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secadc11 wrote: Basically my purpose of the statement would be to convey that I have had many experiences that are not typical of the average law student applicant (success in multiple career fields, masters degree, have lived in a variety of places, am very comfortable with all types of people, etc). **Editing to add that I may also mention I was a varsity athlete at my college - worthwhile?

Why do you think the typical average law applicant hasn't had success in multiple career fields, a masters degree, has lived all over, and is comfortable with all types of people?
None of those makes you really diverse, especially not in the way schools are actually looking for in a diversity statement. average to good softs though.

Yes. As a white male, I talked about all my travel experiences plus the fact that I have a ton of black friends.

did you intentionally seek out opportunities to diversify or was it circumstance? It sounds like a maturity/team player bump. Both seem good for a future lawyer to me.

Desert Fox wrote:Yes. As a white male, I talked about all my travel experiences plus the fact that I have a ton of black friends.

i think this is what dinged you for the caddy scholarship

patogordo wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Yes. As a white male, I talked about all my travel experiences plus the fact that I have a ton of black friends.

i think this is what dinged you for the caddy scholarship

No I lost it by banging the Judge's promiscuous niece.

I, for one, think your successes at your squash club will definitely provide the broad spectrum of student experience SCOTUS envisioned when it made diversity a constitutionally allowable goal for academic institutions.

I would ask Spivey or see if the other adcomms will answer this. Interesting question!

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=197451

I honestly don't think you are that diverse of an applicant. I think most applicants (at least to top schools) have had quite a bit of success in their lives. Depending on what sport you played in college, time commitment, and success, the athlete thing may be a better angle.

I appreciate the feedback.

Seems like from what I'm hearing it may not really be worth the time it takes to put the statement together - perhaps a slight help, perhaps none at all.

Saves me some time if I don't have to write an extra statement!

Leave it blank. "I've been around a lot of minorities" isn't a good diversity statement.

Being a female = diverse
Growing up in the Midwest = diverse
Being Norwegian American = kind of diverse
You can pick one (I'd pick growing up in the Midwest) or a combination of all and write about how that has shaped your perspective as you go out to the real world

Jchance wrote:Being a female = diverse
Growing up in the Midwest = diverse
Being Norwegian American = kind of diverse
You can pick one (I'd pick growing up in the Midwest) or a combination of all and write about how that has shaped your perspective as you go out to the real world

Everyone in Minnesota is Norwegian bro. Female is barely accepted as diverse, but they'll pick up on that from her name.

I bet a lot of head-shaking goes on when adcoms have to read diversity statements.

jingosaur wrote:I bet a lot of head-shaking goes on when adcoms have to read diversity statements.

It is their fault for having them in the first place.

Jchance wrote:Being a female = diverse
Growing up in the Midwest = diverse
Being Norwegian American = kind of diverse
You can pick one (I'd pick growing up in the Midwest) or a combination of all and write about how that has shaped your perspective as you go out to the real world

This has to be sarcasm?

secadc11 wrote:I appreciate the feedback.

Seems like from what I'm hearing it may not really be worth the time it takes to put the statement together - perhaps a slight help, perhaps none at all.

Saves me some time if I don't have to write an extra statement!

You're not diverse. Don't write a diversity statement

.

Again, thanks everyone. I think mist4bison just summed it up pretty perfectly. I will not be writing a DS; thanks all.

wingding wrote:

secadc11 wrote:I appreciate the feedback.

Seems like from what I'm hearing it may not really be worth the time it takes to put the statement together - perhaps a slight help, perhaps none at all.

Saves me some time if I don't have to write an extra statement!

You're not diverse. Don't write a diversity statement

Yeah OP this idea is seriously stupid. I thought the thread was by DF or was some kind of flame before entering.

You mentioned working in computer science/programming. If you have dealt with adversity (similar to obstacles other "real" minorities have to face) with respect to being a woman in that field, I think that could make for a good diversity statement. I'm not saying that's what happened to you, but I disagree with everyone saying that it's so obvious you aren't diverse.

IPmaybe wrote:You mentioned working in computer science/programming. If you have dealt with adversity (similar to obstacles other "real" minorities have to face) with respect to being a woman in that field, I think that could make for a good diversity statement. I'm not saying that's what happened to you, but I disagree with everyone saying that it's so obvious you aren't diverse.

Overcoming adversity doesn't making you diverse by default. OP, you have a personal statement you can use to deal with the (admittedly interesting) topics you mentioned above. Use it.

IPmaybe wrote:You mentioned working in computer science/programming. If you have dealt with adversity (similar to obstacles other "real" minorities have to face) with respect to being a woman in that field, I think that could make for a good diversity statement. I'm not saying that's what happened to you, but I disagree with everyone saying that it's so obvious you aren't diverse.

for a white woman from the midwest to be diverse, she'd either need to be adopted/raised by a minority family, or be an unusual religion, neither of which are stated so far. What you're suggesting would make a great PS, but it's not diversity. She's not applying for a job in tech, but for entry to law school, where the vast majority are white, and the gender balance is not out of whack

I've been having trouble coming up with appropriate topics for a PS so at least this thread has given me some ideas where to start. Thanks all.

IPmaybe wrote:You mentioned working in computer science/programming. If you have dealt with adversity (similar to obstacles other "real" minorities have to face) with respect to being a woman in that field, I think that could make for a good diversity statement. I'm not saying that's what happened to you, but I disagree with everyone saying that it's so obvious you aren't diverse.