What makes a great applicant? Serious replies, I have a lot of thinking to do.

[eyeChing]

Hi Guys/Gals,

So I graduated in May 2011 with a BBA and a minor in PoliSci. My "dream" was to go to law school, and in fact, I did very well on my LSAT (170+) with a cum. GPA of 3.54, so I could get into some pretty good law schools if I desired. However, during my time off and really thinking about what I want to do with my entire life, the law is starting to seem less and less appealing. Myself, I am a very caring individual, I thought the law would give me the best way to make a positive influence on peoples lives, but the more I read about law school, the law culture/job field and how I see those with JDs just act on a daily basis, the more I think that I was completely misguided in my initial beliefs.

So, here is where I currently stand. I am going to China in August to teach for the year. I am working as a sales assistant at a hotel, it is insanely boring. I absolutely loathe the service industry, but its a job and is more of a transitional thing than anything as I'm saving up money for China. I've been taking Mandarin classes for a couple months and while I am in China I plan on furthering this, maybe staying there for 2/3 years and attempting to become somewhat fluent.

I am telling you all of this just so maybe you guys can give me some guidance. I am clueless about the graduate degree requirements. I know about the GRE. I am willing to put in whatever amount of work/time is required to get a top score. But, beyond that, I have heard that grad schools really value work experience and other assets beyond GPA/GRE.

I want to do something that truly has a positive effect on people. I love to write, I love to help people, I volunteer a ton of my time working at homeless shelters. I just want to do something where I know what I'm doing is making a difference. So, the more I think about grad school I am leaning towards something to do with counseling, psychology, possibly social services. What are the requirements for this fields? I guess in general, do you have to have a UG degree that relates to your masters degree? This is my big concern. I have a BBA but DO NOT want to get an MBA. Can you guys please give me a little guidance? Would I need to take classes in those particular fields in order to apply for graduate school? That is, in the psychology, counseling, education fields?

Thank you so much! Sorry if there are answers to this. I have been trying to search but couldn't find anything...

[OregonGal]

I'd suggest you check out the requirements for a Masters in Social Work graduate program if you want to work in direct services, and an MPP if you want to work more on the policy side. There's a whole forum for MSW candidates you can check out as well.

[kaister]

I also suggest looking into social work, its very hands on and you get to give back in the way it seems you desire. The programs typically look for work/volunteer experience as well so I don't think having the academic degree will matter so much, though it can't hurt to take a psych or mental health class, something to show you understand the field.

[TheFez]

Part of what makes a really "great applicant" is a student who knows a lot about what they want to do. They have a passion for a certain field. They have done research, taken courses, researched schools to find programs that are a good fit with their interests.

It sounds like you have only the vaguest idea of finding a grad program that "helps people". Lot's of people help others - chemists, microbiologists, even - dare say - some economists!

I also think your estimation of the legal profession is a bit simplistic. How about the lawyers that really do help people? The public defenders, the ACLU guys, the constitutional lawyers, the immigration lawyers helping folks caught up in the system. You could become a judge. Many politicians are lawyers - (I hear there are some decent politicians). It seems odd that you let your "dream" be dissolved so easily.

I wouldn't take on a graduate program without a strong commitment to a discipline. It's tough to get accepted without this commitment. You'll be on the LOR board, or the SOP board asking how to compensate for a lack of preparation or looking for help writing a convincing SOP without it.

[collegebum1989]

I say the best applicants are the ones who are able to articulate their views and career goals explicitly through their applications with past decisions, work experience, and research experience. All the different aspects of your resume, experience, research, need to be intricately woven together in your SOP to create an individualized story which represents your personality to an admissions committee. The best applicants are the ones who understand what the committees are looking for and cater to those characteristics of potential applicants in their essays by emphasizing strengths and putting weaknesses into context. And the most important part, just be yourself.

About Law School: I found that opinions/perceptions from forums and internet discussions about careers and/or professions tend to be very biased and unrepresentative (takes certain personalities to write on forums). If you really want to pursue a JD, speak to recent attorneys, law students and/or people immersed in the field. Not people who sign up on a forum. This was my mistake in choosing a career path.

Lastly, broaden your horizons by reading more about the world. Your china experience already shows that you are doing that already. These are the types of experiences which make you unique during interviews. Take some time and practice expressing your experiences very fluently and you will do well on interviews.

Best of luck!

Edited June 3, 2012 by collegebum1989

[rio-ne-ru]

Strong commitment, consistency, well-informed, and the most important thing is you know what you want to do. In other words, have a vision on what you want to be in the future, find all visible paths, and committed to complete the path.

I agree with theFez and collegeburn. If you want really know what you can do with law profession, find a mentor! A really good mentor who understand your passion and willing to nurture you so you can achieve your ambition.

Have faith mate! and may the force be with you!

Edited June 7, 2012 by rio-ne-ru

[wildviolet]

I met someone who lived in China for eight years, organized events that were shut down by the government, and is now working on her doctorate in the US. What an awesome experience to bring to her graduate studies!

As for making a positive difference in the world--there are lots of ways to do that. I think it all depends on your attitude and the way you treat people--it doesn't have to be a particular profession (unless you want it to be). Besides, you are still young and have time to explore the world and find yourself before committing years to grad school. When I first started teaching high school, as a 22-year-old straight out of college, I was always thinking that I would quit. Ten years later, here I am teaching still. But, really, this is my last year. Next year I'm going to grad school (hooray!!!).

Oh yes, so the point is that it took me a while to figure out that education is the field that I really want to be in. I studied science in undergrad and considered becoming a scientist. But, I opted to teach science instead. Now, rather than be on the front lines, I will be behind the scenes, studying how students learn and how teachers teach. My experiences as both a student and a teacher have given me insights into our current educational system that I otherwise may not have, and I articulated this in my statement of purpose.

Anyway, as an applicant, once you know what you want to study and why you want to study it, the rest will follow. I think the "best" applicants can do this concisely and convincingly. So, go find your passion!

Edited June 14, 2012 by wildviolet

[jeffster]

I'm not in law school, but check out this commencement address. I read about it in The Atlantic recently, and it might address some of your concerns about law school.

http://lessig.tumblr.com/post/24065401182/commencement-address-to-atlantas-john-marshall-law