How Advising Works

DROP-IN ADVISING

Drop-in advising is available during the academic year to all students and alumni and is designed for quick questions that take no more than 10 minutes to answer. No appointment is necessary! This is the best way for those who are not yet applying to law school to get your questions answered. Current applicants who have quick questions can take advantage of drop-in advising as well. If you have a long list of questions, you can visit drop-in advising as many times as necessary to get your questions answered. If you are a current applicant with detailed questions about your law school application process, you are encouraged to schedule an advising appointment.

Fall 2023 Drop-In Advising Hours:

Starting August 30th, drop-in advising will be available during the fall semester to all students and alumni and is designed for quick questions that take no more than 10 minutes to answer. No appointment is necessary!

Mondays: 1:00PM - 2:00PM in 04 Allen
Tuesdays: 1:00PM - 2:00PM in 04 Allen
Wednesdays: 3:00PM - 4:00PM via Zoom (Meeting ID: deanbarley)
Thursdays: 1:00PM - 2:00PM in 04 Allen
Fridays: 1:00PM - 2:00PM in 04 Allen

Advising Unavailable

Advising will not be available on the following dates:

• September 20^th-22^nd
• October 3^rd-6^th
• October 16^th-17^th
• October 24^th
• October 31^st
• November 1^st-3^rd
• November 21^st-24^th

Please plan accordingly for your advising needs.

INFORMATION SESSIONS

Information sessions are the best way to get information about being a pre-law student at Duke and they cover everything from deciding whether law school is the right path for you to reviewing financial aid offers from law schools (and everything in between). These sessions are offered throughout the academic year through the Bench & Bar Undergraduate Pre-Law Society. Be sure that you are connected to Bench & Bar so that you don’t miss them!

ADVISING APPOINTMENTS

Advising appointments are only available to students and alumni who are in the process of applying to law schools. These are appointments in which you can discuss your strategy in detail and receive advice and recommendations.
 

HOW TO SCHEDULE AN ADVISING APPOINTMENT

Summer (Deferral) Applicants

STEP 1:
You MUST complete the Deferral Program Pre-Law Advising Form before scheduling an appointment. After you complete the form, you will be sent instructions on how to schedule an advising appointment.

STEP 2: 
If you attended the personal statement and/or résumé workshops, you are eligible to have your essays and/or résumé reviewed by Dean Barley. You must send them to prelaw@duke.edu BEFORE you schedule an advising appointment. If you send materials to be reviewed after scheduling an appointment, your appointment will be canceled and you will have to reschedule.

Fall Applicants

You MUST have received your LSAT score to be eligible for a one-on-one advising appointment.

STEP 1:
After receiving your LSAT score(s), you MUST complete the Pre-Law Advising Form before scheduling an appointment. After you complete the form, you will be sent instructions on how to schedule an advising appointment.

STEP 2: 
If you are a current students and attended the personal statement and/or résumé workshops, you are eligible to have your essays and/or résumé reviewed by Dean Barley. If you are eligible to have your essays and/or résumé reviewed by Dean Barley, you must send them to prelaw@duke.edu BEFORE you schedule an advising appointment. Alumni are not required to attend on-campus workshops to have their essays and/or résumé reviewed. If you send materials to be reviewed after scheduling an appointment, your appointment will be canceled and you will have to reschedule.

WHEN ARE THESE ADVISING RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU? 

Below is a chart that should be helpful in knowing what advising resources are available to you when:

* during the spring semester if applying to a deferral program or in the upcoming fall cycle
** if applying in the fall cycle or to a deferral program over the summer
*** when applying to law school