Top Law Schools

I know it is quite early but have you thought about housing? There is a place called the Co-op at http://www.uchaonline.com near UCLA's campus. It is really low-priced to live there. Does anyone who attended UCLA for undergraduate have anything to share about this place? Some people seem to mistakenly call it the UCLA Co-op but it is actually private (not owned by UCLA).

There is another thread mentioning the Co-op at http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=150 but I have no idea if there is any truth to the forum members' claims. Supposedly, there was a murder there if you read http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/1998 ... der-way-a/ and http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/1998 ... s-with-mu/

bruinbear wrote:

thaBeastfromtheEast wrote:What is the co-op? Sounds fun.

http://home.earthlink.net/~uchaweb/frameWhatis.html

i haven't met anyone who lived there that didn't hate it. one girl i know even had a drug dealer for a roommate- she left after two months of living there cause she just couldn't stand it.

the co-op isn't just for ucla students so i think thats where some of the problems come in. a lot of cool international students do stay there though. i guess it might be okay if you're really poor and dont mind sluming it and get extremely lucky with a good roommate (i dont think you can get single rooms). but uh even for its price, its pretty crappy. DO NOT LIVE THERE.

the co-op at ucla is mostly undergrads, and specifically, mostly exchange students. they throw a lot of parties and the building is generally noisy. also, you are required to do several hours of chores/cooking per week (the whole co-op part if you are unfamiliar with it). on the up side, there are lots of cute foreign girls living there. i would say it is certainly not the best place to live for law school, you should look at some of the other westwood apartments or if you want something cheaper but still within walking distance, look south of wilshire blvd.

I'll be attending UVA law, but I did my undergrad at UCLA. I might be able to give a little bit of insight on housing.

Driving is a bad idea in the greater Santa Monica area. The streets are crowded, Westwood is a fairly busy area; between the UCLA medical center, the commerce sector, and the shopping, there's traffic most of the day. Try to be within walking distance. Most of the better complexes are on the opposite side of Gayley. Some are UCLA owned, most are private. All are expensive. The Co-op has it's benefits, but I've heard some horror stories as well from both recent and long-past graduates [my father actually lived there 30 odd years ago].

In terms of UCLA owned off-campus housing, avoid Westwood Palms at all costs. It hasn't been renovated in decades, and conditions are beyond shoddy for what you're paying.

Please keep in mind these apartments (around the Co-Op area) are on the polar opposite side of campus from the law school. It will be a brisk 20 minute walk across campus each way. If you choose one of the newer apartments down Gayley, for example, Weyburn Terrace, you will have to walk completely up Gayley and in, or down Weyburn to Westwood, and then onto campus. This walk will be a good 30-35 minutes to the law school. As you would guess, most of the graduates in these areas are in the Medical School (which is under 15 minutes, and south campus is only about 20).

The area closer to the Law School is on the opposite side of Hillgard avenue, but that area is mostly single family homes, and Sorority Row. There might be some scattered apartment buildings - the law school itself might have a better idea.

Hmm. What type of horror stories? Sounds intriguing.

Does anyone know how the grad student housing for married students @ UCLA is?

Woot UCLA! this thread is so dead

Congrats to everyone admitted! I have a quick question for you guys. How did you find out about your acceptance? Email, snail mail, or phone call?

I'm psyched to leave the east coast and so some MAJOR sun-cruisin'. Anyways, made a fb group:

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?tid=1030 ... 3215044872

Sweet.

I want to truly be apart of this thread so badly.

Anybody thinking of taking $$ at UCLA over t-14 without $?

tallboone wrote:Anybody thinking of taking $$ at UCLA over t-14 without $?

I am still waiting for acceptances & offers but I will be tempted.
I really want to live in the west coast at least for the 3yrs of law school.
How are the corporate law job prospects & placements for UCLA grads compared to T14 T10 grads?
Will I need a car if I go to UCLA?

lemonpie wrote:

tallboone wrote:Anybody thinking of taking $$ at UCLA over t-14 without $?

I am still waiting for acceptances & offers but I will be tempted.
I really want to live in the west coast at least for the 3yrs of law school.
How are the corporate law job prospects & placements for UCLA grads compared to T14 T10 grads?
Will I need a car if I go to UCLA?

--LinkRemoved-- - Corporate law prospects. Remember these numbers reflect 2007 placements, so I'm sure biglaw placements for every law school will be lower this year.

You will not need a car at UCLA. I've heard this from current UCLA law students a couple of my friends who go to UCLA UG, and Dean Schwartz confirmed that most if not all necessities (malls, movie theater, grocery store, restaurants, bars, etc) are within walking/biking distance. Obviously if you choose to live in an apartment complex that's located far away from UCLA, then you'll need a car.

jay115 wrote:

lemonpie wrote:

tallboone wrote:Anybody thinking of taking $$ at UCLA over t-14 without $?

I am still waiting for acceptances & offers but I will be tempted.
I really want to live in the west coast at least for the 3yrs of law school.
How are the corporate law job prospects & placements for UCLA grads compared to T14 T10 grads?
Will I need a car if I go to UCLA?

--LinkRemoved-- - Corporate law prospects. Remember these numbers reflect 2007 placements, so I'm sure biglaw placements for every law school will be lower this year.

You will not need a car at UCLA. I've heard this from current UCLA law students a couple of my friends who go to UCLA UG, and Dean Schwartz confirmed that most if not all necessities (malls, movie theater, grocery store, restaurants, bars, etc) are within walking/biking distance. Obviously if you choose to live in an apartment complex that's located far away from UCLA, then you'll need a car.

Thanks!

lemonpie wrote:Will I need a car if I go to UCLA?

It depends on what you expect to get out of the experience. If you're content to live in grad student housing, or in the immediate vicinity of the school (especially Weyburn Terrace or the North Village) you can make do without a car. If so, you'll be right next to Westwood, which has the various amenities that have already been mentioned, and shuttles run into campus several times an hour. But on the other hand, if you're also wanting to experience LA outside of the Westwood cocoon, you really do need a car. Even when factoring the horrendous traffic at rush hour, there's no comparison in your level of mobility. LA Public transportation blows, and the sprawl means that everything is a 15 minute drive (or a 1-2 hour bus ride) away. Be prepared though: if you don't get on-campus parking (which is generally reserved for commuters), you'll have to either rent a space somewhere in Westwood, or pay for daily parking, which runs $10.

Even if you live within walking distance to the law school, you really should have a car in LA just for your own sanity. Westwood is nice but it becomes very confining after you've been there a while and when that itch to leave for an afternoon comes up, you really have to have a car. I made it for more than a year without one as a freshman at UCLA, but I couldn't imagine doing that again as a law student.

to be honest, i'm trying to decide between UCLA with $$$ and columbia/nyu. want to work in LA so that's what makes it so hard. but in all likelihood I am going to UCLA...so count me in!!!!

TO answer many of your questions....

I was recently admitted to UCLA (on friday) via phone call by Dean Schwartz. It was actually pretty surreal So i'm guessing phone calls are going out to some.

As for the living situation, I went to undergrad at UCLA and THE BEST mode of transportation is by scooter...like a Vespa or Honda Metropolitan. It makes it way easy to find parking, you have cheap gas, and it gets you anywhere you need to be in LA. And the weather out here makes it pretty easy to ride out, even when it gets cold.

Other than that, you have the Big Blue Bus that picks you up along the main streets like Wilshire and Santa Monica, allowing you to live in West LA, santa monica, Palms, etc and not have to deal with the traffic or parking. I lived in West LA all four years of UCLA, and using my scooter and the bus I never had a problem. Made it really easy to scoot from school to my job at century city and downtown at the LA courthouse. If you have any questions feel free to PM me, and hope to see you all at UCLA SOL soon!!

vickers711 wrote:TO answer many of your questions....

I was recently admitted to UCLA (on friday) via phone call by Dean Schwartz. It was actually pretty surreal So i'm guessing phone calls are going out to some.

What sort of turnaround time was there?

I'm getting antsy even though my application has only been complete for three days....

td6624 wrote:

vickers711 wrote:TO answer many of your questions....

I was recently admitted to UCLA (on friday) via phone call by Dean Schwartz. It was actually pretty surreal So i'm guessing phone calls are going out to some.

What sort of turnaround time was there?

I'm getting antsy even though my application has only been complete for three days....

my application was submitted on 11/25/09

I submitted my application on 1/6. Dean Schwartz called me last night while I was at dinner. I am very excited! It is the first I've heard from any law school, but UCLA is for sure one of my top choices.

Question: how/when does UCLA offer merit scholarships? Is it done over the phone or does that info come in the mail at a later date?

shaps6 wrote:Question: how/when does UCLA offer merit scholarships? Is it done over the phone or does that info come in the mail at a later date?

People who initially receive them are told on the phone (I believe). But the admitted student e-mail tells you to let them know about any other offers you've received because they want to "remain competitive." I sent that e-mail and was told I'd probably get a response by the end of the week.... which is just about here......

Did everyone who get in so far write the optional why ucla essay?

mhopeful wrote:Did everyone who get in so far write the optional why ucla essay?

I did not.

I was also just admitted(!!), via phone call from Dean Schwartz. Nice touch. And yes, I did write an optional essay for the poster who asked previously -- but I wouldn't worry if you did not.