Law school applicants ought to be careful about what they post on Facebook.
A survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep found that law school admissions officers look at applicants’ Facebook pages and other social networking sites more often than do their undergraduate or business school counterparts. In a process that is already very competitive, admissions officers are taking additional aspects into account when determining which students are accepted. The Duke School of Law accepts approximately 20 percent of applicants—a rate that is consistent with many top institutions, said Jeff Thomas, director of pre-law programs for Kaplan.
The trend is indicative of the legal profession itself, Thomas said.
“We want to make sure that the people who are the gatekeepers of the law and the people who are creating the laws are ones that will follow the law,” Thomas said. “Law schools are the gatekeepers to future attorneys, so it makes sense that they are more circumspect on the front end.”
The study, released Oct. 24, surveyed admissions officers at 359 different undergraduate, business and law schools to determine what factors the officers considered during the admissions process. Of those surveyed, 20 percent of the undergraduate admissions officers and 27 percent of the business school admissions officers said they used social networking sites to research applicants. In comparison, 37 percent of law school admissions officers said they took information found on social networking sites into account.
Thomas said he is unable to disclose information about which law schools participated, citing a confidentiality agreement.
Thomas noted that the moral aspects of law fall in line with the findings.
“The legal profession is not one that you get into simply by graduating from law school,” he said. “Rather, an individual’s moral and ethical character is put into question as well.”
Law school admissions officers may look at an applicant’s Facebook page, but content found on these social networking sites would not cause a candidate to be rejected, Thomas said. Having strong LSAT scores, a high GPA and powerful personal statements are more important, he said.
“It is really done as a spot check—it is important to note that content found on Facebook would never make or break a candidate’s application,” Thomas said. “While 37 percent is higher than other graduate schools, it is still not the majority of schools.”
Gerald Wilson, senior associate dean of Trinity College and pre-law advisor, said students should be cognizant about information they post on social networking sites.
“I always tell my students, ‘Only post something you would want your grandmother to see,’” he said. “It’s public, so it’s fair game.”
Senior Danni Lin, who is applying to law school, said she has always been very careful about what she posts on Facebook.
“I can understand where law school admissions officers are coming from,” Lin said. “Applicants should know that what you put on the Internet can be seen by anyone for good or for bad. I don’t think it’s wrong for admissions officers to look at your Facebook because you’ve decided that it’s public content.”
Lin added that the findings of the study do not affect her and that she would not change her social networking practices,
“I don’t think officers would find anything on my Facebook page that I wouldn’t have put in my application,” Lin said. “In fact, my application is a better reflection of me as a candidate than my Facebook page.”
Senior Stephanie Weiss, who also plans on applying to law school, said she was not aware that law school admissions officers check applicants’ Facebook pages, but added that she supports such practices.
“I know law schools hold their applicants to very high ethical standards,” Weiss said. “I am glad they are validating what candidates say on their application.”
Although Facebook can be used to learn more about an applicant, law school admissions officers do not have the resources or interest to check every single applicant, said Brooke Sandoval, associate director of admissions at American University. Facebook searches are typically conducted only when prompted by other incidents—for example, an angry phone call to the admissions office, she said.
“I don’t look at everyone’s Facebook page,” Sandoval said. “However, I may do research if a candidate is called into question because who knows whether they will act appropriately in law school and beyond.”
Sandoval added that admissions officers take many aspects of a candidate into consideration during the admissions process in addition to a candidate’s application.
“We have to be careful—we have to ask whether an applicant will be able to do well in classes, to have a strong job interview, to make ethical judgments,” Sandoval said. “As admissions officers, we need to make judgment calls. In our profession, your classmate or professor could very well be your opposing counsel or judge in the future. Everyone is connected.”
William Hoye, associate dean of admissions and student affairs at the Duke School of Law, could not be reached for comment Monday.
The use of social networking sites in the law school admissions process reflects the evolving relationship between applicants and admissions officers through technology, Thomas noted.
“The law school admissions process has always been one that is very traditional, very stoic,” he said. “It is becoming increasingly apparent that technology is becoming embedded in a process that is so historically defined.”
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