Interviews — they’re a necessary part of any career, and particularly in the career of an aspiring lawyer. My own law school application adventure included numerous interviews related directly to my law school apps, and later on for scholarships. You reach a point where interviewing really does become a better experience and you learn something about what it takes to be truly effective when you have your moment to shine.
More people are applying to law school this cycle. Maybe it’s an improving job market. Maybe it’s a bunch of idealists inspired by politics. Maybe it’s both, and maybe some other things, too. But regardless, the law school admissions game just got a little more competitive.
By now, this year’s law school applicants have been through the most trying elements of the application process and are finally (hopefully) coming out the other side with acceptances from some of their schools of choice. Law schools are welcoming their prospective students to visit for specific events or to simply take a tour to see what they’re all about. And while it should be fairly obvious why you would want to go and visit a school in person before you decide to start sending them your $180k worth of tuition checks, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can be sure you get the most out of a law school visits as an admitted student.
A recent article from Law.com ranks the Top 50 “Go-To” Law Schools. Check it out. The #1 go-to law school is Columbia, with Harvard down the list at #8, Stanford at #11 and Yale at #18.
There are many sources of advice out there covering all the major pieces of the law school application process, from the personal statement to admissions interviews, but there are also some little things you can do for your law school applications that can make the difference in your application experience and your admissions success. As a law school applicant from this past fall with many lessons still fresh in my mind, I’m here to offer you my perspective on the little things that will make a tremendous difference to your success in the application process.
The other day, I started thinking about the number of interviews I’ve participated in as part of my legal education and career thus far. In total, I think the number is somewhere around 75 in the last four years. For those of you applying this cycle, you may have your first taste of this never-ending cycle of interviews in the coming months. Increasingly, it seems, schools are interviewing applicants prior to making a decision on their applications.
Last week, we did a post about the difference between having your law school application waitlisted versus put on hold. For those in the latter camp, one of the recommended steps to strengthen your potential for acceptance is writing a letter of continued interest (going forward, an “LOCI”). This week, we’re going to discuss the contents of such a letter in more detail.
For those of you applying to law school this cycle, we are now in the later stage of the law school application period. I’m sure many of you have noticed there is one constant to this whole process — waiting. You have to wait for your LSAT score, you have to wait for your letters of recommendation, you have to wait for a school to make a decision on your application, etc. Unfortunately, even when a decision is made, your waiting isn’t necessarily over. This post is about two different ways that schools can make you wait longer: by putting you on hold or by putting you on a waitlist.
A reminder to all of those who will be in Los Angeles this weekend: On Saturday, Southwestern Law School is holding the appropriately named Southwestern Law Day. That’s a whole day, from 1:30-6:30 pm, for prospective law students to learn about getting into law school, succeeding as a law student, and what it’s like being an attorney.
Southern California buds: please, for a moment, put down your avocados, surfboards, and other components of your cowabunga lifestyle, and listen up. We have an important announcement to make.
This Saturday, November 11, it’s Southwestern Law Day.