On July 12, 2023, Associate Dean of Admissions Jay Shively participated in a mock admissions panel for attendees at the Southwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors (SWAPLA) Conference in Dallas, Texas. SWAPLA is a professional support organization serving both faculty and staff of colleges and universities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The conference was held on July 11-13, and the theme was Deep in the Heart of Pre-Law: Navigating New Frontiers Together. In addition to Associate Dean Shively, the panel consisted of admission deans from SMU Law, Ole Miss Law, Baylor Law, and the South Texas College of Law.
The panel discussed timely and relevant topics of interest related to the law school admission process and to the sample applications the group reviewed as part of the presentation. Of particular interest was a discussion of effective letters of recommendation, the value (or lack thereof) of candidates’ pursuing multiple majors, and the recent SCOTUS decision regarding affirmative action and how schools will likely weigh information applicants provide regarding their past experiences that compel them to attend law school or to pursue activism.
The audience included pre-law advisors from across the Southwest. The conference was hosted on the campuses of SMU Law, Baylor Law, Texas A&M Law, and the University of North Texas Law School.