Plagiarism and its cousins~

I want to thank 1L @ UT law for her comment about being fine even if applying late. Please read her comment to get a more full detail of what I'm talking about.

I would like to also add that applying later (late December as opposed to early October) with a stronger application (i.e. higher LSAT score, air-tight Personal Statement, etc.) can case-by-case (but in most cases) be to your advantage.
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Last night, I spoke with a student who is debating whether to take the Feb LSAT or not. The conversation went well up until he brought up the topic of plagerizing for his personal statement. This guy suggested tweaking a great personal statement that he had found online: "If I change the details, but keep the basic idea, I'll be fine!"

There was an obvious and awkward pause after he said that. A million and one thoughts ran through my mind: personal statements are suppose to be personal; what makes you think that the admissions committee isn't smart enough to notice?; if you get in through the merits of another's work, then can you live with the probing question, "Am I really good enough to be here and compete with my classmates?"

I know that getting into the best school possible is a worthy goal, but it troubles me to know that people are willing to plagiarize/cheat to get there. "The ends justify the means [for law school admissions]," argument just doesn't stand in a profession that requires you to prove yourself (your skills and yours alone) again and again, especially when taking the Bar exam (good luck cheating there!)

Some students (I kid you not) audaciously ask me to write their personal statements for them, and "tempt" me with couple hundred dollars.

As Abe Lincoln said in his notes on the practice of law: There is a vague popular belief that lawyers are necessarily dishonest. I say vague, because when we consider to what extent confidence, and honors are reposed in, and conferred upon lawyers by the people, it appears improbable that the impression of dishonesty is very distinct and vivid. Yet the impression, is common – almost universal. Let no young [person], choosing the law for a calling, for a moment yield to this popular belief. Resolve to be honest at all events; and if, in your own judgement, you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer. Choose some other occupation, rather than one in the choosing of which you do, in advance, consent to be a knave.