Grossed out by the sight of blood?
Or mathematically challenged?
Then why not go to law school?
Deciding the right career path poses challenges, but attending law school is not a quick fix to the problem.
"It is not something you should fall into just because you are not sure about what to do," said Megan Barnett, dean of admissions and financial aid at Yale Law School.
A 1993 University Echols scholar alumna and a 1997 Yale Law School graduate, Barnett returned to the University Tuesday to speak to third- and fourth-year Echols scholars about Yale Law School.
"I came because I am starting to think about what I am going to do after I graduate, and if I am going to learn about law schools, I might as well hear from the dean of admissions from one of the best law schools," third-year College student Claire Martirosian said.
After discussing the right and wrong reasons to apply to law school, Barnett stressed taking time off before applying to law school.
"If you take a year or two off, you may realize law is not for you or discover that there is something else that you love," she said.
Only one third of Yale Law students come straight from their undergraduate studies.
Once deciding to apply to law school, the focus turns to how to get admitted.
It takes two key numbers -- height and weight, Barnett joked.
Barnett firmly said that admissions department at Yale Law actually looks beyond the GPA and LSAT.
"Not all 3.5s are created the same," Barnett said. "We take a look at your transcript and see what classes you took."
Yale also has two personal statements on the application. In the 250-word essay, Barnett suggested writing on a narrow topic that reveals an intellectual passion. The second essay should be no more than two to three pages double-spaced, she added. Barnett advised applicants not to write the personal statement as an obituary or as a recipe.
"And no one with a rhyming personal statement has gotten into Yale in the past five years," she said.
Regarding recommendations, Barnett said that you do not need someone famous or an alumnus to send a letter. Yale prefers academic recommendations.
Once admitted to law school, Barnett suggested visiting the top three since each school has a different environment.
Barnett also said Yale is a collaborative and friendly place with no grades or class rankings. The incoming class is comprised of 180 to 190 students which allows for small classes.
After graduation, most Yale graduates choose a career involving law but others seek jobs in different fields.
"Yale prepares you," Barnett said. "Not only to practice law but to change the world."
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