We read applications with Dean Z
from The 7Sage Podcast
What does an admissions dean actually think when she opens your file? In this first episode of our admissions professionals series, Dean Z of Michigan Law reads three real listener applications and tells us exactly what works, what confuses her, and what sends an essay off the rails. You’ll hear why she cares more about who your employer is than your job title, why a skills section doesn’t convince anyone, and what to do when your best story is missing from your resume. She breaks down the “work hero” essay, why obstacles overcome should be one sentence of obstacle and five paragraphs of overcome, and why your tone tells her more than you think. We also get into how law school admissions has changed over 25 years, the rush of early big law hiring, whether you should go straight from undergrad, and where AI fits into your personal statement. If you’re writing your application this cycle, listen before you hit submit.
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Chapters
- 0:00 Intro
- 0:18 Welcome and meet Dean Z
- 2:24 How law school admissions has changed
- 9:24 How to tell if law is right for you
- 12:18 Early big law hiring and pressure on 1Ls
- 16:44 Cassandra: resume and essay feedback
- 41:49 Mr. P: resume and essay feedback
- 56:44 Landon: resume and essay feedback
- 1:05:24 Confessional essays and the work hero essay
- 1:11:40 AI, tone, and being yourself
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