Recent Kaplan test prep survey shows that in the US, 41 percent of law schools and 20 percent of colleges use Google or social networks to learn information about their applicants.

While other top law schools in the US do check applicants’ digital trails, Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law does not. The law school also has no future intentions of implementing this tool in future students’ admissions.

“We are not detectives,” said Karen Ogburn, associate dean for administration at Chase. “We don’t go out to check students’ background.”
According to Kaplan, law schools that use the Internet to learn more about applicants have found damaging information on 32 percent of applicants.
Kaplan raises the question of how law students will go out into the real world and make laws when they are breaking laws or making wrong choices.

“Be careful with what you put on Facebook,” Ogburn said. “Students have to tell us if they have credit issues, commit misdemeanors or even felonies. We ask students to tell the truth; and if they omit something, they are required to inform us.”

Ogburn said she doesn’t think NKU will start Googling applicants any time soon, and said if law students hide damaging information and don’t disclose it, this will prevent them from taking the Bar exam.

The Bar examination is the required of law students in order for them to practice law. The exam also reviews the full file of applicants, including criminal records.

Gina Bray, admissions specialist at Chase, said students who want to get into law school must apply electronically, take the LSAT test and have a four-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school.

Also, Bray said law schools are “very competitive.” She also said that in the admission process, officers have a full file review of students, where they look at student’s major, GPA, community service, writing ability and work experience. “All law schools are different but we don’t do that.”
“I wouldn’t mind being Googled,” Zachary Hoskins, law graduate student said. “If you don’t want people knowing certain kinds of information, why would you publish it on Facebook?”