What Are They Looking For?

The most confusing aspect of the admissions process for many applicants is posed by the grids in the Official Guide showing how many applied and were accepted. Why were 73 out of 119 accepted and the other 46 rejected? The answer most often lies in other qualities the law school is seeking. So to help you predict whether you'll be one of the lucky 73, we decided to give you our view of what each law school looks for beyond the numbers.

As with every list I post here, there are caveats and explanations:

These answers are my own impressions, based on interviews with admissions officers. I claim sole responsibility for them.
"Not interviewed or asked" indicates that the school does not attend Law Forums, or that the representative I spoke to was not the head of admissions and did not know the answer.
"New Person -- changing" indicates that the head of admissions is new this year, and the policy is under review.
"Minorities Emphasized" is a catch-all category.
- A "Yes "in this column could mean that I know the admissions officer is dedicated to reaching minority students, or that the school has more minorities than its peer schools, or that even though they have very few minorities because of geographic limitations, they seem to be working hard to recruit and support minorities.
- A "No" means that it is my opinion that the school does not go out of its way to recruit or support minority students.
- "Illegal" refers to schools under limitations imposed by Prop 209 in California, Initiative 200 in Washington, or under the 5th federal circuit Hopwood case. Many schools are doing everything they can to circumvent these limitations, but I fear that identifying them might hurt their cause.
- A blank in this column simply means that I've formed no opinion one way or the other.
- "HBC" indicates a historically black law school with a predominance of minority students.

We hope this list helps you to choose schools more wisely, or to estimate your chances of getting in a little more accurately, or at least to kill time while you're waiting to hear.

Happy holidays and good luck!
(Christmas 1997)

Loretta DeLoggio, Chief Clairvoyant
Suzy Teegarden, Office Manager

School Most Important Factor
after GPA/LSAT Most Important Aspect
of Personal Statement Minorities
Emphasized?

Akron Quality of Undergrad School Quality of Writing No

Alabama Not Interviewed or Asked Motivation for studying law

Albany Work or Graduate Experience Explanation of Weaknesses Yes

American Difficulty of Course Work Insight and maturity

Arizona Diversity Diversity Yes

Arizona State New Person -- changing New Person -- changing Yes

Ark-Fayetteville Not Interviewed or Asked Not Interviewed or Asked

Ark-Little Rock Not Interviewed or Asked Not Interviewed or Asked

Baltimore Not Interviewed or Asked Explanation of Weaknesses No

Baylor Work or Graduate Experience Overcoming Obstacles No

Boston College Quality of Undergrad School Explanation of Weaknesses

Boston U. Difficulty of Course Work Explanation of Weaknesses

Brigham Young Diversity Diversity

Brooklyn Writing Ability Quality of Writing Yes

Cal-Berkeley Diversity Diversity Illegal

Cal-Davis Diversity Diversity Illegal

Cal-Hastings Quality of Undergrad School Diversity Disadvantaged

Cal-UCLA Diversity Diversity Illegal

Cal. Western Quality of Undergrad School Diversity No

Campbell Religious Commitment Community Involvement No

Capital Leadership/Activities Diversity No

Cardozo Diversity Motivation for studying law Yes

Case Western Diversity Diversity Yes

Catholic Work or Graduate Experience Explanation of Weaknesses

Chapman Diversity Overcoming Obstacles Yes

Chicago Leadership/Activities Diversity Yes

Chicago-Kent Difficulty of Course Work Insight and maturity Yes

Cincinnati Difficulty of Course Work Diversity No

Cleveland Work or Graduate Experience Insight and maturity Yes

Colorado Diversity Community Involvement No

Columbia Quality of Undergrad School Diversity Yes

Connecticut Refused to Answer Motivation for studying law No

Cornell Quality of Undergrad School Diversity Yes

Creighton Diversity Diversity Yes

Dayton Quality of Undergrad School Explanation of Weaknesses No

Denver Diversity Diversity

DePaul Difficulty of Course Work Diversity Yes

Detroit Coll/MSU Difficulty of Course Work Motivation for studying law Yes

Detroit Mercy Strong Recommendations Diversity No

Dickinson Strong Recommendations Motivation for studying law No

Dist. of Columbia Commitment to Public Interest Community Involvement Yes

Drake Quality of Undergrad School Diversity Yes

Duke Difficulty of Course Work Diversity Yes

Duquesne Refused to Answer Refused to Answer No

Emory Quality of Undergrad School Diversity

Florida Difficulty of Course Work Diversity No

Florida State Quality of Undergrad School Insight and maturity Yes

Fordham Strong Recommendations Community Involvement

Franklin Pierce Diversity Motivation for studying law

George Mason Difficulty of Course Work Future/Career Plans No

G.Washington Difficulty of Course Work Quality of Writing No

Georgetown Diversity Diversity Yes

Georgia Difficulty of Course Work Quality of Writing No

Georgia State Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

Golden Gate Diversity Explanation of Weaknesses Yes

Gonzaga Diversity Explanation of Weaknesses Yes

Hamline Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

Harvard Quality of Undergrad School Leadership/Activities Yes

Hawaii Writing Ability Quality of Writing

Hofstra Refused to Answer Refused to Answer

Houston Diversity Motivation for studying law Yes

Howard New Person -- changing New Person -- changing HBC

Idaho Diversity Diversity Yes

Illinois Diversity Diversity Yes

Ind-Bloomington Strong Recommendations Quality of Writing Yes

Ind-Indianapolis Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

Iowa Refused to Answer Refused to Answer Yes

John Marshall Strong Recommendations Quality of Writing No

Kansas Strong Recommendations Diversity Yes

Kentucky Difficulty of Course Work Diversity

Lewis&Clark Difficulty of Course Work Quality of Writing

Louisiana State n/a -- index only Refused to Answer Illegal

Louisville Diversity Diversity Yes

Loyola-Chicago Diversity Community Involvement Yes

Loyola-L.A. Writing Ability Diversity Yes

Loyola-N.O. Diversity Diversity Yes

Maine Strong Recommendations Explanation of Weaknesses No

Marquette Difficulty of Course Work Motivation for studying law Yes

Maryland Strong Recommendations Insight and maturity Yes

McGeorge Difficulty of Course Work Explanation of Weaknesses

Memphis Refused to Answer Diversity

Mercer Leadership/Activities Community Involvement No

Miami Diversity Explanation of Weaknesses

Michigan Difficulty of Course Work Leadership/Activities Yes

Minnesota Diversity Diversity Yes

Mississippi Strong Recommendations Explanation of Weaknesses Illegal

Mississippi Coll. Diversity Diversity Illegal

Mo-Columbia Diversity Quality of Writing

Mo-Kansas City Strong Recommendations Not Interviewed or Asked

Montana Diversity Overcoming Obstacles Yes

Nebraska Difficulty of Course Work Quality of Writing Yes

New England Quality of Undergrad School Diversity

New Mexico Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

CUNY Commitment to Public Interest Community Involvement Yes

SUNY Strong Recommendations Community Involvement Yes

NYLS Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

NYU Diversity Diversity Yes

UNC-Chapel Hill Leadership/Activities Leadership/Activities Yes

NC Central New Person -- changing New Person -- changing HBC

North Dakota Not Interviewed or Asked Not Interviewed or Asked

Northeastern Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

Northern Illinois Quality of Undergrad School Quality of Writing

Northern Kentucky Writing Ability Quality of Writing Yes

Northwestern Interpersonal Skills Diversity Yes

Notre Dame Strong Recommendations Community Involvement

Nova Difficulty of Course Work Explanation of Weaknesses

Ohio Northern Writing Ability Quality of Writing

Ohio State Leadership/Activities Diversity

Oklahoma Diversity Diversity Illegal

Oklahoma City Strong Recommendations Community Involvement Illegal

Oregon Diversity Diversity

Pace Diversity Diversity

Penn Quality of Undergrad School Diversity Yes

Pepperdine Quality of Undergrad School Diversity

Pittsburgh Diversity Community Involvement Yes

Quinnipiac Writing Ability Motivation for studying law

Regent Religious Commitment Community Involvement

Richmond Diversity Diversity Yes

Roger williams Diversity Future/Career Plans Yes

Rutgers-Camden Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

Rutgers-Newark Work or Graduate Experience Diversity Yes

Saint John's Diversity Quality of Writing

Saint Louis Work or Graduate Experience Motivation for studying law Yes

Saint Mary's Diversity Diversity Yes

Saint Thomas Strong Recommendations Overcoming Obstacles

Samford Difficulty of Course Work Diversity No

San Diego Difficulty of Course Work Diversity

San Francisco Quality of Undergrad School Quality of Writing

Santa Clara Strong Recommendations Diversity Yes

Seattle Strong Recommendations Quality of Writing

Seton Hall Quality of Undergrad School Community Involvement Yes

S. Carolina Diversity Not Interviewed or Asked

S. Dakota Not Interviewed or Asked Not Interviewed or Asked

S. Texas Work or Graduate Experience Leadership/Activities Illegal

Southern Work or Graduate Experience Not Interviewed or Asked HBC

Southern Cal. Diversity Diversity Yes

Southern Ill Diversity Leadership/Activities

Southern Methodist Leadership/Activities Diversity

Southwestern Work or Graduate Experience Diversity

Stanford Diversity Future/Career Plans

Stetson Difficulty of Course Work Quality of Writing Yes

Suffolk Diversity Diversity No

Syracuse Quality of Undergrad School Diversity

Temple Strong Recommendations Diversity Yes

Tennessee Difficulty of Course Work Diversity No

Texas Difficulty of Course Work Motivation for studying law Illegal

Texas Southern Diversity Diversity HBC

Texas Tech Not Interviewed or Asked Not Interviewed or Asked

Texas Wesleyan Difficulty of Course Work Diversity Yes

Thomas Cooley n/a -- index only Refused to Answer

Thomas Jefferson New Person -- changing New Person -- changing

Toledo Strong Recommendations Diversity

Touro Diversity Motivation for studying law Yes

Tulane Diversity Community Involvement

Tulsa Quality of Undergrad School Quality of Writing Illegal

Utah Grade Trend Diversity

Valparaiso Strong Recommendations Quality of Writing

Vanderbilt Strong Recommendations Insight and maturity

Vermont Quality of Undergrad School Diversity

Villanova Diversity Diversity No

Virginia Quality of Undergrad School Insight and maturity No

Wake Forest Strong Recommendations Community Involvement No

Washburn Work or Graduate Experience Quality of Writing Yes

Washington Diversity Diversity Illegal

Washington U. Difficulty of Course Work Diversity Yes

Washington&Lee Strong Recommendations Diversity

Wayne State Diversity Explanation of Weaknesses

West Virginia Difficulty of Course Work Diversity

West'n N. England Diversity Quality of Writing No

Western State New Person -- changing New Person -- changing

Whittier Quality of Undergrad School Insight and maturity

Widener Strong Recommendations Diversity

Willamette Quality of Undergrad School Leadership/Activities Yes

William&Mary Quality of Undergrad School Insight and maturity

William Mitchell Leadership/Activities Quality of Writing

Wisconsin Diversity Diversity Yes

Wyoming Diversity Diversity Yes

Yale Apparent Potential Diversity Yes

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School	Most Important Factor after GPA/LSAT	Most Important Aspect of Personal Statement	Minorities Emphasized?
Akron	Quality of Undergrad School	Quality of Writing	No
Alabama	Not Interviewed or Asked	Motivation for studying law
Albany	Work or Graduate Experience	Explanation of Weaknesses	Yes
American	Difficulty of Course Work	Insight and maturity
Arizona	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Arizona State	New Person -- changing	New Person -- changing	Yes
Ark-Fayetteville	Not Interviewed or Asked	Not Interviewed or Asked
Ark-Little Rock	Not Interviewed or Asked	Not Interviewed or Asked
Baltimore	Not Interviewed or Asked	Explanation of Weaknesses	No
Baylor	Work or Graduate Experience	Overcoming Obstacles	No
Boston College	Quality of Undergrad School	Explanation of Weaknesses
Boston U.	Difficulty of Course Work	Explanation of Weaknesses
Brigham Young	Diversity	Diversity
Brooklyn	Writing Ability	Quality of Writing	Yes
Cal-Berkeley	Diversity	Diversity	Illegal
Cal-Davis	Diversity	Diversity	Illegal
Cal-Hastings	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity	Disadvantaged
Cal-UCLA	Diversity	Diversity	Illegal
Cal. Western	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity	No
Campbell	Religious Commitment	Community Involvement	No
Capital	Leadership/Activities	Diversity	No
Cardozo	Diversity	Motivation for studying law	Yes
Case Western	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Catholic	Work or Graduate Experience	Explanation of Weaknesses
Chapman	Diversity	Overcoming Obstacles	Yes
Chicago	Leadership/Activities	Diversity	Yes
Chicago-Kent	Difficulty of Course Work	Insight and maturity	Yes
Cincinnati	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	No
Cleveland	Work or Graduate Experience	Insight and maturity	Yes
Colorado	Diversity	Community Involvement	No
Columbia	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity	Yes
Connecticut	Refused to Answer	Motivation for studying law	No
Cornell	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity	Yes
Creighton	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Dayton	Quality of Undergrad School	Explanation of Weaknesses	No
Denver	Diversity	Diversity
DePaul	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	Yes
Detroit Coll/MSU	Difficulty of Course Work	Motivation for studying law	Yes
Detroit Mercy	Strong Recommendations	Diversity	No
Dickinson	Strong Recommendations	Motivation for studying law	No
Dist. of Columbia	Commitment to Public Interest	Community Involvement	Yes
Drake	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity	Yes
Duke	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	Yes
Duquesne	Refused to Answer	Refused to Answer	No
Emory	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity
Florida	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	No
Florida State	Quality of Undergrad School	Insight and maturity	Yes
Fordham	Strong Recommendations	Community Involvement
Franklin Pierce	Diversity	Motivation for studying law
George Mason	Difficulty of Course Work	Future/Career Plans	No
G.Washington	Difficulty of Course Work	Quality of Writing	No
Georgetown	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Georgia	Difficulty of Course Work	Quality of Writing	No
Georgia State	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
Golden Gate	Diversity	Explanation of Weaknesses	Yes
Gonzaga	Diversity	Explanation of Weaknesses	Yes
Hamline	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
Harvard	Quality of Undergrad School	Leadership/Activities	Yes
Hawaii	Writing Ability	Quality of Writing
Hofstra	Refused to Answer	Refused to Answer
Houston	Diversity	Motivation for studying law	Yes
Howard	New Person -- changing	New Person -- changing	HBC
Idaho	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Illinois	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Ind-Bloomington	Strong Recommendations	Quality of Writing	Yes
Ind-Indianapolis	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
Iowa	Refused to Answer	Refused to Answer	Yes
John Marshall	Strong Recommendations	Quality of Writing	No
Kansas	Strong Recommendations	Diversity	Yes
Kentucky	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity
Lewis&Clark	Difficulty of Course Work	Quality of Writing
Louisiana State	n/a -- index only	Refused to Answer	Illegal
Louisville	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Loyola-Chicago	Diversity	Community Involvement	Yes
Loyola-L.A.	Writing Ability	Diversity	Yes
Loyola-N.O.	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Maine	Strong Recommendations	Explanation of Weaknesses	No
Marquette	Difficulty of Course Work	Motivation for studying law	Yes
Maryland	Strong Recommendations	Insight and maturity	Yes
McGeorge	Difficulty of Course Work	Explanation of Weaknesses
Memphis	Refused to Answer	Diversity
Mercer	Leadership/Activities	Community Involvement	No
Miami	Diversity	Explanation of Weaknesses
Michigan	Difficulty of Course Work	Leadership/Activities	Yes
Minnesota	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Mississippi	Strong Recommendations	Explanation of Weaknesses	Illegal
Mississippi Coll.	Diversity	Diversity	Illegal
Mo-Columbia	Diversity	Quality of Writing
Mo-Kansas City	Strong Recommendations	Not Interviewed or Asked
Montana	Diversity	Overcoming Obstacles	Yes
Nebraska	Difficulty of Course Work	Quality of Writing	Yes
New England	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity
New Mexico	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
CUNY	Commitment to Public Interest	Community Involvement	Yes
SUNY	Strong Recommendations	Community Involvement	Yes
NYLS	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
NYU	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
UNC-Chapel Hill	Leadership/Activities	Leadership/Activities	Yes
NC Central	New Person -- changing	New Person -- changing	HBC
North Dakota	Not Interviewed or Asked	Not Interviewed or Asked
Northeastern	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
Northern Illinois	Quality of Undergrad School	Quality of Writing
Northern Kentucky	Writing Ability	Quality of Writing	Yes
Northwestern	Interpersonal Skills	Diversity	Yes
Notre Dame	Strong Recommendations	Community Involvement
Nova	Difficulty of Course Work	Explanation of Weaknesses
Ohio Northern	Writing Ability	Quality of Writing
Ohio State	Leadership/Activities	Diversity
Oklahoma	Diversity	Diversity	Illegal
Oklahoma City	Strong Recommendations	Community Involvement	Illegal
Oregon	Diversity	Diversity
Pace	Diversity	Diversity
Penn	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity	Yes
Pepperdine	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity
Pittsburgh	Diversity	Community Involvement	Yes
Quinnipiac	Writing Ability	Motivation for studying law
Regent	Religious Commitment	Community Involvement
Richmond	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Roger williams	Diversity	Future/Career Plans	Yes
Rutgers-Camden	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
Rutgers-Newark	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity	Yes
Saint John's	Diversity	Quality of Writing
Saint Louis	Work or Graduate Experience	Motivation for studying law	Yes
Saint Mary's	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Saint Thomas	Strong Recommendations	Overcoming Obstacles
Samford	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	No
San Diego	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity
San Francisco	Quality of Undergrad School	Quality of Writing
Santa Clara	Strong Recommendations	Diversity	Yes
Seattle	Strong Recommendations	Quality of Writing
Seton Hall	Quality of Undergrad School	Community Involvement	Yes
S. Carolina	Diversity	Not Interviewed or Asked
S. Dakota	Not Interviewed or Asked	Not Interviewed or Asked
S. Texas	Work or Graduate Experience	Leadership/Activities	Illegal
Southern	Work or Graduate Experience	Not Interviewed or Asked	HBC
Southern Cal.	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Southern Ill	Diversity	Leadership/Activities
Southern Methodist	Leadership/Activities	Diversity
Southwestern	Work or Graduate Experience	Diversity
Stanford	Diversity	Future/Career Plans
Stetson	Difficulty of Course Work	Quality of Writing	Yes
Suffolk	Diversity	Diversity	No
Syracuse	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity
Temple	Strong Recommendations	Diversity	Yes
Tennessee	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	No
Texas	Difficulty of Course Work	Motivation for studying law	Illegal
Texas Southern	Diversity	Diversity	HBC
Texas Tech	Not Interviewed or Asked	Not Interviewed or Asked
Texas Wesleyan	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	Yes
Thomas Cooley	n/a -- index only	Refused to Answer
Thomas Jefferson	New Person -- changing	New Person -- changing
Toledo	Strong Recommendations	Diversity
Touro	Diversity	Motivation for studying law	Yes
Tulane	Diversity	Community Involvement
Tulsa	Quality of Undergrad School	Quality of Writing	Illegal
Utah	Grade Trend	Diversity
Valparaiso	Strong Recommendations	Quality of Writing
Vanderbilt	Strong Recommendations	Insight and maturity
Vermont	Quality of Undergrad School	Diversity
Villanova	Diversity	Diversity	No
Virginia	Quality of Undergrad School	Insight and maturity	No
Wake Forest	Strong Recommendations	Community Involvement	No
Washburn	Work or Graduate Experience	Quality of Writing	Yes
Washington	Diversity	Diversity	Illegal
Washington U.	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity	Yes
Washington&Lee	Strong Recommendations	Diversity
Wayne State	Diversity	Explanation of Weaknesses
West Virginia	Difficulty of Course Work	Diversity
West'n N. England	Diversity	Quality of Writing	No
Western State	New Person -- changing	New Person -- changing
Whittier	Quality of Undergrad School	Insight and maturity
Widener	Strong Recommendations	Diversity
Willamette	Quality of Undergrad School	Leadership/Activities	Yes
William&Mary	Quality of Undergrad School	Insight and maturity
William Mitchell	Leadership/Activities	Quality of Writing
Wisconsin	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Wyoming	Diversity	Diversity	Yes
Yale	Apparent Potential	Diversity	Yes