Michigan Preview Experience Forum

[herecomesthesun]

gonna come off like a jackass myself but if you're that worried about it, you shouldn't come to Michigan

Not that people aren't impressive, but we generally don't talk about how impressive we are

[fbc669]

Like, wtf else are they supposed to talk to you about?

People talked about a bunch of stuff. Again, everyone was really nice and cool. I just found it awkward at both the berkeley and michigan asw whenever people were like "so have you enrolled here?" and would ask "which schools?" whenever I respond with "not yet, still looking at a bunch of schools." One or two people at both ASWs asked me if and how much scholarship I got in a large group setting. Don't you think that's weird?

Anyways, I appreciate your other input. I'm not trying to be snobby, but I can obviously see why it seems like that. Based on what people are saying I guess that I just had way too high of expectations (not just of UofM but any law school for that matter).

[nyu2019maybeplease]

Bro if you don't have your LSAT/GPA split tattooed on your forehead you're fucking up.
At the very least, get a pin made. Anything less is disingenuous.

How exactly does one demonstrate their very impressive background at an ASW, anyway?

[nyu2019maybeplease]

Current student. Respectfully:
1. If the change you're hoping for is that once you get to 1L everyone will talk about how impressive they are, it won't happen. If you're hoping people will talk about their backgrounds, it will absolutely come up, because understanding backgrounds is crucial to understanding viewpoints.
2. If the change you're hoping for is in the god i can't believe i'm writing this 'caliber' of people you're surrounded by, I don't think it will happen. Dean Z picks great classes. I'm confident the 0Ls who attended preview weekend are just as awesome as everyone else here.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think you'll find many Michigan students doing the whole prestige thing. It ain't our vibe, and many people (myself included) turned down higher ranked schools precisely because we wanted to avoid it.. Not a knock on you at all, and I don't see anything wrong with searching for people you're impressed by (if that's what makes you most comfortable in an environment).

Ultimately, go to the school where you feel most comfortable, and don't let anyone tell you you're evaluating what makes you comfortable poorly. You know you better than some random people behind keyboards.

How exactly does one demonstrate their very impressive background at an ASW, anyway?

Uhh undergraduate school, impressive work experience, sounding very intelligent, etc.? I know that this post is making me seem like a bad person, which who knows I probably am, but being surrounded by very smart people is an important factor to me.

I am looking for responses that are either from other admitted students who had similar or different experiences at their preview weekends or from current students saying that that will all change once you get to 1L and kids who went to worse undergrad schools do just as well as ivy league kids. Maybe even advice saying "if you really think you would perform better than them in class then you should go because being top of your class at Michigan is better than being middle or bottom of your class at Columbia"

[Anon.y.mousse.]

OP sounds like he/she would love the dbag who stood up and announced to the entire auditorium during the dean's town hall that he was "from Cambridge, Massachusetts" as the lead in to his question.

[blueapple]

I just found it awkward at both the berkeley and michigan asw whenever people were like "so have you enrolled here?" and would ask "which schools?"

As a Michigan grad, I can tell you that when current students ask you which schools you're choosing between it's because Michigan students genuinely want to help you make the best decision for you and help you talk through your options. I'm guessing other admitted students who ask that kind of stuff are just trying to have a conversation with a stranger about something they know they have in common with that stranger.

But anyway, I agree with the people who say if you want to be surrounded by people talking about how awesome they are, Michigan is probably not the place for you. My classmates were very impressive (and still are), but we're more of a "show, don't tell" kind of school.

[Keilz]

I do think that the type of people I met at Berkeley were different than the people I met at Michigan, but they are different schools with generally similar outcomes because their graduates are just as capable.

If you have time, can you expand on this thought, Keilz? I went to Berkeley's ASW, but couldn't attend the Michigan's. How do you think the people were different between the two?

Thanks

Sure! I'm on my phone so excuse any typos and unorganized writing. I got along great with everyone at both ASWs. Huge difference for me was that I didn't meet any Berkeley students or faculty, whereas in Michigan they were throwing themselves at us, and invited us to places. So, I can't speak to how I felt Berkeley students were like. This difference is perhaps due to how the ASWs were set up and organized. Michigan had an all day feel because they had night events and we were all staying at one hotel. There were more women at Berkeley but also Berkeley student body is 60/40 women.


Admits at Berkeley were very polished, and a tad more serious in conversation. Michigan people (and students) were a little more laid back. I feel like most conversations focused on law at both schools, but conversations at Michigan could venture off to other things. There was a raging house party at Michigan, which I couldn't see a lot of Berkeley people enjoying. I feel that the Michigan law campus is super close knit and more college like, with everyone enjoying the school together, whereas Berkeley you find your own smaller groups and stick with them.

Again, I think these differences were largely based on the way the events were structured...they each covered the same information, but the events around the sessions were night and day. Feel free to PM me!

[proteinshake]

OP sounds like he/she would love the dbag who stood up and announced to the entire auditorium during the dean's town hall that he was "from Cambridge, Massachusetts" as the lead in to his question.

didn't someone do this at Chicago? probably the same person

[Po$eidon]

I was just disappointed by my impression of the quality of the admitted (and some current) students. Expected people from very impressive backgrounds because it's a top law school but didn't happen to meet any. Took it down because it was pretty rude of me to say. AA and the school itself were awesome and the people were nice.

Wow, part of why I loved Michigan was because the people seemed so much more chill than those at other schools. At other ASWs I felt like I was getting grilled on my resume and other acceptances and it was super awkward/off-putting.

That killed my vibe at Michigan. Everyone kept asking for a list of places I was considering.

Like, wtf else are they supposed to talk to you about? You seem arrogant and off-putting, like you might not have a lot in common with socially well-adjusted people, so what other obvious things are there to discuss? Plus people like to revisit "choosing" decisions... hence all of the input in that forum section here.

Anyway, there are tons of very smart people at Michigan. I'm sure (based on friends at other schools, large firm experience with other T14 kids, etc.) it's comprised of roughly the same percentage of them as peer T14 schools. It would be patently absurd to think this would be otherwise. The problem is that you're a snob. I'd say, anecdotally, that Ivy undergrad correlated negatively with being on law review here, so it's unclear why this matters anyway (i.e., your screen for "smart" is actually a screen for "wealthy parents" ... granted, these two are connected, but they're definitely not the same thing).

This is exactly how I view the OP

[brinicolec]

I think to expect people to be going around bragging about how "smart" they are isn't something you should be doing at ASW - or in LS in general, I'd hope.

It's a top law school. The students are intelligent; they're just not stuffy.

I, personally, was looking for a school where it didn't seem like students were "on" all the time and didn't know how to turn off the law student thing and just go out and enjoy themselves. It sounds like you're looking for the opposite.

Also, people asked me what other places I was considering, but mainly to give me genuine advice (including things like "If X gives you more money, definitely feel free to go there because money DOES matter and you'll get similar opportunities out of that school").

I mean, to each his/her own, but to assume that students aren't intelligent at Michigan is very... I can't even think of the word I want to use... strange... arrogant... elitist... idk.

[cron1834]

Wow, part of why I loved Michigan was because the people seemed so much more chill than those at other schools. At other ASWs I felt like I was getting grilled on my resume and other acceptances and it was super awkward/off-putting.

That killed my vibe at Michigan. Everyone kept asking for a list of places I was considering.

Like, wtf else are they supposed to talk to you about? You seem arrogant and off-putting, like you might not have a lot in common with socially well-adjusted people, so what other obvious things are there to discuss? Plus people like to revisit "choosing" decisions... hence all of the input in that forum section here.

Anyway, there are tons of very smart people at Michigan. I'm sure (based on friends at other schools, large firm experience with other T14 kids, etc.) it's comprised of roughly the same percentage of them as peer T14 schools. It would be patently absurd to think this would be otherwise. The problem is that you're a snob. I'd say, anecdotally, that Ivy undergrad correlated negatively with being on law review here, so it's unclear why this matters anyway (i.e., your screen for "smart" is actually a screen for "wealthy parents" ... granted, these two are connected, but they're definitely not the same thing).

This is exactly how I view the OP

Right? Law school success, while somewhat random, is much more meritocratic than UG admissions, imo. Whichever school OP goes to, there will be a bunch of state school kids who destroy him on the curve, and perhaps then he will have to change his heuristic.

[Anon.y.mousse.]

OP sounds like he/she would love the dbag who stood up and announced to the entire auditorium during the dean's town hall that he was "from Cambridge, Massachusetts" as the lead in to his question.

didn't someone do this at Chicago? probably the same person

yes meant at Chicago, oops!

[MediocreAtBest]

OP, maybe you aren't as smart as you think you are. Maybe the kids who are actually smart don't feel the need to prove it to strangers.

[azaleafire]

Most disappointing thread ever. Feel like I'm trying to listen to a radio edit of I don't fuck with you.

Underrated comment

[Future Ex-Engineer]

OP, please let us know what you end up deciding. I found lots of very interesting people when I went to the March ASW at Michigan, and that helped propel it into my top choices. From the way this has gone, you don't sound like one of those interesting people I met, and tbh you sound like someone I don't want to go to school with.

Pls let me know what school you feel most comfortable with so I know where to avoid.

[Po$eidon]

Wow, part of why I loved Michigan was because the people seemed so much more chill than those at other schools. At other ASWs I felt like I was getting grilled on my resume and other acceptances and it was super awkward/off-putting.

That killed my vibe at Michigan. Everyone kept asking for a list of places I was considering.

Like, wtf else are they supposed to talk to you about? You seem arrogant and off-putting, like you might not have a lot in common with socially well-adjusted people, so what other obvious things are there to discuss? Plus people like to revisit "choosing" decisions... hence all of the input in that forum section here.

Anyway, there are tons of very smart people at Michigan. I'm sure (based on friends at other schools, large firm experience with other T14 kids, etc.) it's comprised of roughly the same percentage of them as peer T14 schools. It would be patently absurd to think this would be otherwise. The problem is that you're a snob. I'd say, anecdotally, that Ivy undergrad correlated negatively with being on law review here, so it's unclear why this matters anyway (i.e., your screen for "smart" is actually a screen for "wealthy parents" ... granted, these two are connected, but they're definitely not the same thing).

This is exactly how I view the OP

Right? Law school success, while somewhat random, is much more meritocratic than UG admissions, imo. Whichever school OP goes to, there will be a bunch of state school kids who destroy him on the curve, and perhaps then he will have to change his heuristic.

I have taught ivy students and I've taught top state school students. The ivies were no smarter and in many cases dumber and less inclined to finish work. They were, however, much richer. The meritocratic nature of LS admissions is something I quite like

[Po$eidon]

Most disappointing thread ever. Feel like I'm trying to listen to a radio edit of I don't fuck with you.

"This mix is sooo choppy!! And did the DJ really just sample Lucille Bluth to throw in it??"

[poptart123]

OP sounds like he/she would love the dbag who stood up and announced to the entire auditorium during the dean's town hall that he was "from Cambridge, Massachusetts" as the lead in to his question.

Odd that OP would even consider two PUBLIC schools!

[BoyJord]

Most disappointing thread ever. Feel like I'm trying to listen to a radio edit of I don't fuck with you.

Underrated comment

Not gonna lie, I needed this recognition

[fbc669]

Would some of you find this post as ridiculous if I made it about a mid or lower-tier school I visited? You'd probably agree with or at least understand my concerns.

Anyways, thank you to the other admitted and also the current students offering your helpful perspectives. I appreciate the comments saying that that just isn't the culture at Michigan. I also appreciate the comments from others at the ASW who had different experiences! I really think the issue was that I had unjustifiably high expectations. I didn't think people would drone on about their prep school or ivy league educations or anything like that (and am really glad that no one did)... I just thought that people would talk about stuff like social, legal, or political issues (though one or two people did... while being really obstinate and not seeming to know what they were talking about -- totally inevitable in any setting) or about other "high-minded" things. Now I realize that those topics are probably the types of things people try to avoid talking about at ASWs in order to come off as inoffensive as possible to their potential future classmates.

[proteinshake]

retake for YS

[brinicolec]

Would some of you find this post as ridiculous if I made it about a mid or lower-tier school I visited? You'd probably agree with or at least understand my concerns.

Anyways, thank you to the other admitted and also the current students offering your helpful perspectives. I appreciate the comments saying that that just isn't the culture at Michigan. I also appreciate the comments from others at the ASW who had different experiences! I really think the issue was that I had unjustifiably high expectations. I didn't think people would drone on about their prep school or ivy league educations or anything like that (and am really glad that no one did)... I just thought that people would talk about stuff like social, legal, or political issues (though one or two people did... while being really obstinate and not seeming to know what they were talking about -- totally inevitable in any setting) or about other "high-minded" things. Now I realize that those topics are probably the types of things people try to avoid talking about at ASWs in order to come off as inoffensive as possible to their potential future classmates.

I think it's this and also, many law students seem to like to try to leave the lawyer-mind stuff at the school and have "regular" convos outside of class. Also, since this administration is so polarizing, I don't think it's anyone goal to bring up politics in "getting to know you" convos - or ever really lol.

[curry1]

retake for Y

edit

[34iplaw]

Most disappointing thread ever. Feel like I'm trying to listen to a radio edit of I don't fuck with you.

Underrated comment

Not gonna lie, I needed this recognition

You really know comments. You have the best comments.

I was going to give you your due commendation, but I wanted to try to find a clean version of a rap from the late 90s early 00s to post. I thought 2001 by the Dr. had far more censored song titles, whoops.

[BoyJord]

Most disappointing thread ever. Feel like I'm trying to listen to a radio edit of I don't fuck with you.

Underrated comment

Not gonna lie, I needed this recognition

You really know comments. You have the best comments.

I was going to give you your due commendation, but I wanted to try to find a clean version of a rap from the late 90s early 00s to post. I thought 2001 by the Dr. had far more censored song titles, whoops.

Come to Michigan and we can start an affinity group for heavily censored music