Michigan 1Ls/2Ls/3Ls taking questions Forum

[verdandi]

Don't even get me started on UNC and their traitor coach who shows up to the 08 championship wearing a jayhawk button after we utterly annihilated them the game before. Roy is scum. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

I am a Dukie, so AMEN to that one.

Hey did any of you choose Michigan over Chicago?

Im talking to a Chicago grad tomorrow about this, but what I'm trying to decide is if I ought to ED chicago or not.

I can take this one... kinda. I actually got rejected from Chicago. HOWEVER, I did actually attend UChicago for one of their masters programs last year and got the opportunity to take classes in the Law School, so I've actually experienced both UChicago and Michigan. Honestly, I like the vibe at Michigan much, much better, so much so I'm actually glad Chicago rejected me. Sometimes things work out for the right reason. I have no problem with Chicago on paper - their professors are AMAZING, and their classes are great, and of course they have a wonderful reputation for preparing you to go in any direction (academia, clerkship, firm, etc.). However, their student body struck me as... cold. Some of them were very nice, but none of them seemed all that happy. Everyone seemed to have their head down and focused on their work. I think that's great for them, but its not me. I've had a MUCH better time at Michigan, but I think that's mostly because my personality fits there better. I'm sure there are many out there for whom Chicago would be a better fit.

[tallboone]

^^^^ah, a MAPSS student. Do you think that helped you get into law school?^^^^ I almost did that this year.

[starstruck393]

How strong do you feel the alumni network is? Would you say it's comparable to any other large public school or more similar to an elite private university? For example, being from the LA area, everyone instinctively knows how USC has an advantage over UCLA in networking even though UCLA is the better school.

I think the alumni network is very strong, one of the strongest in the country. I'm pretty sure it's the biggest in terms of universities in general (across all majors), and might be for purely ls as well, unless GULC or HLS has taken over the title. There are huge contingents of Michigan alumni in every major city across the country, which I don't think you can say about more regionally focused schools like UVA (mostly DC/VA/South), UCLA/USC (mostly CA/West Coast) or UT (mostly TX/SW). During the fall, go to any major city and you can find an "alumni bar," where the bar is filled with almost entirely Michigan alumni/fans watching the football game. The same thing happened for the bball team during the NCAA tournament last year. I think the sports are a big factor, as the passion it breeds gives alumni a reason to stay connected to the school. Outside of Duke, smaller schools like Columbia, Chicago, Cornell, etc. lack that reason to get together, and the alumni have to actively stay connected, whereas Michigan alumni tend to if nothing else gravitate back.

[cutiewiddlebebe]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

[starstruck393]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

I'm not sure what you're looking for. Next year's course schedule hasn't been posted yet. The classes for this year can be found here http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudent ... fault.aspx, and classes from previous years are here http://web.law.umich.edu/_ClassSchedule ... rchive.asp. What you'll probably notice is that while the summer semester has two doctrinal courses, legal practice I and legal practice skills, the fall semester has three doctrinal courses, legal practice I (or II) and legal practice skills, and the winter semester has three doctrinal courses and legal practice II, the doctrinal courses are different for different sections in different semesters of different years.

Example: for this year, they announced that the Summer Starters will have contracts and torts. In summers past, that has been crim pro and torts also. What classes will have will depend on the year and what section you get placed into...

[Alexandria]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

Not all sections have the same classes fall versus winter. Michigan's 1L doctrinal classes are Torts, Crim, Property, Con Law, Contracts, and Civ Pro. You would have three of those each semester.

[cutiewiddlebebe]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

I'm not sure what you're looking for. Next year's course schedule hasn't been posted yet. The classes for this year can be found here http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudent ... fault.aspx, and classes from previous years are here http://web.law.umich.edu/_ClassSchedule ... rchive.asp. What you'll probably notice is that while the summer semester has two doctrinal courses, legal practice I and legal practice skills, the fall semester has three doctrinal courses, legal practice I (or II) and legal practice skills, and the winter semester has three doctrinal courses and legal practice II, the doctrinal courses are different for different sections in different semesters of different years.

Example: for this year, they announced that the Summer Starters will have contracts and torts. In summers past, that has been crim pro and torts also. What classes will have will depend on the year and what section you get placed into...

Thanks, that is helpful.

So, to clarify, every first year fall starter will take at minimum 9 required courses (510 Civil Procedure, 520 Contracts, 530 Criminal Law, 540 Intro to Constitutional Law, 590 Legal Practice I, 591 Legal Practice II, 592 Legal Practice Skills, 560 Property, 580 Torts) and at maximum 10 total courses (9 required + 1 elective)? Must the elective be taken second semester?

[Alexandria]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

I'm not sure what you're looking for. Next year's course schedule hasn't been posted yet. The classes for this year can be found here http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudent ... fault.aspx, and classes from previous years are here http://web.law.umich.edu/_ClassSchedule ... rchive.asp. What you'll probably notice is that while the summer semester has two doctrinal courses, legal practice I and legal practice skills, the fall semester has three doctrinal courses, legal practice I (or II) and legal practice skills, and the winter semester has three doctrinal courses and legal practice II, the doctrinal courses are different for different sections in different semesters of different years.

Example: for this year, they announced that the Summer Starters will have contracts and torts. In summers past, that has been crim pro and torts also. What classes will have will depend on the year and what section you get placed into...

Thanks, that is helpful.

So, to clarify, every first year fall starter will take at minimum 9 required courses (510 Civil Procedure, 520 Contracts, 530 Criminal Law, 540 Intro to Constitutional Law, 590 Legal Practice I, 591 Legal Practice II, 592 Legal Practice Skills, 560 Property, 580 Torts) and at maximum 10 total courses (9 required + 1 elective)? Must the elective be taken second semester?

Legal Practice Skills isn't a real class. It's just an extra credit they give you fall semester... so essentially you get 3 hours for LP first semester and 2 hours second semester. If you take an elective (it is no longer required), it must be second semester.

[starstruck393]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

I'm not sure what you're looking for. Next year's course schedule hasn't been posted yet. The classes for this year can be found here http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudent ... fault.aspx, and classes from previous years are here http://web.law.umich.edu/_ClassSchedule ... rchive.asp. What you'll probably notice is that while the summer semester has two doctrinal courses, legal practice I and legal practice skills, the fall semester has three doctrinal courses, legal practice I (or II) and legal practice skills, and the winter semester has three doctrinal courses and legal practice II, the doctrinal courses are different for different sections in different semesters of different years.

Example: for this year, they announced that the Summer Starters will have contracts and torts. In summers past, that has been crim pro and torts also. What classes will have will depend on the year and what section you get placed into...

Thanks, that is helpful.

So, to clarify, every first year fall starter will take at minimum 9 required courses (510 Civil Procedure, 520 Contracts, 530 Criminal Law, 540 Intro to Constitutional Law, 590 Legal Practice I, 591 Legal Practice II, 592 Legal Practice Skills, 560 Property, 580 Torts) and at maximum 10 total courses (9 required + 1 elective)? Must the elective be taken second semester?

I don't think there's room for an elective unless you do summer start; I thought you're capped at 15 credits unless you can petition for 16, since you'll have 3x4 + 2 = 14; maybe if you petition you could take a 2 cr elective, but I'm not sure why you'd want to, or even if they'd grant it...

[starstruck393]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

I'm not sure what you're looking for. Next year's course schedule hasn't been posted yet. The classes for this year can be found here http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudent ... fault.aspx, and classes from previous years are here http://web.law.umich.edu/_ClassSchedule ... rchive.asp. What you'll probably notice is that while the summer semester has two doctrinal courses, legal practice I and legal practice skills, the fall semester has three doctrinal courses, legal practice I (or II) and legal practice skills, and the winter semester has three doctrinal courses and legal practice II, the doctrinal courses are different for different sections in different semesters of different years.

Example: for this year, they announced that the Summer Starters will have contracts and torts. In summers past, that has been crim pro and torts also. What classes will have will depend on the year and what section you get placed into...

Thanks, that is helpful.

So, to clarify, every first year fall starter will take at minimum 9 required courses (510 Civil Procedure, 520 Contracts, 530 Criminal Law, 540 Intro to Constitutional Law, 590 Legal Practice I, 591 Legal Practice II, 592 Legal Practice Skills, 560 Property, 580 Torts) and at maximum 10 total courses (9 required + 1 elective)? Must the elective be taken second semester?

If you take an elective (it is no longer required), it must be second semester.

How would you fit that in?

[Alexandria]

I don't think there's room for an elective unless you do summer start; I thought you're capped at 15 credits unless you can petition for 16, since you'll have 3x4 + 2 = 14; maybe if you petition you could take a 2 cr elective, but I'm not sure why you'd want to, or even if they'd grant it...

This is the rule for 2Ls and 3Ls. I don't think current 1Ls had to petition, since taking an elective is not an exception. The rest of us certainly didn't, since we were required to take an elective.

[Alexandria]

How would you fit that in?

I'm not really sure what you mean by that. This is the first year a 1L elective hasn't been required, which most of us who had to do it think is GREAT. When I was a 1L you had to take either a 2 or 3 credit elective (so you ended up taking 16 or 17 hours). Now the 1Ls are only allowed to take a 2-credit elective.

[starstruck393]

How would you fit that in?

I'm not really sure what you mean by that. This is the first year a 1L elective hasn't been required, which most of us who had to do it think is GREAT. When I was a 1L you had to take either a 2 or 3 credit elective (so you ended up taking 16 or 17 hours). Now the 1Ls are only allowed to take a 2-credit elective.

Was the 15/16 credit maximum (15 w/o, 16 w/ a petition) I saw somewhere only for 2L/3L's?

[Alexandria]

How would you fit that in?

I'm not really sure what you mean by that. This is the first year a 1L elective hasn't been required, which most of us who had to do it think is GREAT. When I was a 1L you had to take either a 2 or 3 credit elective (so you ended up taking 16 or 17 hours). Now the 1Ls are only allowed to take a 2-credit elective.

Was the 15/16 credit maximum (15 w/o, 16 w/ a petition) I saw somewhere only for 2L/3L's?

Yup.

[starstruck393]

How would you fit that in?

I'm not really sure what you mean by that. This is the first year a 1L elective hasn't been required, which most of us who had to do it think is GREAT. When I was a 1L you had to take either a 2 or 3 credit elective (so you ended up taking 16 or 17 hours). Now the 1Ls are only allowed to take a 2-credit elective.

Was the 15/16 credit maximum (15 w/o, 16 w/ a petition) I saw somewhere only for 2L/3L's?

Yup.

Oh ok, thanks

[verdandi]

I know that the first year curriculum is virtually the same across most law schools, but would someone mind posting Michigan's specific 1st year courses, broken down by semester, assuming a Fall start? Thank you.

One other reason why people aren't able to give you that info is that the class schedules vary from section to section. You get placed into one of 1st year sections -- about 25 people -- and you take all of your classes together. These sections are then grouped together in groups of 4 to make a larger group -- this is the size of your biggest lecture class; about 100 people. So, for example:

ABCD (made up of sections A, B, C, and D) = summer starters.
EFGH, IJKL, and MNOP: Fall starters.

This fall, EFGH took Torts, Contracts, and Civ Pro. IJKL took Torts, Property, and Criminal Law. MNOP took Torts, Contracts, and Property. Therefore, without knowing what section you've been placed in (and you won't know this until August), there's no way to know your fall semester schedule.


*** fixed

[Lawlcat]

IJKL was Torts, Property, and Crim.

PUT ON THE SORTING HAT

[bighead715]

is there a management company that any of you particularly like?

i went around with Arch Realty and they had decent apartments.

also, as a summer starter do you guys suggest living in the LC or in an apartment nearby? Do the social perks outweigh the cafeteria food, lack of kitchen, and shared bathrooms?

[starstruck393]

is there a management company that any of you particularly like?

i went around with Arch Realty and they had decent apartments.

also, as a summer starter do you guys suggest living in the LC or in an apartment nearby? Do the social perks outweigh the cafeteria food, lack of kitchen, and shared bathrooms?

I'll be living in an apartment. Having a car (a necessity for me) is too much of a hassle in the LC, and rent will be much cheaper in an apt. That being said, I'm sad I won't get to live in the LC. It's like a castle ! If you don't mind the LC's drawbacks, I think it would be a cool place to live, especially in the summer.

[starstruck393]

IJKL was Torts, Property, and Crim.

PUT ON THE SORTING HAT

Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?
Not EFGH. Not EFGH.
Not EFGH, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And EFGH will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. No?
Please, please. Anything but EFGH, anything but EFGH.
Well if you're sure, better be... ABCD!

[Aeon]

is there a management company that any of you particularly like?

i went around with Arch Realty and they had decent apartments.

also, as a summer starter do you guys suggest living in the LC or in an apartment nearby? Do the social perks outweigh the cafeteria food, lack of kitchen, and shared bathrooms?

I'll be living in an apartment. Having a car (a necessity for me) is too much of a hassle in the LC, and rent will be much cheaper in an apt. That being said, I'm sad I won't get to live in the LC. It's like a castle ! If you don't mind the LC's drawbacks, I think it would be a cool place to live, especially in the summer.

Is the LC open for the summer?

IJKL was Torts, Property, and Crim.

PUT ON THE SORTING HAT

Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?
Not EFGH. Not EFGH.
Not EFGH, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And EFGH will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. No?
Please, please. Anything but EFGH, anything but EFGH.
Well if you're sure, better be... ABCD!

[rockchalk86]

IJKL was Torts, Property, and Crim.

PUT ON THE SORTING HAT

Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?
Not EFGH. Not EFGH.
Not EFGH, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And EFGH will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. No?
Please, please. Anything but EFGH, anything but EFGH.
Well if you're sure, better be... ABCD!

I feel like such a dork, but I can't help but love this

[waitingforanswers]

IJKL was Torts, Property, and Crim.

PUT ON THE SORTING HAT

Hmm, difficult. VERY difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?
Not EFGH. Not EFGH.
Not EFGH, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And EFGH will help you on the way to greatness, there's no doubt about that. No?
Please, please. Anything but EFGH, anything but EFGH.
Well if you're sure, better be... ABCD!

Awesome.

[03121202698008]

How many credits total do you take the first year? Second and third? I am trying to figure out GI bill reimbursement which is based on credits taken.

[Alexandria]

How many credits total do you take the first year? Second and third? I am trying to figure out GI bill reimbursement which is based on credits taken.

Well... I guess for a fall starter it would be 29 or 31, depending on whether you decide to take an elective.

2L and 3L year it's up to you how you split things up (within certain paramaters... minimum of 10 per semester and max 16). You have to have 82 to graduate.