Hi everyone! My name is Sarah Arimoto-Mercer and I am your new Director of Financial Aid here at UofC. Let me first say how happy I am to be in Chicago and what a wonderful city and law school we are at. Moving to Chicago in the summer makes it impossible not to love this city – every weekend there is a new festival or street fair like the Taste of Chicago or Pierogi Fest (in nearby Whiting, Indiana). Add to that long runs along the lake, going to the beach, and a busy night life that rivals that of San Francisco and I feel like I’m crazy for not having come to Chicago sooner. I’ve been working in law school admissions since graduating from law school myself and I’ve worked at both public and private law schools in San Francisco and New Haven. So, I can unequivocally say that at UofC you will get the best of both worlds – an excellent legal education that will prepare you for a competitive legal marketplace and a vibrant and fun social life!
The Law School has been relatively quiet but for students studying for the Bar Exam and the new faculty starting to drift in. I feel like I’ve had the luxury of an extra-long summer this year since UofC is on the quarter system and doesn’t start classes until the end of September. Once the students arrive I will be back to my myriad of student services responsibilities. Here at UofC, I will be doing everything from reading admissions files to awarding scholarships, from recruiting at undergraduate schools around the country to administering HPIP (our public interest loan repayment program), and from counseling students about their financial aid options to helping organize our Admitted Students Weekend. Hopefully I will see you either on the road or here at UofC next year!
