Do women get a "bump"? Forum

[DeeCee]

So to bring this back full circle, if women are 50% or more of law students in the country, they by definition should not get a boost since they are approx. 50% of the general population.

How did we get to should? I think OP was asking a descriptive question about whether or not women get a URM bump. I have it upon information and belief that they do not.

Please don't read too deeply into this, it's casual conversation. I didn't literally mean should, more like would. Geez.

[amorfati]

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=139702

semi-interesting thread on the topic... ^

[BeenDidThat]

So to bring this back full circle, if women are 50% or more of law students in the country, they by definition should not get a boost since they are approx. 50% of the general population.

How did we get to should? I think OP was asking a descriptive question about whether or not women get a URM bump. I have it upon information and belief that they do not.

Please don't read too deeply into this, it's casual conversation. I didn't literally mean should, more like would. Geez.

Sorry. But I think even saying "would" is a stretch. Schools give certain groups "bumps" (now this is sounding like an STD lol), and they employ the URM explanation. That's all we really know. We don't know what schools would do in other situations where there might be under-representation.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

i can and probably am wrong.... thats just what i think URM means ( obviously i am not one,or id know more)

URM is still an iffy distinction. I'm part Cuban, but caucasian and typically Cubans aren't supposed to get a boost, though I'd argue that I have seen one this cycle. Somehow not all hispanics are URMs, which doesn't make sense. Perhaps a combination of affluence of your ethnicity/race AND minority status apply to be counted as URM.

I wonder if definitions in that case will become more specific. I think they already are since the common argument these days is that out of Hispanics, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans get a boost more so than the others.

Perhaps someday instead of being Caucasian/white, it will be percentage of Italians, French, etc. But in that case, some of these groups could already be underrepresented (I don't know, just as an example). How much do you guys think historical racism plays into the URM definition? We can say some groups are underrepresented more so than others, but do you think that is only part of it? Do you the fact that certain groups have been disadvantaged historically is more important in the definition of URM or whether certain groups get a boost?

[BeenDidThat]

i can and probably am wrong.... thats just what i think URM means ( obviously i am not one,or id know more)

URM is still an iffy distinction. I'm part Cuban, but caucasian and typically Cubans aren't supposed to get a boost, though I'd argue that I have seen one this cycle. Somehow not all hispanics are URMs, which doesn't make sense. Perhaps a combination of affluence of your ethnicity/race AND minority status apply to be counted as URM.

I wonder if definitions in that case will become more specific. I think they already are since the common argument these days is that out of Hispanics, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans get a boost more so than the others.

Perhaps someday instead of being Caucasian/white, it will be percentage of Italians, French, etc. But in that case, some of these groups could already be underrepresented (I don't know, just as an example). How much do you guys think historical racism plays into the URM definition? We can say some groups are underrepresented more so than others, but do you think that is only part of it? Do you the fact that certain groups have been disadvantaged historically is more important in the definition of URM or whether certain groups get a boost?

IBTL.

[DeeCee]

IBTL.

Yeah, I was thinking the same......not because the question was bad but because it is extremely off-topic.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

How so? Women are historically disadvantaged but are now on equal admittance requirements. Oh well.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

That was worded incorrectly, women are no longer consider URM. I by no means want to say that there are different requirements based on ethnicity, etc.

[kublaikahn]

In short: no yes.

FTFY. Law schools favor majors that are dominated by women at the expense of majors (e.g. science) that lean toward men. This factor alone leads to an advantage for women. Further, IMO (just a theory) women in male dominated majors are viewed more favorably, but men in female dominated majors are not.

[paulinaporizkova]

HOW DID I MISS THIS

[fatduck]

HOW DID I MISS THIS

the thread ended for me with that post, i have no idea how you missed it

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

I thought it was funny and I'm a feminist. Sense of humor, people.

[Pleasye]

In short: no yes.

FTFY. Law schools favor majors that are dominated by women at the expense of majors (e.g. science) that lean toward men. This factor alone leads to an advantage for women. Further, IMO (just a theory) women in male dominated majors are viewed more favorably, but men in female dominated majors are not.

WUT.

[Drummingreg]

Just wondering if women get a bump? I know that women to men in law school is on average even anymore, but female to male lawyers is still about 1:4 and some schools still have a much higher representation of men.

I don't think I understand the question. If the ratio is 4:1 in law school it seems it should be very easy for a woman to get a bump. Did you have trouble getting a bump in college? Listen, you and the other law students are going to be so stressed out and overworked that you will most likely end up getting blackout drunk one night and receive a substantial bump. Just remember, as the brilliant Dr. Robert Sylvester Kelly once said "I don't see nothing wrong with a little bump and grind".

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

That was also funny - perhaps funnier than the photo. Anyway, I won't, because when I was young and stupid and drank to get drunk, I didn't black out.

As a lawyer I know said to me, don't treat it like undergrad and cram! Do it little by little! (Meaning studying in law school.)

[Renzo]

Less than 50% of 3yr olds in the US are white. This has nothing to do with bumps and/or women, but I thought it was interesting.

I disagree. Once upon a time, 100% of 3yr olds in the US were bumps in women.

[JOThompson]

When admitting people off the waitlist, adcomms may try to balance out the male-female ratio. That's according to the admissions director at Vandy. That said, I doubt it's a noticeable boost.

[Renzo]

When admitting people off the waitlist, adcomms may try to balance out the male-female ratio. That's according to the admissions director at Vandy. That said, I doubt it's a noticeable boost.

Since there are more women than men in both college and in law school, this would work to favor men.

[TommyK]

When admitting people off the waitlist, adcomms may try to balance out the male-female ratio. That's according to the admissions director at Vandy. That said, I doubt it's a noticeable boost.

Since there are more women than men in both college and in law school, this would work to favor men.

Not sure where you are getting this statistic, but I am certain it is incorrect. Women outnumber men in undergrad, but not in law school.

[HBK]

I don't do drugs, thank you.

[BeenDidThat]

When admitting people off the waitlist, adcomms may try to balance out the male-female ratio. That's according to the admissions director at Vandy. That said, I doubt it's a noticeable boost.

Illusory promise. Not a contract.

[lawfuture10]

Curious.

Why do you never see statistics such as:

Average LSAT / GPA for Males (And Females) Admitted
(Is there any overall difference in LSAT scores between males and females? For example average male score:152, average female score:154)
Average 1L,2L,3L GPA for Males (And Females)

Personally, I don't think there would be much difference in these categories - but it is an interesting topic.

[Renzo]

When admitting people off the waitlist, adcomms may try to balance out the male-female ratio. That's according to the admissions director at Vandy. That said, I doubt it's a noticeable boost.

Since there are more women than men in both college and in law school, this would work to favor men.

Not sure where you are getting this statistic, but I am certain it is incorrect. Women outnumber men in undergrad, but not in law school.

Ah, you're right. Women predominate in graduate school generally, but in law school the balance tips slightly towards men.

[kublaikahn]

Curious.

Why do you never see statistics such as:

Average LSAT / GPA for Males (And Females) Admitted
(Is there any overall difference in LSAT scores between males and females? For example average male score:152, average female score:154)
Average 1L,2L,3L GPA for Males (And Females)

Personally, I don't think there would be much difference in these categories - but it is an interesting topic.

These stats are available. Women tend to by slightly higher on GPA (+.1), slightly lower on LSAT (-1.5). And LGPA and UGPA follow the same trend. Bar passage tends to be almost identical (when controlling for other factors).