After a brief hiatus, welcome back to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q&A, a monthly feature that provides law school admissions advice to readers who send in questions and admissions profiles.
If you have a question, email us for a chance to be featured next month.
This week, I will discuss how to respond to an invitation to interview if you lack confidence in your interview skills, as well as considerations related to transferring from one law school to another.
[Learn how to navigate five types of law school admissions interviews.]
A few of the schools to which I’ve applied have invited me to interview. On the one hand, these invitations make me feel optimistic about my candidacy. On the other hand, I feel that my interview skills are weak, and I worry that a subpar performance in the interview component could jeopardize my chances of admission. Should I decline the invitations? –Interview-Phobic
Dear Interview- Phobic:
Interviews, though increasingly offered, are not commonplace in the law admissions process. Invitations to interview are extended on a limited basis, so if you are offered the opportunity, you should accept.
Keep in mind that lawyers must have strong oral advocacy skills. An interview is an opportunity for you to advocate orally for your candidacy. In many cases, the interview offer suggests that you are in a group of applicants about which the admissions committee wants to learn more before making a final decision. Delivering a strong interview will go a long way toward getting the offer letter.
Your first step after accepting the invitation should be to research any school-specific interview nuances. Make sure to clarify all logistics; learn about your interviewers, if possible; review any frequently asked questions provided on the school’s website; and learn as much as you can about the school itself, including unique programs of interest, especially if the school is at the top of your list.
Once you’ve done the research, the rest of your preparation should revolve around actual interview practice. Practice answering questions alone, and, if you are able, with a mock interviewer. Work on your delivery, so that responses are thoughtful and thorough but not overly scripted. Present yourself professionally and in a way that conveys self-confidence.
Even if you feel that your interview skills need improvement, declining the invitation is not the right response. Instead, you should sharpen your skills so that your interview becomes the compelling component of your application that pushes you into the acceptance pool of candidates.
Strong interviewing skills will also serve you well in law school and beyond. Seize the opportunity now to become the interviewee for whom any interviewer wants to advocate.
[Try these three tips for law school interview success.]
My GPA and LSAT score are not where I would’ve wanted them to be. Though I have applied to some top-tier schools, I don’t think I have a strong chance of admission to any of them, given my numbers. However, I really want to graduate from a top-20 law school, mainly for the better employment prospects available. If I end up at a lower-tier school, how can I best position myself to transfer to a better ranked law school, and should I even be thinking about transferring at this juncture? –Transfer On My Mind
Dear Transfer On My Mind:
Hopefully you will get into a top law school, despite your doubts. If, however, you don’t, it is perfectly reasonable for you to consider a transfer as a viable option.
That said, I encourage you to make the most of your law school experience wherever you land. Doing so will have the added benefit of positioning you well to transfer to a more desirable law school if you decide to go that route. Here are two key ways to take advantage of 1L opportunities.
[Learn how to stand out as a law school transfer applicant.]
— Maximize your engagement with the curriculum: Quite simply, do the work. Read the required reading, prepare for in-class discussions and study diligently with peers and alone for all exams. Mastery of the core subjects will serve you well in law school, when preparing for the bar exam and in your legal career.
Furthermore, your 1L grades will be critical if you wish to transfer to a higher-ranked law school. If you are looking to transfer to a T14 school, for example, superior grades and a top class ranking are musts. The better you do in your 1L year, the more ambitious you can be in your transfer strategy.
— Cultivate relationships with career services staff and law professors: According to guidelines adopted by the National Association for Law Placement, to which all ABA-accredited law schools subscribe, law schools cannot provide one-on-one career counseling or application document reviews to 1Ls prior to Oct. 15. However, after this date, you should go meet the career services office counselors.
They can become trusted advisers and support you in your career strategy development as well as in the drafting and strengthening of documents that could be used to as part of your transfer application.
Similarly, contribute to in-class discussions and attend professors’ office hours so that you can get to know them. You will likely derive greater satisfaction from your classes if you develop these personal relationships, and you may learn more about the subject from one-on-one conversations. Plus, having these connections will increase your chances of getting a compelling letter of recommendation in support of a transfer application.
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Law School Q&A: Interview, Transfer Considerations originally appeared on usnews.com
