Law School Admissions 101 at Sidley Austin LLP (October 14) Forum

[ahduth]

This thing was pretty fun. Deans Post, Perry and Zearfoss, from Penn, Chicago and Michigan law schools respectively, led a group discussion of 3 hypothetical applicantions to a hypothetical law school. I don't think there was anything particularly surprising, but it did clarify the process for me.

The one point it really drove home was that, while LSAT and GPA may be the most important parts of your admissions profile, they're also the most easily digested - LSAT is one or maybe two or three numbers, and with GPA they just look at the raw number and then for an upward trend and the diversity/difficulty of courses. The entire remainder of their time is then spent reading your personal statement, LSAT writing sample, resume, letters of recommendation and addenda, and they evaluate how these fit together along with your "numbers." Basically they will spend the majority of the time reviewing these components, so the good news is you do seem to have a fair bit of input into how your numbers are evaluated. Terrible numbers are still terrible, but median numbers can be bumped up in the pile.

I'd recommend going to one of these mock admissions committee things if they're having one local to you. Pretty amusing, and a good chance to meet the deans as well.

Also if any of you drew pictures on your LSAT writing sample... bad move.

[r6_philly]

How do you find out if there is one near you?

[op-ti]

How do you find out if there is one near you?

I'm interested in finding out as well.

[ahduth]

They sent me an email - they'd pulled my info via CRS. I'd call Penn admissions and ask them - the deans gave me the impression it was the three of them who had been doing it, and it was coordinated by Penn's admissions department. They said they'd been in New York and DC, don't know how many of these they do. I'd again recommend attending one - hearing their responses to people's questions and seeing the nature of their interactions... some of these questions for which TLS likes to think they have cut and dried answers (how resumes, LORs, addenda, etc. are handled) are not nearly as cut and dried as you might think.

[r6_philly]

They sent me an email - they'd pulled my info via CRS. I'd call Penn admissions and ask them - the deans gave me the impression it was the three of them who had been doing it, and it was coordinated by Penn's admissions department. They said they'd been in New York and DC, don't know how many of these they do. I'd again recommend attending one - hearing their responses to people's questions and seeing the nature of their interactions... some of these questions for which TLS likes to think they have cut and dried answers (how resumes, LORs, addenda, etc. are handled) are not nearly as cut and dried as you might think.

It's funny then, Penn's pre-law advising doesn't list this...

[ahduth]

Yeah, I only saw it listed on Chicago's website. Like I said, it was a CRS mailing, might not be open invite. I dunno.

[s0ph1e2007]

This thing was pretty fun. Deans Post, Perry and Zearfoss, from Penn, Chicago and Michigan law schools respectively, led a group discussion of 3 hypothetical applicantions to a hypothetical law school. I don't think there was anything particularly surprising, but it did clarify the process for me.

The one point it really drove home was that, while LSAT and GPA may be the most important parts of your admissions profile, they're also the most easily digested - LSAT is one or maybe two or three numbers, and with GPA they just look at the raw number and then for an upward trend and the diversity/difficulty of courses. The entire remainder of their time is then spent reading your personal statement, LSAT writing sample, resume, letters of recommendation and addenda, and they evaluate how these fit together along with your "numbers." Basically they will spend the majority of the time reviewing these components, so the good news is you do seem to have a fair bit of input into how your numbers are evaluated. Terrible numbers are still terrible, but median numbers can be bumped up in the pile.

I'd recommend going to one of these mock admissions committee things if they're having one local to you. Pretty amusing, and a good chance to meet the deans as well.

Also if any of you drew pictures on your LSAT writing sample... bad move.

The penguin example?
They like that.