Poem as a Diversity Statement Revisited Forum

[Shasha Dew Dew]

Deleted

[bananatopia]

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[inlovewithpiper]

Keep a couple of factors in mind. First, all of the best schools reject at least 3 applicants for every applicant they accept. So 75% of an adcom's job is finding a reason to reject candidates. Secondly, in assessing your app essays, their greatest considerations are indicators of your ability be a good legal writer. Legal writing doesn't per se emphasize creativity very much at all, and can even accurately be described as a very dry writing style. An adcom reading your nifty super-creative diversity statement might conclude that you could have a difficult time transitioning your writing "voice" to something that would be appropriate in legal settings.

There are a couple of ways to counteract this. One is to make your personal statement more traditionally essayistic. If the style of The New Yorker or The Economist is completely outside of your range as a writer, that's fine because it's certainly not the only valid style of formal writing. But, if you do go with the "poetic" style diversity statement, definitely make your personal statement more formal (but not completely outside of your natural style).

The second strategy to consider is not submitting your creative diversity statement to every school. As mentioned above, at least 75% of an adcom's job is finding a reason to reject your application. It would certainly be incorrect to assume that a highly unique and poetic diversity statement indicates a lack of formal legal writing ability, but making that assumption can also give an easy way out for an adcom reviewing your application, so that he/she can move on to the next app. On the other hand they might love it. Reviewing applications can be tedious and cutting against that tedium can work in your favor. Since you only need to get accepted to one amazing law school in order to substantially improve your quality of life, a mixed strategy is almost certaily optimal. So try it out with a around half of your reach schools and maybe one of your mid schools, since risk taking will have the most value on those applications.

Also I'd love to see the essay, and would gladly exchange criticizing it, for you criticizing my risky Yale 250 (first draft still in progress as my job is completely swamped by the holiday packing season.) I feel like those of us trying to take risks with one of our essays could benefit a great deal from mutual feedback.

While I agree with this to some extent, I also think that an adcom would find a poetic statement (assuming it's well-written, creative, and unique) to be the mark of an individual with skills highly needed in the legal world. Coming up with new ways to look at problems and taking an abstract approach to challenges (like the DS/PS) adds flare to otherwise dull and stagnant endeavors. I am definitely not saying it's necessary to completely reinvent the wheel, but proving to an adcom that you can look for answers outside the box (and entertaining them with a superb piece of poetic writing) will definitely add to the mindset that you have something special to bring to their law school.

Just food for thought.

[NYstate]

Are you guys serious with this stuff?

Numbers are the controlling factor in admissions. Don't overthink your PS or DS. If you have the numbers you need, just try to sound like a normal person. If you don't have the numbers, these statements won't save you.

Read the thread by the admissions officers to get some advice and ask questions.

This idea of proving to ad coms you can think outside the box is really silly and wasting your time and effort.

You guys need to spend more time on the forum getting the reality of admissions- not whatever bullshit your pre-law advisor is spewing.