Northwestern interview required?? Forum

[amc987]

Hey all,

I am in the process of submitting my applications. On the Northwestern application, there are all these interview-related options. I'd prefer not to do one, so I'm thinking of checking the "No intent to interview" box. Is that the kiss of death? Does anyone get in without one?

[rinkrat19]

Interviews are strongly recommended.

That said, I got in without one. YMMV

In a lot of cities, you can do an alumni interview instead. (Unless you're applying ED, which recommends an on-campus interview and requires an off-campus interview to be with an adcomm.)

[Strange]

It's not required and won't hurt you, but it can definitely help if you do one.

[rinkrat19]

There are some aspects of Northwestern's application process that are somewhat unique. Could you expand upon the role the interview plays? Will it make or break an application?

As I mentioned before, we are the only law school in the country that attempts to interview everyone who applies in order to assess their interpersonal and communication skills, as well as their fit in our community. We are also alone in our efforts to ensure that every student enters with substantial post-undergraduate work experience. In fact, in the class that just arrived, 97 percent had at least a year of experience, more than 80 percent had at least two years, and about 60 percent had three or more years.

Interviews are very important, and a poor interview can break an application, regardless of the grades or LSAT scores. On the other hand, a good interview is not enough to overcome a subpar academic record. Like all the top law schools, a strong academic record is essential, but we look for more than that. We also evaluate our applicants on things like career focus, teamwork, and project management; I doubt that any other law school really takes those kinds of things very seriously. All of these factors make a huge difference in helping us create and sustain a team-oriented culture. They also help us ensure that our students have the maturity, good judgment, and other abilities that their future employers want.

[kahechsof]

do the interview. they like being able to say that everyone did