Diversity Statement Forum

[Sarastro]

I've been working in the science-y side of the pharmaceuticals industry for a couple years and am applying to law school. My personal statement is more or less about how one of the things I think I'm good at is thinking outside of the box and that, due to my academic/work experience background, I will likely be able to continue that through law school.

So my question is, for those schools that want a diversity statement, would it be worth trying to craft another statement around my background? I could make it approach from a different angle, but it would still be pretty much the same themes. I ask because some of them pretty explicitly say not to repeat yourself and I don't want to make them read something they'll just be annoyed at. I also don't know how seriously they take a middle-class white male scientist's claims of diversity even if it weren't my PS.

I could change my PS, but to be honest my softs are pretty unimpressive otherwise and I'm not sure what else I'd talk about.

Thoughts? Worth it? Waste of time?

Hope this is in the right board. Thanks guys.

[sweets91]

I've been working in the science-y side of the pharmaceuticals industry for a couple years and am applying to law school. My personal statement is more or less about how one of the things I think I'm good at is thinking outside of the box and that, due to my academic/work experience background, I will likely be able to continue that through law school.

So my question is, for those schools that want a diversity statement, would it be worth trying to craft another statement around my background? I could make it approach from a different angle, but it would still be pretty much the same themes. I ask because some of them pretty explicitly say not to repeat yourself and I don't want to make them read something they'll just be annoyed at. I also don't know how seriously they take a middle-class white male scientist's claims of diversity even if it weren't my PS.

I could change my PS, but to be honest my softs are pretty unimpressive otherwise and I'm not sure what else I'd talk about.

Thoughts? Worth it? Waste of time?

Hope this is in the right board. Thanks guys.

I think your intuition is spot on here. Don't think a diversity statement about your science bg is necessary/appropriate. It's also, as you mention, redundant.

[Sarastro]

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I think your intuition is spot on here. Don't think a diversity statement about your science bg is necessary/appropriate. It's also, as you mention, redundant.

I just wanted to hear some other opinions so that I don't worry I'm simply talking myself out of doing more work. I hate writing these things, but I'd hate even more to not get the results I want and wonder if I could have done more. I appreciate the response!

[cavalier1138]

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I think your intuition is spot on here. Don't think a diversity statement about your science bg is necessary/appropriate. It's also, as you mention, redundant.

I just wanted to hear some other opinions so that I don't worry I'm simply talking myself out of doing more work. I hate writing these things, but I'd hate even more to not get the results I want and wonder if I could have done more. I appreciate the response!

You aren't going to find anyone who thinks this is a good idea.

The purpose of the diversity statement is clear. It's supposed to be about how your background as a non-traditional applicant (usually a member of a disenfranchised class of people) will enrich the law school community. Your PS is for talking about how your love of science will help you in law school. You clearly already get that diversity statements are not there for middle-aged white men to talk about how they're totally different from every other middle-aged white man in the US. There's absolutely no reason to doubt that intuition.