PENN CHANGED THEIR OPTIONAL ESSAYS Forum

[lawschoolboundfuture]

So sad

[top30man]

So sad

To what?

[06102016]

..

[dextermorgan]

Since OP is too lazy to check back:

Optional Essays
If you wish, you may write an additional essay on any of the following topics. These optional essays allow you an opportunity to provide the admissions committee with additional relevant information that you were not able to include in your personal statement. Please include the essay with your application by electronically attaching it to your application before submission through LSAC. You may answer more than one essay topic if you so choose. Include your name and LSAC account number on each page. Please limit any optional essay to one page, double spaced and title it appropriately.
• Describe how your background or experiences will enhance the diversity of the Penn Law community (e.g., based on your culture, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, ideology, age, socioeconomic status, academic background, employment, or personal experience).
• Dean Michael A. Fitts has highlighted the core strengths that make Penn Law the best place to receive a rigorous and engaging legal education: genuine integration with associated disciplines; transformative, forward-looking faculty scholarship; highly-regarded experiential learning through urban clinics and our pro bono pledge; innovative, hands-on global engagement; and a manifest commitment to professional development and collegiality. These are the qualities that define Penn Law. What defines you? How do your goals and values match Penn Law’s core strengths?
• Describe a time when, as a member of a team, you particularly excelled or were especially frustrated. What was your role within that team? What was the outcome?
• If you do not think that your academic record or standardized test scores accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, please tell us why.

[collegebum1989]

do you have to answer the prompt explicitly in the essay? For example, Dean's essay asks you to represent an ideology that defines you. So in your essay would you have to directly say "I will contribute to Penn Law by...."

Or is it ok to write an essay which implicitly answers all of the questions through an experience without specifically referring the prompt itself?

[SaintsTheMetal]

So does this mean there is no "Why Penn" essay? Or is one of these prompts known as the "Why Penn"?

[06102016]

..

[Woods]

So does this mean there is no "Why Penn" essay? Or is one of these prompts known as the "Why Penn"?

The one asking "what defines you" after noting all of Penn's strengths is pretty much a "Why Penn" statement. It's asking you to demonstrate you're a good fit for Penn and vice versa.

But do we have to answer to question " what defines you"

[jp2013]

I did. It's my assumption that if they're asking the question they probably want an answer to it. If they just wanted a "Why Penn" why would they change the prompt?

[06102016]

..

[r6_philly]

I read it as requiring you to define yourself/character/traits and why it fits Penn Law. I like this prompt much better than the 5-year vision. This community is pretty special, if someone has a good fit, I think they should be seriously considered. In other words, you should definitely write this essay. It may not add to your app, but it may hurt a bit if you skip it.

[pacifica]

So does this mean there is no "Why Penn" essay? Or is one of these prompts known as the "Why Penn"?

The one asking "what defines you" after noting all of Penn's strengths is pretty much a "Why Penn" statement. It's asking you to demonstrate you're a good fit for Penn and vice versa.

Agree with this. Not too far of a stretch to change a Why Penn essay to this current prompt, especially since the dean mentioned multiple strengths of Penn Law. I personally fit my original Why Penn essay (b/c I assumed there'd be one) under a thesis highlighting a few of those listed strength and it related just fine.

[honeybadger12]

When I visited, I asked an admissions officer: "I've heard that particularly for Penn it's a good idea to express in the application why you are especially drawn to Penn. This year, there's no explicit Why Penn essay. It would be possible to incorporate reasons for a particular interest in Penn into one of the essays; should I do that?"
She said something along the lines of: "Sure, you could do that, or you can always submit an addendum if there's something you think would be helpful for the committee to know."
FWIW