Application Tips and Advice

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HOW TO COMPLETE YOUR NEW YORK LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION

Tips and advice on applying---in real English---from Assistant Dean Perez

Far too much attention is given to strategies in applying for admission to law school. The admissions committee doesn't care about strategic ploys; all the committee really wants is to get to know the candidate in the process of reviewing the application. Unfortunately most schools, like New York Law School, receive too many applications to be able to conduct personal interviews as part of the evaluation process. I've found that it's helpful for applicants to understand how the admissions committee utilizes the various parts of the application so that they can put forward a strong application.

I'm writing this to walk through the application, section-by-section and question-by-question, with my explanation of why we're asking for the information and providing you any advice and cautionary tips.

APPLICATION SECTION	APPLICATION QUESTION	EXPLANATION AND ADVICE
Application Program & Status	Top of First Page	You must select one, and only one, from each column.
	Program	You must pick just one. First-Year J.D.: The overwhelming majority of applicants fall into this category because they've never been to law school.If you've been to law school but were academically disqualified, or your law school was not ABA-approved, this is the box you should check. Also, if you started law study more than four years ago it is likely that you're going to have to start over, so check this box. Transfer J.D.: If you are a student at another ABA-approved law school and you want to finish here and get your J.D. from New York Law School, check this box. J.D./M.B.A.: If you plan to seek admission to Baruch College's M.B.A. degree and take advantage of this time-saving option, check this box.The program is designed for full-time students to complete both degrees in four years. A separate application must be made to Baruch College for admission to the M.B.A. meeting all of their requirements. There is no guarantee of admission to either program, even if one offers you admission. Foreign Lawyer Program is a 20 credit certificate program for lawyers trained and licensed in foreign jurisdictions. Please read the instructions in the application booklet or online before applying.
	Division	You must pick just one. There is a myth that it's "easier" to be admitted as a part-time student. It's just not true. If you're looking at a guide book with admission statistics you will notice a very slight difference in LSAT and GPA for part-time students; this does not mean it's "easier," it means that we also value the qualitative aspects of the resume. Most part-time students have been in the work force for a number of years and have a fuller and stronger resume that someone in college or just a year or two out of college. So, forget the "strategy" of applying to part-time if your LSAT or GPA (or both) are lower unless you are working full-time and need or want to keep the job while in law school. More applications are submitted for full-time, but there are many more seats in the full-time program. Our admission decision will be the same whether you apply full-time or part-time, so apply to the program you truly want. The only time your division choice would make a difference is if you are placed on the wait list. In that case, it's best to be as flexible as possible. Our wait list permits you to be open to an offer in either or both programs. If you don't check any of the boxes, I'll check full-time day for you. Yes, I know, you left it blank to prove your willingness to accept an offer to any division. Full-Time Day is the traditional three-year program. Classes meet Monday through Friday and are spread throughout the day. As a full-time student, the ABA and NYLS restrict your ability to work to 20 hours per week while classes are in session. Part-Time Evening is a four-year program that entails the same required courses and credit totals as full-time, but has no restrictions on working. Classes generally meet Monday through Thursday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
	Entering Term	If you're not transferring from another ABA-approved law school and you're not applying to the Foreign Lawyer Program, you must check FALL, period. If you checked Transfer J.D. or Foreign Lawyer Program in the first column, you may check any of the three. Remember, transfers must have completed one year elsewhere.
Biographical Information	1 – 10	These are basic and self-explanatory, but a few need some extra explanation, below. Having this information allows us to maintain contact with you and permits us to verify and match documents and records to your application.
	4a	We regard your Social Security Number as confidential. It permits us to verify LSDAS and/or LSAT. Because NYLS does not use a separate financial aid application---just the FAFSA---the SSN is the only way that we can access your Student Aid Report and know that you are applying for financial aid. NYLS students are given an anonymous student number. Canadian citizens, your Social Insurance Number please. If you don't have SSN or SIN, give us your LSAC Account # and we'll take it from there.
	5	The admissions committee doesn't care about your age, this is used to verify documents and records.
	7 & 8	If you provide us with a Current and a Permanent Address, be sure to give us the exact date the current address expires. Please keep us updated with changes to your mailing address before they happen. You usually know that you're moving on or about a particular date; tell us as soon as you know. Keep your e-mail address up-to-date.
	9	This is totally optional. We embrace diversity of all kinds and believe it to be important to legal education, but we don't base decisions on what's checked here. Many entities, from governments to the ABA to those seeking to profit from publishing arbitrary "rankings"under the guise of expertise, seek this information. We can only collect it voluntarily and only report it anonymously. The admissions committee fully complies with Supreme Court decisions on the use of race and ethnicity in admission decisions.
	10	Students who are not U.S. citizens or resident aliens of the U.S. usually require visas to study here. This helps us identify who those students are. Decisions are not based on this.
Family Information	11	You're an adult (even if you don't always act like one) and we respect your privacy. You're the applicant; you're the only one we're going to deal with. However, the committee finds it helpful to have some insight into your background by knowing a few things about your parents. You'll notice we don't use designations of "mother" and "father" to cover the myriad range of families today. We do not use the response to this question for financial aid purposes. Ever. Period.
Family Information	12	Immediate family usually refers to parents, siblings, children, or grandparents. Sometimes it can be an aunt or an uncle. It never means your third cousin seven times removed who you met only once.
Education & Testing Information	13	Yes, we're really asking for this information. The committee finds it useful to know your educational history back to secondary school. The only way we can know this is to ask you on the application.
	14 – 17	These are basic and self-explanatory.
	18	I can't stress enough how important it is for you to take time now to check to see if you were ever subject to academic discipline before you answer this question. You want to be a lawyer and a lawyer needs to be careful and thorough and get the facts right. We do receive a copy of your transcript with your LSDAS report, so we'll find out if you don't report it. I can guarantee a referral to the LSAC Subcommittee on Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admission Process for an erroneous response.
	19	We don't use a Dean's Certification but expect you to be forthcoming in your response to this question. If you don't disclose it on your admission application, you will have to disclose it on your bar application and have a bigger problem for not disclosing it to us.
	20	Interruptions to education are not a bad thing; the committee wants you to account for those breaks.
	21	If you check "yes," be sure to answer the second and third parts of this question.
	22	Even if this is on your resume, the committee would like you to indicate it here as well. Please don't write "see resume" or "see attachment."
Employment & Community Service	23	The committee wants a resume or curriculum vitae. Every year several applicants contact us to say that they've never worked and they're not involved in activities thus they don&'t have a resume and won't submit one. Now that'sa good strategy for success in applying to law school---don't do anything and be belligerent about it!
Law School Interest	24 -- 27	These questions are all straight forward and help the committee to know why you're interested in New York Law School.
Personal Statement & Recommendations	28	The most frequently asked question I am asked (after "what is your median LSAT?") is "what does the admissions committee want me to write about---exactly?" Gee, if I could answer that question, I'd know all about you and there'd be no need for you to write a personal statement. My point is that the committee wants to understand you and your motivation for seeking law study. Don't strategize; don't agonize. Just write what's true for you and do it using good English. Have it be your writing and don't use templates (from the Internet or guide books) because others are doing that and we know when we've read it before. So, it doesn't help us or you.
	29	This statement is optional. If the purpose of this statement does not apply to you, don't write one or submit one.
	30	We require at least one letter of recommendation and ask you to limit them to three. Can you submit four? Yes. Will it help? Hard to say. Your application will go to the committee with only one letter if everything else is received; even if you have told us that you're going to have three letters submitted.
Character & Fitness	31	Lawyers are expected to be of good character. Past indiscretions will not necessary exclude you from admission to law school or the bar. The important part of this question is the first part, which asks if any of these legal issues have happened. You must answer "yes" and disclose them regardless of the outcome. Period. The written statement explaining what happened must come from you. Do not submit something from your attorney, the judge, the police department, or the court. Do not submit copies of citations, court documents, or cancelled checks proving you've paid a fine. All that we want is your complete statement about the matter. If you're wondering if you need to disclose something, stop wondering and disclose it. An apology isn't required or necessary.
	32	If you didn't serve in the military, the answer is "no" and not a blank response.
	33	This does not refer to being laid off or fired, unless you were fired for an ethical breach or violation. We are seeking information about professional board disciplinary action that is not part of the judicial process.
Certification	End of form	Don't forget to sign and date the application if filing a paper copy. If filing electronically, print out and sign the Certification Form and mail it to us with your application fee payment.