Categories: Application Timeline, Law School Admission Deadlines, LSAT; Rolling Admissions, Rolling Admissions
Tags: law school applications, Rolling Admissions
 12 Comments »
It’s September 4th and it’s official. A Fall 2010 law school applicant has sent me an application to review before submitting it. The Fall 2010 application season officially begins!
I hesitate to post this because I know it will make many of my readers paranoid – ‘OMG! I need to submit my applications THIS week! Who cares if the LSAT is 3 weeks away?! I’m mortgaging my future by not applying RIGHT THIS MINUTE.”
Let me assure you, any thoughts like this are absolutely extreme and unnecessary. I dedicate an entire chapter in my book to “Working the Rolling Admission Process” but the important thing to read right now is:
“…do you need to apply on the first possible day? No. Should you? No. Here’s why: first, law school admission officers are off recruiting people to apply to their law schools.They aren’t spending time in September reviewing very many files.” The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert, p. 48.
Therefore, don’t sacrifice quality for speed. Take a few weeks to build a strong application and then submit it. Do things right; this is much more important than being the first application submitted.
In the case of the client who just sent me his first four applications, I can assure you -his materials are quality in addition to quick.
Categories: Advice, Application Timeline, Low GPA, Low LSAT, Multiple LSAT scores
Tags: applying to law school, DUI, Low GPA, Low LSAT
383 Comments »
I get versions of this question almost every day of the week. I want to thank J. for agreeing to allow me to address this question in a blog format. I think that the response will benefit many readers of my blog, even if it’s not the news people were hoping to hear.
“I’m wondering if it’s possible (or what the likelihood is) of getting into law school with a 2.5 GPA, 138 on the LSAT twice, and a DUI on my record. Is there anything I can do at this point to get into a law school? Going back to undergrad and increasing my GPA? Taking the LSAT over? Anything?” – J.
The answer for J. is that there is an incredibly small likelihood of his acceptance to an ABA law school right now. Even if we give him the benefit of the doubt about diversity, being president of everything at school, having a few years of significant work experience, and a fairly reputable undergraduate college (a combination of which is highly unlikely), law schools have no incentive to take a risk on him. He brings nothing of value to a school, from a law school’s perspective. Any law school would have to sacrifice its numbers to admit him and probably sacrifice its first time bar passage rate and employment statistics as well.
Going back to undergrad doesn’t work. It doesn’t change your LSAC computed GPA. If J. could get himself into a graduate school program of repute and do very well (not just a 3.0, but in the neighborhood of a 3.7 GPA) and get some solid academic letters and significantly increase his LSAT score, then I think he might have a better chance of being admitted to law school. This would show maturity and seriousness of purpose.
One DUI is problematic, but if J. can show he’s changed and grown and learned from the experience, this alone probably won’t keep him out of law school. J. needs to put some real and metaphorical distance between himself and the DUI incident for law schools to be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
I anticipate some questions and comments on this one, so fire away. And happy Friday!
Categories: Advice, Application Timeline, Scholarships, Seat Deposits
Tags: deciding between law schools, law school scholarship, law school seat deposit, multiple seat deposit, scholarship, visiting a law school
4 Comments »
Many law school applicants are currently in a position where they’ve heard from some, but not all, of the law schools they’ve applied to and are wondering what to do as seat deposits loom.
If you have not already done so, visit any law school you’re seriously considering. If you aren’t willing to invest in traveling there and checking it out then you probably shouldn’t be considering forking over six figures for the privilege of studying there. Do your homework.
I’ve often found that when my clients visit the schools, a decision makes itself based on how they felt about the campus, the students they spoke with, and the campus environment.
Other things you might be thinking about include scholarships and seat deposits (and multiple seat deposits). Here are some things to consider when deciding whether to accept a scholarship to law school.
Categories: Advice, Application Timeline, Law School Location; Law School Rankings, Low LSAT, LSAT, LSAT Prep
Tags: LSAT, LSAT Prep courses, LSAT tutor
No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome!
JB left this comment on my old blog and I wanted to share it in a separate post here so everyone could benefit from the response:
Thank you Ann! I decided to take your advice and wait. (about the February LSAT)
I keep on having problems with the argument section in the practice exams, Im not sure how you are supposed to study for those kinds of questions. I also am having some trouble with the RC part of the exam. Is there anything that you can recommend that might help me study for these sections of the test better?
Thanks,
JB
First, this is a good decision. I’m glad you’re going to dedicate yourself to going through the law school application process the right way rather than the “get it over with” way. Here are some resources on LSAT Preparation:
Integrated Learning LSAT Blog
Manhattan LSAT Tutor
Test Prep NY
Also, here’s a link to a previous LawSchoolExpert post on LSAT Advice and here’s one on LSAT Prep Courses.
Categories: Advice, Application Timeline, Rolling Admissions
Tags: law school admission, law school application
No Comments yet, your thoughts are welcome!
It’s been a scary process to redesign and redirect the Law School Expert blog. So please beg my pardon while I launch a few experiments over the next few days to see how things are working.
I’ll try to combine my experiments with pithy insights into the law school application process for you.
Today’s tip: If you haven’t heard from a school and you applied 6-8 weeks ago, follow up with a single phone call to inquire.
Categories: Application Timeline
10 Comments »
Yes, you’re counting the minutes and seconds until the scores are released by email on the 24th. (OMG, if you didn’t know that and thought there was no reason to be nervous until the 27th then boy did I just change your plans that weekend!).
In the meantime, be productive!
Here are some tips:
Things to do while waiting for your LSAT score and After the LSAT.
Categories: Application Timeline
11 Comments »
Ok, it’s practically August. Many of you are just getting underway preparing for the October 2008 LSAT. Some of you will start prep courses this week.
What else should you be thinking about right now?
1. Getting LORs (Letters of Rec) underway. Who will write them? What should they emphasize about you? Ask these people and give them deadlines 4-6 weeks out. Make sure to see lsdas.org for the cover form and be sure to sign the waiver. Here’s more about law school letters of recommendation.
2. Your resume. What can you do to round out your experiences? Lacking work experience? Community Service? Time to get on it. Never do anything as resume filler, but if you have time to dedicate to something you’ve always wanted to explore, there’s no time like the present. However, being a file clerk or runner at a law firm isn’t the way to go… what a boring way to spend your summer, and what would this LOR say about you? “He was always on time and wore a tie.” Not worth it. Better to do something that shows your true interests and passions. Here are more law school resume tips.
3. Really prepare for the LSAT. Please. Retaking in December should be a last resort; give it 100% this time around. Here’s more about LSAT prep options. Here are more reasons not to “just wing it” on the October LSAT.
That’s all for this Friday night. I’m happy to entertain suggestions for blog topics – so leave comments. Have a great weekend.
|
Ann K. Levine, Esq., former director of law school admissions for two ABA approved law schools, is a law school admission consultant and owner of Law School Expert,
