A2Z 09: Optional Essays, "Why X" Essay, + Possessives

Questions, comments, or requests for an episode? Comment below or email Dean Z at [e-mail].
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📄 Episode transcript 📄
docs.google.com/document/d/1A...
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⚡️Helpful links⚡️
Michigan Law Admissions: experience.law.umich.edu/
A2Z Blog: experience.law.umich.edu/a2z/
Follow Michigan Law on Instagram: / umichlaw
Follow Michigan Law on Twitter/X: / umichlaw
Follow on Facebook: / umichlaw
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🕔 Time Chapters 🕔
00:17 Emailed question
00:30 Why you should write optional essays
01:20 Opportunity for you to share more info
01:57 Pick a topic that speaks to you
02:27 "Why" essays
02:52 Where do you get your info?
03:38 Don't lift phrases from marketing materials
04:30 What are good topics to address?
05:44 Admissions cat causing trouble
05:59 When choosing a topic - listen to the school
06:19 Be specific
08:34 Grammar - Possessives

[@gcrackerz]

Can I mention in my Why Michigan that I love all these videos? 😅

[@Tyler-Armstrong]

I was watching this video bewildered by the soft meows in the background--kept on thinking it was my cat, but each time I looked over she was sound asleep!

[@eggloria4371]

This is awesome! Thank you so much Dean Z!

[@alyssa01825]

Thank you Dean Z!

[@zafreensiddiquee5147]

Appreciate you taking the time to answer my question and provide some guidance, Dean Z!

[@umichlaw]

Thanks again for watching! Keep those questions coming and we'll keep answering them. Good luck on your applications!

[@ziyixiao1672]

Love Dean Z's videos!

[@Mayicloud]

You are amazing! Can’t wait for my kid to hopefully be admitted! Go Blue! ❤

[@hsy271]

Thank you, Dean Z, for another great video!

[@umichlaw]

Thanks for watching!

[@lilywiener2172]

Request for a feature on "admissions cat" reviewing an application! :)

[@rachelmartin2590]

Thank you for doing these! They show a lot of concern for accessibility of information, and they cover the sort of important topics that I wish I had known more about when I was applying at the beginning of this year.
Another topic that I think would be useful to cover in a future video or blog post is resumes. Does Michigan Law have a preferred format? How does one balance Michigan Law's request for detail with the general advice that resumes should be as short as possible? You covered the interests section in a previous video, but I think it would be helpful to have a more general overview.

[@umichlaw]

Dean Z is covering this topic in tomorrow's video! Thanks for submitting your question.

[@JO-sg5kd]

Hi Dean Z! Thanks for being so helpful and genuine in your videos. My question is if a school does not have a "Why X" essay as an option, but they welcome receiving one as an Addendum, is it wise to go through with that?

[@jasmineramig6689]

Do you recommend incorporating 'Why X' into a personal statement or keeping it as a separate essay?

[@rachelhsu730]

I would love for the admissions cat to make an appearance

[@justinpeterson7643]

The Associated Press recommends "xs's" in their style guide. Obviously, that bucks the trend of grammar convention--but this shows that there is some split out there among professional grammarians.

[@erikpeterson6662]

I think "Admissions Cat" could be a meme, haha.