Beyond the Numbers: Forum Attendance Highlights Value of In-Person Connections
More than 13,400 prospective applicants have attended an Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝Law School Forum, in-person or virtually this season, a turnout with several key takeaways. Held each year in major cities, the forums offer a convenient way for prospective law students to learn about JD, LLM, and law-related master’s degrees and certificate programs while connecting directly with representatives from law schools across the U.S. and Canada.
Attendance this season is slightly ahead of last year’s very strong pace and 30% higher than two years ago. Combined with much higher applicant, application, and test taker volumes, the strong turnout reinforces what Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝is seeing across the data — interest in attending law school remains high.
One nuance within the numbers: attendance by people interested in an LLM or other graduate law degree is notably lower, down 13.4% compared to the same time last year and 36% vs. two years ago. Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝believes that a change in the climate for international students may be contributing to the drop.
Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝forums offer far more than the opportunity to meet with admission professionals from 100+ law schools. Attendees can take advantage of a robust slate of workshops and other learning opportunities. This includes free information and advice about topics such as the admission process, financial aid, preparing to study and take the LSAT, the opportunity to chat with local lawyers about their work, and more.
Creating an engaging, informative forum experience requires a committed community of professionals and volunteers who lend their time and expertise. Law school admission professionals, prelaw advisors, financial aid experts, Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝test developers, access and opportunity representatives, local attorneys, and others come together to answer questions, offer guidance, and support prospective applicants on their journey to law school.
For those who can’t attend an in-person forum, Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝offers several digital forums. Digital forum attendees can speak with law school representatives via video or chat, attend live workshops, gather information, and more.
Beyond the numbers, strong forum attendance tells another important story: In-person connection remains a valuable part of the law school admission process. This is true not only for applicants, but for law schools, whose already high forum participation increased even further this year.
Participating in an Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝Forum “gives law schools just as much face time with students as it gives students face time with law schools,” said Rosanne Ibanez, director of admissions at the University of Virginia School of Law, in a recent episode of LSAC’s .
Forum interactions can build connections and positive impressions, Ibanez said, that often carry over into the application process. “It comes back around for sure,” she said.
Forum attendees also cite connecting as a key aspect of the forum experience, whether with law school representatives, future classmates, or both. Below is a sampling of what attendees have shared, reflecting the value of connections made at the forums, along with the learning, advice, and support they gained.
Getting to interact with the schools was great. But even more than that, I found it very enriching to interact with the future students and lawyers who attended alongside me. — New York forum attendee
I really enjoyed it! It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with school representatives without having to travel far from home. — Washington, D.C. forum attendee
I'm glad I decided to go. I got discounts on LSAT Prep and even test prep books and materials. I made connections with admissions faculty and familiarized myself to admissions, which I believe is definitely integral to my overall application process, especially those schools that make note of your attendance. — New York forum attendee
Thank you for the opportunity and the knowledge and support. It helped me immensely as a first-generation aspiring law student. – Washington, D.C. forum attendee
The Ďă˛Ý´«Ă˝Digital Law School Forum was a great experience, and I really appreciated the chance to connect with law school representatives and learn more about the application process. The virtual format was easy to navigate, and the workshops were very informative and helpful. I especially liked how the sessions gave clear advice on preparing for law school and understanding what schools are looking for in applicants. — October digital forum attendee
