Comments for Fight The Hypo http://fightthehypo.com a law student blog written by students at the catholic university of america, columbus school of law ::fighting the hypo, so you don't have to:: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:21:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Comment on A Conversation with JD Match by A Conversation with JD Match | JD Match http://fightthehypo.com/2011/06/28/a-conversation-with-jd-match/comment-page-1/#comment-1717 A Conversation with JD Match | JD Match Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:21:38 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1216#comment-1717 [...] the Hypo’s Editor Derek Karchner, who blogs under the nom de plume “Casebook Sherpa,” published the following interview with [...] [...] the Hypo’s Editor Derek Karchner, who blogs under the nom de plume “Casebook Sherpa,” published the following interview with [...]


]]> Comment on The Formula for Success in Law School by Michael http://fightthehypo.com/2011/05/08/success-in-law-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1700 Michael Thu, 19 May 2011 08:04:57 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1204#comment-1700 "Do the reading & Go to class" The best single piece of advice that can be given to a law student! :-) “Do the reading & Go to class”

The best single piece of advice that can be given to a law student! :-)


]]> Comment on The Formula for Success in Law School by Jorge http://fightthehypo.com/2011/05/08/success-in-law-school/comment-page-1/#comment-1685 Jorge Tue, 10 May 2011 17:04:00 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1204#comment-1685 Coffee. Advil. Figuring out which bathroom to use while on break. Learning how to raise your hand while flexing your biceps so everyone knows you still go to the gym. Using fancy words like trust fund. Learning how to quickly find the case brief on lexis when called on because you haven't prepared for class. Understanding that not even the professor can articulate the difference between a B+ and an A-. IRAQ - issue, rule, analysis, question your analysis again, and again. Realizing that the law doesn't really apply to the law school itself, and even though you pay them a lot of money, you really aren't a customer. Getting divorced (oh wait, I digress). More Coffee. Coffee. Advil. Figuring out which bathroom to use while on break. Learning how to raise your hand while flexing your biceps so everyone knows you still go to the gym. Using fancy words like trust fund. Learning how to quickly find the case brief on lexis when called on because you haven’t prepared for class. Understanding that not even the professor can articulate the difference between a B+ and an A-. IRAQ – issue, rule, analysis, question your analysis again, and again. Realizing that the law doesn’t really apply to the law school itself, and even though you pay them a lot of money, you really aren’t a customer. Getting divorced (oh wait, I digress). More Coffee.


]]> Comment on Preparing for the Bar Exam in Crazy Virginia by Jorge http://fightthehypo.com/2011/04/19/preparing-for-the-bar-exam-in-crazy-virginia/comment-page-1/#comment-1663 Jorge Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:44:46 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1196#comment-1663 bailiwick. cf. bailahay. bailiwick. cf. bailahay.


]]> Comment on U.S. News Law School Value Ranking by Dr. Bombay http://fightthehypo.com/2011/03/30/u-s-news-law-school-value-ranking/comment-page-1/#comment-1654 Dr. Bombay Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:10:33 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1181#comment-1654 On some level I'm gratified. On another level, I'm considering suing those shitbirds for jacking our idea. Your thoughts? On some level I’m gratified. On another level, I’m considering suing those shitbirds for jacking our idea. Your thoughts?


]]> Comment on U.S. News Law School Value Ranking by Casebook Sherpa http://fightthehypo.com/2011/03/30/u-s-news-law-school-value-ranking/comment-page-1/#comment-1650 Casebook Sherpa Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:51:52 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1181#comment-1650 It's probably important to add that the data for these rankings are self-reported and can be manipulated. That doesn't necessarily mean this ranking is a negative thing, 2nd Time Around. Rather, I think on balance it confirms your thinking that this is a net positive piece of news for students at SULC. It’s probably important to add that the data for these rankings are self-reported and can be manipulated. That doesn’t necessarily mean this ranking is a negative thing, 2nd Time Around. Rather, I think on balance it confirms your thinking that this is a net positive piece of news for students at SULC.


]]> Comment on U.S. News Law School Value Ranking by 2nd Time Around http://fightthehypo.com/2011/03/30/u-s-news-law-school-value-ranking/comment-page-1/#comment-1648 2nd Time Around Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:05:15 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1181#comment-1648 It's nice to know that I will not have as much debt once I graduate from SULC. Finally, something positive comes out of this law school journey! LOL!! Now I need to send this article to ALL my friends who turned their nose up to my decision..... It’s nice to know that I will not have as much debt once I graduate from SULC. Finally, something positive comes out of this law school journey! LOL!! Now I need to send this article to ALL my friends who turned their nose up to my decision…..


]]> Comment on Catholic University Law School Moves to #79 in US News Ranking of Best Law Schools by Dr. Bombay http://fightthehypo.com/2011/03/15/catholic-university-law-school-moves-to-79-in-us-news-ranking-of-best-law-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-1641 Dr. Bombay Wed, 16 Mar 2011 15:08:05 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1168#comment-1641 The question with the “make work” jobs that Magnus described is if by gaming the system, the School eventually produces more sustained results. If, for example, the employment statistics ultimaltey improve the schools perception in the eyes of employers, and result in greater employment opportunitites, then it would seem to be worthwhile. I go back to the ROI calculations that we did several years ago. I know of one recent graduate (a classmate of ours) who is working part-time in two public interest jobs, for the princely combined sum of $40K. Assuming they have debt of about $100K, the ROI on that person’s Catholic education using the standard ROI formula [(return on investment - initial investment)/investment * (100)] is -60%. It does not seem to present a very compelling case for attending law school. Of course, this does not handicap for a variety of intangibles (enjoyment of work, etc.) But increasingly, I’ve come through the law school process thinking it is a lousy investment. The question with the “make work” jobs that Magnus described is if by gaming the system, the School eventually produces more sustained results. If, for example, the employment statistics ultimaltey improve the schools perception in the eyes of employers, and result in greater employment opportunitites, then it would seem to be worthwhile.

I go back to the ROI calculations that we did several years ago. I know of one recent graduate (a classmate of ours) who is working part-time in two public interest jobs, for the princely combined sum of $40K. Assuming they have debt of about $100K, the ROI on that person’s Catholic education using the standard ROI formula [(return on investment - initial investment)/investment * (100)] is -60%. It does not seem to present a very compelling case for attending law school.

Of course, this does not handicap for a variety of intangibles (enjoyment of work, etc.) But increasingly, I’ve come through the law school process thinking it is a lousy investment.


]]> Comment on Catholic University Law School Moves to #79 in US News Ranking of Best Law Schools by Casebook Sherpa http://fightthehypo.com/2011/03/15/catholic-university-law-school-moves-to-79-in-us-news-ranking-of-best-law-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-1638 Casebook Sherpa Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:35:57 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1168#comment-1638 Ah yes. The fellowship positions. I never got the impression that they were common enough to skew the data all that much. But perhaps they are. Employing just 10 people in such positions would have the impact of roughly 5%, if my assumption of roughly 200 grads per year is accurate. That's not insignificant. Ah yes. The fellowship positions. I never got the impression that they were common enough to skew the data all that much. But perhaps they are. Employing just 10 people in such positions would have the impact of roughly 5%, if my assumption of roughly 200 grads per year is accurate. That’s not insignificant.


]]> Comment on Catholic University Law School Moves to #79 in US News Ranking of Best Law Schools by Magnus Wellborn http://fightthehypo.com/2011/03/15/catholic-university-law-school-moves-to-79-in-us-news-ranking-of-best-law-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-1637 Magnus Wellborn Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:05:39 +0000 http://fightthehypo.com/?p=1168#comment-1637 Although I am very pleased with our jump (despite my shared misgivings about the usefulness and accuracy of the rankings), I think much of it is due to Catholic joining in with the rest of them and gaming the system. It's no secret that many schools, especially in the DC area, manipulate their incoming-class data to give a better appearance. I think Catholic has done the same thing with regards to its employment data. Our score in the employment metric no doubt improved because of the fellowship program that Catholic instituted in the last couple of years. When graduation rolls around, at least some students without job offers are offered fellow positions with Catholic on a part-time basis. I think they do research with professors. The graduates are hired part-time so that Catholic can hire more of them and boost the number of employed graduates. Are these graduates actually "employed"? Yep. Did Catholic create this program simply to boost its position in the rankings? Yep. Although I am very pleased with our jump (despite my shared misgivings about the usefulness and accuracy of the rankings), I think much of it is due to Catholic joining in with the rest of them and gaming the system. It’s no secret that many schools, especially in the DC area, manipulate their incoming-class data to give a better appearance. I think Catholic has done the same thing with regards to its employment data.

Our score in the employment metric no doubt improved because of the fellowship program that Catholic instituted in the last couple of years. When graduation rolls around, at least some students without job offers are offered fellow positions with Catholic on a part-time basis. I think they do research with professors. The graduates are hired part-time so that Catholic can hire more of them and boost the number of employed graduates.

Are these graduates actually “employed”? Yep. Did Catholic create this program simply to boost its position in the rankings? Yep.


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