Northwestern Law C/O 2016 (2012-2013 Applicants) Forum

[rinkrat19]

And if anyone is unsure, definitely wear a suit for an on-campus interview. I give tours, so I see a lot of interviewees and everyone I've seen has been suited up. You'd stick out if you weren't.

(People just visiting campus for a tour and to sit in on a class are more casual.)

[feralinfant]

A coffee shop is fairly casual, but you wouldn't be out of place in a suit either.

way better to be in a suit and be a little overdressed than to rack your brain afterwards wondering if your interviewer judged you for not wearing a tie.

the number of times ive felt embarassingly overdressed <<<<<<<<<< than the number of times ive been self conscious about being underdressed.

go for that swag.

[StylinNProfilin]

My interview is this week at a coffee shop and am planning on going with slacks/dress shirt/tie fwiw

[Icculus]

And if anyone is unsure, definitely wear a suit for an on-campus interview. I give tours, so I see a lot of interviewees and everyone I've seen has been suited up. You'd stick out if you weren't.

(People just visiting campus for a tour and to sit in on a class are more casual.)

+1. I give tours and anyone who is combining it with an interview is in a suit. I also have a friend who does on campus interviews and has mentioned a couple of times when people were underdressed. It is noticed.

[onionz]

And if anyone is unsure, definitely wear a suit for an on-campus interview. I give tours, so I see a lot of interviewees and everyone I've seen has been suited up. You'd stick out if you weren't.

(People just visiting campus for a tour and to sit in on a class are more casual.)

+1. I give tours and anyone who is combining it with an interview is in a suit. I also have a friend who does on campus interviews and has mentioned a couple of times when people were underdressed. It is noticed.

I'm too lazy to find it right now, but I know Dean Lee is on record as basically saying "A suit is required" for on-campus interviews.

[Fabulist]

The breakdown:
interviewing with a suit > interviewing with some other sort of approaching appropriate clothes > not interviewing > interviewing with your Anthrax tshirt on > not applying b/c you didn't interview.

[risa]

It's been about a month since I requested my off-campus interview (11/8) and I've gotten nothing so far. I'm afraid if it doesn't happen soon I'm not going to have the interview until January, due to the holidays. I live in major city ... can't imagine there aren't

ahhhhhh just got a call from the UT Austin dean in the middle of this post - I got in!!!

Ok, back to Northwestern. I can't imagine there aren't many Northwestern alum in my area. I'm dying to have my interview so I can go "complete" ... How long after the 3 weeks they say to expect would y'all contact admissions to follow up?

[tonton]

It's been about a month since I requested my off-campus interview (11/8) and I've gotten nothing so far. I'm afraid if it doesn't happen soon I'm not going to have the interview until January, due to the holidays. I live in major city ... can't imagine there aren't

ahhhhhh just got a call from the UT Austin dean in the middle of this post - I got in!!!

Ok, back to Northwestern. I can't imagine there aren't many Northwestern alum in my area. I'm dying to have my interview so I can go "complete" ... How long after the 3 weeks they say to expect would y'all contact admissions to follow up?

Haha! congratulations! our lives really are inundated by everything law school app related. Wonder why your interview scheduling is taking so long, not in the states and mine took less than a week.

[teiswei]

And if anyone is unsure, definitely wear a suit for an on-campus interview. I give tours, so I see a lot of interviewees and everyone I've seen has been suited up. You'd stick out if you weren't.

(People just visiting campus for a tour and to sit in on a class are more casual.)

+1. I give tours and anyone who is combining it with an interview is in a suit. I also have a friend who does on campus interviews and has mentioned a couple of times when people were underdressed. It is noticed.

I'm too lazy to find it right now, but I know Dean Lee is on record as basically saying "A suit is required" for on-campus interviews.

There are very few situations that you would not wear a suit to an interview. I have worked in corporate America for over eight years and have worn a suit to every interview with the exception of Facebook, whom specifically asked me not to. Good rule of thumb is to wear one unless told otherwise. This shouldn't even be a discussion for on-campus interviewees.

[mgoblue2011]

And if anyone is unsure, definitely wear a suit for an on-campus interview. I give tours, so I see a lot of interviewees and everyone I've seen has been suited up. You'd stick out if you weren't.

(People just visiting campus for a tour and to sit in on a class are more casual.)

+1. I give tours and anyone who is combining it with an interview is in a suit. I also have a friend who does on campus interviews and has mentioned a couple of times when people were underdressed. It is noticed.

I'm too lazy to find it right now, but I know Dean Lee is on record as basically saying "A suit is required" for on-campus interviews.

There are very few situations that you would not wear a suit to an interview. I have worked in corporate America for over eight years and have worn a suit to every interview with the exception of Facebook, whom specifically asked me not to. Good rule of thumb is to wear one unless told otherwise. This shouldn't even be a discussion for on-campus interviewees.

Make sure it's a good fitting suit, too.

[maxmartin]

It's been about a month since I requested my off-campus interview (11/8) and I've gotten nothing so far. I'm afraid if it doesn't happen soon I'm not going to have the interview until January, due to the holidays. I live in major city ... can't imagine there aren't

ahhhhhh just got a call from the UT Austin dean in the middle of this post - I got in!!!

Ok, back to Northwestern. I can't imagine there aren't many Northwestern alum in my area. I'm dying to have my interview so I can go "complete" ... How long after the 3 weeks they say to expect would y'all contact admissions to follow up?

more than 5 weeks here.

[mgoblue2011]

It's been about a month since I requested my off-campus interview (11/8) and I've gotten nothing so far. I'm afraid if it doesn't happen soon I'm not going to have the interview until January, due to the holidays. I live in major city ... can't imagine there aren't

ahhhhhh just got a call from the UT Austin dean in the middle of this post - I got in!!!

Ok, back to Northwestern. I can't imagine there aren't many Northwestern alum in my area. I'm dying to have my interview so I can go "complete" ... How long after the 3 weeks they say to expect would y'all contact admissions to follow up?

Congrats, still waiting for my call from them. We'll see.

I just got my interview assignment monday after submitting 11/12. I was literally going to call them on monday and then i saw the email. Give them a call to make sure they are processing it/they didn't misplace it. That happened to me at a T10 school and they misplaced my ED application as RD for over a month. So always double-check.

[oaken]

Do u guys wear suits if interview is conducted in a coffee shop?

Mine was at a coffeshop, I wore a suit. Why wouldn't you wear a suit?

[rinkrat19]

Do u guys wear suits if interview is conducted in a coffee shop?

Mine was at a coffeshop, I wore a suit. Why wouldn't you wear a suit?

Point of interest: I had never owned a suit until after I was admitted. It might not have occurred to me that a suit was advisable for a school interview. Fortunately for me, I didn't interview.

[teiswei]

Do u guys wear suits if interview is conducted in a coffee shop?

Mine was at a coffeshop, I wore a suit. Why wouldn't you wear a suit?

Point of interest: I had never owned a suit until after I was admitted. It might not have occurred to me that a suit was advisable for a school interview. Fortunately for me, I didn't interview.

PSA: Every man here should own at least one good suit (if just one make it flat black and no pinstripes). The suit does not need to be expensive nor does it need to fit perfectly when you buy it. You can get cheap clearance suits at Macy's and Men's Wearhouse even has good deals with the bogo. Then you need to find a good tailor (yelp one) and have them make the cheap suit fit you perfectly so it looks like a thousand dollar suit.

All in you can get away with spending $200-$300 and come away with a tie and pocket squares. I cannot stress how important this is to your adult lives. Not only will you be prepared (aesthetically) for any event, you can look like a BA when people least expect it.

[rinkrat19]

Do u guys wear suits if interview is conducted in a coffee shop?

Mine was at a coffeshop, I wore a suit. Why wouldn't you wear a suit?

Point of interest: I had never owned a suit until after I was admitted. It might not have occurred to me that a suit was advisable for a school interview. Fortunately for me, I didn't interview.

PSA: Every man here should own at least one good suit (if just one make it flat black and no pinstripes). The suit does not need to be expensive nor does it need to fit perfectly when you buy it. You can get cheap clearance suits at Macy's and Men's Wearhouse even has good deals with the bogo. Then you need to find a good tailor (yelp one) and have them make the cheap suit fit you perfectly so it looks like a thousand dollar suit.

All in you can get away with spending $200-$300 and come away with a tie and pocket squares. I cannot stress how important this is to your adult lives. Not only will you be prepared (aesthetically) for any event, you can look like a BA when people least expect it.

Twist: I'm a chick.

[fruitoftheloom]

As a chick, I think adult chicks should own suits too!

I wore a suit to my interview. Cause hey, why not?

[ks2499]

As a chick, I think adult chicks should own suits too!

I wore a suit to my interview. Cause hey, why not?

I interviewed off campus with Dean Lee and wore a sheath dress and suit jacket. I still felt underdressed.

[rinkrat19]

As a chick, I think adult chicks should own suits too!

I wore a suit to my interview. Cause hey, why not?

There was literally never an occasion in my life in which I would have worn a suit. It would have been a total waste of money. I don't even know very many people who wear suits professionally.

I figure other people might be like me, so now I'm giving advice from that point of view. Law students will need suits and biz casual, even as 1Ls.

[feralinfant]

As a chick, I think adult chicks should own suits too!

I wore a suit to my interview. Cause hey, why not?

I interviewed off campus with Dean Lee and wore a sheath dress and suit jacket. I still felt underdressed.

heed this. there's really nothing worse than feeling underdressed in a situation like this. don't need a $1000 outfit or anything, interviewers are going to know you're not a biglaw associate yet but its way better to put in the effort.

[fruitoftheloom]

As a chick, I think adult chicks should own suits too!

I wore a suit to my interview. Cause hey, why not?

There was literally never an occasion in my life in which I would have worn a suit. It would have been a total waste of money. I don't even know very many people who wear suits professionally.

I figure other people might be like me, so now I'm giving advice from that point of view. Law students will need suits and biz casual, even as 1Ls.

Yeah.. until my current job I never really needed a suit. I don't have to wear one every day, but probably 2-3 times a month I need one.

How are you liking NU?

[tonton]

Am I the only that winces every time I read "chick"? I know its not necessarily derogatory, but still..

[guinness1547]

Do u guys wear suits if interview is conducted in a coffee shop?

Mine was at a coffeshop, I wore a suit. Why wouldn't you wear a suit?

I had mine at a coffee shop as well and wore a suit. The interviewer commented that I didn't need to, but I'm still glad I did.

[franklyscarlet]

As a chick, I think adult chicks should own suits too!

I wore a suit to my interview. Cause hey, why not?

There was literally never an occasion in my life in which I would have worn a suit. It would have been a total waste of money. I don't even know very many people who wear suits professionally.

I figure other people might be like me, so now I'm giving advice from that point of view. Law students will need suits and biz casual, even as 1Ls.

Yeah.. until my current job I never really needed a suit. I don't have to wear one every day, but probably 2-3 times a month I need one.

How are you liking NU?

Subbing in on this:

NU IS AWESOME EVERYONE COME TO NU!!!!

seriously. I love it here. except now. because finals.

[ashockofpink]

For the ladies/"chicks": My off-campus interview was at a hotel in NYC. Wore a pencil skirt, blouse, had my hair tied back, light makeup, light jewelry. Not as formal as a suit but definitely business appropriate.

I was coming right from school so I was slightly more disheveled than I anticipated being but when I mentioned that to the interviewer he said he completely understood, which put me at ease. The interview went very smoothly and lasted about an hour. We talked about everything from cost of living to why HE works for Northwestern to pizza. He asked me some questions about what I would contribute to the class, how I felt about the older starting age (as I'm still in undergrad and have no substantial amount of full-time WE) and encouraged me to apply ED once I found out my LSAT score (which I did, even though it's a stretch). The interviewer went to great lengths to make me feel comfortable and I felt neither over nor under-dressed. The other lady who was waiting for her interview at the same time as me was dressed similarly. Dress appropriately, come prepared with your resume and a couple questions YOU have, and when in doubt err on the side of being slightly more formal. If nothing else, you'll look super snazzy.


To those taking their interviews in the near future, sadly I cannot attest to how long it will take before you go "complete" as I had mine in early October (the 8th or 11th, I believe) and by the time I received my score and sent out my application it was complete quickly. So, I'd say, a month max from interview to 'complete' ... but hopefully less time for you guys