Understanding the Admissions Process - The View Inside Boalt
Written: Apr 02 '01
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Pros: Real students also contribute to process, more than just formulaic process
Cons: Still relies on numbers like LSAT and GPA, can be very subjective
The Bottom Line: Don't let the prestige of the school or U.S. News' statistics intimidate you. You may still have a strong chance even if you are in the middle of the pack.
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| smiles33's Full Review: University of California, Berkeley -- Boalt Hall S... |
The most selective law schools admittedly rely heavily on traditional measures like undergraduate GPA and LSAT score. However, there is still much to be said for those who do not have perfect numbers, particularly for those whose numbers are nowhere near the "average" 171 LSAT score and 3.8 GPA published in the U.S. News & World Report profiles of top law schools.
NOTE: This is an epinion identical to one I wrote on law school admissions in the old Epinions education section that I have since deleted and moved here since it was not transferred properly to the new Boalt section.
The shocking news is that some candidates with these numbers may not get into the law school of their choice. But the reality is, unlike medical school, most applicants intent on going to law school will be admitted somewhere, though it may not be their top choice.
Please note, as stated in the title, this epinion will not address the admissions process of the ultra-elite private law schools. Public and private law schools often utilize different admissions processes, just as public and private undergraduate programs have different priorities in admitting their student bodies.
For example, the public University of California has a preference for California residents. In addition, private law schools face fewer restrictions than public schools do, particularly with respect to the ability to continue to use affirmative action as a tool to admit the most diverse class possible.
In addition, as someone who has only attended California public schools my entire academic life, I have had limited interaction with other systems and only some expertise (if it can be called that!) with UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law's admissions process. Therefore, I do not aim to use my experience applying to a handful of private schools to write an epinion on the private school admissions model. However, I believe much of what I will write on public school admissions process is applicable, and at the very least, valuable in learning the context of the admissions process.
So what qualifies me to speak on this topic?
Other than my personal experience as an admitted and currently enrolled Boalt student, I will also apply knowledge gained from having appointed the student members of the Boalt Admissions Committee. I was an elected officer of the Boalt student government this past year (Treasurer, of all positions!) and one of the main duties is to appoint student members to the various campus committees--including the Admissions Committee. More information on the composition and mission of the Admission Committee will be provided below.
Prior to conducting the interviews for applicants to the Admissions Committee, we reviewed the admissions process itself and formulated our criteria for what we wanted in the student members. In addition, I have maintained personal contact with several members to get feedback on their progress and discover the lessons learned. So, without further delay, here we go!
What Happens to Your Application Once It's Received
Once the preliminary details of setting up a file and confirming that your application is indeed complete, the real process begins. I can't claim to know precisely how this works, but this is the gist of it.
Step One: Administrative Review
This initial step is what everyone traditionally thinks of when the phrase "Admissions Process" is mentioned. Known as "administrative review," this phase entails weeding out the candidates who will be immediately accepted
or rejected. Surprisingly, the Director of Admissions, Edward Tom, personally reads many of the applications, as he remembered my application when I met him at a reception for admitted students.
I do not know what the range is for the immediate acceptances and rejections. However, I can say that it doesn't appear to be a strict "numbers game." I know of friends and classmates who were rejected despite a 170 LSAT score, or were accepted despite a 156 LSAT score. This leads me to believe that other factors are also considered before making the first cut.
You are reading an epinion by smiles33. If it appears under someone else's name, it has been plagiarized! Please report it to Epinions and email me to let me know: smilesesq@yahoo.com. Thanks.
What I find more important is the claim that the majority of the class is admitted through the second phase.
Step Two: Referral to the Admissions Committee
The Director of Admissions refers a large number of files to the Admissions Committee. These are the files that have made the first cut and require a more detailed consideration before a final decision is made.
First, some background on the Admissions Committee itself. Six faculty members are appointed to the committee and each are paired with 2 students, making a total of 18 committee members. These are the individuals who will pore over your file, or perhaps briefly glance over it. And this is where one should be focusing their time and energy if one is not an unbelievably extraordinary candidate.
Before we began our interviews, we talked to previous student government officers as well as others familiar with the admissions committee. And since then, I have also followed up with some of the candidates we appointed to gauge their experiences. The basic message is that all of the power is concentrated in the hands of professors.
Yet, for a variety of reasons, many professors have empowered their "student partners" and highly value their judgments. For instance, some professors have been known to negotiate with students to come to a consensus on which students will be admitted. Others are said to have ignored the student input. It's a toss-up dependent on the whims of the current crop of faculty members.
But I will add this--students on the committee are less likely to look at numbers and more willing to look at the whole application. After all, the Director of Admissions would have immediately rejected the candidates if he deemed the numbers too low. Thus, when interviewing, I looked for student members who would consider everything BUT the numbers.
Boiling it Down to the Actual Advice
The key point for those applicants reading this: Both faculty and students may be reading your application, so "make it real." This means don't exaggerate your accomplishments in the extra-curricular activities section (there could be students who graduated from the same school reading your application), don't talk about saving the world (unless you have demonstrated commitment), and don't overindulge in high-brow language hoping to impress someone. The Admissions Committee members are busy professors and students who have made a commitment to this task, but still have many other responsibilities. If they see such "turn-offs," they may not devote sufficient time to your application.
With this in mind, strive to distinguish yourself. Yes, this is often advised, but I've also seen advice telling applicants to be well-rounded. In my personal experience and from observations, well-rounded applicants now come a-dime-a-dozen. I myself fell into this, dabbling a bit in everything but never fully committing myself to one activity. While I do not regret participating in any of the activities that I committed myself to, I relied too heavily on this participation when applying to schools. There are many applicants out there with the same "numbers" I had, the same community service commitment, the same journalistic experience, the internships, etc., etc. Perhaps this is why I was not admitted at a few schools whose average numbers were lower than mine.
Rather than joining a million clubs, playing sports, doing research, and volunteering at beach clean-ups, develop a specialty. Perhaps you could form your own new organization devoted to a particular cause, or travel overseas to work as a teacher in a rural town. Do something that will make an admissions member sit up and notice.
And finally, take heed of my favorite quote: "You miss 100% of the shots you never take." Self-selection is the key component of the candidate pool applying to law schools. How can a school admit you if you haven't applied? Yes, the $60 fee may hurt, but wouldn't it hurt more losing that chance?
Recommended:
Yes
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smiles33
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Feverish baby vomited on me AFTER I changed to dry-clean-only work clothes. Murphy's Law.
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