Think About Grad School

Law Schools

You’ve heard the lawyer jokes. You’re well aware that law schools are difficult. You know all about 80-hour workweeks and that strenuous climb up the corporate ladder. Still, you are intrigued by the idea of working in the legal profession, and rightly so—a career in law can be extremely rewarding and enjoyable.

Law School Requirements

Getting accepted to  good law schools is tough, but there are things you can do to increase your chances. Start with your high school classes; it’ll help to have an understanding of law before you go to college. Some high school courses, such as politics, civics, economics and history, will give you the necessary requirements for college-level pre-law programs. They will also help you decide if you’re willing to spend the next seven years of studying required by law schools.

Participate in your high school’s debate team, mock-trial team, student government or your local chapter of Junior State of America. And get involved in your community, too. Volunteer for a local advocacy group, help out at a charitable organization or complete an internship at a law firm.

Choosing the right pre-law program in college is also important. Selecting pre-law or legal studies as your major will help you in law schools studies and help you meet the rigid law school requirements. Certain college courses are similar to their law schools counterparts; some even use the same textbooks. However, keep in mind that today’s law schools are looking for candidates who possess well-rounded educations. So don’t just take required law school classes, but make sure your transcript reflects diverse and challenging classes.

For example, take a course on contemporary East Asian markets, venture into the world of art or music, or study the works of Caribbean authors. Law schools seek students who are learned in a wide variety of subjects. Of course, you should never spread yourself so thin that your good grades become jeopardized.

Meeting the numbers - Law school requirements on paper

Your collegiate GPA is one of the most important factors considered by law schools admissions staff. Receiving good grades is imperative if you plan to apply to law schools. There is another significant number besides your GPA that will determine your law-school application’s fate: your score on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), which is administered by the Law School Admissions Council.

You should plan to take the LSAT as a college junior, and possibly retake it during your senior year if your first score isn’t up to par. The LSAT gives law schools a feel for your logical-thinking skills, for how you derive information, formulate arguments and how you are at legal writing. The test measures your ability to learn about the law—it does not attempt to gauge how much you already know about it.

Networking

At this point, what you already know about law isn’t as important as whom you know in the profession. Networking is a key component of getting into (and through) law school. Introduce yourself to anyone willing to help you or recommend you to someone else. You’ll want your contacts to be familiar with your accomplishments.

After you have established a network of professionals and educators, make sure you maintain regular contact. Call them, invite them to lunch, send them emails detailing your current endeavors. When asking for recommendations, be confident about yourself and informative about your future plans while also being courteous and grateful. Follow up with a simple thank-you note.

Law schools, like many colleges, are often known for their specialization in a particular area of the legal system, such as international or family law. If you are certain that you would like to practice only one or two types of law, you might want to consider law schools that have a lot of courses in those areas.

Other law careers

Law school isn’t just for future lawyers. You may be preparing to become a judge, an arbitrator, a prosecutor or a law professor. If so, you should consider the school’s rate of students who go on to work in the profession you prefer. When all this preparation is done, sit back and enjoy your last summer before law school. Then, get ready for a strenuous and challenging-yet-rewarding experience!

You should plan to take the LSAT as a college junior, and possibly re-take it during your senior year if your first score isn’t up to par. The LSAT gives law schools a feel for your logical-thinking skills, for how you derive information, formulate arguments and how you are at legal writing. The test measures your ability to learn about the law—it does not attempt to gauge how much you already know about it.

Networking
At this point, what you already know about law isn’t as important as whom you know in the profession. Networking is a key component of getting into (and through) law school. Introduce yourself to anyone willing to help you or recommend you to someone else. You’ll want your contacts to be familiar with your accomplishments.

After you have established a network of professionals and educators, make sure you maintain regular contact. Call them, invite them to lunch, send them e-mails detailing your current endeavors. When asking for recommendations, be confident about yourself and informative about your future plans while also being courteous and grateful. Follow up with a simple thank-you note.

Law schools, like many colleges, are often known for their specialization in a particular area of the legal system, such as international or family law. If you are certain that you would like to practice only one or two types of law, you might want to consider law schools that have a lot of courses in those areas.

Other law careers
Law school isn’t just for future lawyers. You may be preparing to become a judge, an arbitrator, a prosecutor or a law professor. If so, you should consider the school’s rate of students who go on to work in the profession you prefer. When all this preparation is done, sit back and enjoy your last summer before law school. Then, get ready for a strenuous and challenging-yet-rewarding experience!

Dean Chollett is the Dean of Admissions for Baylor Law School.

Q: What do you consider the most significant parts of an application?
A: Aside from the academic record and LSAT score, the most important part of an application is the personal statement.  The personal statement is one component of the application packet that an applicant has control of and one that an applicant can use to make that powerful first impression with members of an admissions committee.

Q: Is there anything you frequently see on an application that you hope to never see again? 
A: Yes, quotes used to start personal statements.  Trust me, I have read all the famous quotes and there is nothing more effective than an applicant’s own words.  Additionally, reading sloppy applications and/or personal statements are things that I hope not to see.  Application packages that are not thoughtfully put together convey to me that the applicant is not really interested in going to law school.

Q: What common pitfalls should applicants be careful to avoid?  
A: This is a great question.  Applicants should follow the directions set out in the application instructions.  For example, if the instructions for a personal statement state that the personal statement should be no more than two pages in length and double-spaced, an applicant should not submit a five page personal statement that is single spaced.  

Applicants should not spend time crafting a personal statement that they assume an admissions committee wants to read.  The best personal statements are ones that are passionate, authentic, sincere and written in the applicant’s own voice.

Q: Are there any myths about the application process that you would like to dispel?
A: The one myth that I would like to dispel is that law schools only look at the numbers (GPA and LSAT score(s)).  If the admission process truly involved only the numbers, then the admission procedure would be an extremely easy process for my colleagues and me.  Admissions professionals take their jobs seriously and strive to give each applicant a fair chance of gaining admission to their school while striving to enroll students who are well suited for their program.  Admissions professionals do read the personal statements, resumes, addenda and letters of recommendation along with any other information that is submitted with an applicant’s application.

Q: What advice would you give to an applicant with below-average test scores but significant work experience?
A: Law schools seek to enroll applicants who will bring diversity and different backgrounds to their schools.  An applicant who has significant work experience should highlight the work experience in his/her resume and should consider promoting in an addendum why the admissions committee should strongly consider his/her work experience as a plus factor.  

Q: Do you frequently have to turn away applicants whom you wish you could admit?  If so, what could those applicants do to be admitted?
A: Absolutely, and this is probably the only aspect of my job that I don’t enjoy. It breaks my heart when I have to deny an applicant whom I wish we could admit.  Oftentimes, Baylor Law School is not the best fit for them and in this particular situation, there isn’t much applicants can do to enhance their chances of gaining admission.  That said, there are situations when applicants could re-craft their personal statement so that it better promotes their positive attributes and/or communication skills.

Q: How much faith do you have in the ability of an LSAT to predict success in law school?
A: The LSAT is one of the important factors in the admissions process that most admission professionals consider.  It is a standardized test that is designed to assess how an applicant will perform in law school.  It is not the only factor that admission professionals look out, but it is one that is given significant weight.  That said, applicants should prepare for the LSAT and take it at a time that is conducive with their schedule.

Q: What do you look for in a recommendation letter? 
A: In selecting a person to write a letter of recommendation, the applicant should carefully select someone who knows him/her very well.  More importantly, the recommender should feel comfortable with writing a letter of recommendation that will provide the admission committee with substantive information about the applicant.  A letter from a professor that gives examples of how the applicant was a stand out in his/her class is extremely beneficial.  Additionally, a letter from an employer that attests to an applicant’s work ethic, drive, and character also is beneficial.  The most effective letter of recommendation is one that enhances an application by providing new information about the applicant.

Applicants should never underestimate the importance of letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendations and personal statements oftentimes can tip the scales for those applicants who fall within the gray area.   

Q: What can that applicant do to distinguish himself or herself in your eyes as a good candidate for your program? 
A: We are always striving to enroll classes that are rich in diversity.  Substantial life experiences gained in the legal profession or other fields enhances an applicant’s application for admission.

Bio: Miriam is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Philosophy and Religion. She worked as a private tutor in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut before joining the Parliament team. She is now Parliament's Chief Academic Advisor. 

Imagine taking the time to fill out your college app, write a stellar essay, then ending up being rejected from your top college choice/graduate school or a scholarship opportunity because an admissions rep checked out your Facebook page and didn’t like what was there.

It happens.
Never before has it been so simple for admissions officers to get extra information about students. Simply looking at someone’s Facebook or MySpace page can be an excellent indicator as to whether or not they really fit the personality picture that their application painted.

A 2009 Survey performed by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) found that 88 percent of admissions officers said that social networking sites (such as Facebook or MySpace) were either “somewhat important” or “very important” to their current and future recruitment efforts (this included graduate school admissions officers).

How to deal?
Of course, there are some ways to avoid the negative impacts of social networking. Here are some.

1. Don’t use them. The simplest way to avoid this problem is to avoid social networking sites altogether.

2. Turn all privacy settings on. With applications such as Facebook, you can control who is able to view your profile. While applying to colleges, (or graduate school), it may be worth turning all the privacy settings on.

3. Ask your friends and family for their opinion on your profile. Have them look at your profiles to ensure they won’t have a negative impact on your reputation. They will often give you the most objective opinion as to whether that latest party photo is too risqué.

4. Always err on the side of caution. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you think your social networking activities are too risky, then take the profile down.

Always consider the impact that social networking can have on your applications. Taking the time to do so now will ensure you aren’t left wondering why your application was denied.

Ross Blankenship is the president and director of TopTestPrep.com. He is an admissions expert who has helped students get into top prep schools, colleges and graduate schools through Top Test Prep’s private tutoring and admissions consulting programs.

Why graduate school?

Some careers require it. Some prefer it. Or you may just love learning and want to continue on with college. No matter what your motivation, it’s not too early for you to start thinking about grad school.

Why go to graduate school? There are many different reasons why you might want to get a graduate degree. Here are some you may not have considered, courtesy of GradSchools.com.

• Gain an advantage over others in your career. “These days, it takes a graduate education to set you apart when you go into the job market,” says Clara Pitts of GradSchools.com.

• Immerse yourself in what you are passionate about. Undergrad gives you the opportunity to take many different kinds of classes and discover your passion. Grad school allows you to explore that passion in-depth.

“In grad school, you can study the few things you’re most interested in,” says Pitts. “It’s a great opportunity to dive into a specific area and become an expert in a way you won’t get with an undergrad education. It gives you a leg up when going in search of a job.”

• Earn more money. More education equals more money. People with master’s or doctoral degrees have been shown to earn higher salaries than those with bachelor’s degrees. Also, you are likely to start your career at a higher level and advance faster with a graduate degree.

Who goes to grad school?

If you want to be a doctor, lawyer or clinical worker, you will need to get a graduate degree. For most other professions, a graduate degree is not required.

Five-year programs

Several colleges offer programs through which you can earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in five years.

This option saves you time, as a bachelor’s degree takes four years and a master’s typically takes an additional two to three.

You will also save money by only paying for five years of school, not six or more. Not to mention you’ll save the energy it takes to apply to grad schools while you’re an undergrad.

“Five-year programs are a way of combining undergrad and grad degrees into one continuous, seamless process,” says Victoria Bobik, senior associate director of undergraduate admission at Monmouth University (monmouth.edu).

Monmouth offers five-year programs in several disciplines, including history, business, English, social work and computer science. Students are offered admission when they apply as freshmen and must maintain a certain GPA to stay in the program.

Bobik says that different colleges have different ways of administering five-year programs. For example, some allow students to take grad courses while they are still in undergrad; other programs have students start grad courses the summer after senior year of undergrad.

At Bentley University (bentley.edu), students are eligible to apply for and enroll in the Five-Year Graduate School Preparatory Program between their sophomore and junior years.

“They get to take graduate classes in their senior year, so it’s a way to jumpstart their curriculum,” says Ellen Snedeker, associate director of graduate admission and adjunct assistant professor of law at Bentley. “…You’re already here; you might as well stay an extra year and just finish while you’re in the mode.”

Start planning now?

Maybe, says Pitts.

“The sooner you start thinking about it, the better,” she says. “If you know what you want to do, you can choose a college based on what you might be thinking about doing later. Maybe you’ll stay at a place because you’ll know the faculty. I think it’s definitely something to be forward-thinking about, so when you get into college you’ll have the mindset that you may be going further.

“The flip side is that my experience has been that a lot of people go to college thinking they know what they want to do and end up in something completely different. You may not give yourself the room to explore. There’s definitely a lot of reasons why it’s important to be thinking about graduate school, but it’s equally important for students to go to college open to seeing what their options are.”