News

22 Dec 2017

About this super early December 2017 test score release...

Just a quick FYI, because as this is the earliest LSAC has released test scores in 9 years, there is a bit of mystery as to what it means. Surprisingly, it actually very likely means nothing is different for the vast majority of schools as far as timelines are concerned. Here's why. Most (or almost all maybe) admissions offices at law schools close after today and until Jan. 2nd. They high likely won't get YOUR December scores today when you get them (although some will try -- indeed my friend

Read full post
24 Aug 2017

Anne Dutia to join Spivey Consulting

for immediate release Long standing admissions professional Anne Dutia will be joining The Spivey Consulting Group (SCG), effective October 1, 2017. She has served on both the admissions committee at Michigan Law, and as a pre-law professional. Anne's full bio can be found at: https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/about/ Said partner Mike Spivey on the hiring, "I am happy we could make this happen; we have been pursuing Anne as a critical additional to our team for some time now. She brings divers

Read full post
26 Jul 2017

June 2017 LSAT takers are up — plus, new LSAT dates and Washington, D.C. forum attendance data

Some 2017/2018 early data and 2018/2019 new LSAT test dates. June 2017 LSAT takers are up by 19.8% or 4,555 takers for a total of 27,606 LSATs administered. This is the biggest increase in 8 years. Numbers are also up for attendance at the Washington, D.C. LSAC forum with a total of 853 attendants, up 23.4% from last year's forum. Additionally, the rate of attendance from registrants increased from last year -- a greater percentage that registered showed up. We also have the dates for the LSA

Read full post
20 May 2017

About that new LSAT Policy…

If you haven't heard, the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) recently announced a change in their LSAT retake policy. Whereas prior to this change, law school applicants were limited to three LSAT administrations within a two-year period, applicants can now take an unlimited number of tests. Additionally, LSAT takers who have taken three or more LSATs in the last two years can now register for the September LSAT. This raises an important question: Should you take the LSAT 3+ times? The stand

Read full post
09 Feb 2017

Spivey Consulting in USNWR on a successful Harvard Law resume

Hi Mr. Spivey, I wanted to thank your for your review of my resume in yesterday’s U.S. News & World Report article on law school resumes [http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/articles/2017-02-02/a-law-school-resume-that-made-the-cut] . Surely, my success is due in-part to your willingness to support prospective applicants via your guidance on the Top Law Schools forums. I do not believe I would have applied to Harvard without the encouragement I felt from readin

Read full post
16 Nov 2016

Spivey Consulting To Co-Sponsor Scholarship Program Through Writing Competition

THE VIDEO GAME BAR ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES FIRST SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS LOS ANGELES, November 14, 2016 – The Video Game Bar Association (“VGBA”) is pleased to announce its first scholarship program to encourage the pursuit of game and interactive entertainment law. The VGBA Student Writing Competition aims to encourage and reward student interest in the field of interactive entertainment law. Entries will be judged based on writing quality, timeliness o

Read full post
29 Jun 2016

Welcome to My World: Panel Discussion with Law School Admission Deans

Join us for this informative discussion featuring comments from highly experienced current and former law school admission deans who will reveal the human side of admissions, how and why some applicants "come alive" in the review process, and the inner dynamics of how law school admission decisions are made. Following panelists' remarks will be a Q&A segment during time webinar participants will be able to ask questions of the admission professionals. Panelists and bios: Mike Spivey is the fou

Read full post
14 May 2015

Karen Buttenbaum Interviewed by USNWR on the "gap year"

For the record we (and many law admissions officers we know) don’t necessarily agree with the terminology “gap” — which originated to describe the space between a year off before going to undergraduate. But semantics be damned, here [http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/articles/2015/05/14/smart-ways-to-make-the-most-of-gap-years-before-law-school] is the article. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Getting ready t

Read full post
10 Jul 2013

This time around the revolution will not be televised...

Yesterday Vic Fleischer, a respected former colleague with whom I have worked very well with on various administrative committees (and whose opinion I respect tremendously), authored the following argument: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/07/09/the-unseen-costs-of- cutting-law-school-faculty/ Vic’s conclusion, in his own words, is that, “firing untenured faculty is a shortsighted approach to managing an academic budget. It encroaches on an important principle of academic freedom, namely that

Read full post
16 Feb 2013

U.S. News Rankings (with +/-) from 2012/2013

Here is a look at last year’s rankings, with who moved up and down, in anticipation of the upcoming rankings release.

Read full post