The LGBTQ Thread

[kates]

Thanks for the discussion everybody! Sorry to take over the thread, but I have one more question: what do people know about hiring a realtor to search for apt's? I heard you don't have to pay them, is that true? My roomie (met through American's website) and I are looking for something cheap cheap cheap (by which I mean a 2-bdrm for < $1800), do places like that even hire realtors?

Anyone else?  When are you heading to DC, kates?

I'm heading out in August. I don't have facebook or anything, but you may certainly avail yourself of the PM, and I'm sure we'll meet eventually through the Inter DC Law School Gay Cabal or whatever it's called! 

[dcforlife]

Thanks for the discussion everybody! Sorry to take over the thread, but I have one more question: what do people know about hiring a realtor to search for apt's? I heard you don't have to pay them, is that true? My roomie (met through American's website) and I are looking for something cheap cheap cheap (by which I mean a 2-bdrm for < $1800), do places like that even hire realtors?

I've never heard of a person using one. Friends that moved away told me that they had to use one in some cities (Boston I think) because all the good apartments were brokered by agents, but I've never heard anything of the kind here. If you simply wanted someone to look for apartments I'm sure such a service is available but I can't imagine it's free - unless it's limited to places where they have contracts and can get referral bonuses or something. Otherwise, what would be the motivation?

[245]

What happened to Mike & the Michigan/Penn crew?  I didn't mean for this to become a DC thread.  Come back everybody!

Congrats on everyone's law school decisions!  I just figured out my housing situation for next year (on-campus studio), so I'm relieved that I won't have to be apt hunting. Good luck to everyone still searching for places!

I'm not a DC'er, but if anyone is on facebook or in the Bay Area, feel free to add me or PM me.

[waningdelusion]

when i moved to austin every apartment locater i worked with was free.  yes, they get referral commission if they place you somewhere.  which means, if they don't find you a place they don't get paid.  it's hard to find one you have to pay upfront, i found, at least here.

the downside of that is that generally each realtor has apartments that she or he works with and will probably not be able to show you everything on the market.  they won't show you anything they won't get paid for

Thanks for the discussion everybody! Sorry to take over the thread, but I have one more question: what do people know about hiring a realtor to search for apt's? I heard you don't have to pay them, is that true? My roomie (met through American's website) and I are looking for something cheap cheap cheap (by which I mean a 2-bdrm for < $1800), do places like that even hire realtors?

I've never heard of a person using one. Friends that moved away told me that they had to use one in some cities (Boston I think) because all the good apartments were brokered by agents, but I've never heard anything of the kind here. If you simply wanted someone to look for apartments I'm sure such a service is available but I can't imagine it's free - unless it's limited to places where they have contracts and can get referral bonuses or something. Otherwise, what would be the motivation?

[Sarahpi]

Hi all,

I'm new to the thread (to the whole forum, really) and would love to join in. However, I'm applying for the Fall 2008 cycle, and it feels kind of dumb to jump in on the 07 cycle discussion just when everyone's getting decisions and I haven't even applied yet. I think we're at the time of year when the focus will soon turn to the upcoming admissions season, so...if I start a Fall 2008 LGBT thread, will there be anyone else there? Anyone? Bueller?

[Sarahpi]

Excellent. I like the idea of changing this thread's name when the time comes rather than beginning a new one- less confusion in switching over.

Anyway! I'm Sarah. I'm currently living in NC, but did undergrad in Western Massachusetts and am planning to get the hell out of dodge for law school. Finding an LGBT-friendly campus- or at least one in an LGBT-friendly area, even if the school's nothing to write home about in that department- is a big priority for me, so I'm glad to see this thread.

[drujoe]

Excellent. I like the idea of changing this thread's name when the time comes rather than beginning a new one- less confusion in switching over.

Anyway! I'm Sarah. I'm currently living in NC, but did undergrad in Western Massachusetts and am planning to get the hell out of dodge for law school. Finding an LGBT-friendly campus- or at least one in an LGBT-friendly area, even if the school's nothing to write home about in that department- is a big priority for me, so I'm glad to see this thread.

My impression of the whole thing is big city schools and top schools tend to be much more gay friendly.  For example, Illinois, which is the middle of the state, still has a decent LGBT population and is generally supportive.  Will it be as large or as open as NYC, Chicago or SF? No, but it still isn't bad. 

I started off by narrowing down the schools by my academic interests, and then emailing the OutLaw or Lambda Law representative at the school.  They will be best suited to answer your questions on a specific school.  Name some schools here, and I'm sure we'd be happy to discuss.  If you go back and read 45 pages (a day job nearing its end is good for that), you will see a fair amount of discussion on several schools, and toward the end you will see a list detailing where the active members of the board are attending (http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,67140.510.html).

[Sarahpi]

That's what I've heard, drujoe (re: big city schools and top schools.) For other reasons, I'm mostly looking at schools in large cities where I've already spent some time, so I'm not so worried about the campuses meeting my standards, at least as far as considering going there. The one exception to the large cities rule is UNC- but I grew up in North Carolina and live in Asheville now, and Chapel Hill is pretty much the only other place in NC I'd want to live.

Mostly I'm looking forward to using this board both to meet other LGBT/queer-friendly people in whatever area I end up, and also, once I (hopefully) get admitted to a few schools, get people's read on the relative levels of queer-friendliness at my potential schools.

At the moment, my list is: Boalt, Hastings, Fordham, Cardozo, BU, BC, Northeastern, Emory, UNC. It may very well change before this fall, though.

[Sarahpi]

I'm visiting Boalt and Hastings in a couple weeks- obviously classes won't be in session, but hopefully I can get the feel of them and see how I like them. I lived in SF for two summers in college and have lots of friends there, so that's a plus for those schools- I know how to get around the city, and all that. On the minus side, there's obviously the cost of living and the distance-from-home factor (not a huge deal for me- in my mind, once you're flying home, a two-hour flight's just as much a pain in the ass as a six-hour one- but I don't want to break my mom's heart.)

I've never formally visited Emory but lived and went to high school about a mile from campus, as a teenager. So I'm a huge fan of that part of Atlanta/Decatur and would love to live there again (and I was out in HS, so have a sense of the area as pertains to queer stuff.) Minus side- I'd like to get out of the Southeast, if possible, but Emory's definitely a good option if I decide to stick around.

Michigan's one of those schools that if I had any experience whatsoever with the area/region, I'd be all over it. I've heard great things about the school and Ann Arbor. But...I'm already juggling loyalties to the West Coast, Northeast and Southeast, and I've moved around too much in my life to start over in a place that's completely unfamiliar. Not knocking it for anyone else, but...yeah.

[245]

Hi all,

I'm new to the thread (to the whole forum, really) and would love to join in. However, I'm applying for the Fall 2008 cycle, and it feels kind of dumb to jump in on the 07 cycle discussion just when everyone's getting decisions and I haven't even applied yet. I think we're at the time of year when the focus will soon turn to the upcoming admissions season, so...if I start a Fall 2008 LGBT thread, will there be anyone else there? Anyone? Bueller?

My vote is that you just jump into this one and talkabout whatever the heck you want to --- maybe mike can change the name of the thread in a few months or somethin?

Welcome, Saraphi!  I'm glad to see someone else interested in the Bay Area here in this thread.  Both Boalt and Hastings are great schools, and the LGBT environment is very welcoming and fun.  Both schools care a lot about diversity and experience, so you should definitely emphasize your background, talents, work experience, etc, should you apply.

BTW, good suggestion, Bouzie.  I'll go ahead and change the name of the thread to make it more general.