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I'm reapplying to a few schools this year, but I'm mostly targeting new schools.

But first... In the last year I've had full time employment super-early in the morning at a food warehouse and some managerial experience at my present summer gig. I've been out of school since 2010 and none of the jobs that I've had required a college degree, but, you know, one must still sustain. Because I've had this time off, I would like to elaborate on my WE in my PS and turn it into a strength. I would indicate how the time after school has brought an increased awareness of the working world and how having to eke by also matured my attitude. I didn't plan for my post-undergraduate years very well because I knew that I wanted to go to law school, it was just a matter of when. I would like to demonstrate my transformed outlook on my PS without my work experience sounding like a weakness.

However, I left that blue collar job last spring to visit some schools that I applied to last cycle. I managed to save enough money to visit both coasts and had to stay at hostels and coach surf. I would at least like to mention these experiences, but is it taboo to mention prior admission cycles to new schools? I even managed to visit some of the new schools that I plan on applying to and I definitely want to bring up that fact to those schools.

I'm contemplating writing a PS about my blue collar work experience that functions as a microcosm for my experiences after undergrad. Then I would like to tie the statement into those visits I had and how they reaffirmed my desire to attend an outstanding law school, but I still am wary about how to approach this last part about past admission cycles. I plan on writing different versions for the few schools that I will reapply to, the new schools that I have visited, and the new schools that I have not visited.

Any thoughts on navigating this terrain? Many thanks.

A couple of things.

First, it should be fine to mention that you applied last year just slip in a line blaming your decision to wait a year on the economy, finances, desire to gather a year of life experience or something. Don't let them think you didn't attend because they weren't good enough for you.

Next, a PS about your blue collar job could be a good idea but be careful how you write it. There is a risk of coming off entitled "I put in my time doing this painful manual labor and because of that I deserve to make the step up to well paying office work". So if you do it focus more on the positives you drew from your work and how that will help you in the future.

And your WE will never really be a weakness. Everything can be turned into an interesting and beneficial experience.

Thanks for the response. I just thought it might be a slippery rope with talking about applying last year to other schools when you apply to this school for the first time. But then again it wouldn't be the focus of the essay. However, I understand that it might help to mention that I visited a school, even if I did not apply to that school last year.

If anything you can spin that in your favor in a Why X essay.

I.e. "I applied to a few schools last year and had the opportunity to visit your institution in the spring after the application deadline. The visit was extremely impressive and as a result I decided to reapply this fall in hopes of earning admission."

Reworded however you see fit obviously.