Enrolling without visiting school Forum

[GordonFreeman]

Has anyone done this? I can only afford to visit so many schools. I imagine that ASW events don't paint an accurate picture of life at a law school-- it is essentially a sales pitch after all.

For current or former law students: did your impression at ASW events match your actual experience as a student? Do you think that ASW events were a primary factor in your decision on where to matriculate, ceteris parabis?

[sublime]

..

[kartelite]

I didn't do any ASWs or visits, which I would imagine is the case for many people who have to work full time. For me, the only reason to visit would be to get a feel for the city/neighborhood if I'd never been there before; anything of relevance about the school should be accessible online.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I visited the three schools I ended up seriously considering, and found it helpful, but I ended up deciding mostly on other factors anyway (I disliked one school's atmosphere, but they made the least sense job/money-wise; of the other two, I liked one a lot and the other fine, but ended up going to the one I only liked fine because of the job/money/personal reasons).

I think the impression I got was fairly consistent with my experience with the admin and the students, but it's really only a brief snippet, you're not missing much. It is a sales pitch.

[GordonFreeman]

Superficially, it seems like a bad idea to enroll at a school at a place you've never visited. I guess it doesn't matter.

[IsThisForReal]

Do you think it would be more beneficial to go on a non-ASW weekend and spend more time exploring the city and other parts of campus?

[lacrossebrother]

Depends on if this school is cool or not. Durham sucks. Berkeley is awesome. Charlottesville is fun. Etc.

[IsThisForReal]

Edit: Realized lax probably wasn't responding to me, but instead the OP

[GordonFreeman]

Do you think it would be more beneficial to go on a non-ASW weekend and spend more time exploring the city and other parts of campus?

Honestly, I'm probably overthinking this. I'm confident I can adapt wherever.

I was asking cause a certain institution offered me an all expense paid trip to visit. It's probably going to occur around the same time as some other schools I'm interested in, so I was curious about the relevance/value of ASWs.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I think it helps to go, but mostly because I'm neurotic and want to know what I'm getting into before I show up the first day. I'd also want to go see a city before I moved there if I'd never been. But you can do that outside of ASWs - the only real benefits of ASWs are 1) free food and 2) getting to meet other potential students. 2 of my best friends 1L year were people I met at the ASW, but I made plenty of friends who weren't at the ASW, too.

[Worker and Parasite]

I didn't visit the school or the city I'm in now. Turns out it didn't matter because I was in the library all the time. Anyways enjoy

[Johann]

I went without visiting and it was fine.

[funbagsxxx]

I visited all 4 of my schools in state campuses before I picked the one that was right for me (the fifth was in Florida and I don't want to drive that far) but I can't imagine picking a campus without being there first. Meet the profs, sit in the seats to see what they feel like, see what places to eat are within walking distance. All this stuff adds up.

[bsktbll28082]

As you originally mentioned, Gordon, I found ASW to be a false representation of how the school actually was. But I eventually accepted that. Didn't visit the school I transferred to, but I was already familiar with the city.

When I was waitlisted at a few schools for 1L I thought about visiting, but I'd have to fly and I did not think it would help much. Ended up not going.

[jimmywho]

I went without visiting and it was fine.

[zombie mcavoy]

As you originally mentioned, Gordon, I found ASW to be a false representation of how the school actually was. But I eventually accepted that. Didn't visit the school I transferred to, but I was already familiar with the city.

When I was waitlisted at a few schools for 1L I thought about visiting, but I'd have to fly and I did not think it would help much. Ended up not going.

Yeah I would advise people not to visit the schools they are considering. No reason to let emotion get factored into decision. If a few schools are truly neck and neck w/r/t the truly important considerations, visit, but not during ASWs.

[chuckbass]

I visited all 4 of my schools in state campuses before I picked the one that was right for me (the fifth was in Florida and I don't want to drive that far) but I can't imagine picking a campus without being there first. Meet the profs, sit in the seats to see what they feel like, see what places to eat are within walking distance. All this stuff adds up.

The school that is right for you is the one that gives you the best employment opportunities at the best price. If you have equal options sure, maybe visit two schools you're choosing between for fit, otherwise this is not undergrad and fit, while still important, isn't a huge factor.

[lacrossebrother]

I visited all 4 of my schools in state campuses before I picked the one that was right for me (the fifth was in Florida and I don't want to drive that far) but I can't imagine picking a campus without being there first. Meet the profs, sit in the seats to see what they feel like, see what places to eat are within walking distance. All this stuff adds up.

The school that is right for you is the one that gives you the best employment opportunities at the best price. If you have equal options sure, maybe visit two schools you're choosing between for fit, otherwise this is not undergrad and fit, while still important, isn't a huge factor.

Ya happiness doesn't matter. Study. Apply to jobs. Sleep.

[Other25BeforeYou]

Lots of people don't visit and it works out fine, just make sure you actually know where the school is beforehand. A classmate of mine assumed that Ithaca was a suburb of New York City because he knew Cornell's medical school is in New York, and decided to enroll based partially on that assumption. He got off the plane at JFK shortly before orientation, asked a taxi driver to take him to Ithaca, and the driver took him to the bus station instead.

[LawBron James]

Lots of people don't visit and it works out fine, just make sure you actually know where the school is beforehand. A classmate of mine assumed that Ithaca was a suburb of New York City because he knew Cornell's medical school is in New York, and decided to enroll based partially on that assumption. He got off the plane at JFK shortly before orientation, asked a taxi driver to take him to Ithaca, and the driver took him to the bus station instead.

I want to save this story and give it to anybody who comes here and says that it's hard to get into a good law school.

[ChemEng1642]

Lots of people don't visit and it works out fine, just make sure you actually know where the school is beforehand. A classmate of mine assumed that Ithaca was a suburb of New York City because he knew Cornell's medical school is in New York, and decided to enroll based partially on that assumption. He got off the plane at JFK shortly before orientation, asked a taxi driver to take him to Ithaca, and the driver took him to the bus station instead.

lolololol

[Pragmatic Gun]

Was this to enroll in the law school?

[blsingindisguise]

Location should only be a factor in law school decision inasmuch as (1) it relates to the market you want to work in, (2) there are serious considerations like closeness to family or spouse's job, (3) there are concerns that it might be in an exceedingly dangerous area (Rutgers Camden maybe?). And maybe if you're super-climate-sensitive, that could be a factor. Otherwise, it's the last thing you want to be thinking about. Plus, it's not like there are many campus-specific factors that affect your education. Most reputable law schools are going to have big-ass lecture halls, big dumb libraries full 'o' reporters that would crumble at the touch from lack of use, etc. And caring about the nightlife, scene and recreation around the law school suggests to me you probably just shouldn't go to law school.

If the schools are otherwise identical for cost, employment prospects, etc I guess it couldn't hurt.

[sd5289]

I visited all 4 of my schools in state campuses before I picked the one that was right for me (the fifth was in Florida and I don't want to drive that far) but I can't imagine picking a campus without being there first. Meet the profs, sit in the seats to see what they feel like, see what places to eat are within walking distance. All this stuff adds up.

The school that is right for you is the one that gives you the best employment opportunities at the best price. If you have equal options sure, maybe visit two schools you're choosing between for fit, otherwise this is not undergrad and fit, while still important, isn't a huge factor.

Except being miserable 100% of the time can be a recipe for disaster, a/k/a underperformance = shittier grades = less job prospects.

I don't think "fit" should be a deciding factor, or even a major factor, but visiting during a non-ASW can be helpful when you're seriously debating between schools. By the end of my cycle, I was debating between two full rides in the same city with similar job placement #'s in what I wanted to do, so I visited both. Ended up really disliking the atmosphere at one (helped that the students I met didn't like the school), so I chose the other one. Don't regret that decision at all.

I know lots of people don't visit and they're fine, but if you have the option (and it doesn't cost you), it certainly doesn't hurt.

[Pragmatic Gun]

Admitted student weekends are just for free food and alcohol and meeting the law students.