Things that don't count

Using law school numbers has some definate advantages. For one, I get to see what people feel are important enough activities to list. Some people, in a hurry will not list anything when they do in fact have activities or will speak very generally, but I would think you never have somebody that puts down MORE than they intend to put on their application (mainly because it takes time to put information on LSN).

Given what I said above, I have noticed several activities that should NOT be included in law school applications and am always tempted to messege people and tell them that. Here is my list of the top 10 things that you should not include as activities, awards, accomplishments, or jobs in your law school application. Obviously this list could get very goofy, so I have included only things that I have ACTUALLY SEEN listed on LSN. I have ranked these based on how strongly I feel you should not list these activities.

10. Your vacations: If you studied abroad, took a trip to help make someplace better, or spent a summer backpacking in Europe and learned a lot about yourself, feel free to list these or even write a personal statement about them. If you went somewhere for the purpose of having a good time, leave it out. The worst offender I saw on LSN had a section entitled: International Vacations: and listed, among others, Amsterdam and Cancun. Congrats dude, I'm sure you had a gnarley spring break, but leave it off your application.

9. "Senior notables": I'm not going to say much here. Lets just say nobody cares that you were voted most likly to be a lawyer or something similar. For one, the people voting have no idea what it takes to be a lawyer and are probebally voting because you either argue a lot or talk about going to law school a ton. Also, nobody cares. Talk about the characteristics that would make you a good lawyer in your PS if you want, but dont write down this award.

8. Your sexual orientation: If an application asks for this, list it or dont, I dont care. If you feel the need, write about it in your diversity statement, but it isn't some "amazing soft factor." You might want it to be, but it isn't the same as being a URM. Actually Gay men are actually ORM in law school. If you were the target of an attack or want to work for gay rights, feel free to write your PS, Diversity, or even "why law school" essays about this, but dont just throw it down on a list between "Phi Beta Kappa" and "Student Government." It may be important to who you are, but it isn't important to your application so why list it on LSN.

7. GMAT scores: These crack me up. Seriously, I find this funny as hell. Congrats on the GMAT dude, you are smarter than 99 % of business majors. Unfortunately, your skills are either better suited towards the study of business or you are another example of how the test taking pool for the LSAT is more competitive because you didn't do nearly as well on the LSAT. The law school isn't goign to overlook your LSAT because of another, unrelated test. If you GMAT is so awsome, why aren't you applying to B-School?

6. Greek Week champion or winner of any "Mrs/Ms Sorority/Fraternity" contest, talent show, or similar award: I realize that these differ from school to school, but at my university, somebody once drove around on a tricicle and hit himself in the head with a whiffelball bat for his talent during one of these contests. Drunk singing and dancing are often a centerpiece of these types of contests and the Mr/Mrs contests typically have some element of "fundraising" (either in an auction, selling tickets, or some other way to generate revenue) component to them. These are all hallmarks of stupid things to put on your resume. Again, you might have been super thrilled to win X contest where fraternity men get sorority women to raise money for them, but this shouldn't make it onto your resume. Inlcude it in recruitment, feel proud, make a t-shirt, I dont care, but DONT list it on your law school application. Nobody cares. Even if greek week is the central contest at your university, nobody cares that you joined the sorority that won. If you were greek week chairperson then a quick: "Served as greekweek chair for 2 semesters, organized and planned x,y, and z events and finished first in A among 35 chapters" sounds good as long as A is something relating to charity. The key here: Ask what messege it sends about you. You look good in drag? Contrats. You sing well? Mention it in your personal statement if its that important to you.

5. Your high school activities and awards: Congrats. Seriously. I'm glad you loved high school. I did too. I'm glad you were successful in high school. Most people applying to high school were. When you include high school honors you send three negative messeges. First, it makes it seem as if you are stuck on what you accomplished in high school. What you did in college should be WAY more impressive than what you did in high school, you have more opportunities. Additionally, nobody cares. It was easy to succeed in high school. I hope you turned those accomplishments into a nice college acceptance or five, because that was the last time they ever mattered when applying for things. Finally, this sends the exact wrong messege. It says "i'm closer to high school than the working world" which is precisely what you DONT want to do.

4. A list of school activities you went to: Great, you went to every concert, football game, lecture series, roundtable, and personal development program that your university offered. Congrats, you are super college guy. Attending events doesn't mean you took anything out of them, developed any skills, or positively contributed in any way. If some event changed your life, write about it in your personal statement, I am sure it will be very unique, but other than that LEAVE IT THE HECK OUT OF YOUR APPLICATION. Nobody cares. Now if you PLANNED these events, thats a different story.

3. Intramural Sports you just played: I'm glad you were active in college. Playing intramurals is a great time, but it isn't something that matters to law schools. It doesn't really matter at all, thats the point. If you won something, I still wouldn't list it, but that is up to you. DONT list ever sport you ever played intramural. It makes you seem like a meathead and it sends the messege that all you care about is intramurals. Your application is better off blank that with a list of intramurals you played.

2. Fraternity Sweetheart, Sorority Dream-Man/Boyfriend of the Year: Ok, look I am sure you were proud when you won this award. You might have even been sung too, given gifts, or even free meals, but if this makes it onto your law school resume, you should kill yourself. Seriously, at one point I thought this would be pretty funny to put on, then I thought about it. This is a popularity contest, a vote for who is cute, or an award for dating somebody very seriously. Think of how silly you will feel filling in the "please describe the criteria for this award" section of an application that asks for it. "I was selected over the other 30 girlfriends of boys in Kappa Epsilon Gamma for being super cute, really nice, well dressed, and being the life of their Heaven and Hell party..." Yup, real impressive, definately makes you sound mature. How exactly does this demonstrate your ability to succeed in law school? How does it show characteristics that a law school would want in a student? It doesn't. Get over it. You may have been thrilled when your boyfriends fraternity said you were their favorite girl on campus, but it should not have been the greatest achievement of your life. If it was... kill yourself, your life is sad.

1. Sorority pledge mom: I would include fraternity pledge dad, but I haven't seen this one. Apparently only women think this is important enough to list. This is very similar to numbers 2 and 6. There are several reasons why this is silly but let me name a few. Now, I love my chapter and I think Greek life is awsome, but in the grand scheme of positions available, being a pledge mom is NOT near the top. In many chapters girls HAVE to be pledge moms. Not impressive. Additionally, when you say "pledge mom" the first thing that I think of is "official drink buyer." Sure you may do some things that matter, you might be great at it, but really, it makes you sound childish and silly. Being a pledge mom is "being a friend." Whats next, listing "I was a close friend to X,Y, and Z younger girls in my soroity Phi Alpha Tau, and I loved it and them soo much, yea PA-Tau......" as a personal statement? I'm not hating on greeks. I am a greek. I love greeks. I hope the woman I marry is a greek, but seriously, this is too much.