Does having a parent who works at the university help? Forum

[megaragirl]

Does it factor into admissions if an applicant's parent works for the university (though not in the law school division)?

[buddyt]

Does it factor into admissions if an applicant's parent works for the university (though not in the law school division)?

No. Admission is almost exclusively a function of LSAT and GPA.

[RhymesLikeDimes]

Maybe if they were a very important person it would, but if they're like a secretary for the assistant registrar, then no.

[CyanIdes Of March]

Is your parent a friend of an adcomm?

[moonman157]

No, but it could be good material for a "Why X" essay

[cinephile]

It helps you $$$-wise if you can get your tuition waived.

[megaragirl]

Well I went to that same university for my undergraduate studies as well.

[SemperLegal]

There was a Yale Applicant on LSN a few cycles back that (by his own admission) only got in because his father and grandfather were both esteemed professors, IIRC. His LSAT was in the 160's.

Never underestimate nepotism.

[lablankita]

Does it factor into admissions if an applicant's parent works for the university (though not in the law school division)?

I'm in the same boat. I'm addressing it in a short "why x"-type addendum, that way it sounds less like pretentious name dropping and more like a reason you're connected/committed to the school. That way it can't really hurt.

[PRgradBYU]

It helps you $$$-wise if you can get your tuition waived.

Haha true that.

[megaragirl]

lablankita, which school are your writing the "why school X" essay?

[lablankita]

lablankita, which school are your writing the "why school X" essay?

Penn.

[somewhatwayward]

It could be helpful in explaining why you are interested in the school so could help in a tiebreaker between you and an applicant with the same LSAT/GPA, but it won't give a boost over someone with better stats. I'm not trying to pick on you, but I am kind of tired of these posts about whether some tangential factor will help people get into law school (eg, legacy, having an excuse for my poor GPA, etc)....if the motivation for asking is just to know, that's one thing, but if the motivation is a hope that some irrelevant factor is going to get you in over people with better stats, it rankles. I mean, why not go obtain the stats you need to get into the school you want instead of trying to rely on some 'in'? This very common question about whether some irrelevant factor will act as a boost might be driven by a misunderstanding of law school admissions as compared to college admissions: LS admissions are 99% about LSAT + GPA + URM whereas colleges do care more about other factors. Still, though, I don't think a college should be admitting people based on the fact that their parents work there. /rant