Bored GULC 3L Taking Questions Forum

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Title says it all. 3L, 'bout to graduate, biglaw offer lined up. Let 'em rip.

[PB&J.D.]

What made you choose GULC over other schools?
How is the student environment in terms of collegiality/cutthroat attitudes?
When I visit campus (next Saturday), what should I check out?

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Best school I got into

Very collegiate. I was in the 1L section considered the gunner section, but I rarely if ever felt it was cutthroat - study groups compared answers, helped each other out with questions, etc. There will always be "those people" at every school, but most people are really chill (and will join you in mocking those people

I'm sure they'll show you everything. The Williams law library is depressing, so check out Wolff if you can. Also get a feel for DC in general (outside of the monuments) - though you'll probably spend 1L on campus, can't hurt to get the lay of the land outside of it.

[Beercules]

How do you feel self-selection into PI/Gov affects the large firm employment numbers at Georgetown? The 2013 numbers are very close to schools outside the T14 (Vandy, etc.)

[Sgtpeppernyc]

It's hard to compare, sine I know nothing about the other schools. One thing I will say is I know a number of smart people who came to GULC dead set on PI / working on the hill. As in, they were top third and could have been pretty compelling biglaw hires, but didn't even bother with OCI because that's not what they want.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, though the percentage is relatively low, because of our size we're still sending a huge # to big law.

[JustHawkin]

Another thing to keep in mind is that, though the percentage is relatively low, because of our size we're still sending a huge # to big law.

I'd like to hear your take on the class size. To me, a class of 600 seems like a bit of a turn off. Probably the biggest one for me.

[theotherone823]

I was in the 1L section considered the gunner section

By this do you mean Section 3 (the B curriculum section), or was there just a section during your 1L that was known for being particularly gunnerish?

On that note, what is the general perception of Section 3 amongst students? Is someone in Section 3 at any advantage or disadvantage compared to students on the more traditional 1L track?

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Just keep in mind that your section is only 90-100 people, and rarely does an upper level class go above 75. Also, even at a school with a class of 200 or 300, it's not like you're gonna know every single person.

I've never had a class where the professor didn't know my name, nor wasn't available to help when I needed it.

[Sgtpeppernyc]

I was in the 1L section considered the gunner section

By this do you mean Section 3 (the B curriculum section), or was there just a section during your 1L that was known for being particularly gunnerish?

On that note, what is the general perception of Section 3 amongst students? Is someone in Section 3 at any advantage or disadvantage compared to students on the more traditional 1L track?

Nah, we were just a regular section that for some reason got a lot of intense people.

Section 3 is its own animal. It gets a reputation for being pretty hippy dippy (and for good reason). Pretty much every upper level class has a "that section 3 guy" who injects policy arguments even where they're inappropriate (like tax). Other than that, they're not particularly different.

[Kafkaesquire]

Title says it all. 3L, 'bout to graduate, biglaw offer lined up. Let 'em rip.

How much debt are you in, and, being in the best scenario possible upon graduation from GULC, for how long do you think you will humor misery, and at that time how do you think you'll go out (by layoff or attrition)?

What's your plan after BigLaw spits you out, if any?

[macgruber]

Thanks for taking questions.

I have heard that it is relatively easy to get federal government internships during the school year (fall and spring) while summer internships are very competitive. Do you have a feel for if thats true or not?

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Thanks for taking questions.

I have heard that it is relatively easy to get federal government internships during the school year (fall and spring) while summer internships are very competitive. Do you have a feel for if thats true or not?

Its a joke. With a median GPA, I had offers across the FTC and a few DOJ during my 2L fall. A close friend who was bottom 25% got an FTC internship the same semester. I'm not even bragging; it's simply not difficult to get an internship during the year because there's not much competition

[theotherone823]

How is the housing situation? I've heard that Gewirz isn't a great value for what you get out of it and that by moving off campus you can find a much nicer place for about the same price.

Where do most students that are off campus seem to live?

[rad lulz]

.

[Sgtpeppernyc]

How is the housing situation? I've heard that Gewirz isn't a great value for what you get out of it and that by moving off campus you can find a much nicer place for about the same price.

Where do most students that are off campus seem to live?

It's great if you don't know anyone in the city - totally furnished, and it's the best way to meet people at GULC. After your first year, you just find a friend and grab an apartment.

That said, especially with all the new constructions in the area, it's definitely not the best value.

Tl;dr Not the best value, but the best convenience-wise and social-wise

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Do you feel a tingle of PREFTIGE knowing you're ab to graduate from a LAW CENTER

Yep. Very preftigious.

[BA414]

In your experience, what do you think the benefits of having the Georgetown brand are? I'm especially curious about placement in secondary markets like the Southeast (Miami, Atlanta, etc.), where, from what I've heard, there's less competition.

[Sgtpeppernyc]

I honestly was never that impressed by the Georgetown brand, but people are usually blown away by it. And, there's plenty of info out there about how law firms think about it.

As far as secondary markets go, you really need a personal connection to the market. So, if you want Miami, you should have some connection to Miami (being from there, undergrad there, etc.). There's something to say about going to a school that knows the market, but the Georgetown name travels pretty far and wide. Especially if you want to do international work.

[BA414]

Thanks OP. That's helpful. I'm having the toughest time figuring out where to go between GTown and NU. I don't want to put you in an awk spot, but, assuming all things are equal (scholly, col, etc.), which would you choose if you had to do it over again.

[Sgtpeppernyc]

I really don't know much about NU (well I have a cousin who went there a while back). GULC was my best ranked option so I took it, and am not at all regretting it. One thing that GULC has over NU is that it's the best law school in the city (whereas NU is second to UChicago). It's a silly distinction, but GULC really does sorta rule DC. In general, I haven't felt like I was at a disadvantage looking for NYC jobs, and I do enjoy living in DC. But at the end of the day, they're pretty equivalent options - just decide which city you want to be in

[Kafkaesquire]

Title says it all. 3L, 'bout to graduate, biglaw offer lined up. Let 'em rip.

How much debt are you in, and, being in the best scenario possible upon graduation from GULC, for how long do you think you will humor misery, and at that time how do you think you'll go out (by layoff or attrition)?

What's your plan after BigLaw spits you out, if any?

I'm not sure why I posted, honestly. If you listened to people like me, you wouldn't be where you are today! I wish you the best of luck.

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Title says it all. 3L, 'bout to graduate, biglaw offer lined up. Let 'em rip.

How much debt are you in, and, being in the best scenario possible upon graduation from GULC, for how long do you think you will humor misery, and at that time how do you think you'll go out (by layoff or attrition)?

What's your plan after BigLaw spits you out, if any?

I'm not sure why I posted, honestly. If you listened to people like me, you wouldn't be where you are today! I wish you the best of luck.

Bahaha, I wan't going to feed the trolls, but your recant deserves a response

The honest answer is that I chose a firm that is known to hold onto people for the long run (they have more partners than associates) and emphasizes quality of life, even if it's less prestigious / pays a bit less. Ideally I would stay there and work my way up to partner, but I'm not naive enough to bank on or expect this (and may not even want it when I start). If it doesn't pan out, I'll try to go in house in the tech / media space (where I have experience), or transition back into the space in a non-legal capacity.

[eljefe1]

Can you comment in any detail about the grads who are going to be working in 11-100 attorney firms?

Are most of these in D.C.? Do they pay competitive salaries? Would you consider these "positive" employment outcomes, or are they just shitty jobs with shitty salaries?

[Sgtpeppernyc]

Can you comment in any detail about the grads who are going to be working in 11-100 attorney firms?

Are most of these in D.C.? Do they pay competitive salaries? Would you consider these "positive" employment outcomes, or are they just shitty jobs with shitty salaries?

I honestly don't have any friends doing that. That's more common in smaller markets (Miami, Portland, etc.), whereas DC is pretty much dominated by big firms doing federal work. That said, a pretty common thing is to go to a smaller satellite office of a bigger firm (Skadden in Denver, for example), which gets you the small firm feel with the big firm money / resources.

[eljefe1]

Gotcha. Makes sense.

So I read about the "Dean's Tuition Grants" that are awarded on a need base basis to ~ 1/3 of the incoming classes, and my question is this: are these really "need based" grants? Or are these grants just given out indiscriminately? And what are the average award sizes, if you know that information.


thanks, yo.


ohhh. also, do those who get "Deans grants" have a difficult time renewing them from year to year?