Importance of Interviews? Forum

[egeffin]

Does it hurt your chances if you do not request an interview at schools like Vanderbilt and Northwestern?

[tourdeforcex]

i guess relatively, if a majority of other applicants request interview, it might hurt your chances.

think of it this way: if that interview can push you over from waitlist to acceptance, wouldn't you go for it? of course, i don't know your stats so you might be a direct admit.

[beachbum]

At Northwestern: definitely. At Vandy: probably not too much, but I imagine it's a great way to improve your chances.

[AreJay711]

Yea mine for Vandy was so chill I really doubt that there could be too much weight put on it. I think it is just to make sure you aren't terribly socially awkward -- that might actually be pretty legitimate since you will need interviewing and people skills to get a job and move up the ladder at a firm.

[whymeohgodno]

How many people actually mess up interviews? I mean how can you mess it up?

[tlsuser]

How many people actually mess up interviews? I mean how can you mess it up?

I think I normally do very well on interviews, but the couple times I messed up came down to my lack of preparedness. For law school interviews, I think you need to be able to talk intelligently on at least two things: 1) why law school/plans after law school and 2) why that particular law school.

[whymeohgodno]

How many people actually mess up interviews? I mean how can you mess it up?

I think I normally do very well on interviews, but the couple times I messed up came down to my lack of preparedness. For law school interviews, I think you need to be able to talk intelligently on at least two things: 1) why law school/plans after law school and 2) why that particular law school.

Ugh wtf. Would saying you want a job that can pay off debts and you want to go to that law school because you want to practice in that region qualify as unintelligible responses?

[mst]

I just interviewed with a Vandy alum (recent graduate). He didn't even want my resume, treated it more like an informational session. We actually talked for nearly 45 minutes, could have gone longer but honestly I ran out of stuff to ask. I wasn't prepared to talk about the law school for that long... Honestly, interview for both schools if you want to get in. Otherwise you're just wasting the application fee in my opinion.

[5823]

Vanderbilt instituted optional interviews in their admissions process a couple of years ago, and the interviewers are essentially told that their role is to perform a "freak test"- i.e., make sure that the applicant is not a total freak/tool/socially inept person. It's by no means considered an obligatory part of your application, but there's very little you can do to screw up your application by having an interview* and it will let Vandy check off a tiny, mostly insignificant box that says you are tolerable in real life.


*Unless, of course you are socially inept to a scary degree, in which case you're betting off hiding from them and letting them evaluate you on paper.

Edited to add my source: friend of mine who is a Vandy Law '08 grad and conducts off-campus interviews

[thatjuanguy]

How many people actually mess up interviews? I mean how can you mess it up?

I think I normally do very well on interviews, but the couple times I messed up came down to my lack of preparedness. For law school interviews, I think you need to be able to talk intelligently on at least two things: 1) why law school/plans after law school and 2) why that particular law school.

lol this was the complete opposite of my northwestern interview.

my interviewer pretty much just wanted to bro-out for an hour.

[Grizz]

Vanderbilt instituted optional interviews in their admissions process a couple of years ago, and the interviewers are essentially told that their role is to perform a "freak test"- i.e., make sure that the applicant is not a total freak/tool/socially inept person. It's by no means considered an obligatory part of your application, but there's very little you can do to screw up your application by having an interview* and it will let Vandy check off a tiny, mostly insignificant box that says you are tolerable in real life.


*Unless, of course you are socially inept to a scary degree, in which case you're betting off hiding from them and letting them evaluate you on paper.

Didn't interview last year, was at the LSAT median, .04 above the GPA median, and got in. I too have heard that the above is the purpose of the interview.

[2014]

Just do them both. They take a half hour each and will involve talking to an alumni about their school. If anything it is a good way to gather information and potentially network if you are ambitious.

And anyone who spends time on TLS is more than prepared for the things. I had so many thoughtful questions for the Vandy adcomm I interviewed with based solely on stuff I learned from TLS that at the end she commented on how nice it was to talk with someone who had clearly done their research. I see the process as nothing but a positive unless you are seriously awkward in person.

[Grizz]

Just do them both. They take a half hour each and will involve talking to an alumni about their school. If anything it is a good way to gather information and potentially network if you are ambitious.

And anyone who spends time on TLS is more than prepared for the things. I had so many thoughtful questions for the Vandy adcomm I interviewed with based solely on stuff I learned from TLS that at the end she commented on how nice it was to talk with someone who had clearly done their research. I see the process as nothing but a positive unless you are seriously awkward in person.

Also this.