| Topic Name: |
Optional Essays |
| Message Name: |
It Isn't BS from the School's Perspective |
| Date Posted: |
11/06/2002 |
| In Reply To: |
stepsongrapes,i appreciate your response
maybe I am who they want to screen out, but, considering that all the classes the first year are the same everywhere, and assuming they don't want to hear how much you love the weather at their lovely morth eastern cold-as-can-be school, or that I really want to go to your school because it might help me support a nicer lifestyle than some regional school. Why isn't it a total bs question? |
| Message: |
Don't forget that most of the time, you are dealing with an entity that is an institution, business, and tradition all in one. Don't underestimate law school admissions boards and don't make the mistake of thinking that they are stupid. Again, ask yourself, what does the school want out of this?
My personal opinion, they're looking for two very different things: 1) someone who has a genuine personal interest in the school or 2) someone who may not be genuine but is at least diligent and applied. Either one will do from the school's perspective.
I spent a significant amount of time the last two months interviewing with dozens of law firms. Every single one asked me why their firm. These guys aren't stupid either, they know I'm interviewing with another couple dozen firms, why do they ask? Same reason, to see if I really did my research and to see if I can come up with a good reason if I'm asked to.
You're right, any of the things you mentioned would come off as glaring B.S. But there are things you can write about that, while they may not necessarily be genuine from an emotional perspective, do show that you did at least do research into the school.
Things such as talking about wanting to study/research under a specific professor or department. Interest in their clinical programs or externship connections with legal practices in the area. Oh, and while 1st year may be everything from a firm perspective, it isn't from the school's; they vary greatly as to whether they may be seminar, clinic, or externship heavy in the last two years. You can write about in depth conversations you've had with some of their alums. Substantive answers that may be for some students, genuine personal interests, and for others, merely the result of diligent research.
Either way, the school will prefer a student who has the numbers and either genuine interest or diligent habits over the student with numbers who honestly doesn't care about them as merely one more school out of 10 that they are applying to.
Or maybe it's just a test of whether you can, and will, sit down long enough to think about why their asking and can give them what they want.
Good luck on your applications.
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