So I finished my LSAT and was really hoping all this Law School Application stuff was going to be a breeze compared to my actual exam.. Oh was I ever so wrong. I had my heart set on two different schools, including the one I will be attending in the fall. But I knew that I needed to look at some others just in case I didn't get in. This is where the LSAC School Search came in handy;
I knew what my undergraduate GPA was so I went and began doing school searches by using my final GPA and plugging in scores that were around the score of my final practice exam in the LSAT course (plus or minus a couple of points). From here I found what many would call "safety schools". I don't like to use that term but its honestly what they are. Basically they're schools that I would almost definitely get into with the last score I received. I know that sounds horrible to say but its like my LSAT instructor said:
"If you want to go to law school this fall, you will go to law school this fall"
Side Note: When you think about it she was right. There's always the option of transferring after your first year which is not completely unheard of. By going to a "safety school" you have your foot in the door. You just make sure you work hard to earn the grades you need to transfer out if that's your plan. && You never know, that "safety school" could end up being your dream school
So I did my search and found about 14 schools. I picked my top 7 to for my first round of applications. I had my top 4 schools that I would definitely go to if I got into any of them and then 3 safety schools that I had a feeling I'd get into regardless. I made sure to really focus on completing my applications within the 4 weeks waiting period I had to receive my scores. Plus it just helped to keep my mind preoccupied instead of driving myself insane.
After I decided on my schools for the first round of applications (I had a second round in mind just in case I didn't get in to any of the first round), I picked a date for when I would submit them all by. My exam was December 5th and my sole focus was on that up to that date. I chose a date that was about 6 weeks after my LSAT date that way I had enough time to take my time with everything and really give my applications my all. ALSO it was important that I pick a date that was in Early January so that I could apply in time to receive any academic scholarships from the school but also be eligible for FASFA.
Side Note: Its important to pick a date to submit your applications so that you don't fall off track and submit your application on time. I encourage picking a date so that you can also be eligible for academic scholarship if you are applicable but also for FASFA. Every little bit will help!
After I decided on my schools for the first round of applications (I had a second round in mind just in case I didn't get in to any of the first round), I picked a date for when I would submit them all by. My exam was December 5th and my sole focus was on that up to that date. I chose a date that was about 6 weeks after my LSAT date that way I had enough time to take my time with everything and really give my applications my all. ALSO it was important that I pick a date that was in Early January so that I could apply in time to receive any academic scholarships from the school but also be eligible for FASFA.
Side Note: Its important to pick a date to submit your applications so that you don't fall off track and submit your application on time. I encourage picking a date so that you can also be eligible for academic scholarship if you are applicable but also for FASFA. Every little bit will help!
There's many different parts to the application, I've listed the parts in the order of which I found to be most important to get out of the way earliest - depending on when you apply.
1) Recommendation - LOCK THESE IN EARLY ON, I had my two by the end of my junior year. I ended up needing a third one because I needed two academic recommendations and I only had one. I was lucky enough to be on really good terms with my third recommendation and she completed it relatively quickly.
2) Transcripts (remember I was graduated by this time so I could get my final transcript)
3) PERSONAL STATEMENT - I'm not going to go into too much detail with this because there will be a post on personal statement's and resume's later but the best advice I can give at this moment is give yourself at least a month to write and review this document. It's the only place where you can give yourself an identity beyond the questionnaire and your undergrad statistics.
4) Resume - Not all schools require this but I chose to send them to all. I think resumes are a great way to sum up the highlights of your academic career especially extracurricular activities.
5) Questionnaire- EVERY APPLICATION HAS THESE. There's about 14 sections to complete, and honestly I did these when I was home at night or during the weekend when I needed a break from completing my Resume / Personal Statement. The nice thing about doing the applications online is that LSAC remembers the info you plug in after about two times so you can easily fill them out. MAKE SURE TO REVIEW ALL INFORMATION YOU PUT DOWN
6) Supplemental Essays- Some of the schools that I applied to required a supplemental Essay on top of everything else. For example one asked "Why OUR school? What do you have to offer us" the tricky part is you have to write concisely. The supplemental I did was 300 words or less. You need to get to the point but not be too cut and dry like your reciting things from a brochure.
I definitely think you should lock you recommendation letters in early on. I reached out to 2 of my 3 at the end of the fall semester my Junior year. The first was from an academic and the second was from my former coach. Choose people that you know can write on your behalf in a positive manner. But also choose someone who you actually have a relationship with; a professor you had in for one class where you merely existed would not be a good source to use. A professor you had one course with where you built an actual academic relationship with would be a good source.
So how did I go about asking my sources? My poli sci I first asked in person and then when it came time to actually do it we corresponded through email. My coach I also asked in person. My 3rd recommendation letter was unfortunately done through email because I was no longer on campus. One thing I really wish I had done was what one of my friends did. She created a portfolio that listed the schools she was applying to, her current cumulative GPA, a cover letter stating the purpose of the portfolio and then included anything else she needed to. I say I wish I did this so that it was more professional, these recommendation letters are just as important as any other piece of the application. You want people that can speak positively on your behalf so take the time to put in the effort for all parts.
Side Note: Make sure you if you are using CAS you provide the people writing your recommendation letter with the instructions on how to upload the document right to LSAC. This makes it so much easier when it comes to completing the application. All you'll have to do is assign them to each school.
So here is my "learn from my mistakes" kind of moment.... Once I narrowed down my first batch of applications, I found out that I needed an additional recommendation letter because some schools required two from academic sources. I was fortunate enough to have built a great relationship with one of my professors during the spring semester of my senior year. Even though I only had her for one class, I went to her office quite often for additional help and continued to stay in touch after I graduated. I made sure to reach out to her two months before I was sending in my applications. That way she had enough time to do it and if she said no, I would have time to reach out to another source. THANKFULLY SHE SAID YES.
As for the transcripts, I was already graduated when I requested mine so I included my actual transcript for my application(this helped in the sense that I wont have to send in my official one again to my school). Those who are still in school and applying obviously wont be able to get their official, completed transcript. Either way again make sure you do this in advanced and have your school send it right to CAS (if you purchased it) this way you don't have to worry about sending a list of schools that your transcript needs to be sent to. Also it helps that you'll be sending all parts of your application at once.
Like I said earlier, the Questionnaire isn't something that needs to be done asap. But don't be fooled they do take up some time, I sat down and did all of them in a weekend. I reviewed those things so many times especially when the days leading up to when I submitted them.
But this is all for now. If you get the chance check out this post by Legally Foreign - she created a great timeline to keep up with all that there is to do! Stay tuned for my next post which will cover Personal Statements, Resumes & Supplemental statements.
I definitely think you should lock you recommendation letters in early on. I reached out to 2 of my 3 at the end of the fall semester my Junior year. The first was from an academic and the second was from my former coach. Choose people that you know can write on your behalf in a positive manner. But also choose someone who you actually have a relationship with; a professor you had in for one class where you merely existed would not be a good source to use. A professor you had one course with where you built an actual academic relationship with would be a good source.
So how did I go about asking my sources? My poli sci I first asked in person and then when it came time to actually do it we corresponded through email. My coach I also asked in person. My 3rd recommendation letter was unfortunately done through email because I was no longer on campus. One thing I really wish I had done was what one of my friends did. She created a portfolio that listed the schools she was applying to, her current cumulative GPA, a cover letter stating the purpose of the portfolio and then included anything else she needed to. I say I wish I did this so that it was more professional, these recommendation letters are just as important as any other piece of the application. You want people that can speak positively on your behalf so take the time to put in the effort for all parts.
Side Note: Make sure you if you are using CAS you provide the people writing your recommendation letter with the instructions on how to upload the document right to LSAC. This makes it so much easier when it comes to completing the application. All you'll have to do is assign them to each school.
So here is my "learn from my mistakes" kind of moment.... Once I narrowed down my first batch of applications, I found out that I needed an additional recommendation letter because some schools required two from academic sources. I was fortunate enough to have built a great relationship with one of my professors during the spring semester of my senior year. Even though I only had her for one class, I went to her office quite often for additional help and continued to stay in touch after I graduated. I made sure to reach out to her two months before I was sending in my applications. That way she had enough time to do it and if she said no, I would have time to reach out to another source. THANKFULLY SHE SAID YES.
As for the transcripts, I was already graduated when I requested mine so I included my actual transcript for my application(this helped in the sense that I wont have to send in my official one again to my school). Those who are still in school and applying obviously wont be able to get their official, completed transcript. Either way again make sure you do this in advanced and have your school send it right to CAS (if you purchased it) this way you don't have to worry about sending a list of schools that your transcript needs to be sent to. Also it helps that you'll be sending all parts of your application at once.
Like I said earlier, the Questionnaire isn't something that needs to be done asap. But don't be fooled they do take up some time, I sat down and did all of them in a weekend. I reviewed those things so many times especially when the days leading up to when I submitted them.
But this is all for now. If you get the chance check out this post by Legally Foreign - she created a great timeline to keep up with all that there is to do! Stay tuned for my next post which will cover Personal Statements, Resumes & Supplemental statements.
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