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< | Note: I have refractored this conversation and started a new topic here.
-- KeithEdelman - 30 Mar 2009 | >
> | _Note: I have refactored this conversation and started a new topic on choosing CLS over a public state school here._-- KeithEdelman - 30 Mar 2009
For a documentation of what we experienced at our admitted students day and how we made our decisions, there is a separate topic here. | | | Cheering for CLS at Admitted Students Day | | | -- AlexHu - 02 Apr 2009 | |
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> | In my opinion, the admitted students event experiences should not be different based upon where it is you're choosing between. I think that the most helpful people I spoke to were the forthright ones who knew that they can't really compare their law school to other schools (since they don't attend them and only know superficial information that the admitted students also know). People will make their own decisions based upon their perceptions at each school; all we can do is try to provide an accurate representation of Columbia's academic life, student organizations, and faculty. On the other hand, telling individuals why Columbia is better than say, NYU, makes it seem like we are trying to prove something. I've always adopted the cliche, honesty is the best policy; we don't want people attending our law school for the wrong reasons (because someone convinced them at admitted students day) and later despising this atmosphere. If we let them know what exactly it is that Columbia offers, then students can make the best choices for themselves. Sometimes that will mean choosing Columbia over "higher prestige" schools (and sometimes it will mean the opposite), sometimes it will mean convincing someone that law school is the right decision for them, and hopefully it will always mean an accurate explanation of the competitive nature of law students.
-- LaurenRosenberg - 02 Apr 2009
I think the role of students in the admissions process is not to sell the merits of the school, but instead to demonstrate that the students at Columbia are honest, friendly, outgoing, level-minded thinkers. Admissions explicitly tells us that Admits judge our school based on how "cool" we appear to be. In order to guarantee a good performance, admissions supplies free wine and fancy finger food which, in contrast with the long hours of reading and Famiglia pizza we are used to, puts us in an amicable mood. From my experience with Admits, the substance of what a current student tells them is not nearly as important as how that current student carries him or herself.
Admissions does not need us to lie, they just need us to show up.
-- AlexanderUballez - 02 Apr 2009 | | | | |
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< | I think there are several ideas interacting with each other here, but what seems to stand out is that ultimately, how many people feel about their experiences at admitted students day is animated by comparing Columbia with other schools. I agree with Lauren, from the refactored version of this conversation, that people's impressions should not be dictated by "where it is [they]'re choosing from," but for many of us, I think it is an unavoidable--and admittedly very faulty--starting point, subconsciously set or not, in translating our admitted-students-day experiences. | >
> | I think there are several ideas interacting with each other here, but what seems to stand out is that ultimately, how many people feel about their experiences at admitted students day is animated by comparing Columbia with other schools. I agree with Lauren that people's impressions should not be dictated by "where it is [they]'re choosing from," but for many of us, I think it is an unavoidable--and admittedly very faulty--starting point, subconsciously set or not, in translating our admitted-students-day experiences. | | | In Khalil's conversation with Professor Moglen and the rest of the class today, Khalil said that there really is no difference between School A and School B--that they're all the same. I wonder how many of us really, deep down, think that. In me, the party line behind which my multiple personalities (try to) rally seems to be "That's right--I think there is absolutely no difference." But I'm sure this is an indulgence in my self-righteousness, as it is difficult for me to ignore the creeping suspicion that I am flat out lying to myself. But maybe there's more to discuss about my disingenuousness. If we all ask ourselves whether or not we agree with Khalil's statement, and find that most of our answers (sincerity assumed) are in the negative; then maybe there really is a difference between School A and School B. In other words, our misconceived biases create and perpetuate the difference. Then eventually future applicants, employers, and donors buy into the con, and it all gets "formalized" into a ranking. |
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