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ggocat wrote:No problem so long as the letter is more about you and your work than about pot.

Seoulless wrote:

Anonymous_userCLXXX wrote:Thanks for all your feedback. I'll pass it along to my professor.

Seoulless, I may have touched upon the fact that the overwhelming number of arrests, convictions and sentences for marijuana crime (and all drugs for that matter) are minorities, especially African-American men. The main crux was that prohibition is a failure & needs to end. Any specific ideas on how my professor should integrate this into his letter? He's a bit more old fashioned than most professors.

I wouldn't overplay it at all. I would just explain to him that its important that admissions officers know that your research has tremendous implications for the relationship between the criminal justice system and disenfranchised communities. It should just be a subtle passing mention. Schools like those who are somewhat affiliated with "progressive" causes. Your research on its own is incredibly appealing and quite cool. My suggestion is that you merely add a pebble in there to make yourself more appealing.

In terms of him actually writing a recommendation about this subject, it should be treated no differently than any other academic subject. Academia touches so many aspects of life. There is this woman professor who was doing Youtube videos on fisting and facesitting. Your research is a far cry from that.

I am sure that if I spent a half hour browsing through the literature of the most prestigious policy institutes, I would find that the overwhelming majority have published against the prohibition of drugs.

So to summarize 1) your research is very much within the mainstream as are your conclusions 2) if possible, try to subtly pepper in the progressive implications of your research.

Anonymous_userCLXXX wrote: Wow! Thanks for the advice! I'll pass it along to my professor for sure.

I know this is a bit off topic from what I originally posted, but throughout my entire undergraduate degree I have tackled marijuana prohibition from multiple angles; in pharmacology classes, history classes, political science classes, health policy classes, etc. At the start of the application cycle I contemplated discussing this in my personal statement at the very least, but decided it would be too risky to show that to admission committees.

Now that you mention it, should the focus of this ongoing research of mine be more apparent in the rest of my application? Personal statement, optional essays etc. How would you recommend I proceed?

Anyone else, feel free to chime in too.

Seoulless wrote:Jokes aside, if you have done some research on how it adversely affects black folks, your adcom will look favorably upon you. If you haven't, find a way for your professor work it in.

That's just the way academia is today.

Seoulless wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Seoulless wrote:Jokes aside, if you have done some research on how it adversely affects black folks, your adcom will look favorably upon you. If you haven't, find a way for your professor work it in.

That's just the way academia is today.

This is a complete stereotype and you don't need to try to work anything in. If you are the student doing research for the professor, who chose the topic/set the research agenda, you just need your prof to talk about your skills and abilities. The topic of the research in question is moot.

I think that when 98% of professors from elite universities who donate donate to the leftWing party, we've moved beyond calling my characterization a stereotype.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Seoulless wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

Seoulless wrote:Jokes aside, if you have done some research on how it adversely affects black folks, your adcom will look favorably upon you. If you haven't, find a way for your professor work it in.

That's just the way academia is today.

This is a complete stereotype and you don't need to try to work anything in. If you are the student doing research for the professor, who chose the topic/set the research agenda, you just need your prof to talk about your skills and abilities. The topic of the research in question is moot.

I think that when 98% of professors from elite universities who donate donate to the leftWing party, we've moved beyond calling my characterization a stereotype.

But you're stereotyping their reaction to a LOR. They don't care what subject the professor is researching, they want to know what the student did, and they can separate the student from the professor. They particularly know that undergrads (and most grads) play no role whatsoever in the professor's research agenda. And at most schools, profs don't read LORs, adcomms do. They really don't care what take a professor has on a particular subject. You're advocating completely unnecessary and possibly counterproductive work (the prof in question may not want to characterize their research in a certain way) based on an irrelevant assumption about law professors' political leanings.