Politics

More Prospective Law Students Aspire To Hold Political Office

There's been a surge in prospective law students interested in running for political office.

By  
on

future presidentThe contentious political season that ended in Donald J. Trump being sworn in as the United States’s 45th president hasn’t scared impressionable law students from politics. Indeed, it seems to have had the opposite effect: new data from a recent Kaplan Test Prep survey of over 500 LSAT students indicates a surge in prospective law students interested in running for political office:

Over half (53%) of the over 500 students surveyed say they would consider running for political office, up from 38% in 2012, the last time Kaplan surveyed on this topic. This 53% nearly ties the all-time high of 54% who said they would consider running for office when Kaplan first surveyed students shortly after President Obama was elected in 2008.

But despite the political interest, not everyone wants to be open about their politics. Forty-six percent of respondents indicated they’d shy away from discussing their political beliefs in their law school applications. However, their fear of getting political in applications may be unfounded as admissions officers tend to be more open to hearing about politics:

But a separate Kaplan survey of law schools finds that admissions officers don’t necessarily think it’s a bad idea for applicants to discuss their political beliefs. When asked the same question, 42% disagreed with the statement “it would be better for applicants to not discuss their political beliefs in their personal statement.” Of the remaining respondents, 28% agreed that politics should be avoided in law school application personal statements; 26% say it depends; and 4% don’t know.

So what’s a promising law school hopeful to do? It is a needle that has to be threaded carefully. Jeff Thomas, executive director of pre-law programs at Kaplan, suggests politics can be effectively woven into a law school application, but only when they are part of your overall narrative:

When it comes to expressing political beliefs in your law school personal statement, we advise applicants to do it only when you can do a good job of weaving together your personal narrative and career goals. For instance, if you want to go into public interest law, by all means, talk about your college internship in the governor’s office or your canvassing job for an advocacy group. But just to spout your political opinions with no larger goal may alienate admissions officers who don’t agree with you or who think you didn’t use your personal statement wisely. It can show poor judgement.

So, prospective law students should choose wisely but know they aren’t alone in their political ambitions.

Sponsored

headshotKathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

Sponsored

Topics

, , ,