Law School Interviews
Roughly half the schools in the T20 do interviews. Some, like Northwestern, offer interviews to all students. Others, like Harvard, Chicago, and Columbia, offer interviews by invitation only. An invitation to interview is never a bad sign. Sometimes it’s a great sign, and a prelude to an offer, but it’s just as often a chance for the interviewer to ask you genuine questions before they make a decision. You should always treat it like the latter.
This handy spreadsheet tells you which schools in the T20 interview.
Basic All-Purpose Interview Advice
You must be prepared to talk about the following:
- your résumé and experience
- your interest in law in general
- your interest in their law school in particular
You should probably be prepared to talk about these:
- an academic or professional accomplishment
- a mistake, failure, or weakness
- a time you worked on a team
A couple other tips:
- Dress business casual.
- Make sure you show up early for in-person interviews. There’s no excuse for being late.
- If possible, plug into your modem for online interviews. Otherwise, do what you can to clear bandwidth: don’t download anything big beforehand; consider moving closer to your router.
- Be friendly, charming, and enthusiastic. Smile even if you’re on the phone. Don’t panic.
- Prepare at least two questions for them.
A Word about Preparing and Being Unprepared
Don’t try to memorize lines—you’ll only sound stilted. Don’t worry about hitting every talking point or being perfect. You’re just having a conversation. Speech is supposed to be messy. If they wanted to see what you could do with time to revise, they would send you written questions.
Expect that you’ll get a curve ball or two. It’s okay to give yourself time to think by saying something like, “Wow! That’s an interesting question! I hadn’t thought about that before. I guess if I had to give a preliminary answer, I’d say…” (But don’t memorize that!) If something really stumps you, it’s okay to say, “Sorry, I’m a little nervous,” so long as you pick up the thread. It’s normal to be a little nervous. They don’t expect you to knock every question out of the park. They just want to see that you can perform in an interview environment without freaking out.
A Note on Questions for Them
At the end of the interview, they’ll probably ask if you have any questions for them. I divide questions you can ask them into two categories: genuine questions and suck-up questions.
Suck-up questions are designed to show off your knowledge of a program or convey your eagerness: “I see that your Immigration Rights Clinic helps clients mount detention challenges, and I’m wondering how successful those challenges have been in the current political environment.” You can also lob softballs at your interviewer: “What does Harvard do to promote a sense of community in its large student body?” Make sure that the answer to your suck-up question isn’t easily available online.
Genuine questions are usually more broad: “what’s student housing like?” I’m a fan of questions like this because I’m a fan of authenticity in general. I think it’s also good to demonstrate that you are seriously considering the prospect of moving to their school and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on your tuition.
A few questions are both suck-uppy and genuine: “What’s your favorite part of the law school?” “What do you remember about your days as a student here?” (The last one only works, obviously, if your interviewer went there.)
After the interview…
You should send your interviewer a short, polite thank you note. If you can’t find your interviewer’s email address, you can send your thank you note to the email address of the general admissions office.
Standard Interview Questions
- Why do you want to be a lawyer? [Duh.]
- What do you hope to do or accomplish with your JD?
- Why are you interested in X type of law?
- Why are you applying to law school now?
- Why are you switching careers? (For older applicants.)
- What interests you about our school?
- Tell me about a time you were challenged while working on a team.
- Tell me about a time you overcame an obstacle.
- What have you learned at your current job?
- Why did you study [something you studied at grad school] and how will it inform your career?
- Tell me about a time you showcased leadership.
- Talk to me about [the hobbies or interests you listed on your resume].
- What do you do for fun?
Yale
2022–2023 Yale Interview Questions
Student A
- Describe a significant academic project you completed during your undergraduate education and why you chose that project.
- Describe a time when you struggled academically and how you responded to that challenge.
- How do you handle conflict?
- If you worked at YLS admissions, what would you describe as your biggest strength?
- If you worked at YLS admissions, what would you describe as your biggest weakness? (I answered these questions within the first 10 minutes).
- Questions for me? (I asked three questions, which took the other 10 minutes).
Student B
- Tell me about your current role and what you do and do not like about it.
- How do you approach conversations with people with whom you disagree?
- If you were a member of the YLS Admission Committee, what would you see as your biggest weakness?
- Tell me about a significant academic project you completed during undergrad and why you chose that project.
- Why law and why law now?
- Pros and cons of YLS?
- What is something that you’d like the admissions team to know that may not be easily gleaned from your application?
Harvard
Harvard interviews most applicants on a video chat client called Zoom.
2023–2024 Harvard Interview Questions
Student A
- Why law?
- Why Harvard?
- Questions about your resume.
- What are you most apprehensive about regarding law school?
Student B
1. What have you learned you do and do not want in your law career?
2. What will you be like in the classroom and community at HLS?
3. What would be your career goals in the next five years after your graduation?
4. Pros and cons
5. What is your most humbling experience?
Student C
- What makes law school the next step for you?
- How do you envision your future career? What career path might you take after HLS?
- What interests you about HLS specifically?
- Can you describe your professional experiences?
- What is one thing about law school that makes you apprehensive?
- What is a difficult conversation you have had?
- Do you have any questions?
2022–2023 Harvard Interview Questions
Student A
- What are you doing this summer and what skills are you hoping to gain?
- Why would you like to do the JDP program as opposed to applying the traditional route?
- What do you plan to do in your deferral years? How do you think it will prepare you for law school?
- What are you most proud of in college?
- What are the pros and cons of Harvard?
- What are you planning to do in your upcoming semester of undergrad?
- What questions do you have for us? There was time for around 2 questions.
Overall the interview wasn't very conversational; my interviewer prefaced by saying that she wouldn't respond to my answers to give me more time to speak. It was different from other interviews I've had so it certainly threw me off at the start!
Student B
- What was a challenge you faced as a leader in your extracurricular activities in undergrad?
- What is a mentality you have as a result of the military?
- What was your initial reasoning to join the military?
- What is a misconception you think that civilians have of military people?
- What are your career goals?
- Pros and Cons of HLS?
- What do you do for fun?
- Do you have any questions for me?
- Describe a time when you struggled academically and how you responded to that challenge.
Student C
- Why law?
- Pros and Cons of Harvard
- What would you do if have a gap year before law school?
- What would you want to do with you law degree?
- Tell me an experience when you stepped outside your comfort zone.
- Do you have any questions for me?
Student D
- What am I most proud of?
- Why law? Why now?
- What are my future goals?
- What would my ideal technology law job be?
- Who is my best friend, and how would they pitch me to the admissions committee?
- One question about a specific experience on my resume.
Student E
She was familiar with my file and clear on my "why law," so her questions focused on skills I've learned / challenges I've faced while working in finance and which activities, clubs, courses, etc. I'd be interested in at HLS.
Informal/friendly tone, no "trick" questions.
Student F
- Why law?
- Pros and cons of attending Harvard?
- What are my future goals?
- What kind of student would you be at Harvard?
- Tell me about your hobbies
Student G
- What attracts you to Harvard Law school
- Why Law? (I don’t recall the exact wording)
- What kind of role do you see yourself occupying at Harvard Law?
- Could you tell me about a humbling experience?
- What are three words your manager would use to describe you.
Student H
(Waitlist interview questions)
- What are your plans for the Fall?
- Would you accept a place at HLS if it was offered?
- Why HLS?
- Who would you need to talk with before accepting an offer at HLS?
- HLS gives 24 hours to accept an offer off the waitlist. Will you be able to do this?
- What three words would your partner use to describe you?
- What kind of student would you be at HLS?
- Describe one thing you learned about yourself this past year?
Student I
(Waitlist interview questions)
- How did your military service inspire you to become a lawyer?
- What's a leadership lesson you learned from your time in the Air Force?
- Why is HLS your top choice?
- What are you worried about if you got into HLS?
- How soon could you make a decision if you were granted admission?
- Are there any issues with you making the move to the east coast?
2021–2022 Harvard Interview Questions
Student A
- Why Harvard?
- Why Law Now?
- Name a humbling experience?
- What are the Pros and Cons of Harvard?
- What is your biggest weakness?
- What is your biggest strength?
- What do you do for fun?
Student B
- Why did you pursue your current position (recruiter)--explained that I initially joined and why I left/what I am doing now
- Asked about the research project I was working on (the one I had written about in the significant pieces of writing/flowed in from the previous question)
- What was the impetus for me to go into/be interested in criminal law (seemed like a slight variation for why law)
- What my favorite habit was from the 7 habits of highly effective people (she also read the book as well)
- Pros and cons of Harvard
Student C
- Why you and why now?
- Talk about an experience through which you brought people together
- Where do you see your career going after law school?
- Pros/Cons of Harvard
- Do you have any questions?
Student D
(Interview was scheduled to be 15 minutes, and although most people seem to say they are very strict on not running over, mine was 19 minutes, mostly because she spent a good amount of time answering my two questions. Sam had read my application and based some questions on it)
- What type of law are you interested in?
- Pros and Cons of Harvard?
- What is your most humbling experience?
- What is your greatest success story?
- What is a trait that you need to improve / change in order to be able to change the world?
Student E
- Resume-specific questions
- What you're most proud of during college
- A decision you'd change during college
- Pros + cons of harvard
- Career after law school
Student F
- Why Law?
- Why Harvard?
- Strength/Weakness?
- Things you do for fun,
- How would other people describe you?
- Questions you have.
Student G
- Why Harvard?
- What are some cons of Harvard?
- What are some cons of you as an applicant?
- How did you like your time at [undergraduate university]? Why did you choose [undergraduate university]?
- What is one of your greatest accomplishments at [undergraduate university]?
- Why law and why now?
- Left time for two questions and spent about five minutes answering them.
Student H
The interviewer was super friendly. Here are the questions she asked me:
- how does your master's work inform your decision to study law?
- what would you do in law school, both inside and outside of the classroom?
- where could you grow?
- What factors are the most important for you in choosing a law school?
- pros and cons of Harvard
- short-term and long-term career goals
- something about yourself that is not in the application
Student I
- What do I like about teaching?
- What do I dislike about teaching?
- What are the pros and cons of Harvard Law?
- Where do I see my role in the social justice movement?
- What are my strategies for self-care?
- What are my hobbies?
Student J
- Tell me about why you were motivated to pursue your job.
- Tell me about your master's thesis.
- You've been to grad school before; what do you think will be challenging about Harvard?
- What are some of the pros and cons of Harvard?
- Beyond your main focus, what are some other areas of law you're interested in?
- The pandemic has been draining; tell me about your strategies for self-care during it
She asked more questions than I expected—I am not sure if it was a bad sign. My answers were quite brief. And we had time for me to ask 2 questions to the interviewer.
2019–2020 Harvard Interview Questions
Student A
- I see you’ve been working in the publishing industry for a while. Can you tell me about a success you’ve had?
- Tell me about a time you’ve received feedback you didn’t agree with.
- *Best interview question I’ve ever been asked* In your personal statement you talk about your love of movies - what movie do you think would best represent your motivation for going to law school?
- Are there any areas of law that you’re interested in other than copyright law?
Student B
- Why law and why now?
- How do you navigate through a difficult conversation?
- If you were an admission officer, what would you see as your weakness?
- What do you value most for a community?
- Questions for them (allow 2 max)
Student C
- Why law school and why now?
- Where do you see your career going after law school?
- Talk about an important mentor to you.
- If you had to choose any contemporary or historical figure to be your mentor, who would it be?
- You talked about [this topic] in your personal statement - can you talk more about what you learned from that experience?
- As someone who’s based in [US region], what’s enticing about moving out to the east coast for you?
Student D
- Why law?
- Why now?
- What Harvard programs are you interested in?
- Name one strength and one weakness.
- What are you looking for in potential classmates?
Student E
- Why law?
- Why USA?
- What do you do for fun?
- Why are you working at your current job?
- An accomplishment from your current job?
- She also asked a lot about my thesis
Student F
- Why law?
- Why now?
- What Harvard programs are you interested in?
- Name one strength and one weakness.
- What are you looking for in your potential classmates?
- What do you do for fun?
- Any questions for us?
Student G (Interviewer: Dean Kristi Jobson)
(Friendly, but not conversational in tone until the very end. Length was 14 minutes on the dot. Started about 5 minutes late, but made it up with extra time.)
- You’ve had three jobs in consulting since you graduated. Talk about why you decided to go into each one
- Considering your consulting background, why law?
- (Follow-up) But why law instead of doing an MPP or MBA?
- What are pros and cons of HLS? (We know people are considering a lot of places.)
- What have you liked most about your experience at your current job?
- What skills from your professional life would serve you best in law school?
- How would you describe yourself in one sentence?
- What’s a job you would like to have long-term / how do you think about your career post-JD?
- Any questions for me?
Student H
(The interview lasted 16 minutes total, and had time to ask 2 questions. It wasn't conversational until the end because time was so limited, but the interviewer was very nice, honest, and funny!)
- What was a humbling experience you've had?
- What is an achievement you're particularly proud of, personally, professionally, or academically?
- What would your 1L section mates say about you?
- Why do you want to attend Harvard Law?
- What's the best compliment you've ever received?
- What do you like to do for fun?
2018–2019 Harvard Interview Questions
Student A (2018/2019 cycle)
[Questions about professional and academic experience. Why law?]
Student B (2018/2019 cycle)
- Why law and why now?
- Why Harvard?
- Hypothetical: if at your time at [legal internship], you were to show up one day and find that your coworkers were your clones, what strengthens and challenges would you run into? [This is a clever way of saying “What are your strengths and weaknesses?]
- What are you afraid of, and what motivates you?
- If you were a fly on the wall, what do you think the admissions committee would say are the pros and cons of your application?
- If you were an admissions officer, what two qualities would you look for in a potential candidate?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Student C (2018/2019 cycle)
- Why law?
- Why Harvard?
- If you were a fly on the wall, what do you think the admissions committee might think the strengths and weaknesses of your application might be?
Student D (2018/2019 cycle)
- Why law school and why now?
- What do you like about your current job? What do you dislike?
- Discuss a challenge or how you dealt with critical feedback.
- What’s a potential downside of your application? How might you address it?
- What questions do yo have for us?
Student E (2018/2019 cycle)
- Why law?
- Why Harvard?
- Which elective would you take?
- If you were a fly on the wall, what are some things that you imagine the committee would say about your application?
- What are your questions for me?
Student F (2018/2019 cycle)
- Why did you switch from [one field] to [another field]?
- Why law?
- What excites you most about Harvard?
- What do you expect to be the biggest challenge?
- Questions for us?
Chicago
2023–2024 Chicago Interview Questions
Student A
- Why law?
- Why University of Chicago?
- Tell me about your work at a law firm.
- Tell me about your prominent hobby.
- Tell me a time when you exhibited resilience.
- Tell me about a book that you are reading right now.
- Who is your mentor in life?
- Tell me about a time where your opinion on something changed.
Student B
1. Tell me about your current work experience. Are you working two jobs?
2. What do your work responsibilities consist of?
3. Why are you interested in attending law school?
4. What makes UChicago a good fit for you?
5. Tell me about a time you demonstrated resiliency.
6. What book are you currently reading?
7. When has your opinion about something significant changed?
9. Do you have any questions for me?
2022–2023 Chicago Interview Questions
Student A
- Why law?
- Why Chicago?
- Why did you join the military?
- What is something you learned about yourself from being in the military?
- What is a time you have had to have resilience?
- Why is Chicago my top law school?
- Any questions for me?
Student B
- What's the best piece of advice you've received?
- What would you be doing if it wasn't law?
- Why would you fit in at UChicago?
- Why law and why now?
- Who's been a mentor?
- What's your dream job?
- How do your friends describe you?
- Questions about challenges based on current job
Student C
- Why Chicago?
- Why UChicago?
- Interest in the Doctoroff program and how the certificate would help me with my goals
- After a week or two in orientation, meeting professors and your peers and faculty, how do you believe they would describe you?
- Have you ever been/ Let’s say you are in an argument or conflict with someone representing a view completely opposite yours. How would you approach that conflict?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Student D
- Why Chicago?
- Why law?
- Tell me about your interest in podcasts
- Tell me about a time you struggled
15 minutes of candidate asking questions.
- What is Chicago’s teach philosophy?
- How does Chicago faculty try to differentiate their law school from other law schools?
- What is the benefit of the academic quarter system?
- How would Chicago support someone who is interested in clerking?
Admissions person spoke a lot. Overall length of interview was 28 minutes.
2021–2022 Chicago Interview Questions
Student A
- Telling about current job/why I left to do research
- Plans 5+ years out of law school or in general after law school
- Why law?
- Why uchicago?
- A challenge I faced/how I overcame it
Student B
- Questions about my research, especially in artificial intelligence.
- Then some more on my resume and
- what my current work was.
Student C
(Supposed to be 20 minutes, but was more like 28 minutes in reality. My interviewer was Ann Perry (Associate Dean). She mentioned in the beginning that although the admissions team had read my application in its entirety, she had only read my resume (so more context was needed for some questions)).
- Why law?
- Why law right now?
- Why UChicago?
- Have you had a mentor throughout your life? (question was motivated from our discussion of my background)
- How would your coworkers describe you?
- Remaining questions focused on my experience as an immigrant and first-generation student a lot.
Student D
- Why did I choose UChicago for undergrad?
- Why apply to UChicago law?
- Why law?
- What principles guide my work?
- What programs/extracurriculars am I interested in at UChicago law?
Student E
Chicago Interview with admissions rep- ~30 minutes long, much more relaxed and casual than many on Reddit described, more conversational than I expected
- Why law?
- Why Chicago?
- Do I like my undergraduate university and culture?
- Specific questions from resume?
Student F
- Why did I attend college where I did?
- Why law now, why UChicago Law?
- What qualities do I want in a law school?
- What do I want to do as a lawyer?
- Where do I hope to end up?
- How do I define success?
- Who has been a mentor to me?
- How do I deal with stress?
- Whether I had questions for them?
Student G
- Why do you want to be a lawyer?
- Why are you a good fit for Chicago?
- Do you want to study and work in Chicago?
- Where do you want to practice law?
- General questions about my international travels (it was clear he had read my essays in advance)
- Talk about your current job - what do you like and dislike the most?
- What do you want to do after law school? Work at a firm, government, etc?
- Obstacle you've faced and you overcame it
Student H
- Why University of Chicago?
- How do you define success?
- Who is a mentor to you?
- What is your communication/teamwork style like?
- How do you deal with stress/conflict?
- How do you like [current job]?
- Why did you move to [current city]?
- What do you feel like you bring to the University of Chicago community?
- Left time for questions.
Student I
- Why did you choose your undergraduate institution?
- Why law?
- Why Chicago?
- What do you do in your free time?
- How do you manage stress?
- Do you have a mentor?
- How would your peers describe you?
- What do you foresee yourself doing with your law degree?
Student J
- Aside from being a guardian ad litem, what else am I currently doing?
- Tell me about your time living in Japan.
- What is an obstacle you faced and how you overcame it?
- Why law now?
- Why Chicago?
- How would family and friends describe me?
- Tell me about a book you’re currently reading or recently read.
- Tell me about a time you had to ask for help.
- Time left for 3 questions
2019–2020 Chicago Interview Questions
Student A
- If you could have a conversation with anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and what would you talk to them about?
- Why UChicago?
- Why law school?
- Tell me about your current job.
- Tell me about a book you’re reading or have read recently that changed your perspective?
- What do you want your legal career to look like 5 years from now? 10 years from now?
- Questions for us?
Student B (Interviewed by admissions officer via Skype)
Note: Interviewer was very strict about keeping time. They mostly asked questions, recorded answers, and moved on to the next question.
- Why do you want to attend UChicago?
- Why do you want to be a lawyer?
- Which particular clinics are you interested in?
- What is a book that you read recently and how did it impact you?
- If you would have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?
- What is something that you have done for the first time recently?
- What questions do you have for me?
Student C
- Tell me about your current job.
- Why law school?
- Why Chicago Law?
- What is the one accomplishment you’re most proud of?What contemporary news issue are you following?
- What is a book that has influenced you?
- If you could have one conversation with historical figure, who would it be and why?
Student D
- Why law?
- Why Chicago?
- Why are you working at your current job?
- [She asked about “philosophy” on the “interests” section of my résumé.]
2018–2019 Chicago Interview Questions
Student A (2018/2019 cycle)
- Tell me about your job at [an organization where you worked].
- Tell me about a social issue or current event that you’re following.
- Tell me about a book that influenced you or a book you’re currently reading.
- Which experience are you most proud of?
- Why law?
- Why UChicago?
- If you could have a conversation with anyone, living or dead, who would it be with?
Student B (2017/2018 cycle)
- If you could teach your fellow students at Chicago a class in anything, academic or not, what would you teach them?
- What type of law would you like to practice and where would you like to start your career?
- What would interest you about corporate law?
- What have you learned in your current job?
- What interests you about the city of Chicago?
- Which headline would you like to see in the news?
Student C (2018/2019)
- What makes you want to pursue law?
- If you had a chance to collaborate with anyone alive or dead, who would it be with?
- What brings you to Chicago specifically?
- What is a book that changed your perspective on something?
- Questions for us?
Columbia
2021–2022 Columbia Interview Questions
Student A
- What have you been busy with?
- Where do you see yourself in one or two years after graduation?
- Why ED to Columbia Law?
- Questions for me?
- Why J.D. since you already have an education background in law and are qualified to practice law in China?
2019–2020 Columbia Interview Questions
Student A
- Why philosophy as major? Since it does not seem to be useful in gaining employment (Note: this is a summary, Interviewer said it MUCH nicer than this)
- Where do you see yourself 5 years from now in your career?
- Why NYC?
- Anything else you would like to know from me about Columbia and NYC?
- I answered “Why law?” and “Why Columbia?” before Interviewer asked me by tying it in to other questions. I also stressed being a non-traditional student and asked questions regarding that. Towards the end, Interviewer asked me if I would be 100% committed to coming to Columbia if accepted. I answered immediately without a pause, mentioning that attending law school is a huge financial and time investment. I don’t want to read in to it much, but I hope that was a good thing. The interview lasted 25 minutes and 40 seconds.
2018–2019 Columbia Interview Questions
Student A (2018/2019 cycle)
- Why did you decide to go to [grad school]?
- What do you want to do five years after graduating from law school?
- Why Columbia Law?
- When did you first start playing banjo?
- What do you do to unwind?
- Questions for me?
The interview lasted about 20 min
Student B (2018/2019 cycle)
- Please introduce yourself and describe your academic background.
- What did you do in your graduate program? Why did you decide to go to graduate school?
- What do you look for in law school when choosing law school?
- What can you bring to Columbia Law School?
- What kind of student do you think you were in university and graduate school?
- Do you think you are going be active in the student community at Columbia?
- How long did you live in New York and what do you think is the difference between the city that you live in and the city of New York?
- I see that you took the LSAT many times. Can you explain the circumstances?
Student C (2018/2019 cycle)
“Columbia basically asked me about things specific to my application. At the end, they asked me why Columbia but that was the only general question.”
Student D (2018/2019 cycle)
- How did you end up [across the country] for college?
- Why law
- [Questions about professional experience.]
- Why Columbia?
Student E (2018/2019 cycle)
- Describe your work history and how you went from [career in science] to [career in marketing] and now to law.
- Describe your undergrad educational experience and your achievements while in school.
- What do you look for in deciding to apply to a law school and what drew you to Columbia?
- What kind of student to you expect to be?
- Questions for us?
University of Pennsylvania
2019–2020 Penn Interview Questions
Student A
- Why law?
- Why Penn?
- Explain to us a little more about your multiple attempts on the LSAT.
- Which student organization would you be interested in?
- Do you have any questions for us?
New York University
2022–2023 New York University Interview Questions
Student A (Kira Interview)
- How does NYU align with your career goals?
- Name a time you encountered a problem, how did you solve it?
- Name a time you were struggling on a task, how did you move past that?
- What social issue are you passionate about and why?
- NYU has a diverse group of students, how would you help make sure that all voices are heard and understood?
The student only had 45 seconds to prep for each question.
University of Virginia
2023–2024 UVA Interview Questions
Student A
1. Why law school?
3. What's something you're really proud of?
4. If someone gave you $10,000 and you could do anything you want with it except apply it to your tuition or education loans, what would you do?
Student B
- Initial small-talk question: "How was your weekend?"
- Why are you interested in law?
- What is it about UVA that interests you?
- Do you enjoy your current job (transactional law), and how might it help prepare you for law school?
- What is something you are really proud of?
- How could you see yourself getting involved in the UVA community?
- What would you do if you received 10,000 dollars and couldn't use it for tuition?
- What questions do you have for me?
Student C
Why law and why now?
Why did I choose [X Undergrad] and how has my process for choosing a law school been different?
1 reason why I am drawn to UVA?
My favorite thing about myself
If I got $10,000 today (can't spend it on tuition or save it) what would I do with it?
2022–2023 UVA Interview Questions
Student A
- Why law?
- Why UVA?
- An experience that prepared me for law school
- What type of law I want to practice
- One word my friends, family, and work colleagues would use to describe me
- Questions for them
Student B
- Do you like your school?
- Why law and why now?
- Why UVA Law?
- How did you end up choosing your major/minor combination?
- If you had to defer for a year, and resume building was not an issue, what is something you would like to do during this time?
- What is one thing your friends and family would say about you?
- Dean Blazer mentioned my DS, and asked me if I had ever been to Cuba.
- What are some questions you have for me?
2021–2022 UVA Interview Questions
Student A
- Tell me about your job.
- Why law?
- Why law school now?
- Why UVA?
- What do you want to do after law school?
- What do you do in your free time?
- Why did you decide to go to UMass from California?
Student B
- Why law?
- What kind of law do you want to practice?
- Why UVA?
- What's an accomplishment that makes you proud?
- What do you do to find balance or relieve stress?
- What questions do you have for us?
From friends, I had heard that the tone of their interviews at UVA was pretty conversational, whereas I felt like it was pretty formal (though very friendly) in my experience. This might be because it was with the director of admissions or maybe because my friends did their interviews a few years ago.
Student C
- Why law?
- Why UVA?
- What do you do in your free time?
- What’s something you are proud of?
Student D
- Why law?
- Why UVA?
- Work-life balance/managing stress?
- Proudest accomplishment?
Student E
- Why are you interested in UVA?
- How did you end up at your current job?
- How did you like your undergraduate experience?
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- Left time for questions; admitted me at the end of the interview.
Student F
- why law?
- why law school now?
- why UVA?
- What would you do to be a part of the Charlottesville community?
- what job current or past has prepared you most for law school?
- any questions you have for us?
Student G
The Conversation was like 14-15 minutes.
- How is [my undergraduate university] and why I chose to go there
- Why Law School at the Moment
- Why UVA
- How would the people that know you describe you in one word
- Ask my questions about UVA
Student H
- Why law
- Why UVA
- What experience prepared you most for law school, and a characteristic that would describe you.
Student I
- Tell me about yourself
- Why Michigan? (went to UMich for undergrad)
- Why UVA?
- What would you contribute to the UVA community?
- What do you want to learn at law school?
- How would a mentor or someone else describe you?
- What do you do for fun?
Student J
- Why law
- Why UVA
- The experience that has most prepared me for law school
- One word that family and friends would use to describe me (I picked curious)
- If I had any questions for her
Student K
- Why did you choose to go to Notre Dame?
- What is most challenging about your job?
- Why do you want to go to UVA?
- Talked about my hobby (running).
- I asked 4 questions
2019–2020 UVA Interview Questions
Student A
- Why UVA
- What was your Best/Worst day
- What have I changed my mind on in the past
- One resume item question
2018–2019 UVA Interview Questions
Student A (2018/2019 cycle):
- Why UVA?
- If I were to ask your best friend what your three best qualities are, what would they say?
- If I were to ask your best friend what your three biggest weaknesses are, what would they say?
- What is something that you think differently about or has changed about you personally as you have matured?
- What is something that you have learned from playing trumpet?
Student B (2018/2019 cycle)
- Why UVA law?
- Why law?
- If you could go back to any time in your life and tell yourself something, what would it be?
Duke Interview Questions
Duke uses a service called InitialView to interview prospective international students. We write about InitialView interviews here. What follows are accounts of Duke’s financial aid interviews, offered to applicants who have already been accepted.
Student A (2021–2022 Cycle)
The scholarship committee member was very sweet and genuine, and I really feel that she’s in my corner. She asked me to tell her a little bit about myself and why I want to study law. Her next two questions were Duke-specific: are there specific offerings such as student orgs and clinics I’m interested in, and what makes Duke law a good fit for me. She then told me about some other opportunities at Duke that I might find interesting, and how Duke stands out from other schools. Her final question was about whether I had any special circumstances that I wanted the committee to know; I talked about the in-state rate the GI bill covers and the lack of a housing allowance.
Toward the end, she explained a bit about the process.
Student A (2018–2019 Cycle)
I just finished my Skype interview with Dean Hoye. It was very conversational, but here are the questions he asked me:
- Tell me about your journey from choosing your undergrad degree to your decision to apply to law school.
- Tell me about an experience you had in an extracurricular, internship, or job that makes you proud, particularly one where you have to dig in.
- Law school goes by quickly. What sort of things do you hope to do in law school?
- Imagine you’re sitting with your career counselor at Duke Law before starting 1L fall. What sorts of things would you tell them you hope to accomplish in your career after law school?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Student B (2018–2019 Cycle)
- Pick two things off of your resume to talk about.
- Tell us about how the skills you learned at [a job] would translate to law school
- What are you interested in doing at Duke Law?
- Hypothetically, what do you think you’ll be doing after law school?
- What’s one thing that you might be scared or hesitant about in law school?
- Have you ever been to Durham? Would you be comfortable moving there?
- Is there anything that you want to add to your CSS profile for us to consider?
Student C (2018–2019 Cycle)
- Explain your journey from your previous career to law.
- What’s been your exposure to law so far?
- What do you plan to draw on from your previous background?
- How do you see yourself contributing to the community and what student organizations were you involved with in undergrad?
Northwestern
Northwestern gives you three options: an in-person on-campus interview, an in-person alumni interview, or an automated online interview via a video client called Kira. You’ll be asked to respond verbally to six different questions. For each question, you’ll have thirty seconds of prep time followed by sixty seconds of talking time. Four of the questions are picked randomly from a large bank; they often focus on your experience of (1) working on a team, (2) speaking to people who disagree with you, or (3) failing. Two of the questions are always the same: “Why Northwestern?” and “Is there anything else you’d like the admissions committee to know about you?” (or something very similar).
Northwestern also performs a waitlist interview via Kira. Last year, it consisted of four verbal-response questions (with thirty seconds of prep time followed by one minute of response time) and two written-response questions (with fifteen minutes of response time).
2023-2024 Northwestern Interview Questions
Student A
- Why Law
- Why Northwestern
- Leadership example
- One thing you want admissions to know about you.
- Why Law
- Tell Us About A Leadership Experience
- Is There Anything Else That the Admissions Committee Would Like To Know?
- Why Northwestern Pritzker.
What's the one thing that the admissions committee should know?
What is your best leadership experience?
2022–2023 Northwestern Interview Questions
Student A
Student B
- Why law and why now?
- Name an example of your leadership?
- Is there anything you want us to know about you?
- Why Northwestern?
Note: They allowed 30 seconds for prep, 90 seconds to record your answer, and you could not "re do" an answer if you felt like you tripped over your words.
Student C
- What is motivating your decision to pursue law?
- What is the best example of your leadership?
- What's one thing you want admissions to know about you?
- Why Northwestern?
Note: I was allowed 1 minute and 30 seconds for each question so I had plenty of time to provide some depth.
Student D
- Why law?
- Give an example of Leadership
- One thing you would like admissions to know about you
- Why NU?
Student E (Kira Interview)
- Why Northwestern?
- What is motivating you to pursue law? (Why Law?)
- Best Leadership Experience
- What do you want admissions to know about you?
Student F
- Why Law?
- What is the best example of your leadership?
- What is something you want the admissions committee to know?
- Why NU?
2021–2022 Northwestern Interview Questions
Student A
- A time when you worked on a team and your team mate was disengaged. How did you motivate them?
- What is a characteristic or personality trait that will serve you well in law school?
- What is a characteristic or personality trait that you want to work on in the coming years?
Student B
- What did you do to motivate a disengaged team member?
- Why Northwestern?
- Why law degree?
You can pace your interview because you have breaks between questions.
Student C (Kira Interview)
- Tell us about a time you motivated a disinterested team member.
- What is the best example of your leadership?
- What's your greatest accomplishment?
- Tell us about a time you failed an important goal and what you learned as a result.
- What's one thing you want admissions to know about you?
- Why Northwestern?
Student D
- What is a change you've made because of a past mistake?
- What influenced your decision to go to law school?
- What are the top 3 factors that contribute to your success?
- Talk about a time you engaged a disinterested teammate.
- What do you want admissions to know about you?
- Why Northwestern?
Student E (Kira Interview)
- A time you stopped short of reaching a goal?
- What skills will contribute to your success as a law student?
- Characteristic you hope to develop over the next 5 years?
- What to do if an integral team member is having a bad day?
- What you want admissions to know about you?
- Why northwestern?
Student F