URM 2015-2016 Cycle Thread Forum

[alpha kenny body]

Is everyone planning on submitting a diversity statement?

If you're a URM, there's no reason not to submit a diversity statement.

[tc03122]

I just didn't want to be repetitive in my DS, since my PS I feel covers it.

[JazzyLaw1]

I just didn't want to be repetitive in my DS, since my PS I feel covers it.

I think you should view your PS/DS in respect to the whole application. The application is one document, and coupled with your resume, and other potential addenda it should show who you are and why you want/going to law school. My 2cents, but if your PS essentially equals a DS, I think maybe you should opt to not do that. Best advise I got was to view the whole application as an expose of yourself. No need to be redundant even if you are an URM and you can write a DS, lawyers are concise and precise. My application as a whole tells the story that I am a URM. I am not going to write a separate statement that says so- I think they get it. However, not completely against it, just my 2cents.

[alpha kenny body]

I just didn't want to be repetitive in my DS, since my PS I feel covers it.

You have a myriad of topics to speak about with your PS, whereas your DS is fairly limited. It is so much better to do both. So maybe consider re-doing your PS, or using it for your DS, and re-writing your PS entirely.

[NigeranOU]

As an AA female, UCLA is definitely not on my radar anymore given recent events.

Can you explain? Because it happened or because it was in the media?

UCLA use to be my top choice. They seem to have a lot of racial tension at that school they need to solve. I know from when I applied my first cycle they had problems with racial issues.

amen. not worth the app fee to deal with that mess. ill probably still apply to usc though. might as well, the application is free!

[ThePiedPiper]

As an AA female, UCLA is definitely not on my radar anymore given recent events.

Can you explain? Because it happened or because it was in the media?

UCLA use to be my top choice. They seem to have a lot of racial tension at that school they need to solve. I know from when I applied my first cycle they had problems with racial issues.

amen. not worth the app fee to deal with that mess. ill probably still apply to usc though. might as well, the application is free!

Its really not and I only applied because I have a fee wavier. But USC seem better out of the two. They may or may not have those issues. But its not highly publicized like UCLA for example.

[180kickflip]

I'm not sure racial tension on campus would be a good enough reason for me to remove a school from my list if employment outcomes, COA, and location all justified it staying in contention. I mean...most of us are going to end up working in offices that have only a tiny % of minorities, and I'm expecting there to be a few times when there is racial tension at work too. Dealing with it in school might just be good practice.

Plus, none of us are required to hang out with the people at our schools. A lot of my lawyer friends actually advised me to try to make most of my new friends outside of the law school for my own sanity.

I know it's 3 years and we all want it to be as fun (or at least as livable) as possible, but I feel like negotiating leverage and solid employment prospects may outweigh social concerns (if that's even what the racial tension is lol... I haven't read/heard that much about ucla issues)

[ThePiedPiper]

I understand what you are saying and that is very true. You can't walk around life avoiding situation just because someone makes you feel uncomfortable or a situation makes you feel uncomfortable. I mean it is life after all. I heard a lot about UCLA's tension through 2 friends. One of which went to Berkeley UG and is in my Masters Program now. And the other who went to UCLA UG. I also heard a lot about it because one of my UG degrees is in African American Studies and we spoke about issues effecting black college students. Not to mention I did my thesis on racial tension and stereotypes as a whole on college campuses.

[magnum_law]

Our entire country is submerged in racial tension rn. UCLA is not exclusive.

[alpha kenny body]

If you're not going to go somewhere because you think there will be racial tension, why are you living in the United States, or planet Earth for that matter? It is inevitable. Go where you're going to have minimal debt, good employment prospects, and live your damn life.

[ThePiedPiper]

If you're not going to go somewhere because you think there will be racial tension, why are you living in the United States, or planet Earth for that matter? It is inevitable. Go where you're going to have minimal debt, good employment prospects, and live your damn life.

I do agree with your statement but some people just can't or refuse to be in an environment like that. Yeah you can say we are living in the United States or this is earth and all that jazz but its also 2015. Where people aren't going to tolerate being subjected to peoples ignorance as well. Long gone are the days of Jim Crow.

[AtticusRising]

If you're not going to go somewhere because you think there will be racial tension, why are you living in the United States, or planet Earth for that matter? It is inevitable. Go where you're going to have minimal debt, good employment prospects, and live your damn life.

I do agree with your statement but some people just can't or refuse to be in an environment like that. Yeah you can say we are living in the United States or this is earth and all that jazz but its also 2015. Where people aren't going to tolerate being subjected to peoples ignorance as well. Long gone are the days of Jim Crow.

Enter "the new jim crow"

[chueca910]

As an AA female, UCLA is definitely not on my radar anymore given recent events.

Can you explain? Because it happened or because it was in the media?

UCLA use to be my top choice. They seem to have a lot of racial tension at that school they need to solve. I know from when I applied my first cycle they had problems with racial issues.

amen. not worth the app fee to deal with that mess. ill probably still apply to usc though. might as well, the application is free!

Its really not and I only applied because I have a fee wavier. But USC seem better out of the two. They may or may not have those issues. But its not highly publicized like UCLA for example.

I get what you guys are saying. But I want to point out that that particular line of reasoning "I'm not going to apply somewhere because there are racial tensions" is a bit naive. Some people have already mentioned this but seriously, you're going to have insensitive/ignorant people no matter where you go.

UCLA's situation is out there because of the media, but these things happen at ALMOST EVERY institution, workplace etc. It's obviously not acceptable and it's obviously not okay but I think it's worth mentioning that covert and overt racism isn't specific to UCLA. If that means that you'll investigate further into each school you're looking at to narrow that list down, by all means go ahead and do that.

[yaliehopeful]

African Canadian male checking in. McGill Undergrad, received my MPhil from Oxford this summer, blanketed the T-14, but hoping for HYS, especially Y as indicated by my username . Good luck to all applicants, may you all have successful cycles

[alpha kenny body]

African Canadian male checking in. McGill Undergrad, received my MPhil from Oxford this summer, blanketed the T-14, but hoping for HYS, especially Y as indicated by my username . Good luck to all applicants, may you all have successful cycles

have fun at yale

[jnwa]

African Canadian male checking in. McGill Undergrad, received my MPhil from Oxford this summer, blanketed the T-14, but hoping for HYS, especially Y as indicated by my username . Good luck to all applicants, may you all have successful cycles

Another African Canadian male, welcome, glad to see im not the only one

[jfernandes16]

Hi guys and gals,
I really love this forum- I've had limited assistance in this law school process thus far, and TLS has been a godsend. I want to thank you all for posting such great advice (I will admit, I have been lurking here for a while). It feels great to be surrounded with lots of positive and like-minded people.

Quick intro about me:
URM Mexican American/White, 1st gen, very low income
3.47 LSDAS GPA
Government Major
LSAT: Oct 3rd, TBD

Looking forward to getting results back for October test, leaving things in God's hands after studying for a year.

I want to wish everyone luck and good vibes and I hope everyone ends up where they fit in best.

[jurisprudence101]

Hi guys and gals,
I really love this forum- I've had limited assistance in this law school process thus far, and TLS has been a godsend. I want to thank you all for posting such great advice (I will admit, I have been lurking here for a while). It feels great to be surrounded with lots of positive and like-minded people.

Quick intro about me:
URM Mexican American/White, 1st gen, very low income
3.47 LSDAS GPA
Government Major
LSAT: Oct 3rd, TBD

Looking forward to getting results back for October test, leaving things in God's hands after studying for a year.

I want to wish everyone luck and good vibes and I hope everyone ends up where they fit in best.

Welcome It's nice to see others come out from lurking in the shadows haha. I know that the information on this site has been invaluable for me, and by posting here we're only helping out future URM generations when the time comes for them to apply.

Question for the December takers: what are you all studying most now that we're down to roughly 7 weeks till showtime?

[GreekOmega12]

Would anyone like to review my diversity statement?

[jnwa]

Scores dropped, glad to be a member of the black 170 club...173 and 3.21 gpa. Good luck to everyone else if yall have similar stats pm me please

[Cochran]

.

[Shiv3rs-n-Ice]

After the October test setback I decided to sit out this cycle and continue working. Good luck to the rest of you.

[cc1012]

Post removed.

[ggnobbq]

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[lawscoolman]

Hello Everyone!

Now that scores are out I'm done lurking lol
About me:
URM: Male AA / 1st gen Panamanian
LSAC GPA: 3.24 from a top 3 UC school
LSAT: 161, 169
Softs: President of prelaw frat, Chairman of greek council, wrote for newspaper, admin assistant part-time throughout college

Hoping to attend Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Penn, or Mich

Probs also applying to UVA, NW, GULC, UCLA and maybe Duke but it would only be for scholly negotiation