Categories: Advice, Law School Admission Deadlines, Law School Admission Trends, Rolling Admissions
Tags: law school discussion forum, top law schools, waiting for law school admission decisions
 35 Comments »
I’m hearing from a lot of my law school admission consulting clients today about their aggravation with the waiting game. They’ve applied to law school and they just want me to tell them where they’ll get into law school, to devise a mathematical calculation that proves where they’ll be admitted and where they won’t.
I am happy to spend time talking with these clients and to let them know that there are good days and bad days in this process, that one school’s rejection doesn’t mean that every other school ranked higher will also result in a rejection, to tell people they are strong enough to handle this. One of my most professional, business-oriented clients today told me today that this lack of predictability meant the system was messed up, and since I know he reads this blog (he often quotes my own advice back to me) I wanted to share what I didn’t get to say – or think to say – during our conversation:
The unpredictable nature of getting into law school, the fact that your index alone does not dictate your end result, is the reason to LOVE the system. For those of you with a split – high GPA/low LSAT or low LSAT/high GPA, or just those who apply to reach schools, the fact that there isn’t a numerical calculation that mandates your response means you have a SHOT. It means you get the opportunity to show who you are beyond the numbers, it means the hard work you put into your essays, resume, letters of rec, addenda, etc. have the possibility of paying off.
This is the time of year when people start hearing from law schools, and when you start by hearing a rejection it can be deflating, or at least feel deflating. But remember, this is just a bad day. That’s all it is. Use it as an excuse to treat yourself to a movie or mocha mint latte, but don’t start applying to law schools furiously out of fear. Be confident in the fact that you put serious thought into your schools list and hold tight. Thanks to the Internet and cell phone age, you could hear any minute that you’ve been admitted to law school. Just hang tight. And, when that happens, please do celebrate! Another movie! Another mocha mint latte! Don’t just say, “ok, Next????” or “Where’s my scholarship???”
If you let yourself get psyched out during this process, how will you be strong when you’re a 1L surrounded by competitive people who all seem to be more brilliant, more on top of things, and more likely to succeed than you because they claim to know all the secrets of success? How will you deal with waiting for law school exam grades, job offers, bar examination results? Use this time as your dress rehearsal for those future waiting games. You can do this.
Categories: Advice, Law School Admission Deadlines, Law School Admission Trends, Law School Personal Statement, Law School Resume Tips
Tags: getting into law school, law school admission tips
16 Comments »
I just returned from a really great couple of days speaking to the Pre-Law Society at San Diego State University and the Phi Alpha Delta chapter at University of California San Diego. Next week, I’ll be headed to NYC to speak to students at Fordham University. The school newspaper there interviewed me about my tips for getting into law school. I wanted to share this with my readers because I think they asked me some really great questions.
Categories: Law School Admission Deadlines, LSAT, Uncategorized
9 Comments »
A reader of my book sent me this great question today:
Ms. Levine,
I am currently reading your book The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert in preparation for my upcoming application process. In Chapter 3, you discuss the best time to apply to law schools. While I understand the importance of applying early, say October, I have a “special situation.” Because I did not feel fully prepared for the September LSAT, I’m taking it in December (December 5th). Should I send in my applications prior to this date or wait until I receive my score? The applications would be sent in by the end of December regardless.
Any suggestions you offer will be much appreciated! Your book and blog have proved very helpful already.
Best,
C
My response to C is as follows:
This depends on whether you know you’re applying to certain schools no matter what – for example, if there’s only 1 law school near you and you’re unable to move to a new location for law school or whether you are building a schools list with more flexibility than that. For most people, I advise that you wait for the score to choose where to apply because it’s difficult to know where you might be competitive.
You can still create your personal statement, resume, and make sure your letters of rec are underway. Just hold off on submitting applications until you have your score at the end of December.
I hope that helps.
Ann
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, Law School Admission Deadlines, Law School Admission Trends
8 Comments »
One of my clients raised a good question today – What do I do if I don’t feel ready for the December LSAT?
If this is your first time taking the LSAT, and you’re planning to apply for Fall 2008 admission, then you need to weigh the pros and cons:
(A) If you don’t feel ready to take the LSAT, then your instinct is probably right. You have a few options. You could take it and just see what happens and if it’s halfway decent then you can apply. (Not a fantastic strategy and usually it goes worse than you expect and becomes something you have to later explain on your applications; plus, it’s a huge ego-deflater).
(B) You could wait and take the February LSAT and apply to schools that offer a January 2009 start date. (This is an interesting option for those of you graduating in December who are preoccupied with everything else going on in your life right now).
Or (C) you can take the LSAT in February for Fall 2009 admission. If it doesn’t go as you’d like, you’d still have the option of re-taking it in June. You’ll be able to show your grades from your final year of college and submit your law school applications early in the cycle (August/September), thereby taking advantage of rolling admissions. You’d also hear back from a lot of schools pretty quickly.
So, that brings me to the topic of what to do in your year off before law school:
A lot of people go to a law firm, where they are a “paralegal”, “legal assistant,” or “file clerk.” They think they will gain some significant insight into the legal profession this way and get an attorney or two to tell a law school how they brilliantly saved a case for the firm. Yeah, ummm, not going to happen. Really, you’re just going to have a boring year typing with long hours. while busy lawyers bark at you. And, you’ll be applying to law school while enduring those long hours. And, after all that, you’ll have only spent three months at the firm by the time you apply. How outstanding a letter of rec do you think you’re going to get?
Better ideas? Yes. Find your passion!!! Find something that will set you apart and help you find a niche. It can be anything from sky-diving instruction to teaching the viola. The key is to explore one of your passions. Plus, it’s probably one of the last times in your life where you can spend your day doing something really fun, something you enjoy. And it’s also probably the last time you’ll be able to get away with only making $25,000/year.
P.S. If I’ve confused those of you who are relying on schools to accept your February 2008 LSAT score for Fall 2008 admission, let me explain: They may say they accept the February LSAT under their rolling admissions policy, but what they mean to say is: “We’ll accept a February LSAT score that is above our 75th percentile, but really by then we’ll have given away most of the seats in the class.”
Categories: Advice, Application Timeline, Law School Admission Deadlines
2 Comments »
You think you’re done and you just want this to be over with, so you quickly press “Submit” on a law school application. Then, “Uh oh!” or “Oh @*$%!”
Here are some tips for avoiding that awful moment:
1. Ask yourself, “Why am I submitting this application right this minute?” If it’s late at night, you’re exhausted, or feeling hurried then don’t submit it. You’re not on a deadline. Wait one day and review it after sleep and a fresh cup of coffee.
2. Print it out. Ask someone to check it over. Did you transpose your address? Check off the right boxes?
3. Are you attaching the correct version of the essay(s)?
4. Did you check the school’s website for details about submitting applications? Do they have additional information about the law school personal statement topics and/or requirements there? Is there an option for a diversity statement? Are you following all of the directions properly? Will you application be complete without a Dean’s Certificate? Check every detail.
5. If you’re not sure, don’t guess. Call the school admisssions office and ask. If you do something wrong, they may consider your application incomplete and fail to review it.
Practicing law is all about the details. (See recent headlines about the recent Irell & Manella malpractice suit if you don’t believe me). Get the details right. It pays off.
Categories: Early Decision Deadlines, Law School Admission Deadlines
16 Comments »
Some of my clients are already submitting law school applications. Most schools made them available September 1st although there are a few hold-outs. One of the first decisions you’ll have to make after solidifying your schools list is whether to apply under an Early Decision program.
The rule with Early Decision applications is that this is a binding agreement you are making with the school; if admitted, you will attend that school and withdraw all applications from other schools. In return, you will receive your admission decision a little bit faster (usually before Winter Break). The caveat is that in many cases your application will simply be “deferred” until the “regular” admissions cycle. But Early Decision is a great option for that school that you know, no matter what, you would attend.
Most schools with an Early Decision option have deadlines in November. Here are a smattering of schools and their Early Decision deadlines. (Please keep in mind that you should check each school’s deadline and Early Decision information independently and not rely solely on this list). Also, please take note that for most schools applications must be complete by this date and not merely submitted by this date.
American 11/14
Case Western 11/15
Chicago 12/1
U. Cincinnati 12/1
Columbia 11/15
Georgetown 11/1
Hofstra 12/1
Houston 11/1
Indiana 11/30
Kent (Chicago) 11/1
Michigan 11/15
Missouri 11/15
NYU 11/15
Northwestern 12/1 (interview by 11/15)
Notre Dame 11/1
Ohio State 11/14
Pace 11/3
Texas Tech 11/1
And here’s an independent list I found online of early decision deadlines at top law schools. (But beware – it’s from 2006-2007)
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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,
