In at UC Irvine Forum

[Mr. Costello]

Congratulations! With your stats, I'm sure you'll have more than those two to consider.

[lifelesslived]

I am in as well.

Now that I am in, I am not sure if I want to go. I am not sure if I want to be a lawyer.

I've been reading about how awful Biglaw and Midlaw and SmallLaw are. Are people happy, fulfilled as lawyers? Why are you applying?

[pany1985]

I have a feeling being a lawyer is a lot nicer if you go to school for free and don't have to work 60-80 hours a week to pay off your massive debt. That's what's making me lean toward UCI at the moment...

[lifelesslived]

pany1985 -

Agreed wholeheartedly and I would go if that weren't the case. But I think, if you work at a firm, it's going to be a lot of hours. I am a few years out of school, and thought I don't work 60 - 80 hours/week, my hours can get up there. Only benefit of Biglaw is that you get paid a lot. What are your plans after graduating UCI (assuming you go)?

Needless to say, I'm still thinking this whole lawyer thing out.

[Anonymous0L]

UCI's emphasis is on Public Interest not so much Big Law. Browse around their website!

[pany1985]

I don't really know. I'd probably do the totally cliche best-case-scenario thing and try for biglaw for a few years to build up a nice mound of cash and then split for something less strenuous where I can enjoy life. The biggest thing for me is that I'm from the east coast and I wanna stay/work on the east coast, so while UCI seems like a great deal, I wonder about job prospects...

On the other hand though, the success of the first class is gonna be a really big deal for this school, so I'm sure they're gonna work hard to make sure they get some good brochure-worthy prospective-student-luring placement for that inaugural class.

[Anonymous0L]

I don't really know. I'd probably do the totally cliche best-case-scenario thing and try for biglaw for a few years to build up a nice mound of cash and then split for something less strenuous where I can enjoy life. The biggest thing for me is that I'm from the east coast and I wanna stay/work on the east coast, so while UCI seems like a great deal, I wonder about job prospects...

On the other hand though, the success of the first class is gonna be a really big deal for this school, so I'm sure they're gonna work hard to make sure they get some good brochure-worthy prospective-student-luring placement for that inaugural class.

You have a point there. But I would first check out UCI's OCI employers list. 3 years of full ride may worth a second look.

[lifelesslived]

Jwatson,

Yup, saw that. I know UCI wants to brand itself as the next great public interest school (look out Yale!), but at the end of the day, PI law makes it hard to support a family on. I'm near a point where I want to get married and settle down and start the next chapter in my life. Living anywhere we'd want to live would cost quite a bit of money (I would love to live anywhere on the west coast, particularly PNW).

so the reality is that I'd need to earn money. I can work 60 - 80 hrs/week and not make much in a smaller firm or work 60 - 90 and make lots of money in Biglaw (if I can even have a chance -- UCI is, after all, brand spankin' new).

Would LOVE to be a prof, but not sure the chances of that coming out of UCI.

pany1985 - what other schools have you applied?

[jcl2]

Just got the letter. I kind of thought that it might be a rejection at first because of the small envelope and no phone call or anything. The free tuition would be tough to pass up, but I am not quite sure whether I will be going. Lots to think about

My thoughts on the makeup of the first class:
They are focused on getting people with relatively high numbers because they will use that to lure new students in the next few years. However, those numbers won't be reported in their first ranking, so what is probably more important in the first class is that they get people who they think will be successful relatively quickly so as to build a reputation and an alumni network. This would explain the apparent emphasis on slightly older people with work experience or graduate degrees.
Just my thoughts, let me know if I'm way off base here.

[awesomepossum]

Just got the letter. I kind of thought that it might be a rejection at first because of the small envelope and no phone call or anything. The free tuition would be tough to pass up, but I am not quite sure whether I will be going. Lots to think about

My thoughts on the makeup of the first class:
They are focused on getting people with relatively high numbers because they will use that to lure new students in the next few years. However, those numbers won't be reported in their first ranking, so what is probably more important in the first class is that they get people who they think will be successful relatively quickly so as to build a reputation and an alumni network. This would explain the apparent emphasis on slightly older people with work experience or graduate degrees.
Just my thoughts, let me know if I'm way off base here.

that could be true.

What is sad is that if they get these higher number people, those students are going to be at a school that will likely never reflect these numbers in any rankings.

[pany1985]

My other apps are all Philly/NY/DC. Drexel, Villanova, Temple, Rutgers, Fordham, GW. Stuff like that.

[LawApp2012]

I'm in too. 167 / 3.96. I got the call last week, totally unexpected. I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to get in and I didn't really want to go anyway, but now that I'm in, I think I'm going to do it! Not just for the free tuition although that will obviously help, but I'm mostly excited to have a role in founding a new school and hopefully making it great. I won't just be another law student, I feel like it'll be something to tell my kids when it's a top-ranked school one day. Also, I love that they want to break from tradition and create a law school for the 21st century. After reading everything on their website, I'm pretty intrigued and kind of obsessed now.

Has anyone else who got in decided what to do yet?

[BioLaw]

I'm in too. 167 / 3.96. I got the call last week, totally unexpected. I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to get in and I didn't really want to go anyway, but now that I'm in, I think I'm going to do it! Not just for the free tuition although that will obviously help, but I'm mostly excited to have a role in founding a new school and hopefully making it great. I won't just be another law student, I feel like it'll be something to tell my kids when it's a top-ranked school one day. Also, I love that they want to break from tradition and create a law school for the 21st century. After reading everything on their website, I'm pretty intrigued and kind of obsessed now.

Has anyone else who got in decided what to do yet?

Has TLS turned into an ad site for Irvine?

[JJim1919]

I'm in too. 167 / 3.96. I got the call last week, totally unexpected. I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to get in and I didn't really want to go anyway, but now that I'm in, I think I'm going to do it! Not just for the free tuition although that will obviously help, but I'm mostly excited to have a role in founding a new school and hopefully making it great. I won't just be another law student, I feel like it'll be something to tell my kids when it's a top-ranked school one day. Also, I love that they want to break from tradition and create a law school for the 21st century. After reading everything on their website, I'm pretty intrigued and kind of obsessed now.

Has anyone else who got in decided what to do yet?

Has TLS turned into an ad site for Irvine?

How would this guy with a 167/3.96 think he wasn't going to get in to Irvine? He has borderline T10 numbers...

[pany1985]

I'm not gonna decide what to do until I get a response from all the schools I've applied to (since it'd be kinda crazy to make a choice without having all the information I can get), but 3 years of free is, as the kids say, pretty hot and temping.

[BioLaw]

I seriously wonder if there's some sort of attempt to pump up UCI's rep. These new posters with fantastic numbers talking about their obsession with Irvine...

It's going to be a good school, but there's no need for all of that.

[LawApp2012]

I'm in too. 167 / 3.96. I got the call last week, totally unexpected. I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to get in and I didn't really want to go anyway, but now that I'm in, I think I'm going to do it! Not just for the free tuition although that will obviously help, but I'm mostly excited to have a role in founding a new school and hopefully making it great. I won't just be another law student, I feel like it'll be something to tell my kids when it's a top-ranked school one day. Also, I love that they want to break from tradition and create a law school for the 21st century. After reading everything on their website, I'm pretty intrigued and kind of obsessed now.

Has anyone else who got in decided what to do yet?

Has TLS turned into an ad site for Irvine?

How would this guy with a 167/3.96 think he wasn't going to get in to Irvine? He has borderline T10 numbers...

I'm a girl. . .I just didn't really do all of the extra effort on the application because I didn't know enough about it when I applied. I didn't do anything optional, and I just didn't think it would be good enough. Only 60 people seemed like a long-shot to me, at least for the first tier of acceptances.

[LawApp2012]

I seriously wonder if there's some sort of attempt to pump up UCI's rep. These new posters with fantastic numbers talking about their obsession with Irvine...

It's going to be a good school, but there's no need for all of that.

Geez, sorry I posted, thanks for making me feel dumb. I just got excited about it over the last few days and wanted to see if anyone else wanted to go too. I guess I'll stop posting, I feel like a dork now.

[BioLaw]

I seriously wonder if there's some sort of attempt to pump up UCI's rep. These new posters with fantastic numbers talking about their obsession with Irvine...

It's going to be a good school, but there's no need for all of that.

Geez, sorry I posted, thanks for making me feel dumb. I just got excited about it over the last few days and wanted to see if anyone else wanted to go too. I guess I'll stop posting, I feel like a dork now.

Maybe I'm just cynical. Sorry if you're legit; you're going to get into some great schools.

[Veritas]

I seriously wonder if there's some sort of attempt to pump up UCI's rep. These new posters with fantastic numbers talking about their obsession with Irvine...

It's going to be a good school, but there's no need for all of that.

Geez, sorry I posted, thanks for making me feel dumb. I just got excited about it over the last few days and wanted to see if anyone else wanted to go too. I guess I'll stop posting, I feel like a dork now.

umm...don't let online bullies get the best of you, it's not worth it.

I think it cool that you are excited about the opportunity to go to Irvine, you are the type of person the school is looking for! Be proud!

[pany1985]

For the record, I don't have stellar T20 numbers, so I was pretty surprised when I got the call from Ms. Ortiz

[BioLaw]

First time I've been called an "online bully." I don't think I said anything mean at all. I just questioned the legitimacy of the poster. If I was wrong, then sorry. It was just suspicious to me.

Edit: Apparently I should stay out of the UCI thread. Sorry.

[LawApp2012]

I seriously wonder if there's some sort of attempt to pump up UCI's rep. These new posters with fantastic numbers talking about their obsession with Irvine...

It's going to be a good school, but there's no need for all of that.

Geez, sorry I posted, thanks for making me feel dumb. I just got excited about it over the last few days and wanted to see if anyone else wanted to go too. I guess I'll stop posting, I feel like a dork now.

Maybe I'm just cynical. Sorry if you're legit; you're going to get into some great schools.

No, I can see why it sounded weird now that I think about it. I guess I should have mentioned that I live in San Diego with my husband who has a really good, high-paying job and there's no way we're moving, so my only two options are USD or Irvine (with an hour commute). So, between the two schools, I'm a little torn because USD is closer and accredited, but UCI just seems so much more interesting to me at this point. Plus, didn't get a scholarship from USD yet.

[meg81]

I'm in too. 167 / 3.96. I got the call last week, totally unexpected. I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to get in

What did you expect it would take to get in? Harvard numbers? Come on now. Either you're an eternal pessimist of the highest order or a UCI plant like BioLaw was suggesting.

[kp1981]

I'm in too. 167 / 3.96. I got the call last week, totally unexpected. I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to get in

What did you expect it would take to get in? Harvard numbers? Come on now. Either you're an eternal pessimist of the highest order or a UCI plant like BioLaw was suggesting.

I think some people here are kind of paranoid... I have been following LawApp2012 (my number's twin) on LSN for several weeks, so if she is a plant, it certainly was well-planned. Nobody really knew what it would take to get into UCI until a couple weeks ago when the acceptances started rolling out, so it is not unreasonable that she would be unsure of her chances. Don't we all have a little self-doubt until we get that phone call?