Claim OwnershipAdmissible: A Look Inside Law School Admissions
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UVA Law Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 offers insights into the world of law school admissions and a behind-the-scenes look at life as a law student through interviews with students, faculty, alumni and staff.
51 Episodes
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From college sophomores to first-year law students, Sarah Beddingfield ’28 and Morgan Gaspar ’28 join Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss their experience in UVA Law’s Roadmap Scholars Initiative.
Professor and Double Hoo Xiao Wang, director of UVA Law’s Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, joins Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss how the clinic gets selected to take on high-profile cases; why a people-first approach is critical to successful advocacy; and how his time at UVA helped prepare him for the grand stage of the Supreme Court. Following the clinic’s back-to-back 9-0 victories at the Supreme Court in the 2024-25 term, Wang emphasizes that UVA Law students are at the forefront of the research, briefing and preparation for oral argument of each case presented before the Supreme Court, all while still in their third year of law school.
Virginia men’s basketball Associate Head Coach Griff Aldrich ’99 joins Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss his journey from UVA Law student to college basketball coach to corporate attorney and back again. Now in his first season coaching at UVA, Aldrich shares the “intangibles” he looks for that signal success on the court and in the classroom, his take on the transfer portal and the recent transformation of college sports, how skills learned in law school apply to all areas of life and more.
Assistant Dean for Public Service Ryan Faulconer ’08 joins Dean Blazer to discuss how political instability creates an even bigger demand for great lawyers, and how UVA Law students in particular benefit from the customized counseling and support that his office provides. Reflecting upon his 15-year career as a federal prosecutor, which took off at the height of the Great Recession, Dean Faulconer emphasizes the need for flexibility, grit and creativity to navigate uncertain times.
Back by popular demand, Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 and her microphone venture outside the studio to give listeners a look inside UVA Law’s Admitted Students Open House. Through on-site interviews with admitted students, their guests, current law students, alumni and staff, this episode highlights the admissions cycle’s main event that brought hundreds of visitors to Charlottesville this spring.
First-year law student Colleen Sullivan joins Dean Blazer ’08 to discuss how she navigated one of the most competitive and uncertain application cycles on record. From authentic communication to patience to staying true to her goals, tune in to hear Sullivan’s advice and how her journey brought her to UVA Law.
Kimberly Emery ’91, assistant dean for pro bono and public interest, joins admissions dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss how the Pro Bono Program at UVA Law helps bridge the justice gap by providing free legal services to clients and communities in need and prepares law students for the significant responsibilities they will carry as attorneys. Through a variety of projects that span nearly all legal disciplines and regions of the world from Charlottesville to South Africa, the program enables law students to develop their professional practice skills and have a meaningful, real-world impact while still in school.
Matt Wakeman, assistant dean for financial aid, education and planning at UVA Law, joins Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss the ways in which merit-based scholarships should – and should not – factor into an admitted student’s decision-making process when it comes to selecting a law school.
Mason Davenport ’25 joins Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss how a UVA Law externship immerses you in legal practice and prepares you for a successful career, all while earning credits toward your J.D. Tune in to learn how the Externships Program works, where in the world our externs are working, what it was like for Mason to extern in the Office of the White House Counsel and so much more.
UVA Law’s newest admissions director, Jennifer Echemendia, joins Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 and fellow directors Katie Delsandro ’12 and Rosanne Ibanez to discuss the highs and lows of the 2025 application cycle so far.
In advance of the Thanksgiving holiday – always a popular time of year to submit law school applications – Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 collected applicants’ questions via voice memo, email, social media and an in-person Q&A session to learn what’s on their minds. With the help of Admissions student worker Chelsea McKelvey ’26, Dean Blazer addresses concerns about application timing, LSAT scores, the Why UVA essay, when to submit optional addenda, resume content, letters of recommendation and more.
Psychotherapists Dr. Kate Gibson and Karen Painter join Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss how they support students at the Law School, offering insights on how individual counseling can help students overcome challenges to achieve success in school and in legal practice.
Assistant Dean for Academic Services and Registrar Jason Dugas ’01 joins Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss how UVA Law students can earn a second graduate degree along with their J.D., study abroad while in law school, enroll in elective courses and more.
What differentiates a good application from an admissible one? Tyler Stapleton ’27 joins Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss his journey as a reapplicant to UVA Law, sharing how he approached his essays, resume and letters of recommendation the second time around — all while staying optimistic about the process.
Lance Ledet ’26 and Bridget Mensah ’26 join Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to share how they navigated the law school application process — and their first year of law school — as first-generation students. Ledet and Mensah discuss the Virginia Law First-Generation Professionals student organization (which they help lead), resources they hope applicants will take advantage of in the admissions process, the importance of community and more.
Antitrust attorney Megan Granger ’11 joins Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss how she built a successful legal practice at a preeminent global law firm. Granger shares what she wishes she had done differently in law school, her advice to young associates hoping to rise through the ranks, and the secret to longevity in a legal career. (University of Virginia School of Law, Sept. 13, 2024)
“Admissible” host Natalie Blazer ’08, admissions dean at UVA Law, is back with all-new guests sharing law school admissions advice for the upcoming cycle.
As deposit deadlines come and go, admissions offices turn their attention to the prospect of waitlist activity. Directors of Admission Katie Delsandro and Rosanne Ibanez are back to discuss how waitlisted candidates can manage expectations and maximize outcomes during this period of uncertainty.
Mike Spivey of The Spivey Consulting Group joins Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 to discuss the latest iteration of the U.S. News and World Report law school rankings.
In this special episode, Dean Natalie Blazer ’08 and her microphone venture outside the studio to give listeners a rare look inside UVA Law’s Admitted Students Open House. Through on-site interviews with admitted students, their guests, current law students, faculty and staff, this episode highlights the admissions cycle’s main event, which brings hundreds of people to Charlottesville each spring.
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