Minimizing the Risks
Did you ever look at an Applicant Profile in the Official Guide
Risk comes in many forms:
- It may be a matter of an arrest or conviction which the law school believes has not been sufficiently explained or repented.
- A professor may have "unrecommended" an applicant, by commenting on poor work habits or a cavalier attitude toward studies.
More often, the student creates the problem in the application itself. The three most common of these causes are:
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These problems can lead the admissions officer to doubt the applicant's ability to keep up with the work.
Bad Grades and Leaves of Absence
Often applicants want to hide problems which they believe show a weakness. One client of mine was urged by his friends to hide an alcoholic past. I gently pointed out that he couldn't; he had to explain a 1.25 gpa he had earned at his first college. He asked, "But won't they think I still have a drinking problem?" I reminded him that his current 3.5 gpa was proof that he didn't.
The worst possible signal in your file is an unexplained problem semester, or one which you are obviously glossing over. The admissions officer may be wondering, "What was wrong? Has the problem been resolved? Will it recur in law school? Are you hiding something you have a legal obligation to reveal?" If a leave of absence reflects a larger physical or emotional problem, it should be explained in a way that convinces the admissions committee that the problem is not likely to recur. You should explain that the sick relative no longer requires your presence at home every weekend. If you had a drug or alcohol problem, you should tell how long you have been sober and how you're going to stay that way in law school. .
Current success is the best proof that a problem is in the past. A recent problem is much more troublesome, and the applicant has a strong obligation to prove that the problem is solved permanently. If the admissions officer is not convinced, she may advise the applicant to wait a year or two and apply again.
Did someone "unrecommend" you? Was it you?
Never badger a reluctant recommender into writing; they may write a letter saying, "I don't really know this student, but she insisted that I write." Or even worse, "He is obnoxious, pushy and won't take 'no' for an answer." When you ask an instructor for a recommendation, listen carefully to the instructor's answer. Hesitation or ambivalence tells you the teacher can't give you a good recommendation. In that case, you're better off choosing someone else.
Students "unrecommend" themselves either through arrogance or through carelessness. No matter how good you think you are, don't write anything that sounds like "you obviously want me." No matter how high your grades, the admissions committee may decide they don't need anyone with your attitude. Even worse is the person with low grades who tries to convince the admissions officer that such things as grades and LSAT scores don't matter.
Do such things really happen? Sadly, yes. One person (not my client, thank heavens!) sent me an essay to review. It said: "Numbers. What an impersonal way to evaluate candidates for a study and eventual profession that in most respects relies more heavily on a person's ability to communicate effectively. ... Over the course of the next few paragraphs I will illustrate why I have the skill set to flourish in law school and why it would be a huge mistake to let me slip through your fingertips." |
Essays that take wealth and opportunity for granted can also disrecommend the writer. One admissions committee member I know told me she rejected an applicant for writing, "Every person in our society should avail themselves of the opportunity to see Europe." This sentence showed her the author had no understanding of the position of the underprivileged, and she decided the seat could be more wisely given to someone else.
Carelessness can be as bad as arrogance. Incomplete forms, sloppy papers, confusing answers, can be enough to keep you out of law school. The admissions committee, which decides the fate of discretionary applicants, is usually made up of faculty members. If the application looks like certain exam papers that give them migraine headaches, they may decide they can pass up the opportunity for next year's migraine.
Bad and Good Advice
If your prelaw advisor isn't asking about honor code and disciplinary code violations, arrests, and drug or alcohol problems, you're getting bad advice. If (s)he isn't taking the time to learn the cause of the problem as well as its outcome, you're getting bad advice. And if (s)he acts as if your infraction "ruins" your chances at any school without explaining why, you're getting bad advice.