Top 10 Law School Admissions Tips
10. Make the decision to go to law school for you. Don't go because of family pressures, etc.
9. Have realistic expectations
and know what you are getting into. Law school is very intensive and
many lawyers regret their decisions to practice the Law.
8. Prepare for the LSAT
adequately. If you can afford to make the 3 year investment, you can
certainly invest 100 or so hours and self study with some good LSAT prep books
or take a prep course with a reputable instructor.
7. Invest the "up
front" time to determine which law schools and programs are best suited for you.
Once again, this is a huge investment that you are about to make. You don't want
to attend a school where you will not be happy and/or adequately prepared for
your future career.
6. Develop a good
"story" to tell the admissions committees. Think about who
you are, why you want to become a lawyer, and what makes you unique. It is much
more effective and efficient to complete your applications once you know what
story/theme/message you need to advocate. The top law schools are extremely
competitive and good grades and LSAT scores alone will not get you admitted. You
need to differentiate your candidacy from the many other applicants who have
similarly high GPAs and LSAT scores.
5. Research the law schools.
You wouldn't go to a job interview without first conducting some research on
your prospective employer, right? So why would you not do the same for a law
school? Find out all you can about the school's culture, specialties, faculty,
etc. Do not base your decision solely on rankings.
4. Write your personal statement.
You're writing about a topic you know better than anyone else: you. If you've followed the steps
outlined above, writer's block should not be
much of a problem. Above all else, take the time to
write a separate statement for each law school. According to University of North
Carolina Law School Assistant Dean for Admissions Michael J. States, the most
common mistake that law school applicants make is submitting the same personal
statement to different schools. By doing so, they risk sending in a statement
that does not adequately respond to the school's admission questions, and are
wasting an opportunity to say why a particular school is right for them. (Click
here to read the
full transcript of our interview with Dean States.)
3. Obtain your letters of
reference. Select who you want for references and determine how to
approach them. Tell them what you would like them to say and explain your
"story" to them. They should certainly substantiate that story to the
best of their ability.
2. Practice for the admission
interview – if one is required. Review your application from a third person's perspective.
Anticipate what questions they will ask you. Arrange one or more mock
interviews to ensure you have your story down and it flows naturally.
1. Sit back and relax.
You've done everything you can to the best of your ability. With some luck,
you'll be deciding which of your many offers to accept!
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