6. What do you look for in recommendation letters? How important is it that the letter's writer has worked regularly with the candidate in an office or school setting?
We hope that letters of recommendation are thoughtful and detailed. Letters from academic sources, usually from professors, provide us with valuable insight on a student's written assignments and classroom disposition. Letters from professional sources, usually from a supervisor, should also address a candidate's intellectual capabilities, in addition to highlighting personal qualities. It is tremendously valuable to the admissions committee for a reference to be familiar with a candidate over a period of time because the substance and tone of the letter will likely reflect the strength of the relationship.
7. Can you give a brief description of the life cycle of an application? What's the timeline applicants should expect?
A complete and thorough evaluation of an application usually takes eight to 12 weeks due to high volume of applications we receive annually. Each application is reviewed by multiple members of the admissions committee. We begin reviewing applications in November and render decisions on a rolling basis. Our final postmark deadline for receipt of applications is March 1.
8. Which firms/organizations recruit heavily from your school? Which ones hire the highest percentage of your graduates?
Boston College Law School is very fortunate to have the finest law firms and organizations recruit at our school. A few of the firms and organizations that heavily recruit our students include the following:
Bingham McCutchen LLP
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Foley Hoag LLP
Fried Frank
Goodwin Procter LLP
K & L Gates
Manhattan District Attorney's Office
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
New York City Law Department
Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
Ropes & Gray LLP
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP
Sullivan & Cromwell
Weil Gotshal & Manges
WilmerHale
The following firms and organizations hired the highest percentage of our graduates over the past few years:
Ropes & Gray LLP
WilmerHale
Manhattan District Attorney's Office
Goodwin Procter LLP
Foley Hoag LLP
Committee for Public Counsel Services
9. What are some of the most common mistakes that applicants make that hurt their chances of being accepted?
The admissions committee would like for applicants to be genuine throughout the entire process; nevertheless, an individual must exercise sound judgment. Applicants have made the process more challenging for themselves by not carefully following the instructions provided in the application form. Careless mistakes, such as typos, grammatical errors, and addressing the wrong school, reflect immaturity, disregard for the institution, and a lack of motivation and focus. If a candidate expects a thoughtful evaluation of his/her application, the admissions committee, in turn, expects a candidate's best effort in preparing the application. A candidate's use of foul language, lack of etiquette and decorum around law school members, disparagement of other applicants, and lack of professionalism in written correspondence also hinder prospects for admission.
10. Can you describe the archetypal student for your school?
Boston College Law School is very proud of its diverse community and we will continue to honor the institution's tradition of attracting students from a wide variety of backgrounds. When prospective students and their families visit our campus, they often comment on the hospitality of our student body. Our students enjoy challenging each other and their faculty mentors in a respectful and deeply intellectual manner. A BC Law student's sensitivity to the human condition is a trademark.
Reader Comments Read all comments (2)
Habir Pintalla of IL 6:40PM September 30, 2010
GUELPINA CEUBAH of IL 7:53AM June 23, 2010