Categories: Letters of Rec
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LSAC just launched a new service – instead of a Letter of Rec you can have your recommenders fill out an evaluation form.
Before you get too excited, however, remember that only a handful of schools have agreed to accept these forms. Because schools will have to choose between accepting traditional LORs and evaluation forms, I predict a very slow transition to this new-fangled recommendation service.
Click here for more about the mechanics of letters of rec and how to fill out the forms.
Categories: Uncategorized
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Today was a lot of fun – my Blog Talk Radio Show ”LSAT TRENDS AND TRUISMS” featured three great guys:
Noah from Atlas, Brad from Knewton, and Michael from EduPath.
Our 45 minute discussion was lively and, I admit, a little unpredictable. We discussed some unexpected benefits of online LSAT courses, how to use LSAT related video-style games and iPad apps to supplement your LSAT preparation, and the various price points for each. There is something for everyone! We also talked about what you can do in the next 7 weeks to best prepare yourself for the October LSAT and maximize your chances of reaching a goal score. The conclusion of the show (about how much it’s really possible to improve your LSAT score in 7 weeks) may surprise you!
I look forward to your feedback, and I thank the guys for their enthusiastic participation. If you have any questions about the content, post it in a comment here and I’ll ask the guys to provide responses.
Also, you may have seen this week’s US News Get In: Law School column about law school resumes. If the last two posts have been too “nuts and bolts” for you, just wait for Monday. I have a feeling that my opinionated take on who should really be applying to law school will garner some interesting comments on the blogosphere.
Have a great weekend! I’m headed to Chicago to spend time with family and enjoy the last vestiges of summer. I hope you’ll do the same.
Categories: Uncategorized
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My next Blog Talk Radio Show is scheduled for Wednesday, August 11th at 4:30 pm ET/1:30 pm PST. I’ve invited movers and shakers in the LSAT prep industry to talk about new ways of studying for the LSAT (Atari-style video games, iPad Apps, online courses, and more!), what works, and what doesn’t. For those of you who haven’t heard my podcasts on iTunes (Blog Talk Radio-Ann Levine), they are extremely popular – you can hear them on my website too. This one will be 45 minutes long. You can listen live and ask me questions for our panelists via the chat room, or you can call in to the show if you’re listening by phone. If you can’t make the show live, it’ll live forever online – never miss a Law School Expert podcast by subscribing to the iTunes channel.
In other news, here is the link to the law school application timeline I created for my “Get In: Law School” column on USNews.com. Let me know what you think!
Categories: Advice, Reapplying to Law School
Tags: Reapplying to Law School
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While you shouldn’t give up your waitlist dreams quite yet, in the next week it will become apparent whether those dreams will come to fruition. This is often a time when people consider whether to attend law school this year at the school they’ve sent their deposit to, or whether they want to wait and try again (applying earlier in the admission cycle this time).
After spending time as a law school applicant, you may have gotten wiser about how to apply. You might’ve found this blog (or other informative resources) only after submitting your applications for this year, and this may have caused you to realize that you could’ve played your cards better during the Fall 2010 cycle. This is a completely normal reaction, and if you applied in January or February (of a very popular application cycle) it might be a good idea to regroup, re-strategize, and reapply.
I am often asked whether it’s a bad idea to reapply to schools (1) you were rejected from; and also (2) where you were accepted. The answer is, it’s never a bad idea to reapply. The key is to make sure you improve your materials without completing changing how you present yourself because the schools will have the previous year’s application. You want to update whatever is possible to update, re-evaluate the quality of your personal statement, resume, letters of rec, addenda, and optional essays, and apply early. Showing interest in the same school shows likelihood of attending if admitted, and that’s a good thing. You should address reasons for reapplying in your personal statement or in an addendum, and if you were admitted and decided not to attend you should tell the school why you decided not to attend law school the previous year and why your interest remains strong.
Many people who plan to reapply to law school plan to retake the LSAT and/or show improved grades during their senior year. In this case, your schools list will probably change (hopefully for the better) so there’s not a lot of downside to reapplying so long as you plan to do it in a timely manner.
See also:
Top 5 Mistakes Made When Re-Applying to Law School
Take 2: Reapplying to Law School
Re-applying to Law School and the LSAT
Oh – and my US News “Get In: Law School” Blog column starts tomorrow and will post every Monday, so keep an eye out there for tons of tips and advice throughout the Fall 2011 admission cycle.Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: addiction and law school, substance abuse and law school
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Each year, I work with a couple of people who have overcome addictions and are applying to law school. This year, I have quite a few on my client roster. I know there are a lot of you out there worried that your addiction will prevent you from being admitted to law school. Today’s post is for you. Here are 5 points I want to share:
1. You’re not alone.
It’s ok to talk about this with law schools. Obviously, it’s not what you want to lead with – this isn’t an AA meeting. (Ok, a little humor, I hope….) But this is part of who you are, and it won’t automatically get you kicked to the “no” pile. Substance abuse is taken very seriously by admission officers because lawyers (working in a stressful profession) have high rates of alcoholism. So, there is some screening going on here. But all of the clients I’ve worked with who have shared their addiction, and story of overcoming addiction, with law schools have been admitted to law school. So you won’t be the first or only one with this story. If that helps.
2. How big a problem is this from a law school’s standpoint?
The key thing is recency. How long have you been sober? What have you done since then to show you’re capable of handling stress? What have you done that shows you’re trustworthy? Provide facts that demonstrate that law school won’t be your first experiment with stress since sobriety.
If you been convicted of a crime related to the addiction, then there’s no way to avoid bringing this up in your applications. You’re going to have to address it. Even that, however, shouldn’t scare you away. The key is to show that (hopefully) significant time has passed since these incidents, and that you handled yourself responsibly after, learned an important lesson as a result, and have spent time giving back to others in meaningful ways. Don’t be coy when explaining arrests – be specific about the charge, the disposition, any fines, community service, alcohol management classes, jail time, etc. But at the same time, don’t go overboard with the backstory about your girlfriend flirting with another guy at the bar and setting you off on a violent streak….. Select details carefully or being candid will backfire.
3. How can I overcome any presumptions or stereotypes the reader might have?
I think there is a tendency to get too introspective and philosophical when you’ve been through rehab, detox, AA, therapy, etc. It’s just not the right tone for a law school application. Instead, I urge you to stress professionalism, responsibilities, how you’ve been able to handle a lot and succeed, how even when something sad/stressful/difficult was thrown at you recently you were able to sail through with flying colors. And don’t pass blame onto parents, spouses, etc. Take responsibility for yourself and own up to your actions.
4. How do I prove I’m sober and ready to take on the challenge of law school?
Provide facts. How long have you been working? What kind of hours? What kind of financial/confidential responsibilities have you been trusted with? How have you repaired your relationships with family members and friends? Have you been giving back to the community in a meaningful way? What about school? Have your grades improved? How about your relationships with teachers? Have you gotten more involved on campus? Have you removed yourself from those who were bad influences? These are the kinds of facts that show a law school you’re serious.
5. Will this be the thing that keeps me out of Harvard?
No, this alone won’t keep you from attending a fantastic law school. So put yourself out there – if this is your dream, go for it. Just play your cards right.
See also:
The Legal Profession’s Hidden Secret: Substance Abuse
AALS Substance Abuse Report
Stress-Depression-Substance Abuse
Categories: Advice, Financing a Legal Education, LSAT, LSAT Prep, Law School Admission Trends, Law School Rankings, Wait lists, waitlist
Tags: LSAT Prep, success stories, US News Rankings, waiting list
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Yes, I miss Glee. But in the meantime, it’s been an exciting few weeks and I want to share a few highlights with you. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. I was interviewed for US News’ article, “As Law School Tuitions Climb, So Does Demand.” It’s worth a read, just don’t get to caught up in the negative comments about law school. You know how I feel about those. But I do hope that the article inspires more of you to consider scholarships over rank, at least to some degree. (The article was even picked up by Above the Law).
2. Speaking of US News…. are you sitting down? This may shock a few of you who’ve been following my blog for a while. I am going to be the Law School blogger for US News. Starting August 1st, I’ll be writing weekly columns on all things related to the law school admission cycle. Pretty exciting stuff. And, yes, I’ll even be sharing my thoughts on rankings : )
3. Another waiting list success story: One of my favorite clients, (ok, they’re pretty much all favorite clients), just found himself at a crossroads. After working on law school applications with me for two years (he wasn’t happy with his LSAT the first time around and decided to wait), he was in his car, followed by a moving truck, on his way to Tulane Law. He was excited about Tulane: great school, nice scholarship, near his girlfriend’s family. Then, he was somewhere near my hometown in Alabama when he got the call – he was pulled from the waiting list at Emory!!! He called me, totally panicked, excited about the opportunity but feeling like this was a major curve. After asking what his girlfriend thought he should do (go to Emory) I told him, “You’re three hours from Atlanta- GO!” Here’s a situation where ranking prevailed - Emory is #20 and Tulane is #45, and he really loved Emory when he visited. I offer this story as encouragement for all of you who are still on wait lists: Fight, fight, fight!!!
4. I’ve been talking to a lot of people who are wondering whether it’s too late to get started studying for the October LSAT. The answer is my favorite of all answers – it depends. Are you working full time and going to school? Then, yes, it’s too much to start fitting LSAT prep into that mix. But if you have time to dedicate, give it a shot! If a month from now, in mid-August, you find you haven’t been able to dedicate yourself to the effort then put it off until December. But if you have time to really start concentrating on it, do it! I told one of my clients this week that, come Monday, I expect her to have a study schedule set up. If you take my advice on this, you won’t have to call me (or ask on the blog) telling me you didn’t prepare adequately for the October LSAT, terrified that December is too late in the game to be competitive.
Ok, that’s about it for today. I had a wonderful week in Maui, and this weekend we’ll be going to my husband’s 20th reunion for high school. I hope your summer is going well!
Categories: LSAT Prep
Tags: ATLASLsat.com
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Taking the October LSAT? On July 7th, Atlas LSAT will be hosting a free live online workshop to review the June 2010 LSAT. Dan Gonzalez and Mike Kim, the authors of the Atlas LSAT books and curriculum, will review some of the games and logical reasoning questions to explore some themes on the LSAT. They’ll also discuss how to decide whether to re-take and what to do to avoid repeating your past mistakes if you do re-take. If you’d like to review the test with them), sign-up <http://www.atlaslsat.com/june-2010-lsat-review.cfm> and see what you can learn from this last LSAT.
Let me know what you think of this – leave comments after the workshop! I hope it’s a helpful resource for my blog readers.
Categories: Advice, Application Timeline, LSAT Prep, Law Careers, Law School Admission Deadlines, Law School Admission Trends, Law School Location; Law School Rankings, Law School Rankings, Law School Resume Tips, Low LSAT, Uncategorized, Wait lists, waitlist
Tags: applying to law school, insider secrets getting into law school, law school podcast, LSAT Preparation
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I recently did a podcast interview for Insider Secrets : ”Getting Into Law School” - you can listen to it or read the transcript. In it, I discuss how to choose an LSAT prep program, choosing a law school, taking on debt, putting together your applications, resumes, wait lists, low LSAT scores, and about a thousand different things related to law school admission. I’m happy to take questions here and/or entertain your comments and thoughts.
Categories: Uncategorized
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Did your score come back within 3 or 4 points of your consistent practice exam scores? If so, and if you prepared well for the test, keep the score and run with it. And congratulate yourself! The LSAT is behind you. Start looking at schools based on your LSAC GPA and this LSAT score. See if you’re happy with the schools you come up with. (Lots of info on creating a schools list in my book.)
In recent years, a lot of people are tempted to retake the LSAT just because they can. They think, “Well, if I study for three months I can get 2 more points for sure.” But it’s not “for sure.” See this chart by AtlasLSAT about average increases on second tries. Plus, that’s three more anxiety filled months, with more money down the drain on test fees and test prep.
If your score didn’t come back within a few points of your consistent practice exam scores, or if you didn’t take enough practice exams to get consistent, then you should re-take the test in October. A lot of people worry that this will put them behind in the rolling admission process. For those folks I have two remarks: (1) You will still be able to apply in time for Early Decision and Early Notification deadlines at schools (usually Nov. 1 and Nov. 15) and you’ll certainly be able to submit all your applications before Thanksgiving if you get your act together now; and (2) getting a score 3-4 points higher is worth the payoff of waiting just a few weeks to apply. That is absolutely “for sure.”
Here are some previous posts you might find helpful:
You have your June LSAT score. Now What? – this post has a bit of info about how schools view multiple scores.
Thinking of re-taking the LSAT in October? Read this post.
Taking the LSAT for the first time in October and planning to self-study? Here are some resources:
Three Month Study Program from Ace the LSAT Blog
AtlasLSAT Self-Study Options
P.S. For those of you thinking, “What??! Scores are out? I didn’t get mine!!!” please know that I’m posting this in advance because I expect scores to come out by email this afternoon/evening. They are scheduled to come out Monday. I’m being proactive!
Categories: Law School Rankings, Wait lists, waitlist
Tags: choosing a law school, law school waiting list, location versus ranking
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Success Story #1: Law School Waiting List Dreams Do Come True
I get a lot of comments on the blog asking whether a waiting list is a “soft-reject.” My response: only if you do nothing to follow up and campaign for yourself. Today, one of my clients called me with wonderful news – she was admitted off the WL into her dream school (a top 10 law school) with both an LSAT and GPA at the 25th percentile for that school. How does this happen? She didn’t take “no” for an answer. Even though the school said in its WL letter that they didn’t want additional materials and no follow-up was necessary, she followed up. She visited. She wrote persuasive, professional letters. She had additional, relevant letters of rec sent. She convinced the school she was a sure thing. Even though she wasn’t in the priority ranking of the WL, today, on June 15th, she was admitted to her dream school. Lawyers are advocates. Start by being your own advocate. Take action and you’ll never have to wonder “what if?”
Success Story #2: Choosing Your Right School, not U.S. News’ Right School
I have another client, let’s call him “Steve.” Steve applied to law school a year ago (without my help) and wasn’t happy with his results. He really wanted to go to Law School X (a top 25 USNWR law school). He didn’t get it. So about a year ago, we started working together. He ended up getting in to School X (with a scholarship) and also into a Top 15 law school. He has spent two months struggling with his decision. Top 15 school is far away, but sounds fun and prestigious. School X is close to home and a great fit for his career goals and social life. He visited both campuses. He talked to local prospective employers. He learned that they would rather hire someone locally who clerked with them during law school than someone from a more highly ranked law school. As I say in the book, “Don’t be a snob. Think about where you want a job!” Choosing his original dream school, right in his backyard, where he is already hooked into the legal community, is the right decision for Steve (no matter what USNWR might say).
Categories: Application Timeline
Tags: Blog Talk Radio, law school application
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This Thursday, I’ll be hosting a Blog Talk Radio Show about setting up your timeline for the application process. I will help you plan your life for the next 4-5 months. Control the process – don’t let it control you! I’ll tell you how on Thursday at 3 p.m. EST/ Noon PST. (It’ll be a 30 minute program).
Whether you’re a June or October LSAT taker (or re-taker), I will help you schedule your time to attack your resume, addenda, personal statement, optional essays, transcript sending, letters of rec coordinating, etc., in an organized fashion so you can submit applications early enough to take advantage of rolling admissions and/or apply before Early Decision/Early Notification deadlines.
I will have no guests – it’ll just be me this time. So listen live to ask questions! Or, ask them in the comments section here and I’ll include them in the show.
Categories: Application Timeline, LSAT, LSAT; Rolling Admissions
8 Comments »
Way back when, I took the June LSAT.
If LSAT prep courses and law school admission consultants (or, of course, the Internet) had existed back in 1995, I hope someone would’ve told me a few things. Among them:
1. Since I’d only studied for one month, on my own, and was not a naturally brilliant standardized test taker, I should’ve waited until the October test administration. Especially since I’m also a morning person. I should have learned more about the option of canceling my LSAT score. If this is you, and you are taking the LSAT with the advantage of all of the resources I lacked, then consider canceling your LSAT and registering (today!) for the October test. If any of these terrible things happened to you and you did not see my blog post on Friday in time to decide not to take the test, please cancel your June LSAT score. Click here for other reasons to cancel your LSAT score.
2. If you are keeping your LSAT score, use this time wisely. LSAT scores are usually released by email on the third Friday after the test, so perhaps on June 25th. During the next 3 weeks you can be very productive. Here are some of my suggestions:
TODAY: Do nothing. Eat chocolate. See a guilty pleasure movie. Go out with friends. Do all of the things I told you on Friday NOT to do this weekend. Do them tonight. So what if it’s Monday? Go OUT. Stay away from discussion boards. Please. I beg you. It does you no good to know how total strangers would’ve dissected the dinosaur game. Seriously. Trust me on this. I know you won’t listen to me on this, but I promise you’ll regret trolling the forums today.
In the next three weeks, you can spend time on your resume, start putting together ideas for a personal statement, and ask people for letters of rec. You can register for LSDAS if you haven’t already and start getting your transcripts sent there by EVERY college you’ve attended. This would be extremely productive, and you’d be ten steps ahead of everybody else if you followed through with this plan.
3. In Law School Expert blatant self promotion, here are two other tools that you may find helpful during this time:
The Law School Admission Game: Play Like An Expert - My bestselling law school guide is available on Amazon.com and on my website.
Law School Bootcamp – a series of 10 webinars with me on topics including: setting up an application timeline, crafting a fantastic law school resume, brainstorming and drafting your personal statement, Letters of Recommendation, Tips and Tricks on Applications, and so much more. I’ve already done three webinars (and if you sign up for the series you can watch the recorded webinars) but I’m actually going to REPEAT the first three again due to the demand for them. You can sign up for one or all ten, or any combination that works for you – it’s made to work for your needs. The dates are set (but subject to change) and you can see the calendar here. If you can’t make a particular webinar, you can always watch it anytime after it’s given. If you can watch it live, you get to ask me questions throughout the webinar related to that day’s topic. All you need is a computer and a phone (or headset) to listen in. Please feel free to leave any questions in the comment section of this blog post. You can sign up here, and spaces will fill up because I’m limiting enrollment to 25 for each webinar.
Never Miss a Law School Expert Update or Tip! Subscribe to the blog by filling in your email address on the right side of the page, and join/follow/like these pages on Facebook:
Play Like a Law School Expert and The Law School Admission Game
I also tweet @annlevine
Hope everyone is feeling great about today’s test, but I know most of you are feeling exhausted, upset, anxious, and nervous. These feelings are all completely normal. Just remember you don’t have to decide today whether to cancel your LSAT score. Sleep on it and hang in there!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: Last minute LSAT tips, LSAT
14 Comments »
The LSAT is Monday. You probably already know this.
You’re probably getting pretty nervous, and planning your last minute cram-sessions.
STOP right now.
THINK.
If ANYTHING crazy is going on in your life right now, do NOT take the LSAT on Monday.
I guarantee you that a month from now I’ll be fielding dozens of calls and emails from people who are disappointed with their performance on the June LSAT and who will blame the following:
1. Lack of preparation. If you have not studied for 2-3 months and taken more than 3 full length, timed practice exams, do NOT take the LSAT on Monday.
2. Death in the family or death of your best friend. If anyone in your family or close circle of friends has been injured, traumatized or killed in the last 2 weeks, do NOT take the LSAT on Monday.
3. Illness. You have the flu? Do not take the LSAT on Monday! No one wants to read an addendum mentioning vomit, diarrhea or both.
4. Side effects. Started a new medication? Does it make you drowsy or have the potential to make you drowsy or physically ill? Started a new medication to treat ADD? Don’t take the LSAT on Monday.
I don’t mean to make light of serious problems, but stop and think. Four times a year, whenever the LSAT is given, I hear from people who seek my help writing addenda to explain an LSAT score. These four reasons are among those that come up most often. You can avoid the heartache and stigma of a very low LSAT score that fails to measure your abilities on the test by simply making the adult decision – despite fever, grief, exhaustion, and anxiety – to postpone taking the test until October. Yes, you’ll have a ‘no-show’ but I swear it’s not a big deal. And if you want the experience of sitting through the test, take it and cancel it as you leave the test center. But go in with a clear head and make a good decision. Is this a good time for YOU to take the LSAT?
For those of you who ARE prepared, healthy, and whose life is (thankfully) in a state of relative normalcy, then DO take the LSAT. And spend this weekend getting TONS of sleep, reading the newspaper or other interesting/thought provoking things, maybe dabble in a logic game or two, stay away from other people taking the LSAT, and refrain from talking to anyone about the LSAT. Take care of yourself. Get yourself into a frame of mind that gets you to a place where Monday morning, over a great breakfast with lots of protein, you are saying “Alright! Let’s prove what I can do on this thing!”
Good luck to all June LSAT takers. Oh! And come back to the Blog on Monday to learn how to spend your time while waiting for your LSAT score. My 10-webinar series (“Law School Bootcamp“) begins from scratch in under two weeks. I’m even going to repeat the first 3 webinars that have already taken place since demand for them has been so high. More info on that on Monday! Good luck!
Categories: LSAT, LSAT Prep, Non-Traditional Applicants
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Just two things for the blog today:
1. Read this before taking the LSAT on Monday: 7 Tips for LSAT Success
2. Encouraging podcast for Non-traditional law school applicants.
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Ann K. Levine, Esq., former director of law school admissions for two ABA law schools, is a law school admission consultant and owner of Law School Expert,
