Distilling the law school application process into a succinct and effective 500-word essay would be impossible. Bookstore shelves are teeming with guides about applying to law school. When I Googled the phrase “law school application process,” I received 141 million hits. Tremendous amounts of information and a wide spectrum of opinions exist about how to succeed in the law school application process.
I will add my own big picture approach for applying to law school: In all facets of the law school application process, context and perspective matter. In other words, when researching law schools, seek to understand the point of view from which data and descriptions are being provided. And when providing law schools the information that will become your application file, understand how that information interrelates and provides meaning to various elements of your file.
You will find statistics play an enormous role in the application of a law school candidate. Be aware statistics may lay a trap as you acquire a knowledge base for what you need to accomplish in meeting application requirements. You may lose perspective as you research schools and the process itself. Applicants often become too wedded to data. They look at acceptance rates, LSAT and GPA medians, rankings, student-to-faculty ratios, bar passage rates, average salaries, and myriad other percentages and figures and come to conclusions based exclusively on those numbers. Instead, it is important to look at the story behind the numbers. Why is the fact or figure important to the person or entity reporting it, and how does that importance translate to your interest in a legal education and a particular law school?
The same holds true when providing law schools the information that will become your application file. Law schools require you to submit a great deal of information, and a lot of that can be broken down into statistics. If you let data become the sole voice speaking for your application, then you run the risk of having your file lack context or perspective. You will assist the reviewer of your file by providing the information necessary to cast a light on the meaning of a GPA, or a grade trend, or life situation that coincided with your college career.
For example, I have read files from applicants raised in rural settings where the cultural and education background was focused on vocational training—not college preparation. When reviewing their transcripts, it was apparent that their academic skills were not adequate for achieving early success in college. But once those skills are honed, their academic achievements dramatically increased.
Unless those applicants in my example described their pre-college backgrounds in their materials, the admission committee would not have the context necessary to fully understand what their GPA really means and measures. So while there are many things we require you to tell us, we only know you as well as the information you provide us in your file. Give us the story behind your data. Help the reader of your file become oriented so she or he can approach your file from the best point of view.
From where you sit now, the first day of law school may seem very far away. There is research to be done, a difficult exam ahead, forms to complete and essays to compose. If you are a high performer and ambitious—as are many law school applicants—it may be easy to lose sight of the goal. Remember that you want to apply to law schools that will support your development as an effective and responsible member of the legal profession, and that can guide you to a rewarding and meaningful life.
How to reach that goal? First, it is time to read. It is critical to thoroughly examine the admission materials and instructions for each school that you are considering. With the ease of electronic applications, it is tempting to simply pull up the forms and begin typing away. But taking this approach misses an opportunity to understand the law schools and present yourself persuasively. For instance, Duke Law seeks applicants who demonstrate leadership and engagement. Most of our successful candidates show sustained and meaningful commitment to one or more fields of interest to them. We give you ideas about how to present this information in our materials. Other law schools may wish you to focus on other factors, based on their own institutional mission. If you skip doing this research, you risk submitting a generic application that falls flat.
Think of the application process as an advocacy challenge. It is your job to build a compelling case for your admission. Never let the admissions committee wonder about a potentially negative factor in your file, whether it be a semester of poor grades or a disciplinary matter. Most schools will permit you to attach additional documents to address particular issues, and this is your opportunity to make a solid argument.
A word about the LSAT. While it is rarely a controlling factor in the decision, it is an important element of your file. It is important to develop the right attitude as you begin to prepare, especially if you are not a terrific standardized test-taker. Try remembering that the LSAT is not the most difficult test you will ever take. (Compare a four-hour LSAT with a three-day Bar Exam!) Aim to do the best you possibly can, not necessarily to achieve a particular score. If you can relax in your preparation, you may find this attitude will help you on test day, as well as when you take your first set of daunting law school examinations.
For me, the personal statement is the heart and soul of the application. Make absolutely certain that it rings true. The application process is not a time to reinvent your personality, your interests, or your goals. Your statement does not need to be flashy. Good quality writing will take you very far. In addition, a sophisticated articulation of your values, the meaning of your life experiences, and how you would contribute to the intellectual vitality of the law school can make a powerful essay.
Applying to law school is your first step to entering the profession. Since there are special expectations and responsibilities placed on members of the legal profession, how you present yourself in the admissions process matters. For instance, our students participate in the “Duke Blueprint to LEAD (Lawyer Education and Development)"—a program that prepares students to assume effective leadership positions in the community, and lead ethical lives. An applicant who behaves badly in the admissions process—by submitting carelessly prepared materials or being disrespectful to a receptionist—would not likely fare well at a school like Duke that places such a high value on professionalism.
In about four years, you will graduate from law school. That sounds like a long time away, but it will come quickly. Your experience in law school can be transformative. That is why it is so important to conduct research now so that you can identify a law school that fits your interests and supports your ambitions. This will increase the odds that with the help of your professors and classmates, you will finish law school just like you started—with optimism, a sense of humor and a sense of duty, and an unshakeable passion for justice.
