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What should I study at an undergraduate level?1
It is probably best if you do
not study something law-related, unless you feel that that
subject is of interest to you. Most law schools feel that a
pre-law program is neither advantageous nor desired for
acceptance. Instead, study something you enjoy and will
enable you to excel. The most important thing is to build a
strong academic grade point average, not to make an attempt to
please admission officers by choosing a law-related major. I
do suggest however that you take some law classes to get a
glimpse as to what they are all about, and to see if law
school is really for you.
What extra-curricular activities should I pursue?1
Whatever activities you decide
to pursue is up to you, but make sure you do not join every
activity possible just to fill up an application. The depth
to which you involve yourself in clubs or organizations is
more important than the amount you are a member of. There are
many national organizations that could be of interest to you,
such as the Pre-Law Society. You should check with your
pre-law advising office to see what is available to you at
your college.
What parts of the application weigh the most?
There are certainly many parts
of the application, and each one will surely be looked at.
Some though may have more weight than others. Your GPA and LSAT score tend to be weighed heavily, but this should not
discourage you. Since so many people are applying for law
school, a lot of applicants tend to have similar statistics.
Therefore, law school admission committees are forced to look
somewhat beyond those two numbers. The next most important
aspects are definitely your personal statement and
recommendations for these are the only way the officers are
able to get a better picture of who you are and whether you
are someone they would like to see in their first year class.
What is the best approach to the personal statement?2
Since many schools do not offer
interviews, you should consider your essay as close to the
real thing as possible. It is your only chance you will have
to come in contact with a person and express to them who you
really are. Your aim should be to convince the admissions
committee of your motivations as to why you want to attend law
school and what experiences in your life make you feel that a
legal profession would suit you well. Try to point out
qualities about yourself that are unique to you and that may
not be brought out in the application in any other form than a
personal statement.
What is the best approach to the LSAT?
I would
definitely suggest that you take a course and read some books
on the setup of the test, etc. There are the obvious courses
such as Princeton Review and Kaplan, but you should do a
little research and see if there are any courses offered in
your area. You should allow yourself a good 4-6 months to
study. The best practice tests are the ones you can purchase
from
www.LSAC.org, which are actually real tests which have
been previously administered. These will enable you to see how the actual test will
feel and its level of difficulty. Another thing you could do
is talk to people who have already taken the exam and find out
how they felt about it, how they prepared themselves, and what
they would do differently.
When should I start, and have all my applications in by?
By
September of the fall that which you want to apply, you should
have sent away for all the catalogs for each school you are
interested in. If you are applying early you need to talk to
your recommenders right when you return to school to ensure
they finish them on time. Your deadline will most likely
dictate when you have to finish the application. In this
case, I would begin in the summer if the application materials
are available. If you are applying only regular decision your
deadlines will not be until the following year, but you should
have them out by no later than early December. The
longer you wait, the fewer seats in their first year class
that are available for taking. Trust me when I say you will be
very happy when you have all your applications done before the
following semester.
How many recommendations do I need?
Some
schools do not even require that you submit recommendations,
but for the ones that do, they may have a designated amount
they want. You need to check each school’s bulletin and
see what they require. If they do not require a certain
amount I would send between two or three, but no more. At least one
of those should be from a professor that knows you well and
who is able to write a sincere recommendation for you.
Do
I have to register for the LSDAS?
Not every school requires that
you use the services of LSDAS, but the majority do. You
should check with each school to see if they want you to
register for the LSDAS.
How many schools should I apply to?2
Since so many people have been
applying to law school in the past few years it is better to
apply to at least seven schools. Of course this depends on
your financial status and the levels of the schools you want
to apply to. You should try to apply to a mix of schools from
each tier to ensure your entrance somewhere.
Do
the law schools attempt to weigh the quality of undergraduate
schools?2
Weighing the quality of each
applicant's undergraduate school is something that would be
near impossible to do fairly and accurately. Regardless, some law
schools do attempt this process. The ones that apply weight to
undergraduate institutions are very careful not to reveal
their methods. When your report is sent to the law schools
from LSDAS there are statistics based on your school.
Even so, this is probably a an issue that you should not
concern yourself with too much.
How do I apply for financial aid?3
If you are
in need of financial aid, money can be made available to you
through scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans. To find
more information on the actual financial aid process and
common questions such as: What does the process of securing
financial aid involve? How is eligibility for financial aid
determined? What goes into a financial aid package? And what
can you do ahead of time to improve your chances of getting
financial aid? consult
www.LSAC.org or
www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm. Both of these websites
offer a
step-by-step checklist that will aid you with the application
process for financial aid.
What is a dual degree?1
Some
students are considering a combined degree program where you
receive a J.D. and another degree such as an M.B.A. or a Ph.D.
The most common joint degree, the J.D./M.B.A. is completed in
four years rather than five. This is something that you
will have to look into for each school that you are applying
to because not all schools offer such a program. If you
decide to apply, you must apply to both the law school and the
school to which the second degree would be awarded from. This
is something that is generally done simultaneously. |
Frequently Asked Questions
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