Law School Discussion

Quote from: somanyquestions on July 25, 2008, 10:30:22 PM

Book options on campus: DU Bookstore in Driscoll (building in front of the law school) or the SBA bookstore
Off campus: amazon, half, etc

1st semester 1L year, I got all my books at the bookstore.  After realizing I didn't need brand new books, I never went back (other than for a car decal & sweatshirt).

The book list is usually on the advanced assignment page (under registrar, course info).  OR. . .you can go to the du bookstore website and check to see if the booklist is updated (you have to know your course # & prof name).

You're ganna buy your book now?  WHY?  Understandably (is that even a word?) you are excited but you still have plenty of time to purchase books before classes.  You have 3 weeks or so til orientation?  TAKE ADVANTAGE!!  Go buy/borrow/steal some FUN/NON Law books and read away because you won't have time once classes start.

**This message brought to you by a 3L who spent 3 hours and $60 at B&N buying fun/non law books today.

Yeah, not the reason I was asking. I didn't want to get a jump start on the reading, I want to get the online so I can save money. I wanted to find the best deal and still get them in time to have them on the first day of class.

Don't worry, I am doing nothing right now. Well, I am moving to Denver on the first, so I am doing a lot of stuff to get ready to move my family there, but other than that I am have no scholastic pursuits at the moment.

By the way, I read on DU's website that the light rail pass is only good at certain stops in Denver. My wife and I are moving to Sante Fe/Mineral and I was wondering if I will be able to take the light rail for free from that far away?

I received my schedule also, well it isn't actually a schedule, it is just a list of classes and who is teaching them. I wish it had time but it does not. Here is the list:

Torts- no teacher
Civil Procedure- Katharine DuVivier
Criminal Law- Sam Kamin
Lawyering Process I- Tanya Brown

What do you think? Is there a place where I can see what times these classes are at? I have clicked on every schedule link but to no avail.

I am getting pretty excited to come out. This summer is the first time in two years I will not be attending school so I am going to soak up all the free time I have, as I am only working 40 hours a week. It is amazing how working and going to school can make working only 40 hours a week feel like a vacation.

How did finals go. I would be very interested to see a final exam that a professor has administered. Does anyone have one? Clearly I mean an example one that teachers give out, not a stolen copy Also, are there any books that show example exams in law school? It would be a good summer read.

Quote from: Matthies on May 05, 2008, 12:28:14 PM

Quote from: Ashley M. on May 04, 2008, 04:19:47 PM

Quote from: Matthies on May 04, 2008, 11:44:39 AM

Quote from: kill the headlights on May 04, 2008, 11:07:43 AM

I am getting pretty excited to come out. This summer is the first time in two years I will not be attending school so I am going to soak up all the free time I have, as I am only working 40 hours a week. It is amazing how working and going to school can make working only 40 hours a week feel like a vacation.

How did finals go. I would be very interested to see a final exam that a professor has administered. Does anyone have one? Clearly I mean an example one that teachers give out, not a stolen copy Also, are there any books that show example exams in law school? It would be a good summer read.

I think Gaylord is east of the school, near the off campus frat houses, maybe you will get cat-called on your way to school Ash  . Should not be a bad walk, so long as its not a blizzard. Buy some good snow proof walking shoes/boots


well we got our apt assigned, its in cavalier over on gaylord st...supposedly walking distance from law school.  i HAVE to lose this muffin top   

Exams just started they don't end til the 15th, so we are in the thick of it now

one can always hope!  i may even learn how to quote posts correctly 

Quote from: Matthies on April 28, 2008, 04:28:58 PM

Quote from: skinsfan123 on April 28, 2008, 04:01:32 PM

I visited DU a couple weeks ago. I really like the school and absolutely loved the city. However, I'm having a hard time deciding between American University and DU.

AU is one of the most expensive schools in the country. I can allay some of those costs by living at home, but that would suck, and I'd still come out with well over 110k in debt. However, AU is known for its International Law program, which is what I want to study.

DU offered me a great scholarship and I really feel like I could be more competitive there. There are ample opportunities in the city and I loved the laid back vibe of life out by the mountains. I was told that the class size would be reduced to around 200 students from the upper 300's, but I wasn't offered any sort of guarantee on that. I feel like this would almost be a deal breaker. I'd like to go to a school with a smaller class size and a better faculty/student ratio. Can anyone confirm that this is actually happening or is admissions using this as a tool to lure people in?

The dean sent out an email a few weeks ago about ranking and mentioned that the class was going to be smaller, I can’t remember if he said it was for this coming year or next, but if that’s what you were told maybe its for this years incoming class. Even then 300 would be for the day AND evening divisions, not just for the day. Our evening divisions was like 92 students. Plus your divided into like 60-70 person class sections out of the 200 day students (all night students are in one section).

I would NOT put much stock into thinking you would be more competitive at DU than AU, if you think that based on LSAT score. First and foremost its been my experience in real life there is not a very good correlation between LSAT and actual performance, not enough to give any credence to think you would do better at one school than another. Second it seems, again from personal experience, the more one prepped for the LSAT the lower the actual correlation is. Finally, it would be unwise to think that everyone who comes to DU came there as the highest ranked school they could get into. The vast majority of my classmates only applied to CO schools, even if their numbers where high enough to get them into better schools, because they did not want to leave the state.

In the end my advice would be go to the school and you think you will enjoy the most. DU has a good international program, but it does not likely make up for being in D.C. for the types of internships you could get. But you may change your focus anyway once you get in law school. So go to the school you think you will enjoy most for 3 years and is where you want to live after school. Good luck with your decision.

I didn't mean I'd be more competitive because DU isn't a good school. I meant more competitive for reviews and journals 1) because the class size would be significantly smaller and 2) I would be more competitive in the job market in Denver with a DU degree (arguably the 2nd best school in region, depending on who you ask) than I would be in the DC market with an AU degree (arguably 4th best school in region, depending on who you ask).