Cornell Law School Admissions Dean | Interview

This is the 4th post in the "Better Know a Law School" series. Richard Geiger is Cornell Law School’s Associate Dean for Enrollment and Communications. He received his law degree from Boston University and after clerking for a federal district court judge, practiced at law firms in Washington, D.C. and Boston. From 2003-2005, he served as Chairman of the Board of the Law School Admission Council. Cornell ranked 12th among law schools in US News and World Report this year.

1. What's special about Cornell's international law program? What can someone specializing in international law do during their time at Cornell and beyond?

International law has been a signature program at Cornell for a very long time. What makes it special at this point is that it covers not just the curricular elements you would expect from a top law school, but the programmatic and institutional elements as well. For example, even though we’re a relatively small law school, we have formal study abroad relationships with 15 different law schools around the world; we offer summer institutes in Paris and Suzhou, China; and our degree possibilities include two different U.S./French law degrees, a U.S./German law degree, a three-year J.D./ LL.M. in international and comparative law, and a J.D. with a specialization in international legal affairs. We’re also part of a truly wonderful university that has a wide range of international area studies and other programs that are available to our students for course credit, or just for enrichment. All of this means that our students end up with excellent career options in both private and public international law.


2. The FAQ section of your website emphasizes that all applications are read thoroughly. Would you please describe the typical application review process and how much time is devoted to each part of the application?

Our process is aimed at getting to know the answers to two basic questions: (1) is the person likely to thrive academically at our school; and (2) will he or she be the kind of person who will actively engage not only the classroom environment, but everything else that goes on here. To assess these things, we rely on every part of the application. There is no real formula to it because everyone is different. In fact, we shy away from numerical cut-offs and mechanical approaches precisely because we don’t want to miss people for whom the numbers simply aren’t good predictors of success. Remember, we’re a small school and we can’t hide admissions mistakes. This gives us a strong incentive to get it right.


3. Your website makes it seem like professors are accessible to students 24/7. While I'm exaggerating here, are they really that down-to-earth and open to student contact? How do they have the time? Shouldn't they spend their time writing in journals and taking cases to court?

Great question. How is it that our faculty can consistently be rated as top scholars and top teachers, and still have time to engage with our students personally? The short answer is that the faculty/student culture really encourages and supports full engagement. Our faculty are consumed not just with their scholarly activities, but with having a real impact on our students. Plus, don’t forget that many of our students are already very accomplished people who faculty enjoy getting to know as individuals. The long answer will require a visit to our school. Spend a day here while we’re in session and all will be made clear! I promise.


4. Anything else?

Just a couple of things: First, city people are often worried about what it will be like in Ithaca for three years. My response to that is to remember that we’re part of a very large university (19,000 or so) and that Ithaca is a very lively place. But more importantly, remember that the law is essentially an urban profession. The common denominator for most of our graduates is that they end up in a major urban area. So, for most of our students, their time in Ithaca may literally be the only time they’ll be able to experience the wonderful lifestyle that a place like Ithaca offers. Second, most people tell me that once they start to get to know more about Cornell they are amazed at the wide range of possibilities we are able to offer our students even though we’re relatively small and not located in a big city. Of course, once again, a visit is the best way to discover the surprises that Cornell and Ithaca offer.

Michigan Law School Admissions Dean | Interview

This is the 3rd post in the "Better Know a Law School" series. Sarah Zearfoss is Assistant Dean and Director of Admissions at the University of Michigan Law School. A member of the Michigan bar, she stays active in the practice of law as a volunteer attorney for the ACLU. Michigan ranked 9th among law schools in US News and World Report this year.

1. To what degree do you use the LSAT's Writing Sample?

A lot of applicants appear to make an assumption that the LSAT writing sample never gets looked at–and that’s not a safe assumption!

We use it in a lot of different ways. At the most basic level, we always at least glance at it, and that means someone who uses only three-quarters of a page out of the available two pages will stand out, as will the folks who draw pictures, or write repeatedly, "I know you’re not reading this." And I don’t mean that they stand out in the way that one hopes to in the admissions process.

For some applications, we routinely take a much closer look, particularly when we have reason to be concerned about writing abilities (based on a major or something else in the background suggesting a lack of writing experience, or based on a comment in a recommendation letter, or based on writing quality elsewhere in the application). The standard in those cases isn’t a highly rigorous one, to be sure, but we’re looking for a lack of mimicry between the question and the answer, a facility with basic grammar and spelling, and a reasonably coherent argument. It’s surprising how frequently people don’t meet that minimal standard.

And apart from how Admissions Office staff views the sample, there are always the faculty, an unpredictable lot. At Michigan, faculty don’t have a heavy involvement in reviewing files, but I would say at least 50% of those who do look at files consider the LSAT writing sample as the single most interesting element of the application materials. No, I’m not kidding. My colleagues at some other schools have confirmed this idiosyncrasy.

Bottom-line, applicants would be well-served to approach the writing sample with seriousness. You have to sit there for the duration anyway, so you might as well put a little effort into it, right? Treating it cavalierly could leave a big negative impression on a reviewer.


2. What are some changes that students at Michigan would like to see, and what is Michigan doing to implement these changes?

I hear a pretty steady drumbeat of requests for a more tropical climate, but we resist this–I have the power, absolutely, but I choose not to use it because I think it would cut down on study time and ultimately result in less-prepared graduates. I have only the best interests of our students at heart.

In all seriousness, I don’t think there are any Major Issues that we see student concerns coalescing around at the moment. If there were, I have no doubt that they’d get a lot of swift attention from the administration, which in my experience is remarkably responsive. But that said, there are certainly often small coalitions around certain topics, and when they come up, sustained attention gets devoted to figuring out the right answer, a process that can take some time.

One recently solved example: we have heard from students in recent years that they would like a clinic with an international law focus. The challenge was how to put that into effect while being committed to Michigan’s vision of clinical work, which involves considerable hands-on involvement by the student attorneys–as opposed to assigning students one small paragraph in a giant brief being actually written by a faculty member for filing with an international court, an experience we didn’t think would provide much pedagogical benefit. The answer has turned out to be, one, an international transactional clinic focusing on microfinance, which just took off this year, and two, a human-trafficking clinic, which will get started next year. Both will involve considerable client involvement, a core value, while having a central international-law component. Those new clinics didn’t come about quickly; it took us a couple of years between starting to get the requests and figuring out the best way to effect the project. But the end result is terrific, and much better for not having been knee-jerk.

Another issue that has been the subject of sustained dialogue between students and administration in recent years involve public-interest funding, and how to come up with more institutional support. That’s an area where we’ve already seen some wonderful changes, such as a commitment to 2L summer funding for public interest jobs--but we’re also in the midst of trying to think of other new, creative solutions.

And a third issue that has been consuming some energy and attention recently is the question of grading and curves. There have been changes at other schools, so some students have naturally questioned whether we should reexamine our own approach–in fact, our faculty and administration raised the question themselves, independently. But that’s a puzzle we’re at the beginning of solving, and it’s not an easy one; we have concerns that moving to, for example, no grades or no curve could result in risk-aversion by legal employers about hiring our students–employers tell us that they worry a lack of grades means a lack of engagement by students, with the result being a poorly educated lawyer. No one wants to do anything that makes it harder for students to get the jobs they want, obviously. So we’re continuing to grapple with these issues; while we may not have come up with a solution yet, it’s not for lack of approaching the question seriously. That, ultimately, is what students should ask of their institution–not that they get a "yes" answer on every request, but that the requests be given attention and consideration.


3. What are some of the most common / funniest mistakes you've seen in students' applications?

Certainly the most common mistake is sending in an impassioned essay about why an applicant desperately wants to attend.... some other law school, not Michigan. Meanwhile, someone in Charlottesville is scratching his head about why the same student is writing at length as to Ann Arbor’s merits as the ideal student community. We try not to hold that against anyone, though, and only rarely do we actually weep at our sense of rejection.

The funniest kind of mistake I see is beginning an essay with a quote that is misattributed. Given that one of the most fundamental skills of a lawyer is research, this usually strikes me as dispositive. I first started as an admissions dean at just this time of year, when a lot of deny letters had already gone out. One denied applicant, very aggrieved, insisted on meeting with me. I now know how completely unproductive these meetings invariably are, but I was very idealistic at the time and agreed to the meeting, thinking I could give some helpful guidance (even though I hadn’t actually been the admissions dean who had made a decision on her application). The first thing I pointed out to her was that her essay misattributed a famous poem to the wrong author, and that the mistake made a really bad first impression. Her reaction was outrage; she said it showed beyond doubt that she had written her own essay, and hadn’t paid a professional to do it, and that was to her credit. Certainly, the quick thinking was to her credit, but doing her own work was a basic expectation, and her argument didn’t result in a different outcome.

Berkeley / Boalt Hall Law School Admissions Dean | Interview

This is the 2nd post in the "Better Know a Law School" series. Edward G. Tom is the Assistant Dean for Admissions at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall). In his spare time, Mr. Tom builds, plays, and collects guitars. Boalt Hall ranked 6th among law schools in US News and World Report this year.

1. Boalt Hall received media coverage in recent months for its "Law School Admission Project: Looking Beyond the LSAT." Would you please comment on your office's involvement, if any? If your office is not involved, what is its opinion regarding the LSAT in light of this project?

The admissions office has been involved to the extent that it provided demographic and statistical information to the research committee and the dean of admissions is a member of the committee. The Admissions Office concurs with the Committee that the LSAT remains a valid tool in determining admission decisions but should be only one of many factors taken into consideration. If there are other valid measurements of success in the profession - something the LSAT does not predict at all - then these tools should be considered for the future.


2. How has the student body changed in recent years?

The student body has evolved in step with society over the years. Perhaps the biggest change has been the level of interest in our interdisciplinary options. Many students are interested in taking advantage of how Berkeley Law can train them to be great lawyers who have a comprehensive understanding of policy issues.


3. In a typical year, what percentage of spots are still open on the day that applications are due?

About 25 percent.


4. In your opinion, what's the best rock band of all time?

That is too hard a question! Too many choices to narrow it to one! Candidates are Grateful Dead, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steely Dan, Cream, and Led Zeppelin.

Virginia Law School Admissions Dean | Interview

This post begins "Better Know a Law School" -- a new series of interviews with law school admissions deans. First up is Jason Wu Trujillo, the Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at the University of Virginia School of Law. Virginia Law ranked 9th among law schools in US News and World Report this year.

1. What percentage of seats are reserved for in-state residents?

While the University of Virginia School of Law does not receive any state funding, we still reserve 40% of our seats for residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia.


2. What can wait-listed / deferred applicants do to improve their chances, and where is the line between an applicant's enthusiasm and obsession?

Wait-listed students can do many things to improve their chances of being made an offer. First, many wait-listed students will choose to retake the LSAT in February or even June. We have made offers from the waiting list due to the results of the June LSAT. If an applicant is still in school, the very best thing they can show is a strong final semester. They should update LSAC with their final grades as soon as they become available. Wait-listed applicants for whom Virginia is their absolute first choice should let us know. I will often receive a letter or email which states that, should an offer become available, the applicant will accept it unhesitatingly. That is a powerful statement and valuable information for me to have. If I have spots available, I will look to those applicants first.

There is a fine line between enthusiasm and obsession. A single letter of interest is sufficient. Even a letter or email once a month is fine. Beyond that, I think you run the risk of being too repetitive.


3. What makes Virginia Law unique? Would you please talk a bit about the student newspaper?

Virginia Law has a unique culture of collegiality. When I was choosing among law schools, I chose Virginia because the students seemed genuinely happy. Unfortunately there is no satisfaction quotient that one can use to measure this. I think the closest measure is the rate at which a school's alumni give back. In our most recent annual giving year, 52% of our alumni gave back to the Law School in the form of a financial contribution. That is #1 in the country and a statistic that truly demonstrates the satisfaction our alums have with their legal education. Moreover, more recent classes have been giving at rates in excess of 90%. If you can get 90% of newly minted lawyers to agree on anything, you are doing something right.

Our student newspaper, the Virginia Law Weekly, has won numerous awards for excellence. It has earned the American Bar Association's Best Law School Newspaper Award three years in a row.


4. Anything else?

I encourage interested students to visit Virginia. You are welcome anytime!