How to Do a Law School Visit Forum

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cantyoloforever

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How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by cantyoloforever » Mon Sep 05, 2016 5:30 pm

What does one typically wear on a law school visit? Would a polo be too dressed down? Would a coat and tie be too dressed up?

What are some good questions to ask?

Should one bring a resume?

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floatie

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by floatie » Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:06 pm

From what I saw during my law school visits, people normally wore business casual or sometimes formal, with way more wearing business casual. On the visits that I went to, I didn't really get a chance to talk to the admissions committee member since there were 70+ people at the visit, so I don't really see the point in bringing a resume. What I would say though is wear whatever would be comfortable and presentable. You'll likely be going on a tour and you don't want to be the person wincing while wearing 6" heels (or whatever the equivalent uncomfortable shoe type is for men)

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KMart

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by KMart » Mon Sep 05, 2016 11:24 pm

A button down and chinos for a male. I can't do the female equivalent of this (nice dress?). Don't over think it; be normal.

cantyoloforever

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by cantyoloforever » Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:31 am

floatie wrote:From what I saw during my law school visits, people normally wore business casual or sometimes formal, with way more wearing business casual. On the visits that I went to, I didn't really get a chance to talk to the admissions committee member since there were 70+ people at the visit, so I don't really see the point in bringing a resume. What I would say though is wear whatever would be comfortable and presentable. You'll likely be going on a tour and you don't want to be the person wincing while wearing 6" heels (or whatever the equivalent uncomfortable shoe type is for men)
I'm doing a personal visit; interviewing with an admissions counselor, going on a tour, visiting a class, etc.

I'll print one out just in case

cantyoloforever

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by cantyoloforever » Tue Sep 06, 2016 10:32 am

KMart wrote:A button down and chinos for a male. I can't do the female equivalent of this (nice dress?). Don't over think it; be normal.
Reason why I'm feeling the polo/shorts option is that I sweat like a crazy person (and it will be in the 90s plus humidity where I'm visiting), and I don't want to be drenched during the interview haha.

Edit - for those of you seriously invested in this breathtaking saga, I decided to go business casual

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floatie

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by floatie » Tue Sep 06, 2016 12:40 pm

cantyoloforever wrote:
floatie wrote:From what I saw during my law school visits, people normally wore business casual or sometimes formal, with way more wearing business casual. On the visits that I went to, I didn't really get a chance to talk to the admissions committee member since there were 70+ people at the visit, so I don't really see the point in bringing a resume. What I would say though is wear whatever would be comfortable and presentable. You'll likely be going on a tour and you don't want to be the person wincing while wearing 6" heels (or whatever the equivalent uncomfortable shoe type is for men)
I'm doing a personal visit; interviewing with an admissions counselor, going on a tour, visiting a class, etc.

I'll print one out just in case
Oh OK, in that case I would bring one.

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KMart

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by KMart » Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:14 pm

floatie wrote:
cantyoloforever wrote:
floatie wrote:From what I saw during my law school visits, people normally wore business casual or sometimes formal, with way more wearing business casual. On the visits that I went to, I didn't really get a chance to talk to the admissions committee member since there were 70+ people at the visit, so I don't really see the point in bringing a resume. What I would say though is wear whatever would be comfortable and presentable. You'll likely be going on a tour and you don't want to be the person wincing while wearing 6" heels (or whatever the equivalent uncomfortable shoe type is for men)
I'm doing a personal visit; interviewing with an admissions counselor, going on a tour, visiting a class, etc.

I'll print one out just in case
Oh OK, in that case I would bring one.
I'd bring one just in case but when I visited they never asked for one.

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New_Spice180

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by New_Spice180 » Tue Sep 06, 2016 1:30 pm

Recently visited UVA (the humidity is crazy) had the chance to one on one with the dean there and I wore the following: coat, light dress shirt, no tie, chinos, and dress shoes. Thinking about everything again, I wouldn't have done the coat, but I went there for four years so I'm slightly used to the weather anyway.

cantyoloforever

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by cantyoloforever » Tue Sep 06, 2016 9:02 pm

It ended up being fine; didn't think about the fact that the visit would take place inside the entire time lol. Granted walking there was a challenge, but I was able to dry off once I got inside haha

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bmathers

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by bmathers » Tue Sep 06, 2016 11:29 pm

I've been on 2 visits (both after already being accepted). On the first, I wore khakis and a nice blazer. On the second one, I was on a business trip in Atlanta and was able to drop by the school. It was between 95-100 out, high humidity, and I had to walk to the school - so, I honestly was in gym shorts, flip flops, and I may have even had a tank top on (it was on fitness-related business, so that's the kind of stuff I had in my suitcase)? I don't think my attire knocked their socks off, but the tour went well.

Whatever you wear, it can't be any worse than I wore on my second tour, and that worked out alright - unless you decide to wear a spedo or go naked, which I would highly advise against.

P.S. Now that I think of it, I even met the dean in my flip flops

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Rupert Pupkin

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by Rupert Pupkin » Mon Sep 12, 2016 11:41 pm

bmathers wrote:I've been on 2 visits (both after already being accepted). On the first, I wore khakis and a nice blazer. On the second one, I was on a business trip in Atlanta and was able to drop by the school. It was between 95-100 out, high humidity, and I had to walk to the school - so, I honestly was in gym shorts, flip flops, and I may have even had a tank top on (it was on fitness-related business, so that's the kind of stuff I had in my suitcase)? I don't think my attire knocked their socks off, but the tour went well.

Whatever you wear, it can't be any worse than I wore on my second tour, and that worked out alright - unless you decide to wear a spedo or go naked, which I would highly advise against.

P.S. Now that I think of it, I even met the dean in my flip flops
Must have been Gucci Flip Flops LOL

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KissMyAxe

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by KissMyAxe » Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:30 am

You're overthinking this. Do NOT wear a suit or coat if you're sitting in on classes. At least at my school, I've seen one student wear a suit at any point (he was in charge of the moot court intro meeting). No one's going to be impressed with your suit, and it might weird some of your potential future classmates out. Just wear whatever is comfortable to you. A button down and khakis is obviously fine, but a polo is not dressed down. Hell, for my tour of my school, I was recovering from some surgery, so comfort was of upmost importance to me, and I wore a tshirt, basketball shorts, and sockless moccasins. I had a great conversation with the dean and the admissions officers and it obviously didn't affect my admission. I know it's normal for law applicants to be neurotic over everything, but really, no one cares or will remember what you were wearing. Just don't worry about it.

I also would not bring a resume. If they wanted one, they'd ask for it. And if you've already applied, they have your file right by their desk anyway.
It's just really weird to walk in holding your resume.

For questions, what do you want to know about the school? I'm assuming if you're touring, you're interested in attending. So you should probably have a couple questions already. But some safety questions are things like: how difficult is it to get on a clinic during your law school career? What advice would you give an incoming law student for achieving success? and my favorite "What do you like most about living in "insert city here"?

acr

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by acr » Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:35 am

Just go and be normal.

The most important aspect of the visit is to make sure to remember to ask them to validate your parking

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bmathers

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by bmathers » Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:06 am

KissMyAxe wrote: I also would not bring a resume. If they wanted one, they'd ask for it. And if you've already applied, they have your file right by their desk anyway.
It's just really weird to walk in holding your resume.
Yes, I've never brought anything to a LS visit. On a visit, they are potentially getting to know you as a person... a resume just reflects you as a person on paper and a series of numbers (LSAT/GPA), that's not really what this is about. Just be comfortable and relatable.

cantyoloforever

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by cantyoloforever » Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:51 pm

Thanks for the advice everyone, but you're about a week too late; visit was great, and my interviewer definitely appreciated me bringing in a resume :)

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bmathers

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by bmathers » Fri Nov 25, 2016 9:11 pm

jagerbom79 wrote:
bmathers wrote:I've been on 2 visits (both after already being accepted). On the first, I wore khakis and a nice blazer. On the second one, I was on a business trip in Atlanta and was able to drop by the school. It was between 95-100 out, high humidity, and I had to walk to the school - so, I honestly was in gym shorts, flip flops, and I may have even had a tank top on (it was on fitness-related business, so that's the kind of stuff I had in my suitcase)? I don't think my attire knocked their socks off, but the tour went well.

Whatever you wear, it can't be any worse than I wore on my second tour, and that worked out alright - unless you decide to wear a spedo or go naked, which I would highly advise against.

P.S. Now that I think of it, I even met the dean in my flip flops
Must have been Gucci Flip Flops LOL
Just an update on Flip-flop Gate: The school just accepted me for this cycle and said that they remember when I visited, so it doesn't seem that my attire adversely affected much of anything (and that's in gym shorts, a ratty tank top, and flip-flops).

Just be comfortable, confident, and be yourself -- for any future person wondering.

armc808

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by armc808 » Sun Jan 01, 2017 10:16 pm

Not sure why it would matter what you wore, especially if you're visiting a school you've been accepted to. Just dress comfortably.

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KMart

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by KMart » Mon Jan 02, 2017 7:35 pm

armc808 wrote:Not sure why it would matter what you wore, especially if you're visiting a school you've been accepted to. Just dress comfortably.
If you're not accepted, I can definitely create an outfit for you to get your application thrown out.

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by armc808 » Mon Jan 02, 2017 11:59 pm

KMart wrote:
armc808 wrote:Not sure why it would matter what you wore, especially if you're visiting a school you've been accepted to. Just dress comfortably.
If you're not accepted, I can definitely create an outfit for you to get your application thrown out.
Be my guest. I wore jeans, a t shirt, and a light jacket when I visited, basically what I wear every day.

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arroznueve

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by arroznueve » Wed Jan 04, 2017 6:08 pm

Wear a sweatshirt from a rivaling law school to make them really work for your business tbh.

Matthew Jones

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by Matthew Jones » Mon Jan 23, 2017 6:17 pm

First of all, it's better to wear something comfortable and presentable in order to feel confident.

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zot1

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by zot1 » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:47 pm

Don't drink too much.

allenwood

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by allenwood » Tue Feb 14, 2017 6:14 am

If i'll be there I wear simple dress pent, shirt with dress shoes. It can be comfortable for everyone

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zot1

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by zot1 » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:35 am

Be more comfortable than that. Usually the school tells you if an event requires you to dress up. So do bring the coat to the hotel, but for the most part, keeping it casual really is better.

Don't bring a resume. No one will ask you for one. And if they do, that'd be weird.

I would look up some of the professors. Chances are you will meet some of them. I impressed one of my professors when I had read one of his books (I didn't do this on purpose... I had read the book not for purposes of my visit).

Ask current students about what jobs they have lined up, how their peers are doing looking for jobs, and what kind of support they get from the school re finding jobs. I really don't think anything else is as important as learning about this.

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Re: How to Do a Law School Visit

Post by cam1992 » Sun Mar 19, 2017 6:19 pm

This week I will be visiting a law school that I am wait listed at. I am fitting the visit in between a work trip, so I will not have any time other than the official visit and a class visit. Just wondering, is there anyone who should receive a thank-you note after my visit? I haven't sent any letters to other tour guides (all students), but I am extra curious because I am hoping to get off of the waitlist! Thanks.

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