Law School Unplugged

{This post is inspired by the darling Megan. It is long. Very long. Hope the information helps!}

Here it is: the skinny on law school. Raw and unplugged. No holds barred.

Law school is three years. The saying goes that "the first year they scare you to death, the second year they work you to death, and the third year they bore you to death." So far, I've found that to be 100% true. Granted, my 1L year wasn't "scary" per se, but it was a whole new world and definitely jilted my reality for 9 months. Last year, as 2L, I worked harder then I've ever worked in any job, class or program I've ever been a part of. As I enter my 3L year, I can only expect to be bored silly. (And you wonder why I'm not tickled pink to be back this semester...)

Let's start at the beginning...

Most people chose to go to law school at some point during their undergraduate studies. A smaller percentage do so during a masters or other education program. An even smaller percentage decide to go to law school after having a long-term career or having a family. All of these groups offer so much to the law school experience. I go to a law school that is very "alternative-learner" friendly, meaning our program is created so that the people in those latter categories will get the full learning experience. This means we offer a lot of evening classes, part-time programs and even some weekend courses. Not all law schools will offer this flexibility.

No matter what your life is like when you decide to go to law school, you will be required to take the dreaded LSAT exam. It is the bain of all aspiring law-students existence and the cause of a much stress for a handful of months. However, it is completely do-able if you plan accordingly. Many people take LSAT courses, either provided by their college or through a private company. I did neither and definitely wish I had. Others choose just to study on their own or with friends to prepare for the exam. No matter what you choose to do the best prep advice is to take as many practice tests as possible. That said, you will likely have some days where your practice score is high and some where it's low - don't be discouraged. Instead, pay more attention to the specific areas or topics that you seem to consistently struggle with and focus on improving those areas.

As for test specifics, there is nothing I can tell you that you can't get from a book or your pre-law advisor at school. It changes every year and only you will really know the best way to study for it. What I can tell you is the following:

• Give yourself plenty of time to study
• Make sure sleep, healthy eating and quality life-balance are all part of the study process
• Always remember that there are many other factors they consider for law school admission

Which brings me to my next point. Obviously a high GPA and high LSAT score are extremely helpful for ensuring a spot in a law school class, however law schools are focusing more and more on many other qualities as well.

For example, candidates with different experiences, extra-curriculars, and community endeavors are greatly valued. Law schools want to provide thorough and well-rounded education, so having a wide variety of students adds to that goal. So, while you are taking all the right classes and studying your butt off for the LSAT, be sure to expand your resume and involve yourself in other ways too.

Once you've taken care of all the details you need to get in to law school, you'll have to send out applications. A typical law school application includes:

1. The application itself
2. Your LSAT score
3. Your resume
4. Letters of Recommendation
5. A personal statement
6. Application Fee

**Some schools will require more L.o.R.'s or a multiple question personal statement, but all schools require some combination of the above components. Visit the LSAC website for a list of all law schools and their admission requirements. Then, visit each school for their individualized requirements.

If you would like more information on some of these specific components, like writing a good resume and composing a personal statement, please let me know. I have participated in many workshops on both and have many friends and resources that can also help.

As for the application process, I do recommend narrowing down your list of schools and applying to less than 10. This is primarily because it can get expensive to apply to schools and you don't get the application fees back if you are not accepted. In order to narrow down the list of schools that interest you, I take the following approach:

• Apply to two "dream" schools, like Columbia or Northwestern. These are the hard-to-get-into schools, but are worth the long-shot if you'd like to give it a try.
• Apply to two "shoe-in" schools. These are schools that you can expect to get into based on your LSAT score, GPA and its location.
• The rest of the schools you apply to should be somewhere in between these categories.

The idea is that you will have at least one acceptance letter, which will take some of the stress off the rest of the process. You will most likely have to put a deposit on your slot, but you have some time to think it over. If you are accepted to more then one school, you might find yourself putting a deposit down for multiple. Some schools will refund the deposit, some will not. It also corresponds with a timeline to put down the deposit and to revoke it.

As for selecting which school to attend once you've been accepted, consider the four L's:

• Location: You will need a support system while you go through law school. Being close to family and friends is very important.
• Learning environment: You want to make sure the school you choose aligns with how you learn the best. If you like a collaborative environment, look for a school with that focus; if you'd like to attend a law school that emphasizes a specific field of law, do it. you have to "live" there for 3 years, so make it count for you!
• Legal Community: You want to attend school in an area where the legal community is accepting and provides a support system for incoming attorneys. You also want to make sure you have plenty of opportunity to network in your community and open doors for employment during and after law school.
• Lifestyle: Consider the other things the community has available - sports, entertainment, food, etc...Maintaining a healthy life balance while you're in law school is so important and making sure there are plenty of things you love to do are available where your law school is located.

You are now ready for law school! It is thrilling, scary and a lot of work, but it is so very worth it. As for what to expect the first year of law school, look into:

One L by Scott Turow

1L of a Ride by Professor Andrew J. McClurg

Law School Confidential by Robert H. Miller (actually written by students)

And watch...The Paper Chase

**All of these sources will provide some insight that is helpful and some that is irrelevant. You should be able to sift through what applies to you and gain some valuable insight.

I can't emphasize enough how important it is that you figure out what works for you. There will 1000 people in line to give you tips on what works best for them. I could write another 30 blog posts on my various tips alone - but they won't necessarily be right for you. Check in with yourself constantly and remember that your happiness and success depend entirely on you!

{Finally, I would like to encourage my law school friends who read this blog (some of their blogs are listed on the right) to add anything or give their input. While we're in the trenches together every day, we all have varying experiences. I think most of us will agree, however, that we'll be happy when it's over and we can join the real-world!}