Brooklyn Law School 2011 Forum

[Player30]

aximpod - is there a divide between students right out of college and older students? You say it is a young crowd, and I'll hang out with anyone, but at 30 I wonder if I would feel out of place. I do have a friend who is 28 who goes there and she says there is a good mix.

[aximpod]

aximpod - is there a divide between students right out of college and older students? You say it is a young crowd, and I'll hang out with anyone, but at 30 I wonder if I would feel out of place. I do have a friend who is 28 who goes there and she says there is a good mix.

I don't see any kind of divide. Everyone is really friendly and cool. 30 is definitely not out of place. I was surprised to find that a few classmates were 29 or 30 (They looked liked 25ish). No one cares about age as long as you are friendly and willing to talk.

[aximpod]

Anyone attended the ASW today? I am interested to hear how it was.

I was in the library the other day when a tour group came in. It was kind of funny especially when the whole group walked past my table and some of them were trying to look down to see what I was doing (I had a bunch of gchat windows opened on my laptop - LOL).

[ChaDoRi]

dumb question:

the admitted students part of the BLS website, how do I access it? I'm assuming its the same password as from the status checker, which I no longer have, but is that password given in any of the paperwork?

And is there anything worth seeing on it? Or just same old information we already know?

Thanks

If I remember right, they should have sent you an e-mail when you were accepted with a link and password. I remember there being a forum where you can ask questions about BLS. Last I checked, there were only like...2 questions asked.

[Dotcomgal]

I'll be at BLS going P/T...hoping to live in Feil Hall, I know first year law students are promised housing, but how hard is it to get into Feil? The rest of the apts. are unfurnished which would make my life very hard...

[carm611]

Any Brooklyn students out there who can give some insight on the residences other than Feil hall? i.e. if there's a particular one that's crappy, or one that's great..etc. I think I just want a studio in any building that's decently nice, in a good location, that's not Feil Hall.

[Sarajbj]

just got my financial aid package, an additional need based scholarship has now brought me up to full tuition

[Mich2008]

Going to Brooklyn this fall. Probably going PT, but hoping to transfer in after first semester. Can't wait to see you all there.

[phil]

I will be there P/T as well. See you all in August!

[misterstroma]

I just put my BLS seat deposit in the mail today! See you there in August.

aximpod -- I'm torn about the housing, would love your insight. I have an option to get into a roommate situation at a place in Stuy Town on the lower east side (don't ask me how) priced around what the 3 and 4 BR Feil Hall rooms cost. I'd certainly prefer a studio or 1BR, but as fab as Manhattan may be I suspect that, if I'm going to have a roommate it would be better to have a fellow law student.

Sarajbj & heightsholly -- can you give me any tips on how to best ask for an increased aid award? I am on the West Coast and will be unable to visit the office in person before orientation, not to mention it's ten days until the merit scholarship deposit deadline.

They've offered me @ 70% of tuition, and it is the most generous award from my accepts.

[Sarajbj]

Sarajbj & heightsholly -- can you give me any tips on how to best ask for an increased aid award? I am on the West Coast and will be unable to visit the office in person before orientation, not to mention it's ten days until the merit scholarship deposit deadline.

They've offered me @ 70% of tuition, and it is the most generous award from my accepts.

Congrats on deciding. I called the Admissions office and spoke with the dean of admissions. I explained to her my other offers and basically that I absolutely needed money in order to attend. She told me to forward my scholarship letters and they would review my file and let me know. I would just call the office as soon as possible, its always easier to talk to someone in order to gauge how likely it is for you to get more money and what you need to do to increase those chances.

[misterstroma]

Thanks! I don't have your advantages, but will give them a call anyway ASAP. Can't hurt to ask...

[Darth Topher]

You people are all lucky

[Sarajbj]

Did anyone else apply for either fellowship? I am just wondering when we are supposed to hear back about that .. like will it be over the summer, or fall? I emailed the woman in charge and have no heard a response, anyone else know?

[aximpod]

aximpod -- I'm torn about the housing, would love your insight. I have an option to get into a roommate situation at a place in Stuy Town on the lower east side (don't ask me how) priced around what the 3 and 4 BR Feil Hall rooms cost. I'd certainly prefer a studio or 1BR, but as fab as Manhattan may be I suspect that, if I'm going to have a roommate it would be better to have a fellow law student.

See below for a response I sent to another poster earlier this week regarding housing. The only bad thing about living in Manhattan is the commute. The commute is short but you need to add in the $81 per month for a monthly metrocard. Feil Hall is about 3 short blocks away from school so it is super convenient.

Feil Hall is very nice. It is a new 22 stories high rise apartment building. The rooms are huge. My living room is bigger than my living room at home. We have a very nice lobby with security guards to check IDs, receive packages, sign guests in etc... There is an awesome cafe/lounge in the first floor called Geraldo's where parties and stuff take place. You get a furnished apartment at BLS so there is no need to bring any furniture. It is not like college at all. It is quiet and clean. There are no RA's or any of that nonsense. It is your typical NYC apartment building.

The area around Feil is extremely nice. Brooklyn Heights is one of the nicest (and expensive) neighborhood in NYC. I never had a problem with anyone. I come home at 3-4AM on the weekend all the time and everything is fine. There is a Barnes and Noble and UA movie theater at the end of the street so there are usually people out late at night. The whole State Street (Feli Hall's address) looks brand new as they just finished building some new condos. We have a brand new condo complex across the street with a YMCA so your heath needs are taken care of.

I think the whole area is amazing. The brownstones lined street during the Spring time is picture perfect. The Brooklyn Promenade is also nearby so you can take in the view of NYC harbor and lower Manhattan.

BLS is also 1-3 blocks away from the EDNY federal courts, US Attorney office, Brooklyn DA's office, NY Supreme Court, NY 2nd Appelllate Division etc...Plenty of courts and open spaces. There are about 10 subway lines that goes to BLS. The 4/5 Train is literally a building away and it only takes about 5 mins to get to lower Manhattan and 10 mins to Union Square.

Making friends is super easy. Everyone is very very nice. As long as you talk to people, you will make friends. most of the students are from NYC/NJ/ LI but there are a number of California kids here.

There are plenty of student clubs and organizations to take part in. It is very easy to meet people and make friends when you go to these events. Many of them have mentor-mentee programs so you get someone to guide you throughout your 1L year.

I am from NYC so I already have a lot of non-BLS friends to hang out with but I do go out with my BLS friends whenever we have free time for dinner and drinks.

Oh yah, there are a shitload of bars around here who loves BLS students. Every event usually has a after party at a few of the bars around Feil Hall. My section used to go out together for drinks but since it is getting close to finals, people stopped doing that.

It has definitely been a fun year so far. It has been stressful at times but fun and challenging. Law School, like everything else in life, is what you make of it. The people who do poorly in school (and probably in life) are those that sit back and just expect opportunities to fall in their lap. The school gives you plenty of opportunities, you just got to go get it yourself i.e . school gets you an interview...whether you get the job or not is really up to you.

Let me know if you have more questions.

[misterstroma]

Thanks for the tips on the housing. I'm thinking more and more that the student housing sounds right, I just really do not want a roomie! I'm too old for roommate drama. If they could guarantee a 1BR or studio I'd be an easy decision, but from what I can tell the odds are about 60% that you'll get your own place.

Did anyone else apply for either fellowship? I am just wondering when we are supposed to hear back about that .. like will it be over the summer, or fall? I emailed the woman in charge and have no heard a response, anyone else know?

I believe they already started interviews for the Sparer Fellows.

[Dotcomgal]

Well, I don't really want a roommate either, but on the housing form, there is a pretty detailed questionnaire and if they actually take your answers into account, you could end up with a roommate perfectly suited to you.

[superfly80]

For those of you that are accepted P/T, does it specify if you are Evening or Day Time on your award letter? Does BLS even have a day time P/T ( I've been told it does). Is that legit?

[aximpod]

For those of you that are accepted P/T, does it specify if you are Evening or Day Time on your award letter? Does BLS even have a day time P/T ( I've been told it does). Is that legit?

Yah. There is a daytime PT program. You take 1 less class than the FT day students. After the first semester, almost all the PT day students transfer over to FT and you make up that one class over the summer or next year.

[superfly80]

For those of you who are admitted P/T does it specifically say whether it's Day or Evening on your admissions letter?

[phil]

For those of you that are accepted P/T, does it specify if you are Evening or Day Time on your award letter? Does BLS even have a day time P/T ( I've been told it does). Is that legit?

Yah. There is a daytime PT program. You take 1 less class than the FT day students. After the first semester, almost all the PT day students transfer over to FT and you make up that one class over the summer or next year.

My letter specifically specified that I was admitted into the P/T Day Division. So TITCR.

[misterstroma]

I owe a big thanks for the advice to try to negotiate for an increased scholarship/grant award. Admissions offered me an additional Dean's merit scholarship for my troubles!

[amIready]

I just got in P/T and decided to go. I know that the housing deposit was due on the first but since I just got in does anyone think they would extend it at all?

[misterstroma]

I think this means you're not guaranteed a spot, but still might get one in the lottery.

The deadline for guaranteed housing was May 1. All applications post-marked after May will be added to a waiting list and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

--LinkRemoved--

[bklawgirl11]

I'm probably also going to be in Brooklyn P/T..does anyone know when we find out about the full time waitlist? Is it impossible to get in full-time with an LSAT score of less than 160? (i have a 159). Also, how hard is it to get into Feil Hall as a IL? Do full-time students get preference over part-time students, or is it just done randomly? Thanks