What’s with this Law School business?

Law School is a great option for students wanting to expand their education after undergrad.  With many other things (i.e. finding a job, applying for grad school or medical school) it can be a long and strenuous process.  With these steps, your quest of getting into law school might be a little easier.

  • The LSAT. Take the June LSAT (the June before your senior year)…why? You can start applying early (many schools start accepting applications in Sept or Oct), and you are ahead of the crowds. Speaking of crowds, the test is scaled, and you are only compared to those who took the test the same day as you…there are less people in June. Get it? There are fewer people to compete against for a great score. Don’t wait until the last time offered, or you will be stuck with your score if it’s low.
  • Please Study. The LSAT is challenging, but very predictable. Repetition is key, so do as many practice tests as possible! By the end of the process, many of the questions will look very similar, and it will give you an advantage. Prep-courses, private tutoring or books with old tests in them are very beneficial.
  • Your Personal Statement. Start on this early! Summer is a great time to work on this while you have no classes. Otherwise you will be bombarded with tests and homework and it may reflect in your personal statement. The Personal Statement is about as important as your LSAT score in the application process, take it seriously! (OU Law doesn’t do personal interviews, so this may be your only chance of letting them know who you are). Oh yeah, and by the time you have it done, you’ll get your scores, so you will be all set!
  • LSDAS (Law School Data Assembly Service). Open an account on www.lsac.org at least 3 weeks before you want to start applying to schools. This organization allows all law schools to go through your transcripts and letters of recommendation. It takes time for your transcripts to be mailed from your school, then processed by LSDAS.
  • Letters of Rec. Find out how many letters of recommendation are needed for the schools you are interested in. Make sure to give the people writing your letters ample time, at least a few weeks. Not only is this courteous, but they may be busy and need time to write a quality letter. Don’t be afraid to give them a deadline.
  • Rolling Admissions. Apply early! Many schools operate on rolling admissions. People who apply early usually have a better chance of getting in, and you will find out about being accepted sooner. If you don’t get in, at least you will have time to apply to your other options.
  • Be Nice. If you visit a school or talk with someone in admissions, make sure to write a thank you note to everyone who helped you. Not only is this polite, it could mean the difference between you and someone else being admitted. People always remember kind gestures!

 

So sweet!  You’ve followed all my advice and have gotten into law school!  Congrats!

A little free money couldn’t hurt anyone.  Contact the school you have been accepted to and talk to admissions or the Dean about scholarships.  It helps them know what students are truly interested when it comes down to handing out scholarships, and they are out there.  Believe me!

Make sure to follow up on everything.  If you are supposed to hear by a certain date whether you got a scholarship, and haven’t, maybe they forgot to mail the letter.  Don’t be overly annoying, but don’t be afraid to check.  This is also great advice if a reasonable period has passed before hearing back about admittance to a school.

As always, Career Services is here for you if you need help with anything law school!  Come by our office, OMU 323.  We offer help with the application process, personal statements, and everything law school.  You can’t go wrong.

Your friend,

Career Queen Kathy Green

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No Comments on "What’s with this Law School business?"

  1. Kam
    23/04/2009 at 9:50 am Permalink

    Awesome info!

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