The other night I co-hosted a free PowerScore online seminar on the basics of the law school admissions process. This seminar, known as Admissions 101, covers each step of applying to law school, and it discusses how to approach the application process and what the law schools are seeking from you as an applicant. During this seminar I spend a lot of time answering questions about two things in particular: letters of recommendation (LOR) and the … [Read more...]
3 Pieces of Admissions Advice from the USC Law Fair
The University of Southern California's annual Law Fair was held last Monday, November 7th, and I was fortunate enough to be in attendance. Over the course of the day I was able to speak to dozens of prospective law students about their LSAT plans, a number of other test prep companies about their various offerings, and, most central to this blog, an incredibly gracious admissions officer from UC Hastings College of Law.*Our conversation was … [Read more...]
Should You Wait for Your Fall Semester Grades to Apply to Law School?
As you contemplate a timeline for sending in your law school applications, the first (and most important) piece of the puzzle is your LSAT score. The October 2015 LSAT scoes will most likely be released on Monday, October 26th, so - assuming you did well - you'll be ready to click that ominous "Submit" button soon after that. Hopefully, you followed our advice and polished your personal statement to the point of perfection, had your transcripts … [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 elite … [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...]
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...]
The LSAT is Unfair
The LSAT is a great test in many ways, but some students complain that the test is not entirely fair, and they do have some valid points:The LSAT is not like other tests. There are a lot of test takers who are very smart—and have the grades and plenty of other evidence to prove it—who nonetheless find the LSAT quite a bit more challenging than expected. It can be a very frustrating experience, even for good students (who also often tend to … [Read more...]
The Value of Work Experience to a Law School
Work Experience on your Application LSAT score and GPA generally constitute the most important factors in law school admissions decisions. Historically, post-college work experience has not been emphasized, and students often go directly from college into law school. Over the past few years, however, many top law schools have increased their focus on work experience when making admissions decisions.Dean Martha Minow brought this type of … [Read more...]
What Are Splitters, Reverse Splitters, and Super Splitters?
If you are applying to law school, you will come across an unusual and somewhat confusing term: Splitter. And no, it has nothing to do with baseball pitches, cutting trees, or a certain San Antonio Spurs/Philadelphia 76ers basketball player. A "splitter" is someone who has LSAT and GPA numbers that are split between high and low marks. Often, the medians for a law school play a role in determining if one is truly a splitter. While this concept is … [Read more...]