Thanks for joining me for the 411th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. I am taking a week off for family time this week. As a result I decided to air an encore of our most popular podcast so far in 2021. It actually is a solo podcast that I did for our 400th episode back…
LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
3 Must-Have Elements of a Good Statement of Purpose
What are the essential, absolutely must-have components of a strong statement of purpose or goals essay? Very simply, you’ll need to include your MAP. At Accepted, MAP has a double meaning for individuals writing statements of purpose and goals essays. It stands for Motivation, Aspiration, and Perspiration, and illustrates the road you will follow when…
Entering Law School Gets More Challenging as Number of Top Applicants Skyrockets
Getting into law school is never easy, but for applicants for the 2021–2022 academic year, it’s really tough. The Law School Admission Council president Kellye Testy announced that by early March 2021, US law schools had received 55,166 applications, a rise of more than 20% from the previous year. Both quantity and quality are on…
Can You Use the Same Personal Statement for Different Schools?
One of the questions we are asked most often by applicants to college and graduate programs is this: “I’m applying to six different schools, and each one requires 2-7 essays/personal statements. That’s so much writing! Can I reuse the same essay for different schools? How can I keep up the quality and not burn out…
4 Ways to Display Teamwork in Application Essays
Teamwork, and its close cousin, leadership, are highly prized by graduate programs and universities. But if you haven’t worked in teams on any regular basis, don’t worry! There are more ways than you may realize to prove your chops in this area through an essay about teamwork. Consider the following 4 options: Remember: No man…
Heads Up: Price Increase Ahead!
We wanted to give you a head’s up that we’ll be increasing our prices when the clock strikes midnight on March 15, which means you have until Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 11:59 pm PT to lock in a service at our current rate. Browse our catalog of services today to both get an early…
Whatever You Do, Do Not Leave the Law School Optional Essay Blank!
Many law schools invite applicants to share more about themselves through optional essays. For example, the University of Pennsylvania Law School provides the following optional essays prompts: Describe how your background or experiences will enhance the diversity of the Penn Carey Law community (e.g., based on your culture, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity,…
How Do You Write an Accomplishment Essay?
Build a better accomplishments essay by following this recipe. Accomplishments are the bread and butter of personal statements and application essays. That may sound straightforward, however, a fascinating brainstorming session of Accepted admissions consultants reveals that applicants don’t always know what an accomplishment is. What goes into this application staple? And how can you analyze…
Making the LSAT Learnable with Blueprint Prep [Episode 406]
How Blueprint Prep can help YOU crush the LSAT [Show summary] Blueprint Prep’s Sena Maruflu, who aced the LSAT and now coaches aspiring law students, shares why and how the LSAT can be a learnable test for dedicated students of any background. A stellar LSAT score can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection at…
Got a Criminal Record? Here’s How to Address It in Your Application
If you have ever engaged in disorderly conduct, petty theft, gotten a DUI, been arrested during a political protest, or have any other infractions (minor or major) on your record, we hope that you have learned important lessons from those experiences and won’t repeat them. But if you are applying to a grad program, you…
“I’m Smart, Really I Am!” Proving Character Traits in Your Essays [With Sample Essays]
When you write an application essay or statement of purpose, you’re trying to accomplish two equally vital goals at once. First, you need to prove your worthiness for acceptance at your target school. Second, you also need to show the adcom that you have the desirable character traits that your program values. But how do…
So You Didn’t Get Into Law School…
If you didn’t get into law school this year, it’s never too early to start planning a strategy for next year. Below are five tips that may help you change the results. Evaluate your application. After you’ve licked your wounds, take a hard look at your application and see what needs to be improved and/or…
What a Law Career Is Really Like [Episode 401]
Need help deciding if law school and a legal career are right for YOU? [Show summary] Christopher Melcher, a celebrity family lawyer and teacher of law, offers an unvarnished look at a lawyer’s day-to-day and what a career in law can look like. Considering law school? Read on to learn what a career as a…
Bring Your Personal Statement to Life With Vivid, Active Verbs
Your personal statement and essays are essential elements of your application and allow the adcom great insights into who you really are aside from your stats. However, no matter how extensive your experience or how accomplished you may be, all that can be lost if presented in plodding prose that no one has the energy…
What to Do if You’re Rejected from Grad School
Rejection hurts, especially if it’s from a school that you really had hoped to attend. Competition is always tough at good schools, and space is limited–not everyone who is qualified can get in. You can still achieve your dreams by taking this three-fold approach: Reassess your qualifications, and based on that, revise your target schools…
Application Trends to Watch in 2021, and a Look Back at 2020 [Episode 400]
Can the lessons of 2020 help us forge a better 2021? [Show summary] For Admissions Straight Talk’s 400th episode, Linda Abraham reflects on a turbulent year and identifies the most important trends in higher ed admissions to watch in 2021. Applying to graduate school: A journey of self-improvement [Show notes] We’ve reached Episode 400! I…
5 Things to Consider When Justifying Your LSAT Score or Grades
Most law schools provide optional space, an addendum, to explain your LSAT score and GPA. While it can be tempting to “explain away” poor performance, consider these 5 things. You never want the committee to ask the question “why?” and not answer it in your own words. While you should be applying to schools that…
‘Twas the Night Before Deadlines: A Cautionary Tale of Cliches
‘Twas the night before deadlines, and all through the world, Our consultants sat cramming, coffee brewing, brows furrowed; Though the essays were written with effort and care, There were still a few things that were cause for despair! The clichés! Oh, forsake! Terrible, were they – That all our consultants could think was “oy vey!”…
5 Qualities that Law Schools Want to See
As you write your personal statement, keep in mind some of the qualities that impress law school admission committees. Be sure to emphasize these in your personal statement through specific actions and examples. Evidence! Qualities of a good law student (and lawyer!) Interest in lawBelieve it or not, law schools want applicants who are interested…
5 Tips on Writing About the Immigrant Experience for Law School
Many applicants are recent immigrants or have parents who are immigrants and plan to write about this aspect of their life in a personal statement or diversity statement. Certainly, having this life experience makes you distinctive and can add to your appeal at any school. But, often these essays fall flat. First, you must decide…
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