Law Schools

Over 30 Percent Of Applicants Want To Go To Law School Because Of Trump

Why do you want to go to law school?

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We’ve known for a while that more people are taking the LSAT — we’re talking a double-digit increase. But exactly why has largely remained a source of speculation and anecdotal reports that the surprising results of the 2016 election were motivating people to go to law school. Now we have the hard data to support that hypothesis.

Kaplan Test Prep conducted a survey of over 500 pre-law students and the results confirm the suspicions of many in the industry: the Trump Bump is real. Thirty-two percent of respondents said politics were a motivating factor in deciding to apply. The comments offered show that changes in policy by the Trump administration have prompted some to consider a career in the law:

“I work with refugees and new government policies have directly impacted and impeded my ability to do my job. I am interested in a law degree in order to have a new way to fight for human rights and defend those in need.”

Others see law school as a step towards a political career:

“I decided to go to law school BECAUSE of the 2016 election. Somebody has to hold these politicians accountable, and it’s clearly not anyone in office right now. Also, if Hillary isn’t gonna be the first female president, then it’s going to be me.”

And even those who had already thought about going to law school before credit the 2016 election with solidifying the decision and potentially changing their career path:

“I wanted to be a lawyer and attend law school before the 2016 election, but the results solidified to me why it was so important to gain a legal education. Prior to that election, I had never considered being a politician; however, I am now considering pursuing a career in politics after my legal education.”

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As Jeff Thomas, executive director of pre-law programs at Kaplan Test Prep, notes, it is important for law school applicants to know exactly why they want to go to law school and understand exactly how a J.D. can help them achieve their goals:

“We’ve seen significant jumps in both LSAT takers and law school applications over the past admissions cycle, which has fueled speculation about how much impact, if any, the 2016 election and subsequent political climate has had on this year’s law school admissions landscape. We now have an answer: It’s significant. The bump is real,” said Jeff Thomas, executive director of pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “It’s important to note that law school has long been at the epicenter of politics, with 38 percent of House members and 55 percent of senators holding law degrees. While there are many good reasons for attending law school, our advice remains constant: Be introspective about your reasons for applying, and understand exactly how a law degree is necessary to achieve your career goals.”

But even though political events got these applicants interested in attending law school, not everyone is planning on talking about that in their admissions personal statements. The Kaplan survey found only 28 percent were likely to discuss their political views in their applications. And that might be a wise decision:

“Whether you’re a resister, persister, or somewhere in between, spouting 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,” added Thomas. “Only focus on politics if you can do a good job of weaving together your personal narrative and career ambitions. For instance, if you want to go into immigration law, talk about your canvassing job for an advocacy group. Otherwise, be compelling in your statements, but in a less risky way.”

Don’t worry, once you get on campus and the Edmund Burke Society starts calling immigrants toilet people, I’m sure they’ll have a lot to say.

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Kaplan has put together a video below detailing the survey results, check it out:

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).

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