The number of law schools that conduct online interviews with candidates is small but increasing, particularly among the most selective schools.
For some of these law schools, an admissions officer or alum conducts a live interview with select candidates under serious consideration.
Others solicit video responses from all candidates using online software to prompt interviewees with questions and then record their timed responses.
This video interview is usually optional, but it can be a great way for applicants to showcase their ability to communicate professionally.
How Recorded Video Interviews Work
Without a live interviewer, applicants can choose a time slot that works for their schedule. They simply log into the online system and answer a handful of questions. For each question, an interviewee typically has 30 seconds to prepare and then 60 seconds to record a video response.
[READ: 7 Deciding Factors in Law School Admissions]
This basic format varies across some schools. For example, the University of California, Berkeley School of Law currently asks applicants two four-minute oral questions. Cornell Law School in New York typically asks interviewees a mix of questions, some requiring a one-minute video response and others requiring a five-minute written response.
A few law schools, like the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., allow all applicants to submit a brief recorded video on a topic of their choice when they apply.
Why Law Schools Use Recorded Video Interviews
While it may feel awkward and vaguely dystopian to talk to video recording software instead of a person, this system presents several advantages.
First, it reduces bias and subjectivity. Individual interviewers may differ in style or personality, and they may respond better to some people than others. Some candidates may engage with a warm and friendly interviewer, while others feel unnerved by a detached or antagonistic interviewer.
Second, recorded answers allow a whole admissions committee, rather than a single interviewer, to review and evaluate an applicant’s responses. Preselected questions also help to standardize the process.
How to Prepare for a Recorded Video Interview
Treat the interview like a business teleconference meeting. Take care to dress professionally, make eye contact with the camera, enunciate and smile naturally.
[How to Prepare for a Law School Interview]
Schedule the interview at a time that fits your schedule and your energy level. Make sure your webcam is level with your face, your internet connection is steady, your environment is quiet and well lit, and your background is not distracting. Do your best to avoid interruptions by people or pets.
Feel free to use prepared notes about key points you want to hit, but an overly scripted answer will seem forced and unnatural.
Common Recorded Interview Questions
The two most common law school interview questions are, essentially:
1. Why do you want to go to law school?
2. Why are you interested in this law school?
For the first question, spend some time thinking about how to articulate your commitment to a legal career.
For the second, be sure to ground your answer with specific offerings or attributes that excite you about a law school. Research the school’s website to learn more about its strengths.
Beyond those questions, prompts may include “situational” or “behavioral questions” about how you’ve handled various challenges, like leadership, overcoming an unanticipated obstacle or engaging with someone you disagree with. Think ahead about such experiences in your life and what you’ve learned from them so that you have some ready anecdotes to draw from.
More rarely, questions might concern your personal qualities, goals or interests. For example, a prerecorded question might ask about your long-term career goals or what professional accomplishment you are most proud of.
Unlike a live interview, you will not have an opportunity to ask questions.
[Read: Worst Advice Ever Given to Law School Applicants]
Practice Makes Perfect
It can be nerve-wracking to watch the timer count down as you stammer your way through a personal story without the reassurance of a human face. Practice recording answers to common interview questions to cultivate a sense of how long a one-minute answer is.
Use the prep time provided to plan out your responses, to keep them on topic and coherent. For a one-minute response, it’s best to aim to complete your response in about 45 seconds to give yourself a margin of error. The video recording may ruthlessly cut you off mid-sentence.
Avoid repetition. Instead, aim for a professional but conversational tone. Be sure to squarely address the question asked, even if you end up meandering to related topics.
In the end, rest easy. Unlike a job interview, you don’t need to stand out as the absolute best candidate. Law schools accept many of the applicants they interview and are just looking to make sure you can present yourself professionally and think on your feet.
More from U.S. News
Why Law School Location Matters
How to Decide Where to Apply for Law School
How Many Law Schools Should You Apply To?
Law School Video Responses: How to Prepare originally appeared on usnews.com
