Works Well with Others? Option Allows Law Schools to Consider Personalities
As more graduate schools consider personality in recommendation letters, the Law School Admission Council has jumped on the bandwagon.
The LSAC gives law schools the option of requiring letters of recommendation that consider an applicant’s personal qualities, Inside Higher Ed reports. The letter writers are asked to rate applicants on intellectual ability and these five other factors:
1) Personal qualities including initiative, empathy, professionalism, practical judgment and having overcome obstacles.
2) Integrity and honesty, including reliability.
3) Communication, including both oral and written communications, and listening abilities.
4) Task management, including prioritizing, fulfillment of commitments, and time management.
5) Working with others, including respecting others’ points of view, motivating others, and leadership abilities.
The qualities are similar to the factors measured by the so-called Personal Potential Index, Inside Higher Ed says. The Educational Testing Service added the PPI in recommendation letters as an option last year in grad school admissions and is also testing a system of recommendation letters for undergrads.
ETS testing has found correlations between the PPI qualities and future success, Inside Higher Ed says.
