A Day in the Life

"From the Horse's Mouth": A Visitor's Perspective on the University of Chicago Law School

One of my favorite things about being back at my alma mater and working in the Admissions Office is receiving feedback from people that visit the Law School.  Some of these people take advantage of our Open Houses held earlier this fall, others visit on any random day, and still others drop in and take advantage of our great self-tour authored (and narrated!) by current law students.  The most common refrain I hear is what a great, collegial and close-knit community we have and how impressive the classroom experience is here.  As an alum these come as no surprise to me as my peers and the interactive classroom environment were two of the best parts of my law school experience.  Rather than repeat our own sentiments about the Law School, we thought we would share some of the feedback we've received this fall from our visitors.  Once again we encourage you to visit the Law School and experience for yourself what a unique place U of C is.            

"From the point of entrance into the building, I felt very welcomed and accepted by the students and staff.  I had the opportunity to sit in on the Elements of the Law lecture and the Property lecture for 1L students.  While sitting in on these class, I noticed how the professors engage the students in their lectures by using the Socratic Method. 

I also noticed that the professors had no problem spending time outside of the class with the students to ensure that they understood the lesson.  This eased some tension because it shows me that the professors put a lot of effort into bettering their students and ensuring that students get the most out of their education at the University of Chicago Law School. During this visit, I also had the opportunity to talk to students about the current experiences as a law student ... I identified with some students due to shar[ed] similar interests, but others also due to them entering academia from the workforce.  Initially, I was fearful that the transition would be extremely difficulty one; however, your students showed me that it can be done with perseverance and the support given by the University staff.  Overall, this visit has solidified The University of Chicago Law School as my first choice."

"I found the tour highly valuable as I gained first-hand experience of Chicago Law.  I enjoyed interacting with faculty, staff and students very much.  ...  I was impressed with both the research that Chicago Law students undertake and the clinical practice opportunities available.  During the course of the tour, I found the arrangement of the relevant resources for legal research and studying lends to a unique synergy, which I believe contributes to the excellence of Chicago Law.  My visit has confirmed my belief that Chicago Law is my top choice."

"I enjoyed [attending a Open House] thoroughly and was extremely impressed by your faculty, staff, students and campus.  ...  Now that I have visited [the Law School] and have had the opportunity to learn from Professor Strahilevitz during his class on Property, I am genuinely enthusiastic at the possibility of attending [U of C]." 

"Coming from Utah, you can imagine that I do not get a chance to take part in may open house events at pretigious law schools such as [U of C] ... Chicago's students were welcoming ... [and] our class with Professor Strahelivitz genuinely gave me confirm and stoked my law interest anew."                                                                                  

Hopefully these comments "from the horse's mouth" will help give you a sense of the indelible impression the Law School leaves.  We encourage and look forward to visits.  Beginning on January 8, 2008, we will begin daily student-led tours of the Law School everyday at noon.  If you are planning to visit the Law School and contact the Admissions Office a few days advance notice, our fabulous Student Admissions Committee can sometimes pair you with a student day host with whom you can attend class and talk about his or her experience at the Law School.  And, of course, you are always welcome to drop by the Law School at any time and explore on your own, sit in on a class and chat informally with students.  One of our newest ways to tour the Law School -- from home or as you walk the halls of the buidling -- is download the fabulous student-authored and narrated audio or video tours to your own digital player.  If you forget yours don't worry -- we have some here too!  Stop by the D'Angelo Law Library with a photo ID you can borrow one of our video iPods to use while you stroll the halls.  One important reminder as you plan your visit -- our academic calendar operates on the quarter system which means you should target your visits during January and February in order to interact with our students and sit in on classes.

For those of you can't make it to Chicago, you can also always take advantage of the Law School's audio tour

Tips and Tricks #3: Classes, Majors and GPA

The GPA as a number is overrated. A GPA at "School A" can mean something very different from the same GPA at "School B." Even at the same school, your major greatly effects your GPA, as any engineering major can tell you. Cumulative GPAs can also be deceptive, as some students struggle in their first semester or year, maybe earning a few C's before hitting their stride senior year with the 'picket fence' of straight A's. For these reasons, we always look at the transcript not just your GPA to see the facts of your academic history, not just the numerical shorthand. 

Interestingly, we hear far fewer complaints about the GPA than another required 3-digit number, even though the GPA has its deficiencies. What we do hear is student concern that their GPA will not make them a competitive applicant because it is below our median.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when thinking about GPAs:

• We look at the whole transcript, not just the GPA.  We look for grade trends, upper class courses, and course variety. Law is going to be unlike the courses you took in college, so we want to make sure you have a variety of academic preparation.
• Pass/Fail: one or two pass-fail classes is acceptable, but more than a few makes us wonder how you will handle four graded law classes each quarter, so include an addendum if there are any special circumstances at your school that require multiple pass/fail grades.
• Study Abroad: we typically see your transcript from study abroad, but will look more closely at classes you took at your college. In our experience, study abroad programs are typically less rigorous than classes taken in residence, so if you did complete an academically oriented program please include a short description of the work on your resume.
• We don't think there is a perfect major for pre-law students. We like to see a variety of coursework; what is most important is that you took challenging classes, and did well in them.
• Senior year grades: if you are applying at the beginning of your senior year, it is a good idea to send us your first-semester grades when they are available. In some cases, we may ask to see those grades before making a decision on your file, so don't stop working once those applications go out!

All of this hopefully helps you understand how we review transcripts, and gives you insight into what we think is important. Your college coursework is a critical part of the application, but it is also  preparation for studying law. Try to take challenging classes, particularly those which require substantive, analytic writing, and remember that your senior year is not the end of your academic experience and you should use it to prepare for the next educational adventure -- law school!

Tips & Tricks #2: Letters of Recommendation

The letters of recommendation requiremen is probably the least understood aspect of the application process.  Although you may not have control over the content of the letters you can exercise control over who you ask to write those letters.  Remember, like a personal statement, your letters of recommendation are an opportunity to give us a sense of who you are.  Not only do they provide us with insight into work ethic, the evolution of your academic/ professional/ intellectual evolution, but also your personality and perspective, factors which are no less important to us than test scores and GPAs in forming a great class of students.  So here are a few tips from the Admissions Office.

Tip #1: Choose Recommenders Wisely

Select someone who can give us substantive descriptions of your academic abilities and character. Academic abilities include writing, analytical ability, classroom discussion skills and work habits. That person can as easily be the TA with whom you worked in class(es) as the head of your department.  Similarly a more junior colleague or even a peer from the workplace often spend far more time with you and thus gain far more insight about you than your boss.  Those in more senior positions are often asked to write letters of recommendation and even if they don’t know you particularly well, they will frequently still agree.  But because of the volume of requests those individuals will sometimes use a form letter that is vague and tells us nothing.  

One important bit of advice: if the person you ask to write a letter for you seems reluctant or expresses concern about writing it, take that as a sign that you should use someone else.  I have read lengthy, detailed letters highlighting all a candidate’s weaknesses instead of her strengths! 

Tip #2: Follow the School’s Policy on the Number and Type of Letters

Although most schools require more than one letter, quantity is not as important as quality.  Be sure to check to see exactly what they are looking for both with respect to the number of letters and the type of letter. At Chicago, we require two letters, but will accept up to 4. 

Generally if you finished your education more than 3-5 years ago, one academic letter and one professional recommender is fine; however, if you are more recent graduate aim for two academic letters.  Both types are usually acceptable for most schools and, again, the purpose of the letter is to give us qualitative information about to complement the quantitative information contained in the rest of your application.  An employer can write a very good letter of recommendation for law school, but make sure they understand we are interested in your law school aptitude, not your business acumen. Writing, hard work, research, and teamwork are skills valued both by law schools and the business world.  This leads us to Tip #3 …

Tip #3: Talk with Your Recommenders

In my past experience and in speaking with colleagues recommenders are often flattered but afraid themselves to ask for direction as to why law school is your next step and what admissions officers are hoping to learn about you.  Arrange for at least a 15-minute time to talk with the person via telephone or, even better, in person at least once to discuss your law school plans.  Offer them copies of your resume and your personal statement.  For academic references a copy of the paper you wrote for their class (the graded original, if possible) may also be helpful.  You can refresh an employer’s recollection of your work by incorporating a discussion about the quality of your contributions to the workplace and what they would say is the skill you’ve best honed during your employment.  For example, I asked an employer for any constructive criticisms he had about my past performance and how I might improve going forward.  This prompted him not only to give me helpful information about the weaknesses to ameliorate, but also to describe all the things I did well and my positive characteristics.

Ask your recommenders to focus on your writing, your classroom participation, your willingness to challenge your views, and your ability to think on your feet. Quantitative comparisons are helpful (for example, an applicant is 'in the top 5% of students' or 'one of the best students I taught that year') as are discussions of your writing ('the student wrote an excellent paper on Plato, which was rigorously researched and effectively argued').  Specifics are very helpful, as are anecdotes about your classroom performance or writing ability.  Similarly ask your recommender to also speak to what kind of person you are -- your interests, passions and voice.  We want students who are not only academically and intellectually talented but who also have interesting perspectives and experiences to share in and out of the classroom.

Don’t forget to cover logistics and make it as easy as possible for your recommender to submit her letter.  Give them clear, preferably written instructions on what to do with the letter, and provide any necessary forms.  A stamped, addressed envelope is also helpful, and shows your professionalism.  Make sure that the letter was mailed and received, as many applicant files are delayed months by late letters of recommendation.  A thank-you note or email is a nice way to finalize the matter, once you have verified that the letter has been received.

Finally, and most importantly, keep in touch with and update the person throughout the process, both before and after that person submits her recommendation letter.  Recommenders agree to take the time to write you a letter because they are interested in and supportive of your new endeavor and will want to know about your successes – particularly because they play a part in that process!   

Tip #4:  Give Recommenders Ample Time to Submit Their Letters

Like most of the other items in the application, this is something that can be done EARLY. Undergraduate career services office will usually keep letters of recommendation in their files for a number of years, so if you had a great rapport with a professor, for a recommendation now! If you wait two years, memories fade, professors relocate, and if you work after graduation, it becomes even harder for the recommender to remember you. 

If you are asking for the letter now try to give the recommender as much time as possible.  This is particularly true with academic references that are bombarded with requests during the application season.  Remember people are also applying to graduate and other professional schools as well as seeking post-graduation employment. 

Similarly, employers are busy with deadlines and projects and they often need a bit more time to write letters given the fact that most do not have anywhere near the same letter-writing “education” that academic references do.

Bottom line: choose someone who can speak enthusiastically about your intellectual curiosity, academic and professional performance, as well as give us another idea of what kind of perspective, voice and personality you will bring to the Law School.   Our students bring more than just their brains to the Law School which s how we maintain the vibrant, close-knit community that makes U of C so unique.

For additional tip see last year's discussions about letters of recommendation, Part I and Part II.

Tips & Tricks #1: The Personal Statement

As promised this begins a series entitled, "Tips & Tricks," that is designed to help you with the some of the more difficult aspects of completing your law school applications.  Future posts will cover topics such as the importance placed upon GPA, questions about majors and suggestions for obtaining the best letters of recommendation.  We thought we would start with the personal statement as it is one of the most difficult and time-consuming parts of the application.  Making this the first post in the series is also a reminder that you should set aside enough time to write a compelling personal statement.  And so now, here are our words of wisdom about that infamous personal statement...

The personal statement is the aspect of the application that we hear the most about when recruiting or talking to prospective students (except perhaps general fear of the LSAT!). "What should I write my personal statement about" is a critical question for the applicant, but one that is hard to answer. Here is a summary of do's and don'ts taken from several members of our admissions committee:

DO’S:

·       A personal statement is supposed to be PERSONAL! We want to hear about you, what makes you tick, what motivates you, and what inspires you. We are trying to make up a class of interesting, dynamic people, and this is the place to show us that you will add something vital to our school.  Whether your statement is light-hearted and comical or more serious, a statement that will stand out in our minds is one that is not only personal and interesting, but sincere. 

·       A good personal statement will give a sense of who you are as a person after reading it and there are hundreds of ways to accomplish this.

·       Remember, this is your writing sample as well as a personal statement so make sure that it is a flawless piece of writing. No typos, nice paragraphs, and something that flows well is highly desirable. One good way to catch typos is to read your statement aloud.  You often will catch missed words and awkward phrasing that you don't when silently reading it.  One of the most important things you can do to make your statement its best is to have someone whose writing you respect read it and offer comments.

·       Make your personal statement interesting, tell a captivating story, or inject some humor into the essay. We read a lot of these, so something fun can help you stand out in the crowd. 

·       Try to focus on something unique about you, something that is not going to be repeated in other people's essays. One essay topic we see a lot is the pre-med student who has an epiphany in a Political Science class and decides to change her major (but not until after getting a C- in Organic Chemistry!).  Nonetheless if your motivation to study law does originate with such an experience do not let that deter you from telling us so.

·       If you are sending out individualized personal statements, make sure that you send the correct personal statement with your application. I have read hundreds of personal statements talking about how the applicant really wants to go to a school other than Chicago. Needless to say, this can ruin an otherwise wonderful personal statement.

DON’T’S:

·       Don't rewrite your resume in your personal statement, writing chronologically about all the things you have accomplished in your life. That is the purpose of a resume this kind of personal statement tells us nothing new and tends not to be very interesting.

·       Be very careful when talking about the law. Remember, our committee is made up of lawyers, so if you are going to argue a legal issue, be aware that a lawyer will be reviewing your arguments very carefully. 

·       Don't be weird or quirky, just to be weird or quirky.  Although we encourage creativity, anything too strange (past examples included rhymes, videotapes, and CDs) will be memorable, but not in the good way.

·       Don't talk about our law school instead of yourself. It's great that you think we have a wonderful law school, and even better that you learned a lot on our website, but we already know that!

·       Don't feel like you have to write an essay about saving the world. If saving the world is your passion, then feel free to write about it. Something personal and introspective that fails to mention global warming, international terrorism or the sub-Saharan AIDS epidemic can still be a great personal statement.

With that we wish you luck composing and we look forward to reading what will undoubtedly be a compelling, interesting and personal statement about you!

The Chicago Forum is Coming!!

Well now that you know what to ask about when you come to a LSAC Law School Forum, I would like to remind you that this Saturday, September 15 is the Chicago Law School Forum.  It is being held at the Chicago Marriott Hotel located at 540 N. Michigan from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.  If you would like to register please visit the LSAC website and look for the link to the registration page on the right-hand side of the page.  It will be a very informative event with over 165 law schools in attendance.  Also, there will be a number of panels being presented they will give you insight into various parts of the admissions process as well as information about careers in law.  The University of Chicago Law School will be at Table 48 which will be in the all the way in the back corner to the right as you walk through the doors to the ballroom.  We will have several representatives from the Law School present including Kristen Mercado, our Student Services Fellow, current students including Tim Cleary, Kyle Ortiz and Karen Courtheoux who are 2nd year students.  So if you are going to be in Chicago this weekend, make sure and stop by our table to pick up a copy of our 2007-2008 viewbook and other materials.  We look forward to seeing you!

U of C Admissions Spotting

We have been working on our 2007 recruiting travel schedule.  Each fall members of the Law School community travel around the country visiting schools and cities where we spread the good word about the Law School and the law school experience in general.

One of the first things we do is attend the LSAC Forums, which are usually held in ballrooms at hotels in large cities.  The Forums have over 150 law schools represented and they are a great place to pick up materials and to gather answers to your basic questions from many schools all in one stop.  LSAC (which also lists the full range of recruiting events) also provides information sessions at the Forums about all aspects of the admissions process.  The Forums are a great place to meet someone from our office but because of the large number of people it is hard to have in-depth conversations. 

You might also consider attending one of the school-specific fairs, usually hosted by an individual university's prelaw office.  The school fairs are smaller versions of the Forums, with about a hundred schools represented, gathered in one large room and ready to provide you with materials and answer some simple questions.  I highly recommend checking with your prelaw office or the prelaw website at your nearest university to find a convenient school fair.  These individual school fairs are an easy to check out numerous law schools all in one spot.

Finally we visit schools on our own or with a small group of other law schools.  At these panel discussions we give a general prelaw presentation and an overview of our program.  These sessions are a great way to learn more detailed information about the application process and our school.  They are informal, relaxed and interactive -- questions and participation from attendees are encouraged! 

For all the details on these coming attractions visit our 2007 Fall Recruiting Calendar!

Author: MM

Let the 2008-2009 Admissions Season Begin!

As we all eagerly await the arrival of the Class of 2010 we are all equally eager to begin recruiting the Class of 2011.  You may now submit applications to the Law School through LSAC.  This year we are taking a big step into the technological age and implementing a "paperless" admissions process.  To that end all applicants must now register with and apply via LSDAS.   

I would now like to give you a little preview of what you can expect to see on the blog over the next six months and why we hope that you will visit it on a regular basis.  My name is Kristen Mercado and you can expect to see my name on many of the posts this year.  I am the Student Services Fellow and a 2004 graduate of the Law School who, just two short months ago, left large law firm practice to return to the Law School.  During my year-long fellowship I will work extensively with the Admissions Office as well collaborating with our fantastic Office of Career Services (or as we call them around here "OCS") and our Dean of Students Office.  I hope that my decision to return to the Law School tells you something about what a great experience U of C offers. 

But you don’t have to just take my word for it.  Throughout the year you can read accounts by other alumni as part of a new series called "Uniquely U of C."  Some of our most distinguished alumni will describe what made their Law School experience "unique" and the many opportunities their U of C education afforded them. 

In addition, you'll see a variety of "Tricks and Tips" to guide you through the often overwhelming law school application process.  We will also give you recaps of all the great things that go on here at the Law School on a daily basis.  Just a few examples of the types of activities available to our students include lunchtime talks by faculty and visiting speakers, our annual auction benefiting the Law School’s public interest foundation, the incoming 1L student orientation, and 2L on-campus interviewing.  Our admissions team will also update you on all the law school forums and other stops on our busy fall travel schedule where you can speak with us in person.  Finally you can look forward to introductions from all the members of our dedicated administrative team who work behind the scenes to make each law student's three years as enjoyable and painless as possible.

We hope you visit the blog often for updates as the Class of 2011 takes shape!!

Transfer Season

Now that the 3Ls have graduated, the 2Ls are at summer camp their summer jobs, and the 1Ls have successfully completed their finals and are beginning their first legal jobs, it is time to review transfer applications!

I have great respect for students who seek to transfer, because they typically have great grades at their 1L school, and likely would have good job prospects, journal and moot court opportunities, and possibly scholarships and other perks available to them. The willingness to leave that behind shows a great deal of initiative and enthusiasm to study law at Chicago. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, Chicago is very transfer-friendly because of our late-starting calendar, the quarter system, and our small size. This year, we are allowing transfer applicants to participate in the Journal writing competition, which will allow them to compete for membership in one of our student-run legal journals as a 2L.   

Evaluating transfer applications is always an interesting and challenging process. As with our regular applicant pool, it is full of talented students who are eager to study at Chicago. One thing that makes it especially challenging is the various grading systems and curves at different law schools. Trying to compare law school A to law school B takes time and effort, to be sure. Luckily there are only 190 law schools, so we've dealt with almost all of them. 

In case you were wondering, we evaluate our transfer applicants primarily on the law school they attended, law school grades, recommendation letters, and personal statement. LSAT is not very important (it tries to predict law school performance, but transfers have 1L grades that demonstrate performance), and while we certainly review the undergraduate transcripts, undergraduate grades are much less important than their law school performance.

So good luck if you are considering joining our 2L class next year, I am happy to report that last year's transfer class has done very well, as reported earlier. 

Decision Day

So May 1 has come and gone, and by now hopefully you have figured out where you are going  next year! I thought you might be interested in hearing what decision day is like from our perspective. 

The week before the deadline is a relatively quiet one, as most of our file reading and recruiting is finished, and admits have mostly finished their campus visits, questions, and research. We spent some of the week trying to predict how many responses we will receive, running reports, calling friends at other schools and comparing this year to previous years. If the data looks similar to last year, we worry about the similarity, and if it is different, we speculate about the difference (for example, our admit weekend was two weeks earlier last year and overlapped with Northwestern...did that affect anything?) The week is also spent readying our waitlist for any openings after the deadline. This is always exciting, because everyone on the committee has favorites they are pulling for, and it invariably leads to passionate and sometimes heated discussion.

Because of the uncertainty, excitement, and massive effort involved in recruiting, this time always reminds me of the time right after exams: you've tried your hardest, but you regret the things you could have done better; the blog posts you didn't write, the new programs you didn't publicize, or the admits that you wanted to talk to. There is never enough time to get everything done!

One unique aspect of our deadline is that we do not require a money deposit. This is a long tradition, as we are uncomfortable taking $500 from our cash-strapped admits to hold their spots in next year's class. Our response form has three options that students can select:

• Option 1 states that they will definitely attend, and can see no reasons that would prevent them from attending;
• Option 2 states that they will probably attend, but have conditions that may prevent them from attending (the condition is often a waitlist at another school, a family uncertainty, or a financial concern;) and
• Option 3 states that they will not attend the University of Chicago Law School next year and would like to be withdrawn from our process. 

We have found this system very good at helping us determine our class, and allows us to know who may drop out over the summer. $500, while useful in other ways, doesn't do that!

You will be happy to know that we also eagerly await every day's mail, as this time of year can bring up to 20 response forms a day. We also receive many forms by email and fax, so we are constantly checking for updates as the days go on. Amazingly, we never get any response from a small number of admits, I hope that those future lawyers learn the importance of deadlines and responsiveness before appearing in court!

Admitted Students Weekend

At the end of this week,  we will be welcoming over 150 admitted students to spend the weekend at the Law School.  They will get a feel what life will be like as a law student and get to know the City of Chicago.  The weekend starts Thursday evening with a reception downtown at the law firm of Schiff Hardin which is in the Sears Tower.  There will be great views of the City of Chicago and an opportunity to speak with current students and alumni.  Later in the evening they will be joining current students for some more socializing in the Wrigleville area of city, home of the Chicago Cubs. 

Bright and early Friday morning students will gather at the Law School for a full day of activity.  The first event is a town hall meeting with Dean Saul Levmore who will give a good overview of the Law School.  Next we will have a panel highlightening some of our terrific faculty speaking about the "Legal Access to Information in the Information Age".  Next is lunch and each of the admits will meet their student host.  There will be plenty of food the whole weekend!!  In the afternoon students will hear information about student life, career services and financial aid.  They also will be able to attend actual classes.   At the end of the day there is more socializing with the faculty/student trivia contest finals, student organizational fair, and Wine Mess.  In the evening the students are able to explore another part of the city with their hosts.

Saturday starts with breakfast and a talk by Maria Woltjen, the Director of the Immigrant Children's Advocacy Program which is the newest addition to our clinic.  The students then will have a task of being a student because we will have a mock class with Professor David Strauss.  Finally there is lunch and a tour of housing options.  This weekend if very full but we feel it gives our students a good idea of what being a student at Chicago is all about!