Allegedly Retired HLS Poster taking q's

[bass]

Yea, my fiancee is far away, and I get bored.  I'm supposed to be retired, but if you have any questions, let me know.  I'm a rising 2L at HLS.

[Timmy's Taking Over]

How tough is it to get a 1L summer firm job?

Can I take a little less of the loan package they want to give me (living frugally and getting a little more help from parents than their estimate) without losing my very meager grant?

[bass]

How tough is it to get a 1L summer firm job?

Can I take a little less of the loan package they want to give me (living frugally and getting a little more help from parents than their estimate) without losing my very meager grant?

1) This is very difficult to answer, since it depends so much on your background and where you are applying.  If you are a Rhodes Scholar with a 4.0 from Yale UG, I would say no.  If you are like me and come from a less renowned undergrad, you will struggle in some markets.  The hardest place to get a job 1L firm-wise is Boston (in my experience).  Too convenient for too many 1Ls.  If you have a connection to a secondary market (or even another primary market), it can be VERY easy, coming from any UG.  I had no trouble at all in my small market getting a firm job in a top firm in the market.

2) I think the answer here is no, but it may depend on having more info about your package.  You MUST take the base loan (whatever number that is) in order to receive grants.  Presumably, if you've received grants, they cover the difference between the base loan and the total budget (minus your contribution).  If your loans are in excess of the base loan (e.g., you are taking additional loans to cover the budget because you don't actually have the money that you expect you to contribute), then that's a different story.

[Timmy's Taking Over]

How tough is it to get a 1L summer firm job?

Can I take a little less of the loan package they want to give me (living frugally and getting a little more help from parents than their estimate) without losing my very meager grant?

1) This is very difficult to answer, since it depends so much on your background and where you are applying.  If you are a Rhodes Scholar with a 4.0 from Yale UG, I would say no.  If you are like me and come from a less renowned undergrad, you will struggle in some markets.  The hardest place to get a job 1L firm-wise is Boston (in my experience).  Too convenient for too many 1Ls.  If you have a connection to a secondary market (or even another primary market), it can be VERY easy, coming from any UG.  I had no trouble at all in my small market getting a firm job in a top firm in the market.

2) I think the answer here is no, but it may depend on having more info about your package.  You MUST take the base loan (whatever number that is) in order to receive grants.  Presumably, if you've received grants, they cover the difference between the base loan and the total budget (minus your contribution).  If your loans are in excess of the base loan (e.g., you are taking additional loans to cover the budget because you don't actually have the money that you expect you to contribute), then that's a different story.

1.) Moving to these smaller markets, are these still big firms (with regard to SA pay, looking good on resume, etc)?

2.) Damnit.  I have three sibs in college right now so my EFC is next to nothing (split 4 ways), but my brothers are all in relatively cheap state and local schools so they significantly underpredicted how much my parents could help.  I want to have my cake and eat it too.  Can I take them out and repay some almost immediately (or I suppose put it in a CD to try to just keep up with interest but it seems like a shame to bleed money like that).

[bass]

How tough is it to get a 1L summer firm job?

Can I take a little less of the loan package they want to give me (living frugally and getting a little more help from parents than their estimate) without losing my very meager grant?

1) This is very difficult to answer, since it depends so much on your background and where you are applying.  If you are a Rhodes Scholar with a 4.0 from Yale UG, I would say no.  If you are like me and come from a less renowned undergrad, you will struggle in some markets.  The hardest place to get a job 1L firm-wise is Boston (in my experience).  Too convenient for too many 1Ls.  If you have a connection to a secondary market (or even another primary market), it can be VERY easy, coming from any UG.  I had no trouble at all in my small market getting a firm job in a top firm in the market.

2) I think the answer here is no, but it may depend on having more info about your package.  You MUST take the base loan (whatever number that is) in order to receive grants.  Presumably, if you've received grants, they cover the difference between the base loan and the total budget (minus your contribution).  If your loans are in excess of the base loan (e.g., you are taking additional loans to cover the budget because you don't actually have the money that you expect you to contribute), then that's a different story.

1.) Moving to these smaller markets, are these still big firms (with regard to pay, looking good on resume, etc)

2.) Damnit

1) Again, it depends on where you're going.  I know several people who had little trouble in NY and CA, for example, and they are making market (based on 160K/yr).  Texas pays about the same and is not impossible to get a job there; Chicago pays well.  The one I'm in pays better than I care about, since I have a lot of grants, and the excess cash just reduces my grants, but it doesn't pay near NY market rates.  I should say that getting a firm job typically (but not always) involves a lot of work 1L year.  This work comes at a bad time (late November to December), and it will be even worse with exams before break this year.  No one is going to hold your hand and force you to do it, either.

2) Yea, HLS is super generous with providing grants to cover need as they calculate it.  I am very grateful for that.  They are otherwise very stingy, however, presumably to continue to be able to provide such generous grants where necessary.

[Timmy's Taking Over]

Still around?

[bass]

Still around?

Shouldn't be, but am.

[Hank Rearden]

Favorite, least favorite things about first year? 

[Timmy's Taking Over]

What am I missing out on by missing dorms?  Am I going to know anyone (Assume I live in 1580 MA ave right across from Hastings)?

Damnit number 2  for the hole in the earth HLS decided to put at Mass and Chauncy instead of giving dorm rooms to 1Ls.

[bass]

Favorite, least favorite things about first year? 

Favorite: Three off the top of my head.  1) Looking back and realizing how much I've learned/changed in so little time.  This is not unique to HLS.  2) My section: nice mix of people I'd probably never otherwise talk to and people I'd probably find anyway, all were really great.  3) The really cool speakers/opportunities (Scalia coming to talk, Seth Waxman and Larry Luchino talking to the section, Going to SCOTUS arguments/Breyer talking to my section, etc.).

Least: Anything involving the registrar has been slightly more frustrating than it needs to be.  I also didn't like how people seemed to change a bit between Jan 2 and one week after fall grades came out.  Things settled down after that, but people were not their best selves during that stretch.