Aldana’s application included what most students, and admission personnel, consider the kiss of death – a prior criminal conviction, with years spent in prison. Aldana was a felon.
The sensitivity to admitting prior criminals into law school stems in part from states’ bar admission guidelines and in part from the American Bar Association’s methods for ranking law schools.
To practice law, a person needs to be admitted to the bar in each state she wishes to practice in. The admission process includes an exam as well as an investigation into the applicant’s character and fitness to practice law.