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[khaleesi]

Thanks both of you! I always do ask questions, but it's just that they always feel so contrived to me. I think I saw on another post that someone asked "Do you have any doubts about admitting me that you would like to discuss?" or something like that. I kind of like that one. Do you think it's too blunt?

idk it seems kinda redundant. Isn't the whole point of the interview for them to address doubts/discrepancies about your application? It might come off as rude. Just stick to asking questions about the school; at least then you can ensure the interview ends on a positive note.

[talesofyore]

Thanks both of you! I always do ask questions, but it's just that they always feel so contrived to me. I think I saw on another post that someone asked "Do you have any doubts about admitting me that you would like to discuss?" or something like that. I kind of like that one. Do you think it's too blunt?

idk it seems kinda redundant. Isn't the whole point of the interview for them to address doubts/discrepancies about your application? It might come off as rude. Just stick to asking questions about the school; at least then you can ensure the interview ends on a positive note.

True. Thanks.

[rehsalt]

Thanks both of you! I always do ask questions, but it's just that they always feel so contrived to me. I think I saw on another post that someone asked "Do you have any doubts about admitting me that you would like to discuss?" or something like that. I kind of like that one. Do you think it's too blunt?

idk it seems kinda redundant. Isn't the whole point of the interview for them to address doubts/discrepancies about your application? It might come off as rude. Just stick to asking questions about the school; at least then you can ensure the interview ends on a positive note.

I think it's more than that and could reflect poorly on your judgement. If the interview had been structured in a manner that focused entirely on the details of your application and raised questions about it, then you could ask what else they want to discuss. But that is not how most formal interviews are conducted. They try to ask you questions that indirectly address parts of your application that they have doubts about. And they want to see how you behave under those conditions. For example, if they ask "What do you think your greatest challenge would be at Harvard?," how and what you answer is instructive to them in ways that it would not be by asking something specific. That's part of the interview game, and you have to follow the rules.

When they ask you if you have any questions, it's another way of learning about you by seeing what you choose to ask about. But your question basically turns the tables on them by asking them to articulate what they think of your application. That is not what is supposed to happen in an interview.

[learntolift]

can someone help give ideas about a time when you were out of your comfort zone or a time you felt awkward and how you resolved it?

i can't really think of anything, or at least anything that i feel would be appropriate

[risa]

Thank you to everyone who posted here - it was a HUGE help in preparing for my UChi interview. I felt prepared for every question I got. Here is what I can remember (not in order ... I'm actually just looking at the list I compiled from TLS and copying the ones I remember being asked):

Why law school?
Why law school now? (I've been out of undergrad a long time and she referenced this)
What are you looking for in a law school?
Why UChicago?
How would your supervisors describe your work?
What has been your greatest accomplishment?
What is a situation in which you were out of your element? After my initial answer, she asked what I learned from that experience.
What do you do in your free time?
Do you have any questions for me?

Lasted 24 minutes. It was clear that Dean Perry was familiar with my file, which made me comfortable referencing things in my app without having to retell them. I feel good about how it went!

[Big Dog]

Does anyone else find the "do you have any questions for me?" to be the hardest part? By the time I do an interview I've usually researched the school so thoroughly that I can only ask questions to which I already know the answer. Any ideas?

Use it to your advantage, based on your interests. For example, if you are interested in Enviro Law, and the LS has a star in that area, ask if s/he routinely takes law students on as researchers? Once in a blue moon? Is that Prof gonna be on campus or on sabbatical for the next two years? How competitive are those research positions, really?

[canarykb]

Hi All - wonderful thread! This has been really helpful in prepping my UChicago interview tomorrow! Thought I would throw my two-cents in about my (successful) Harvard & Northwestern interviews.

Harvard
How I Prepped/How to Prep: I have learned, for myself, that I do way better in all types of interviews when I'm feeling truly confident. It sounds silly, but I start off by reminding myself that I WOULD BE a great HLS student and great lawyer. If I'm really convinced, I can convince others by coming across as confident and relaxed.

That said, I did prep the following:
* Why Law School?
* Why Harvard?
* Questions to ask
* Reviewed my resume - came up with basic thoughts/summaries for each thing I did
* "Proudest Moments" - I came up with a couple of these. Short stories about accomplishments that may or may not be reflected on my resume. By having a couple prepped, I could use these stories as good examples for other questions, and have options for the question when it was asked, based on what we had already discussed.
* Weaknesses in my application - I didn't prep this at the time, but I think this one is REALLY IMPORTANT. Unless you are the perfect candidate, there is probably some portion of your application that is weaker. For me, it's my GPA (only a 3.7!?!). JS asked me directly about my college grades, why I thought they were slightly lower, and how I think I have improved in that area. Being a couple years out of school, I was able to say that I have honestly improved on my time management and am better at balancing work with the other leadership positions I have taken on (humble brag). I feel like having a good answer for this question, and tangible examples of why I think grades won't be an problem in the future is a big part of why I got in just a week after my interview. Being able to assuage them of any worries they might have as a candidate is one of the great opportunities of having an interview, and I would really take advantage of it.

Appearance & Set-up: I put on a nice blouse and cardigan. Honestly, over skype, I don't think they can tell too much about your wardrobe, so it was not a big worry. I actually had multiples problems getting connected correctly with her over Skype. She was patient and we troubleshooted the issue. I was worried it would make me look incompetent, but I think just being amiable about it made the problems a non-issue once we got talking.

Interview Questions: I interviewed with Jessica Soban, and so the questions were very specific to my application. She started with a softball about why I am interested in a particular area which shows up a lot on my resume. She also asked about my grades, as I said, "Why Harvard?" and then asked for questions.

Northwestern

I did an alumni interview in the fall. This one felt a LOT more like a job interview, and I dressed accordingly. He even told me that there were 6 or 7 categories that he would be asking questions about. The questions followed closely to resume, in general, and so I think having stories about each of your entries there, as well as a couple "proudest accomplishments" ready is what is key.

[suitsftw]

Recent interview with Chicago... All of my questions have already been posted and the interview lasted approximately 20 minutes.
To everyone who has already posted - especially Reg and Lavitz - thanks for taking the time to start the thread/continually add information.
Good luck to everyone else!

[florida1949]

Just had my interview.

1. Why law?
2. Why Chicago?
3. How would professors describe you?
4. How would friends/peers describe you?
5. Tell me about a challenge you faced.
6. Tell me about a time you were taken out of your comfort zone.
7. What is your greatest accomplishment?
8. If you could go back in time and redo one thing, what would it be?

I kind of got tripped up, I had an answer planned for #6 but used it for #5. Other than that, the interview was very relaxed. My interviewer was very nice and friendly.

[JohnMarshall17]

Hey everyone!

I just got into U Chicago! This thread really helped me get a sense of what I was getting myself into, so I wanted to make my own contribution to help everyone else with their interviews.

Background: In undergrad, high 160s/3.9X, solid academic recs, humanities double major/double minor, large/non-prestigious public school.

Tips (If you want to know the questions, read the posts directly above this one, you'll get a mix of some of those questions):

-If you wrote an honors thesis, talk about it! I got a bunch of questions on mine and it really helps to convey what you do academically.
-Be creative in your answers. You should tell stories, not just respond. Don't be rehearsed, and definitely don't type up a script and memorize it (others may disagree).
-SMILE! People are so likable when they smile and talk at the same time, make sure you're one of those people.
-Look almost exclusively into the webcam. I did mine on my macbook pro and used headphones to be sure that they didn't hear themselves talk on my end.
-Be relaxed and try to avoid nervousness. Remember that if you've been invited to interview, the school is seriously considering admitting you. Let this give you confidence so that you can pass the final test.
-Wear a full suit/dress to look your best.
-Make sure the webcam captures your hand gestures. It keeps you from looking like a stoic robot.
-Do your best to have a blank background behind you (I think this really subconsciously decreases distraction).
-To prepare, just read the questions above this post and answer them out loud as if you were in the interview. After I did this, I remembered the topic for the answers I gave and when the question came up in the interview I would just freestyle my answer while sticking to the topic.
-Look like you're having fun! I actually had a great time during my interview and I think this left a really positive impression on my interviewer.
-Don't be intimidated! My interviewer was super nice.

If you have any personal questions about what my answers were/would like more tips on interviewing, feel free to PM me. Good luck everyone and remember, you got the interview for a reason. Prove to them that you deserved it.

[arrggg]

This thread was pretty helpful to me when I was prepping for my Chicago interview, and now that I've gotten in, I figure I'd pay it forward.

I'm a hard science/engineering major, probably above average softs, good letter of recommendations (I thought they would be pretty average, but the UVA admissions officers complimented me on them when I was admitted there over the phone, so maybe they're above average). LSAT/GPA is low 170s/3.8X.

Prep (~6-8 hrs):
-Looked through their website to help me formulate my answer to the inevitable "why chicago?" question
-Outlined answers (bullet points with keywords of things I wanted to mention) to every question I found in this thread.
-Practiced saying the answers out loud
-Practiced interviewing with friend to get feedback on my mannerisms

Interview (~18-20 mins; forgot to look at clock when it started but it did start about 1-2 mins later than my computer clock)
-Suited up, but went with a very conservative shirt tie combo.
-Questions:
Why law?
Why Chicago?
Greatest Accomplishment?
If there is one thing that you could go back and redo in your life, what would it be?
Questions for me? (Asked some pretty generic questions as well as one regarding a specific student org)

-These have all been covered in previous posts in this thread, so there were no surprises.
-I thought the interview went well; there were a few minor things, but it was more or less better than my practice runs by myself and with my friend
-I had to constantly remind myself to talk to the camera and not the skype window/image on my screen. I would suggest moving the interviewers's image in skype to a part of the screen that's near your camera, so you can more or less look talk to both the camera and "the interviewer". That might make the interview feel a little more natural.
-Misc:
Kept a glass of water nearby
Kept my resume and a pen on hand
Make sure to check the lighting of the room that you're using


I also had my Harvard interview last week, and I'll write about that experience once I hear back from them (hopefully soon).

(edited for some formatting)

[Glassjar]

Guys, I'm a bit of an idiot when it comes to technology, and use Skype maybe once a year. For some reason, for both of my interviews for Chicago and Harvard, I managed to experience some kind of technological error during the start of our conversation despite thinking I had done a perfect set-up. In one case, I ended up having to conduct the interview over the phone because of this.

Do you think interviewers will count mishaps like this strongly against their interviewees? I mean, I was presentable, clean, eager, articulate, yadda yadda -- but it's these tech mishaps that make me shake my head at myself!

Do let me know your thoughts. Cheers.

PS -- Thank you to all for your help on this thread!
PPS -- my Chicago questions were all covered in the list already compiled earlier. Think a bit about those (and please do so genuinely) and you'll be fine.

[bluecouch]

Guys, I'm a bit of an idiot when it comes to technology, and use Skype maybe once a year. For some reason, for both of my interviews for Chicago and Harvard, I managed to experience some kind of technological error during the start of our conversation despite thinking I had done a perfect set-up. In one case, I ended up having to conduct the interview over the phone because of this.

Do you think interviewers will count mishaps like this strongly against their interviewees? I mean, I was presentable, clean, eager, articulate, yadda yadda -- but it's these tech mishaps that make me shake my head at myself!

Do let me know your thoughts. Cheers.

PS -- Thank you to all for your help on this thread!
PPS -- my Chicago questions were all covered in the list already compiled earlier. Think a bit about those (and please do so genuinely) and you'll be fine.

I'm sure you are fine. It would be pretty awful to ding someone because of a tech error. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Also, thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread. It was really helpful in helping me prepare for my interview. All of the questions my interviewer asked were listed in this thread. I don't have any new questions to contribute.

[Ben Franklin]

tl;dr

Cool story though

[20141023]

.

[thewaves]

Great thread!

[tpfennin]

Looks like UVA is interviewing now too.

Great thread btw.

[ThEsotericist]

Hey guys,

Just had my UChi interview. Had I not stumbled upon this thread, I have no idea how I would have done. Instead I feel elated and want to pay it forward, so here's what I recall.

The questions discussed on this thread were on the mark. Here's they were presented:

- Walk me through your Academic history (I'm a Philosophy and English and Poli Sci Double Minor). Why did you choose your Major?
- What was a memorable class experience?
- Why Law School?
- Why Chicago?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
- If you could go back and redo one thing in your past, what would it be and why?

Questions.

Total time: 18 Mins, 42 Seconds.

I didn't think of myself as a great interviewer, so I resolved to prep 1 hour for each min of the interview, with the expectation that it would last 30 mins. I only ended up prepping about 15 hours, and I'm not suggesting anyone else do this, but I was willing to go these lengths to ensure I would be prepared. Also, prepping was not actual practice, it was researching the school, researching the subject matter I was interested in, rereading my application and mastering it, understanding my resume and which areas would draw attention etc. I practiced with my girlfriend on Skype and about 20 mins before the interview, with my brother who helped me relax humorously by playing the role of a dramatically conservative interviewer. My interviewer was in fact very friendly, very sociable and made it an excellent exchange.

Also, I came up with stories to answer each of the afore mentioned questions. I can't describe how great it felt to be asked what my greatest accomplishment was and having a perfect response, must be what hitting a grand slam feels like haha. That said I would advise against rote memorization. It's best to digest your answers and stories, and master your subject matter to be flexible to whatever may come your way.

So there you have it, hope this helps! Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread.

[Crowing]

Wear pants.

[ThEsotericist]

Pants optional. Trust me.

[lawschool22]

Hey guys,

Just had my UChi interview. Had I not stumbled upon this thread, I have no idea how I would have done. Instead I feel elated and want to pay it forward, so here's what I recall.

The questions discussed on this thread were on the mark. Here's they were presented:

- Walk me through your Academic history (I'm a Philosophy and English and Poli Sci Double Minor). Why did you choose your Major?
- What was a memorable class experience?
- Why Law School?
- Why Chicago?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
- If you could go back and redo one thing in your past, what would it be and why?

Questions.

Total time: 18 Mins, 42 Seconds.

I didn't think of myself as a great interviewer, so I resolved to prep 1 hour for each min of the interview, with the expectation that it would last 30 mins. I only ended up prepping about 15 hours, and I'm not suggesting anyone else do this, but I was willing to go these lengths to ensure I would be prepared. Also, prepping was not actual practice, it was researching the school, researching the subject matter I was interested in, rereading my application and mastering it, understanding my resume and which areas would draw attention etc. I practiced with my girlfriend on Skype and about 20 mins before the interview, with my brother who helped me relax humorously by playing the role of a dramatically conservative interviewer. My interviewer was in fact very friendly, very sociable and made it an excellent exchange.

Also, I came up with stories to answer each of the afore mentioned questions. I can't describe how great it felt to be asked what my greatest accomplishment was and having a perfect response, must be what hitting a grand slam feels like haha. That said I would advise against rote memorization. It's best to digest your answers and stories, and master your subject matter to be flexible to whatever may come your way.

So there you have it, hope this helps! Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread.

That's some serious prep, man.

[Dr.Zer0]

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[nonis]

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[0913djp]

This thread was very helpful. Thank you, everyone.

[JustHawkin]

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