Stetson Law Admissions Blog

You may have read my Top 8 Most Common Mistakes When Writing a Personal Statement blog. These mistakes focused mostly on grammar issues, inattention to detail and the result of poor editing. Here are a few additional tips focused on what not to say in the statement itself.

For some, the process of researching options for law school can be overwhelming, especially with the array of information available online and in your inbox.

If you are applying to law school, you are likely aware of the many steps involved in the process.  The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) has even created a helpful infographic to describe what to do and when. 

I am sure if you are contemplating law school you are wondering if it is really worth the financial investment. You hear and read stories about the debt graduates face and how hard it is to get a good-paying job. You also hear success stories about lawyers who help make a difference in the lives of others.

We get a lot of questions about what we look for in applications to law school. Students perceive the application review process as a great mystery to be solved…cracked even! Books, articles and blogs have been written for nervous readers who hope to get an insider tip that opens the door to their dream school.

Face it, employers look at your social media presence as part of the screening process. We can debate whether and to what extent this practice could lead to discrimination in the hiring process another time.

As a nation that includes many immigrants, immigration law is a significant component of U.S. national policy with wide-ranging impacts on both citizens and non-citizens. It also includes multiple areas of law, including family law, civil rights and employment law. If you follow the news then you know that immigration remains a hot-button issue across the country, including among dinner tables and ballot boxes all the way to federal courtrooms and the chambers of Congress.

Many applicants have something in their file they need to explain. It could be a medical situation that adversely affected the GPA or an illness that impacted the first LSAT score and resulted in a retest. That explanation may take a paragraph or even two pages. Many personal statement instructions include page limits and topic guidelines. So, how can you convey important information to your law school to help place your GPA, LSAT or life story in the proper context when most schools don’t allow for interviews?

By Molly Kaelin, Candidate for Juris Doctor, 2020, Stetson University College of Law

Applications are everything. Since you are applying to Stetson Law, you are hardworking, driven, and brilliant. Your mission now is to show the admissions office how great you are. How do you avoid making a mistake on your law school admissions application? Follow our top 10 suggestions by admissions counselors.

This is a milestone moment in your life. You have decided that you will become a lawyer! You’ve done your research on the profession and on law schools. You’ve taken or begun to prepare for the LSAT. You have a list of schools where you will apply. Perhaps you have visited schools or even attended a Pre-Law program to learn more about law school itself. Congratulations! Now it is time to apply.