The application file also includes essays that are written by the students and that can tell us a great deal about how the student writes, how the student thinks, and what kind of commitment the student has to professional values of community service. The file also includes letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors that often say a surprisingly revelatory amount about a student's personality. We evaluate all this information in an effort to get a sense of who the student is, how well they will perform academically in law school, what they will contribute to the environment of academic discussion, and what kind of contributions they are likely to make to the profession and to society after they graduate. The application file also includes the scores the student earned on the LSAT exam. In the process, one of the factors we consider is the student's likely contribution to the diversity of the class.
Diversity is a very broad term.
It includes the full range of backgrounds and experiences and viewpoints that help to make a law school classroom an effective learning environment. One type of diversity we are interested in is regional diversity. Another is socioeconomic diversity. Still another is racial diversity. Ultimately, a student's contribution to the racial diversity of the class can make the difference in whether a student is admitted.