Getting started

By ivan2006 in NYU - Class of 2007 on Sep 11, 2006

Hi everyone,I am a little pissed because I had been working for 20 minutes in a new post and I lost it because I had been disconnected by the llm-guide web site.... I will never write a post directly on the web site again…Ok, since I lost the extended version, I will try to summarize herein what I was going to say:

1. First week of classes – pretty busy. A lot of assignments. Many colleagues already stressed. In any case, it is being a rewarding experience. The professors, specially the ones that apply the Socratic method are very good and stimulating. I have the impression I am learning a lot – and we have just got started… Pretty different in comparison with the tradition of civil law countries: here, the professors try to enhance the students´ participation in class, and their behavior towards students is very sympathetic.
2. Add/drop period – first week also means “add/drop period”. You have one week to go to classes that you have already registered into and to other classes that you could be interested in. Then you may “drop” or “add” another course. Since we are allowed to take between 12 and 15 credits, many people want to take as much credits as they can. Most of the times, it is a mistake. 12-13 credits may be a lot of work. But 14-15 credits can make you work in a 24/7 basis. So if you want to enjoy the LLM and the city, be realistic!
3. Work in the US – the workshops with the Office of Career Services start from Day 1. Facts & myths about the job search for LLMs: a) Facts – it is hard to land a job here. Few US students pursue LLMs (except in some areas like Tax), and law firms are primarily interested in JDs. b) Myths – Nonetheless, they say it is not impossible to land a job here, but it depends on a lot of factors, like: i) previous professional experience in your home country; ii) sit for the NY Bar Exam; iii) try to search for a job in other States, not only NY; iv) contacts and networking. I will write something about networking in the following weeks.

Finally, some piece of advice for the potential applicants:

1. LSAC – NYU strongly recommends you to use LSAC. I did not. Many friends of mine who were admitted at NYU did not either. Sincerely speaking, I do not think using it increases/ reduces your chances.
2. Scholarships – Nikola, there are 2 options: the Hauser scholarship (grants you full tuition) and, for the students admitted at the International Tax Program (ITP), there is also the Wallace scholarship (partial tuition). You apply for the Hauser scholarship at the time you submit you application. The application for the Wallace one occurs after admission. The criteria for awarding them is merit/ need-based. But I think nationality is also important: for instance, there are few Serbians around, and in the ITP there has never been a Serbian, so it make you a good candidate for the scholarships (perhaps better in comparison with countries that typically have more applicants, like Germany or France). It is worth giving it a try…And no, by being a non-EU citizen you are not in a worst position in comparison with the EU citizens. Here, we are all F1 visa holders, and we are all in the same situation…

Ok, it is pretty late in NY and I need to get some sleep. I will try to write more when I am in a better mood (losing my previous post really pissed me!).Cheers

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