How to Support Your Child in Law School Admissions

Applying to law school can be a stressful experience for many applicants. It can be even more stressful if they have to deal with overbearing parents throughout the process.

Gabriel Kuris, founder of Top Law Coach and contributor at US News, recently offered a few tips on how parents of law school applicants can best support their children throughout the admissions process.

LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS IS NOT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

One of the biggest mistakes parents of law school applicants make, Kuris says, is believing that law school admissions is just like college admissions.

“Unlike college, law school is a professional school,” Kuris says. “While law school admissions officers are not looking for applicants who fit some sort of mold, they do seek particular traits like the ability to communicate well and make a sound logical argument.”

Additionally, factors are weighted differently in law school admissions.

“Grades and standardized test scores matter more,” Kuris says. “Waitlists have a larger role. Safety schools are less important, since unsuccessful law school applicants may choose to reapply later or pursue a different path.”

OFFER YOUR PERSPECTIVE

Personal statements and essays are critical factors in law school admissions—and they often can make or break an admissions decision.

“A quality personal statement—a short essay in which you articulate who you are and why you want to go to law school—allows an admissions officer to understand your motivation to attend law school, and the reasons why you want to attend their school, specifically,” according to Shemmassian Academic Consulting.

Kuris says parents can offer a unique perspective on their child’s personal statement.

“Help your son or daughter brainstorm essay topics by discussing his or her achievements and struggles,” Kuris says. “You may remember a seemingly trivial event from childhood that ends up providing a recurring theme in your child’s essays.”

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP

Law school admissions is complex with lots of moving parts and deadlines. For some applicants, an admissions consultant may help ease that process.

“If your child seems stressed and uncertain about how to navigate the law school admissions process, a law school admissions coach may be worth the investment,” Kuris says. “Even a brief counseling session or independent review of a personal statement draft could save your child from heading in the wrong direction or making an irreversible misstep.”

Sources: US News, Shemmassian Academic Consulting

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