Hosted by Mike Spivey, founder of the Spivey Consulting Group, the Status Check covers life and wellbeing plus all things law school and admissions. Our admissions advice comes from our Spivey Consulting team — who collectively have over 220 years of experience working in law school admissions offices including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Chicago, and Penn — and covers how to get into the best possible law school you can, plus news and predictions about the current state of law school admissions.
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If you are looking to buy or sell a home, get all the information and the latest updates, tips, and tricks from The Spivey and Daniel Real Estate Group- your professional Alameda County Real Estate Agents.
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Experience/Perspective Essay (Diversity Statement) Deep Dive with Former Law School Admissions Officers
1:05:20
1:05:20
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with three Spivey consultants—Tom Robinson, former Harvard Law Director of Admissions; Sir Williams, former Wisconsin Law Director of Admissions; and Anne Dutia, former Michigan Law Assistant Director of Admissions—about the relatively new category of law school admissions essays t…
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How PARENTS Can Best Support Law School Applicants (Former Admissions Officers Weigh In)
55:52
55:52
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55:52
In this special episode of Status Check with Spivey directed toward parents of law school applicants, Anna Hicks-Jaco and two Spivey consultants—Danielle Early, former Harvard Law Associate Director of Admissions, and Shannon Davis, former Assistant Dean for Admissions and Communications at Lewis & Clark Law—discuss how parents can best support the…
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Addiction & Recovery in College with Author Mitch Leff
31:20
31:20
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31:20
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike has a conversation with Mitch Leff, author of My Addiction, My Superpower, about his experiences overcoming addiction at a young age, the lessons he learned, and how others can use his insights to improve themselves. As attorneys suffer significantly higher rates of substance abuse and depression re…
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Law School Application Resume: Deep Dive with Former Admissions Officers
49:45
49:45
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49:45
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with two Spivey consultants—Karen Buttenbaum, former Director of Admissions at Harvard Law School, and Nathan Neely, former Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Global and Graduate Programs at the University of Houston Law Center—about the law school application resume:…
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Law School Personal Statement Deep Dive: Advice from Former Admissions Officers
1:10:00
1:10:00
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with three Spivey consultants—Anne Dutia, Paula Gluzman, and Derek Meeker, former law school admissions officers at Michigan, UCLA, Penn, and more—diving deep into the law school personal statement. They discuss the brainstorming and topic selection process, how to stru…
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, SCG Pre-L Consultant and Fordham Law professor Jordana Confino has a conversation with legal writing coach and Dear 1L author Amanda Haverstick about legal writing and tackling your 1L year. You can learn more about Dear 1L here, connect with Amanda via LinkedIn here, or email her directly at amanda@dear…
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Tier-Ranking Admissions Strategies with UChicago Law School Admissions Dean Ann Perry
52:18
52:18
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52:18
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Ann Perry, the University of Chicago Law School's Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, joins Mike Spivey and Anna Hicks-Jaco to tier-rank law school admissions strategies sourced from the folks over on the r/LawSchoolAdmissions subreddit. They talk about a huge range of topics, including pers…
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Work Experience, Admissions Strategy, & Legal Employment: What You Need to Know
36:02
36:02
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36:02
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with Pre-L consultants Rob Cacace and Jordana Confino (bios here) about the growing importance of work experience in admissions, why the impact of being a "KJD" (going "from Kindergarten through law school" without full-time work experience) has increased over time, and—importantly…
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the various factors that play into any given applicant's chances of admission coming off the waitlist. He also gives a quick preview of our (very early) predictions for next cycle. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and…
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Transferring Law Schools: Strategy & Process with Two Successful Applicants
1:22:11
1:22:11
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with Paula Gluzman—a Spivey consultant and former law school admissions officer at UCLA and UW—as well as two of her past clients who successfully transferred law schools: Katie, who transferred from a regional law school in Texas to Columbia, and Melissa, who transferr…
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The New 2024 Law School Rankings Explained
15:23
15:23
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In this brief episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the changes U.S. News made to their methodology this year. You can view the full list of new law school rankings (with +/-) here. You can listen to Mike's last podcast, "Why Rankings Matter to People (& Why They Should Not)," here. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Sp…
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The New LSAT & The Elimination of Logic Games, with PowerScore's Dave Killoran
45:21
45:21
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45:21
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with PowerScore Founder & CEO Dave Killoran about the removal of the Logic Games section of the LSAT, the new writing section, and what all this might mean for the future of the law school admissions. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple P…
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First-Gen Students: What We Wish We'd Known as Applicants, Law Students, & Young Lawyers
48:06
48:06
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48:06
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, five Spivey consultants discuss their experiences as first-generation college students, law students, and lawyers, with a particular focus on passing along advice and knowledge that they wish they had known. The episode includes Sir Williams, Derek Meeker, Sam Kwak, Peter Cramer, and Rob Cacace, who, amo…
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Why Rankings Matter to People (& Why They Should Not)
12:40
12:40
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses some of the psychological and societal reasons that rankings seem to matter so much to people—then explains the reasons that they shouldn't matter as much as they do. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Google Podc…
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International Students: Differences in Law School Admissions + Our Best Advice
42:54
42:54
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42:54
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with two Spivey consultants, Peter Cramer and Tom Robinson (you can read their bios here), on differences in the admissions process for international applicants, how law school admissions has changed for international students over time, and our best advice for strategi…
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Law School Admissions Now vs. 10 Years Ago
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38:14
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38:14
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna has a conversation with Joe Pollak—one of Spivey's consultants and a former admissions officer at the University of Michigan Law School—about differences and similarities in law school admissions today vs. ten years ago. Anna brings the perspective of someone who was applying to law school a decade …
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The Growing Epidemic of Addiction in High Achievers, with Dr. Peter Grinspoon
47:45
47:45
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47:45
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Dr. Peter Grinspoon—physician, Harvard Medical School instructor, and author of Free Refills: A Doctor Confronts His Addiction, in which he writes about his struggles with and recovery from opiate addiction. Mike and Dr. Grinspoon discuss mental health and wellness for high performers, wh…
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Law School Admissions Reddit AMA with Anna Hicks-Jaco
24:41
24:41
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, current applicant and Redditor Extension_Ad_1432, who we call "Julia," interviews Spivey Consulting's new President, Anna Hicks-Jaco—unscripted and unprepared, "Ask Me Anything"-style—on anything and everything that was on her mind. They discuss factors impacting this cycle, advice for applicants who app…
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8 Ways to MESS UP the Second Half of Your Law School Admissions Cycle
14:13
14:13
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco, Spivey Consulting's new President, discusses common mistakes that applicants make in the second part of their admissions cycle—after they've submitted their applications. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube…
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How to Make Your Resolution Stick, with ‘Master of Change’ Author Brad Stulberg
28:01
28:01
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28:01
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews best-selling author Brad Stulberg (whose books include Master of Change, The Practice of Groundedness, Peak Performance, and The Passion Paradox) on how to make real and lasting change in your life. Brad and Mike discuss why we resist change, elective vs. forced change, identity, and how …
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Dopamine & Success with Dr. Daniel Lieberman
27:36
27:36
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27:36
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, a psychiatrist and best-selling author of The Molecule of More. Mike and Dr. Lieberman discuss tenacity, goal-setting, and both achieving and finding contentment in success—all as they relate to not just law school admissions (Dr. Lieberman gives some excellen…
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Insider Look at Admissions with UVA Law Dean Natalie Blazer (Reddit Q&A + Artificial Intelligence in Admissions)
24:57
24:57
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24:57
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews UVA Law Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer on differences between this year and past years in admissions, special factors influencing this cycle, AI in admissions, and an insider look into UVA Law's application review process (including why some applicants hear back sooner than others). For m…
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Handling Expectations & the LSAT with 'Loophole' Author Ellen Cassidy
39:14
39:14
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39:14
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Ellen Cassidy, author of the acclaimed Loophole in LSAT Logical Reasoning and founder of Elemental Prep, on LSAT strategies, handling expectations (both from others and self-imposed), trends in law school applicants/LSAT-takers over time, and more. Ellen, as an LSAT expert and former appl…
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the reasons that this law school admissions cycle will be the slowest one ever (or at least within our admissions careers)—and, perhaps more importantly, what you should do about it if you're a current applicant. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Podcasts…
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Mike Spivey's Top 5 All-Time Admissions Advice
16:18
16:18
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16:18
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike gives his top 5 pieces of advice from his 20+ years working in law school admissions. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube, and Google Podcasts. You can read a full transcript of this episode here.…
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What's Wrong with the LSAT? + What is JD-Next? with Craig Boise & Dan Rodriguez
47:05
47:05
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47:05
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, two experienced and respected law school Deans—Craig Boise, Dean of Syracuse University College of Law, and Daniel Rodriguez, former Dean of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law—discuss the history, the present, and the future of law school admissions and legal education. Their conversation cov…
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How Important is Work Experience in Law School Admissions?
18:28
18:28
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18:28
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses a question we receive often (especially lately, in light of the most recent U.S. News law school ranking methodology changes that significantly emphasized job outcomes over admissions metrics)—just how important is work experience in the law school application process? You can listen and s…
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What to Expect in the 2023-24 Law School Admissions Cycle (+ Q&A) with Mike Spivey & Anna Hicks-Jaco
40:01
40:01
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40:01
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike has a conversation with Spivey Consulting's COO Anna Hicks-Jaco about what to expect during the upcoming cycle, her perspective as both a recent Dean of Admissions and relatively recent applicant, and advice for applicants getting ready to apply. Mike and Anna mention several resources and past podc…
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Critiquing AI-Generated Law School Personal Statements
34:09
34:09
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34:09
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Spivey Consulting's COO Anna Hicks-Jaco gives the insider perspective on AI-generated personal statements—currently a hot topic of discussion in law school admissions offices—and critiques two personal statements written using ChatGPT. One of the AI-written essays follows a more general prompt, and one a…
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The Biggest Non-Negotiable Rule in Law School Admissions
6:24
6:24
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6:24
As much as we deign to use absolutes, there is at least one principle we can think of that is absolutely non-negotiable in law school admissions. Regardless of your qualifications, breaking this rule can tank any applicant's chances—this episode of Status Check with Spivey discusses that rule. Mike mentions our blog post predicting the 2023-2024 ad…
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The Myth of the Early Application “Bump” & Law School Rolling Admissions
7:58
7:58
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7:58
In this brief episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses what has grown in recent years to be the biggest myth in law school admissions today. Mike mentions two previous Status Check episodes in this podcast: Dr. Jud Brewer on the Highly Effective Way to Overcome Anxiety Dean Z on Underrated/Overrated Law School Admissions Advice + Answeri…
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Dean Z on the Future of Law School Admissions + Other Admissions Questions (Part 2)
43:24
43:24
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43:24
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike continues his conversation with Dean Sarah Zearfoss (also known as "Dean Z"), who in her role as Senior Assistant Dean at the University of Michigan Law School has overseen the admissions office for the past 23 years. Dean Z also hosts the popular law school admissions podcast A2Z with Dean Z. In th…
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What the SCOTUS Admissions Decision Means for Law School Applicants
34:37
34:37
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34:37
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the recent Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard Supreme Court decision—which ruled against the legality of race-conscious admissions or "affirmative action"—and what it means for law school applicants, particularly applicants of color. He is joined by two guests, Sydney Montgomery (Exec…
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Dean Z on Underrated/Overrated Law School Admissions Advice + Answering Reddit Questions (Part 1)
40:55
40:55
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40:55
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike has a conversation with Dean Sarah Zearfoss (also known as "Dean Z"), who, in her role as Senior Assistant Dean at the University of Michigan Law School, has overseen the admissions office for the past 23 years. Dean Z also hosts the popular law school admissions podcast A2Z with Dean Z. In the inte…
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What It's Like Applying to Law School, Part 3 (Final Decisions & Choosing a Law School)
22:24
22:24
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22:24
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, we wrap up our ongoing conversation with "Lucy," a 2022-2023 law school applicant from Reddit (thank you, u/Accomplished-Body785!). We interviewed Lucy at several points throughout her cycle, and in this episode, we delve into her final decisions and her process of deciding where to attend. You can find …
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The New Rankings & The Future of Law School Admissions/Legal Education
28:12
28:12
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28:12
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike gives an insider perspective on the new 2023-2024 U.S. News law school rankings (full +/- list here), the changes in methodology that they made, and how this year's rankings (and the surrounding controversy) may impact law school admissions and legal education moving forward. You can listen and subs…
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In this short episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike talks about the widespread notion that, even beyond whatever specific and concrete challenges we each may be facing, there is an added factor of "everything" (in today's society, in life) that can sometimes feel crushing. Then he gives some advice. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check …
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Dr. Guy Winch on Handling Rejection (& Waiting) in Admissions (Re-Release)
39:02
39:02
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This week, we're re-releasing a 2021 episode of Status Check with Spivey that is more relevant to our listeners than ever—our interview with Dr. Guy Winch. In what has ended up being one of our favorite episodes ever, Dr. Winch discusses his own experiences with rejection in admissions, the research behind these feelings, and specific interventions…
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Interview with a Harvard Law Transfer Student
55:28
55:28
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Spivey Consulting's Derek Meeker interviews a Harvard Law 2L (and former client) who transferred from the University of Idaho. They talk about his background and story, his non-traditional path to law school, his initial 1L application, his transfer application (and what made it shine), the expectations …
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Legal Hiring Tips from an Expert (Part 2)
36:52
36:52
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36:52
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Kate Reder Sheikh, a Partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa, one of the top recruiting firms for legal hiring in the nation. Mike and Kate discuss the legal hiring market, how legal hiring may be impacted by the state of the economy in the coming months and years, what you can do to best posi…
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike offers some tips and advice for getting a job out of law school from his time as a Dean of Career Services during the great recession. Part 2 is an interview with Kate Reder Sheikh, a Partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa, one of the top recruiting firms for legal hiring in the nation. You can listen a…
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike talks to Spivey Consulting's COO Anna Hicks-Jaco about a question from Reddit—one that we hear many times every year. "How do I stop being so attached to my dream school?" This episode mentions several other interviews, including our episode with Dr. Guy Winch and our episode with Dr. Judson Brewer.…
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Why Is This Cycle So Slow—& What You Can Do About It
9:49
9:49
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the factors that have led to this historically slow-moving cycle—and how you can strategically leverage that knowledge to your advantage. Mike references two of our other episodes in this podcast: When Should You Reach Out to an Admissions Office, and How Should You Do It? Dr. Guy Winch on…
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When Should You Reach Out to an Admissions Office, and How Should You Do It?
7:09
7:09
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In this short episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses a question that tends to come up frequently this time of year—“Should I contact x law school's admissions office to ask for an update since I haven't heard back yet?”—then talks generally about when it can be advantageous to reach out to admissions, why, and how you should do it. You…
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike talks about how online law school admissions discussion can affect (or not affect) your outcomes. Are adcoms on Reddit? Will they Google you? What sorts of online conduct can turn an admit into a waitlist or deny? Mike gives his thoughts on these questions and more from 15+ years following law schoo…
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How to Crush the Second Half of the Law School Admissions Cycle
25:50
25:50
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike gives an update on 2022-2023 applicant data and discusses admissions strategies for the second half of the application cycle: waitlists and letters of continued interest, tips for asking for scholarship reconsideration, and handling the waiting/anxiety. (It may surprise you how impactful that last i…
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In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike talks about the different factors that precipitate waves of law school admissions decisions being released, especially late in the cycle/during waitlist season. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Google Podcasts. Yo…
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Reducing Stress & Increasing Happiness as a Student & Applicant
50:53
50:53
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50:53
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Jordana Confino, Assistant Dean of Professionalism at Fordham Law School, about ways that law school applicants and students (and in fact, any applicant or student) can healthily cope with and reduce stress and increase overall happiness and well-being. Jordana is a graduate of Yale Unive…
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Will Medians Stay As High This Law School Admissions Cycle?
7:39
7:39
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In this episode, Mike gives his thoughts on whether law schools will be able to maintain their historically high LSAT/GPA medians after the 2022-2023 admissions cycle. Note: You may notice that the numbers we cite sometimes vary slightly from the volume data that LSAC publishes. This is because LSAC reports only an applicant's ultimate high LSAT sc…
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Happy Holidays—Plenty of Admits Are Coming in 2023
6:05
6:05
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In this short episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike offers some optimistic news for law school applicants who may not have yet received any admits. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Google Podcasts.
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