Admissions: The Importance of Disclosure
Admissions Digest, 08.02.2022
What's Going On in the Admissions Cycle Right Now?
Law schools are finalizing plans and speakers for their respective orientation programs. Incoming 1L students should anticipate important emails pertaining to the program, the bookstore, and information on first assignments if this information is not already located in your admitted student portal—be sure to check your spam folder and stay on top of these communications!
For prospective applicants, law schools are updating their recruitment calendars to give applicants a sense of when and where their admissions officers will be visiting this fall (either in person or virtually). Keep a lookout for information session offerings that begin this summer and extend into the fall—these are great ways to learn more about programmatic and curricular offerings, ways to get involved on campus, and a school’s overall admissions process.
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Discussion
Every cycle, there are candidates who will inevitably ask how important character and fitness disclosures really are to the admissions process. Then, during orientation, the professionalism talk about the integrity of the profession and the seriousness with which the local state bar takes moral turpitude causes a significant number of admitted students to disclose information which should have been offered when the application was submitted. The moment that candidates realize that the state bar will compare what was disclosed to them with what was disclosed on their law school applications, candidates often decide that they’d better amend their applications so that their disclosure content aligns.
This happens again close to graduation—3Ls who didn’t amend after orientation are suddenly reminded as they apply for the bar and to have their moral character assessed that the JD application disclosures had better match up. But what’s the worst that can happen?
POTENTIAL RESCISSION
POTENTIALLY AFFECTS ELIGIBILITY TO PRACTICE
Any application amendment provides a law school’s admissions committee an opportunity to reconsider whether admission would have been offered had this information been provided at the time of application. If the answer is no, an offer of admission may be rescinded—whether you’re a 1L at the start of your education or a 3L preparing to graduate. If admission is rescinded, there is no longer a record of academic history—you can’t have transcripts or prove that there’s a degree conferred if you weren’t actually admitted. You can, however, end up with student loans for a degree that no longer exists.
If the school allows the candidate to remain admitted and ultimately graduate, that doesn’t mean the candidate is out of the woods. A colleague shared with me a recent published opinion by the South Carolina Supreme Court, where the Court considered nondisclosures and “half disclosures” on law school applications. If you’re wondering why the state’s highest court is even considering such a thing, state bars are administrative agencies of the highest court within that jurisdiction, meaning the highest court has exclusive jurisdiction over the practice of law in that state.
The Court does not typically publish opinions of these kind, but here it was moved to make a public statement about law school applications where a candidate demonstrates a lack of candor. The Court framed the issue: “In recent years, this Court has been presented with a growing number of bar applicants who omit from their law school applications information that is plainly required to be disclosed. Despite warnings in law school of the consequences of nondisclosure, too many applicants never amend, or never fully amend, their law school applications to include all relevant matters. Predictably, the issue of nondisclosure often resurfaces at the time an applicant submits a petition for admission to practice law. Often, the undisclosed conduct itself would not necessarily have disqualified an applicant from admission to law school, but false and misleading nondisclosures most certainly impact this Court's evaluation of an applicant's character and fitness to practice law.”
The Court utilized this particular case to warn others: “In light of the concerning increase in nondisclosures this Court has seen in recent years and the growing prevalence of social media, today we take the unusual step of publishing our decision in this case while allowing Applicant to remain anonymous. Our goal in doing so is to warn potential law students, law schools, and bar applicants of the serious consequences of nondisclosure and to encourage law school applicants to completely and fully disclose all required information at the time their applications are first submitted. Now that applicants will have the benefit of this published decision, we caution that future nondisclosures and misleading statements will not be viewed with any degree of leniency and may result in this Court's outright denial of admission to practice law.”
I’m not sharing this information to scare you—I want you to understand the gravity of omitting information from the character and fitness portion of law school applications. For the South Carolina candidate in question, his petition for admission to the state bar was granted; however, his eligibility to be admitted to the practice of law was delayed by one year due to his lack of candor. To read the full opinion, click here.
7Sage Guide for the LSAT Writing Sample
Stressed about this LSAT requirement? We are offering a 100% free guide to the LSAT Writing section that explains what it is, how you can prepare for it, and whether it matters at all (hint: it does)! Access the guide here.
7Sage LSAT Fundamentals Group Class
7Sage tutor Raphael is offering a group class on LSAT fundamentals beginning Thursday, August 4. This class is perfect for those of you who are still working through core curriculum or those who, after finishing it, still feel like they want a bump on fundamentals and elements of timing. For more information, or to sign up, click here.
7Sage Rewards
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7Sage Webinar: The Personal Statement
On Thursday, August 11 at 8 p.m. ET, join us for a discussion with 7Sage admissions consultants on the personal statement—its purpose, what successful ones might include, why no two stories are the same, and some do's and don'ts. There will be time for Q&A with the audience at the end. You don't want to miss it! To register, click here.
7Sage Webinar: University of San Diego School of Law
On Tuesday, August 4 at 7 p.m. ET, join us for a discussion with Tracy Simmons, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Diversity Initiatives, and Financial Aid at the University of San Diego School of Law. We will cover USD's admissions requirements and process, some programs and highlights that set USD apart, and we will reserve time for questions from the audience. Click here to register.
Recruitment Events
American University is offering in-person information sessions through Friday, August 5 at 1 p.m. ET. Register here.
Arizona State is offering virtual JD information sessions every other Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. MT. Register here.
Berkeley Law is offering a series of information sessions for different categories of applicants planning to apply to their JD program this fall:
Binding Early Decision (BED) Applicants, Tuesday, August 9 at 4 p.m. PT (register).
Boston College is offering in-person tours on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12 p.m. ET. Participants are limited to one guest per tour and must register for tours in advance. Register here.
Duke Law School is offering virtual information sessions on August 4 and August 18 at 2 p.m. ET. Register for one or more here.
Georgetown is offering a virtual JD information session on Wednesday, August 3 at 11 a.m. ET. Register here.
Harvard Law is offering an in-person information session on Friday, August 19 at 2 p.m. ET. Register here. Virtual Q&A sessions will be offered beginning in September.
Northeastern Law is offering outdoor law school tours, showcasing three of their law school buildings. Each tour is led by a current law student who will take Q&A during the tour. Schedule a tour here.
Notre Dame Law is offering in-person visits, which include an admissions information session and a student-led tour of the law school on Fridays at 11 a.m. ET. RSVP here. They are also offering group information sessions via Zoom every other Wednesday, which will include time for Q&A. RSVP here.
UCLA Law is offering in-person law school tours on Mondays and Fridays. They are also offering virtual law school tours on Wednesdays. Register here.
University of Richmond is offering a summer series for prospective applicants, including a virtual information session on Monday, August 8 at 2 p.m. ET (register here).
Vanderbilt Law is offering a virtual information session about their JD program on Wednesday, August 10 at 9 a.m. CT. The session will be led by an admissions officer and will cover a brief overview of the law school, the admissions process, student life, and employment outcomes. Register here.
WashU Law in St. Louis is offering meetings with admissions, virtual open houses, and live-streamed events. For more details and to sign up, click here.
Yale Law is offering one-on-one appointments with a member of the admissions office to address prospective student questions. Schedule here.