Getting Into Law School Presented By:

Jim Boland

Tips to Remember

1. Get experience in the Legal Field prior to applying.

1. Submit applications as early as possible.

1. Be aware of your online reputation.

1. Know your school’s focus and your own.

LSAT Tips1. Studying is a

MARATHON not a SPRINT.-Spread out your practice tests throughout the week to keep yourself sharp.

-Don’t take practice tests only on the weekends.

-Do a little bit every day so you don’t get burnt out

LSAT Tips2. Help yourself, not your buddy. 

3. Don't just practice. Analyze. • Make the unfamiliar, familiar.

4. Shape your critical thinking in class.• Logic• Philosophy• Critical Writing

LSAT Tips

5. Be sure to play logic games before the test.

6. Answer everything.

7. Know where to find the easier questions.

Application Timeline

AUGUST 1-15

•Register with the Law School Admission Council (www.lsac.org)

The Law School Admission Council will create an Academic Summary Report.

•Organize your résumé.

•Explain any weaknesses.

Application Timeline

Application Timeline

September 1-15:

•Attend a LSAC Law School Forum/ Graduate School Fair. Talk to representatives from the schools on your list, learn about schools you may not have previously considered, and continue to hone your schools list.

•Draft a personal statement.

•Select your schools. (June LSAT takers only; October LSAT takers will do this at the end of October and beginning of November.)

Application Timeline

SEPTEMBER 15-30:•Start filling out applications as they become available. (June LSAT takers only; October LSAT takers will do this upon receipt of their scores.)

OCTOBER 1-15:•Submit applications.

(June LSAT takers only; October LSAT takers will do this during the first two weeks of November). Very carefully. One at a time. With the correct essay(s) attached to them and following the directions to a "T."

Dos and Don’ts of Applications

Do:

1. Stand Out

2. Personal= Personal

3. Research Your School

Dont:

1. Procrastinate

1. Limit the Number of the Applications You Submit.

Picking The Right Law School

1. Location -Go to school where you want to live after Graduation

Picking The Right Law School

2. Specialized Programs •If you already know what kind of law you want to practice, find a school that specializes in that subfield. If you know that you want to pursue a career in intellectual property law, for example, you should seek out schools with exceptional intellectual property law programs.

•Even if these schools are slightly lower in the overall national rankings, they will likely be the better fit for you. Your commitment to focus your law school education early on will likely impress future employers and can thus be very useful in helping you secure your first job.

Picking The Right Law School

3. Campus

You can only learn so much from glossy brochures and flashy websites. Visit the schools you are considering to discover what the culture and community is really like on each campus.

* Talk to Students

* Attend Group Meetings

Picking The Right Law School

4. Opportunities•Research the academic and professional opportunities offered outside the classroom. These might include clinics, journals, or externships (with firms, companies, or judges) that you can complete during the school year.

•Also, conduct careful due diligence regarding the career services offices at each school to determine how robust they are, how much personalized assistance you can expect to receive, and how much of the career services staff is dedicated to law firms versus the public sector versus the nonprofit sector. Ideally, you will choose to attend a school where a substantial portion of the career services staff is focused on your particular areas of interest.

Available Resources

• Pre- Law AdvisorsMost universities have available advisors to help students through the process of applying for law school. Don’t be afraid to utilize these people for help on personal statements and essay responses.

• Free Test Prep Sites/ LSAT Practice Sites– www.lsac.org – www.princetonreview.com– www.discoverlaw.org