Top Law Schools

I received an e-mail yesterday inviting me to complete a pre-recorded video interview. It says that I will be asked 5 questions, my answers will be recorded and then later reviewed by the admissions committee during the review of my application. I cannot find anything anywhere about St. John’s and any type of interviews. Their admissions website even says they do not offer interviews.

Did anyone else get this e-mail? Has anyone ever completed this? Any idea what kind of questions they may ask? Thanks!

Gb18 wrote:I received an e-mail yesterday inviting me to complete a pre-recorded video interview. It says that I will be asked 5 questions, my answers will be recorded and then later reviewed by the admissions committee during the review of my application. I cannot find anything anywhere about St. John’s and any type of interviews. Their admissions website even says they do not offer interviews.

Did anyone else get this e-mail? Has anyone ever completed this? Any idea what kind of questions they may ask? Thanks!

It's probably to guage your interest in the law school. St. Johns is in no position to be turning down qualified applicants. I doubt it's worth stressing over.

hi I recieved the same thing. I actually met with one of the assistant drector of admissions for an interview. She loved me. my grades were low and so was my gpa. however she invited me to take this 6 week conditional program in the summer time she told me to email her all my info to her once i finished the paralegal program i was in and submit it to her tht way i can get into the conditional program. basically it is a program that is 6 weeks looks and your acceptance is contingent on your performance durning that 6 week course 2.5 or better you automatically get in. You can not ask to be put in this program you have to be invitied. 40 people are selected. the way they choose their applicants for this program is if they went through economic hardships, minority etc. now im hoping this video interview isnt like a step into a recommendation or an invitation to this program. i hope they just ask us questions bc they like us but cant have solid reasons to pick us. i hope if i do the interview and i do well that i get or /waitlisted hopefully not for the 6 week program because i already spoke to the lady about this

So basically St. Johns is lowering the acceptance standard even further below the point of hilarity it once resided at and is now conducting interviews to make sure that the candidates it accepts aren't actually drooling on themselves (because that might further embarrass the school). Is this sort of the gist of what's going on here?

A better use of your money would be in Brooklyn. Not the law school, the bridge connecting lower manhattan and downtown Brooklyn. Its for sale and I can get you in on the ground floor. Message me.

reasonable_man wrote:So basically St. Johns is lowering the acceptance standard even further below the point of hilarity it once resided at and is now conducting interviews to make sure that the candidates it accepts aren't actually drooling on themselves (because that might further embarrass the school). Is this sort of the gist of what's going on here?

A better use of your money would be in Brooklyn. Not the law school, the bridge connecting lower manhattan and downtown Brooklyn. Its for sale and I can get you in on the ground floor. Message me.

Post of 2014

Actually I also got the email about the interview and completed it, now just waiting to hear back.

kris4842 wrote:Actually I also got the email about the interview and completed it, now just waiting to hear back.

Seriously though - God Help you.

I have an acquaintance at my undergrad whose dad apparently teaches at St. John's.

I told him I was applying to law school.

Guy: "Where are you thinking?"
Me: "Throwing an app out at Columbia, let's see what happens."
Guy: "Why don't you apply to St. John's?"
Me: "Oh?"
Guy: "Yeah, my dad works there! Great school. He'll write you a recommendation!"
Me: "I have to be honest, I've never heard of it."
Guy: "What do you mean, you haven't heard of it? It's one of the top schools! Everyone there is pretty much guaranteed a job. They have connections with all the best firms in New York City!"
Me: "Never heard of it."


Just my little anecdote. I had a chuckle afterwards.

patfeeney wrote:I have an acquaintance at my undergrad whose dad apparently teaches at St. John's.

I told him I was applying to law school.

Guy: "Where are you thinking?"
Me: "Throwing an app out at Columbia, let's see what happens."
Guy: "Why don't you apply to St. John's?"
Me: "Oh?"
Guy: "Yeah, my dad works there! Great school. He'll write you a recommendation!"
Me: "I have to be honest, I've never heard of it."
Guy: "What do you mean, you haven't heard of it? It's one of the top schools! Everyone there is pretty much guaranteed a job. They have connections with all the best firms in New York City!"
Me: "Never heard of it."


Just my little anecdote. I had a chuckle afterwards.

Honestly - 20 to 25 years ago, there was some truth to this. SJU was pretty well represented at the lower tier firms. However, the school has seriously fallen off and frankly, the career services at the school have done nothing to keep up relationships with employers.

reasonable_man wrote: Honestly - 20 to 25 years ago, there was some truth to this. SJU was pretty well represented at the lower tier firms. However, the school has seriously fallen off and frankly, the career services at the school have done nothing to keep up relationships with employers.

I just think it's funny whenever I talk to someone who is planning to attend law school and they say things that indicate they know nothing about the legal profession. I've had numerous classmates tell me their Columbia law professor dad has connections in the school and can totally write me a letter of recommendation. Yes, I'd ask a guy I never met and frankly didn't know existed until a minute ago to represent me to the adcomms.

Also, everyone seems to think that every school is a great school. You name it, they say "That's a top school!" It's like I live in a little Twilight zone where my advisers tell me going to a T14 school is a waste of money and TTT is the way to go (I've also heard this many times).

Not to say St. John's is bad. Just relating it to one of my more humorous discussions about admissions.

reasonable_man wrote:

kris4842 wrote:Actually I also got the email about the interview and completed it, now just waiting to hear back.

Seriously though - God Help you.

May I ask why you say that?

kris4842 wrote:

reasonable_man wrote:

kris4842 wrote:Actually I also got the email about the interview and completed it, now just waiting to hear back.

Seriously though - God Help you.

May I ask why you say that?

It's at 98, tied with four other regional schools (one in the midst of a scandal). Some would argue to never waste three years going to a school with that poor of an outlook. Many would argue that without scholarships to never even consider spending sticker at St. John's. It's an oversaturated market that many top schools feed into. It's crazy that they would conduct video interviews, when median+ applicants could attend other local universities better ranked and at a similar price. You would think they would be making the process more streamlined to influence better numbers to attend.

Yeah, making people jump through hoops/interviewing for anything sub-top 25 is ridiculous/bordering on insulting to the applicant.

Just one man's opinion.

Out of curiosity, did anyone get into St. John's this cycle?

SparkyZZZ wrote:Yeah, making people jump through hoops/interviewing for anything sub-top 25 is ridiculous/bordering on insulting to the applicant.

Just one man's opinion.

I'd have to agree....a video interview just for admittance to a tier 2/3 law school? Seems kind of ridiculous.

kris4842 wrote:

reasonable_man wrote:

kris4842 wrote:Actually I also got the email about the interview and completed it, now just waiting to hear back.

Seriously though - God Help you.

May I ask why you say that?

Because I'm a practicing attorney since 08' and I KNOW that the chance of a good outcome from SJU is incredibly small.

Ok thank you for your advice, I may be one of the few ones who does not need a job after law school. I already have a job where I will stay after so that wont be a factor in my decision and St Johns has always been my number #1 choice.

kris4842 wrote:Ok thank you for your advice, I may be one of the few ones who does not need a job after law school. I already have a job where I will stay after so that wont be a factor in my decision and St Johns has always been my number #1 choice.

So you are going to spend a ton of money and 3 years of your life for what reason?

katinka234 wrote:Out of curiosity, did anyone get into St. John's this cycle?

I got in. Got a full scholarship as well. A relative of mine went there in 07, and is of counsel now at DLA piper. It's not my first choice, but free law school is definitely a +

kris4842 wrote:Ok thank you for your advice, I may be one of the few ones who does not need a job after law school. I already have a job where I will stay after so that wont be a factor in my decision and St Johns has always been my number #1 choice.

Gotta say that I like your outlook. Most here won't.

I certainly don't share your opinion, however. I want to be a lawyer.

Oh no, I want to be a Lawyer also, It just happens to be that I have a job that normally a lawyer would have and I need the law degree to go further so trust me Im with you. Is everyone else's status checker down?

The only variable here is... what are your numbers, people that are considering St. Johns?

Agreed that going to a school ranked that low is a bad idea, especially at cost or even half-cost, unless you have a guaranteed great job lined up that requires a legal degree after graduation.

Go to St. Johns and have this experience:

-near top of class, no one cares.


I don't go to St. Johns. I would rather not go to law school.

jarofsoup wrote:Go to St. Johns and have this experience:

-near top of class, no one cares.


I don't go to St. Johns. I would rather not go to law school.

I have no idea what that means

kris4842 wrote:

jarofsoup wrote:Go to St. Johns and have this experience:

-near top of class, no one cares.


I don't go to St. Johns. I would rather not go to law school.

I have no idea what that means