The Best Extracurricular Activities for Your Law School Application

Every law school application is anchored by extracurricular activities. They provide the evidence that admissions officers look for that you’re an active, well-balanced individual engaged in the world in ways that serve a higher purpose than getting good grades or a paycheck. 

Whether you gravitate toward artistic, political or community-oriented extracurriculars, the way you spend your free time matters, whether you are in college or out in the workforce. 

How Much Do Extracurriculars Matter for Law School? 

Extracurricular activities are typically less important than grades and LSAT scores, but they can be more important than other “soft” factors. Law schools vary in the weight they put on various admissions factors, but an impressive extracurricular record can be more meaningful than work experience, letters of recommendation, or the college you attended. 

Extracurriculars That Stand Out on a Law School Application

Having extracurricular activities on your application is important, but some activities stand out more than others. From student government to sports to providing medical assistance in underserved areas, the volunteer experiences that most impress law school admissions officers show legal skills, a service ethic, leadership and teamwork, perseverance, and a commitment to a greater community.

Legal Skill-Building

I often push my clients to search for extracurricular activities that build relevant legal skills. For example, social activism, volunteering in campus or local politics, or providing research assistance for a faculty member in a law-related field can stand out to admissions officers.

Showing law-related experience is not make-or-break for a law school application. Laboratory scientists are just as welcome at law school as political scientists. But applicants with demonstrated legal interest may have an easier road in establishing their commitment to law.

Law firms, legal non-profits, government offices, and political organizations often look for help with a variety of tasks, from answering phones to collecting and organizing information. Volunteering with these offices is a good way to show interest in a legal path. Such offices may value you even more if you can contribute fluency in a foreign language, technical skills, or research experience.

Also, a tip—legal skills count more than mere legal interest. Don’t just settle for being a passive member of a prelaw society or a backbencher in a mock trial club. Show how you translated your legal interest into action.

[Next Read: Supercharge Your Law School Application by Building Legal Research Skills]

Service Activities 

Law is a service profession. Like major law firms, most law schools have quotas for pro bono work. They are proud of the clinics they have established to provide legal services to surrounding communities.

Thus, a great way to align your resume and application with law schools is to show your commitment to helping others through community service. Having service experiences on your law school resume will help make a strong case for your ability to help others and promote causes you feel passionate about, which will serve you well in law school and beyond.

Leadership and Teamwork

Extracurricular activities are a good metric to judge character, personal skills, and professional interests. Being able to function well in a team setting—both as a leader and a team member—is a crucial quality for a lawyer. 

Highlight extracurricular experiences that involved leadership or teamwork. Were you the captain of a team? The vice-president of a club? Be sure to make those roles clear and give context for why they mattered to your application. What did you learn? What skills did you build during your time in those positions?

Your goal is to signal to an admissions committee that you will not only succeed academically in their program, but that you’ll be an effective addition to the community as well. 

Commitment and Perseverance

The field of law requires passion and resilience to pursue long-term goals, along with excellent time management skills. The best way to demonstrate these qualities is by including extracurricular activities that were substantial time commitments in your application. 

You can bolster this narrative by using letters of recommendation from professors and employers who have seen you working in a positive light and can attest to your tenacity and leadership skills.

Community-Building

Community and collegiality are important to law schools. Admissions officers look for applicants who have already contributed to common-interest groups, neighborhoods, religious congregations, social movements, and other causes greater than themselves. 

Admissions officers especially look to see active and consistent community involvement on your personal statement, resume or diversity statement. When filling out your law school application it is important to mention any volunteer work you have done, be it for a religious organization, an animal shelter, a community center, or an educational project, for example. 

Don’t feel bashful if you just pitched in rather than taking the lead. Those who show up and lend a modest hand are the building blocks of communities, regardless of their title or formal status.

More importantly, show your willingness to step up and do the hard work when others walk away. From volunteering in domestic violence shelters to fighting forest fires to providing tax help to low-income individuals, taking responsibility for others’ needs can build the case that you’ll rise to the challenge as an attorney dealing with sensitive client problems.

Extracurriculars Are a Reflection of Your Values

Using your free time to volunteer and help others speaks volumes about what you value and who you are. Regardless of your age or occupation, the way you use your free time can tell admissions officers what you might contribute to both their campus and the legal profession. Remember, your paramount goal is to show admissions officers that you will add value to their law school class.

Now, go out and get involved!

[Next Read: Should I Go To Law School? What You Need to Consider Before Applying]