10 Tips On Getting Accepted To Law School

So...you want to go to Law School; congratulations, so do the 86,100 other applicants you will be competing with for only 50,000 seats: make yourself more competitive with 10 tips on getting accepted to Law School:

1. Prepare for the LSAT(Law School Admissions Test). Even more than your GPA, your LSAT score will determine whether or not you are accepted to Law School; it's not like undergraduate admission, no one cares that you played football or read to blind kids after school. Average LSAT scores range from 155-162; but to get into a top school, your score will need to be even higher. Before taking the real LSAT, take a proctored test to get a baseline score and determine how much time/money you will need to put into studying. Kaplan offers free practice LSATs
2. Maintain a decent GPA. While there is usually no "cut-off" GPA, the bottom 25% ranges from 3.0- 3.3.
3. Get to know your professors.  Letters of recommendation carry a lot of weight in admission decisions and Admissions Committees hate seeing generic letters of recommendation.  If you went to a large university, it be better to get a recommendation from a GTF or a TA, with less impressive credentials, but who can truly speak to your abilities, rather than the lofty professor who might not actually know you .
   
4. Apply early. Many Law Schools offer an Early decision option. At the beginning of the admission timeline, Law Schools don't know how many applicants they will receive, so they are more likely to extend offers to less qualified candidates before the year progresses and they are flooded with applications.
5. Apply to multiple Law Schools and be realistic. Sure apply to two or three schools that you dream of attending, where your chances are less than likely, but focus the majority of your energy (and money) on the schools where your index number indicates that you have your best chance. Also apply to at least one "safe" school where your chances of admission are almost certain.
6. Register with the Law School Admissions Council. Not only do you have to register with LSAC  to apply to Law School, they have free LSAT materials, important information about choosing the right law school and paying for it.
7. Talk to an Admissions Counselor. Yes, you can call up the Law School you want to attend and ask them how to improve your application. Many Universities also host Law School fairs with representatives from multiple Law Schools.
8. Join the Pre-Law Society at your University. This will look cool on your application and other members will help you with the whole process of applying to Law School.
9. Write an interesting personal statement. There are many ways to craft a a personal statement, but above all, DO NOT A.) use legal jargon (you will not impress anyone); B.) Talk about how you want to become a lawyer to "help people" (If you want to "help people" being a lawyer is probably not the best fit for you); or C.) Talk about how your study abroad term in Costa Rica "changed your life." Use your personal statement to address inconsistencies in your transcript or other extenuating circumstances.
10. Make sure the schools have received ALL of your application materials. The Admissions Committee does not review your application, until all documents have been submitted. Sometimes people writing your recommendations get lazy. Make sure to stress the importance of submitting these in a timely manner.
     

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