Visiting Law Schools: Northwestern University

Northwestern was awesome!

Where to begin? It was an adventure trying to find the law school (not because it's difficult to find, but because I've never been to Chicago). Northwestern law is in downtown Chicago; detached and away from Evanston, where the main campus is located. Well blended with the Northwestern University Hospital/medical school, the law school is situated in the outer perimeter of the downtown campus - more towards Lake Michigan (amazing view!)

My interview (Northwestern Law strives to interview every single applicant) was to start promptly at 9:45 a.m. The cold weather and breeze (mind you this was in December 2006) was actually quite refreshing.

As soon as I stepped into Northwestern's building my mouth opened (in awe). Students, who had their nose buried in their books, were gathered in an open common area, studying under high ceilings, from which drooped purple flags/banners with Northwestern Law's emblem. This place looked more like a business school than a law school (FYI, this is a good thing).

The admissions office was very easy to find. The lady at the front desk was super nice (notice how my impression of the school is greatly impacted by the admissions staff's attitude towards prospective students). My subsequent interview went well.

Afterwards, I began my routine interviewing students, raiding 1L classes, and knocking on professors' doors.

The first student I tapped told me that he was much too busy to answer any of my questions. But he was polite and nice about it. About two hours later, after class, he went out of his way to find me and entertain my questions. To my fortune, this fellow transfered from another law school. So he had great perspective and a basis of comparison for the "ups" and "downs" of Northwestern Law.
"You'll hear it tooted that Northwestern is collegial. But the school I was at before was even more collegial."

I asked him what he likes most about Northwestern, and he replied: "National placement. That's why I had to transfer. I want to return to California, and that wasn't an option at the other school."

I asked about the academic atmosphere: "People work, but not to the point of nervous breakdown. I'd say there's a good balance here."

Two other students, whom I met towards the end of my tour, confirmed with this general analysis. These two were 2Ls and they were (be prepared to perk your ears) "project partners." This intrigued me. Not only did the school look it, but it acted (sorta) like a business school. In all my law school visits I had never heard of "project partners." My general impression of law school and law practice was that it's intensely individualistic. "Project partners" went against this notion.
What was most impressionable about these two 2Ls was that they never stopped smiling. They were so happy that I soon became happy for no apparent reason.
Given its proximity I had to ask about the University of Chicago Law School and how Northwestern students compared, and one of these two 2Ls answered: "I have a friend at Chicago and he's miserable. He's intensely jealous of me because he realized that our job opportunities are essentially the same, but the process is much more enjoyable here at Northwestern."

Almost everyone at Northwestern has some sort of job experience. There are few students who are fresh college grads, but they are an extreme minority.

I stepped into a 1L property class. Before it began, I walked up to introduce myself to the professor, but nothing special or impressionable happened. I sat towards the backend of the room, just so that I wouldn't take someone's coveted front row seat.
The girl sitting in front of me was typing at a mad man's speed. She was AIMing (with 3 different people) yet she did not miss a single word from the professor's mouth.
The Socratic method wasn't really utilized - not too much interaction between the students and the professor. This was a bit surprising, especially because I had heard that this specific professor was good. Don't get me wrong, he was actually very good. It's just that I was expecting fire, passion and heat.

Northwestern isn't all modern "business school-esque." The other half of the law school is wood and vintage-esque. Lincoln Hall, for example, looks exactly like something I imagined from a European parliamentary house. Supposedly, Abraham Lincoln himself lecture in that very room. Personally, I like this older traditional side of Northwestern Law better than the more modern side.

And now, my list...

Positives:
- Great interior! Both modern and classic flavor.
- Geniunely happy and collaborative student body.
- A lot of Northwestern pride (at least amongst those I spoke with).
- Easy access to EVERYTHING! Including Ghirardelli Chocolate!

Negatives:
- Students too readily talked bad about University of Chicago; I sensed inferiority complex.
- Compared to peer schools, facutly + student interaction was almost non-existent in the common area.