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Persuading Elite Law School
Admissions Decision Makers
High grades from a respected college or
university, plus an LSAT at 167 or above are a powerful opening
hand in the competition for winning an elite (say, top 15) law
school admission offer. But high numbers alone are not certain
to carry the battle. Nor are lower numbers automatically a
disqualifier, although you are certainly better off with higher
numbers.
Understand
that elite law schools are looking for applicants who have
persuaded them that they can become respected lawyers at the
highest levels of the legal profession, or lawyers serving
disadvantaged people or otherwise contributing to the public
interest, or those who may become contributors to legal
scholarship, as professors or otherwise as prominent lawyers, or
those who have the talent to become organizational leaders in
the many associations that serve and govern legal professionals.
Elite law
schools want to see examples of outstanding personal and
academic achievement. They are reasonably open minded regarding
how one’s personal and academic achievements are accomplished.
In
considering how you might meet the challenge of persuading such
decision makers, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Can we
argue that you have a history of outperforming the expectations
associated with specific standardized test score(s)?
2. Has your
life’s progress so far been adversely affected by some obstacle
or tragedy, one that we ought to share with the law schools?
3. How would
you describe your potential contribution to the intellectual
life of your law school class?
4. How would
you describe your potential contribution to the social life of
your law school class?
5. Is
there an argument that we can make that derives from your
curriculum choices, such as a broad range of courses, an unusual
breadth to your studies, or a particularly advanced focus?
6. Are you unquestionably a master of
something?
7.
Can you offer an unusual perspective, based on extraordinary
experiences in your life?
8.
How can we best inform the law schools about your
drive, your ambitions,
and your energy level?
9.
Elite law schools are sometimes willing to reward work for legal
services organizations, work in third-world countries, teaching
in troubled schools, military service, success in business,
graduate study, or athletic/physical achievements. Do you have
a story to tell in any of these areas?
10.
Are you a non-US citizen, or a new citizen? Are your parents US
citizens?
11. Is your ethnic background one that might interest an elite
law school seeking to have broad racial, ethnic or other
background diversity in each incoming class?
12. From your life experiences and achievements, what
demonstrates that you will be a significant and positive
contributor to the classroom setting in an elite law school?
Think about
these factors as you develop drafts of your personal statement
and other documents for the law schools. Weave your answers to
these questions into your written work. Don’t simply assert
your position directly. Convince these decision makers by
allowing them to conclude the right answer to these questions,
based on the story you tell.
Copyright
2004, Brad Dobeck, Esq., PrelawAdvisor.com
Helpful
Links:
Next
step:
Taking
the LSAT
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