2 questions - college education interrupted & other schools

[legallysam]

Some schools ask if my college education was interrupted at any point. During one summer of high school, I participated in a pre-college program where I enrolled in college-level classes at a university. The grades from those classes are factored into my LSAC GPA. Since there was a two-year gap (for Junior and Senior years of high school) between those classes and my college education, should I answer "yes" to that question?

Some schools also ask what other law schools I'm applying to. I am applying to a lot of schools, and I am worried that hurts my chances, since schools are concerned with yield protection. Am I obligated to list all of them?

Thanks!

[Jon Denning]

Hey Sam,

Thanks for the questions and welcome to the Forum! I can't claim specific expertise on either of those questions, so let me weigh in with my thoughts and see if someone else has an opinion as well (I'll also revisit this if/as I learn more about these particular concerns).

To your first question about the college interruption, I don't think that counts. You were still a high school student after all, meaning college for you hadn't technically begun, or at least not in the traditional, full-time sense, and that's really what they care about as I understand it. They're looking to see if, for some reason, once you began attending college or university you stepped away from it for any meaningful amount of time (more than a semester off, say). That's a curious event, and schools want to ensure that "curious" isn't actually something more worrisome, like a prison stint or something (or, more likely, a reflection of a pattern of spotty commitment, in much the same way they look askance at an applicant with 9 different undergrad majors).

So I think a "No" there is safe. Of course, if answering "Yes" then allows for a recounting of exactly what happened—like an "If 'yes,' please explain below:"—then there's no harm in answering in the affirmative and telling them what you just told us.

To your second, that's a little trickier. A good rule of thumb for applications, and really I can't over-stress this, is BE HONEST. Seriously. You don't want to risk trying to hide or obscure information, only to have it come to light later and make you look anything less than truthful and trustworthy. Save the deceptions for your legal career (I kid, I kid).

Schools deal with multi-school applicants nonstop. It's incredibly common, and they know better than to expect a bunch of one-school, their-school, candidates. Would they prefer that (or something on the light side, like fewer than four or five schools)? Maybe. Other schools are competition, after all, and the more competition, the lower your chances of winning...in this case securing your attendance. That's the entire philosophy behind early decision. But if you're qualified and express genuine interest then I'd say the risk of being dishonest when explicitly asked grossly outweighs the risk of non-acceptance just because you're not exactly Mr. Monogamous

Still, others may feel differently or have more to add, in which case fire away!

[legallysam]

Hi Jon,

Thanks so much for the quick response! Your advice, as well as everything else I've read on this site, is immensely helpful!

I do have one follow-up question RE the pre-college coursework. During that summer, I struggled with my classes and earned very poor grades. I wrote the following addendum, but I am wondering if including it hurts me more than it helps. My actual college grades were much better than my pre-college grades, and the pre-college program was almost nine years ago. So I'm worried either it will sound like I'm making excuses for (and drawing attention to) something that isn't a huge factor anyway, but if I do not include the addendum, adcomms will wonder why I neglected to address such a weak part of my application. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

During the summer of 2007, I attended a pre-college program at [University] where I enrolled in two summer semester classes offered by the university. At the time, I was a rising junior in high school and was unfamiliar with the manner and intensity of studying required to excel in university-level classes. This was reflected in my grades, and I take responsibility for my poor performance in those classes. However, those grades from when I was sixteen years old are a much less accurate representation of my current academic potential than my performance in college and subsequent professional experience. Through my junior and senior years of high school, my four years of college, and over two years of working a demanding, full-time job, I learned how to study and manage my time properly and, perhaps just as importantly, how to ask for help when I need it. I have full confidence in my ability to succeed in law school.

[Jon Denning]

I think that note is fine! Provided, of course, that your post-high school college grades really do reflect a legitimate performance improvement

I'm often on the fence about addenda that say in print what is fairly apparent by just glancing at your credentials—adcomms should be able to tell the difference between your pre-college college grades and your subsequent four years, right?—but at the same time I think it shows an awareness and conscientiousness on your part to explain what's up. So I see no harm in including it, even though this is probably a case where you'd be okay without one.

That said, I might change the last line to something more like, "And my performance from those years reflects that," or something a little more objectively-demonstrable than just saying you have confidence in your future abilities (everyone does, else they wouldn't apply and write massive checks in the first place haha).