Law School Visit Forum

[rjh456]

I'm visiting a school I'll probably be applying to in the fall. Does anyone know whether it's unheard of and/or inappropriate to ask to meet with a professor as a prospective student? I'm not interested in wasting her time, I just have genuine questions about a particular program at this school and I'd like to meet a professor involved in that specific field.

[blurbz]

You can request it, and I don't believe it is unheard of, but I'd be wary of asking for too much.

My advice: Visit, sit in on a class, and meet with the Dean of Admissions (most do this). Ask them your questions. If their answers aren't up to snuff, Email your questions to the professor with a nice note about who you are, etc. This way, you do the traditional things and still get your questions answered.

[rjh456]

thanks, this is really helpful! i'm a law school visit newbie and hadn't even thought to contact the dean of admissions first...

[thickfreakness]

Now is not a good time to photocopy your butt and staple it to an adcom's face, oh no.

[acadec]

diggin the weird al reference.

[Great Satchmo]

Maybe make contact via email with the professor first before asking for face time about a program. Otherwise, I'd just ask the admissions office to be put in contact with someone that can answer questions about the program and let them decide who to put you in contact with.

[03121202698008]

If you ask permission to sit in on a class during a time that is not an official visiting weekend or whatever, you usually get to talk to the professor anyhow. At least, that was my experience. The Admissions office would notify the professor I was sitting in and then usually walk me there and introduce me. In every single case, the professor gave me a book and such to follow along and then asked me what I thought and if I had any questions when I gave it back at the end of class.

[JustBelieve]

I would recommend that. It allows you to stand out and it would offer you an interesting perspective into an actual professor and/or student.

Let us know how it works out!

I'm visiting a school I'll probably be applying to in the fall. Does anyone know whether it's unheard of and/or inappropriate to ask to meet with a professor as a prospective student? I'm not interested in wasting her time, I just have genuine questions about a particular program at this school and I'd like to meet a professor involved in that specific field.

[capitalacq]

If you ask permission to sit in on a class during a time that is not an official visiting weekend or whatever, you usually get to talk to the professor anyhow. At least, that was my experience. The Admissions office would notify the professor I was sitting in and then usually walk me there and introduce me. In every single case, the professor gave me a book and such to follow along and then asked me what I thought and if I had any questions when I gave it back at the end of class.

+1 (kind of)... Most schools wont introduce you/give you a book to follow along (although you might be able if its a small class/seminar), but they'll still let you sit in on classes. Just make sure to talk to fellow students. Send the professor an email ahead of time with your questions to get a dialogue going