Anyone attending Widener, Harrisburg Fall 2011?

[johnnysweet]

it seems like Harrisburg campus students are more likely to find a full time law job, however the average pay for Delaware students is higher.

[HaciM36]

I'd attribute that to location obviously. Being in the heart of Wilmington the "corporate capital of America" as some proclaim the Delaware students are competing for positions with all the Philly grads where those setting up shop in or around Harrisburg are competing with Penn State grads and anyone from the eastern or western schools moving towards central PA...which I dont think is nearly as many.

[Beags]

Yeah, well...I'll be there come August 15th. 

Been up to Harrisburg a few times, though I won't be living in the city (I'll be about 45 minutes away in Schuylkill County staying on my father-in-law's farm).  Nice place, reasonable apartment rates, and a decent bit to do in the area for those rare times you aren't busy studying like crazy.

All in all, not a bad location and a decent area.  For the school itself...well, from what I've read, seen, and heard, it's pretty much like any other T3/T4 out there, albeit with what looks like a vicious curve.

[HaciM36]

Well now I have at least another option. After getting rejected at Temple and Drexel, wait listed then rejected from Penn State, and waitlisted at Villanova I just found out I got accepted to Stetson University in....get ready for this...FLORIDA!.

I applied there in addition to Mercer University just because I went to Temple for undergrad and being from the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton area I kinda regretted not going to undergrad farther away from home as a lot of my closest friends went to D.C., Tennesee, Maine, Rhode Island, etc. Part of that was probably because I never got super excited about leaving home since I had such a great time in high school but it is what it is. So now, I at least have the option of going to a higher ranked school albeit 1000 miles from Pennsylvania. Soooo we'll see. I'm still waiting to hear back from Villanova. They recently asked for my resume which I thought they had in the first place so I'll take that as a good sign they are looking at my application again after waitlisting me. If I got into Villanova I'd almost definitely go there. Only time will tell.

[johnnysweet]

Are you guys on the facebook group?

[lawfirm666]

HaciM36, I would go to the highest ranked school, ceteris paribus.  A month back one of the partners at my work place made a joke about Villanova's LSAT reporting. I thought the guy was just busting chops since he was a Temple grad but it seems Villanova Law reported bogus LSAT & GPA figures for classes prior to 2010.  I had no idea, until I googled it recently. What I have heard from my colleagues is that, Villanova's clinics are not at the same level as Temple and Rutgers. Just thought I'd give my 2 cents on decision 2011.

Yea, I just added the facebook page. 

[HaciM36]

HaciM36, I would go to the highest ranked school, ceteris paribus.  A month back one of the partners at my work place made a joke about Villanova's LSAT reporting. I thought the guy was just busting chops since he was a Temple grad but it seems Villanova Law reported bogus LSAT & GPA figures for classes prior to 2010.  I had no idea, until I googled it recently. What I have heard from my colleagues is that, Villanova's clinics are not at the same level as Temple and Rutgers. Just thought I'd give my 2 cents on decision 2011.

Yea, I just added the facebook page.

Very interesting updates for me recently and very ironic you mentioned Villanova. After being admitted to Stetson they had a financial aid live chat session online Thursday from 5-6pm where admitted students could ask financial aid officers any questions they had about seeking assistance. As the chat session begins I'm just following the flow of the conversation as a lurker and seeing what other students are looking into as I admit I haven't really gotten to the meat of looking into financial aid. I just know I need it. lol. Anyways I'm just browsing around and see an update from Villanova in my inbox after being wait listed....Lo and behold I was accepted!

I was pretty much in shock and never expected to go from wait listed to accepted and I'm 99% sure I'll be there in the Fall.  I did read about that false reporting of scores recently and if you got to Villanova's website they comment on the recent problem but I don't think it was a "scandal" or anything crazy that would tarnish the school's reputation in the long term.  My mother still works in the court system in Doylestown and was really hoping I'd get into Temple or Nova partly because the vast majority of lawyers are from those 2 schools and occasionally a Widener grad. Also, as I mentioned before the location would be ideal for me and especially when I compare that to moving to Florida although that would have been one hell of a adventure for law school down there. Anyways, just thought I'd share the good news.

I was actually surprised I didn't get into Drexel and seems like they are really trying to play "catch up" to the other Philly law schools in too short of a time period with their requirements. But I definitely waited to the last minute to apply which I know is one if not the single worst thing you can do when applying lol. I'm confident it would have been much different had I applied back in October. However, I'd expect their school to require something like a 3.4 median GPA and a LSAT of 154. Then gradually increase their standards if they wanted to draw some of the higher intellectual pool from Temple, and Nova. But then again what do I know about starting a law school lol. I still might end up trying to transfer to Temple after my first year for a few reasons including that I went their for undergrad, the $ is so much cheaper, and the school is getting better every year. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it works its way into the top 30 schools in the country in a few years. Then again I might completely fall in love with Nova and never want to leave.

Anyways, I'll probably check in on this forum from time to time if anyone has any feedback or questions for me. I wish everyone the best of luck in the TAP program for Widener and any accepted students that are definitely going to Widener in the Fall whether it be Harrisburg or Wilmington!

-HaciM