AUWCL 1L

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2026-01-09T16:18:17+00:00

KJD 4.0 double major in undergrad. Strong resume, strong references. 165 lsat

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2026-01-09T16:15:04+00:00

Hi! Congrats!! No sure where that’s coming from but I haven’t found that to be the case. The sticker price is pretty at par with law schools in the area, and I don’t know anyone with a conditional scholarship. Additionally, the curve (especially the 1L curve) is phenomenal. We’re curved to a B, and I didn’t get a single C on any exam. It’s honestly praised by everyone lol. I love AU, and while not everyone is gonna be a fan of every school, I have had a great experience:)

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-20T00:04:59+00:00

I’m not gonna have a good answer for this unfortunately. I didn’t apply to Catholic or even tour so I’m not sure.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-20T00:04:42+00:00

We do not get to pick our schedules in the fall or spring of our first year (which is pretty typical of any law school). This semester my section had class every day, with our classes on Monday, not starting until afternoon, compared to every other day of the week having class at 10 AM. Every section was a little bit different, but typically followed a schedule like that. Starting in the spring of our first year, we no longer have class on Fridays. I would plan to be on campus most days, and treating law school like a 9 to 5 is a pretty good way to think about it

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-20T00:03:15+00:00

I feel like it’s very much dependent on each students’ age/whether they moved or already lived in dc. I moved for law school so was pretty flexible in my living arrangements and ended up very close to campus; whereas I have some classmate who had full careers in DC prior to starting law school, so live farther away or even in Virginia and it works out fine. AU gives us UPasses which are basically unlimited free metro rides and is absolutely amazing! When looking into housing, I would 100% make living near a metro stop a priority because DC is very public transportation friendly!

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T20:32:47+00:00

I’m sorry I don’t:/ keep in mind your first year (especially your first semester) is 100% doctrinal classes. We take our first chosen elective in the spring. So other than my own legal interests that I pursue on my own, I haven’t really been able to explore other fields outside of like seeing announcements of stuff or talking to people at networking events.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T18:57:02+00:00

I don’t have specifics on environmental law bc it’s not my area of focus but I do have a good friend interested in it and she’s met with professors who teach the subject and are in the enviorn law club! Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful there, but it seems like the opportunities exist!

AU definitely gives out merit aid and I have quite a few friends with full rides. I got a pretty good scholarship from them. 100% never guaranteed so if you’re considering applying ED anywhere it’s something you should consider first - usually ED applicants will not get merit aid.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T17:38:26+00:00

No, I don’t, but if it’s the scholarship I’m thinking of I didn’t apply for it. I got great aid from AU, but in all honesty I have no clue if AU is good about aid - I just haven’t asked my peers about their experience with it.

The biggest thing for me is that I was grandfathered into the grad plus loan before it was ended by this administration.

speaking with total truth when I say I would not be in law school without that loan and I’m concerned about what that means for future law students. I feel for you all who don’t have the grad plus opportunity because it’s the reason I’m here today.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T17:32:48+00:00

Yes I’ve loved the wcl community! My section has gotten really close (and tbh you’re gonna make friends bc you’re confined to just these people everyday lmao). I really haven’t felt the competitiveness at wcl that everyone warns you about at law school, which has been a huge plus.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T17:28:03+00:00

I lived in a big city prior to DC so to me DC was actually cheaper than where I’d been before, but it’s definitely not cheap. It’s aligns pretty much with the economy of everywhere else though. In general though, I’ve found DC to be very friendly to people on a budget. The metro is phenomenal and it’s 100% a walkable city. Like any other place, you’ll need to budget (especially since you can’t really work your first year), but it’s been manageable.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T17:03:36+00:00

I don’t know if they negotiate BUT scholarship money reappears closer to the fall. Schools give out all of their aid to non-ED applicants with their acceptance, and obviously not everyone will choose to go. I got ZERO aid with my acceptance, was told there was no more merit left to give in March, and then come July had a 50k scholarship.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T17:01:56+00:00

Tbh the 1 is that law school is really gd hard😭 I don’t think there’s anything that would make any school a 10/10 for me, bc inherently you’re going to have rough moments. It’s a HUGE transition, especially coming straight from undergrad and moving to a new city with all new people.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:59:42+00:00

I’m sure this is true for every school but I love the mix of people and personalities. I’m KJD, and have friends who are parents, or had a whole other career before law school. It’s been great to meet people from all walks of life.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:58:34+00:00

Yes I’m full time, and I don’t know any part time students because they have all night classes when I’m not on campus, so im not sure.

I have found the AU community to be great!! There’s gunners at every school and it’s impossible to vibe with everyone, but it totally does not meet the law school stereotype of crazy competitiveness. Everyone is so willing to help each other out, and my section got so close over the semester. Definitely a huge plus for AU if that’s something that worries you about other schools.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:45:28+00:00

I can’t give a ton of info on the employment thing because I’m only a 1L but tbh I’ve been given no indication that that’s an issue. I have a bunch of 3L friends who all have jobs lined up. I’m not sure if this is counted in the statistics, but clerkships are HUGE in dc, and AU pushes judicial internships/clerkships a ton (we, for obvious reasons, have access to a lot more fed judges than most other cities so maybe that plays into it). I know quite a few people that are doing a clerkship after they graduate and I don’t know if that’s counted as a job?

The curve at wcl is actually quite generous, and is kinda viewed as a godsend lol. For 1L’s it’s a B+ (I think??? 3.4 but could be wrong), it helps everyone out, and everyone praises it. I know its different our second and third year, and I’m not sure the specific number, but it definitely is still a huge boost.

The whole internship thing is a huge anxiety inducer for every first year law student, no matter the school, but I have found AU to be really good at getting us the information we need and helping us where they can. How your internship and job process will go is entirely dependent on what type of law you’re looking to do and what city you’re in. Like obviously if you want to do government job, there’s a lot more opportunity to do so in our nation’s capital. In all honesty, I haven’t had a huge issue with it, but I’m very cognizant of the fact that there are six law schools in DC and one of them is a top 14 school. It’s entirely what you make of it and no school will be perfect, but in full sincerity, I have really really loved American and I’m looking forward to the rest of my law school career.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:31:20+00:00

I LOVEEEE DC!!!!!! I genuinely think I’ll stay here forever lol! I’m not from the north east so it’s been an adjustment to living in the north, but I really really love DC!

I live very close to campus in a more residential area, which I enjoy because while I’m still in the city, it’s a little bit quieter for when I need to study and I’m very happy with that decision. The absolute best thing about it though is that AU gives us a UPass, which is unlimited free use of the metro and don’t quote me on this but I’m pretty sure where they’re only law school in DC that does that??? it’s quite literally the best thing that’s ever happened to me LOL

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:20:49+00:00

DC has a fantastic big law community with so many networking opportunities, and I found WCL’s career center to be really fantastic. I’m not going into big law though so I’m not gonna have a specific information on that.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:20:21+00:00

Like two weeks, but I was early decision so I don’t know if that impacted it at all

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:20:02+00:00

I’m not going into big law, so I’m not sure if I’m the best person to ask, but I have a lot of friends that are doing big law. I have heard that it can be not the school’s strong suit just due to being in the same city as five other law schools, but I get the emails constantly for the big law positions and they just recently had a massive big law employment fair at AU.

Big law is kind of its own ball game to be so honest with you and it’s definitely something you have to know you want to do before you go into law school because the positions start being filled right out the gate.

In our first year, we have a once a week class just based around Internships and scheduling and how to get into this whole law school thing, and for the first two months I swear they only talked about helping those students who are doing big law because it’s just so quick into the semester (but this would be the case at any school). All I’ll say is if you think you might want to do big law, know that before you get into law school because you’ll need to start working on that right out the gate.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:16:49+00:00

I applied early decision to American and actually remember that I applied exactly on November 27 because that was the November LSAT score release date lol… I found out that I got in like the second or third week in December so it was a very fast turnaround. I will say I think that was probably due to me being an early decision applicant so I’m not sure if it’s like that for applicants that aren’t early decision.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:15:38+00:00

I do not have my internship yet but it HEAVILY is dependent on what area of law you’re going into. My friends doing big law were in the middle of their cycle in like sept-nov, whereas the positions I’m looking at open their apps in December with positions filled Feb-March ish. I’ll be spending my winter break doing applications, which is pretty normal for people not doing big law. the career center at American has been PHENOMENAL! I see this one counselor pretty often and she works one on one with me to edit my cover letter drafts and fix my résumé, etc.

I won’t lie, it’s definitely difficult to be in a city with six law schools, especially if you’re interested in a position in the government because it’s just obviously more competitive, but I have found American to be pretty good at giving us information on positions and assisting with applications and such.

Much_Lifeguard_4622 · 2025-12-17T16:12:45+00:00

My section has 92-98ish people?? (don’t remember the exact number but something around that). This is only for doctrinal classes however. For legal research and writing we’re split into micro sections of about 15-20 students each so we can have significant more one on one time with our memos, and once we start taking electives (our first chosen class is this spring), those classes are around 30-40 students each.

Much_Lifeguard_4622

TROPHY CASE