Fox Fact: Foxes can retract their claws as cats do, have vertical pupils (like cats) which allow them to see better in the dark, and have cat-like sensitive whiskers.
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Blog & Podcasts
16 Sep 2024
2024 U.S. News Best College Rankings
We’ve received from multiple universities the new 2024 U.S. News Best College Rankings and have decided to share the top 25.
Read full post10 Sep 2024
Podcast: The Differences Between College & Law School, with "How I Lawyer" Host Jonah Perlin
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews How I Lawyer podcast host Jonah Perlin on some of the many differences between college and law school, from cold calls to being graded on a curve to the nature of attending a professional school and more.
Read full post30 Aug 2024
Examples of Successful Experience/Perspective Essays (Formerly "Diversity Statements")
If you’re wondering what successful E/P essays look like, here are a number of examples, all of which are real essays (with minor anonymizing redactions) from applicants who had highly successful admissions outcomes.
Read full post27 Aug 2024
Podcast: Experience/Perspective Essay (Diversity Statement) Deep Dive with Former Law School Admissions Officers
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, we discuss the relatively new category of law school admissions essays that we're calling "experience/perspective essays" or "E/P essays," many of which are variations on the essays previously known as "diversity statements."
Read full post16 Aug 2024
PSA on Misinformation in the Law School Admissions Consulting Industry
As we have podcasted on before, misinformation in the law school admissions process comes from all directions, and law school admissions consulting firms claiming to be experts (with little or no real admissions experience) are a growing source.
Read full post13 Aug 2024
Podcast: How PARENTS Can Best Support Law School Applicants
This special episode of Status Check with Spivey is directed toward parents of law school applicants—strategy and advice from former law school admissions officers.
Read full post01 Aug 2024
Law School Application Opening Dates 2024
When will law school applications open for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle? Here's the full list.
Read full post01 Aug 2024
Welcoming Mike Burns as Chief Operating Officer & Admission Consultant for Spivey Consulting Group
We are thrilled to announce that Mike Burns has joined Spivey Consulting Group as our new Chief Operating Officer and Admissions Consultant!
Read full post30 Jul 2024
Podcast: Addiction & Recovery in College with Author Mitch Leff
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.
Read full post29 Jul 2024
How to Create Your Law School List
In this post, we hope to help you think through the mountain of information and choices out there so that you can set yourself up for a successful application cycle.
Read full post23 Jul 2024
Podcast: The Law School Application Resume—Deep Dive with Former Admissions Officers
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with two Spivey consultants about the law school application resume—what to include and what not to include, differences from professional resumes, common mistakes, best practices, and more.
Read full post16 Jul 2024
All Things [Admissions] Considered
There are thousands of ways to differentiate yourself in law school admissions—here's a list of some of those ways.
Read full post09 Jul 2024
Podcast: Law School Personal Statement Deep Dive—Advice from Former Admissions Officers
This episode dives deep into the law school personal statement, discussing the brainstorming and topic selection process, how to structure a personal statement, writing tips, broad-level traits of A+ personal statements, common mistakes, and more.
Read full post13 Jun 2024
New Law School Diversity Statements ("Life Experience/Perspective Essays"): FAQ
We have received many questions about law schools' new life experience/perspective essays (formerly categorized as diversity statements). Here are our answers to the most common ones.
Read full post12 Jun 2024
Podcast: Dear 1L with Amanda Haverstick
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.
Read full post03 Jun 2024
Generative AI and the Law School Personal Statement
Here are some thoughts and guidelines on how to navigate the use of generative AI tools in your law school application process.
Read full post30 May 2024
Pro Bono Law School Admissions Consulting Opportunity 2024-2025
Please note: we will stop accepting submissions for this program on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.
Read full post29 May 2024
Podcast: Tier-Ranking Admissions Strategies with UChicago Law School Admissions Dean Ann Perry
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.
Read full post17 May 2024
Examples of Letters of Recommendation
Here are three examples of law school letters of recommendation, two academic and one professional, two for regular 1L JD admissions and one for transfer admission.
Read full post29 Apr 2024
Podcast: Work Experience, Admissions Strategy, & Legal Employment—What You Need to Know
In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, we discuss growing importance of work experience in admissions, why the impact of being a "KJD" has increased over time, and—importantly—how work experience (or a lack thereof) plays out during law school and in the search for legal employment.
Read full post