“It’s not about you standing out from others, necessarily. It’s about you telling us about yourself, and then we will decide how you fit in with the rest of the class,” says the assistant dean of admissions at Lewis & Clark Law School, Mimi Huang. We dig into the inner workings of the various admissions committees, the trap of trying to stand out, the power of little-known stories on personal statements, and the verdict on using private admissions consultants.

“Engagement, how they express themselves, their point of view…It’s really about the impression you leave us with,” says Mimi Huang, the assistant dean of admissions at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. This week, Mimi divulges how the admissions team selects candidates, how disagreements on admissibility, a.k.a “fight files,” are handled, the do’s and don’ts of the admissions interview, and Covid’s effect on law school admissions.

“It’s either noon or midnight that I’m waking up. It’s very tight quarters. Halfway through your day, you might see whales or dolphins out there. You’re out on the ocean, so it’s a good job,” says 28-year-old Kristin Beem, who sails the world’s oceans, helping equip scientists at sea fix and set up heavy machinery. A marine biology major, Kristin shares her zigzag path to a coveted STEM job, overcoming a low GPA, and tips on getting your foot in the door.