UVA Law Students Taking Questions Forum

[YCrevolution]

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[Kronk]

I've heard the Virginia student body is the least-diverse of the T14. Have you noticed this / can you address it? It seems like it would be a large negative for me going to UVA.

[Cavalier]

I've heard the Virginia student body is the least-diverse of the T14. Have you noticed this / can you address it? It seems like it would be a large negative for me going to UVA.

They certainly solved that problem this year. "About 27 percent identify themselves as minority students, up from 16 percent the previous year. The new class also has the second-highest percentage of females in school history, at 47 percent."

http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/news/2 ... rofile.htm

[Kronk]

That's heartening. Thanks.

[dailygrind]

I think I'm going to be in town taking a look around tomorrow, and I was hoping to sit in on a class. The available classes are:

Contracts at 8:50 with Geis or Verkerke, and
Crim Law at 10 with Coughlin or Bowers.

I'd slightly prefer Crim because it gives me an additional hour of sleep (before you call me lazy, I'm driving in from a good bit away), but hey, what's an hour one way or another?

Which class would be, in your opinion, the most representative class to sit in on? Or if there's no good answer to that question, which class would be the best to sit in on?

Thanks in advance.

Geis is at 8:30, not 8:50. I can assure you of that.

With that said, Geis and Coughlin are both really awesome professors to witness in action. I don't have Coughlin, but she did a mock class for us during ASW last spring, and she was incredibly hyper and exciting through the whole thing. Geis also brings energy to his classes, which really helps when you have to be awake at 8:30 in the morning!

I'd recommend both Geis and Coughlin if you can swing it, they're consecutive classes so it should be possible. Otherwise, pick one. I'm assuming you'd pick Coughlin since it's later, but it'd be your loss if you missed Geis, he's an incredible teacher.

Well, I'm coming from a good bit away so I might as well make the most of the experience. Guess I'll be in both. Thanks.

Warning: Bowers isn't having class tomorrow (class cancelled). I'd offer my classes to sit-in on, but they're all cancelled for tomorrow.

Guess it's definitely Coughlin then. Thanks.

[RVP11]

Geis and Coughlin would be great choices.

[Jim_Stansel]

I think I'm going to be in town taking a look around tomorrow, and I was hoping to sit in on a class. The available classes are:

Contracts at 8:50 with Geis or Verkerke, and
Crim Law at 10 with Coughlin or Bowers.

I'd slightly prefer Crim because it gives me an additional hour of sleep (before you call me lazy, I'm driving in from a good bit away), but hey, what's an hour one way or another?

Which class would be, in your opinion, the most representative class to sit in on? Or if there's no good answer to that question, which class would be the best to sit in on?

Thanks in advance.

Geis is at 8:30, not 8:50. I can assure you of that.

With that said, Geis and Coughlin are both really awesome professors to witness in action. I don't have Coughlin, but she did a mock class for us during ASW last spring, and she was incredibly hyper and exciting through the whole thing. Geis also brings energy to his classes, which really helps when you have to be awake at 8:30 in the morning!

I'd recommend both Geis and Coughlin if you can swing it, they're consecutive classes so it should be possible. Otherwise, pick one. I'm assuming you'd pick Coughlin since it's later, but it'd be your loss if you missed Geis, he's an incredible teacher.

Well, I'm coming from a good bit away so I might as well make the most of the experience. Guess I'll be in both. Thanks.

Warning: Bowers isn't having class tomorrow (class cancelled). I'd offer my classes to sit-in on, but they're all cancelled for tomorrow.

Guess it's definitely Coughlin then. Thanks.

Were you the dude who walked in around 10:30? I was wondering who would still come to class when it is already halfway over, and I didn't recognize the guy.

[dailygrind]

Were you the dude who walked in around 10:30? I was wondering who would still come to class when it is already halfway over, and I didn't recognize the guy.

Lol, I actually did walk in late but not at 1030. I was the dude who walked in at 10:10, tried to go across the back of the room, realized it was blocked, and settled for a seat near the front.

[thesealocust]

Were you the dude who walked in around 10:30? I was wondering who would still come to class when it is already halfway over, and I didn't recognize the guy.

Lol, I actually did walk in late but not at 1030. I was the dude who walked in at 10:10, tried to go across the back of the room, realized it was blocked, and settled for a seat near the front.

Coincidentally, you say in the seat that is usually for the guy who DID come in at 1030, which made some of us chuckle when he showed up and tried to find a seat

[dailygrind]

[bottomshelf]

This school is among my top choices, but (1) gotta see my LSAT and (2) gotta convince my gf that VA is a place with jobs (and is free of swine flu).

UVA has a larger class size than some of the other T14s. So, do you think having 360 versus 250 makes a difference? If so, how?

Also, because my gf will move with me wherever I go - what's the job market like in Charlotesville for someone looking for either academic work (she'll have a Ph.D. in History) or to teach in a community college? Are there any comm. colleges in Charlotesville or in a nearby town?

[YCrevolution]

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[bottomshelf]

^thanks!

Any other takers?

[CE2JD]

This school is among my top choices, but (1) gotta see my LSAT and (2) gotta convince my gf that VA is a place with jobs (and is free of swine flu).

UVA has a larger class size than some of the other T14s. So, do you think having 360 versus 250 makes a difference? If so, how?

Also, because my gf will move with me wherever I go - what's the job market like in Charlotesville for someone looking for either academic work (she'll have a Ph.D. in History) or to teach in a community college? Are there any comm. colleges in Charlotesville or in a nearby town?

It took my wife about a month to find a decent job (with benefits, decent pay, etc.) in Charlottesville. Note: this was one month of searching while she was PHYSICALLY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE. She did some phone interviews before moving out here but honestly, nobody wants to hire people until they've met with them face-to-face and most Charlottesville businesses are not big enough or profitable enough to afford to fly you out here for an interview. There are definitely lots of jobs here, but you have to get connected with the locals or have AMAZING references that can vouch for you to temp agencies (my wife followed the latter route) if you want to get a salaried job.

Speaking of community colleges, after my wife god her current job, she actually got an offer to work at one of the community colleges. PM me for more details, but your gf should have no problem finding a job.

[bouakedojo]

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[vamedic03]

Thanks for taking questions.

I have a couple:

1) What's the political climate like? I am more left-leaning, and wondered how much of an influence the conservative bent has on the school.

2) What's the cost of living like?

Thanks again for taking the time to help fellow TLSers.

1) Its not really that conservative of an environment - I'm very left leaning and I don't feel uncomfortable at all... yes, there are some conservatives, but that's a good thing - it provides for interesting discussions... Also, Charlottesville as a whole has a large liberal contingent (in 2008 Charlottesville's congressional district elected a democrat unseating a republican incumbent)

2) Cost of living isn't too bad... cheaper than most big cities, but not overwhelmingly inexpensive either... housing tends to be a bit more expensive than you might expect.

[YCrevolution]

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[bouakedojo]

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[Kronk]

What do public interest people do at Virginia? Federal IBR? Are any of you planning to go the public interest route?

[YCrevolution]

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[CE2JD]

I think UVA is very well-balanced politically. I've heard that NU is the only other t14 with a sizable group of politically conservative faculty members.

There are still plenty of your stereotypical "academics" here, however. And there are also a lot of stereotypical left-leaners in the student body. It's was funny to see the shock and horror in the faces of some of the New England, liberal-arts-college-kids when they realized that not only were some of their classmates REAL LIFE CONSERVATIVES, but even some of their PROFS were a part of the "vast right-wing conspiracy!"

[YCrevolution]

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[Jim_Stansel]

I think UVA is very well-balanced politically. I've heard that NU is the only other t14 with a sizable group of politically conservative faculty members.

There are still plenty of your stereotypical "academics" here, however. And there are also a lot of stereotypical left-leaners in the student body. It's was funny to see the shock and horror in the faces of some of the New England, liberal-arts-college-kids when they realized that not only were some of their classmates REAL LIFE CONSERVATIVES, but even some of their PROFS were a part of the "vast right-wing conspiracy!"

This is kind of a tangent, but...

The Republican Party needs to find more people like Prof. Nelson. He is the antithesis of Sarah Palin and he exudes brilliance and credibility.

Also, on the flip side, a lot of Southerners I've met areshocked by my apparently far-left views, so it works both ways.

I was speculating on the political views of my professors with somebody the other day. For a couple, you can make inferences from the type of research they do, but I don't think the political leanings of any of them are too evident from their lectures, which is probably a good thing.

[YCrevolution]

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[meh2020]

Question about ED at UVA: If you apply and get accepted but still retake the LSAT in December and get a higher score...does UVA take this into account when giving out merit aid or do they only use your September score when deciding how much aid to award you?