Status Check with Spivey

Advice Admissions Officers Won't Tell You: Insider Law School Application Strategy

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with two of Spivey’s newest consultants—Sam Parker, former Harvard Law Associate Director of Admissions, and Julia Truemper, former Vanderbilt Law Associate Director of Admissions—all about the law school admissions advice that admissions officers won’t give you, discussing insider secrets and debunking myths and common applicant misconceptions.  Over this hour-and-twenty-minute-long episode, three former law school admissions officers talk about the inner workings of law schools’ application review processes (31:50), the true nature of “admissions committees” (33:50), cutoff LSAT scores (23:03, 46:13), what is really meant (and what isn’t) by terms such as “holistic review” (42:50) and “rolling admissions” (32:10), tips for interviews (1:03:16), waitlist advice (1:15:28), what (not) to read into schools’ marketing emails (10:04), which instructions to follow if you get different guidance from a law school’s website vs. an admissions officer vs. on their application instructions on LSAC (14:29), things not to post on Reddit (1:12:07), and much more. Two other episodes are mentioned in this podcast: * Making Your Law School List: Advice & Resources for Deciding Where to Apply [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/podcasts/making-your-school-list-podcast] * “Safety Schools” and Making a Law School Backup Plan [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/podcasts/podcast-safety-schools-and-making-a-law-school-backup-plan] You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/status-check-with-spivey/id1477090223?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/1axZqBvq28wpvhKEq2l7sV?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA_Rbmm6gSV09dUwrnlBjyQ/?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io]. You can read a full transcript of this episode here [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/podcasts/advice-admissions-officers-wont-tell-you].

GW Law Dean Dayna Matthew on Law School Admissions, Employment, & the Future of Legal Education

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike has a conversation with Dayna Bowen Matthew [https://www.law.gwu.edu/dayna-bowen-matthew], Dean of the George Washington University Law School, where she has led the law school since 2020. Prior to her time at GW, she was a Professor of Law at the University of Virginia School of Law, the University of Colorado Law School, and the University of Kentucky College of Law, and she has served as a Senior Advisor to the Office of Civil Rights of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She is a graduate of Harvard University (AB), the University of Virginia School of Law (JD), and the University of Colorado (PhD). Mike and Dean Matthew discuss the increase in law school applicants this cycle (7:42 and 18:11), advice for applying during a competitive cycle (12:16), how the large firm hiring process in law school has changed into something that "bears no resemblance" to how it worked for decades (5:11), how the public interest and government hiring process has changed as well (6:27), how AI could impact legal employment in the future (24:10), why she chose the law school where she attended (2:33), what she would do differently if she were applying today (3:36), how to assess law schools' varying "personalities" (13:22), the fungibility of a JD (16:45), advice for law students (18:53), and what it's like being a law school dean in 2025 (28:53). You can read more about Dean Matthew here [https://www.law.gwu.edu/dayna-bowen-matthew]. We discussed two additional podcast interviews in this episode: * "How Law School Hiring Has Changed (Rapidly) & How That Impacts Admissions [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/blog-post/how-law-school-hiring-has-changed-rapidly-and-how-that-impacts-admissions]" * "Emmy-Winning News Anchor Elizabeth Vargas on Overcoming Professional Setbacks and Anxiety [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/blog-post/elizabeth-vargas-podcast/]." Note: Due to an unexpected technical issue during recording, Mike's audio quality decreases from 7:35 onward. Apologies for any difficulties this may cause, and please note that we have a full transcript of the episode linked below. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/status-check-with-spivey/id1477090223?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/1axZqBvq28wpvhKEq2l7sV?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA_Rbmm6gSV09dUwrnlBjyQ/?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io]. You can read a full transcript with timestamps here [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/blog-post/dayna-bowen-matthew-podcast].

Financial Aid & Student Loans After the "Big Beautiful Bill," with Sydney Montgomery & Kristin Shea

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Spivey consultant and former admissions dean Nikki Laubenstein discusses the financial aid and student loan considerations that prospective law students should be thinking about post-"Big Beautiful Bill," joined by Sydney Montgomery, who is the Executive Director & Founder of Barrier Breakers, and Kristin Shea, who has led the law school financial aid office at Syracuse University for almost a decade as a part of a 20-year career in legal education. Nikki, Sydney, and Kristen talk about the changes to student loans and student loan caps resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (9:43), the changes to repayment plans (35:58), who those changes apply to (5:21), the differences between undergraduate financial aid/scholarships and law school financial aid/scholarships (20:52), understanding tuition vs. total cost of attendance and how that relates to scholarship reconsideration and student loan caps (24:17), possible ways schools could help fill the gap especially for students targeting public interest jobs (38:21), advice for those planning to work while in law school (41:00), why prospective law students should start thinking about financial aid earlier on in the admissions process than most do (30:47), and more. Barrier Breakers [https://barrier-breakers.org/] is a nonprofit that has worked with 7,000+ first-generation and other marginalized students on the college and law school application process. Sydney Montgomery, the daughter of a Jamaican immigrant mother and military parents, was the first person from her high school to go to Princeton University and then later Harvard Law School. She has dedicated her life and career to supporting first-generation students and has a particular passion for financial aid. She is a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council and has been featured in Inc., Forbes, FastCompany, Medium, CNBC, and others. Kristin Shea [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-pardee/] is a higher education professional with twenty years of experience, including law school enrollment management, recruitment, and financial aid; alumni, donor, and employer relations; and marketing and communications. The last decade of her career has been dedicated to financial aid, and she is passionate about helping law students make smart, thoughtful financial plans for their education. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology and psychology and an MBA from Le Moyne College. We hope to do a follow-up episode in the spring with more information on how law schools are addressing these changes. We also encourage you to reach out to the financial aid offices of schools you're considering once admitted to learn about any programs they may offer and any assistance they can provide. As Kristin says in this episode, "The map may have some alternative directions, but you can still reach your destination, and there are many people who want to help." We have also linked a number of financial aid resources below. Federal Student Aid: * FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid [https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa] – 2026-27 FAFSA available no * One Big Beautiful Bill Act Updates | Federal Student Aid [https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/big-updates] * Repaying Student Loans 101 | Federal Student Aid [https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/repaying-101] * What does cost of attendance (COA) mean? | Federal Student Aid [https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-does-cost-of-attendance-mean]  AccessLex Institute Resources: * Student Loan Calculator | AccessLex [https://www.accesslex.org/tools-and-resources/student-loan-calculator] * Student Aid Policy and Action Center | AccessLex [https://www.accesslex.org/tools-and-resources/student-aid-policy-and-action-center#student-loan-resources] * Paying for Law School | AccessLex [https://www.accesslex.org/tools-and-resources/paying-law-school] * Guide to Private Student Loans | AccessLex [https://www.accesslex.org/tools-and-resources/guide-private-student-loans] * Scholarship Databank | AccessLex [https://www.accesslex.org/databank] – includes more than 800 law scholarship and writing competitions (totaling more than $3M). Free Credit Report: Annual Credit Report.com - Home Page [https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action] Equal Justice Works – LRAP FAQ Important Questions to Ask About Any LRAP  - Equal Justice Works [https://www.equaljusticeworks.org/law-students/student-debt-resources/resources/important-questions-to-ask-about-any-lrap/] -- You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/status-check-with-spivey/id1477090223?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/1axZqBvq28wpvhKEq2l7sV?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA_Rbmm6gSV09dUwrnlBjyQ/?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io]. You can read a full transcript (with timestamps) here [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/blog-post/financial-aid-podcast].

Elizabeth Vargas, Journalist and News Anchor, on Overcoming Professional Setbacks and Coping with Anxiety

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Elizabeth Vargas, journalist and television news anchor, on her journey to learning how to cope healthily with lifelong anxiety and panic attacks, on overcoming professional setbacks, and on advice for young people facing the stresses of the LSAT, law school admissions, law school, and finding legal employment. Elizabeth Vargas anchors “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” (weeknights, 7 p.m. ET), an hour-long weekday news program that debuted April 3, 2023 on NewsNation. Vargas has traveled the world covering breaking news stories, reporting in-depth investigations, and conducting newsmaker interviews. She previously hosted the hit newsmagazine show “20/20” on ABC for 15 years, served as Co-Anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight, and was a news anchor and frequent host of “Good Morning America.” She also hosted A&E Investigates, a series of documentaries that still air on Hulu. In 2016, Vargas released her memoir, Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/elizabeth-vargas/between-breaths/9781455559640/?lens=grand-central-publishing], which spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and won numerous awards. Vargas is a member of the board of directors for the non-profit Partnership to End Addiction and hosts “Heart of the Matter,” a podcast focused on addiction, recovery, and the stigma so many face in their effort to heal. Vargas mentions and recommends writer Mary Karr's books, The Liars' Club [https://www.marykarr.com/the-liars-club.html] and Lit [https://www.marykarr.com/lit.html], in this episode. Mike also discusses our interview with Justin Ishbia [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/blog-post/justin-ishbia-interview], who was the last person admitted to Vanderbilt Law from the waitlist when he applied and now owns the Phoenix Suns. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/status-check-with-spivey/id1477090223?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/1axZqBvq28wpvhKEq2l7sV?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA_Rbmm6gSV09dUwrnlBjyQ/?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io]. You can read a full transcript with timestamps here [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/blog-post/elizabeth-vargas-podcast].

Former Law School Applicants & Aspiring Environmental Lawyers: Where Are They Now?

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Spivey consultants Derek Meeker and Paula Gluzman catch up with two former applicants and aspiring environmental attorneys, Shasta Fields [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shasta-fields-534a33244/] and Cameron Moody [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronmoody/], with whom they worked years ago and who are both now law school graduates. They discuss their experiences in law school, reflections on their application processes now that they've graduated, and their advice for current and future applicants. Plus, where did their goals of working in environmental law take them? Cameron is a recent graduate of UVA School of Law, where they participated in the Holistic Youth Defense Clinic, the Environmental Law and Community Engagement Clinic, the Virginia Environmental Law Journal, and the Public Interest Law Association, and they were awarded the Clinical Legal Education Association’s Outstanding Student Award for 2024-25. Shasta is a graduate of UCLA School of Law, where she served as President of the Environmental Law Society and was a member of the Order of the Coif, Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, Trial Advocacy Team, and Native American Law Student Association. Listen to the episode to learn about the work they're doing now! You can read bios for Paula and Derek here [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/about-us/?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io]. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/status-check-with-spivey/id1477090223?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/1axZqBvq28wpvhKEq2l7sV?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io], and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA_Rbmm6gSV09dUwrnlBjyQ/?ref=spiveyconsulting.ghost.io]. Read a full transcript of this episode (with timestamps) here [https://www.spiveyconsulting.com/blog-post/where-are-they-now-environmental-law].