University of Florida Forum

[Dimsdale]

My wife came along on my trip and mentioned that Tallahassee looked rundown and sketchy in comparison to G'ville.

While I don't know much about Tallahassee, Gainesville is very poor once you leave the university area, if that's what you mean by "sketchy." Looks can be deceiving.

Tallahassee is also very poor, even around the university area.

Sketchy means multiple people, from staff at the motel to security at the capitol building, mentioned places not to go due to issues with crime. I'm sure those places exist in Gainesville, but they didn't approach the law school like they did in Tallahassee.

[GatorStudent]

Tallahassee is also very poor, even around the university area.

Yeah, I figured as much, sadly.

[GatorStudent]

Sketchy means multiple people, from staff at the motel to security at the capitol building, mentioned places not to go due to issues with crime. I'm sure those places exist in Gainesville, but they didn't approach the law school like they did in Tallahassee.

Ah, I see.

I know a few people who go to FSU Law, and also know Gainesville well, and they've never commented that Gainesville was "sketchier." I'm not saying you're wrong, but it's interesting to see another perspective.

[Dimsdale]

Sketchy means multiple people, from staff at the motel to security at the capitol building, mentioned places not to go due to issues with crime. I'm sure those places exist in Gainesville, but they didn't approach the law school like they did in Tallahassee.

Ah, I see.

I know a few people who go to FSU Law, and also know Gainesville well, and they've never commented that Gainesville was "sketchier." I'm not saying you're wrong, but it's interesting to see another perspective.

Whoops, I think you've got it reversed. Impression was that Tallahassee was sketchier. Folks there mentioned the no-go places, not folks in G'ville.

[Arpedzio]

My ASD Impressions

Attitude
It was obvious they were trying to weed out acceptances. As much as they talked about how amazing the school is, every single dean, professor and administrator remembered to emphasize multiple times that you need to find the best fit for you, and that UF is very possibly not it for several reasons. They also really emphasized that law school is the end of all life as you know it, to forget about social and leisurely life, etc. The students were a lot more honest about it, as were the alumni, who actually emphasized that there is plenty of time for leisure and hobbies. It felt like some of my graduate and upper level classes, where professors would try to scare the less committed students away on the first day by telling horror stories.

Student Panel and Faculty
The students seemed very happy with the school. I approached a few in the courtyard, and they gave me their honest opinions of the school and the programs. I was also pleased with the faculty. I had the opportunity to speak to a few outside, and they were very approachable and had good senses of humor. This might have been an act for us visitors, but I doubt it. I watched one professor stop and chat with the cleaning crew, while another kept talking about Prince and entrepreneurship law. The fact that they came from UF, Harvard and NYU didn't hurt, either.

Deans
BORING. Honestly, a bad opening. The associate dean spoke like he was reading out of a technical manual, and the assistant dean was palpably nervous throughout the day. The career services person was hilariously pessimistic. I actually thoroughly enjoyed her presentation, her emphasis on hating everything law school related, and her honesty about the market and the economy. Financial aid was no surprise to anyone who previously went to school in Florida, basically nothing is offered to most people. Those who receive anything usually don't get much. Basically the cost of a state with low tuition and no income tax that funds education through the lottery.

Alumni
A judge, a state attorney, and someone working in a mid sized law firm. I thought their presentations were pretty candid. They talked about the fact that large law firms (defined by the guy as 200 people or more) are all hurting. His mid-sized firm, a 50 person one, is apparently doing fairly well. Everyone mentioned that alumni are everywhere in Florida. In fact, one of the 3L students speaking to us got a clerkship with a Gator judge during 1L.

Facilities
Lots of Parking in and around the school. The library was great. The outside of the school was a bit bland for my taste, but what the hey. The new courthouse was beautiful. My tour group got to see the moot court and law review facilities, which were rather nice. The law school has tons of resources for students for externships, internships, jobs, journals, etc. Pretty impressed. Bookstore sucked.

Overall I was very happy with the school, and I'm glad I went. A lot of questions about the program I'm interested in were answered, and I think living in Gainesville might be a plus. The fact that the alumni base is so huge and well placed also made an impression on me.

[GatorStudent]

Whoops, I think you've got it reversed. Impression was that Tallahassee was sketchier. Folks there mentioned the no-go places, not folks in G'ville.

Yeah, it's getting late and I'm working on law-school "stuff," so forgive me. My main point, however, is that those people may be right, but they could be wrong. Just because you find people that mention "no-go places" doesn't mean that the other place doesn't also have those places (the other place may deny that they have a problem, many people may not be aware of the problem, or you just happened to find the "right" people who would tell you the "truth," whereas you weren't so lucky with the other place to find those people). Unless we have statistics, I'm fairly skeptical of people saying either town is "sketchier" than the other. (I hear people around here all of the time say that Tallahassee is worse than here, but often it seems to be based on their antipathy to FSU, IMHO.)

[fcowrx]

did anyone explain what qualifies for a merit scholarship. I thought a poster got 18k with a 162.

I got 30k with a 162, I'm Hispanic.

That fully explains a "merit" scholarship. Thanks for the info. Makes sense, since UF offered my sister much less with a 172 and 4.0 in chemistry, she's now at U of Chicago law. Go figure.

I'm the poster you were referring to. I'm not a URM, though.. Your sister is better off at UChicago, not sure why you're bitter (your post comes off that way)...

cao0008, congrats on that scholarship, definitely jealous. Are you a URM or just a Hispanic? In-state?

[Lomax]

There are many more than a dozen accepted UF applicants for both this year and last listed on LSN. Your study was not just unscientific; it was so limited that it should be considered entirely unworthy of consideration....blah blah blah..

message truncated to spare TLS from the repitition of boring trolling

It just so happens that you're wrong:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=1275

We are up 40% from same time last year. We received 3,500 applications last year. Nationally applications are up 7% and applicants are up 4.2%. I don't think the increase at Illinois can be attributed solely to the national increase.

A quote from Dean Pless of Illinois made today. This very instant.

You are wrong.

You did fairly well to address one minor argument and chose to ignore everything else, summing up your grazing counter with "You are wrong." Laughable as always.

Let me restate:

In any case, your main point - the "physical certainty" of a decrease in yield this year for UF - which I showed to a be preposterous one using a physically plausible scenario that you curiously and prudently found laughable and perplexing enough not to challenge - would be just as absurd were you not to take it to such extremes. Unless we have a concrete reason to believe that the applicants' behavioral patterns will change from last year to this (that they will, for some reason, matriculate more or less), then we have to assume that an equal number of acceptances will likely yield a similar number of matriculated students. Can't understand quite what that means for you? Here, I'll make it simple: you have to prove that a greater percentage of applicants who get accepted by UF will withdraw this year than last year (and that waitlistees won't make up for any difference) else you don't have an argument. And guess what? You can't do that.

By the way, your "evidence" doesn't actually prove anything in regards to UF and/or my correctness. Pless (assuming that he is, in fact, well-informed on statistical matters) doesn't refer specifically to UF, and UF's situation could be atypical, so as not to reflect the national average or even anything like it.

Actually, I think that we should end this here. This is going nowhere fast. It is, as you like to say, "physically impossible" for you to prove yourself correct, and so long as you keep trying to do so, I could keep pounding away - but that would be a waste of time. The main take-away for those observing is that more people applied to UF this year than last, and UF probably got more selective. It may or may not be the case that applicants who applied to UF applied to more schools or less than most years, but nationally applicants have apparently tended to apply to more schools. Yield will be determined by a variety of factors, the number of options open to accepted applicants included, and whether or not yield matches last year's is to be determined.

[Lomax]

Something else to note about in-state. Carol explained that it will be increasing at a rate of 15% per year for who knows how long. Tuition is currently about $14,500 but will be over $16,000 in the fall and spring. I think it's reasonable to expect to be paying around 20-21k for tuition in your third year.

Sheeeiiiit.

But to be expected. Of course, there will almost certainly be similar - if not quite so dramatic (percentage-wise) - tuition hikes at all law schools.

Anyway, thanks, lawduder and Arpedzio, for the ASD reports. Good to know what I missed and some of what to look forward to.

[Moose Thompson]

Something else to note about in-state. Carol explained that it will be increasing at a rate of 15% per year for who knows how long. Tuition is currently about $14,500 but will be over $16,000 in the fall and spring. I think it's reasonable to expect to be paying around 20-21k for tuition in your third year.

Sheeeiiiit.

But to be expected. Of course, there will almost certainly be similar - if not quite so dramatic (percentage-wise) - tuition hikes at all law schools.

Anyway, thanks, lawduder and Arpedzio, for the ASD reports. Good to know what I missed and some of what to look forward to.

The 15% thing is Florida specific, approved by the state legislature to "catch up with the rest of the country."

[cigator]

If FSU and UF both limit prospects to Florida employment, which school do you go to. I am not certain what area of law I would prefer to practice in at this point. Does FSU offer more short term employment opportunities while in school due to state government? Other than tax law, is UF noted for any other fields? Does anyone have any insight as to whether you can work 10-20 hours a week to support yourself while in law school, and still be successful in school. If I dont get any money, that is what I will have to do. My comments on URM are not negative, only that I am as financially needy as any URM, but will obviously not get any money because I am a poor non-urm.

[GatorStudent]

Does anyone have any insight as to whether you can work 10-20 hours a week to support yourself while in law school, and still be successful in school. If I dont get any money, that is what I will have to do.

I work about 10 hours a week while in law school, and I am very fortunate to be doing quite well. It can be done, but it does make it much easier if you find a job on campus, especially if it's a job at the law school. At UF, you can work for Lexis or Westlaw, BarBri (which I'm sure you can at most schools), and also at the library. Like anything that detracts from studying, you just need good time management (and in some of these jobs, you can study while you work if you choose to do so and can handle the distractions).

[cao0008]

did anyone explain what qualifies for a merit scholarship. I thought a poster got 18k with a 162.

I got 30k with a 162, I'm Hispanic.

That fully explains a "merit" scholarship. Thanks for the info. Makes sense, since UF offered my sister much less with a 172 and 4.0 in chemistry, she's now at U of Chicago law. Go figure.

I'm the poster you were referring to. I'm not a URM, though.. Your sister is better off at UChicago, not sure why you're bitter (your post comes off that way)...

cao0008, congrats on that scholarship, definitely jealous. Are you a URM or just a Hispanic? In-state?

Thanks! I'm not a URM and I'm a UF undergrad.

[darklighter13]

So, I applied to Florida a week ago, and haven't heard back from them yet. How long does it usually take to get some sort of notice that your application was received?

[steven3579]

So, I applied to Florida a week ago, and haven't heard back from them yet. How long does it usually take to get some sort of notice that your application was received?

Don't hold your breath. Apply again next year by Jan. 15th.

[alanabanana]

anyone think 3/16 will receive their decision today????

[avioguy687]

anyone think 3/16 will receive their decision today????

just got the mail and....nada. another two days of waiting.

[alanabanana]

anyone think 3/16 will receive their decision today????

just got the mail and....nada. another two days of waiting.

some people got their letters a couple of days before others. i'm in Tallahassee so I should be getting it relatively soon, I suppose. But, I of course don't don't receive the daily mail until 3p.m. Hooray

[Sky'stheLimit]

anyone think 3/16 will receive their decision today????

just got the mail and....nada. another two days of waiting.

some people got their letters a couple of days before others. i'm in Tallahassee so I should be getting it relatively soon, I suppose. But, I of course don't don't receive the daily mail until 3p.m. Hooray

Im in Orlando, so I have my fingers crossed for today also! AHHHH why cant they send emails?!?!?

[Sky'stheLimit]

anyone think 3/16 will receive their decision today????

just got the mail and....nada. another two days of waiting.

some people got their letters a couple of days before others. i'm in Tallahassee so I should be getting it relatively soon, I suppose. But, I of course don't don't receive the daily mail until 3p.m. Hooray

Im in Orlando, so I have my fingers crossed for today also! AHHHH why cant they send emails?!?!?

Not in today's mail

[harvestmoon]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I got my letter in the mail today (I live in Gainesville). It was indeed a waitlist. 161/3.4.

[steven3579]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I got my letter in the mail today (I live in Gainesville). It was indeed a waitlist. 161/3.4.

Were you DLIT 3/16?

[harvestmoon]

Yes, I was. I'd been RCDP since 12/3.

[cigator]

No UF mail today in Orlando

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Waitlisted as well. DLIT 3/16 (I live in Gainesville, so it got here quickly). 177/2.95. It's waitlist weekend for me.