If your LSAT administration is swiftly approaching, you’re likely frantically trying to get your LSAT skills honed as sharp as can be. With all the stress, have you stopped to ask yourself why this test matters so much in the first place? Probably not. Not many students do, in fact. In the Great LSAT Score Race, it's easy to miss the forest for the many, many trees. However, asking and answering this question can help you refocus why you're … [Read more...]
Challenge Yourself: Are You Ready for Law School?
This blog is brought to you by a special guest, Ann Levine. Ann is the former Director of Admissions for two ABA-approved law schools and the author of the bestselling law school admission guide The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert. One of the biggest questions that I help clients answer on a regular basis is one of the most basic: are they ready for law school? If you’re thinking about law school, here are three challenges to … [Read more...]
I Majored in Theater/Visual Arts/Film/etc. Can I still Get into Law School?
Every year, I work with several students who, right off the bat, are bashing themselves: "I didn't major in PoliSci. I majored in Theater. We've got to do some damage control." "I was dumb--I didn't think about the fact that I wanted to go to law school and majored in Photography in college." "Will the fact that I majored in Film affect my application negatively? It will, won't it?" Here's the deal: Relax. Everything is going to be fine. This … [Read more...]
5 Mistakes to Avoid in a Cover Letter
This blog is brought to you by a special guest, Judy Gruen, admissions consultant at Accepted. Accepted has been helping law school applicants gain acceptance to top schools since 1994. Whether you need help brainstorming for your personal statement, writing a strong resume, or prepping for your law school interview, their menu of application packages or à la carte law school admissions services will have just what you’re looking for. … [Read more...]
I Have a Good GPA and LSAT Score, What Else Do I Need?
It's hard, given how much of your law school application rides on your LSAT/GPA combo, to see the forest for the trees. Many students with excellent LSAT scores and GPAs are lulled into a false sense of confidence about their application.I already have an awesome profile. I can just wing the rest of this application stuff, and I'll be fine. Sure, you'll be fine with some schools, but not with all. And if you're looking to get into an … [Read more...]
When and How to Ask for Letters of Recommendation
Highly-regarded law school admissions expert, Peg Cheng, is the author of The No B.S. Guides for applying to law school and the founder of Prelaw Guru, where you can find law school admissions tips, videos, books, and more.Because fall always seems so busy for everyone, I recommend asking for letters of recommendation (LORs) for your law school application during the summer, September at the latest.Make an effort to meet with each … [Read more...]
GPA Addenda Effectiveness Against the T14
We're now entering application season, and one question that often comes up is at this time of year is: should I submit an addendum to explain my low GPA or LSAT score? And if so, how long should it be? Our resident law school admissions expert, Dave Killoran, talks with a student about her addendum, and provides some handy rules for putting together an explanation. Here's a quick preview. Make sure to check out the full thread to read the … [Read more...]
Should I Choose a Part-Time Law School Program?
Ah, to attend part-time or not to attend part-time. That is the question. For many students, the decision is a no-brainer--attending a full-time program is the only way to go. But what happens when you don't have the time or need/want to continue working full-time while you attend law school? That's when part-time programs start looking very attractive.Many students, however, are reticent about even considering a part-time (sometimes referred … [Read more...]
Personal Statement Advice from our LSAT Discussion Forum
This PowerScore LSAT Forum Post of the Day comes from this past weekend (found here). One of our students posted a second draft of her personal statement, and PowerScore LSAT Bible author Dave Killoran weighed in on that draft in detail (and lots of it!). The link above leads to her second draft, and Dave’s extended comments immediately follow her post. If you are working on your personal statement or your applications in general, his post gives … [Read more...]
I Messed Up One Semester… Can I Still Get into Law School?
We get a lot of questions from students on our forum and in our law school admissions counseling programs. Many of these questions sound something like this. My freshman year of college I had a 3.87 GPA. Then, my first semester of sophomore year, my grades suffered and I ended up with a 2.73 for the semester. If I were to achieve great grades (straight As) for the rest of my undergraduate career, would I still have a shot at a decent law … [Read more...]
What Are My Law School Admissions Chances?
A genie appears and grants a law school applicant one wish. What do they wish for? Chances are, wanting to know their chances of getting into a certain law school is near the top. It’s likely followed by having a stellar GPA, LSAT score, and personal statement. Unfortunately, there isn’t a magical genie that can help you figure out your chances. Although it’s almost impossible to predict with any certainty your chances, there are things you can … [Read more...]
The LSAT: Why Those 3 Sections?
When students begin their preparations for the LSAT, their questions generally concern how to go about maximizing their scores. Given the importance of the LSAT in their law school applications, this is completely understandable. But it can be worthwhile to understand the perspective of the test makers, and to see why you are working so hard to break down the complexities of this test.Reading Comprehension is perhaps the most readily … [Read more...]
Should You Add a Conclusion to Your Law School Application Personal Statement
This blog is brought to you by PowerScore Law School Admissions Consultant Jeff Gardner I recently helped a student cut a 4-page personal statement down to a lean, mean, Oh-Wow-I-Can't-Believe-We-Squeezed-It-Into-Two-Pages essay. She needed a 2-page statement for several schools that required it and, although this client had a number of experiences we agreed showed some tremendous personal qualities, I felt one of the experiences needed to be … [Read more...]
Applying to Law School Early: What’s the Deal?
A lot of students contact us well in advance of the year they plan to attend law school. For some, they merely want to get a head start and fully formulate their admissions plan. Others are even more ambitious and deciding whether or not it's worth applying Early Action or Early Decision to their top schools.Many schools offer the EA and ED options--candidates often don't take advantage of them because they don't really understand them, but … [Read more...]