Law School Fair

Visit as many schools as you can and ask questions you won’t be able to read about on their website.

• Don’t limit your table stops. What you think you know about a school may be quite different from the reality.
• Engage in conversation about your particular interests and how their school/programs offered may fit them.

Prepare your elevator speech - interaction time can be limited, let this be your personal selling statement.

• Greeting: “Hello my name is [NAME]”
• Educational Background: “I’m majoring in [MAJOR] with an area of concentration/minor in [CONCENTRATION/MINOR] and graduate in [YEAR]”
• Description of Interests: I’m interested in [OPPORTUNITY] because of my experience in [FIELD]” or “my goal is to [GOAL]”
• Strengths and Experiences: 5-10 seconds
• Closing: “I’m hoping you could [ASK]", I’d love to speak with you about [TOPIC]”, I’m very interested in learning about [TOPIC/AREA]”

Don’t ask about minimum GPA and test scores, instead ask about how non-academic factors are valued.

• Catalog minimums are nowhere near the class averages and ranges of the scores preferred by the admissions committees. Ask about those instead (if you must).
• How much weight is given to the personal statement? What clichés should be avoided?
• What makes letters valuable? How can they stand out?
• How can you articulate special or unique circumstances (working full-time, academic misstep, career change)?

Ask about the curriculum – organization and structure can vary.

• Are there any experiential or clinical opportunities available to students?
• How are classes taught the first year? In the second? Are there electives, or are classes the same for all?

Ask about the cost of attendance rather than cost of tuition – the two can vary greatly.

• What is the average cost of attendance? What are average rent costs in the area?
• Are there scholarships? Or do most students take loans to finance education and living expenses?
• What is the average graduating student debt load?
• What are the criteria and procedures for obtaining state residency status while in law school?

Ask about scholarships and financing law school.

• How do most students finance law school? Are there scholarships available to students?
• Tip: Visit Enrollment Services and then search AccessLex.org to learn more

Ask about the student body – who your future classmates are should be important to you.

• What undergrad majors, undergrad schools and/or states are most represented?
• What is the gender, racial or ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds of a typical class?
• How competitive or collaborative are students? Can you share some specific examples?
• Are students ranked against each other? What factors are used?
• What does diversity mean at your law school?
• What should I know about writing a diversity statement versus a personal statement?

And you can also ask about:

• School setting – part of a university or stand-alone? Urban, suburban or rural?
• Housing – on-campus, off-campus nearby or farther away?
• Access to non-academic campus facilities you have come to expect (rec center, food court, intramurals)?
• Bar passage rates and school-sponsored preparation?
• Career services, graduate destinations, alumni network?

Over 100 excited pre-law students attend this annual event, check back this spring once registration opens.

Registration includes:

• A six-foot table for up to two representatives
• Catered lunch
• Parking
• Assistance from student volunteers and UC staff

If you have questions, please contact PPAC advisor and Law School Fair coordinator, Veronica Joiner, at veronica.joiner@uc.edu.