California Law Review uses personal statements for diversity in admissions

Documents from the University of California, Berkeley's flagship law journal, the California Law Review, reveal how the admissions committee utilizes personal statements to implement diversity initiatives.

Maya Parthasarathy, a student editor and former deputy at Politico, was elected to the journal's admissions committee. In her application, Parthasarathy detailed her previous work at Politico, where she implemented a “holistic” review process that de-emphasized grades in favor of diverse life experiences to increase representation of underrepresented backgrounds.

The committee evaluates the personal statements of all applicants who pass an initial editing test, a process that critics suggest may be used to navigate restrictions on affirmative action.