Preparing for your first law school fair? Nearly every current law student has been there! Whether you're attending a law school fair virtually or visiting in-person, you're probably wondering—how does one get the most out of the experience?
Law school fairs are an opportunity to gain valuable insight on the schools that you're considering applying to. By preparing prior to the fair, and knowing what you can expect to walk into during the event, you'll be ready to get in, get out, and get applying to your top schools of choice!
Before You Attend the Fair
- Think about your “why.” Why do you want to attend law school, and what are you looking for in an institution? You want a good answer to these questions before heading into a law fair, because you will be asked. Many times. It may even help to come up with a short and sweet elevator pitch.
- Jot down a list of your 'must visit booths'. If there are already a few schools that are peaking your interest, you’ll probably want to prioritize speaking with them. If you’re brand new to the law school search process, looking at a list of attendees will help you to familiarize yourself with the schools you can expect to be involved.
- Do your homework. It's best to 'walk into' (or in some cases, 'click to enter') a law school fair with specific questions for the schools that interest you. This will be a great opportunity to engage with a school on a more personal level than just email. Asking questions also means that they’ll see that you’re the kind of motivated student they should be paying attention to.
- Scope out the schedule. In addition to the standard networking opportunities and booth visits, law school fairs may include information sessions or panel discussions with admissions folks or current law students. Check for them ahead of time and go if you can!
- Dress the part. Remember, virtual or in-person, this is your chance to make a great first impression. You won’t go wrong with business casual attire. Bonus: Dressing for success will ensure that you're feeling confident and prepared!
Making the Most of the Fair
- Don’t rule anyone out. This is the time to really explore your law school options! Take advantage of it by casting a wide net, and gathering as much information as you can.
- Use your time wisely. There will inevitably be a plethora of booths to check out, and your attention span will only allow you to click through the fair for so long. Use your time wisely! If you're 100% certain you're going to apply to a certain law school, you may not need to spend a lot of time—or any—learning more about them at the virtual law fair.
- Plan to deep dive after the fact. It's a guarantee that every booth you walk up to will have a range of brochures and information packets for you to take home. On the flip side, virtual booths will have a ton of downloads and resources available to participants. From information about scholarships, to academic concentrations, to lists of their student organizations on campus. Don't feel the need to review and digest it all immediately, materials can be explored in greater depth later on.
- Give them your email. Yes, you’ll end up with a pretty full inbox, but these emails can give you a helpful sense of what the school is all about and what they value. Admissions representatives will also mark you as showing what they call “demonstrated interest,” and every formal interaction with the school like this shows just how much you want to attend, which can sometimes tip the scales in your favor.
- Remember the little things. Be genuine about why you're interested in a particular school. Remember that there's no such thing as a stupid question. And always thank people for their time. Even though law school admissions folks see hundreds of students during these events, they just might remember you—so make sure it’s for the right reasons.
Related: Plan a law school visit
Questions to Ask When Talking to Schools
Even though you definitely want to come up with some questions of your own, these should help get you started:
- What is your community like?
- What are the demographics of your student body?
- How engaged and accessible are the faculty?
- What is the most unique experiential learning opportunity you offer?
- What are you looking for in law school applicants?
- What is your policy for evaluating multiple LSAT scores?
- What scholarships are available and what’s the application process?
- How do you prepare students for the bar exam?
- How can I get in touch with current students or faculty for informational interviews?
- I’m interested in [fill in the blank] law; what might my path look like at your school?
- What kinds of support services do you offer students?
- Do you offer mental health resources?
- Why did you choose to work at the school?
- Why did you choose to attend the school? (Admissions reps are sometimes alumni themselves! And this is the perfect question to ask them.)
And there you have it: everything you need to know to make the most of your next law school fair. It might feel like information overload. But you’ll leave more excited for your future than you can possibly imagine.
We hope to see you at a law school fair soon! You can find our upcoming fair visits and other recruitment events here.