Kirti Kaur, VU ’25, Yale Law School Class of 2028
No woman in my family had gone to college, let alone attempted to apply to law school. As a first-generation student beginning the law school admissions process, I believed a prestigious law school was not meant for me. Soon after, I was admitted to some of the top-ranked institutions in the nation. Here are my words of wisdom for other ambitious first-generation students aspiring to attend law school.
Prioritize your stats.
This advice will likely be most obvious to pre-law students. Still, I must stress the importance of an applicant’s undergraduate GPA and Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score. Many, if not most, law schools claim to conduct a holistic review of applicants, and stats will seldom guarantee or entirely negate an acceptance, but this is not to say that stats do not matter. Before I even thought about drafting my statements or creating my school list, I worked to maintain high grades and studied hard for the LSAT. Once I had achieved an adequate GPA and LSAT score, the application process became much less stressful as I no longer had to worry about writing addendums. All this to say, I highly recommend prioritizing stats because law schools certainly do.
Start the process early, as early as possible.
Because I had no lawyers or law students in my family, I flew through my first two years of undergraduate blissfully unaware of the time needed to construct an excellent law school application. It was not until I got my diagnostic LSAT score in the fall semester of my junior year that reality hit me: I had a lot of work to do in a very short amount of time. After achieving my goal LSAT score in the summer before my senior year, I still needed a few weeks to draft all my statements, meaning I would not submit most of my applications until that late fall. Looking back, I desperately wish I had started my process in my sophomore year so I could have submitted my applications as soon as the cycle began.
For most applicants, the application process will start with LSAT studying. I recommend beginning LSAT studying at least a year before one intends to take the exam. It is better to overestimate the time needed and be pleasantly surprised with how fast one completes the process than to start later and rush any part of one’s application.
More optional essays do not necessarily mean good optional essays.
Some applicants believe that if a law school application includes multiple optional or supplemental essays, they should write all of them, hoping that at least one will work in their favor. Although a good supplemental essay may work in one’s favor, it may not negate the negative impact of a bad supplemental essay. I encourage applicants not to assume that they must write every optional essay during their application process. During my own process, there were many optional essays I chose not to write due to an honest recognition of my limitations. Simply put, I did not write essays that I knew I could not write well. Limiting the number of optional essays on my plate meant I could dedicate more time to the few I chose to write instead of spreading myself thin across dozens of essays.
Fill your resume with passions, not mere attempts to impress admissions.
Early on, I knew I wanted to attend law school, but I did not build a standard pre-law resume throughout undergrad. For instance, I was not involved in Mock Trial or the Pre-Law Society. Nor did I complete an internship at a law firm. Instead, my resume was full of extracurricular and professional experiences largely unrelated to the legal field. These experiences—which I have been involved in for years—immensely reflected my passion for public service and volunteer work for my cultural and religious communities. As I created my resume, I found that writing about meaningful activities created a cohesive theme that portrayed my identity, stretching far beyond being a pre-law student. As I reflect on my undergraduate career, I do not regret overlooking “prestigious” opportunities for activities that were personally more important. As you build your law school resume, rather than worrying about what activities will impress an admissions committee, I implore you to simply spend your time doing what you love.
Learn to be picky with those who you share your journey with.
Applying to law school is stressful, and I unequivocally recognize the importance of relying on your friends, family, and mentors. You may be applying alone, but that does not mean you cannot utilize the support and resources granted by others. However, I caution against the assumption that a more extensive network automatically translates into a more supportive one. I initially made the mistake of telling as many people as possible about every aspect of my application journey. I had to learn to be cautious when deciding with whom I shared my goals, relying on only a few friends and mentors who sincerely believed in my candidacy and gave me unconditional support. By limiting my network, I found adequate support and resources while privately navigating the process free from unnecessary judgment.
Take the time to find the right resources for you.
My success cannot be attributed solely to myself; it results from all the resources and people who support me. For the LSAT, I mainly utilized 7Sage for self-studying purposes and Coveted Prep for personalized tutoring. To receive letters of recommendation, I cultivated relationships by taking multiple classes with Political Science and Humanities professors who were both incredible writers and knowledgeable about the legal field. I also spent weeks connecting with Villanova alumni who had successful cycles in recent years. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when it came to my top schools, I went straight to the source for information: the schools themselves. I scheduled phone calls with admission representatives, attended dozens of informational events, and chatted individually with current law students. It is crucial to note that what worked for me may not work for you, so I recommend you take the time necessary to find the resources suited for your unique journey.
Finally, to all first-generation students dreaming of law school, remain confident about your potential. You may be the first of your family to apply to law school, but that does not mean you do not belong there.
Resources I Used in My Admissions Journey:
LSAT Prep
https://www.trainertestprep.com
https://powerscore.com/lsat/publications
Other Resources
https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/law-admissions-lowdown
https://www.barbri.com/resources/-/search/lifecycle-stage/pre-law
