Here is a List of Questions to Ask Current Law Students and Alumni

One of the best ways to learn more about a law school is speaking with current law students and alumni.

Gabriel Kuris, founder of Top Law Coach and contributor at US News, recently highlighted key questions applicants should ask law students and alumni to get an honest perspective on what attending the law school is really like.

STUDENT EXPERIENCE QUESTIONS

To really understand what it’s like to spend three years at a law school, Kuris recommends asking open-ended specific questions about the student experience:

• What is the social life like?
• How do students act toward one another?
• How competitive or cooperative are they?
• Where and when do students tend to socialize – mostly with each other on campus or mostly outside the school?
• What was good or bad or surprising about their experience there?

CAREER OPPORTUNITY QUESTIONS

Alumni are a great resource to learn more about potential career opportunities. In addition to researching data about graduate employment outcomes, consider connecting with alumni in similar fields and ask these questions:

• What are your primary job responsibilities?
• What experience did you have to get your job?
• What is a typical work day like?
• What do you like/dislike most about your work?
• What are the toughest problems and decisions you handle?
• What do you wish you had known about your position/the field before you started?

ADVICE QUESTIONS

Law school is a challenging three years. Seeking out advice from those who have been through it can provide you with lessons for a smoother transition. Here are a few questions Kuris recommends asking students and alumni:

• What proved to be their biggest obstacle, and what helped them overcome it?
• What advice would they give to someone just starting this experience?
• What skills are most important to practice?
• What should a new student do to make the most of his or her time there?

Sources: US News, Harvard Law School