Evaluations, help! Forum

[Aggiegrad2011]

Hey everyone... it's that time again!

I'm almost ready to submit all of my applications in their entirety, and I saw that a few of the schools to which I am applying, like Columbia and Boston College, have yellow exclamation marks that read, "You have fewer evaluations than this school recommends..."

So what are other people doing about this? I understood that Evaluations Service was new and not required by schools, but how far behind the 8-ball will I be by not getting an evaluator?? I am pretty sure I know a professor who will do the Evaluation for me on short notice but I'd rather not ask her if I don't HAVE to.

What's the guidance on this, TLS? You have ushered me so comfortably through the entire application process and this is a very flummoxing point for me. I really want to get these apps in and wait for the pain to come, but I really feel like they're not complete now because of that stupid evaluations deal.

So, what's up!?

Mae

[Megablix]

The evaluations are actually pretty easy because they are all online and a few multiple choice questions. It is probably worth it to go ahead and get them.

[Aggiegrad2011]

The evaluations are actually pretty easy because they are all online and a few multiple choice questions. It is probably worth it to go ahead and get them.

Did you do it?

Mae

[Megablix]

Yeah I have gotten two people willing to do them, one has already turned it in and the other is just being slow. You have probably seen this but here are the actual questions for the evaluation.

Questions
Background Questions

Question: Which of the following would best classify your relationship to this applicant?

Answer options: Teacher/Instructor, Employer, Coworker, Friend, Family, Other

Question: How long have you known this applicant?

Answer options: Fewer than 6 months, 6-11 months, 1-2 years, 3-4 years, More than 4 years

Question: How current is your relationship with this applicant?

Answer options: The interaction is ongoing, 1-6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years, More than 2 years
Evaluation Questions

All evaluation questions have the same answer choices.

Below Average (Bottom 50%)
Average (Top 50%)
Good (Top 25%)
Very good (Top 10%)
Excellent (Top 5%)
Truly Exceptional (Top 1-2%)
Inadequate Opportunity to Judge

Each category of questions has a free-form comment field of up to 750 characters.
Intellectual Skill

Is a critical thinker and problem solver

Is an analytical thinker

Can synthesize information

Is intellectually curious

Constructs logical, cogent arguments
Personal Qualities

Is highly motivated

Shows empathy/compassion

Has surmounted difficulties and obstacles

Possesses practical judgment

Shows initiative

Demonstrates professionalism
Integrity and Honesty

Behaves in accord with high ethical standards

Is reliable

Is trustworthy

Is honest
Communication

Communicates effectively in writing

Writes persuasively

Communicates well orally

Is a thoughtful, attentive listener

Asks appropriate questions for information gathering
Task Management

Prioritizes well

Has realistic objectives

Fulfills commitments

Manages work and time efficiently
Working with Others

Respects other points of view

Works well with people from different backgrounds

Motivates others toward a common goal

Is able to lead groups of people from different backgrounds

Organizes and manages others well

Demonstrates good judgment in leadership decisions

After answering all of the questions, evaluators will have an opportunity to enter free-form text of up to 3000 characters.

[neonx]

Is Columbia the only school in the T14 that requires evaluations (not just LORs?)

[Aggiegrad2011]

yeah I saw that on the FAQ - In fact, I copied it to the folks I just asked to do them for me! I went to Boston College Law's website and they don't mention Evaluations in their FAQ or in J.D. Admissions, so I guess it's just too new for the site to have been updated. Do you know of any resource that lists how many EVALUATIONS a given school will accept? I can't find it on the LSAC site either... It seems like it just says that a given school either doesn't accept them, or does accept them without a limitation (whereas for LoR, the limitations and minimums are easy to find).

Thanks so much for all of your quick help!!!


Mae

Re: NeonX - No, Cornell, also in the T14, requires evaluations. (Or at least "strongly recommends" them, as I don't think any school REQUIRES them yet?) I am applying to Cornell as well and I have the exclamation point for it.

Confirmed that no schools REQUIRE them - They say Required/Recommended/Acceptance = 0/2/4, for example. All the schools to which I am applying recommend 2, but require none.

Edit: I found where the Evaluations requirements are for the schools.

[mr_toad]

My Columbia application page says evaluations are not accepted. ?

[Megablix]

Some schools require, so recommend, some don't take.

[Aggiegrad2011]

My Columbia application page says evaluations are not accepted. ?

You're right actually - I looked again at my LSAC and Columbia doesn't accept them. I substituted Cornell in Columbia's place in my mind thanks to my sleepless state. Sorry about that!

[Aggiegrad2011]

Some schools require, so recommend, some don't take.

What's funny is that on the same place on LSAC, it says that a school like Boalt doesn't require LoRs (0/2/4)... so I don't know what to believe. LOL.

[im_blue]

Some schools require, so recommend, some don't take.

What's funny is that on the same place on LSAC, it says that a school like Boalt doesn't require LoRs (0/2/4)... so I don't know what to believe. LOL.

LORs are indeed optional for Berkeley according to page 2 of http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/2011_ ... ctions.pdf.

LSAC specifies (0/2/4) for Cornell, but Cornell's instructions specify a minimum of 2 LORs.

[Aggiegrad2011]

Some schools require, so recommend, some don't take.

What's funny is that on the same place on LSAC, it says that a school like Boalt doesn't require LoRs (0/2/4)... so I don't know what to believe. LOL.

LORs are indeed optional for Berkeley according to page 2 of http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/2011_ ... ctions.pdf.

LSAC specifies (0/2/4) for Cornell, but Cornell's instructions specify a minimum of 2 LORs.

Heh, interesting... I never would've thought that LoRs could be optional at all.

"Letters of Recommendation
A recommendation form is provided with the application. Please make photocopies of the form if you are submitting more than one recommendation. We suggest that you provide letters of recommendation from two academic sources who are familiar with your classroom performance and who are able to assess your potential for the study of law. The letters may be from either professors or teaching assistants. If you have been away from academia for some time, a letter from a work supervisor or colleague may be substituted. Although you may submit more than two letters, your file will be deemed complete when the first two letters arrive. Note that LSDAS will transmit only three letters electronically. "

Seems to make it a requirement, since they "deem the file complete" when the first two letters arrive. If the letters never arrive (i.e., you didn't send them...) then the file will never be complete? Or is this a necessary vs. sufficient thing that I am bad at?

[im_blue]

Some schools require, so recommend, some don't take.

What's funny is that on the same place on LSAC, it says that a school like Boalt doesn't require LoRs (0/2/4)... so I don't know what to believe. LOL.

LORs are indeed optional for Berkeley according to page 2 of http://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/2011_ ... ctions.pdf.

LSAC specifies (0/2/4) for Cornell, but Cornell's instructions specify a minimum of 2 LORs.

Heh, interesting... I never would've thought that LoRs could be optional at all.

"Letters of Recommendation
A recommendation form is provided with the application. Please make photocopies of the form if you are submitting more than one recommendation. We suggest that you provide letters of recommendation from two academic sources who are familiar with your classroom performance and who are able to assess your potential for the study of law. The letters may be from either professors or teaching assistants. If you have been away from academia for some time, a letter from a work supervisor or colleague may be substituted. Although you may submit more than two letters, your file will be deemed complete when the first two letters arrive. Note that LSDAS will transmit only three letters electronically. "

Seems to make it a requirement, since they "deem the file complete" when the first two letters arrive. If the letters never arrive (i.e., you didn't send them...) then the file will never be complete? Or is this a necessary vs. sufficient thing that I am bad at?

They used to require 2 LORs one or two cycles ago, so I bet that's simply an outdated web site. LSAC also transmits a max of 4 LORs, not 3, so that's also incorrect info on their part.

I think it's a bit strange that Berkeley has a holistic process that emphasizes softs and the 4-page PS, yet eliminated their LOR requirement.

[whymeohgodno]

How do you ask your recommender to do evaluations?

Do you give them a link to a site or something?

[r6_philly]

edited: They get a email asking them to fill it out.

[Marionberry]

I don't know about sending your evaluator a form, I did mine electronically. It sends your evaluator an email with a link to some LSAC site where they can do the online evaluation. It does require them to set up an lsac account, which I think is stupid and it kind of confused one of my evaluators.

[r6_philly]

edited: They get a email asking them to fill it out.

[Aggiegrad2011]

Correct. IN fact, one of my evaluators said she just completed it already, LOL! It was extremely easy, about 100x easier than the paper LoR system. In comparison, the traditional system seems as antiquated as Beta-videos.

[whymeohgodno]

edited: They get a email asking them to fill it out.

They get an email from LSAC? Do I need to do anything for them to get this email?

[r6_philly]

Just like how you input a LOR writer. You put in who it is, and give them the correct email, then LSAC sends them an email asking them to finish the evaluation. There is a space for them to put in written comments too. You can put in someone as a LOR writer, an evaluator, or both.

[2014]

I'm not doing it, having a hard enough time getting them to turn in LORs without nagging them.

Additionally I hope to have enough options that if a school declines me for not turning in the evaluations, that it isn't the end of the world.

[r6_philly]

I'm not doing it, having a hard enough time getting them to turn in LORs without nagging them.

Additionally I hope to have enough options that if a school declines me for not turning in the evaluations, that it isn't the end of the world.

I don't think anyone will be declined for not having them. Harvard said today they don't know what to do with them because there isn't any data to correlate evaluation performance with actual performance school so they can't just take it at face value. They would view it as a part of your package but not on its own merit (a very weak soft I suppose). But I will take any pluses.

[2014]

Yeah I'm more afraid of mine being a negative.
Both professors I'm having write LORs for me are extremely nice and accomodating and we get along well, but if they were put in a position to compare me to other students that they have had, I am probably about average and I don't want that showing up on an otherwise above average application.