Law School is progressively becoming more and more competitive. For anyone dreaming of one day attending Law School, early planning is key. The following is a step by step plan of how to set yourself up, for a successful application process and ultimately how to get yourself admitted to Law School.
1. Start Early
I began prepping at the end of my sophomore year in college. Once I had realized my dream of becoming attorney, I started immediately. You can honestly never start too early. Start researching schools and the requirements you need to to get accepted. Figure out what you need to be a competitive applicant for your dream school. Keep your eyes on the prize.
2. Understand the two most important factors of Law School Admissions:
GPA and LSAT.
I've heard a lot of future applicants say, my GPA does not matter because I was President of this club and worked at this internship. I am here to tell you that regardless of what you do, your GPA and LSAT score are the two most important factors of Law School Admissions Process. Your GPA and LSAT is what get's the admission committee to continue reading your application so they can learn about all your internships and leadership positions. While some Law School's take a holistic approach and judge the applicant " overall," I can guarantee you that an internship with the United Nations and you being president of three clubs will not save you from a low GPA and a mediocre LSAT Score. What I can tell you there are students who have one or the other ! There are many applicants who have ben successfully admitted to Law School with one or the other. If you have a low GPA, focus on boosting your LSAT Score as high as possible and if you have an average LSAT Score, your GPA may be your saving grace.
3. Sign up for an LSAT Prep Course
BEWARE. There are an incredible amount of scams out there. With the right Prep Course, you can possibly boost your score into just more than being accepted to Law School but you can even obtain a scholarship. Do your research when deciding which Prep Course to apply for. Prep Courses such as Kaplan can be incredibly over priced and offer not even help for the sticker price. For USF students or applicant living in Florida, I would recommend Blackstone Prep. ( http://www.blackstone-lsat.com .) They are significantly cheaper than the majority of LSAT Prep Courses, and supply you with more in class FaceTime. In addition, 98% of all students who have taken their course, were admitted to Law School.
4. Ask your Law School if they accept interviews
This gives the Law School a chance to get to know you better among the hundreds of applicants they get. I can tell you a majority of Law School's do not accommodate interviews, but you can do a tour of the Law School and Speak to an admission's counselor. This helps them get to know you as an applicant.
5. Figure out why you actually want to go to Law School
Just like any job market today, the field of Law is highly competitive. The amount of Lawyers outweighing jobs is ridiculous. Are you passionate ? If so, focus your admissions essay on why you are passionate about Law and one day making a difference in people's lives. That is what Law School's want to hear about. Realize that when you are applying for Law School, you are essentially making a case for yourself and arguing why you will one day be a spectacular Lawyer.
6. Above all believe in yourself
You will have a million and ten people who will be ready to tell you why you cannot be a lawyer when you begin to say your in the application process. Most of the people have no idea what they are talking about and have done very little research. Realize that helpful advice from those with experience can be valuable , but only you know your own path! If you feel like Law School is that path, don't let anyone stop you!
