Being a NTA and its impact on being accepted Forum

[bmathers]

Hey everyone,

I am a 28 year-old (will be 29 by the start of law school) applicant, awaiting my Feb LSAT score. I've submitted 12 applications thus far to a wide variety of schools, since I am missing a major piece of the puzzle to know where I stand. My question is, does being a NTA help, hinder, or have no effect on your chances of getting into an ok school (not T14, but say T20-T50)?

Also, I sustained a severe TBI back in 2004. For most schools I did not disclose this, thinking that since it is an injury that has to do with the brain it could be looked at negatively in the process. To my reach school (Emory, possibly Vandy) I did disclose my injury in my personal statement, in a side way that put it in a positive light in regard to my desired focus (disability law). What are your feelings about this? Am I smart in not disclosing it, unless it is a reach school and am trying to do anything to make my application stand out? Or, should I disclose it more often, or never at all?

Thank you

[GreenEggs]

NTA?

[fliptrip]

methinks, NTA= Non Traditional Applicant

[hairbear7]

How are you "non-traditional?" Just because you are 29? That will have zero impact outside of you being older means you have more work experience (which is a very negligible factor in admissions anyway)

[cbbinnyc]

I was a non-traditional applicant myself. About the same age as you, slightly older. Based on my research before applying/posts from TLS/admissions results/etc, my sense is that it doesn't make a big difference - on the margins, they might be more forgiving of a low undergrad GPA and expect to see a more focused application (why the career change? etc). Also, you're still relatively young. Might be a slightly different story for an applicant pushing 40 or older who would have trouble getting certain jobs out of school, but even then I would guess that numbers are the key, ultimately.

[bmathers]

"Non-traditional", as I understood it, means that you took time "off" between college and law school - No? I graduated college 6 years ago

[bmathers]

I was a non-traditional applicant myself. About the same age as you, slightly older. Based on my research before applying/posts from TLS/admissions results/etc, my sense is that it doesn't make a big difference - on the margins, they might be more forgiving of a low undergrad GPA and expect to see a more focused application (why the career change? etc). Also, you're still relatively young. Might be a slightly different story for an applicant pushing 40 or older who would have trouble getting certain jobs out of school, but even then I would guess that numbers are the key, ultimately.

Thank you

[cbbinnyc]

"Non-traditional", as I understood it, means that you took time "off" between college and law school - No? I graduated college 6 years ago

Yeah, I haven't seen an absolute definition of "non-traditional" ... but taking time off in and of itself isn't sufficient (the average law student takes two years off before matriculating). A "significant" time off from school or getting another advanced degree are things that might make one "non-traditional".