Ask a TRU Grad

[canuckfanatic]

Graduated in 2020. Got to know the school/campus/city really well. Active in the alumni community. Hit me with your questions!

[Renerik]

How does TRU compare to other schools with regards to financial aid and scholarships?

I like the area and small class size but I have reservations regarding how new the school is and how few TRU grads are practicing compared to graduates from more established schools. Is this concern valid?

[GGrievous]

3 hours ago, Renerik said:

how few TRU grads are practicing compared to graduates from more established schools

I highly doubt that this is true. 

[Renerik]

2 minutes ago, MaxPower said:

I highly doubt that this is true. 

I might be making an incorrect assumption, but given their law school was founded in 2011, I suspect there are currently more practicing graduates from other schools simply because they've been pumping out lawyers for longer.

 

[GGrievous]

1 minute ago, Renerik said:

I might be making an incorrect assumption, but given their law school was founded in 2011, I suspect there are currently more practicing graduates from other schools simply because they've been pumping out lawyers for longer.

 

I see what you're saying. I thought you meant that TRU students end up not practicing at a higher rate. There is a smaller alumni network though for sure. 

[canuckfanatic]

8 hours ago, Renerik said:

How does TRU compare to other schools with regards to financial aid and scholarships?

I don't know much about TRU's financial aid/scholarship situation. If you haven't seen them, check out these links:

https://www.tru.ca/law/students/awards/bursaries.html

https://www.tru.ca/law/students/awards/awards.html

https://www.tru.ca/law/students/awards/course-prizes-and-awards.html

https://www.tru.ca/law/students/awards/external-awards.html

8 hours ago, Renerik said:

I like the area and small class size but I have reservations regarding how new the school is and how few TRU grads are practicing compared to graduates from more established schools. Is this concern valid?

It's not a concern at all if you're aiming to work in BC/Alberta or Toronto. A vast majority of TRU grads are in these two provinces, so you'll be able to rely on the alumni network there. In BC, for example, you'll find TRU alumni at every major firm. There are a number of grads in and around Toronto as well. You're far less likely to find TRU alumni in Montreal, Winnipeg, Halifax, etc.

That said, you don't necessarily need alumni connections to land jobs in those cities.

Edited June 6, 2021 by canuckfanatic

[Gerry Mander]

Does TRU have an environmental law program at all? Or anything pertaining to Indigenous law? 

I am also wondering what makes TRU so innovative, other than it being a fairly new law school?

[canuckfanatic]

7 hours ago, Gerry Mander said:

Does TRU have an environmental law program at all? Or anything pertaining to Indigenous law?

TRU doesn't have "programs" within the law school. There are a list of courses offered here: https://www.tru.ca/law/students/courses.html (but not all of these courses are offered every semester - some are offered every other year or based on student demand).

On the list you'll see:

• Environmental Law
• Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Law
• Comparative and International Indigenous Rights
• Public Lands and Natural Resources Law
• Transnational Lawyering: Social Justice, Communities & Resources
• and "Selected Topics" which vary regularly (the school runs annual student surveys to determine which courses should be added the following year)

7 hours ago, Gerry Mander said:

I am also wondering what makes TRU so innovative, other than it being a fairly new law school?

Innovative is a buzz word that every university uses, take it with a grain of salt whenever you see it. Granted, from my experience TRU has been very good at offering forward-thinking courses that are hard to find elsewhere. Courses like Designing Legal Systems, which involves designing and developing systems/programs/apps to aid in access to justice. Students involved with this course have done externships with BC's Civil Resolution Tribunal where they were able to contribute to the CRT's online system.

TRU was also the first school in Canada to offer a course on In-House & Corporate Counsel.

[abductedbyaliens]

I know everyone's been talking about a second screen / monitor but just wondering do you guys have a computer at home with 2 screens or do you connect your laptop to a second screen? What's more common / useful? 

[norms]

1 hour ago, jr6940 said:

I know everyone's been talking about a second screen / monitor but just wondering do you guys have a computer at home with 2 screens or do you connect your laptop to a second screen? What's more common / useful? 

I'll be bringing my laptop and connecting it to a 32" monitor 

[canuckfanatic]

On 7/15/2021 at 10:38 PM, jr6940 said:

I know everyone's been talking about a second screen / monitor but just wondering do you guys have a computer at home with 2 screens or do you connect your laptop to a second screen? What's more common / useful? 

I think most people just connect their laptop to a monitor. Use your laptop as the primary screen.

If you don't mind spending more money, you can get two external monitors and connect your laptop to a dock that effectively converts it to a desktop (and connect a mouse and keyboard to that dock). I had this set up for a previous job and I liked it, but docks are $200 and another screen would be $200, plus the external mouse and keyboard.

[lawschool01]

can you pay for your tuition with a credit card?

[Schooliscool]

2 hours ago, lawschool01 said:

can you pay for your tuition with a credit card?

Yup, I've been using my credit card linked to a supermarket and got over $400 in rewards last year. It was awesome.

[lawschool01]

47 minutes ago, Schooliscool said:

Yup, I've been using my credit card linked to a supermarket and got over $400 in rewards last year. It was awesome.

ok thanks! i have already applied and been assessed for a student bc loan...does a portion of the loan get paid directly to TRU? it wasn't clear on my assessment. 

[Schooliscool]

On 7/24/2021 at 7:38 PM, lawschool01 said:

ok thanks! i have already applied and been assessed for a student bc loan...does a portion of the loan get paid directly to TRU? it wasn't clear on my assessment. 

It says on your assessment at the bottom "amount paid to school". Whatever that amount is, that's how much is going directly to TRU and the rest will go to your bank account, if there is anything left over. Or, it will all be sent to your bank account.

[NowOrNever]

Hi @canuckfanatic, 

Where do the majority of law students live?

[HarryCrane]

22 hours ago, NowOrNever said:

Hi @canuckfanatic, 

Where do the majority of law students live?

Not @canuckfanatic but incoming 1L. From everyone I have talked to, it seems Summit Village, McGill, or Landmark are the popular places. McGill and Landmark are basically across the street from campus, Summit is maybe 10 min away by car.

[canuckfanatic]

On 8/8/2021 at 5:20 PM, NowOrNever said:

Hi @canuckfanatic, 

Where do the majority of law students live?

@HarryCrane is right. It was more or less like this:

1. Landmark
2. McGill Ridge (the condos, not the TRU residence building)
3. On-campus residence (North Tower)
4. Summit Village
5. Random basement suites/townhouses/apartments

[NowOrNever]

On 8/9/2021 at 6:29 PM, HarryCrane said:

Not @canuckfanatic but incoming 1L. From everyone I have talked to, it seems Summit Village, McGill, or Landmark are the popular places. McGill and Landmark are basically across the street from campus, Summit is maybe 10 min away by car.

 

3 hours ago, canuckfanatic said:

@HarryCrane is right. It was more or less like this:

1. Landmark
2. McGill Ridge (the condos, not the TRU residence building)
3. On-campus residence (North Tower)
4. Summit Village
5. Random basement suites/townhouses/apartments

Thank you both!

[diggity]

What made you chose TRU and what did you like about your experience there? Highlights, struggles, etc.?

[HarryCrane]

24 minutes ago, diggity said:

What made you chose TRU and what did you like about your experience there? Highlights, struggles, etc.?

I'm a 1L, but I can explain my reasoning.

I applied to TRU because everything I had heard was positive. Profs were amazing, the faculty was extremely collegial, and I would get opportunities that I wouldn't get anywhere else. And so far that has held to be true.

Of the core faculty members, they are all amazing. Incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, and it comes through in their lectures. I don't know how he does it, but the contracts prof makes contracts interesting. I look forward to going to the class and hearing him talk about the cases we read. The profs are also very willing to take time to explain things, or just chat with you. I have gone to office hours just to talk about random current events with profs and get their take.

Everyone in the faculty is extremely helpful. There is no one in my 1L cohort that I couldn't go to for help or notes or anything. There was a joke before midterms that we were all pokemon trainers collecting CANS. No one went out of their way to hide information. 

The school also does a great job of finding ways to get involved. Clubs have seminars constantly for a variety of topics. I took a sport dispute resolution course over a couple weekends and am now a roster member for local and provincial sport disputes. None of my friends in Alberta have that opportunity. 

[diggity]

Thank you so much! I was just accepted but I am from Alberta, so I am wondering whether it's worth to move or not. A huge motivating factor is a positive and collegial environment like you just described. I really appreciate your time and response!

[HarryCrane]

1 hour ago, diggity said:

Thank you so much! I was just accepted but I am from Alberta, so I am wondering whether it's worth to move or not. A huge motivating factor is a positive and collegial environment like you just described. I really appreciate your time and response!

For what its worth I am also from Alberta and speaking to friends at UofA and other schools they have expressed their jealously at times. 

[Notworthy]

On 3/4/2022 at 9:53 AM, HarryCrane said:

For what its worth I am also from Alberta and speaking to friends at UofA and other schools they have expressed their jealously at times. 

Jealous of higher tuition cost and higher rent?

[Notworthy]

On 3/1/2022 at 4:40 PM, HarryCrane said:

I'm a 1L, but I can explain my reasoning.

I applied to TRU because everything I had heard was positive. Profs were amazing, the faculty was extremely collegial, and I would get opportunities that I wouldn't get anywhere else. And so far that has held to be true.

Of the core faculty members, they are all amazing. Incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, and it comes through in their lectures. I don't know how he does it, but the contracts prof makes contracts interesting. I look forward to going to the class and hearing him talk about the cases we read. The profs are also very willing to take time to explain things, or just chat with you. I have gone to office hours just to talk about random current events with profs and get their take.

Everyone in the faculty is extremely helpful. There is no one in my 1L cohort that I couldn't go to for help or notes or anything. There was a joke before midterms that we were all pokemon trainers collecting CANS. No one went out of their way to hide information. 

The school also does a great job of finding ways to get involved. Clubs have seminars constantly for a variety of topics. I took a sport dispute resolution course over a couple weekends and am now a roster member for local and provincial sport disputes. None of my friends in Alberta have that opportunity. 

I commend you for preaching TRU and it’s accomplishments, what it’s done for you and the opportunities it provided. I have no doubt is a good institution just not sure why there are so many digs at UofA.