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Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:58 pm
by lawschool89
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!
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:00 am
by Opie
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.
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:03 am
by Kabuo
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.
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:04 am
by cinephile
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.
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:09 am
by MTal
Not in the least.
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:14 am
by KibblesAndVick
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."
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 1:38 am
by lawschool89
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
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 9:22 am
by mrtoren
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.
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:49 pm
by NiccoloA
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.
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:28 am
by bp shinners
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.
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:32 am
by SilverE2
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!
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:34 am
by JamMasterJ
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!
Re: Does the type of law you want to do affect admission chances
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:43 am
by r6_philly
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)