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as long as you mention the people's court

I think so. I think the purpose of a diversity statement is to acknowledge things about you that have had a large impact on your life, and that set you apart from the thousands applying. Go for it!

Of course it is! I mean, what percentage of LS applicants, and LS students have autism? Probably not a lot. As long as you don't make it the focus of your personal statement, it would be a great diversity statement topic. People too often confuse the diversity statement as a restatement of URM status, which is not just what it's for.

Do it.

Is it a legitimate topic? Yes. Can it hurt you depending on what you say? Yes.

Make sure that it is a compelling statement, of course, but also make sure that it won't give the admissions committee reason to think that your autism will some how interfere with your ability to A) do well in a law school environment and B) practice law.

aspire2more wrote:Is it a legitimate topic? Yes. Can it hurt you depending on what you say? Yes.

Make sure that it is a compelling statement, of course, but also make sure that it won't give the admissions committee reason to think that your autism will some how interfere with your ability to A) do well in a law school environment and B) practice law.

good point. i wrote it as a kind of maturation of character/personal triumph essay. in the essay i included that i ended up transferring to a top 20ug institution and that i did very well there academically and socially. hopefully that conveys my potential for success

lolol10 wrote:

aspire2more wrote:Is it a legitimate topic? Yes. Can it hurt you depending on what you say? Yes.

Make sure that it is a compelling statement, of course, but also make sure that it won't give the admissions committee reason to think that your autism will some how interfere with your ability to A) do well in a law school environment and B) practice law.

good point. i wrote it as a kind of maturation of character/personal triumph essay. in the essay i included that i ended up transferring to a top 20ug institution and that i did very well there academically and socially. hopefully that conveys my potential for success

Without having seen your essay, it sounds like you did convey that pretty well. Best of luck to you!

yeah, i wrote my diversity statement about my experiences being a woman on the autism spectrum

aspire2more wrote:Is it a legitimate topic? Yes. Can it hurt you depending on what you say? Yes.

Make sure that it is a compelling statement, of course, but also make sure that it won't give the admissions committee reason to think that your autism will some how interfere with your ability to A) do well in a law school environment and B) practice law.

This. Personally I'd stay away from it, but to each his/her own.

Moxie wrote:

aspire2more wrote:Is it a legitimate topic? Yes. Can it hurt you depending on what you say? Yes.

Make sure that it is a compelling statement, of course, but also make sure that it won't give the admissions committee reason to think that your autism will some how interfere with your ability to A) do well in a law school environment and B) practice law.

This. Personally I'd stay away from it, but to each his/her own.

TITCR.

It's unfortunate but sometimes admissions committees don't like to hear about things like this. It's really frustrating (not to mention counter-intuitive). But it sounds like you took a good approach so I hope things go well. Let us know how things turn out!

Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.

A diversity statement is a written piece of work outlining something unique about the writer, usually about race, culture, or a difficult background.

Lolol10 is derived from the acronym lol, meaning laughing out loud, and most likely means that the OP is laughing out loud ten separate times.

March 20th last year was a Saturday, not a Sunday. I started my day brewing coffee, pouring myself a cup, and then drinking it as I read Twilight Eclipse, a book loaned to me by Judy, my friend, on the 5th of March 2010, a Friday, at 11:10am.

My answer is yes.

YES. It's a very legit reason to do a DS, and while people can say "stay away from it," truth is, adcomms know what high functioning autism is (you'd be surprised how many law school professors have it), and that you made it through college with a lifelong, pervasive developmental disorder will speak volumes to your element of diversity to the class.

Autism is clearly a disability, and demonstrating that while you're on the autistic spectrum, you aren't some awkward Rainman will be HUGE. Having been perceived as "different" for your entire life and likely stereotyped are great reasons to do a DS. The odds of a school judging you negatively based on getting through college with autism are the same as them judging you because you're in a wheelchair.

I also did my DS on a similar condition and was often mistaken for retarded well into my teens--I kept it positive, demonstrated no hostility in being misjudged, and how I used being different to better connect and serve my community. I'm in T14. Or 13 or 15, whatever we're calling it these days

SMA22 wrote:YES. It's a very legit reason to do a DS, and while people can say "stay away from it," truth is, adcomms know what high functioning autism is (you'd be surprised how many law school professors have it), and that you made it through college with a lifelong, pervasive developmental disorder will speak volumes to your element of diversity to the class.

Autism is clearly a disability, and demonstrating that while you're on the autistic spectrum, you aren't some awkward Rainman will be HUGE. Having been perceived as "different" for your entire life and likely stereotyped are great reasons to do a DS. The odds of a school judging you negatively based on getting through college with autism are the same as them judging you because you're in a wheelchair.

I also did my DS on a similar condition and was often mistaken for retarded well into my teens--I kept it positive, demonstrated no hostility in being misjudged, and how I used being different to better connect and serve my community. I'm in T14. Or 13 or 15, whatever we're calling it these days

T12, 13 and 15 don't exist.

Wapner didn't go to a T14