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Taking my first law school tour next week at Northwestern. I want to sit in on a class and their website says let the professor know ahead of time that you would be sitting in on their class. What is the protocol for letting the professor know, email or just show up early and let them know before class begins?

Kosco12 wrote:Taking my first law school tour next week at Northwestern. I want to sit in on a class and their website says let the professor know ahead of time that you would be sitting in on their class. What is the protocol for letting the professor know, email or just show up early and let them know before class begins?

Email. Lol @ professors "showing up early."

Honestly though I would just skip it; attending a class can't possibly give you any information that would be helpful in applications or choosing a school.

No need unless it's a small seminar or something and your presence is going to be noted. You can just go up to them before they start class, if you really want to.

I think the admissions office at NU has a list of what classes are going on at all times where the professor has okayed people sitting in, so whichever one you pick, they won't mind.

I'm not at NU so can't comment specifically, but we've had quite a few people go up to the prof and let them know they were sitting in before class starts.

What to do:
Sit and listen and realize you probably won't get anything that's going on.

What not do do:
Volunteer to answer questions
Share your opinion
Ask for clarification because you don't understand
Raise your hand ever

Attax wrote:I'm not at NU so can't comment specifically, but we've had quite a few people go up to the prof and let them know they were sitting in before class starts.

What to do:
Sit and listen and realize you probably won't get anything that's going on.

What not do do:
Volunteer to answer questions
Share your opinion
Ask for clarification because you don't understand
Raise your hand ever

This is a good idea.

You might have some success asking students what they think after class (if you're lacking that sort of info)

I would go up to professor before class and let them know, in case you happened to pick one who goes down the row and wonders why your not on the seating chart.

Attax has good advice. I would add:
(1) You might ask a student in the class if the class was typical or atypical.
(2) Feel free to thank the professor after class, but do not ask substantive followups.

Oh my god, do not under any circumstance say anything during your 50-90 mins in that classroom.

ymmv wrote:

Kosco12 wrote:Taking my first law school tour next week at Northwestern. I want to sit in on a class and their website says let the professor know ahead of time that you would be sitting in on their class. What is the protocol for letting the professor know, email or just show up early and let them know before class begins?

Email. Lol @ professors "showing up early."

Honestly though I would just skip it; attending a class can't possibly give you any information that would be helpful in applications or choosing a school.

I've only visited two schools so far, and only one was as an accepted student. That school had the three of us there sit in on their Property class. (The topic was on Waste and Fee Tails) It was probably an undiagnosed aspie moment but I asked a question and answered one of the prof's open questions. This school certainly isn't in the same ballpark as Northwestern btw so I did not feel I needed to remain quiet. I probably would have in most situations (or other schools).

This is just an aside, but if I were to go to that school I'd be taking that same class and professor this summer. Sitting in on the class did help put me at ease as far as the "can I keep up with what is being taught."