The Most Common Law School Interview Questions

The Most Common Law School Interview Questions

Law school interviews are usually one of the last steps before a decision is made to accept or reject you. No big deal, right? (Wrong. Obviously, wrong. BIG deal!) Law school admittance interviews allow the admission officers around the country to put a face to your name. More importantly, the interview process allows admission departments to observe you under pressure and evaluate how you answer tough questions. Ideally, admission departments want to see an applicant who is poised, confident, and persuasive. That sounds hunky-dory, except there’s only one problem. Interviews are hard, let alone interviews that potentially determine the next three years of your life! We understand the pressure (because JD Advising is made up of awesome attorneys) and know exactly how you feel. We all were in your shoes at some point. That’s why we decided to gather the most common law school interview questions and combine them into one blog post. We’re sure that you’re likely to encounter at least one of these questions during a law school interview. Whether you have a law school interview coming up or are just curious, here are the most common interview questions.

Be sure to check out our other post on more interview tips here!

The Most Common Law School Interview Questions

Why Do You Want To Become A Lawyer?

Ahh, the age-old “so why do you want this job?” question. Applicants need to show they feel strongly about law school and that they’re confident in the decision to attend. Signs of hesitation will be met with skepticism and interviewers may not take an applicant seriously. Law school is a big choice and admissions departments want an applicant who understands the journey ahead. Law schools want students who desire to be lawyers, not students who didn’t know what else to do with themselves. This is the perfect question to have a casually rehearsed answer for.

Why Did You Apply To This Law School Specifically?

Again, another form of the “so why did you choose this company” question. First, you never want to give the interviewer the impression that you applied to every school possible. Sure, you might have, but that’s for you to know. You want to talk about what the school means to you or what attracted you to the school. You could also talk about how you want to remain in the area after law school to practice law. Just like people, law schools like to feel that you appreciate the unique opportunities that they have to offer. Check out our law school interview services here!

How Would You Contribute To Your Law School Class?

This is a great question to show off your background knowledge of the school and its offerings. For example, imagine the school offers a renowned intellectual property program. You could highlight your interest in joining the associated journal, working with a specific professor, or creating a new club. This question is also a great opportunity to talk less about the academic side of things and more about yourself. Your past experiences, culture, and background not only make you unique but also factor into what you can offer. If you wrote a diversity essay, you could lean on some of the essay’s themes when discussing your unique contributions to the class. 

Describe This Item On Your Resumé

Well, we can only get you so far. You have to know your resumé inside and out! A law school interviewer could potentially ask you anything about your prior experience. Keep in mind that a resumé can only say so much and your input on certain items is important. No matter how minute an experience was, be prepared to talk about it. Always talk positively about experiences on your resumé and avoid focusing on the negatives. For example, what you learned from an experience, how it made you grow, and how it shaped your professional outlook.  Follow that up with how you plan to take what you’ve learned and apply it in law school. Voila! 

How Do You Think Your Undergraduate Major Will Help You In Law School?

No matter what you studied, whether English or bioengineering, every major has aspects that could be helpful in law school. You may think, “well how does my math major translate over into law school?” While at first it may look like it doesn’t translate, talk about the analytical and critical thinking skills you learned. While the majority of law school applicants major in the humanities, plenty major in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

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