-talk" about other schools, so I just thought it was odd. Of course, it's all random who you end up in a conversation with.

yeah I trash talk other schools and I haven't even enrolled yet

[Dr.Degrees_Cr.Cash]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

[Aldrich]

Submitted on DDL, not PT. UR1 3/6, UR2 3/27, 172 / international AA. Ready for WL...

[Sadnessandmisfortune]

54K. 25th LSAT, GPA>75th. Pretty disappointed, though not unexpected.

[grades??]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

I am a 2l/3l and I wasn't at admitted students day. I have a number of friends at CLS, and they all hate their lives much more than myself or my friends here at Duke. It might be something in the water at CLS, but categorically they have a worse experience then us. It might be because their class size is almost triple ours, the general hustle and bustle of NYC, whatever it is. Maybe its because most Duke kids got into CLS but decided on the more $$$ from Duke and better weather for objectively similar job outcomes whereas CLS kids generally have much more debt and a much higher COL.

I think the sell to Durham is rather easy. 3rd smallest class size in the t10, best weather of the t10, and access to every large market with great biglaw and clerkship %s. Plus Durham is just a much nicer place to spend stressful 1L than NYC, at least for me.

[Dr_OIT]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

I am a 2l/3l and I wasn't at admitted students day. I have a number of friends at CLS, and they all hate their lives much more than myself or my friends here at Duke. It might be something in the water at CLS, but categorically they have a worse experience then us. It might be because their class size is almost triple ours, the general hustle and bustle of NYC, whatever it is. Maybe its because most Duke kids got into CLS but decided on the more $$$ from Duke and better weather for objectively similar job outcomes whereas CLS kids generally have much more debt and a much higher COL.

I think the sell to Durham is rather easy. 3rd smallest class size in the t10, best weather of the t10, and access to every large market with great biglaw and clerkship %s. Plus Durham is just a much nicer place to spend stressful 1L than NYC, at least for me.

So, update on this, as the one who started the Duke/CLS subthread:

I met with a current CLS student today who corroborated that the culture is certainly competitive, but that you can find your own social circle, especially at such a large school. As someone who's been living in NYC for years now, I don't think I'd be intimidated by the general hustle-and-bustle of the city itself, and I have a decent social circle already in place, so it's not like my potential CLS friends would be my only community... I figure that this should temper my experience of the "competitive" environment, however palpable it is. And at the end of the day, I do think that CLS is a better fit for my pretty specific career interests (which was also corroborated), so I may be getting closer to a decision -- but not until I visit for ASP and get $$$ decisions (lollll ). This is hard y'all, so props to Duke for making such a good impression to cause me to question a years-long assessment...

[baseballfan660]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

I am a 2l/3l and I wasn't at admitted students day. I have a number of friends at CLS, and they all hate their lives much more than myself or my friends here at Duke. It might be something in the water at CLS, but categorically they have a worse experience then us. It might be because their class size is almost triple ours, the general hustle and bustle of NYC, whatever it is. Maybe its because most Duke kids got into CLS but decided on the more $$$ from Duke and better weather for objectively similar job outcomes whereas CLS kids generally have much more debt and a much higher COL.

I think the sell to Durham is rather easy. 3rd smallest class size in the t10, best weather of the t10, and access to every large market with great biglaw and clerkship %s. Plus Durham is just a much nicer place to spend stressful 1L than NYC, at least for me.

i have a friend whose brother is a 2L at Columbia. The reasons he says everyone hates it, is because they are rude to one another. The students try to sabotage each other, don't work together, and won't help each other out. That's the reason he says at least. It could just be that individual's opinion on the matter tho.

[VA2lawschool]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

I am a 2l/3l and I wasn't at admitted students day. I have a number of friends at CLS, and they all hate their lives much more than myself or my friends here at Duke. It might be something in the water at CLS, but categorically they have a worse experience then us. It might be because their class size is almost triple ours, the general hustle and bustle of NYC, whatever it is. Maybe its because most Duke kids got into CLS but decided on the more $$$ from Duke and better weather for objectively similar job outcomes whereas CLS kids generally have much more debt and a much higher COL.

I think the sell to Durham is rather easy. 3rd smallest class size in the t10, best weather of the t10, and access to every large market with great biglaw and clerkship %s. Plus Durham is just a much nicer place to spend stressful 1L than NYC, at least for me.

While I'm sure there are some, I'm not sure "most kids got into CLS" at Duke seems at all accurate to me. I have plenty at friends at both schools, and they both like it for different reasons. Just seems odd to me that the Duke students I talked with seemed to feel the need to convince me that CLS is a hellscape from which there is no escape.

[proteinshake]

I actually remember someone in the Penn Law video saying the same thing about CLS @ 3:27

[+] Spoiler

[youtube]35vBhn9DwFw[/youtube]

[Dr.Degrees_Cr.Cash]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

I am a 2l/3l and I wasn't at admitted students day. I have a number of friends at CLS, and they all hate their lives much more than myself or my friends here at Duke. It might be something in the water at CLS, but categorically they have a worse experience then us. It might be because their class size is almost triple ours, the general hustle and bustle of NYC, whatever it is. Maybe its because most Duke kids got into CLS but decided on the more $$$ from Duke and better weather for objectively similar job outcomes whereas CLS kids generally have much more debt and a much higher COL.

I think the sell to Durham is rather easy. 3rd smallest class size in the t10, best weather of the t10, and access to every large market with great biglaw and clerkship %s. Plus Durham is just a much nicer place to spend stressful 1L than NYC, at least for me.

While I'm sure there are some, I'm not sure "most kids got into CLS" at Duke seems at all accurate to me. I have plenty at friends at both schools, and they both like it for different reasons. Just seems odd to me that the Duke students I talked with seemed to feel the need to convince me that CLS is a hellscape from which there is no escape.

I don't think it's a stretch at all the say more than half of Duke Law students get in to CCN (though maybe not CLS in particular because that's one school and between flukes and non-applicants I wouldn't be comfortable saying that's over 50%)

80% of students have scholarship, and an above median student is above 25 lsat and above median GPA at CLS.

You can choose to think more than half the students are just salty about not getting into CLS (I have no hard evidence to prove that wrong), but I don't really think the numbers support that

[grades??]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

I am a 2l/3l and I wasn't at admitted students day. I have a number of friends at CLS, and they all hate their lives much more than myself or my friends here at Duke. It might be something in the water at CLS, but categorically they have a worse experience then us. It might be because their class size is almost triple ours, the general hustle and bustle of NYC, whatever it is. Maybe its because most Duke kids got into CLS but decided on the more $$$ from Duke and better weather for objectively similar job outcomes whereas CLS kids generally have much more debt and a much higher COL.

I think the sell to Durham is rather easy. 3rd smallest class size in the t10, best weather of the t10, and access to every large market with great biglaw and clerkship %s. Plus Durham is just a much nicer place to spend stressful 1L than NYC, at least for me.

While I'm sure there are some, I'm not sure "most kids got into CLS" at Duke seems at all accurate to me. I have plenty at friends at both schools, and they both like it for different reasons. Just seems odd to me that the Duke students I talked with seemed to feel the need to convince me that CLS is a hellscape from which there is no escape.

I don't think it's a stretch at all the say more than half of Duke Law students get in to CCN (though maybe not CLS in particular because that's one school and between flukes and non-applicants I wouldn't be comfortable saying that's over 50%)

80% of students have scholarship, and an above median student is above 25 lsat and above median GPA at CLS.

You can choose to think more than half the students are just salty about not getting into CLS, but I don't really think the numbers support that

I might not be a representative sample, but myself and my three closest friends at the law school all got into CLS. Sure some people might be salty, but I have nothing against CLS. I just think my Duke experience has been significantly better than my friends at CLS. CLS offered me minimal $, but Duke gave me much more. That, plus the much smaller class size and much better weather is why I choose Duke. Oh and the basketball. I don't regret my decision for a second

[lilitiger99]

2¢, I did hear that people are less happy at CLS (but not like they all hate themselves, just using it as an example of a big city school with shit weather)

I also heard some people giving honest advice about going to another school if you want certain things for your career.

Did not hear any ribbing of Michigan or UVA (someone might have said Ann arbor was cold, but that's it)

Namely it seemed like they were just like "academics is pretty much the same, but our longitude is better"

From NY, got into CLS but not Duke yet. I think this is true. CLS students I've met are more pressured than the NYU students I've met. One CLS student I'm friends with also said he had difficulty making friends because many of his classmates were older (25+) not sure how true this is though..

[Harry Ass Truman]

A blank box just appeared in my "Mailings" section with today's date. What does this mean?

[proteinshake]

A blank box just appeared in my "Mailings" section with today's date. What does this mean?

your scholly was mailed out today

[xandra_v]

A blank box just appeared in my "Mailings" section with today's date. What does this mean?

your scholly was mailed out today

I don't know...I have the same blank box and a separate box that says "Scholarship Decision Mailed"

[proteinshake]

A blank box just appeared in my "Mailings" section with today's date. What does this mean?

your scholly was mailed out today

I don't know...I have the same blank box and a separate box that says "Scholarship Decision Mailed"

idk why but both mean your scholly is sent. some people have the date and some people have that description in the box

[xandra_v]

A blank box just appeared in my "Mailings" section with today's date. What does this mean?

your scholly was mailed out today

I don't know...I have the same blank box and a separate box that says "Scholarship Decision Mailed"

idk why but both mean your scholly is sent. some people have the date and some people have that description in the box

I have different dates though--my scholly was theoretically sent last week (still haven't received)...maybe last week's was an error (would be a massive bummer lol)

[Dr.Degrees_Cr.Cash]

I also have a blank mailing @ 3/27 and my scholly mailed out on 2/21

[Keilz]

I also have a blank mailing @ 3/27 and my scholly mailed out on 2/21

Same and mine was mailed out in the first round