tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319 2008-03-18T14:49:41Z Movable Type 3.34 tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.5431 2008-03-18T07:08:07Z 2008-03-18T14:49:41Z

It’s been a while since I’ve written something here. We hit the March 1st application deadline and we’ve been working very hard to read and make decisions on applications as quickly as we can. Time just got away from me...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi It’s been a while since I’ve written something here. We hit the March 1st application deadline and we’ve been working very hard to read and make decisions on applications as quickly as we can. Time just got away from me in the midst of all the reading! About the application process… As you might remember from my first blog, there are a number of applications we hold until we can see what the entire applicant pool looks like. So, not only are we reading new applications, we’re also re-reviewing our held applications. We care deeply about the time and effort you took to apply and want to make sure we’re being as fair as we can in the admission process. We also know how difficult it is to wait and we are doing our best to give applications a thorough review while also letting you know our decision by mid-April. I know some of you have expressed concerns about the deposit deadlines for other schools. Unlike undergraduate admissions, where most schools have a May 1st deposit deadline, law schools have a variety of deadlines. There are four different deadlines law schools might follow – April 1, April 15, May 1, May 15. Northeastern follows a May 1 deposit deadline. If you applied to a school that has an April 1 or 15 deposit deadline, you should be able to get an extension on this deadline if you haven’t heard from all of your schools. This is particularly true if you are waiting for financial aid information from other schools. I find the variety of deadlines very confusing but law schools are not willing to change this in the near future as far as I can tell. We do our best to get all of our decisions out before our final decision deadline of April 15th so that you know as early as possible your choices in law schools. We know you’re anxiously waiting to hear – so I hope this explanation helps you understand what is happening and what to expect. One final note – we have had an increase in applications this year (about 200 more applications than last year) which is great but also means there are more applications to read. We aren't only looking at LSAT and GPA numbers (although they are important) but the volume of applications does have some impact on the competition. This is why we work so hard to get to know you through your application, and all of the work you put into helping us get to know you better is much appreciated. tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.5190 2008-02-29T18:57:51Z 2008-02-29T21:44:40Z

The law school wants to be more earth friendly and we’re beginning to organize to do something as a community. I just came from a meeting where we talked about the many ways the law school is going to implement...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi The law school wants to be more earth friendly and we’re beginning to organize to do something as a community. I just came from a meeting where we talked about the many ways the law school is going to implement green practices in our community. In addition to obtaining LEED certification for our new law building, here’s a sample list of some of the things we’re going to be doing: • No more bottled water = we are installing water fountains with filters • We are giving everyone in the community a reusable canvas bag for multiple uses • We are adding more recycle bins at the law school • We are encouraging people to use reusable cups and mugs • We will put earth-friendly tips up on our message boards at the law school The entire community is getting involved, from students to staff to faculty. We have a big kick off event on St. Patricks’s Day – good planning don’t you think? If you have any ideas for going green, let me know. I’d love to know what you, your place of work and/or your family do to take care of our environment. If you come here, you’ll have the chance to put your ideas into action. tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.5059 2008-02-21T04:39:21Z 2008-02-21T18:59:58Z

I often talk about how inspired I am by all of you, our applicants. As I write this, I have to say that I am reminded of the fact that those of you we are able to admit, and who...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi student group Web page to find contact information. ]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.4832 2008-02-05T06:58:10Z 2008-02-06T20:51:42Z

We had an information session last week and it was great fun for me to listen to. We invited a co-op employer and a 3L to speak to people about the value of co-op. They reminded me how amazing it...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi listen to it if you’d like. It’s long – about an hour. But I highly recommend listening if you want more in-depth information about our unique and incredible co-op program. Cheers until next time! ]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.4720 2008-01-28T21:52:46Z 2008-01-29T03:26:46Z

I was just sent an article about one of our graduates, Laura Taichman, and it’s a classic NUSL story. In the early 1990s, Laura began to research the case of a high school classmate who she believed was wrongly accused...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi http://www.law.com/jsp/nylj/PubArticleNY.jsp?hubtype=BackPage&id=1200594603809]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.4554 2008-01-16T03:20:21Z 2008-01-20T05:03:22Z

We had a snow storm in Boston yesterday and we were a bit worried that we’d have trouble getting all of the Early Action letters in the mail by today, our decision deadline. I am happy to report that letters...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi We had a snow storm in Boston yesterday and we were a bit worried that we’d have trouble getting all of the Early Action letters in the mail by today, our decision deadline. I am happy to report that letters have been sent, and if you’re waiting for an Early Action decision, you should be receiving yours soon! Some of you will receive letters letting you know that you’ve been deferred to the regular applicant pool. Many people tell me that they assume this means they won’t get in. Although I can’t tell you what will happen to your file, if we deferred your application, it simply means that we want to wait to compare your credentials to those in the regular application pool. You will have the advantage of being read many times by members of the Admissions Committee. We also like the fact that you applied early to us – an indication that your interest is very strong. So please don’t decide that a deferral means you will be denied in the end. We certainly haven't done that! For us, an important part of the reading process is to remember that you are anxiously waiting for your admission decision and to respect the time and effort you put into applying to NUSL. Please feel free to touch base if you’re concerned about a decision we’ve made or want to check on your application status. (In the next couple of weeks you’re going to be able to check your application status on-line.) We do our best to give you the information you need to help you feel less anxious about the process, so check in if you're worried. One note about admission to those of you who may have applied regular admission to the law school: We read files on a modified rolling admission basis. This means that we make some decisions now, but that many applications are held until March. This is so we can compare applications after our March 1st application deadline. We then take a look at the credentials of those we’ve held to decide which applicants seem to have the strongest profiles to round out our class. It takes a long time, but in the end you can be confident that your application has been given a very thorough review and the decision was made with a lot of thought. I hope this gives you some perspective on our process. I’ll continue to talk about how we review applications as the season continues. You should feel free to post comments or questions for me at any time. tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.4526 2008-01-13T12:31:53Z 2008-01-13T22:17:04Z

I rarely watch television, but last night I put our local PBS station on and watched a funny British comedy, “The Vicar of Dibley.�? Although worth a good chuckle if you like British humor, the reason I mention it is...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi http://www.slaw.neu.edu/faculty/f_baker.htm and here's a profile about him: http://www.slaw.neu.edu/faculty/p_baker.htm There are many professors working on international human rights issues. If this is an area that interests you, check out our Program for Human Rights in the Global Economy: http://www.slaw.neu.edu/clinics/phrge.html ]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.4507 2008-01-09T21:27:58Z 2008-01-09T23:49:05Z

It’s been a very busy week in our office! We continue to read the Early Action files so that all decisions will be mailed by January 15th as promised. There’s a lot of applications and we like to take our...

MJ Knoll-Finn, Assistant Dean and Director of Admi http://www.slaw.neu.edu/admiss/visit.htm On another note, can you believe the election season is starting? We’ve all been discussing the candidates and agree we have a lot of homework to do to find out all we can about them and their positions on important issues. Just today one of our staff members, Jennifer, sent us a bunch of different op-ed pieces and articles about candidates. I, for one, can’t stop listening to NPR! It’s a lot of fun and interesting to chat about what’s going on. I hope you’re doing the same. Take care and I look forward to sending you another blog soon. ]]> tag:blogs.targetx.com,2008:/neuslaw/MJ//319.4432 2008-01-02T13:53:49Z 2008-01-02T14:11:49Z

Welcome to my first blog. I am excited to have the opportunity to share a bit more about the admissions process with you and to let you know about what’s happening in general at NUSL. Feel free to post comments...

Northeastern University School of Law Welcome to my first blog. I am excited to have the opportunity to share a bit more about the admissions process with you and to let you know about what’s happening in general at NUSL. Feel free to post comments and start conversations with me or others who post comments. For those of you who applied Early Action, rest assured that we have started to read your applications and will mail all decisions on or before January 15th. It’s such a pleasure to read your applications – you are such a diverse and interesting group of people. I have to say that you remind me why I love what I do – you all inspire me. I wish I could admit everyone! If you are interested in public interest law, I hope you were able to get your application for the Public Interest Law Scholarship in this week. It’s a great opportunity to gain both recognition for your social justice work and some financial assistance as you obtain your law degree. The deadline for the scholarship application is January 2nd. Finally, my thoughts are with the people of Kenya and Pakistan after this week of intense violence in these two countries. I have always been proud to be part of a law school that tries to make a difference in the world. Somehow it matters even more in the face of the news coming out of these countries. Take care and stay in touch!