Avoid These Costly Application Mistakes
As winter approaches, many law school applicants may find themselves under increased pressure to finalize their applications. The stress of submitting your application can be overwhelming and give room to unwarranted mistakes.
Gabriel Kuris, founder of Top Law Coach and contributor at US News, recently highlighted some errors to watch out for and why making these errors can be so costly.
GETTING A SCHOOL NAME WRONG
One of the biggest mistakes that can cost you your acceptance is calling a school by the wrong name.
“Calling a school by the wrong name is so egregiously careless that it’s virtually a deal-breaker,” Kuris says. “After all, no one wants a lawyer who might flub the name of a judge.”
Prior to submitting your application, be sure to check that you have the law school’s name stated correctly.
A PERSONAL STATEMENT THAT ISN’T PERSONALIZED
Fit is incredibly important when it comes to law school. Your essays should communicate your interest in law and your intent on attending said law school.
Kuris advises applicants to avoid dwelling on past missteps and, instead, focus on how their past experiences will help them in pursuing a law degree.
“For example, instead of writing an essay about how you dreamed of being a teacher but felt burned out by years of working in an under-resourced public school, write about how your experience as a public school teacher gave you insights into the nuances of social reforms your legal education will help you work to address,” Kuris says.
TOO MUCH JARGON
While it’s important to highlight your work experience and knowledge, avoid using too much jargon throughout your application. A jargon-heavy resume can be difficult to comprehend and potentially make you sound arrogant.
“Review your resume for law school and make sure that all of its bullets are written in plain English,” Kuris says. “Likewise, if you’re writing about specialized knowledge in your essays, make sure that the average reader can understand what you are saying.”
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