Status Check with Spivey

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with Paula Gluzman—a Spivey consultant and former law school admissions officer at UCLA and UW—as well as two of her past clients who successfully transferred law schools: Katie, who transferred from a regional law school in Texas to Columbia, and Melissa, who transferred from a regional school on the west coast to Har...

In this brief episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike discusses the changes U.S. News made to their methodology this year. You can view the full list of new law school rankings (with +/-) here . You can listen to Mike's last podcast, "Why Rankings Matter to People (& Why They Should Not)," here . You can listen and subscribe to  Status Check with Spivey  on  ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with PowerScore Founder & CEO Dave Killoran about the removal of the Logic Games section of the LSAT, the new writing section, and what all this might mean for the future of the law school admissions. You can listen and subscribe to  Status Check with Spivey  on  ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ ,...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , five Spivey consultants discuss their experiences as first-generation college students, law students, and lawyers, with a particular focus on passing along advice and knowledge that they wish they had known. The episode includes Sir Williams, Derek Meeker, Sam Kwak, Peter Cramer, and Rob Cacace, who, among their numerous other accomplishments, have ser...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike discusses some of the psychological and societal reasons that rankings seem to matter so much to people—then explains the reasons that they shouldn't matter as much as they do. You can listen and subscribe to  Status Check with Spivey  on  ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ , and  ⁠⁠Google Podcasts⁠⁠ . You can read a full transcr...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with two Spivey consultants, Peter Cramer and Tom Robinson (you can read their bios here ), on differences in the admissions process for international applicants, how law school admissions has changed for international students over time, and our best advice for strategically navigating the current realities of the ap...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Anna has a conversation with Joe Pollak —one of Spivey's consultants and a former admissions officer at the University of Michigan Law School—about differences and similarities in law school admissions today vs. ten years ago. Anna brings the perspective of someone who was applying to law school a decade ago, while Joe brings his perspective as a M...

In this episode of  Status Check with Spivey , Mike interviews Dr. Peter Grinspoon—physician, Harvard Medical School instructor, and author of  Free Refills: A Doctor Confronts His Addiction , in which he writes about his struggles with and recovery from opiate addiction. Mike and Dr. Grinspoon discuss mental health and wellness for high performers, why lawyers have such high rates of addiction an...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , current applicant and Redditor Extension_Ad_1432, who we call "Julia," interviews Spivey Consulting's new President, Anna Hicks-Jaco—unscripted and unprepared, "Ask Me Anything"-style—on anything and everything that was on her mind. They discuss factors impacting this cycle, advice for applicants who applied early but still have...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Anna Hicks-Jaco , Spivey Consulting's new President, discusses common mistakes that applicants make in the second part of their admissions cycle—after they've submitted their applications. You can listen and subscribe to  Status Check with Spivey  on  ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠Stitcher⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ , and  ⁠⁠Google Podcasts⁠⁠ ....

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike interviews best-selling author Brad Stulberg (whose books include Master of Change, The Practice of Groundedness, Peak Performance, and The Passion Paradox ) on how to make real and lasting change in your life. Brad and Mike discuss why we resist change, elective vs. forced change, identity, and how to actually make your New Year's Resolution...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike interviews Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, a psychiatrist and best-selling author of The Molecule of More . Mike and Dr. Lieberman discuss tenacity, goal-setting, and both achieving and finding contentment in success—all as they relate to not just law school admissions (Dr. Lieberman gives some excellent personal statement advice), but a variety of t...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike interviews UVA Law Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer on differences between this year and past years in admissions, special factors influencing this cycle, AI in admissions, and an insider look into UVA Law's application review process (including why some applicants hear back sooner than others). For more law school admissions advice from Dean Bl...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike interviews Ellen Cassidy, author of the acclaimed Loophole in LSAT Logical Reasoning and founder of Elemental Prep , on LSAT strategies, handling expectations (both from others and self-imposed), trends in law school applicants/LSAT-takers over time, and more. Ellen, as an LSAT expert and former applicant who was admitted to Harvard Law but turned...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike discusses the reasons that this law school admissions cycle will be the slowest one ever (or at least within our admissions careers)—and, perhaps more importantly, what you should do about it if you're a current applicant. You can listen and subscribe to  Status Check with Spivey  on  ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠Stitcher⁠⁠ ,  ⁠⁠YouT...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike gives his top 5 pieces of advice from his 20+ years working in law school admissions. You can listen and subscribe to  Status Check with Spivey  on  ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ,  ⁠Spotify⁠ ,  ⁠Stitcher⁠ ,  ⁠YouTube⁠ , and  ⁠Google Podcasts⁠ . You can read a full transcript of this episode  ⁠here⁠ .

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , two experienced and respected law school Deans—Craig Boise, Dean of Syracuse University College of Law, and Daniel Rodriguez, former Dean of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law—discuss the history, the present, and the future of law school admissions and legal education. Their conversation covers a range of topics, including problems with th...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike discusses a question we receive often (especially lately, in light of the most recent U.S. News law school ranking methodology changes that significantly emphasized job outcomes over admissions metrics)—just how important is work experience in the law school application process? You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on Apple Pod...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike has a conversation with Spivey Consulting's COO Anna Hicks-Jaco about what to expect during the upcoming cycle, her perspective as both a recent Dean of Admissions and relatively recent applicant, and advice for applicants getting ready to apply. Mike and Anna mention several resources and past podcasts in this episode: Fall 2023 Median Tracke...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Spivey Consulting's COO Anna Hicks-Jaco gives the insider perspective on AI-generated personal statements—currently a hot topic of discussion in law school admissions offices—and critiques two personal statements written using ChatGPT. One of the AI-written essays follows a more general prompt, and one a specific prompt based on an A+ personal stat...

As much as we deign to use absolutes, there is at least one principle we can think of that is absolutely non-negotiable in law school admissions. Regardless of your qualifications, breaking this rule can tank any applicant's chances—this episode of Status Check with Spivey discusses that rule. Mike mentions our blog post predicting the 2023-2024 admissions cycle in this episode—you can read th...

In this brief episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike discusses what has grown in recent years to be the biggest myth in law school admissions today . Mike mentions two previous Status Check episodes in this podcast: Dr. Jud Brewer on the Highly Effective Way to Overcome Anxiety Dean Z on Underrated/Overrated Law School Admissions Advice + Answering Reddit Questions (Part 1) You can listen and...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike continues his conversation with Dean Sarah Zearfoss (also known as "Dean Z"), who in her role as Senior Assistant Dean at the University of Michigan Law School has overseen the admissions office for the past 23 years. Dean Z also hosts the popular law school admissions podcast A2Z with Dean Z . In this second episode of the series, Mike...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike discusses the recent Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard Supreme Court decision—which ruled against the legality of race-conscious admissions or "affirmative action"—and what it means for law school applicants, particularly applicants of color. He is joined by two guests, Sydney Montgomery (Executive Director and Founder of Barrier B...

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey , Mike has a conversation with Dean Sarah Zearfoss (also known as "Dean Z"), who, in her role as Senior Assistant Dean at the University of Michigan Law School, has overseen the admissions office for the past 23 years. Dean Z also hosts the popular law school admissions podcast A2Z with Dean Z . In the interview, Mike and Dean Z discuss whether...