Stanford 1L taking questions

[Migrate]

oh, also, good luck on your exams!

[SLS 1L]

do you know anything about the admissions process that you would like to share - the commonality in successful applicants, numbers, etc? Also, how would you compare clerking opportunities v. H, Chicago

Sorry not to respond.  I stopped checking in after realizing the traffic on the board has died down so much.

I don't think I have much to add to the conventional wisdom on either of these topics.  As far as admissions, it's still a numbers-driven school--although perhaps less so than its peers.  With such a small class, the adcomms can afford to "shop around" for the people with interesting background and experiences.  I was definitely not one of those people.  I think SLS has a reputation for looking beyond numbers a bit, but this may be a little overplayed: it's still definitely about numbers.  That said, I think SLS has the most unpredictable admissions patterns, and to be honest, it doesn't make a lot of sense sometimes.  I stopped trying to figure it out.

As far as clerking, I won't pretend to have any idea about this.  I haven't really looked into it enough to know about the process, etc.  And I have absolutely no clue how we compare to those other schools you mentioned.  I suppose a 2L or 3L would be the person to ask.  Sorry 

[245]

Maybe this isn't a great question for a 1L, but I'm sure you have a perspective from when you were choosing schools:

How portable is a Stanford degree really, compared to YH? If one's long term goals involve work in DC or NY, do you think attending Stanford could put one at a disadvantage? I kind of dream of going to LS on the west coast, but I know I won't be relocating there permanantly.

As an SLS 2L, I'd like to add my two cents about recruiting: Although most Stanford students prefer to stay on the West Coast (self-selection), I've not noticed any disadvantage for people looking in NY or DC.  Even friends of mine who were substantially below mean were able to get fantastic NYC firm jobs, including offers from V10 firms.  In DC, it's a bit harder, but I know many people who got offers from top DC firms.  I don't know anyone who didn't get the location they wanted, and almost everyone I knew got their top choice firm (and many offers overall).

Although our lay prestige on the East Coast may not be as strong as Harvard's and Yale's, we do benefit tremendously from our small size.  Most firms would like to have at least a few SLS students in their summer classes, and because (1) there are so few of us to begin with, and (2) an even smaller number go to the East Coast, we tend to fare just fine.

[Big Boy Pants]

Have you applied for 1L summer jobs yet?  Where do you and your peers plan to apply?

[arugula]

What made you choose Stanford over the other schools that admitted you? and if you don't mind sharing, what are the other schools?