Visiting a law school is an essential part of your decision process. To make the visit as valuable as you can, plan ahead. Most schools have formally scheduled tours and information sessions or options to sit in on classes. Ideally, law schools would like several days notice if you wish to personalize your visit.
First, consider your time constraints and flexibility. In Chicago for example, we have six law schools. You would need at least 4 days to visit all of them, due in part to physical locations but also to allow enough time for a good visit.
Second, decide what you wish to learn during your visit. Is it to learn the basics during the prospective stage of your process? Is it to learn about specific programs once you have narrowed your list of schools? Is it to determine if the environment and academic nature of the school matches your needs once you have been admitted?
These are questions you should consider when scheduling each of your law school visits. Options for an individual visit could include the following:
- Class visit
- Speaking with faculty in a specific are of law
- Talking with current students about their experiences
- Meeting with the Admission staff for gathering information or clarifying the process
If you want to accomplish all four, you will need a minimum of 3 hours for your visit. You will also need to give the law school admission office a minimum of three days to ensure all parties are available.
Try to be as flexible as possible for the time of day you will visit. For example, at Loyola Chicago we have no classes on Friday, so there will be limitations on your visit in addition to no class visits. Many students and faculty choose to work from home that day, but are willing to come in if they receive advanced notice.
Remember that you do not need to meet with the Dean of Admission during your visit. Each office is very small, and many times an Admission Counselor is the better option, since their knowledge of the school is good and they also have met with many candidates and know what questions to pose to you. Their input on the decision process may not be an actual vote, but it is an essential component, since their opinion counts.
Scheduling Your Visit
Have your dates and times ready, and again be flexible. If calling, speak with the person who answers the phone. If they are not the person responsible for scheduling visits, you will be transferred to the right person. Make sure you provide your email and phone as a contact, in case they need to contact you. Identify where you are in the admission process. Indicate if you are travelling a distance to visit, particularly if you are flying in the day you plan to visit. That way if you are delayed, a quick call can help to rearrange your schedule for the day, so your visit will still be beneficial.
Tips for the Day of Your Visit
You don’t need to wear business attire, but choose your wardrobe carefully. We still talk about the girl who came dressed for the beach. Casual and weather coordinated clothing is fine, but it is important to keep in mind that you will be making an impression as much as learning about the school. Do your best to make sure the impression you make is a positive one.
Come prepared with a list of questions you need answered. They should be arranged in a hierarchy based on importance to you because there is no way to predict how much time your conversation may take, and you don’t want to walk away without crucial information you need. Arrive 10 minutes ahead of your scheduled visit. That way you can make a trip to the restroom, catch your breath, and collect your thoughts before the meeting. If you are visiting a city for the first time, you should plan on at least 30 minutes ahead of time, so you can peruse the neighborhood of the school. And if you are driving, you should have the location of where you are parking that day in your GPS. While we want your funds, this is not the day to have to drive around looking for street parking!
Bring a notebook to keep track of the information you will receive. Today is not the day for using an iPad. You disengage when you have to type rather than jotting a note. Turn off your cell phone. We have heard very interesting tunes in the middle of our conversations.
Smile!!! This is not an interrogation. It is a conversation. During your visit, try to work in why you are looking at the school. You don’t need to sell yourself, but emphasize your level of interest in the school.
Make sure you collect a business card from the staff person you meet. It will have the direct office contact information. And while you don’t always need to speak with the person you met, it is good as a reference for follow-up.
After your visit
Rewrite your notes, so you can add impressions and facts you didn’t have time to jot down during the visit. This will help you recollect better, and is particularly important if you are visiting several schools on the same day.
It is not necessary to write a thank you note, unless you established a strong rapport with the staff person. A general email thanking the staff for arranging your visit is sufficient. Most schools will record your visit in your application file so they will remember you visited.
We hope you will have the time and ability to visit all the law schools to which you are admitted. That visit can confirm the perception you have of the school. More importantly, it will help you discern if this is the environment in which you can thrive.
If you would like to schedule a visit to Loyola University Chicago School of Law, you may do so here.