1. Vegas can be very distracting, especially for people who just move here. I've lived here for 9 years and pretty much have done it all, so, I put aside the night life and study. Many of my classmates have trouble, though. I mean, clubs are open 24 hours and nearly every gas station has slot machines. If you have an addictive personality, you can get into alot of trouble here. I think most people find a balance at some point, though.
2. The heat can be bad. It takes getting used to. In the dead of summer, temperatures top 115 F. If you drink plenty of water, you'll be fine. It does get exhausting, though. I didn't have much trouble because I was in the Marines and stationed at 29 Palms where it was 130 F. So, I don't mind the heat so much. It is important to limit your exposure to the heat at first and slowly acclimate if you're not from a similar climate.
3. The professors here are awesome. They will help you in any way possible. Not only are they availabe for office hours and happy to help at virtually any time, just about every professor gives you their cell and home number so you can call them if you have questions. The professors all take your success very personally. They do their best to make sure you understand the material.
4. The facilities are all new and very nice (ten year old, new for law schools, anyway). We have a large moot court facility (the 9th Circuit just held oral arguments here last week). The library is large and comprehensive. The classrooms are state-of-the-art. Whether or not the upkeep continues as a result of drastic budget cuts is another matter. However, the facilities are great now.
5. I chose UNLV because they gave me the best scholarship and because I built relationships with a few professors that I really like. My choices were Florida Coastal, LSU, UNLV, and Arizona. Part of my decision was that I live here and that I would not have to incur moving expenses. However, I really felt the faculty here is top notch. I was right. Not only are the professors very knowledgeable and helpful, many are experts in their respective fields. My crim law professor is one of the most respected professors in the field, for example. Also, Boyd strongly emphasizes legal writing. We take three required legal writing courses. In addition, we have a thesis requirement. Boyd graduates are some of the best legal writers in the west. Because writing is so important to the profession, that was a huge selling point.
Discussion
Resources
