Interview with a law school dean Dean Chollett, Dean of Admissions at Baylor Law School 01/30/2012

Dean Chollett is the Dean of Admissions for Baylor Law School.

Q: What do you consider the most significant parts of an application?
A: Aside from the academic record and LSAT score, the most important part of an application is the personal statement.  The personal statement is one component of the application packet that an applicant has control of and one that an applicant can use to make that powerful first impression with members of an admissions committee.

 

Q: Is there anything you frequently see on an application that you hope to never see again? 
A: Yes, quotes used to start personal statements.  Trust me, I have read all the famous quotes and there is nothing more effective than an applicant’s own words.  Additionally, reading sloppy applications and/or personal statements are things that I hope not to see.  Application packages that are not thoughtfully put together convey to me that the applicant is not really interested in going to law school.

 

Q: What common pitfalls should applicants be careful to avoid?  
A: This is a great question.  Applicants should follow the directions set out in the application instructions.  For example, if the instructions for a personal statement state that the personal statement should be no more than two pages in length and double-spaced, an applicant should not submit a five page personal statement that is single spaced.  

Applicants should not spend time crafting a personal statement that they assume an admissions committee wants to read.  The best personal statements are ones that are passionate, authentic, sincere and written in the applicant’s own voice.

 

Q: Are there any myths about the application process that you would like to dispel?
A: The one myth that I would like to dispel is that law schools only look at the numbers (GPA and LSAT score(s)).  If the admission process truly involved only the numbers, then the admission procedure would be an extremely easy process for my colleagues and me.  Admissions professionals take their jobs seriously and strive to give each applicant a fair chance of gaining admission to their school while striving to enroll students who are well suited for their program.  Admissions professionals do read the personal statements, resumes, addenda and letters of recommendation along with any other information that is submitted with an applicant’s application.

 

Q: What advice would you give to an applicant with below-average test scores but significant work experience?
A: Law schools seek to enroll applicants who will bring diversity and different backgrounds to their schools.  An applicant who has significant work experience should highlight the work experience in his/her resume and should consider promoting in an addendum why the admissions committee should strongly consider his/her work experience as a plus factor.  

 

 

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What is service-learning? Service-learning is the new buzz word at colleges. Butwhat does it mean, exactly? 09/07/2010

Service-learning is a teaching method that some colleges and universities use as a way to give students real-world experiences while helping out the community at the same time. 

 

For example, education majors could volunteer as elementary school tutors. Through the service, the students can relate their work back to the learning done in the classroom. At many colleges and universities, service-learning departments and programs support many different kinds of majors, ranging from education, architecture, nursing, journalism, sociology … the list goes on. Often times in these classes students are given course credit for the service work they do.

 

How can you get involved? 

 

Contact your college’s service-learning office. There are many names for such departments, so be on the lookout for departments like “The Center for Civic Engagement,” “Community Development Center,” “Office for Volunteer Programs,”or even an acronym such as “APPLES,” like at UNC-Chapel Hill. Ask your advisor to point you in the right direction. The next step is to ask the service-learning office for a list of professors and majors that offer service-learning as an option in the classroom. For instance, a marketing class could be responsible for the brochures, website and fliers for a local nonprofit. 

 

How can service-learning benefit you?

 

You'll help people

Many times, students say that they want to be more involved with the social problems that plague our world, but they just don’t have enough time. Service-learning isa great way to deepen your education while also helping out the community.

 

Figure out your career 

Another way to think about it is as a mini internship. Service-learning usuallyrequires about 20 hours a semester. This is a great way to feel out different career paths. Let’s say you are thinking of a career in the medical field, so you volunteer at a hospital. This experience can help you determine if you really want a career as a doctor or nurse, and boost your application experience when you are getting into grad school!

 

Get into grad school 

Help you get into grad school If you think graduate school is in your future, volunteer work can look great on a college application. It can show the college that you are well-rounded and do more than just go to school and study. 

 

Can service-learning help you professionally?

 

Of course it can! Maybe yoursupervisor at your site loves the work that you do and wishes to hire you oncea position opens up. Or maybe she refers you to a job that may never have been advertised. And because those at your service site have seen you hard at work, you can also ask them to be references for you. Directly or indirectly, service-learning is a powerful tool to get your education and your career off to a good start. 

 

Whether it be to help out those in need, or beefing up your résumé, contact your college’s service-learning department to learn how to become more engaged in your community and your career. 

 

Cassie Moore is former Americorps VISTA and current Service-Learning Coordinator at CentralPiedmont Community College in Charlotte, N.C. (cpcc.edu/service-learning).

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Do colleges look at Facebook? How college admission offices use social networking sites—and why that matters for your MySpace, Facebook and other pages 04/25/2010

Imagine taking the time to fill out your college app, write a stellar essay, then ending up being rejected from your top college choice/graduate school or a scholarship opportunity because an admissions rep checked out your Facebook page and didn’t like what was there.

It happens.
Never before has it been so simple for admissions officers to get extra information about students. Simply looking at someone’s Facebook or MySpace page can be an excellent indicator as to whether or not they really fit the personality picture that their application painted.

A 2009 Survey performed by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) found that 88 percent of admissions officers said that social networking sites (such as Facebook or MySpace) were either “somewhat important” or “very important” to their current and future recruitment efforts (this included graduate school admissions officers).

How to deal?
Of course, there are some ways to avoid the negative impacts of social networking. Here are some.

1. Don’t use them. The simplest way to avoid this problem is to avoid social networking sites altogether.

2. Turn all privacy settings on. With applications such as Facebook, you can control who is able to view your profile. While applying to colleges, (or graduate school), it may be worth turning all the privacy settings on.

3. Ask your friends and family for their opinion on your profile. Have them look at your profiles to ensure they won’t have a negative impact on your reputation. They will often give you the most objective opinion as to whether that latest party photo is too risqué.

4. Always err on the side of caution. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you think your social networking activities are too risky, then take the profile down.

Always consider the impact that social networking can have on your applications. Taking the time to do so now will ensure you aren’t left wondering why your application was denied.

Ross Blankenship is the president and director of TopTestPrep.com. He is an admissions expert who has helped students get into top prep schools, colleges and graduate schools through Top Test Prep’s private tutoring and admissions consulting programs.

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Thinking about graduate school already? If you’re in high school or college, it’s not too early to start thinking about graduate school. Starting now might mean you can cut costs through a combination program! 04/21/2009

Why graduate school?

Some careers require it. Some prefer it. Or you may just love learning and want to continue on with college. No matter what your motivation, it’s not too early for you to start thinking about grad school.

Why go to graduate school? There are many different reasons why you might want to get a graduate degree. Here are some you may not have considered, courtesy of GradSchools.com.

• Gain an advantage over others in your career. “These days, it takes a graduate education to set you apart when you go into the job market,” says Clara Pitts of GradSchools.com.

• Immerse yourself in what you are passionate about. Undergrad gives you the opportunity to take many different kinds of classes and discover your passion. Grad school allows you to explore that passion in-depth.

“In grad school, you can study the few things you’re most interested in,” says Pitts. “It’s a great opportunity to dive into a specific area and become an expert in a way you won’t get with an undergrad education. It gives you a leg up when going in search of a job.”

• Earn more money. More education equals more money. People with master’s or doctoral degrees have been shown to earn higher salaries than those with bachelor’s degrees. Also, you are likely to start your career at a higher level and advance faster with a graduate degree.

Who goes to grad school?

If you want to be a doctor, lawyer or clinical worker, you will need to get a graduate degree. For most other professions, a graduate degree is not required.

Five-year programs

Several colleges offer programs through which you can earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in five years.

This option saves you time, as a bachelor’s degree takes four years and a master’s typically takes an additional two to three.

You will also save money by only paying for five years of school, not six or more. Not to mention you’ll save the energy it takes to apply to grad schools while you’re an undergrad.