The law school resume is not a job resume
Admissions committees expect a resume documenting your full record: education, employment, leadership, publications, and relevant activities, typically one to two pages. Unlike a job resume tailored narrowly to one role, a law school resume can and should show breadth, since the committee is assessing you as a whole candidate instead of for a single position.
When an optional or diversity statement actually helps
An optional statement is worth writing only when it adds something genuinely new — a perspective, background, or experience your personal statement and resume haven't already covered. A diversity statement that restates your personal statement in different words adds nothing and can read as padding.
Writing an addendum that helps instead of hurts
A good addendum states the fact plainly, gives the specific relevant context in one or two sentences, and stops — it does not re-litigate the underlying event or ask the reader for sympathy at length. A semester of low grades explained by a documented medical issue, briefly stated with any available documentation, reads very differently from an unexplained low semester buried in a transcript.
Common addendum subjects include a low grade or semester, a gap in education or employment, a disciplinary or criminal history disclosure required elsewhere on the application, and an LSAT score that doesn't reflect a documented circumstance. Keep each addendum short, factual, and specific to that one issue.
- State the fact directly, without excessive justification
- Give only the context that's actually relevant
- Keep each addendum to one issue and a few sentences
- Attach documentation only where it's genuinely available and appropriate
What LSAC says law schools look for in your record
LSAC says most law schools look closely at your college grades and course selection. Difficult or advanced undergraduate courses are viewed more favorably. Many schools also consider your undergraduate performance trend. A slow start followed by exceptional later years may be discounted, while a strong start with a mediocre finish may suggest less potential. LSAC's advice is to comment on any irregular grade trends when you complete your applications.
On experience, LSAC says law schools want diverse, interesting classes with a variety of backgrounds. A candidate who applies several years after undergraduate study may be seen as more motivated than one who continues education without a break. That applies if the candidate has succeeded in a nonacademic environment. Explain once, briefly.
Conditional programs, English tests and accuracy
For applicants concerned about numerical qualifiers, LSAC points to law school conditional admission programs. They let you experience the rigors of law school and may lead to an offer of admission after successful completion. LSAC says admission to those programs is at the sole discretion of the school offering them. If English is not your native language, LSAC says most law schools ask for a standardized test such as the TOEFL or IELTS. LSAC accepts score reports for either.
LSAC's member schools' Statement of Good Admission Practices says applications should state clearly what information is sought. They should also state your continual obligation to provide accurate, current and complete information. That includes the consequences of false, misleading or incomplete information. An addendum should therefore be short, factual and verifiable. Stay factual.
Common questions
What is the difference between a law school resume and an addendum?+
The resume documents your record, while an addendum briefly explains one specific weakness such as a low grade, a gap or a lower LSAT score relative to your GPA.
Should I explain a bad semester in my personal statement?+
No. Put it in a short separate addendum. LSAC advises commenting on irregular grade trends in your academic record when you complete your applications.
Do law schools care about my grade trend?+
Many do, according to LSAC. A slow start with exceptional later years may be discounted, while a strong start with a mediocre finish may suggest less potential.
Do law schools view work experience as a positive?+
LSAC says a candidate who has succeeded in a nonacademic environment several years after undergraduate study may be seen as more motivated than one who continues education without a break.
How long should a law school resume be?+
Typically one to two pages, showing education, employment, leadership, publications and relevant activities, since the committee assesses you as a whole candidate instead of for one role.
When is an optional or diversity statement worth writing?+
Only when it adds a genuinely new perspective, background or experience that the personal statement and resume have not already covered, not a restatement in different words.
What is a law school conditional admission program?+
A program for applicants concerned about their numbers; LSAC says successful completion may lead to an offer, and admission to the program is at the sole discretion of the school.
Which English tests does LSAC accept for law school applicants?+
LSAC says it accepts score reports for either the TOEFL or the IELTS, though each law school sets its own minimum required scores.
What to do next
- 1
Build a full-record resume, not a role-targeted one.
- 2
Write an optional statement only if it adds something new.
- 3
Draft each addendum as a short, factual explanation, then cut it further.
- 4
Match every addendum to the specific application question it responds to.