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Something we encounter all too often is applicants who put so much pressure on themselves when they are taking the LSAT that it ends up being counterproductive, barring them from performing near the highest level of which they are capable. If we can help calm even one test-taker's nerves with this podcast, it will be worth it.
Something we encounter all too often is applicants who put so much pressure on themselves when they are taking the LSAT that it ends up being counterproductive, barring them from performing near the highest level of which they are capable. If we can help calm even one test-taker's nerves with this podcast, it will be worth it.
Note: You can also listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or SoundCloud. The blog post Mike mentions in the podcast is here.
Also check out a related blog post on "The Over-Estimated Impact of Median LSAT Change on USNWR Rankings." And our rankings/data tool for comparing law schools, My Rank.
Do resume gaps hurt your law school admissions chances? Is the so-called "KJD tax" real? And how much do GPA and LSAT medians actually matter?
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike Spivey and Spivey Consulting President Anna Hicks-Jaco answer questions submitted by the Reddit law school admissions community.
They discuss employment gaps, high-turnover jobs, low undergraduate GPAs, and how admissions committees evaluate applicants who have overcome significant adversity. They also explore the value of work experience, whether graduate GPAs can strengthen an application, and how schools set target LSAT medians.
Mike and Anna also share their perspectives on the GRE versus the LSAT, the growing acceptance of JD-Next, and why applicants should be cautious about misleading admissions advice online.
Additional resources and notes:
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @SpiveyConsulting for more law school admissions insights, updates, and resources.
What makes a great law school personal statement opening sentence? In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike Spivey is joined by Sarah Zearfoss (Dean Z), Senior Assistant Dean at the University of Michigan Law School and former Dean of Admissions, to evaluate five famous opening lines from literature and discuss how they would work as personal statement introductions.
They explore the importance of authenticity and avoiding overly dramatic writing (1:41), finding the balance between creativity and trying too hard (2:16), writing about family and making bold claims (3:47), and keeping the focus on your own story (5:22). They also discuss using personal growth and reflection to create compelling openings (6:35) and navigating political or controversial topics in law school applications (7:13).
Through their reactions and occasional disagreements, Mike and Dean Z offer insights into what makes an opening sentence memorable- and what might make an admissions officer think twice.
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco shares 20 easy law school application fixes crowdsourced from Spivey Consulting Group’s team of former admissions officers. From essay formatting and résumé consistency to application form mistakes and final submission checks, these are common issues that may seem minor individually but can collectively affect how polished and detail-oriented your application appears.
Timestamps:
1:57 — #1
3:03 — #2
3:34 — #3
4:04 — #4
4:41 — #5
5:15 — #6
5:44 — #7
6:11 — #8
6:28 — #9
6:47 — #10
7:23 — #11
7:36 — #12
8:03 — #13
8:30 — #14
8:51 — #15
9:06 — #16
9:56 — #17
10:18 — #18
10:39 — #19
11:00 — #20
