University of Maine Forum

[insegnilo]

Who all has been admitted thus far? Heard back on 12/20/10 - Curious to hear about who's going/got in, from where, housing options, stats, general opinion of the shool etc etc

[legal_eagle]

I went to the open house a few months ago. The school was nice yet it was very small and tight knit

[flounder]

School is in my home town. Anywhere are around the school is a good place to live.

[mmitchell2284]

I was admitted 12.6 and am mailing out my seat deposit tomorrow! I currently live and work right down the street from the School in Portland. It is a great city and I would be happy to answer any questions about living in the area!

[Mr. T]

All I have to say is.........3 Dollar Dewey's in the Old Port.

[JLR]

Could you post the names of some areas where the law students live in and around the school and the City. Are there any apartment rentals near or on the water? Finally, is covered parking a must given the weather? Thanks for the help.

[Mr. T]

There are several areas to live. Its been a while since I lived in Portland but, as with any city, there are good and bad areas. You may want to look at the Gorham area which is a short drive into downtown Portland and very affordable. MMITCHEL above may have more suggestions as it appears he/she lives there currently.

Overall, its Maine and you can't really go wrong. Portland is a great city and the Old Port (bar area) is lots of fun. I rec the Shipwreck Ale and visiting Three Dollar Dewey's at some point

Best of luck!

[JLR]

Thanks.

[insegnilo]

Congratulations on your admission, mmitchell2284! I might see you there in the Fall! Deadline for deposit is in April, right?

legal_eagle - What you say about the small and close knit feel is really good to hear. I'm coming out of three larger state universities in the West and am eager to actually know my classmates. If it's a small as they say it is, that really forces Maine toward the top of my list.

How hard is it four out-of-staters to find an apartment in the area or do some students actually end up in the dorms? From what I've read, the residence halls should be a last resort for the professional student. Best neighborhood withing walking distance of the school? ...coming from out-of-state and not bringing a car for the 1L year.

Old Port looks amazing! Is the culture of the area markedly 'New England' or does it comes across as just another small city in the US? Kind of curious about francophone culture in the state as well - does it reach that far south?

How about employment in Portland...is that Maine territory or do they creep down from Boston and New Haven?

Thank you much!

[Mr. T]

Apartments are easily found. You will not be right next to the law school but the surrounding communities are nice, safe, and a simply jump on and off the hwy to get to the school.

I'm not sure if the U of M JD degree will travel to Boston. I would guess "Yes" but I have no data to support this.

Portland is an interesting city. You get the small-Maine feel in some parts and others you feel as though you are in a mid-size "anywhere" city. The people make the place and in Portland, and elsewhere in Maine, I have always been impressed with the kindness and friendliness of those I have met.

I don't think you can go wrong there IF you plan to live and practice in that area. I have no information on legal work int he area.

[mmitchell2284]

Thanks Insegnilo! I'm guessing congratulations are in order for you too?! Yes, the deposits aren't due until April 15th, but I figured I would take some of my last (eek) christmas bonus for a few years and put it towards the deposit before I spent it on something else.

Ok let me do my best to answer your questions so far about the school and the city. From what I have heard legal-eagle is spot on regarding the tight knit feeling of the school. I have a friend who is in his second year and he says competition amongst classmates is practically non-existent in a class of 90 students. As far as the degree taking you outside of Maine, I believe a large percentage of graduates do in fact stay in Maine, as I plan to, but I know of at least two graduates working in Boston and DC, so it is not without exception.

Neighborhoods in Portland: Most young people live in either the East End or the West End of the city. It is shaped like a bean with the two "ends" flanking the old port and downtown area on either side. Each neighborhood has its respective promenade overlooking the water. The East End is definitely more up and coming/youthful whereas the West End is more established with beautiful older buildings, more of which are single family homes rather than apartments/condos for rent. Ideally you would want to find off street parking in these neighborhoods, but if you can't the city gives you a permit to park on the streets and in the event of snowstorms/parking bans on city streets, parking garages often offer discounted overnight rates. It can definitely be a bit of a headache. The Eastern Promenade has great public facilities including a beach, park, public boat launch, tennis courts etc and if you wanted to see the water just down the street from your apartment that would be completely possible. Look for places in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood. That is the top of the East End hill, so looking downwards you would see the city to one side and the water to the other. Both of these neighborhoods would put you within walking distance of downtown but probably not to the law school. If you wanted to be within walking distance you should look in the Deering Neighborhood. As you can see on a map, anywhere off Brighton or Deering ave should be relatively close. I run down Darmouth street frequently and it looks like most of the houses there are subdivided into apartments for rent. I'm not sure but these might be in high demand given their convenience to USM (The University of Southern Maine. Part of their Portland campus is directly across from the Law School) as well as the Law School. I should note that compared to any other city you will be shocked by how easy Portland is to get around. I say that the East and West End are not within walking distance, but you can still probably get to the law school in 5 minutes by car or bus.

Ok clearly I am biased, seeing as I chose to live here after graduating from college, but on the whole I would describe Portland as a very culturally progressive city that still retains it's New England charm. There is an art walk on the first friday of every month where the museums and galleries open their doors to the public. There always seems to be a new restaurant or bar to check out. The public parks and facilities blow me away after growing up in Baltimore. The 3.5 mile loop called "Back Bay" or the "Boulevard" is a great place to run or walk. All the big box stores as well as the Maine Mall are located just out of town in South Portland, so the downtown retains a quaint feeling. You really have everything you need at your disposal without the headaches of living in a big city. Finding a job is really the only major drawback, and of course the long winters. I don't think I could have possibly left anything out based on the length of this post haha but again please feel free to reach out with any questions. I would be happy to help out any future classmates!

[legal_eagle]

Congratulations on your admission, mmitchell2284! I might see you there in the Fall! Deadline for deposit is in April, right?

legal_eagle - What you say about the small and close knit feel is really good to hear. I'm coming out of three larger state universities in the West and am eager to actually know my classmates. If it's a small as they say it is, that really forces Maine toward the top of my list.

How hard is it four out-of-staters to find an apartment in the area or do some students actually end up in the dorms? From what I've read, the residence halls should be a last resort for the professional student. Best neighborhood withing walking distance of the school? ...coming from out-of-state and not bringing a car for the 1L year.

Old Port looks amazing! Is the culture of the area markedly 'New England' or does it comes across as just another small city in the US? Kind of curious about francophone culture in the state as well - does it reach that far south?

How about employment in Portland...is that Maine territory or do they creep down from Boston and New Haven?

Thank you much!

The class sections were incredibly small. From the students i talked to at the 11/1 open house i definitely felt that the students liked maine. I also got the feeling that alot of the students were from maine or at least new england. Honestly, every person on this board can tell you their impressions of the law school and the surrounding area but the absolute best way to assess the situation is to go and see the school and first hand.

BTW, make sure to try the lobster while your in town.

[lharsha]

Hey Guys,

I made a last minute decisions to apply to Maine, and I have a few questions.

I applied three days ago and haven't heard anything. How long did it take them to get back to you with a status checker? Do they even have a status checker? Also, I am not a resident of New England so has anyone heard if they are generous with scholarships? 160/3.7

Thanks.

[insegnilo]

Lots of great news and information.

I went to an alumni/friends of the School reception and found that people who know the school/city universally love the place (complaints about the weather aside) and also universally recognize the School's reach - take that as you will.

However, one of the professors who had the chance to speak with us had indicated that students seem to 'self-select' and opt OUT of pursuing 'Big City' contacts the professors are eager to share. I for one am not interested in cut-throat larger cities in the first place but it was an interesting thing to hear.

Any word yet on scholarships for any of you?

[ggx]

Hi All! Glad to find this thread. I was recently accepted, and am pretty excited. Congratulations to those who have posted their acceptance as well!

Right now I live in Boston, and work full time as a paralegal for a small 4 attorney firm- and I love it! I have been there for 3 years, since I finished undergrad. Though staying in Boston is tempting, and I have been offered generous scholarships in Boston and elsewhere, if I don't get accepted to BU or BC, I think Maine will be where I am going. I have visited Maine quite frequently and like the Portland area. Also, being a New England resident without an ABA Accredited law school, the discounted tuition is a relief.

As far as where to live- I would ideally rent a house (which is significantly cheaper than my Boston apartment rent). My husband is a tax attorney for a firm based in New Hampshire, and can work remotely so moving to Portland would be just fine. We have a 5 year old who will be starting Kindergarten when I start law school, so advice re: schools in the area would also be greatly appreciated. Any Portland natives who can help me out in that area?

[SunshineKid]

i just got waitlisted

[davidtothej05]

I cant believe it has taken me this long to stumble across this thread. I was accepted and sent in my seat deposit here in December. I grew up in Portland, moved away, but moved back and now live locally. If anybody needs help with housing or has any questions about the area feel free to PM me. Good luck to those wait listed and cant wait to meet those attending as we get closer to fall.

[twozeroseven]

I live in Maine, am accepted, and thinking about it, and happy to help answer questions as well.

As far as i know Maine is very stingy with scholly money. I have a number of friends who went/are going to Maine. All of them have plenty good to say about the school and the area. However, as of last week, very few 3L's had jobs lined up. Many were in negotiations and close to an agreement, so take that as you will. I also know of a girl, top of class, law review, form Maine with serious Portland law connections at Pierce Atwood, who did want a bigg(er)law job and was stymied. That was 2 years ago and of course we will be 3 years (hopefully) towards a more meaningful recovery, but.

[bloobook]

.

[vistatostudent]

I, too have visited Maine and considered the school fairly seriously for a while.

You know that it's a small school going in, and all of the students seem to really appreciate that fact. Portland is a great town, lots to offer students, easily accessible to someone new in town.

While scholarship money seems to be very hard to come by, in-state tution is quite inexpensive, and Maine also has a tuition rate for New England students that is comparably low. That said, I met students from as far away as Maryland and Minnesota, so while out-of-regioners may be an anomoly, they aren't unheard of.

The drawback, and main reason I decided against Maine was that no one seems to want to talk about job prospects after graduation, especially if you're a student who wants his/her first job to be outside of the state. I would be too afraid to go to Maine, knowing that I did not want to limit my job prospects to Portland/Maine/New England upon graduation.

[akcorps]

Withdrew, hope someone else gets to go. They offered me no money with 166/3.53. I guess being a native Mainer (the County, represent!) did nothing to help me. I even emailed the Dean and heard nothing in response. I knew I moved away for a reason.

To all who have gotten in, congrats. Enjoy the school and Portland.

[twozeroseven]

Withdrew, hope someone else gets to go. They offered me no money with 166/3.53. I guess being a native Mainer (the County, represent!) did nothing to help me. I even emailed the Dean and heard nothing in response. I knew I moved away for a reason.

To all who have gotten in, congrats. Enjoy the school and Portland.

Tell me about it. I have had serious problems with their communication. Sorry to hear you've had nothing but the same. They (Lepage et al) why the hell all of us leave the state...

[akcorps]

Withdrew, hope someone else gets to go. They offered me no money with 166/3.53. I guess being a native Mainer (the County, represent!) did nothing to help me. I even emailed the Dean and heard nothing in response. I knew I moved away for a reason.

To all who have gotten in, congrats. Enjoy the school and Portland.

Tell me about it. I have had serious problems with their communication. Sorry to hear you've had nothing but the same. They (Lepage et al) why the hell all of us leave the state...

Seriously. But it has always been this way, and with the state aging, it's only going to get worse. The older residents don't want to pay for something they don't think they get any benefit from, and most of the younger residents are poor/uneducated themselves and don't want some uppity law students taking their cash. Every time I talk to my family or in laws the same isolationist crap keeps coming up and they all insist that living/going to school in Maine is such a privilege that anyone should eat ramen for 20 years regardless of credentials.

State of Maine, it's time you and I sat down and had a long, hard talk about why you are the oldest and the whitest state in the nation and your kids don't stay or move back.

[twozeroseven]

State of Maine, it's time you and I sat down and had a long, hard talk about why you are the oldest and the whitest state in the nation and your kids don't stay or move back.

Amen. I recently wrote a blog post about this very issue -- and me going to have a tour of Maine Law and the doors being locked/no one answering the phone. I even used better grammar than my previous post. According to the general consensus, no one from the County can even GET a 166.

[akcorps]

Well, it might have helped that we moved when I was young. But, Waldo County ain't much better academically.