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

[RhubarbPie]

Can someone who lives/has lived in the Lawyer's Club speak to their experience? Is it worth it to live there for the the social atmosphere and convenience? I think if I attend that's where I'll probably live, but the idea of using shared bathrooms grosses me out a bit

I'm actually also interested in housing situation. My fiancee and I wouldn't want to live on campus, but we'd want to probably live somewhere inside central Ann Arbor (I dont even know what that means, but just somewhere in the town I guess?). We live in the middle of a city right now in a high rise. Obviously we know its not going to be the same situation if we decide to move to Michigan, but is there anything similar? Lofts or something? The thought of living somewhere really nice for like a quarter of the rent as what we're paying now is really attractive. Any one know anything about lofts or other type of similar housing in Ann Arbor?

[Reinhardt]

I love you guys for answering questions. (This is a glorified "tag")

[Apple Tree]

Thank you so much for this thread!

1. Do you know how much the rent for a 2bed apartment is?

2. My husband and I were also thinking about buying a house. Do you know anything about the housing market there? Like how much a starter home would cost?

3. Do you happen to know if government agencies (SEC, IRS, etc) come to Mich to recruit interns/employees?

4. How is the job prospect for current Mich students working out? I know the whole market is bad, but can Mich graduates still find decent jobs?

[Alexandria]

I really like Michigan and will probably be choosing between it, NYU and Berkeley. I am sure I want to do environmental law for government/nonprofit. Michigan has a really nice environmental law program but I wonder how my career prospects would be compared to the other two schools. I also got a 45k scholly to Michigan but am not expecting much from the other two (although they both have very good LRAPs). What would you do if you were me? Sorry, that's a hard question...

Second, I am also married and I was wondering what the social situation is like. My husband and I have always had sort of the same group of friends. Do you take him with you when you go out with your LS friends? Or is LS kind of like a club where only the students hang out together and your partner just feels awkward?

1. Where do you want to work? If you're set on California (Berkeley) or NY (NYU), that's one thing. Otherwise, I really don't think you'll see a noticeable difference in career prospects.

2. I definitely often take him with me when I hang out with my LS friends, but the thing is that it can get boring for him sometimes. Law students really talk about law school an awful lot. Even if it doesn't feel like it to you... these little references creep in all the time... and for an outsider it is pretty obvious and boring.

That said, there are tons of married law students. So you definitely won't have trouble finding others, if that's what you're interested in. And you can always make a concerted effort when you go out with other couples (one of each couple presumably not being a law student), NOT to talk about law school.

[Alexandria]

Can someone who lives/has lived in the Lawyer's Club speak to their experience? Is it worth it to live there for the the social atmosphere and convenience? I think if I attend that's where I'll probably live, but the idea of using shared bathrooms grosses me out a bit

I'm actually also interested in housing situation. My fiancee and I wouldn't want to live on campus, but we'd want to probably live somewhere inside central Ann Arbor (I dont even know what that means, but just somewhere in the town I guess?). We live in the middle of a city right now in a high rise. Obviously we know its not going to be the same situation if we decide to move to Michigan, but is there anything similar? Lofts or something? The thought of living somewhere really nice for like a quarter of the rent as what we're paying now is really attractive. Any one know anything about lofts or other type of similar housing in Ann Arbor?

There are definitely high-rise/loft kinds of places. I don't know much about them myself, but there was some discussion of them in the Class of 2013 thread, so you should heck there.

[Alexandria]

Thank you so much for this thread!

1. Do you know how much the rent for a 2bed apartment is?

2. My husband and I were also thinking about buying a house. Do you know anything about the housing market there? Like how much a starter home would cost?

3. Do you happen to know if government agencies (SEC, IRS, etc) come to Mich to recruit interns/employees?

4. How is the job prospect for current Mich students working out? I know the whole market is bad, but can Mich graduates still find decent jobs?

1. Hopefully someone in more typical housing can answer this one. I don't really know. We live in a 3-bedroom condo 3 miles away from school (I drive in).

2. I personally would not recommend buying. We considered it ourselves, and we are very glad we didn't. The problem is selling again when you're done with law school. The market is not good for sellers.

3. Yes, some government agencies come to OCI, particularly for 2Ls.

4. I'll let a 2L answer this. I feel like right now, with the economy, each class (not talking about Michigan, but the legal profession generally) is having a unique experience, easier and harder in various respects. As a 3L, I feel like my experience is not really relevant to the Class of 2013. I'm not even sure how relevant the experience of 2Ls will be. But closer than my class.

[Apple Tree]

1. Hopefully someone in more typical housing can answer this one. I don't really know. We live in a 3-bedroom condo 3 miles away from school (I drive in).

Thank you so much! I take it as you rent your condo? Do you mind sharing the range of the rent? I just want to get a general idea...

[Alexandria]

1. Hopefully someone in more typical housing can answer this one. I don't really know. We live in a 3-bedroom condo 3 miles away from school (I drive in).

Thank you so much! I take it as you rent your condo? Do you mind sharing the range of the rent? I just want to get a general idea...

I don't mind sharing, but I just really don't think it's typical or that helpful. We pay $1,750. But it is a brand new two-level (3 with basement) three-bedroom townhouse with granite countertops, etc. And on top of that, I think we're overpaying, bc when we signed our 3-year lease (bc we did NOT want to move), we agreed to increase our rent by $50 each year (so we started at $1650). I feel like if we hadn't locked ourselves into the lease they wouldn't have been able to get away with raising our rent, based on how much the market sucks. And I don't think they would have made us move out to sell it, since they still have a couple other units they haven't sold yet.

[Apple Tree]

1. Hopefully someone in more typical housing can answer this one. I don't really know. We live in a 3-bedroom condo 3 miles away from school (I drive in).

Thank you so much! I take it as you rent your condo? Do you mind sharing the range of the rent? I just want to get a general idea...

I don't mind sharing, but I just really don't think it's typical or that helpful. We pay $1,750. But it is a brand new two-level (3 with basement) three-bedroom townhouse with granite countertops, etc. And on top of that, I think we're overpaying, bc when we signed our 3-year lease (bc we did NOT want to move), we agreed to increase our rent by $50 each year (so we started at $1650). I feel like if we hadn't locked ourselves into the lease they wouldn't have been able to get away with raising our rent, based on how much the market sucks. And I don't think they would have made us move out to sell it, since they still have a couple other units they haven't sold yet.

I really appreciate it. It's actually not bad for the space you have.

[doinmybest]

Can someone who lives/has lived in the Lawyer's Club speak to their experience? Is it worth it to live there for the the social atmosphere and convenience? I think if I attend that's where I'll probably live, but the idea of using shared bathrooms grosses me out a bit

Would love to hear more about this as well. I went to the housing website, and the page that had a virtual tour of the lawyers club is down. I still have no idea what it looks like in a typical room. Blindly, I just sent out my housing application for the lawyers club (non-binding). Additionally, I understand most people recommend not bringing your car up due to parking troubles. If I'm living in the lawyers club I won't need a car right?

[verdandi]

Ciao!

Another Michigan 1L here, taking more of your questions! Looks like lots of questions about housing, so I'll give you a profile of where I'm living and take some questions.

I live in Burns Park, a very nice and fancy neighborhood south of Central Campus. It happens to be where a lot of professors live (I'm pretty sure I'm neighbors, somewhere, with Sherman Clark). There aren't any apartment complexes but rather I found the apartment on Craigslist... it's in a house that has been cut up into individual apartments.

I currently live in a 1 bedroom apartment. It is a 10-15 minute walk to the law quad and runs about $750/month, with washer/dryer free in the basement. It's probably about 700 square feet (and its available for next fall, PM if interested). No pets, sadly

Anything else I can help with? I think I just finished up my summer job search (probably taking a Federal Court of Appeals internship). Oh, and I took Michigan over NYU and Northwestern because it's that awesome. For serious.

[Aeroplane]

Tip: if you are looking to rent off-campus and you don't plan to be in Ann Arbor for the following summer, ask about doing a 9 or 10 month lease, at a small premium. My landlord for next year agreed to change a 12-mo lease of $750/month into a 9month lease of $800/month. That's $1800 less for the year, and I don't have to worry about finding a subletter, which I know I'd just procrastinate and then never do.

[ankit]

Tagging....thanks a ton for doing this!!

[los blancos]

Tagging....thanks a ton for doing this!!

+1. Mich is one of my top choices and I still think it's my most likely destination (if only they'll accept me!)


Are there any 2Ls in here? Anyone have any input as to how deep into the class market-paying firms are reaching (i.e., are you safe at median?)?

Also, how do you guys feel about Michigan's placement in CA?


Thanks in advance.

[awesomepossum]

Tagging....thanks a ton for doing this!!

+1. Mich is one of my top choices and I still think it's my most likely destination (if only they'll accept me!)


Are there any 2Ls in here? Anyone have any input as to how deep into the class market-paying firms are reaching (i.e., are you safe at median?)?

Also, how do you guys feel about Michigan's placement in CA?


Thanks in advance.

It's hard to tell how deep into the class firms are reaching since the data isn't out for our class. Just based on my experience and talking to other people, it seems like we've fared far better than I would have anticipated given how things looked pre-OCI. I don't know if you're "safe" at median, but I do know people who I think (I don't really know anybody's class rank) are at about median who are employed. That having been said, there are certainly people who are still looking. Ironically it seems to me like there is a bigger problem with 3Ls who wound up being no-offered than 2Ls who don't have a summer gig. But again, the data isn't out yet, so this is all just a total guess on my part.

I think Michigan places quite well in CA. In my experience LA tends to be a bit more protectionist in that it really helps to have LA ties. SF seems to be far more forgiving in that regard. Most of the big players from CA hit up our OCI and I know people going to a variety of firms (off the top of my head: Gibson Dunn, MoFo, Latham) in CA.

I actually interviewed at CA firms and did very well despite the fact that I basically have no ties to CA. I ended up deciding to go to NYC though.

[BLi]

hi this is a nice thread.

[navalspartan]

I just wanted to post a small anecdote to quell some of the weather fears that some may have. I moved back to Michigan in December after a decade of living in San Diego, Florida and Maryland weather. I was definitely concerned about braving the Michigan winters but it certainly has not been as bad as anticipated. Part of that can be attributed to having a mild winter and part of it is just that things are never as bad as you think they will be. Get a warm coat and some warm shoes and you are good to go. I walk to work 15 minutes each way and it is nothing.

Yesterday was beautiful. It was mid-thirties and sunny. I went for a run through the Arb and finished it off at the Law Quad. The Law School's aesthetic appeal may even be enhanced with a little bit of snow.

I reserve the right to become bitter with the onslaught of a prolonged cold spell or when I am still freezing through March. For now though, I am sticking by my assessment that the weather is not as bad as most will envision it to be.

[Reinhardt]

I think some people have this irrational fear of Michigan weather. http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/v ... r/compare/

If you play around on there, you'll see that Ann Arbor is only a few degrees colder on average than most other top school locations, and it gets less precipitation than most of them.

[fortissimo]

I just wanted to post a small anecdote to quell some of the weather fears that some may have. I moved back to Michigan in December after a decade of living in San Diego, Florida and Maryland weather. I was definitely concerned about braving the Michigan winters but it certainly has not been as bad as anticipated. Part of that can be attributed to having a mild winter and part of it is just that things are never as bad as you think they will be. Get a warm coat and some warm shoes and you are good to go. I walk to work 15 minutes each way and it is nothing.

Yesterday was beautiful. It was mid-thirties and sunny. I went for a run through the Arb and finished it off at the Law Quad. The Law School's aesthetic appeal may even be enhanced with a little bit of snow.

I reserve the right to become bitter with the onslaught of a prolonged cold spell or when I am still freezing through March. For now though, I am sticking by my assessment that the weather is not as bad as most will envision it to be.

Agree with this. It is pretty disappointing that the weather didn't nearly live up to the hype. I think it only snowed 2-3 times in January. I got far more snow back home (not in the Midwest). This year might be exceptionally mild, but Michigan winters are weak.

For housing, the s/o and I rent a one bedroom (probably around 700 square feet) that's a 7 minute walk away from campus for$ 985 a month. (This is probably on the expensive side, but the building was recently renovated with brand new hardwood floors, has a dishwasher, a/c, etc. The landlord pays for water and heating and laundry is in the basement.) It's away from the undergrads, close to urbanoutfitters, etc. We get free wireless. I found the listing via craigslist but there are a few notable property developers that people typically rent from. I don't really know anything about 2 bedroom apartments though.

[Tangerine Gleam]

For those now attending, did you go to ASW? If so, what effect did it have on your decision?

I'm still working on it, but it's looking like I might not be able to make either ASW and will have to either visit this month or in April. This is too bad, because I feel like I'll be missing out on a lot of great preview stuff which would give me a better impression of the school.

[Amelie]

.

[Alexandria]

For those now attending, did you go to ASW? If so, what effect did it have on your decision?

I'm still working on it, but it's looking like I might not be able to make either ASW and will have to either visit this month or in April. This is too bad, because I feel like I'll be missing out on a lot of great preview stuff which would give me a better impression of the school.

YES. It made me fall in love. It really is too bad if you have to miss it... I found it hard to compare schools that I saw during ASWs with the one I saw on a normal day.

[Tangerine Gleam]

Damn the man (and thanks for the advice)! I really need to try to make it out there for ASW...

[rolark]

I visited Michigan recently since I won't be able to make the ASW. I think I fell in love anyway.

Question: Does anyone have experience with the PHID House? While I'm a pretty big fan of communal living, my undergrad didn't have frats and I'm a little scared of the idea of a stereotypical frat (noise, partying, etc.) What's the PHID House like?

[Alexandria]

I visited Michigan recently since I won't be able to make the ASW. I think I fell in love anyway.

Question: Does anyone have experience with the PHID House? While I'm a pretty big fan of communal living, my undergrad didn't have frats and I'm a little scared of the idea of a stereotypical frat (noise, partying, etc.) What's the PHID House like?

I can't answer this specifically, but I have known several people who have lived there, and they seem to have been pretty happy with it. I definitely don't think you need to worry about it being like a "real" frat. I mean, they do throw occasional law school parties. But other than that, I think it's more just like sharing a house with a whole bunch of roommates, except a bit more structured (I just mean in terms of whose turn it is to do what chore).