A2Z 20: Diversity Statements and "diverse student" 

Love to hear it! Wolverines 🤝 Spartans

A fine arts major might have their transcript scrutinized a bit more, just to make sure that there was a range of coursework. But assuming that you took classes in a variety of fields, with exposure to reading and textual analysis, you need have no concerns.

@@umichlaw Thank you so much!

Absolutely! Our first reader and I were just talking about this-that many applicants repeat content from their PS in an optional essay. It’s a waste of real estate, and also is frustrating to the reader; the repetition suggests the applicant didn’t put the work into editing!

@@umichlaw Great, thanks!

Also wanted to say - echoing the many thanks for this very helpful series! I really appreciate the frankness and humor you help bring to this overwhelming application process.

yes.

Absolutely.

You have as much access to information about the composition of the legal profession as anyone else-if you have a particular trait in mind, you can get researching! Many legal publications have frequent articles on the subject. Alternatively, I would say that if there is a characteristic that is unusual in the context of American life, or higher education, you’re safe in assuming it is also unusual in the context of the legal profession. Finally, I certainly wouldn’t characterize LGBTQ status as a common topic for diversity essays, and it absolutely would be appropriate to discuss.

Sounds like your mind is made up so I don’t expect to convince you, but-you’re completely incorrect! An applicant who discusses their political ideology, evincing thoughtfulness and a good-faith willingness to engage, is *incredibly* valuable to the classroom environment and the law school pedagogy. I love to get applicants who demonstrate this in their writing-and because conservative viewpoints are more rarely expressed, that’s an edge.

@@umichlaw Thank you for responding with your experience and judgement. Yet I still don't see how conservative ideology-especially when associated with religious belief-can escape its association with evil and ill-will in university environments. If you believe, say, that the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges was an overreach of the judicial system, that is very generally considered in the law school environment bad-faith, inconsiderate, and even homophobic without even dipping into any dialogue. How do you weigh a political opinion that in the grand scheme of the country is not abnormal (though I don't think Obergefell counts for this) against the feelings of an identity group on campus? When does a viewpoint, no matter how willing a person who holds that view is to engage in good-faith discussion, become untenable when placed against the emotional well-being (or even the existence itself) of an affinity group? Even if I'm willing to believe you yourself are objective in ascertaining a diverse political viewpoint (and why wouldn't I, I guess?), for most conservative applicants expressing that conservative viewpoint in this manner feels like playing Russian roulette. Sure, every 5 out of 6 admissions officers might be thoughtful, but all it takes is for your application to be read by one who is ideologically opposed to receive a bad outcome. Why hazard being shut out of admission when there is no equivalent for someone with extremely progressive views? This is obviously a bigger problem than just one person, office, university, etc. can handle or address, but it just strikes me as disconnected to see someone in a university environment disregard what most conservative students have seen, heard, and learned throughout their educational experience, i.e., expressing a conservative viewpoint can easily lead to poor outcomes due to the extreme concentration of university affiliates at one end of the political spectrum. Not that it really matters to me in the end. If someone wants to take that risk in a diversity statement, I hope it works out and that your message is true and representative of admissions officers. I just wouldn't, and I really don't believe any but the most daring conservative student would, either. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I guess.

@Acererak Yeah reading this over again, a year later in law school, I stand by what I wrote 100% and still believe it was dishonest for her to say that. I guess trying to get as many applications as possible and preserve some facade of objectivity is more important than just admitting there's a problem that only students at one end of the political spectrum are faced with. Just imagine what it's like if you're a conservative black student. It's not hard to see what will happen when even law professors aren't quiet about their seething hatred of someone like Justice Thomas.

@@umichlawtotally false; stop lying to these people. We have all seen the discrimination on campuses, by faculty and administrative staff. We have seen it in the corporate world. You are describing something we all wish to be true, but is not.