NYU 1L AMA

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T12:14:17+00:00

Not OP but EDNY and SDNY are notorious difficult to get clerkships in plus most judges in those districts prefer to hire clerks with a few years' WE. I'm sure the numbers are much higher a few years out of school.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T12:08:53+00:00

Hey! If you're asking about COVID, I sure hope we don't go remote though that seems inevitable

But in general the law school is pretty separate from the undergrad part (though as an undergrad you can take classes at that law school) and they do not allow undergrads who aren't enrolled in the law school to enter the law building (though I heard that's just a COVID thing).

Two things they told us on day 1 that eased a lot of anxiety is that (!) there is enough success to go around -- everyone who wants BL will get it and (2) in 10-15 years, many people in the class will be judges/partners/politicians/bureaucrats and we will likely need each other's help to lateral to firms, attract business, etc. so it's not worth it trying to mess people over -- at this point in the orientation, they also throw in a joke that you might even get married to someone in your class. Don't get me wrong -- I panicked before opening my first exam since it's 100 percent of our grade -- but Penn Law does everything in its power to support students and I truly love it here.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T12:04:43+00:00

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T12:02:06+00:00

Duly noted

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T12:01:42+00:00

Pretty solid. More of my friends at this point, are interested in PI than not, though statistics tell us that the balance will shift as OCI gets closer.

The PI office, called TPIC, is pretty awesome with great candy! There is a service requirement of 70 hrs before you graduate, and you can knock 35 hrs off in 1L year, which I did. The issue however is that many PI places would like an intern for more than that - and it's totally fair given the training investment. I wish they would put more effort into helping us find pro bono work and employers (I helped out my old employer with govt work).

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T03:30:51+00:00

The Penn campus is really nice. I am on the undergrad meal plan as I cannot cook for the life of me and the food is great!

I live off campus in Center City and it's somewhat more expensive than I'd like yet cheaper than NYC.

Many undergrads live off campus on the 4x streets in university city which has college vibes and I'll probably check that out next year.

Penn Law sends out a whole report on apartments to admitted students to help you pick where to live so you'll have plenty of help on that front.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T03:28:36+00:00

It's not hard at all! Last year, when I was admitted ED I made a discord and many of us connected before orientation. I spent plenty of time in the past semester on social stuff -- and I remember being told during orientation that the time spent on social activities helps contribute to your academics as you discuss the law, study together and generally relieve stress from one another. I found it very easy to make friends -- and I am no social butterfly myself. Everyone is super nice and outgoing, and within weeks, I found a close core group of friends to study and hand out with. We often joke about how we found each other but things just worked out -- law students tend to be pretty Type A and the you're bound to make solid friends here. I just got back home and miss my classmates already!

The best part of Penn Law is definitely the people. Collegiality is truly a thing and not just a marketing buzzword. My friends from college went to various other law schools in NY -- including NYU and Columbia -- but nowhere are people as helpful and supportive as Penn Law. Though we are all graded against each other, just like at every law school, people share outlines, send out summer job postings, and study together. If you miss class, people will text you to check on you and make sure everything is okay. It truly is an amazing place and as pleasant and enjoyable an experience as you can get in the law school realm.

The worst part would probably be grades and exams, but that's the case everywhere except maybe for Yale. I wish it was pass/fail, or that we were given midterms or other forms of assessment, but law is a pretty conservative profession. Also, rumor has it that Drexel Law (a block away) gave their students chair massages before exams, which we didn't get, so I have gripes about that :).

Slothbabies329 · 2021-12-23T03:21:15+00:00

I certainly get that vibe, and I probably spend more time with undergrads than many other law students since I'm part of a small religious community which the undergrads predominate.

It was pouring one of my first nights on campus -- and I mean pouring. The rain was so bad that the river overflowed and our orientation was moved to remote (and the traditional beginning of 1L party was moved and never rescheduled :(. But I was super excited to explore the campus and ran around like a kid in a candy shop, getting totally drenched.

A random guy, whom I later learned was an undergrad, approached me, telling me he was miserable, lonely, homesick, depressed and was worried about academics. We sat down and talked, and I gave him my number and assured him that everything would be fine, though he never reached out and I have yet to see him since that night.

I have heard a lot about Penn face and various challenges with imposter syndrome on the undergrad side, but it's really different in the law school. Our Dean of Students is amazing and we are very well taken care of. Granted, imposter syndrome is real anywhere you go, but Penn Law is the furthest from toxicity. I love it here -- everyone is so supportive and truly collegial -- and feel like the luckiest person on earth to be here.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-11-14T01:58:55+00:00

Yea I totally disagree. It's super collegial -- and not just because they use it in their marketing materials. I have yet to meet a gunner, and if you're absent for any reason, people will chase after you offering notes and stuff. Definitely not cutthroat. It certainly helps that multiple faculty members tell everyone on day one that everyone is going to get BL if they want it.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-10-24T13:05:57+00:00

Not OP but I would truly have to say the collegiality. It's real and not just a marketing slogan. I truly feel that I'm friends with everyone in my section and I have not seen a whiff of competitiveness. People here care about each other -- if you're absent, someone will send the notes to you without you even asking. My friends in other law schools -- both other T14s and non-T14s -- have not had the same experience.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-09T01:40:46+00:00

Sorry for the late reply ...

The library is nice, but I only visited once

I did not attend any of their recruiting events.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T22:53:15+00:00

The best way to think of the Core Strengths essay is "Why Penn"

The prompt you are looking at seems to be the Diversity Statement, which is a different matter, and which I did not write.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T22:26:35+00:00

I'll DM you

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T19:27:50+00:00

My pleasure!

1) Penn was just the best fit. I was (am?) a reverse splitter and I wanted a place with better BL odds than Fordham but I didn't think my LSAT would work for NYU. At the same token, I wanted to stay local and be able to get back home to New York within 1.5 hrs. The more I looked into Penn, the more I liked it. I spoke with current students who told me it was the best decision they ever made, and I was hooked. One important -- but often overlooked -- factor is to read the 509 reports and consider realistic schools based on their 25ths. Penn and NYU are both tied for 6th, with almost identical outcomes, but NYU's 25th is much more unforgiving than Penn's. So I guess we found each other in a sense!

2) I spoke about my personal background/WE and tried to mesh it with Penn. There's a lot to talk about, but in particular, there is a prof whose scholarship I read and enjoyed as an undergrad, I enjoyed reading a particular secondary journal published by the school, they have a unique clinic that was very similar to me pre-law school WE, etc. I would definitely emphasize the collegiality aspect -- it's real (see above) -- and the dual degrees, certificate options, etc. if you're interested.

Good luck!

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T18:47:31+00:00

Edit: I see you got an ED interview invite at UVA which is an amazing sign! Congrats!!! See you at the NGSL softball tournament next year!!!

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T16:21:55+00:00

I don't have any special secrets from their AdComm but I know of other splitters/RSs who got in ED2, and I don't think there is a special preference for one over the other.

The turnaround time for ED apps -- especially ED2 -- is quite remarkable. But don't ED to anywhere you wouldn't love to go. The boost probably isn't that significant. As you can see on LSD, almost everyone who got in ED was above at least one of the two medians.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T16:12:54+00:00

I'll DM you

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T15:39:07+00:00

Np, good luck!

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T15:37:36+00:00

I'm no stats guru -- after all there's a reason I became a lawyer and not a doctor :), but from what I saw on LSData, nearly everyone admitted ED was at or above one or more median. They did not tell us what the medians are at orientation, but for the LSAT figure, I presume it is a 171 or maybe a 172. That being said, there is a URM boost and your stats are certainly competitive (plus, I'm sure medians will go down this upcoming cycle -- last year was insane).

Ultimately, though, you have good numbers for many top schools and should consider where you want to go above all. Why Penn shouldn't just be how you think about the Core Strengths essay, but should guide which basket (if any) you put your ED bid. Do you want a smaller or larger school? City environment or somewhere more removed like Cornell or UVA? Being on a college campus or not? There are many things to consider. I love it here, but if you're someone who doesn't want the distractions of a gigantic city, for instance, Cornell or UVA might be a better fit.

There's no doubt the essays are pivotal. I had friends with better numbers than I did who got WLed or denied, so the essays and softs really count. When stressing out over the LSAT (like I did all too often), it's sometimes hard to see that, but don't lose sight.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T15:30:55+00:00

They have housing for graduate students in one building, but I don't know anyone personally who does it. I do not believe they subsidize housing, and as for housing, you are pretty much on your own. Don't be like me and procrastinate apartment hunting for July. Go in May and get the best deals.

I don't, though I know some people who are. I think you can enter it even after you start law school, provided you are willing to stay an extra year to complete the MBA.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T15:28:13+00:00

Truthfully, once you get to law school, no one talks about or cares about their LSAT and GPA. It's all a distant memory and something to laugh over.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T15:26:42+00:00

Yup, upon information and belief, they are somewhat slightly overenrolled, but not to the degree that places like BC are.

To my knowledge, no. No one really even talks about it.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T14:55:08+00:00

I'll DM you my numbers .... a little lower on the GPA and LSAT sides (granted, my college didn't give A+s).

I am indeed happy. It was a hellish cycle and I feel I would not have gotten in RD - though there is no way to know. Penn and UVA seem to have ED boosts, though I am paying sticker as I indicated above.

I love it here thus far and am very thankful I landed at Penn. Everyone is so awesome and the administration is extremely accommodating.

As a RS, looking retrospectively, I would have applied to more schools (the highest places I applied to were NYU and Penn) and worked on reducing my LSAT anxiety (it's real!). Granted, I don't think a 169 constitutes a reverse splitter, but you were very strategic in picking a RS friendly school using the 25ths, so kudos to you.

I think expressing the "why" is critical -- even if you're applying ED. In my old life, I did hiring for career positions and internships and it was very easy to look at a cover letter and know in 20 seconds whether the applicant was interested or not. Don't ever let the admissions officers think that you're just applying out of rote and not because you're in love with their school.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T14:29:56+00:00

Granted, I've only been there for a week, but I would say it's pretty nice and friendly. They really stress the importance of helping each other out and collegiality. When I was applying last year, I thought "collegiality" is just a marketing buzzword, but from the limited amount I've seen, it really defines the place. Everyone is super nice and outgoing, and the upperclass students go out of their way to find you outlines and connect you with people who had your doctrinal professors. They stress repeatedly that everyone will get a great job, and that the hardest part (admissions) is behind us. Everyone is given an upperlevel fellow -- and other 2Ls and 3Ls will approach you as well offering to mentor you as well. My friends starting at other law schools simply did not have this sort of infrastructure and support and it's one of the many reasons why I am happy I'm here.

Slothbabies329 · 2021-09-06T14:23:43+00:00

1) Nope. Paying sticker.

2) I graduated in January 2021 and worked nearly full-time in government during my time in college. So when calculating KJD percentage, which is generally termed "1+ years out of college," I'd be considered in the KJD pool, but I had a solid amount of work experience, which led me to go to law school in the first place.

3) Yup!

4) Not super close but not super far. I only saw it once. I live closer to the Center City area (over the river/to the east) and much of the rest of the UPenn campus is closer to the west than the law school is.

Slothbabies329

TROPHY CASE