lofowens (2022-2023)

Have a chronic 'invisible' illness, had to read my way through a medical library while working over a summer to figure it out before I could find the right specialist to diagnose and treat it. Also interned for a summer on a major technology company's patent defense team. Worked 10-20 hours a week for all of undergrad, even when very ill and untreated. Working on federal special cohort a petition to include a manhattan project uranium refinement site on a list of sites providing an expedited process for workers exposed to radiation to be recompensed for medical expenses and wrongful death.

WARNING- Thrown out of Hastings for being too sick to go to every class. Disability office did nothing even when asked, and I caught them lying about having received the messages asking. (Never lie about your e-mail to a computer scientist who can get the logs)

I should probably sue them, but I don't really have the energy. If you're reading this and you'd like to help, you can e-mail me at devin at devinowens dot net

Accepted the waitlist at UCLA. Partly curious, partly to keep my options open. If they accept me I'll have to make a trip down there quick to see if I want to re-evaluate going to Hastings.

Received the financial aid award letter online from Hastings on 3/29/07. Visited Hastings, Davis and McGeorge. Personal opinion warning: Davis felt too much like undergrad, though the campus was absolutely beautiful. McGeorge professors (saw classes with two) seemed really into railroading class down predetermined lines of reasoning, always looking for the answer that happened to be in their head rather than any reasoned and supported answer. The second didn't seem to have much respect for students, he steamrolled over them constantly and literally claimed to never be wrong. I'm not completely sure he was joking. Several of the students giving tours said he was one of the best first year lecturers. Scary. Not for me. Hastings was lots of fun. The big city environment is a little intimidating, but the students were engaged and always on the ball mentally. I like how they fluidly shifted between being serious and lighthearted, knowing how to do both is awfully important. I sat in on three classes, and even the most heavily socratic professor was trying to help students reason through issues more than dragging them towards a very particular answer. He was also a lot nicer about it. Most amusing quotes: [Student, replying to a question]: "Well, maybe?" [Professor,]: "You folks have been in law school too long." Then, on a separate occasion- [Me]: "Hi, I'm an admitted student, where should I sit?" [Professor, former academic dean]: "Well, it looks like those seats over there are free. I'm not liable for any brain damage that may result from sitting in, by the way."

Admitted to Davis! Now for the tough Hastings/Davis decision. I think it would be awesome being in downtown SF, but I'm wondering how much career services support Hastings has for patent law. Anyone know? I'll be visiting at the end of the month, that might help decide it one way or another.

Admitted to Hastings, found out via the online web check. A bit scared of the hyper-competitive atmosphere.

First year only scholarship from San Diego.

Full financial aid information from McGeorge on the 24th of Feb. Acceptance from San Diego.

Yahoo! Thin letter from McGeorge with a 15k/year merit award and free first year books. The yearly award is contingent on staying in the top third of the class. Anyone know how difficult that is?

Cryptically short acceptance letter from W&L, no extra information.

OK, USF, McGeorge, Pierce and Clark to choose from now. No aid packages from anyone but Pierce yet, waiting to hear what they can give me. Still holding out hope for Davis with a decent aid package. If USF gives me enough I'll strongly consider them over Pierce, just to be sure of getting to the West Coast and being able to develop contacts in the Bay area.

Hurrah! Pierce has accepted me, first one! Not West coast, but it's a perfectly fine fall back. Can't wait to see the aid package.

Here's to hoping for many more! :)