Chicago Law Class of 2016 Forum

[20141023]

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[Xifeng]

Does anyone know when we will know how much financial aid we are eligible for? I don't just mean merit-based scholarships (because I likely won't get any of those), but also student loans.

Also, for the student loans, is the total amount stated above by Papi ($73,959) the maximum amount of loans we can take out each year? I am just wondering because $1,132.50 ($13,590/12) per month for rent, utilities, food, toiletries, etc. seems a little bit low for someone with a family (I know they only consider the law student himself/herself in their calculations, but still). Does anyone know how all of this works out?

That'll come out with the financial aid award letters in February. Ours said something like "In addition, we are presenting you a loan package that will cover the remaining cost of attending the Law School. This package will include Federal Direct Stafford Loans and a Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan or an alternative loan of your choice. It may also include a subsidized Perkins Loan. The exact amounts of each loan will be determined by the University’s Student Loan Administration in the early summer after they have processed and reviewed your FAFSA."

I'm pretty sure you can ask them to raise it for family costs (like childcare, etc.), you just have to talk to financial aid about it. I'm sure you could email them now if you have general questions like that.

[Rahviveh]

Also the amounts are for 9 months, not 12.

[20141023]

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[Dany]

Also the amounts are for 9 months, not 12.

Yeah, but they don't provide loans for the 3 summer months so you have to cover it with loans meant for the in-session months (and any money made from working), right?

School-year loans don't need to cover the summer. If you work an unpaid PI job you get a $5k stipend for the summer that you don't have to repay. If you get an SA or work in-house or something, you'll be making plenty to support yourself over the summer. The notable exception is working for a judge (unpaid and you aren't eligible for the PI $), but no one has to work for a judge.

[20141023]

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[Dany]

School-year loans don't need to cover the summer. If you work an unpaid PI job you get a $5k stipend for the summer that you don't have to repay. If you get an SA or work in-house or something, you'll be making plenty to support yourself over the summer. The notable exception is working for a judge (unpaid and you aren't eligible for the PI $), but no one has to work for a judge.

True... I want to work (and plan on working) during the summers - especially the second summer. However, I've heard that it can be difficult to find "lawyer" work for the first summer of law school. From your experience, how does this work at Chicago? ("This" meaning "the manner in which students find work during their first summer.") Are PI jobs readily available even during one's first summer at Chicago?

It is not even close to difficult to find a 1L summer job coming from UChicago. It's unheard of not to work.

[20141023]

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[Dany]

Yeah, you read it wrong. 1L SAs are hard to get (if we're excluding diversity positions, which I know less about but that there are generally more of). The vast majority of the class works in PI or government as 1Ls, and those positions are not hard to get.

[reallysearch]

School-year loans don't need to cover the summer. If you work an unpaid PI job you get a $5k stipend for the summer that you don't have to repay. If you get an SA or work in-house or something, you'll be making plenty to support yourself over the summer. The notable exception is working for a judge (unpaid and you aren't eligible for the PI $), but no one has to work for a judge.

True... I want to work (and plan on working) during the summers - especially the second summer. However, I've heard that it can be difficult to find "lawyer" work for the first summer of law school. From your experience, how does this work at Chicago? ("This" meaning "the manner in which students find work during their first summer.") Are PI jobs readily available even during one's first summer at Chicago?

Summer employment data

seems most 1L work for public interest and government

[20141023]

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[reallysearch]

Yeah, you read it wrong. 1L SAs are hard to get (if we're excluding diversity positions, which I know less about but that there are generally more of). The vast majority of the class works in PI or government as 1Ls, and those positions are not hard to get.

what about 1L summer jobs for international students?

I understand that there isn't a large population of us in Chicago (from what I hear it's 7-8 per year), and I am curious to find out if our immigration status will place a lot of restrictions on the kind of summer jobs we can get...

[kfischm1]

Admitted today RD. I'm super excited because I wasn't expecting to get in (169 third try/4.14/non-URM), but I'm not letting myself get too worked up because I think the cost of attendance is going to be too steep. I don't know if I could justify turning down $90,000 and other similar scholarships at MVP to go to Chicago at sticker (I don't think I'll be getting merit aid with my numbers)

I know most of the people in this thread here so far did ED and are obligated to attend regardless if they get scholarships or not later. So I'm curious - What made you decide to do ED and possibly attend at sticker and pass up the possiblity of scholarships at another T-14?

[Crowing]

As a traditional splitter I'm 99% sure I'll be headed to Chicago - really excited to be joining this group!

[Rahviveh]

Admitted today RD. I'm super excited because I wasn't expecting to get in (169 third try/4.14/non-URM), but I'm not letting myself get too worked up because I think the cost of attendance is going to be too steep. I don't know if I could justify turning down $90,000 and other similar scholarships at MVP to go to Chicago at sticker (I don't think I'll be getting merit aid with my numbers)

I know most of the people in this thread here so far did ED and are obligated to attend regardless if they get scholarships or not later. So I'm curious - What made you decide to do ED and possibly attend at sticker and pass up the possiblity of scholarships at another T-14?

I have kind of a unique situation so I don't think it'll be that useful for you. I will say this - don't give up on getting money from Chicago. You may not get $90,000, but perhaps 30-45k is a possibility which cuts the difference quite a bit and may make Chicago a more realistic choice for you.

As a traditional splitter I'm 99% sure I'll be headed to Chicago - really excited to be joining this group!

Proud of you dude. Admissions can be a lot more unpredictable than TLS will have you believe.

[Crowing]

The ASW login and pws seem very generic... I assume everybody has the same one? It seems like a rather strange way to secure a site.

[Dany]

The ASW login and pws seem very generic... I assume everybody has the same one? It seems like a rather strange way to secure a site.

I don't think that many people are trying to hack into an admitted law students webpage.

[2014]

Admitted today RD. I'm super excited because I wasn't expecting to get in (169 third try/4.14/non-URM), but I'm not letting myself get too worked up because I think the cost of attendance is going to be too steep. I don't know if I could justify turning down $90,000 and other similar scholarships at MVP to go to Chicago at sticker (I don't think I'll be getting merit aid with my numbers)

I know most of the people in this thread here so far did ED and are obligated to attend regardless if they get scholarships or not later. So I'm curious - What made you decide to do ED and possibly attend at sticker and pass up the possiblity of scholarships at another T-14?

I'd be stunned if you didn't get a scholarship offer. It won't be 90k, but it will be something. If they don't offer you one don't be afraid to ask either and give them whatever you have for leverage. We have the lowest COA in the T14 already so you can probably get the costs close enough to justify going if you want to be here.


Also re: the 1L job hunt. It has been made as close to explicitly clear to us that if we want a legal job for the summer we will have one. Chicago is a big city and UChi is a good enough school that when you are telling employers "Hay I want to work full time all summer and btw I don't need paid", it won't take too many submissions to get a bite. The school LOVES their 100% 1L job placement stat too.

[20141023]

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[ringo]

It definitely helps a lot to have actual Chicago law students who are willing to answer questions in this thread! While we're on the topic.... Students usually begin searching for their 2L SA positions towards the beginning of their second year (as soon as they have your 1L grades), correct? Is the time-line for searching for 1L summer jobs similar (I assume/hope not), or when do students typically begin applying for the PI/government/etc. jobs? Lastly, at Chicago, because "1 year" = "3 quarters" instead of "2 semesters," does having more grades to show to employers help you when applying for the 1L summer jobs? (I apologize for the barrage of questions, but I'd rather figure this stuff out now than in the middle of the semester when I am trying to focus on grades. )

1L summer job search begins December 1, though plenty of people wait until after fall exams to get their applications together. Since people have a 1L job in hand by Feb. or March, that means we've got 1 quarter of grades as opposed to 1 semester at other schools, so we actually have fewer grades to show (just two). I have no idea how that affects things, but my guess is it doesn't really.

As Dany already suggested, post your future questions here. You'll get more answers from current students there.

Congrats again to everyone who got in today (and earlier)!

[keval81]

Got in yesterday! I'm still in shock--with my numbers Chicago was a super reach, but somehow I got in. I'll definitely be attending, look forward to meeting all of you. Congrats to all admits!

[keval81]

I don't think that many people are trying to hack into an admitted law students webpage.

+1

[Rahviveh]

Got in yesterday! I'm still in shock--with my numbers Chicago was a super reach, but somehow I got in. I'll definitely be attending, look forward to meeting all of you. Congrats to all admits!

Wow. Chicago really trying to lock down that 3.9 median this year lol. Congrats!

[20141023]

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[WhiteyCakes]

Is anyone here actually leaning towards gov/public interest? It seems that Chciago is dominated by BigLaw/Clerking, but they still have a very good LRAP. That apparent discontinuity confuses me.