Mapping the Road to Law School
This article will provide tips when mapping out your road to law school.
By Mackenzie Roberts — January 6, 2023
Post-college graduation involves adequate planning. First, you choose a major that will benefit the type of career you want to pursue. Then you may pursue internships that will look good on your resume and build an experience that will aid you in your job search after school or during your senior year. The same effort of preparation, if not more, will take place when you plan to attend graduate school or, in this case, law school. This article will provide tips when mapping out your road to law school.
Considering a Major
You may not know what you want to do when you begin your college career, and that is okay! If you choose to major in something such as exercise science or information sciences, do not worry. Law schools do not require certain study areas or prerequisites upon admission. However, once you decide to attend law school, it may be wise to consider other majors if you are still a first-or second-year student. Some of the most popular majors for student's considering law are History, English, Criminal Justice, Economics, and Political Science. This is not an exclusive list; you should do some additional research and decide which major you enjoy and which would be the most beneficial for you. If it is too late to change your major, take a writing class or two to brush up on those fundamental skills you will need as a law student
Grades
Though it may seem obvious, your grades are a significant portion of being considered for admission to law school. While completing your undergrad or any education before law school, you must maintain a good grade point average. Each law school creates a class profile that lists the median GPA for the previous entering class. Schools will look closely at your transcript when considering your application, so it is necessary to do well in your classes.
Planning for the Law School Admission Test
Despite the Bar's recent decision to do away with the LSAT, the LSAT schools will still require this test if you enroll before 2025. The LSAT is a significant component of your admission to law school. It is a test designed to see how well you will do in law school. It consists of four multiple-choice sections: reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. In addition to these sections, there is also an unscored writing section. Law school faculty will use this section to examine your ability to write and organize evidence to support an argument.
You must plan for this test. The test is administered a total of four times throughout the year. You will want your score when you begin applying for law school. Some students take the LSAT the Summer following their junior year, which allows adequate time to study and retake the LSAT if needed. When deciding the best time to take the test, consider your schools of choice, their deadlines, and what fits into your schedule.
This test requires ample time spent studying. Many LSAT prep materials suggest you begin studying four to five months in advance. Keep th is in mind when you select a date to take the LSAT. Allow yourself enough time to understand each test section to reduce stress on test day.
Develop a study schedule best that is the best fit for you. Visit The Law School Admission Council to learn more about the test and how you should prepare.
The Application Process
Applying to law school may look different than other college applications. When you go to apply, you will notice that almost every American Bar Association-approved law schools require the use of the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) to apply. CAS allows you to upload any required documents for application into one school. CAS then creates a report for you to send to each school that you apply. It is important to note that a CAS subscription is $195, and each report is $45.
Law school applications open in the Fall, around September. Each application has specific requirements that you should consider in advance. Typically, every law school wants at least four specific things—your LSAT score, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a personal statement. Requirements are typically listed under the admissions page of the law school's website. Applying to law school is no quick process, and you should begin preparing before applications open.
One way to prepare is by reaching out to the people you want to write you a recommendation letter. Whether it be a professor you have gotten to know well or a supervisor from an internship, they will appreciate it if you reach out and let them know in advance that you would like them to write you a letter. Planning will also speed up the process once applications open. Make sure you choose people that know you well enough to write a good letter.
You will need to provide an official transcript for every college you have attended. It is important to look at the specific schools and their method of sending transcripts to students to prevent delays. The transcript must be updated and official for schools to consider it.
An easier component to plan for is y our personal statement. Your school will give you a prompt or a list of questions that you will write. It is a way for the admission team to get to know you as an individual rather than a student. Many schools list on their website what they want in their statement. Start drafting and revising them just as you would an academic essay, as this can be one of the most difficult requirements of the application to complete due to its flexibility. Have a pre-law adviser or a trusted professor review it with you and make edits. This is a significant component and your chance to show the law school who you are, what you value, and why you would be a good fit at their law school! Multiple revisions and a good amount of time spent will lessen the stress of this section once applications officially open.
Conclusion
This information can come off as very intimidating. There is a lot to take in and even more to plan. There are things you can do to make the application process go smoothly and reduce the amount of stress caused by the different requirements. Avoid waiting until the last minute to take the LSAT or submit your application. Faculty can tell a rushed application from one carefully put together. In planning, you increase your chances of getting into top school choices!
Mackenzie Roberts
Mackenzie Roberts is a senior at William Penn University majoring in History and Political Science. On campus, Mackenzie is an active presence, enjoying her roles as Student Ambassador and the Department Assistant for Social and Behavioral Sciences. Mackenzie loves college student life and expanding her knowledge on various topics.
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