James Carter
I am glad that you are considering the University of Kansas School of Law. I am James Carter, a third-year student from Jamestown, Kan. After graduating from Concordia High School, I attended Yale University. I graduated in 2009 with a degree in political science. In addition to my academic commitments, I mentored local elementary students, participated in the Yale Entrepreneurial Society, and ran varsity track. While in college, I also served as a student ambassador, which gave me a chance to visit schools around Kansas to encourage high school students to apply who otherwise would not have considered it.
When I visited the University of Kansas School of Law, I discovered a similar commitment to educating a diverse student body. KU Law has a proud tradition of breaking through barriers of race, gender and sexual orientation. Furthermore, the law school maintains a welcoming environment for those of diverse geographic, cultural and economic backgrounds. I felt prepared to join this vibrant community because of my academic experience, but it was through work that I actually gained the desire to study law.
During summer vacations I expanded my view of our legal system. Most recently, I worked for law firms in Kansas City and Wichita. Before law school, I researched issues of immigration law for a professor. I worked as a congressional intern before that. I also canvassed local communities campaigning, which allowed me to meet a variety of Kansans and reminded me how much I enjoy the state. I had a great time on the East Coast, but I am glad to be back and at the University of Kansas School of Law.
When I decided to attend the University of Kansas, I passed over some of the best law schools across the United States because KU Law offers impressive opportunities at an affordable price. Students from around the country and the world come for much the same reason and more. Professors provide individualized attention in many first-year classes. I found even the larger lecture courses inviting because all of my small-section peers have the same classes, and the professors welcome any questions after class or during their office hours. This adds to the collegial feeling of the law school, which has a low student-to-professor ratio and professor offices situated within the library.
Just to mention a few of the great organizations and clinics that make KU Law such a dynamic community, I am currently on the executive board of the Kansas Law Review, interned for a federal judge through the Judicial Clerkship Clinic, and am a member of the KU Law Legal Entrepreneurs. If you have any questions about the third-year law student experience, I would be happy to give you my take. Just send me an e-mail at jelcarter@gmail.com.