The hiring market for lawyers has become brutal. While this inevitably affects current law students, how are prospective students affected, especially in regards to their admission process?
Arman Davtyan, from the Office of Admissions at the UCLA School of Law, took time out to answer some questions.
What should law school candidates keep in mind when applying in this economy?
Although the current economy has undermined the job prospects of recent law school graduates, chances are that the legal employment market will recover by the time newly entering law students graduate. Nonetheless, given the rising cost of attending law school, applicants should think carefully about this financial investment and its ramifications on post-graduate career options.
Do you want to see professional goals in law school personal statements?
This is certainly a common theme in many personal statements, but it’s not a must for us. What we most value in personal statements is an authentic representation of who the candidate is, and how he/she will potentially benefit from/contribute to our law school community. This can be conveyed in many different ways and through various topics; thus we do not have specific expectations of what the personal statement should be about. Some applicants take a metaphorical approach, while others are more direct. We don’t have a preference as long as it’s thoughtful and well-written.
Have goals become more important in light of the recession?
Regardless of economic conditions, the law school admission process should be informed by one’s goals. Goals about a specific specialization or career path will likely evolve over time, so we don’t expect everyone to be absolutely clear on what they intend to do professionally after graduating law school.
Do you want to see that the applicants have a Plan A and a Plan B?
Not particularly. While applicants should certainly contemplate and prepare for several different scenarios with regard to their educational path, we won’t necessarily need to know what alternatives they will be considering aside from law school. For our purposes, we want to know that an applicant is deliberate and informed in their decision to apply.
Are you interested in short-term and long-term goals and how the applicant intends to use your schools resources, programs, and extra-curricular activities to achieve those goals?
Absolutely! This is an excellent opportunity for an applicant to demonstrate his/her familiarity with our academic and co-curricular offerings and discuss the ways in which they plan to utilize these resources to fulfill their academic/professional aspirations.
Are you planning any changes to your application to reflect the changing legal job market?
There are no plans to do so as of now.
Read the full article: The Great Recession and Law School Admissions