anyone attending?

[onepoint]

Just updating, Milan emailed me back and told me a decision will be made on offering the Mac version of SecurExam in August.

The more I think about it, the less freaked out I am.  I *could* borrow someone's laptop to use on tests.  It's not like I'd be able to access any of the notes on my Powerbook anyway, that's the point of the software

The friend I'll be living with told me last night that his final offer was accepted on a house in Shadyside, but now the sellers are having issues with the place they planned on buying.  Greeaaatttt.

[onepoint]

Have you guys received your financial aid info yet?  I got my letter from Duquesne telling me I'm eligible for the full $18.5k in federal money, which means I'll need to do about $16k privately (my EFC is $1).  The total Cost of Attendance was listed @ $34,951.

Does anyone know if Duquesne takes out the usual $550 origination fee on their Stafford Loans?  I'd assume they do.

Is anyone going with a different lender than Duquesne for their loans?  I just talked to the Financial Aid Office and they're sending me info on private loans.  I'm considering going with someone else for my Staffords + Privates, but don't know how complicated that will get.  It seems much easier to just go with Duquesne for my federal money and go with someone they recommend for my private.  Ugh this is all so confusing, I haven't had to deal with it before.

Any other financial questions and/or recommendations?

[sunny478]

I haven't got any financial info, but that's probably because I messed up applying for loans and grants and other things.  Still need to consolidate my undergrad and car loans... I am very behind.  Congrats on your loans and good luck with the rest of your aid.

Looks like I'll be in Pittsburgh this weekend looking around.  Too bad I have no idea where I'm going, because whenever I ask potential roommates with difficult questions such as "where is your place located" they respond with "close to Duquesne" instead of something specific.  I also get the feeling that no one knows where exactly they live.  Using Mapquest to get around a city I already live in sounds a bit ridiculous - is Pittsburgh really that hard to navigate??

I hear Southside is the best place to live because it's more fun.  Is that why you're living there?  I think most of the apartments I'm touring this weekend will be in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill... are they walkable, urban neighborhoods?

[onepoint]

I haven't got any financial info, but that's probably because I messed up applying for loans and grants and other things.  Still need to consolidate my undergrad and car loans... I am very behind.  Congrats on your loans and good luck with the rest of your aid.

Looks like I'll be in Pittsburgh this weekend looking around.  Too bad I have no idea where I'm going, because whenever I ask potential roommates with difficult questions such as "where is your place located" they respond with "close to Duquesne" instead of something specific.  I also get the feeling that no one knows where exactly they live.  Using Mapquest to get around a city I already live in sounds a bit ridiculous - is Pittsburgh really that hard to navigate??

I hear Southside is the best place to live because it's more fun.  Is that why you're living there?  I think most of the apartments I'm touring this weekend will be in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill... are they walkable, urban neighborhoods?

i just got a packet filled with private loan info today.  it seems like duquesne is steering me to get my staffords through aes (pheaa) then providing info on private lenders to get the other $16k that i'll need.  i'm going to call them to see if i can get my staffords somewhere else, and have that lender roll my staffords + privates into one package.

at this point i'm not sure where i'll be living.  my friend had a house all set, the price was agreed upon, but now the family that's (supposedly) moving out is having financial issues.  aka we may not get the place.  if that happens, we'll be scampering to find a decent apartment.  i should have seen something like this happening.  i may wind up in the north hills in the woodhawk club.. we'll have to see how this all shakes out.  i *was* going to be in shadyside.

as far as navigating pittsburgh, it's no harder to get 'the hang of' than any other city i've been in.  the bridges can make things a little confusing at first, but it's easy to pick up.  i wouldn't worry at all if i were you.

the south side kind revolves around east carson street, which runs parallel to the river.  tons of nightlife and "cheaper" apartments and whatnot, i hear a decent number of duq students live over there.

i don't know much about squirrel hill, but i do know that shadyside is a very walkable area.  walnut street has shops and food.  you'd need to plan on a commute to duquesne though, most likely 15 minutes on average in the morning.

[sunny478]

This weekend I was in Pittsburgh for the first time and it was awesome! I'll be living in Shadyside with two Pitt students and I'm pretty sure our apartment is cheaper than most. I went out on the Southside one night and Bloomfield the next and had fun both times.  I really like the city and I'm looking forward to moving in sometime in August.  The one thing I forgot to do was see Duquesne...

[onepoint]

where did you head in the southside?  we were at margarita mama's in station square thursday night, but never quite made it down to mario's or anything.

[theafterglow]

Hey guys, I just finished my first year at Duquesne Law School. I just got my grades. I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I didn't do to bad either. I think the key to the first year is just surviving it. It can be overwhelming at times. Anyway, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

[sunny478]

I didn't get into town until Friday night. We went to Smokey Joe's and the Z Lounge, they were okay. On Saturday afternoon I was at Louie's Little Corner Bar on Liberty in Bloomfield and then somewhere else down the street later on that night. I don't really know the "good" bars to go to, although my roommates do because they've lived there for a year already.  After walking through the neighborhoods, I'm thinking I might like the Shadyside bars better because they have a smaller feel to them.

[onepoint]

crap, i forgot (literally) that we stopped at shady grove or whatever it's called for long islands before heading to station square.  doh.

[Benjamin]

I also just finished my first year at Duquesne.  I am happy to provide any insight or advice that I can.

Shadyside is the place where the young professionals hang out.  A good number of Duquesne law students live there.  The most students live in the southside flats and southside slopes.  Southside is a bit more hoppin, but Shadyside is more intimate and comfortable, and it is easier to get a few people together for drinks there, especially if you can walk back to your apartment.  The views are prettier in the Southside.  Southside is within walking distance of campus.  More cute girls in Shadyside, but more Bohemian and artsy types in Soutside.

Shady Grove is a cool bar by the way.

Squirrel Hill has a lot of very expensive family homes, but I dont know why a student would want to rent there; there isnt much to do and the traffic can be pretty bad.

As was stated before, Oakland is Pitt campus. If you are comming from a big school (I came from Ohio State), you might feel comfortable there.

Mt. Washington has some really pretty views, and the commute is pretty quick most of the time.

The Northside has some bad parts of town, but it has the most extreme hills, scenic views, and secluded hillsides of any place within site of downtown, if that is what you are into.  I really had a thing for places in the northside, but I do not think many, if any, Duquesne law students live there.   

No matter what, don't live in Wilkinsburg.

I lived in the dorms last year... it had some major downsides, but some upsides too.  Downsides: 1. expensive; 2. unknown roomate risk; 3. small rooms; 4. difficulty bringing in guests; forced to get a meal plan.  Upsides: 1. Countless hot undergrads everywhere; 2. No commute; 3. less distractions from school during the all-important first year; 4. less distractions from school during the all-important first year; 5. less distractions from school during the all-important first year.   



I will be living in Shadyside with another Duquesne 2L this comming year... for $250 a month

As for laptops... Duquesne 1L is split up into two sections, A & B.  I cant say for sure about section B, but Section A was way more than 50% laptop users, I would estimate 75% - 85%.  I suspect that number is the same in Section B, and will be bigger next year.  Some rooms have outlets for every student, others do not.  Your schedule will probably put you in both types of rooms in any given day, so you will have enough battery charged up to get you through the classes with no outlets.  Way more than 30% of students used laptops in the final exam, I would say more than 50%.  Mac users kinda got *&^% on this year for exams, I would have complained if I had a Mac.  But Macs work fine on the wireless network, which gets a solid signal in all the classrooms and the library. 



Do you all know who your professors are yet?  Section A last year had Streib, Pelaez, Jordan, Cafardi, Krasik, and I had Hirsch for Crim and Rodes for Writing.

WAxlRose2 on AIM if you have questions