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The most popular reviews in /r/lawschooladmissions:
Probably depends on which pile you end up on. Law schools typically have three piles they sort candidates into: likely admit, likely deny, adcom review. These are based largely on your LSAT/GPA compared to their medians. If you are a likely admit, you get fast-tracked and then someone will scan your application for any redflags before quickly admitting. If you're likely deny, someone will scan your application to see if there's something that can justify moving you to the adcom pile (compelling PS, glowing LOR's, etc.). The folks on the adcom pile get sifted through and sent around to the committee to review, sometimes sitting in faculty inboxes for days/weeks before getting a look.
TL;DR- it depends, largely on your relation to the school's medians.
Soure: Ann Levine's book, <em>The Law School Admissions Game</em>
I would really like a padfolio, I think. Minnesota’s admittens look cute. I liked Northwestern’s umbrella because I have an uncanny ability to lose umbrellas.
Things that I DON’T want: tshirt or lanyard
I forgot how to do certain things since the LSAT so I’ve been reading this by Don Gabor:
“How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DI7TQI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
I'd retake. for DC or NY you're going to want to aim for around the mid 150's.
Also, maybe try to reassess your study methods; are you PTing where you're testing? If not, it could be test-day anxiety (not sure what to do about that, talk to a doctor maybe?)
If you are PTing lower, try different study methods, maybe an online course/tutoring.
I'm not trying to come across as harsh, but a 146 is going to be difficult, especially with a lower gpa. Definitely focus on getting it up. If whatever your study process has been up until now isn't working, try to find a new one. If self-study isn't working, find someone to help.
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I can personally recommend this book for self-study: https://www.amazon.com/LSAT-Trainer-Remarkable-Self-Study-Self-Driven/dp/0989081532/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1544283468&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=lsat+trainer&psc=1
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The LSAT is a learnable test. One of the biggest things I can recommend is working on Logic Games. It's the easiest to improve upon. A strong notation system and tons of practice will do wonders for that section.
I spend an ungodly amount of time on my computer for my job, instead of blue light blocking glasses I just run a program f.lux on my computer that slowly filters more blue light from the screen.
Buy the last 3+ of these and take them under test conditions and blind review everyone. Less than a $100
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I'll try to help to the best of my ability!
https://coda.io/d/The-7Sage-Law-School-Info-Doc_daa7untIi1o/App-Requirements_sumP8#Application-Requirements_tu3Am/r1 Here's a very helpful site that details every single required and optional application piece for all law schools. This should help you get an idea of everything you need for each school including resumes, essays, addendum, etc. I highly recommend thumbing through this site & make a list of all the materials you will need to collect for each school.
Once your transcript is processed, you'll be able to access your Academic Summary Report through your LSAC account which will show your LSAC GPA. I think it can take anywhere up to three weeks to fully process your transcript, but don't quote me on that. I can't help you with the masters transcript because I haven't gone through that so I don't know, sorry :(
Mostly everything regarding applications will be done through LSAC. Add schools to your "schools list" and then begin the application through LSAC and you will be taken directly to that school's application portal which will detail all instructions & application pieces that you need.
I hope this helps, feel free to PM me if I failed to adequately explain something! It's a confusing process so I'm happy to help in any way I can :) Good luck!!
Consider journaling. There’s also a great guided journal here that I think many people on this sub would benefit from: Let That Sh*t Go
Also coming from a 3.low your GPA is just fine.
Paid compensation has gotten more than a few YouTubers in trouble for advertising less-than-ideal products. The child gambling scam comes to mind or that NordVPN is massively pushed by YouTubers even though it's far from the best VPN out there. Guess what I'm saying is take what YouTubers advertise with lots of salt, because often their incomes are largely built on getting you to click on those referral links.
https://coda.io/d/The-7Sage-Law-School-Info-Doc_daa7untIi1o/App-Requirements_sumP8#_luyId
I don't think that is necessarily complete, but I'm using it as a guide until apps open and it matches the scant available public info on some schools' websites from my research thus far. :)
Edit: found this is in the sidebar haha
7 Sage compiled a bunch of app prompts and such here: https://coda.io/d/The-7Sage-Law-School-Info-Doc_daa7untIi1o/App-Requirements_sumP8#_luA_v
Most essays do not change year to year.
Michigan opens their app early, but doesn't open the submit button for like a month after, so it depends on the school. As long as you're applying early, you will be okay!
For fee waivers, make sure CAS is turned on- LSAC will flip all of them off sometime in August/September, so flip it back on around that time and you will start getting fee waivers then. Generally fee waivers start getting sent once apps open.
This link from the sidebar is what I've been using, assuming things stay the same this should at least give you a good start
Check out the requirements school by school for application materials. You can do this on their websites or on this document from 7sage:
Check out the list of schools that conduct interviews and some sample interview questions from previous years here
Notably, out of the top schools, Harvard and UChicago require an interview before an applicant is admitted. These Skype/Zoom interviews are conducted by admissions officers. Getting an interview invite from these two schools means that you’ve “passed” the first round. Some other schools, such as Columbia, offer interviews to select candidates, but one is not required for admittance. Yale and Stanford do not conduct interviews. Depending on the school, some also offer Kira interviews, meaning that you need to record yourself answering pre-determined questions on an online platform, rather than talking to a real person. Cornell and Northwestern are two schools that offer Kira interviews. Georgetown has a unique in-person group interview option by invite only.
This has all law school application requirements. Im also applying this upcoming semester and what I did was make a google spreadsheet with each school I plan on applying to and everything I need to do.
I'm jealous that you have your diversity statement done, I have an outline but my prelaw advisor left so there's no one at my school for me to ask
Storming the Court by Brandt Goldstein. Super cool story about a band of YLS students/profs who sued the HW Bush and later Clinton admins all the way to the Supreme Court on behalf of Haitian refugees. Back before I actually got a job in PI law, I would read this about once a year to remind me of why I want to go into law.
I'm also a 0L so obviously don't know what will work for law school, but hear me out: I've used TONS of backpacks throughout my life and I SWEAR by this Thule one now.
It's really durable (it lasted me through 4 years of HEAVY use, compared to literally 1-2 years for all my other backpacks), it has SO MUCH space and a million pockets, and it has a cup-holder on each side, which I use for coffee in one and water in the other. It's also just a good-looking bag I think, and it's pretty lightweight.
Granted it is a bit pricey but it lasted me a really long time AND when it started to fall apart after the 4th year, I emailed Thule customer service and they sent me a brand new one for free.
Sure! I think I would like to practice in the Boston area, but I'm not positive. I don't really have any desire to go elsewhere right now, but I'm sure that may change. My understanding is that it's relatively easy to get into NY, as there are more firms there, and therefore more openings available. I know that DC is an extremely competitive market, even for students at GULC and GW, so I'm sure it is pretty difficult to break in there.
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Everyone says to relax before 1L and try not to prepare, and they're right.Though, I read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Students-Guide-Law-School-Academic/dp/022606705X
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I thought it was pretty helpful, as it told me what to expect on law school exams, which nobody in school has explicitly explained so far. So I'm kind of tailoring my learning to keeping the endgame in sight. Other than that, maybe familiarize yourself with the structure of the court systems, but you can do that in 10 minutes.
1) Waaaaaaay too many firms/orgs/people to list. There is EIW, OCI, Public Interest job fairs, law&tech job fairs, and on and on. There's specialized counseling in each area you might be interested in. I can absolutely tell you that Berkeley Law is a national/international law school - meaning, our reach extends way beyond the Bay Area. Not to punt, but I think CDO is the best resource. Most of their info on the web is password-protected, but during AWE these are the sessions:
4/13 Clerkships
4/15 Public Sector and Government
4/15 Private Sector
And on 4/17 there's five hours of "drop-in" CDO Office Hours.
This is a really big decision, and I think you're totally right to pause and take it seriously.
2) Recreation scene = awesome! Right behind the law school is the Easy Bay Regional Parks District - you can hike right from the building up into the hills (with an incredible view). Tilden Park is amazing, with plentiful hiking, biking, trail running, bouldering, etc. Check out more here: https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/california/tilden-regional-park If you are into outdoor rec, the Bay Area can't be beat.
This info doc contains all of the requirements for most law schools (essay prompts, required number of rec letters, etc.). The prompts rarely change year to year, so these will most likely be the prompts for the upcoming cycle too. Plus, almost every school has a sufficiently similar personal statement prompt so that you can use the same one for each school. Good luck!
Yes, still available. Not sure why the link isn't working. Try in a different browser? You can also go to the homepage of this doc and find the virtual events page with the link.
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This is a list of most if not all application requirements
The powerscore logic games bible helped me a lot with the logic portion. Looks like you can rent it on amazon for $24
I think I found our pin
Edit: nevermind. It's huge.
Go workout, it helps, boost some edm and run 5 miles> I also started reading more for pleasure cuz I won't be able to in law school. I just read The Power of Habit, an amazing book. U should check it out.
I heard this is a good book. https://www.amazon.com/1L-Ride-Well-Traveled-Professors-Roadmap/dp/0314283056. I also read most law school advice is bullshit which I really enjoyed. I’m a current applicant applying to law school.
AUSAs in LA https://www.linkedin.com/title/assistant-united-states-attorney/greater-los-angeles-area - looks like a mix of schools and varying levels of prestige from Yale to Loyola LA. Look up the AUSAs in the areas you want to practice and see where they went to school.
Pretty much it sounds like if you bust your ass litigating criminal cases and appeals you'll be on a good trajectory no matter where you started out.
Fun fact. there are diminishing returns for happiness after you hit a certain salary, and that's in the five figures for all states except DC/Hawaii https://lifehacker.com/the-perfect-salary-for-happiness-by-state-1605278164
Get a USB-C hub like the one linked below with HDMI ports on it.
I haven't used it yet, but the app and first three notebooks are free, then to access unlimited notebooks is a $7.99 one time fee - you can see more here https://www.goodnotes.com/pricing
Hopefully you’ve read the book in this sub’s sticky:
Don’t go to law school (unless)
Short read and might give you a clearer picture although some of the financial info is dated, but gives you a good thought process they you need to go through.
Not OP but I think I know whats meant here. You can buy what is essentially just a screen without a computer attached to it which you can then plug in via USB to your laptop (or desktop), which then makes it to where you have two screens to work on. Great for multitasking in my experience.
There are cheaper options, but this should give you a sense of the product: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZLY26FW/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_XYNT7V8N8AYRV3PNTEBR
For sure!! Harvard has a book of essays from admits from the past 10ish years if you’re interested! This helped me think about mine and what style they’re looking for.
55 Successful Harvard Law School Application Essays, 2nd Edition: With Analysis by the Staff of The Harvard Crimson https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250047234/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_C5JEDFB78QT8ECC8V999
You likely won't know about this until you start law school but Joshua Dressler teaches at Ohio State. He's one of the--if not the--leading criminal law professors in the nation. Even my T14 uses his crim law textbook and/or his supplement. I personally recommend his supplement. (https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Criminal-Law-Joshua-Dressler/dp/1531007910).
That said, as other users have indicated, specialty rankings don't matter.
There’s a book from Princeton Review that has commentary from 17 AdComms from all caliber of law schools.
I made the mistake of picking this up at the library last week way after all my apps were in and I’ve already received decisions. It made my anxiety soar 😂.
It does give a lot of info on how they review though.
E&E is Examples and Explanations, it's a series of supplements for each class- for example, the E&E for CivPro.
No book, but there are a lot of guides for doing well in law school. I could do a guide or AMA if people think it would be helpful? But there are a ton of good ones out there if you search.
Congrats to a fellow Texan!
I'm Andy, an attorney down in Houston.
Let me know how I can help you on your law school journey.
I wrote a book about how to be a law student.
I think it's the best resource out there.
Check it out and again, congrats!
Not a sponsor for 7sage but they came out with this really clean version for admission requirements for every law school:
See this link here https://coda.io/@david-busis/7sage-law-school-list/medians-17
....when you don't understand the neutrality of free speech and the unintended consequences of restricting it:
>The excuse of the local government during the civil rights movement in the U.S. for not giving permits to civil rights marchers to protest segregation was that the marches would create a public danger or put participants in danger because of the violence that might ensue. The Supreme Court found this unacceptable and a deprivation of the First Amendment rights of the marchers.
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http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=561675
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There were many positive reviews of her even before all of this. I went to a school full of politically divergent faculty who wrote articles I disagreed with, gave press quotes on matters I disagreed with, etc. As long as I didn't feel like they injected politics irrelevantly into the curriculum or were biased in grading, it was totally fine by me.
fine, 3 days! $423 non-stop both ways. https://www.google.com/flights?lite=0#flt=LAX.r/m/03gh4.2019-04-02*r/m/03gh4.LAX.2019-04-05;c:USD;e:1;sd:1;t:e
The average is 67, however the averages at 6am and 3pm are 84% and 49% respectively. Add this this 199 days of 80+ degree weather, and you’re in for some muggy mornings. Here is a link to a detailed weather analysis of Austin, where you can see that during the summer months, the humidity can be oppressive. The winters however do tend to be drier.
Dew points are higher here than in other places (Arizona), meaning it feels more humid than it technically is because the sweat can’t evaporate off of your skin.
https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates/matthew-yuans-resume-template/ffqxkvbfwmzq
This is a good template that I used. Latex takes a bit of getting used to but it's so much better than word. Let me know if you'd like me to look at a draft.
>Can I withdraw these funds without penalty for education?
No, that's why 529 plans were created.
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>Can I roll into a Roth for tax efficiencies?
What tax efficiencies? Upon converting from a traditional to a Roth, you'll be taxed immediately since those monies have not been subject to taxation.
This calculator might be useful to you.
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> Is it generally beneficial to do so instead of take out loans?
No
How you checked out upwork.com ? It may provide some freelance writing options.
But you should consider all your options. Taking the test two times may not be enough. Perhaps spend more time studying and reapply. Work in another field, save money, pay down debt, and then consider law school in the future. Law school isn't going anywhere. It's unclear if you are already in a program or not. You should really consider whether going to a non-accredited law school makes sense for your future.
I'm sorry, but it made me twitchy: aid, not aide.
You should be filling out the FAFSA and sending it out. You are not behind.
Some schools require another need-based form - Need Access or something like that. You should double check what each school requires in that regard.
This website has some amazing info: https://coda.io/d/The-7Sage-Law-School-Info-Doc_daa7untIi1o/App-Requirements_sumP8#_luyId
It will tell you all about the schools and what optional essays they have/want and whether to include things in your PS.
Some schools (e.g., Penn) ask for it in the PS. Others do not specify. Check the prompt specifically for the school in question: https://coda.io/d/Canonical-7Sage-Law-School-List_daa7untIi1o/2020-App-Requirements_sumP8#2020-Law-School-Requirements_tu7bq/r1
7sage put together this I think it covers last cycle, but usually personal statement prompts don't change. Most apps don't open/provide prompts until August or September. Over the summer, I'd prep 1. your personal statement 2. any diversity statement or addendums 3. "why X school essays" for schools that have historically asked for them.
Something like this? https://coda.io/d/The-7Sage-Law-School-Info-Doc_daa7untIi1o/Medians_suBXu#2019-Law-School-Medians_tu1Io/r1
7Sage has a lot of stuff like this so it's possible I'm just not bringing up the one you're thinking of.
ETA: It's also possible you're thinking of a blog post spivey did. They have a lot of really cool analytics on applying and such
I think you might be looking at the tab in the Google sheet with last year's requirements. You can see all current requirements here: https://coda.io/d/Canonical-7Sage-Law-School-List_daa7untIi1o/2020-App-Requirements_sumP8#Application-Requirements_tu3Am
This is the closest thing you're going to get. some still have tiny questions that need addressed but there's no compilation of those small sections. https://coda.io/d/Canonical-7Sage-Law-School-List_daa7untIi1o/2020-App-Requirements_sumP8#2020-Law-School-Requirements_tu7bq
We had to switch it to this doc: https://coda.io/d/Canonical-7Sage-Law-School-List_daa7untIi1o/_sumP8
Sorry! Please bookmark that one instead for updates.
Great question. I was curious, so I compared last year's model vs. this year's model in a public spreadsheet: https://coda.io/d/2019-Predictor-vs-2018-Predictor_dli3c7AG1ef/_suKFh
For most top schools, our model predicts that an average student will have a slightly larger (but still minuscule) chance of getting in.
It's hard to overstate how competitive legal academia is. Magna cum laude/top-10% at a school like Harvard, Stanford or UChicago (Columbia/NYU probably, too, although I'm not as familiar) gives you a chance, because it wins the attention of professors and sets you up for things like key RA positions or appellate clerkships. But no guarantee.
Top-third at one of these schools, it's still plausible that you could hustle your way into something, but "vanilla cum laude" at a T6 is where you start feeling good about snagging a random district clerkship, not an academic job. We're talking about an industry that hires a couple dozen people a year, max, and if you're 30th %ile at Harvard then there are about 400 people with objectively stronger "school/grade" backgrounds than you have (250 of them have better grades at HYS, 100 of them are top-10% at CCN, and then another 50 people are top-2% at the rest of the T14).
The empirical numbers don't bear out a huge delta between H/S and Chi/N; Columbia probably lags for cultural reasons more than because it's insufficiently prestigious. A wrinkle is that Chicago/NYU placement might disproportionately go to Rubenstein and Furman scholars, respectively.
In your shoes I'd take another hard look at PhD programs, including PhDs at law schools or something like Northwestern's JD/PhD. A normal JD is very likely to force you into being a practicing lawyer of some kind or else go back to your old career with 3 years and a lot of money gone.
This book is worth checking out if you can get it cheaply, if you want a better sense of what the hiring process looks like to make some of the path-dependency easier to understand: https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Law-Professor-Candidates-Guide/dp/1604429941
I know nothing about non-US legal ed and have not read the book. However, my uneducated thought is to wonder whether his advice is out of date? It was published in 2006 or so? I’d definitely take any of its advice with a grain of salt (I noticed this video review on this page, also haven’t watched it because I’m at work lol)
If I have some time this evening I’ll try to pull together more digestible material, but for now let me just give a shout out to this book: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Human-Intelligence-Robert-Sternberg/dp/1316629643
Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges or alternatively, a gavel for your debates you may have together lol.
I'm a woman and pretty anti-backpack (just hate the look of it, shoulder bags are so much cuter, less nerdy, and more professional IMO), so I asked for this laptop shoulder bag for Christmas. It's affordable and had great reviews & comes in a bunch of colors! You want something that's 1) structured (stand up on its own, with hard bottom), 2) had a padded laptop compartment, 3) top zipper for safety, 4) various compartments for books, phone, pens, etc. Good luck!
i don't think I ever mentioned which watch i use but i just grabbed a cheap watch off amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Casio-MQ24-7B2-Analog-Watch-Black/dp/B000GB0G7A/ref=sr_1_6?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1523128201&sr=1-6&nodeID=7141123011&psd=1&keywords=analog+watch
>No one cares, there's weak correlation between LSAT and grades.
Not the claim made by books on law school admission...
Hi! Would you like to join the 0L book club? In December we are reading One L and Anonymous Lawyer and discussing them in January :) We have a lot of awesome books on the calendar. If you want to join, just let me know. You can always just lurk and read when you feel like you like book!
Personally, I started small and worked my way into it. Started by reading this book and then went into the Powerscore Bibles on my own:
It loosely explains the process enough to get you familiar with it, and then you can basically google the rest. You have plenty of time to take the test, so I wouldn't stress about it too much.
Speaking as someone with a cat, if you guys can splurge some $$ for the litter box, you guys should totally get this one. Literally no maintenance and it does not smell AT ALL. I got it as a Christmas present when I got my kitten last year and it's amazing.
https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-ScoopFree-Self-Cleaning-Automatic-Disposable/dp/B000ELUQQS
It's not law or law-school related, but it's apropos. Check out Nick Riggle's magnum opus On Being Awesome: A Unified Theory of How Not to Suck.
I'm reading "The Dirty Dozen", it's a little bit politically-charged for my tastes, but I'm having a good time learning about SCOTUS and reading the opinions that the book criticizes.
> But I also don't want to be saddled with ton of debt with limited career progression opportunities. Was curious how people were factoring this into their calculations
That's the situation many people find themselves in. Worse, yet, is that a JD can hinder your career opportunities elsewhere, as people are wary of failed lawyers. Basically, a lot of people get completely shafted with $180,000 worth of student debt (that cannot be forgiven), and absolutely no career opportunities, because there just aren't enough jobs in law. I suggest reading this before applying to law school.
Personally, I decided that I wouldn't go to law school if I didn't get into a top school that had some guarantee of a good return of investment. That may or may not be what you want to do as well.
I'm a sucker for "self-help" type books, as long as they have data backing their conclusions, so I would recommend The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Super interesting, and a quick read. Lots of information about how habits fuel individuals and businesses.
Not specific to law school, but Getting to Yes, the namesake of getting to maybe, cracks my list of books every person with a heartbeat should read. It is actually required reading at the law firm I intern at.
>I have substantial experience and connections in the lawyer world that I know I will be ok, no matter what.
If these are the type of solid connections that lead to a job, then yeah that's a good reason to be more optimistic than most.
When people don't know you, then grades/school are important. But when a lawyer trusts you and wants to hire you, then you basically just need to pass the bar.
>Is it strange that I find comfort in the fact that the boomers are starting to retire and am confident this will leave a hole in the industry for us to fill?
This part is less certain. The legal industry is changing. Automation, outsourcing and regulatory may well lead to a decline in the total number of lawyers.
Susskind predicted an increase in bespoke legal work by highly qualified experts, but a massive decrease in entry-level grunt work. See more here: http://www.amazon.com/The-End-Lawyers-Rethinking-services/dp/0199593612
(Note: he's not saying the legal profession is ending. That's just a provocative title. He's saying it's shifting. We studied this book at my law school.)
Jordan Furlong, while Canadian, also write on US issues at his blog: http://www.law21.ca/
So I wouldn't say that retiring boomers will necessarily open up new spaces, as the whole ecosystem may change as the old guard exits.
Instead, I'd focus on whether you can find an entry point. Once you're in, you'll have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
Overall, if your contacts are good then you're in a good position. It might be worth explicitly discussing whether you'll have a job, and whether there are any requirements beyond bar passage. That discussion will depend on the nature of your contacts.
As for the people you know doing well: don't rely too heavily on anecdotes, except as models for ways to make their own entry. When people aren't doing well, they hide. We tend to see only the successful. But the overall stats don't lie (much).