Deciding What Schools to Apply To

By: Raquel Hagan, 2L USC Gould School of Law

Applying to law school is expensive and therefore it is good to make sure that you have carefully selected what school’s applications you are going to spend time and money on. (Or if you have fee waivers just go for it!). Keep in mind that while the rankings provide a guide to how difficult admission is at a particular school, they fail to take into account many factors that can make or break your law school experience. Here are a few factors to consider when deciding which schools you are going to send applications to:

Are you a competitive applicant? Look at the LSAT range and GPA range for the school. If you fall in that range then you have a chance of getting in. If one of your numbers is below the range then you can sometimes compensate for that if your other number is above the range. If both of your numbers are significantly below the 25th percentile of a particular school, then you probably shouldn’t waste your time.
Safety Schools. Always have one or two schools that you can be pretty sure you will get into (you can figure this out by looking at your numbers also; if both GPA and LSAT score are greater than a school’s 75thpercentile). You may want to consider applying to schools that will give you scholarships as well (law school is really expensive and scholarships help a lot!)

Bar Passage Rate. This is a really good indication of how well a law school prepares its students after you have been admitted and how invested a school is in its students. You still have to pass the bar to be a lawyer, not matter what school you go to.

Jobs. Getting a job after you graduate is a big part of the reason of going to law school for most people. So this should be considered when looking at what schools are worth applying to. If you are interested in doing a certain type of work see if they have connections in the field of the law. What is the job security after graduation for a particular school’s graduates? What type of career services do they offer and how is the alumni network?

Location. This is an important to consider because not only are you going to be spending at least 3 years of your life there, but school’s reputations will be different regionally. When you are considering schools top 14 schools, location is not as big of a factor. However, outside of the top 14, this should be weighed heavily. If you want to work and practice in a certain region after law school make sure to look at what schools place well in that region. An example would be Loyola Law School, which places very well in the LA area, better than many schools that are ranked much higher outside of the area.

What you are passionate about. Keep in mind what you want out of your law school experience and look for schools that you think will give you that. If you are passionate about small business law and that is the reason that you want to go to law school then look for schools that have great business law courses, or possibly a reputable joint MBA program, or even small business clinics (a great program at law schools that provide students which actual clients).

Last Minute October LSAT Prep

By: Raquel Hagan and Morgan Smith

There is not that much time left before the October LSAT and we know that many of you are probably getting antsy (and/or nervous, freaking out, ready to get it over with and never see another logic game as long as you live, etc.)! From some of us who survived the LSAT here are some last minute pointers to help get you through this day.

1. Take tests! You hopefully have been doing just that but for the next 2 weeks take lots of tests (or just timed sections of what area of the LSAT is the hardest for you). Make yourself as comfortable with the testing conditions as possible.

2. Know what works for you. You have been the one prepping for this test and you know what your best testing style is. Raquel did not want to look at any tests the last couple of days before the test. She felt like it was training for a marathon and that training time was up where so few last minute runs would only make her tired on the big day. By contrast, Morgan wanted to wake her brain up before the test so she did a few questions before the test as a warm up. Figure out what you want to do the week and day of and stick to it!

3. Get everything together for the day of. Have your ticket printed. Have your zip lock bag ready to go with pencils, a pencil sharpener, tissues, ear plugs, etc. Figure out transportation and directions. If you are taking public transportation or getting dropped off you cannot have your phone with you because you cannot bring it into the test. Figure out if you want to bring a watch with you or not and make sure its ready to go. Think of anything and everything that you would want with you AND that it is allowed in the testing center so that you ready and not be scrambling the morning of (I promise you will be stressed enough). Get yourself prepared with what you will need to deal with the inevitable distractions in the testing center so that your time is spent on problems!

Good luck everyone!

Where you should be in the Application Process!

By: Raquel Hagan, 2L USC Gould School of Law

Law schools have made their applications available and you may be wondering what stage you should be at in the process. We recommend getting your applications out no later than Thanksgiving. Here are some suggestions:

LSAT – if you already have your LSAT score great! If not, and you are planning on applying this admission cycle, then you should probably be taking the October LSAT. Focus on studying!

Personal Statement – You should be thinking about what you want to write in your personal statement. It should give the law school some idea of who you are and what you are all about. If you have a draft that you want reviewed you can send it to the pre-law advisors at prelaw@usc.edu. If you need help thinking of an idea you can come meet with us to discuss potential topics! (Walk in hours: M/W 11:30-1:30)

Letters of Recommendation – Hopefully you have asked professors for Letters of recommendation already. They should be a Professor of a class you did well in and that knows something about how you are as a student. While you can get letters from other people besides professors (employers, TA’s, etc.) remember that law schools are thinking of you as a potential student and so they are most interested in what type of student you will be when you get there. If you haven’t asked for letters of recommendation yet do so ASAP. You don’t want to be waiting for your professor to send in their letter in December, when all the other aspects of your application are ready to go!

Resume – remember that most Law Schools ask for a 1-2 page resume.

Good luck! And if you have any questions email prelaw@usc.edu!