NYU Students/Grads Taking Questions

[nidoking]

Anyone have experience with getting in after receiving this “hold tight” email?

[cavalier1138]

Anyone have experience with getting in after receiving this “hold tight” email?

Can you be more specific about the email?

[nidoking]

Anyone have experience with getting in after receiving this “hold tight” email?

Can you be more specific about the email?

Apparently it went out to a bunch of (what I assume must be) borderline applicants yesterday. Here is the text of the email:

“Thank you again for your application to NYU School of Law. We write to inform you that, to date, your application remains under review. The Committee found your academic accomplishments and professional promise impressive. However, the Committee currently is unable to reach a final decision on your file. The Committee takes a holistic approach to the evaluation of applications. This requires an extraordinary amount of care, and thus a significant amount of time.

You may submit any additional information you wish the Committee to consider in reaching its final decision. In particular, if you are currently enrolled in school, please submit your updated transcript with grades from the fall term to LSAC as soon as possible, and they will update us automatically. Additionally, if you have had a change in employment, kindly submit an updated resume.

We appreciate your strong interest in NYU School of Law and want to assure you that you will continue to receive careful consideration. We will notify you of the Committee’s final decision by late April, if not sooner. We thank you for your patience.”

My plan is to send a new letter of rec that will update them with work accomplishments and such in the months since I’ve applied. Was hoping someone would have some guidance as to timing (I’m thinking to send as soon as I am able to get the letter, hopefully in a couple weeks, but not sure if I should wait.) Also curious if this means I have no chance at any $$ - stats are 3.6x/175+ and I applied in October, if that helps.

[cavalier1138]

I was all set to say that this probably means you're going to need to submit a strong LOCI showing some kind of development from the time of your app. But then I got to this part...

stats are 3.6x/175+ and I applied in October, if that helps.

Is there anything about your application that would make an adcomm hesitate to admit you? For example, did you have to submit a character and fitness addendum? Your numbers are in auto-admit territory for NYU.

[keilz]

Anyone have experience with getting in after receiving this “hold tight” email?

I got this email when I applied a couple yrs ago. I got in off the first round of the waitlist. It really just means that you're still under review. Don't think there was any pattern between ppl who received it and people who didn't -- it was just sent to everyone who had applied earlier in the cycle and hadn't yet received an update on their application status.

[LSNlife]

Anyone have experience with getting in after receiving this “hold tight” email?

I got this email when I applied a couple yrs ago. I got in off the first round of the waitlist. It really just means that you're still under review. Don't think there was any pattern between ppl who received it and people who didn't -- it was just sent to everyone who had applied earlier in the cycle and hadn't yet received an update on their application status.

I also got this last year applying URM, 3.2/162 and eventually was accepted in late March without updating any of my application materials. It’s deidnitely just a notice to applicants they know have been waiting awhile and/or they aren’t near making a decision on but they don’t want you to feel forgotten.

[Downy4in1]

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[George Marshall]

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[Slytherpuff]

I can't speak to being affiliated with a center, but I can answer a few of the other questions.

On campus v. off campus - Off campus is typically cheaper, but not always. You'd absolutely need roommates but there are people here and there who manage to find a great apartment within walking distance of school for less than what they'd pay in D'Ag or Hayden. I would generally recommend trying for on campus housing your first year to take the stress off apartment-hunting, and then you can move off campus for 2L once you know the city better. It saves you from signing a full-year lease if you think you might want to work outside of NYC for your 1L summer.

Ease of getting a room - People didn't have trouble getting their first choice picks when I was there. I signed up for housing a hair late (I think May or maybe even early June) and got my first choice, a D'Ag double on a lower/cheaper floor. There are tons of doubles and triples available. I don't know what the rules are if you get assigned something that's outside your price range, but I'd think you might be able to talk with housing and see if there's any way to switch.

I really liked 404 Fitness and Palladium. I didn't feel like there were enough squat racks and benches though (as far as I can remember, there were about 4 squat racks at each and then two benches + incline and decline), so I'd recommend going between classes if possible. I wouldn't pay extra for a gym membership elsewhere though, everywhere else you can afford on a student budget will be just as crowded if not more!

[George Marshall]

I can't speak to being affiliated with a center, but I can answer a few of the other questions.

On campus v. off campus - Off campus is typically cheaper, but not always. You'd absolutely need roommates but there are people here and there who manage to find a great apartment within walking distance of school for less than what they'd pay in D'Ag or Hayden. I would generally recommend trying for on campus housing your first year to take the stress off apartment-hunting, and then you can move off campus for 2L once you know the city better. It saves you from signing a full-year lease if you think you might want to work outside of NYC for your 1L summer.

Ease of getting a room - People didn't have trouble getting their first choice picks when I was there. I signed up for housing a hair late (I think May or maybe even early June) and got my first choice, a D'Ag double on a lower/cheaper floor. There are tons of doubles and triples available. I don't know what the rules are if you get assigned something that's outside your price range, but I'd think you might be able to talk with housing and see if there's any way to switch.

I really liked 404 Fitness and Palladium. I didn't feel like there were enough squat racks and benches though (as far as I can remember, there were about 4 squat racks at each and then two benches + incline and decline), so I'd recommend going between classes if possible. I wouldn't pay extra for a gym membership elsewhere though, everywhere else you can afford on a student budget will be just as crowded if not more!

Thank you so much! This is really helpful.

[George Marshall]

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[NYUBound]

Could anyone please explain the significance of being “affiliated” with a center or institute at the law school? Part of a scholarship that I have seen included the ability to affiliate with such a program before you enroll. It sounds like a play at the concept of “institutional support” in addition of the financial value of the scholarship, but I’m curious if that’s just lip-service or if it’s a real benefit.

Thank you!

Did you get the Vanderbilt? The "affiliation" and "mentorship" stuff is totally meaningless. Nobody even contacted me about the scholarship after the initial offer letter. I guess you could talk to someone about it if you're really interested, and maybe they'd let you add a line to your CV.

With that said, full tuition at a T6 is a huge perk - congrats!

[NYUBound]

If there are any Vanderbilt scholars or people familiar with the program ITT, could I PM you? I'm trying to get a better sense of the institutional support and programmatic benefits of the scholarship.

ETA, since I'm here -
1) How tough is it to get a clinic in the fall of 2L?
2) What are your odds of getting on a journal? Some schools it's a guarantee, some are around 70% of those who do write-on, etc.
Thanks!

As stated in my post above, there really is no "institutional support" with the Vanderbilt, but feel free to PM me if you have any questions! FWIW, my understanding is that the Hammy is the same way, but the Ruby does come with genuine faculty mentorship.

Addressing your question above about housing, it's very easy to find a room within a 20-minute walk that's cheaper than on-campus housing (still relatively expensive, of course, being NYC and all). You'd just need to come a few weeks early to find a place. I think the biggest pull for many people who live on-campus is that you don't have to search for a place. If you're getting here at the end of August, it'll probably be pretty stressful to try to find housing on top of everything else.

Getting into any clinic seems easy enough. Obviously, if you want a specific clinic, that changes the calculations pretty significantly.

I have no idea the statistics for journals, but it seems that everyone who wants to be on one gets one if they apply to enough. Law review is 1/3 grade-on, 1/3 write-on, and 1/3 all-inclusive assessment. Law & Liberty (Libertarian journal) and the Environment Journal have simplified/early-notification applications (presumably because they need more numbers), but it seems everyone else is just based on the writing competition.

[George Marshall]

If there are any Vanderbilt scholars or people familiar with the program ITT, could I PM you? I'm trying to get a better sense of the institutional support and programmatic benefits of the scholarship.

ETA, since I'm here -
1) How tough is it to get a clinic in the fall of 2L?
2) What are your odds of getting on a journal? Some schools it's a guarantee, some are around 70% of those who do write-on, etc.
Thanks!

As stated in my post above, there really is no "institutional support" with the Vanderbilt, but feel free to PM me if you have any questions! FWIW, my understanding is that the Hammy is the same way, but the Ruby does come with genuine faculty mentorship.

Addressing your question above about housing, it's very easy to find a room within a 20-minute walk that's cheaper than on-campus housing (still relatively expensive, of course, being NYC and all). You'd just need to come a few weeks early to find a place. I think the biggest pull for many people who live on-campus is that you don't have to search for a place. If you're getting here at the end of August, it'll probably be pretty stressful to try to find housing on top of everything else.

Getting into any clinic seems easy enough. Obviously, if you want a specific clinic, that changes the calculations pretty significantly.

I have no idea the statistics for journals, but it seems that everyone who wants to be on one gets one if they apply to enough. Law review is 1/3 grade-on, 1/3 write-on, and 1/3 all-inclusive assessment. Law & Liberty (Libertarian journal) and the Environment Journal have simplified/early-notification applications (presumably because they need more numbers), but it seems everyone else is just based on the writing competition.

Thank you! Interestingly, of the Dillard, Levy, Vanderbilt, and Mordecai, looks like the Dillard is the only where a faculty mentor is a thing that technically exists.

Following up on clinics, I noticed most of NYU's clinics have a legit application process - requiring resumes, transcripts, often interviews, and in some cases writing samples. I don't have a lot of WE and am interested in areas of law I have no or very little background or credentials in. I can't help but imagine a PI-centered school like NYU would have 50 people interested in a lot of these clinics. So, that's a concern. What's your take on this?

Also, can one do ad-hoc/independent externships at NYU?

[cavalier1138]

Following up on clinics, I noticed most of NYU's clinics have a legit application process - requiring resumes, transcripts, often interviews, and in some cases writing samples. I don't have a lot of WE and am interested in areas of law I have no or very little background or credentials in. I can't help but imagine a PI-centered school like NYU would have 50 people interested in a lot of these clinics. So, that's a concern. What's your take on this?

Also, can one do ad-hoc/independent externships at NYU?

All the clinics require an application. Not all of them require an interview, nor is that a sign that a particular clinic is any more competitive than the others. And one of the nice things about having so many to choose from is that most people get into one of their top choices. The clinic you're aiming for will make a difference--some are more competitive than others--but that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your prior experience. Lots of people end up in clinics where they have no prior experience but have shown a real interest in. So if a clinic says that they prefer people to have taken a particular class, indicate a willingness to register for that class if you get the clinic.

In terms of independent externships: Nothing stops you from working while in school. But if you want to get credit for it, talk to Academic Services. My guess is that there are particular requirements that your externship experience needs to meet in order to qualify for credit.

[Slytherpuff]

Echoing what people have said on clinics - you're basically guaranteed to get into some clinic, but not necessarily your top choice. There are a few that are very competitive and can be hard to get during fall of your 2L year. I think for me, I applied to two internationally-oriented clinics for 2L, didn't get into either because of how popular they were, and then was offered the option of applying for an open slot in several clinics that didn't fill up so I just picked the one I was most interested in (which ended up being fantastic).

Same thing for journals. Most people who try for Law Review don't get on, honestly. But even if you get horrible grades and do poorly on the writing competition, you'll still get something. When journals don't fill their slots (and several never do fill up the first time around), there's an informal second round where people didn't get onto a journal the first time can choose to apply to journals that still have availability. For that round, as long as you genuinely try and don't submit gibberish you'll get something - or at least that was the case when I coordinated the competition for my journal back in the day.

[stego]

WRT independent externships for academic credit, I asked about this for my 2L summer internship because the state practice rules of one employer I was considering require out-of-state law students to receive academic credit in order to appear in court. PILC told me that wasn’t possible. Idk if you would get the same answer for a term-time externship or not

[George Marshall]

Thank you all! This is very helpful.

[negusdahabesha]

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[cavalier1138]

Looking for advice from any current students or recent alums who lived off campus! I am headed to NYU with my partner and our dog. We are mainly looking at living around Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Neither of us have any experience looking for a place in NYC. I'd love to do it without a broker, but I'm open to a broker if people truly believe that they make a big difference. Also looking for any and all broker recommendations!

Anyone who has used a broker, feels confident in their neighborhood knowledge or just has any misc advice about renting an apartment in NY PLEASE pm me! We are looking to move to NY sooner rather than later so my SO can settle into a new job and we can get comfortable with the city.

You basically have to use a broker. That's just the way the city works. And depending on how much your SO makes, be prepared to have a co-signer. The income requirements for renting are prohibitive (as are the up-front deposits).

If you have friends living here, I'd recommend asking them who they used for a broker. The in-person referral is almost always going to be your most reliable way of getting someone.

[negusdahabesha]

Looking for advice from any current students or recent alums who lived off campus! I am headed to NYU with my partner and our dog. We are mainly looking at living around Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Neither of us have any experience looking for a place in NYC. I'd love to do it without a broker, but I'm open to a broker if people truly believe that they make a big difference. Also looking for any and all broker recommendations!

Anyone who has used a broker, feels confident in their neighborhood knowledge or just has any misc advice about renting an apartment in NY PLEASE pm me! We are looking to move to NY sooner rather than later so my SO can settle into a new job and we can get comfortable with the city.

You basically have to use a broker. That's just the way the city works. And depending on how much your SO makes, be prepared to have a co-signer. The income requirements for renting are prohibitive (as are the up-front deposits).

If you have friends living here, I'd recommend asking them who they used for a broker. The in-person referral is almost always going to be your most reliable way of getting someone.

Thanks for the advice! I've seen income requirements listed as low as 40x and as high as 80x. Do you know around what to expect? Also, if using a broker how many days do you think would be sufficient to visit and find an apartment

[cavalier1138]

Thanks for the advice! I've seen income requirements listed as low as 40x and as high as 80x. Do you know around what to expect? Also, if using a broker how many days do you think would be sufficient to visit and find an apartment

I think 40x sounds right. But if I remember correctly, you each have to make that much... maybe? I just remember it being stupid.

And if you're willing to put your head down and do nothing but view apartments and apply as soon as you find a good one, you can do it in 1-2 days. If you want to go that route, make sure you have your papers and funds in order before you even start looking at places, so you can send all the necessary attachments and make all the withdrawals ASAP. If you don't want to be that insane, give yourself at least 4 days.

[Slytherpuff]

I never used a broker in NYC, I know they're helpful especially if you're on a time crunch, but you can absolutely find a place without one. I think unfortunately 80x is more common than 40x, but that would be your combined income. You can also have a guarantor if you absolutely need one (although you're often limited to using a guarantor that's in the area).

[negusdahabesha]

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[Slytherpuff]

I never used a broker in NYC, I know they're helpful especially if you're on a time crunch, but you can absolutely find a place without one. I think unfortunately 80x is more common than 40x, but that would be your combined income. You can also have a guarantor if you absolutely need one (although you're often limited to using a guarantor that's in the area).

Any helpful tips or reliable websites to use if you're trying to avoid using a broker? And how do students not from the New York area generally handle the guarantor thing then? I don't have any family over there and 80x New York City rent is a lot of money...

I just used Craigslist, Streeteasy, or Zillow when I was looking at apartments. Sometimes the apartment will be listed by a broker anyway and you still might get roped into paying their fees, but you can still try. The guarantor thing is rough. I mostly stuck with places on Craigslist where I didn't need one, but my one stint in an apartment where I needed a guarantor was thankfully on the lower end of the spectrum and didn't require someone local, so my dad just barely made enough to qualify. If they ask for 80x guarantor, I'd talk to them about your situation and let them know the kind of financial aid money/loans you have coming in. Maybe they'll waive it, maybe you'll just have to find an apartment that doesn't have an insanely high guarantor requirement.

Did anyone on here have luck negotiating about their guarantor?