How much do admission officers know about their own school? Forum

[NorCalBruin]

How much do they really know?

I know that sometimes admissions officers are also faculty or students, and ought to, we should hope, have an in depth knowledge of the school they represent.

However, I was wondering how familiar they really are with their program.

For example, in my UCLA application I wrote a "Why UCLA" essay that centered specifically on their Law & Philosophy Program. Because I was a philosophy major at UCLA, and actually took philosophy of law classes through the law school, I was able to talk about specific professors in the program that I had talked to or studied with as an undergrad, as well as topical issues in philosophy of law that I was interested in. I just feel like for the average adcomm, they probably have no idea or little idea what I'm talking about. And unless they are a faculty law, probably have no idea who the faculty are that I'm talking about.

Do you think they know every detail of their program, or is their knowledge limited to finding candidates that seem convincing, well spoken, and have good grades and lsat score?

[The Gentleman]

I think it's safe to say that the people reading files have a pretty good grasp on their school's programs.