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Babe-Loblaw wrote:I didn't go to high school and tested into CC when I was 16. I bounced around between 3 different colleges within the same District to take classes with the professors I liked (it didn't really matter which college you went to once you were in the city District) and graduated from a college that I had only attended the last semester.

A: How should I reflect this on my resume? Is it okay to just put "Cityname Community College District" for those two years of my undergrad or should I name all three that I attended? Should I only name the one I graduated from? Should I include a school if I only took classes there for a field study trip?

B: I also got a handful of honors and awards during this time. I'm leaving out stuff like art and poetry contests because it seems a little silly, but should I include things like the Dean's List? I know you're not technically supposed to put things from high school/your late teens, but this was the entire first half of my undergraduate education so I kind of want to throw in the things I'm proud of.

At the end of the day you should do what you feel is best. But here's what I would do in your situation:

I wouldn't list it on my resume. I would only list the school I graduated from. If you feel you need to add an explanatory note to your application, that's your call. A better way, imho, would be to turn it into an essay topic, and reflect on your experience in a way which sheds some light on why you bounced around, what you learned, and how that translates to your being a more well-rounded candidate as a result. If you feel you can't achieve that with any sincerity, then simply exclude any mention of it (but make sure to disclose all your relevant education where prompted).

The law school admissions process can be fairly stereotyped: they want interesting candidates, from diverse backgrounds, and barring that, want to see great grades and LSAT scores. Your LSATs will always trump the other factors, with the exception of diversity, which can really boost your application if you highlight it appropriately.

Edit: definitely include any/all awards you got during that time. Go ahead and show off. You need to be your own zealous advocate (you'll get that reference somewhere around the 1st day of your future Ethics course).

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Babe-Loblaw wrote:

3lephant wrote:
At the end of the day you should do what you feel is best. But here's what I would do in your situation:

I wouldn't list it on my resume. I would only list the school I graduated from. If you feel you need to add an explanatory note to your application, that's your call. A better way, imho, would be to turn it into an essay topic, and reflect on your experience in a way which sheds some light on why you bounced around, what you learned, and how that translates to your being a more well-rounded candidate as a result. If you feel you can't achieve that with any sincerity, then simply exclude any mention of it (but make sure to disclose all your relevant education where prompted).

The law school admissions process can be fairly stereotyped: they want interesting candidates, from diverse backgrounds, and barring that, want to see great grades and LSAT scores. Your LSATs will always trump the other factors, with the exception of diversity, which can really boost your application if you highlight it appropriately.

Edit: definitely include any/all awards you got during that time. Go ahead and show off. You need to be your own zealous advocate (you'll get that reference somewhere around the 1st day of your future Ethics course).

What about the "years attended" space? I guess it will show up on my LSDAS transcripts as well, but would it seem strange to an adcomm if I only listed myself as attending my graduating institution for 2 years? I wouldn't mind leaving it off as long as I can include my awards and my field studies, especially because it clears up space for more interesting things that I've done since graduating, but I took a kind of circuitous path to law school and education in general and I want my resume to reflect a clear timeline in the wake of gap years, early entry to college, multiple overlapping jobs, etc.

It's been a few years (2012) since I was actually in the admissions process. But I don't think it will be a problem that you list attending for only 2 years. I went to UVA, and some of my classmates definitely graduated from community college. The admissions officers where you're applying have likely seen similar resumes, and if anything, can always reach out to you for clarification. Like I said, above all else, diversity & LSAT scores will dominate/smooth over most all bumps.

That being said, If you really want to provide such a detailed timeline, then you might consider submitting a C/V. Or, you can always reach out to admissions departments where you're applying, and ask as many questions as you'd like. It definitely does not hurt to show enthusiasm while seeking clarification.