As outside temperatures drop in the fall, many law school applicants feel the heat as they wrap up their applications. Whether they are rushing to meet early decision deadlines or striving to stay ahead of the pack, the pressure to submit their applications can feel unbearable.
Those seeking to get their applications in early because of rolling admissions need to be careful. As stress increases, so does the chance of making a major application mistake.
Here are nine errors to watch out for:
— Misstating a school’s name.
— Being too cute.
— Coming across as arrogant.
— Not showing a commitment to law school.
— Comparing yourself to other applicants.
— Using too much jargon.
— Failing to submit your transcripts.
— Making excuses.
— Not answering the question.
Misstating a School’s Name
Some typos are more embarrassing than others. Calling a school by the wrong name is so egregiously careless that it’s virtually a deal-breaker. After all, no one wants a lawyer who might flub the name of a judge.
Law school names are not interchangeable, and they don’t all start with the name of a city, state or university and end with “Law School.” Law schools even differ in how they are abbreviated.
What’s the best way to find out what a school calls itself? Check its website. While there, do a little research into what appeals to you about the school.
[Read: Revealing Things to Look for on Law School Websites]
Most importantly, if you are copying material from one application essay to another, make sure to change the name of the law school every time it is referenced.
Being Too Cute
A personal statement is meant to be personal, so it can certainly showcase your creative voice. However, law school is a professional school, and law schools value clear, concise, well-structured writing.
If your essays hop through time and space like a Christopher Nolan movie or stretch the rules of grammar like a Gwendolyn Brooks poem, you will turn off admissions readers. Make your essay reader-friendly so that making sense of it doesn’t require great effort.
Coming Across as Arrogant
A law school application is your chance to talk about your achievements, best qualities, interests and goals. It can be hard to balance these objectives without sounding egotistical or overconfident.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you hit the wrong notes in early drafts, but make sure the essays you submit convey respect and humility. Find ways to communicate confidently but modestly.
Relatedly, don’t embellish your accomplishments. Admissions officers will see through that, easily.
Not Showing a Commitment to Law School
Law school is a substantial investment of time and money. Show that you know what you are getting into.
Use your essays to show genuine interest in a legal career. Don’t dwell on roads not taken or the meanders on your path — focus on your career vision.
Comparing Yourself to Other Applicants
Too many applicants are beholden to the myth that there is a typical law school applicant, who is unlike them. Not only do they waste space talking about who they are not, but they emphasize attributes about themselves that aren’t as unique as they think.
Don’t fixate on how you are not like other applicants. Focus on your own story.
[‘Typical Law School Applicant’ Is a Myth]
Using Too Much Jargon
Law schools value work experience. However, they don’t value applicants who have been so immersed in the working world that they can speak only in the buzzwords of their field.
Review your resume for law school and make sure that all of its bullets are written in plain English. Likewise, if you’re writing about specialized knowledge in your essays, make sure that the average reader can understand what you are saying.
Failing to Submit Your Transcripts
Sending your transcript to the Credential Assembly Service of the Law School Admission Council is so easy, it can be all too easy to overlook.
Transcripts can take a couple of weeks to process, so send yours in early to avoid the frustration of delaying your application from being complete.
If you have transcripts from multiple institutions, be sure to send them all in. Yes, this includes college classes you may have taken over the summer or during high school, even if you didn’t receive credit for them.
Making Excuses
While law schools encourage applicants to use their essays or addenda to help explain low grades or test scores or disciplinary issues, these explanations should focus on providing context and taking responsibility rather than on shifting blame.
[Read: Law School Addendum: Do’s and Don’ts]
Making excuses for low performance or misbehavior makes it sound like you have yet to learn from your mistakes. Show the grace to know that there is always room for self-improvement, even in situations that seem out of your control.
Not Answering the Question
Some law schools provide broad or open-ended prompts for personal statements and optional essays, but many are increasingly writing more specific prompts. This does not mean that every law school requires original essays, but you may need to reframe or revise an essay to ensure that you’re answering all the questions asked.
Writing a great answer to a question that is not quite what a law school asked for can raise doubts about your ability to follow directions. Admissions officers reading hundreds of similar essays will quickly notice that yours is off topic.
Above all, proofread. Admissions officers are willing to overlook an occasional typo, but law schools are particularly sensitive to careless mistakes. Law is a detail-oriented profession, after all.
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9 Law School Application Mistakes to Avoid originally appeared on usnews.com
