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Applying To Law School as a Minority

Law schools have increased in diversity in recent years.

In fact, according to the ABA, approximately 30% of law school students identify as minorities, up from 20% over the past two decades.

But what exactly should you keep in mind when applying to law school as a minority?

Delece Smith-Barrow and Ilana Kowarski, of US News, recently discussed tips for applying to law school as a minority applicant and how minority status can actually help.

THE DIVERSITY STATEMENT 

One way to identify as a minority, aside from checking the race box in your application, is to write a diversity statement.

The diversity statement, according to InGenius Prep, is an “essay that asks you to elaborate on an aspect of your identity, background, or extracurriculars that will bring a unique perspective to your future classroom.”

GET HELP FROM ADVISERS

Applicants, especially from low-income areas, might not have the time to get as much support as wealthier applicants.

“A lot of them don’t do it,” Lynda Cevallos, an attorney and director of prelaw educational activities for the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, which helps minority applicants get into law school, tells US News.

But experts say reaching out to advisers can help with guidance throughout the application process.

KNOW THE CURRICULUM

It can be helpful, especially as a minority applicant, to research a law school’s curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Doing so, experts say, can help you align with law schools that might be more supportive of minority students.

“Some schools offer Native American law classes or clinics that serve minority groups,” Smith-Barrow and Kowarski write. “Applicants can consider a school’s curriculum when gauging how much it values diversity.”

Sources: US News, InGenius Prep, ABA

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