SOS!! Law School Questions!!

Demosthenes49
Wed, 29 Jun 2016 21:06:42 +0000

@SOSLawSchoolSOS1:

1. How do you decide where to apply to law school? Is it similar to college–as in, are you looking for fit? or is there something else? Is it just based on numbers?

2. How does one determine their top choice law school? Is it based on the programs there?

3. How do you figure out the programs each school offers? Does it even matter?

4. What are journals? How do you guarantee getting one once you’re in law school? Why are they important?

5. What should I be doing to get ready?
6 .How do you know what to write your personal essay about?

6. Are you supposed to have an internship while studying for the LSAT?

7. Is there any other guidance, advice, etc. you could give me? I am registered with the LSAC, but have not registered with CAS or anything.

1. You look at your numbers (GPA and LSAT), look at the medians of the schools, and apply appropriately. There's no such thing as "fit" in law school.

2. Your top choice law school is based on two factors: employment numbers and location.You want a job coming out, and usually you'd like that job to be in a certain place.

3. All 1L curricula are the same, with minor variations that don't matter. 2Ls and 3Ls don't really matter.

4. Journals, or law reviews, are compilations of articles usually written by law professors, edited by students, and not read by anyone. Law schools often have a dozen. The "main" law review (e.g., the Yale Law Journal) also functions as a kind of honor society within the law school. Usually admission to law review depends on your 1L grades, a writing competition, or some combination of these. Most major employers/judges like to see a person on a main journal.

5. You need experience. I looked over your background and noted with concern the lack of a line reading "spent time interning at a law office." Law on paper (or on TV) and law in practice are very different. You need experience with the latter before committing hundreds of thousands of dollars into law school. Legal employers also like to see work experience, though most law schools don't care (exception being Northwestern).

6. It doesn't really matter. Most people write some garbage about wanting to make the world a better place. I'm not convinced anyone actually reads them.

7. I would study for the LSAT full time and get your interning done while in undergrad. The LSAT is too important (worth on average 65% of your application) to try to double up.

8. Relaxing a bit would be a good idea. Law school is stressful enough on its own.