Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances Forum

(Applications Advice, Letters of Recommendation . . . )
Post Reply
User avatar
lawschool89

New
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:37 pm

Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by lawschool89 » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:58 pm

Do law schools take into consideration the type of law you want to do when deciding admissions? For example, In my personal statement I plan on discussing my interest in going into international economic law. Will this affect my admission chances at schools that have really good/competitive international law programs? Schools that don't have this program at all?

I apologize as I realize this is a pretty random question. Thank you in advance!

User avatar
Opie

Silver
Posts: 1353
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:27 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by Opie » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:00 am

lawschool89 wrote:Do law schools take into consideration the type of law you want to do when deciding admissions? For example, In my personal statement I plan on discussing my interest in going into international economic law. Will this affect my admission chances at schools that have really good/competitive international law programs? Schools that don't have this program at all?

I apologize as I realize this is a pretty random question. Thank you in advance!
IMO this is a good topic for a Why X? essay.

User avatar
Kabuo

Silver
Posts: 1114
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:53 am

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by Kabuo » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:03 am

Opie wrote:
lawschool89 wrote:Do law schools take into consideration the type of law you want to do when deciding admissions? For example, In my personal statement I plan on discussing my interest in going into international economic law. Will this affect my admission chances at schools that have really good/competitive international law programs? Schools that don't have this program at all?

I apologize as I realize this is a pretty random question. Thank you in advance!
IMO this is a good topic for a Why X? essay.
Q: But why is it a good Why X essay? A: Because it will make you try to define what economic international law is and hopefully consider its viability as a career.

This assumes this isn't a flame.

User avatar
cinephile

Gold
Posts: 3461
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by cinephile » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:04 am

I don't think I'd talk about a particular area of law if the school didn't have special programs or a focus in that area.

User avatar
MTal

Silver
Posts: 852
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 6:47 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by MTal » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:09 am

Not in the least.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


User avatar
KibblesAndVick

Silver
Posts: 533
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:29 am

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by KibblesAndVick » Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:14 am

When an admissions officer reads your application it helps if they come away with answers to questions like "Why does law school make sense for this applicant?" or "Why would this applicant be a good fit for ___ Law?"

Knowing what type of law you want to study or practice and being able to give specific reasons to back it up will help you put together a strong application. Having said that, they don't prefer any one area of the law over any other. The top schools think they're good at everything so they'll be happy as long as you can back it up. You see a lot of stuff like this: "For its teaching and scholarship, Columbia is lauded in corporate and securities law, international and comparative law, intellectual property, public interest and human rights law, and legal history and legal theory — administrative law, constitutional law, criminal law and procedure, critical race theory, and gender studies and family law, among others, are also exceptionally strong."

User avatar
lawschool89

New
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by lawschool89 » Wed Oct 19, 2011 1:38 am

Thanks everyone for your input! I've been having a really hard time picking a PS topic, and I'm glad I got your opinion on this one before investing too much time into it. Back to the drawing board :|

User avatar
mrtoren

Silver
Posts: 733
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 9:43 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by mrtoren » Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:22 am

The only field that may have an influence in your admission, and its negligible at best, is public interest. Some schools are more focused on that and have dedicated scholarships, etc. I don't think it would make up for your numbers, but it might get you in while another is waitlisted.

User avatar
NiccoloA

Bronze
Posts: 181
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 6:46 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by NiccoloA » Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:49 pm

I don't think it would. I'd be surprised if most people knew what kind of law they wanted to do when they first got to law school, stuck with it for the entire three years, and subsequently kept practicing it for a career outside of LS.


It should be negligible.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


bp shinners

Gold
Posts: 3086
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 7:05 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by bp shinners » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:28 am

NiccoloA wrote:I don't think it would. I'd be surprised if most people knew what kind of law they wanted to do when they first got to law school, stuck with it for the entire three years, and subsequently kept practicing it for a career outside of LS.
+1. Very few people I went to school with ended up in the same area in which they entered with an expressed interest.

If you have a specific background that would speak towards work in a certain area (i.e. you were adopted and want to work in that area), then I'd recommend speaking about it. If you just think you'd be interested in an area, I'd probably avoid it.

User avatar
SilverE2

Silver
Posts: 929
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 10:04 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by SilverE2 » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:32 am

MTal wrote:Not in the least.
You managed not to tell the OP to avoid law school...

I'm proud of you, MTal! No, really!

User avatar
JamMasterJ

Platinum
Posts: 6649
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:17 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by JamMasterJ » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:34 am

SilverE2 wrote:
MTal wrote:Not in the least.
You managed not to tell the OP to avoid law school...

I'm proud of you, MTal! No, really!

r6_philly

Diamond
Posts: 10751
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:32 pm

Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances

Post by r6_philly » Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:43 am

bp shinners wrote:
NiccoloA wrote:I don't think it would. I'd be surprised if most people knew what kind of law they wanted to do when they first got to law school, stuck with it for the entire three years, and subsequently kept practicing it for a career outside of LS.
+1. Very few people I went to school with ended up in the same area in which they entered with an expressed interest.

If you have a specific background that would speak towards work in a certain area (i.e. you were adopted and want to work in that area), then I'd recommend speaking about it. If you just think you'd be interested in an area, I'd probably avoid it.
Even if you do, your understanding of that area of law may (or actually, will) be completely different than what it is really like. It's nice to start your goals, but don't write like you know the law already (unless you already do)

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


Post Reply

Return to “Law School Admissions Forum”