There was a time when undergraduate students paid for preparation courses for the LSAT. That practice evolved to hiring a one-on-one tutor to coach them on the LSAT. Law schools had no difficulty with students seeking help for exam preparation. However, admissions committees are balking at the use of admissions consultants. Law school admission consultants earn up to \(\$ 300\) per hour helping undergraduate students put together their applications for admission. The consultants work on everything from making an arrest seem palatable, and even sometimes noble, to sprucing up that personal essay. Admissions officers from law school say that they are seeing the same essays being submitted, just under different names and to different undergraduate institutions. The personal essay that is a cookie cutter essay means the application goes into the rejection pile.

However, some consultants say that they merely work with the applicants to "encourage self-examination" so that they can write a better essay, \({ }^{53}\) Some law school faculty members say that the consultants have created a cottage industry for "angst-ridden" students....................................

Discussion Questions 1. Some students pay \(\$ 800\) to consultants for their applications. What happens to those students who simply cannot afford consultants?
2. Is this really deception or is it simply, like earnings management, a way of presenting a better picture for those who evaluate your ability and performance to date?
3. Was there a gradual evolution to the consultant? Are there lines to be drawn in using a consultant? Is it different if your parents, an academic adviser at your school, or a friend helps you with your essay?
4. Are the consultants taking advantage of students who are nervous about their futures?