LSAC forum

CrazyAmbitious

Hey everyone,

Let me begin by saying how wonderful it is to have such a large student base to discuss concerns with. I stumbled upon this LSAC forum event taking place this fall near me and was curious if anyone else had gone to one ? They have a few events like discussing the application process etc. A big bonus to this event is that a lot of the law schools registered in LSAC are going to be present. With that, I felt it would be a great opportunity to not only get some extra pointers but to also network with the recruiters for these schools. Here's my problem though, I am one of those slow-to-warm-up kind of people and am not sure how to go about taking advantage of this opportunity. Any advice, suggestions or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated ! This whole thing is a new world for me and being that I won't be taking my first lsat until October makes it extra odd for me. (Seems a little difficult to network with schools I desire without giving them something to make me seem desirable) lol

NYC12345

I attended a L.A.W.S. forum with the T14 on June 30th. You will not really have the chance to network with the schools. You will only have time to ask them a few questions. There will be hundreds of students at the LSAC forum, so I imagine it will be even more hectic. I asked for business cards and sent thank you emails the next day. Two representatives responded, while others did not answer.

CrazyAmbitious

@alexandergreene93 thanks for the response ! I am disappointed on not having the ability to network =/ here I was thinking of wearing my gamers respawn shirt with my blazer and dress pants to make me standout lol fail.

Did you find the forum to be useful ?

NYC12345

Yes, I really enjoyed the forum.

nicole.hopkins

From what I understand, the general LSAC forums are distinct from the one @alexandergreene93 attended. Furthermore, he's in NYC, where there is constant population crush ... I suppose how busy/networking-limiting the crowds are will depend in part upon your location.

I plan to drive a cool 4 hours to Houston to attend in October. Recalling these types of events that happened before college, they certainly favor the tastefully bold (those who make it a point to meet reps from their desired law schools).

CrazyAmbitious

@nicole.hopkins I live in south florida so I signed up for the one taking place in Miami in September. I have never been to an event like this so not sure how packed it will be or what to expect... I have no idea how to network or what to say to the representatives of those schools... I am sure there will be a good amount of people there but also don't feel it would be impossible to try to talk to them..

Any suggestions on things I should consider before attending? For instance, what kind of research perhaps I should do in regards to the schools? I also want to stand out but not in a way that turns them off so to speak. Like all people, there are many facets to my personality and want them to see that not only am I a professional, but I am also a unique personality ( hence my wanting to wear my "gamers don't die, they respawn" tee under my blazer. lol ) but not sure where the line should be drawn etc..

nicole.hopkins

I would say a big component of potential success is how you see yourself. If you lack confidence and are concerned about whether school x will let you in, well, then you will ask silly questions like "is this ok for my PS/DS/whatever" or "what kind of LSAT score do I need" or even the abhorrent "I'm a 3.8 politics major from Inflation University and I got a 162, what are my chances?" CLEARLY, all of those are epic fails. However, they represent one extreme degree of low-confidence questions.

You need to think of yourself as someone whom the AdComs are wooing to their school. That mindset will yield inquiries that are substantive, helpful for you, and will demonstrate to the reps present that you're serious and that this is a matter of earnest interest and investigation. I think the most useful questions are those that ultimately ask, why should I go to your school? Sell it to me.

Ultimately you are the customer. They are the salesmen. Be savvy; engage as it befits your deliberations.

As far as the "gamer" shirt goes: While that might be sort of memorable, here's the reality. In law school, don't plan on having time to play a lot of video games. As an attorney, don't plan on playing a lot of video games. Not for at least a few years. You might run the risk of demonstrating to the AdComs that what you're serious enough about to put on the line as a matter of first impressions is ... well ... something that is ultimately incompatible with the lifestyle you supposedly want to adopt. I know a guy who wears a seersucker suit to the major (50,000+ attendees) events my firm attends. Is he memorable? Sure. But it's not really the suit. It's how intense this guy is, and the quality of his brochures, etc. Would I remember this guy without the suit? You betcha. Would I remember him because of the suit? Maybe, but I certainly wouldn't care about him one bit.

Any flair you put forward needs to be outmatched by your substance. If you attempt to make up for substance with flair, your presentation will fall flat. Period.

For what it's worth, I'm thinking about wearing my red "mastermind" dress. It's one of the best pieces of marketing material I've obtained. It's modest, bold, timeless, and it fits my personality without overstatement. More than anything, it's comfortable, fits well, and is attractive. I'd wear it to work, and I'd wear it in class. It's an accurate representation of my professional wardrobe as well as my personal brand.

Do you want "gamer guy" to be your brand? Probably not: you're an aspiring attorney. And while I certainly know successful attorneys who play video games, they did not get where they are by emphasizing that part of their lives.

PS I am a former gamer girl and have been playing Fallout for the past couple of weeks while house-sitting, so this isn't an anti-video games spiel.

CrazyAmbitious

@nicole.hopkins thanks ! no worries I don't take it as an anti-gamer spiel. I guess its an odd area for me since I have always worked in hospitality so the level of professionalism does not come close to what is expected in an office setting. What I mostly want to convey is that I can be both people, the professional who works long hours and is willing to put in tons of hard work, but is also an imaginative, laid back, out-of-the-box, child at heart kind of person. Like I mentioned before, this is a whole new world for me and I'm still working on learning the in's and out's of it all. I am not sure how to represent myself in a way that allows me to stand out within the sea of suits that are already going to be present there. I have no background engaging with individuals like them so its uncharted territory and want to get as much info as I can before jumping into this pool. lol

nicole.hopkins

Interesting! Let's chat--I think I have a better sense of the vibe you're going for.