The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 4, 1988-- Page 5 More students apply to law school BY JEFF ARCHER About 10 percent more students took the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) on Satur- day than last year, which may be the largest turnout ever for the exam. The number of people who applied to Ameri- can Bar Association-approved law schools in the 1987-88 academic year increased by nearly 15,000 over the previous year, said Bill Kennish, deputy vice-president of data services for the Law School Admissions Services. Stanley Kaplan, of the Stanley H. Kaplan Ed- ucational Centers, Ltd. said the number of people applying to his LSAT courses increased 40 per- cent nationwide over last year. "Pre-law students are coming out of the wood-work," said Kaplan, whose courses are taught at colleges throughout the country. This national trend is reflected in Ann Arbor as well. Allen Stillwagen, dean of admissions at the University's law school, said the number of applications received by the law school has in- creased from 4,100 in 1984 to 5,600 in 1987. University undergraduate programs also cur- rently lead the country in number of applicants to U.S. law schools, with 730 students applying to one or more law schools. The recent increase in law school applicants has been attributed to various phenomena. Lou Rice, an LSA academic counselor for students interested in pre-law, cited economics as one of the primary causes. "With the current economic trend, there's less assuredness on Wall Street," and consequently, "much of the former M.B.A. population is now turning towards law." Yet, Stillwagen said economics doesn't ex- plain the marked rise completely. "The increase began before the stock market trouble of last fall." The stock market dropped over 500 points in one day last October. He also pointed out that the number of appli- cants to law school has been cyclic. According to Law School Admission Services data, the num- ber of applicants peaked at about 72,000 in the 1982-83 academic year before dropping down to about 64,000 the following year. The number of applicants then continued to gradually decline until it jumped back to 74,000 in the 1987-88 academic year. Kaplan cited changes in personal taste as an- other cause for the trend. "'L. A. Law' and the (Robert) Bork investigation have added to the mistique of the profession. It's becoming the in thing to be," he said. He also said a portion of former medical school applicants may be turning toward law be- cause of increasing concern over malpractice suits. "A lot of people would rather sue than be sued," he said. Although his service has witnessed a sharp increase in the number of people taking the course for the LSAT, the number of people tak- ing the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) course has decreased. Kennish said there is also a "shark-feeding frenzy effect," in professions such a law, in which, as the popularity increases, "it becomes; the thing to do, and it feeds on itself, until a glut; occurs." Such a glut may already have occurred for students interested in law. "Lawyers are becom- ing a-dime-a-dozen," said Jim Ryan, an LSA se- nior who took Saturday's LSAT exam. "The popularity does make it less appealing." Ryan will also take the Graduate Marketing Admissions Test (GMAT) to keep his options open. Christine Carrier, who also took Saturday's LSAT said that though, "it seems like everybody wants to be a lawyer now, I can't worry about how many others are doing the same thing I am." E. Quad residents disturbed by violence Scenes like this were familia ruling, when Michigamua was tions in public. But similar spring. Group Continued from Page 1 fensive were obvious." She said the Civil Rights rul- ing is a topic that needs to be dis- cussed because of accounts of initiation rites" last spring. Charlie Reuland, an LSA grad- uate and member of last year's Michigamua, has admitted to the public display last spring but said he refused to participate. "I just objected to dressing up and being too public about it be- cause you're not Native American and you're certainly not Indians... putting on a feather doesn't make you that," Reuland said. LSA junior Delro Harris, a member of the Michigan Student Assembly's Minority Affairs Committee, said he saw members of the organization last spring pounding drums and "whooping." "Maybe people just think they're having fun." Harris said. "That's unfortunate. They don't realize the damage that they are doing. The fact that that many Fit.Photo r before a 1973 civil rights s allowed to hold its initia- displays were reported last students can go by and not be bothered by it I think is serious." Harris said the Minority Affairs Committee hopes to meet soon with Michigamua. Many Native American stu- dents also expressed anger by the alleged action. "History has portrayed Ameri- can Indians in a behavior that has a demoralizing connotation - the savage image of hatred and hea- thenism - and all these images are being reinforced by Michiga- mua," Gina Terry, member of the Native American Student Organi- zation and UCAR representative, said of the alleged continuation of the public displays. The Native American Student Association is planning on meet- ing this Friday. DeLong said she and members of NASA plan to meet with members of Michiga- mua again next week. Michigamua was founded in 1901 by University President James Angell, Athletic Director Fielding Yost, and male seniors who were deemed "campus lead- ers." BY ED KRACHMER East Quad residents expressed shock in response to two violent in- cidents that occurred near the resi- dence hall over the weekend. Friday evening an East Quad resident, whose name is yet to be released, was assaulted in the East University/South University area and fled to East Quad, leaving a trail of blood. Six hours later, a 33 year-old man was shot while leaving Stop-N- Go, a convenience store located one block from East Quad on East Uni- versity St. LSA first-year student Matt Shephard was walking on the west side of East University at the time of the shooting. Although he did not see the incident, he did hear the gun- shot. "It sounded more like a crack - no one acted alarmed," said Shep- hard. It was not until later that evening that he learned that the sound had been a gunshot. "I was stunned... I realized that I could have been hit by a stray bullet." Many students knew that some- thing had happened Friday night be- cause of the blood trial the beating victim left through the residence hall's courtyard and hallways. East Quad Building Director Deba Patnaik said that the residence hall staff was immediately alerted to the situation. "(When) we have an incident like that, the entire staff is informed and alerted for rumor control and to give support and help to whomever needs it," said Patnaik. The East Quad community has a variety of opinions about what the weekend violence signifies. "People should be outraged when a student is attacked in broad daylight. Unfortu- nately, there is nothing you can re- ally do," said LSA sophomore Leonard Bloom. LSA first-year student Stephanie Cook thinks the beating incident is part of a much larger problem. "I grew up in Ann Arbor. (Because the University) is intermingled with the community, it incites more vio- lence. There is a lot of resentment by Ann Arborites of students." Patnaik said that the incidents are "indicative of how violent we (American society) have become." "... The question is what type of involvement should the entire com- munity have to minimize it, if not eliminate such incidents," said Pat- naik. SZE-CHUAN WEST Specializing in Sze-chuan, Hunan, and Mandarine cuisine DINING - COCKTAILS - CARRY-OUT Former Cookie (Martha Cook) Turns 46 Today Happy Birthday Laurie Woolley (Grad. Lib.) VOTED BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT IN "BEST OF ANN ARBOR" o BY YOU, THE STUDENT THE DETROIT NEWS' choice as "the best new Chinese restaurant for 1980"now in Ann Arbor with another great restaurant to serve you better! Mc Sat pen 7 days a week on.-Thr-s. 11:30- 10:00 iday 11:30 - 11:00 Lurday 12:00 -11:00 nday 12:00 -10:00 2161 W. STADIUM Phone 769-5722 We'd like to talk with you. Stop by our booth and find out about opportunities at Microsoft in applications, systems, and languages software. SWE-TBP Career Fair University of Michigan North Campus Commons and Chrysler Center Wednesday, October 5, 1988 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.