What to expect when I start Law School....

[dr mantis toboggan]

Originally Posted by KickHead23

Just got the books recommended by Dr. T so we'll see how that goes. I guess I'm going to try and shoot for the June test. I took the LSAT Practice administered and timed in a classroom on campus by Kaplan completely blind and only got a 145 =\ so I'm praying to based god that prep works out.

If you got a blind 145, you're in good shape.  To prep, I went through the each Powerscore Bible, then reviewed chapters on my weak areas.   After doing that, I would take the real LSAT tests.  I took my first 4-5 untimed, and took about 42ish minutes to finish each section.  I wanted to work on answering the questions right before focusing on timing, and noticed that my timing got better as I became comfortable with the format of the questions.  I prepped for 2 months, and raised my score from ~150 to a 169 on the real thing.  If you can commit 2-3 hours a day during the week, and 4-5 hours per day on the weekend, you can make huge strides.
As an earlier poster suggested, sit for the June test.  If you don't get your ideal score, you can always retake in the fall.  I sent out my applications in late December, but you should try to get them out by the end of October.

 

[dr mantis toboggan]

Originally Posted by KickHead23

Just got the books recommended by Dr. T so we'll see how that goes. I guess I'm going to try and shoot for the June test. I took the LSAT Practice administered and timed in a classroom on campus by Kaplan completely blind and only got a 145 =\ so I'm praying to based god that prep works out.

If you got a blind 145, you're in good shape.  To prep, I went through the each Powerscore Bible, then reviewed chapters on my weak areas.   After doing that, I would take the real LSAT tests.  I took my first 4-5 untimed, and took about 42ish minutes to finish each section.  I wanted to work on answering the questions right before focusing on timing, and noticed that my timing got better as I became comfortable with the format of the questions.  I prepped for 2 months, and raised my score from ~150 to a 169 on the real thing.  If you can commit 2-3 hours a day during the week, and 4-5 hours per day on the weekend, you can make huge strides.
As an earlier poster suggested, sit for the June test.  If you don't get your ideal score, you can always retake in the fall.  I sent out my applications in late December, but you should try to get them out by the end of October.

 

[nickgotmoney07]

debt

 

[nickgotmoney07]

debt

 

[xcautionx]

Originally Posted by Dr Mantis Toboggan

Originally Posted by KickHead23

Just got the books recommended by Dr. T so we'll see how that goes. I guess I'm going to try and shoot for the June test. I took the LSAT Practice administered and timed in a classroom on campus by Kaplan completely blind and only got a 145 =\ so I'm praying to based god that prep works out.

If you got a blind 145, you're in good shape.  To prep, I went through the each Powerscore Bible, then reviewed chapters on my weak areas.   After doing that, I would take the real LSAT tests.  I took my first 4-5 untimed, and took about 42ish minutes to finish each section.  I wanted to work on answering the questions right before focusing on timing, and noticed that my timing got better as I became comfortable with the format of the questions.  I prepped for 2 months, and raised my score from ~150 to a 169 on the real thing.  If you can commit 2-3 hours a day during the week, and 4-5 hours per day on the weekend, you can make huge strides.
As an earlier poster suggested, sit for the June test.  If you don't get your ideal score, you can always retake in the fall.  I sent out my applications in late December, but you should try to get them out by the end of October.

That's really good, I have a few friends in my circle who just got in to t10 schools with 165s. I put it off, decided to take a two year fellowship directing a non-profit. I figured I could use the discipline and organizational practice before doing the law school grind.

 

[xcautionx]

Originally Posted by Dr Mantis Toboggan

Originally Posted by KickHead23

Just got the books recommended by Dr. T so we'll see how that goes. I guess I'm going to try and shoot for the June test. I took the LSAT Practice administered and timed in a classroom on campus by Kaplan completely blind and only got a 145 =\ so I'm praying to based god that prep works out.

If you got a blind 145, you're in good shape.  To prep, I went through the each Powerscore Bible, then reviewed chapters on my weak areas.   After doing that, I would take the real LSAT tests.  I took my first 4-5 untimed, and took about 42ish minutes to finish each section.  I wanted to work on answering the questions right before focusing on timing, and noticed that my timing got better as I became comfortable with the format of the questions.  I prepped for 2 months, and raised my score from ~150 to a 169 on the real thing.  If you can commit 2-3 hours a day during the week, and 4-5 hours per day on the weekend, you can make huge strides.
As an earlier poster suggested, sit for the June test.  If you don't get your ideal score, you can always retake in the fall.  I sent out my applications in late December, but you should try to get them out by the end of October.

That's really good, I have a few friends in my circle who just got in to t10 schools with 165s. I put it off, decided to take a two year fellowship directing a non-profit. I figured I could use the discipline and organizational practice before doing the law school grind.

 

[jcach]

OP - I'm a 2L at Berkeley Law. A lot of good advice already imparted here...PM me if you've got any more specific questions.

 

[jcach]

OP - I'm a 2L at Berkeley Law. A lot of good advice already imparted here...PM me if you've got any more specific questions.

 

[xcautionx]

Originally Posted by jcach

OP - I'm a 2L at Berkeley Law. A lot of good advice already imparted here...PM me if you've got any more specific questions.

Haha, Berkeley alumni here spring10. I'll be applying to Boalt as one of my back ups, great school- one of the best- I just want to get out of the bay for law school.

 

[xcautionx]

Originally Posted by jcach

OP - I'm a 2L at Berkeley Law. A lot of good advice already imparted here...PM me if you've got any more specific questions.

Haha, Berkeley alumni here spring10. I'll be applying to Boalt as one of my back ups, great school- one of the best- I just want to get out of the bay for law school.

 

[kickhead23]

Originally Posted by xCautioNx

Originally Posted by Dr Mantis Toboggan

Originally Posted by KickHead23

Just got the books recommended by Dr. T so we'll see how that goes. I guess I'm going to try and shoot for the June test. I took the LSAT Practice administered and timed in a classroom on campus by Kaplan completely blind and only got a 145 =\ so I'm praying to based god that prep works out.

If you got a blind 145, you're in good shape.  To prep, I went through the each Powerscore Bible, then reviewed chapters on my weak areas.   After doing that, I would take the real LSAT tests.  I took my first 4-5 untimed, and took about 42ish minutes to finish each section.  I wanted to work on answering the questions right before focusing on timing, and noticed that my timing got better as I became comfortable with the format of the questions.  I prepped for 2 months, and raised my score from ~150 to a 169 on the real thing.  If you can commit 2-3 hours a day during the week, and 4-5 hours per day on the weekend, you can make huge strides.
As an earlier poster suggested, sit for the June test.  If you don't get your ideal score, you can always retake in the fall.  I sent out my applications in late December, but you should try to get them out by the end of October.

That's really good, I have a few friends in my circle who just got in to t10 schools with 165s. I put it off, decided to take a two year fellowship directing a non-profit. I figured I could use the discipline and organizational practice before doing the law school grind.

Mind sharing you guy's GPA's? I'm at a 3.5 now but this semester it will bump. And when I apply I'm going to have almost a full year of school left if I apply when you advised me to, so then will the schools I apply to not take into account my last semesters gap's before admitting me?

 

[kickhead23]

Originally Posted by xCautioNx

Originally Posted by Dr Mantis Toboggan

Originally Posted by KickHead23

Just got the books recommended by Dr. T so we'll see how that goes. I guess I'm going to try and shoot for the June test. I took the LSAT Practice administered and timed in a classroom on campus by Kaplan completely blind and only got a 145 =\ so I'm praying to based god that prep works out.

If you got a blind 145, you're in good shape.  To prep, I went through the each Powerscore Bible, then reviewed chapters on my weak areas.   After doing that, I would take the real LSAT tests.  I took my first 4-5 untimed, and took about 42ish minutes to finish each section.  I wanted to work on answering the questions right before focusing on timing, and noticed that my timing got better as I became comfortable with the format of the questions.  I prepped for 2 months, and raised my score from ~150 to a 169 on the real thing.  If you can commit 2-3 hours a day during the week, and 4-5 hours per day on the weekend, you can make huge strides.
As an earlier poster suggested, sit for the June test.  If you don't get your ideal score, you can always retake in the fall.  I sent out my applications in late December, but you should try to get them out by the end of October.

That's really good, I have a few friends in my circle who just got in to t10 schools with 165s. I put it off, decided to take a two year fellowship directing a non-profit. I figured I could use the discipline and organizational practice before doing the law school grind.

Mind sharing you guy's GPA's? I'm at a 3.5 now but this semester it will bump. And when I apply I'm going to have almost a full year of school left if I apply when you advised me to, so then will the schools I apply to not take into account my last semesters gap's before admitting me?

 

[xcautionx]

^ We're all in the 3.5 - 3.7 range. Your undergrad school matters though when it comes to GPA, for example a 3.5 from Cal is considered more competitive than a 3.5 from San Francisco State University. Still, that 3.5 can go up because your LSAC GPA will be weighted differently than your undergrad GPA. The said person had a 3.5 when he graduated, but his LSAC GPA was like a 3.7.

 

[xcautionx]

^ We're all in the 3.5 - 3.7 range. Your undergrad school matters though when it comes to GPA, for example a 3.5 from Cal is considered more competitive than a 3.5 from San Francisco State University. Still, that 3.5 can go up because your LSAC GPA will be weighted differently than your undergrad GPA. The said person had a 3.5 when he graduated, but his LSAC GPA was like a 3.7.

 

[kickhead23]

Just received my bibles. Started on the LGB and already in the first 40 pages I've learned so much so thanks for the tip! However I was browsing over on TLS and im getting the impression I'm way too far behind for the June LSAT, fml. Would you recommend taking it only once end nailing it? Or taking it more than once if necessary and a greater core the second time is nearly guaraunteed? My target school is UF so nothing major is necessary, mid 160's is probably good enough to get in with a decent gap (3.5 and up).

 

[kickhead23]

Just received my bibles. Started on the LGB and already in the first 40 pages I've learned so much so thanks for the tip! However I was browsing over on TLS and im getting the impression I'm way too far behind for the June LSAT, fml. Would you recommend taking it only once end nailing it? Or taking it more than once if necessary and a greater core the second time is nearly guaraunteed? My target school is UF so nothing major is necessary, mid 160's is probably good enough to get in with a decent gap (3.5 and up).

 

[throwedindagame]

I always wondered do Law Schools factor in major into GPA like Business schools do?

Like HBS will take engineers with 3.2s.....but if you studied liberal arts...you better be 3.8ish.
Is this the same for HLS and other T14 schools?

 

[throwedindagame]

I always wondered do Law Schools factor in major into GPA like Business schools do?

Like HBS will take engineers with 3.2s.....but if you studied liberal arts...you better be 3.8ish.
Is this the same for HLS and other T14 schools?

 

[gokickrocks]

Funny this topic has popped up. I'm also deciding on a few schools (Oregon, Seattle U, UNLV, Loyola Chicago, Pitt) and one thing that I've found really helpful is trying to negotiate merit-based aid. For example, one school didn't offer me any money, but after a simple e-mail stating that a school that is ranked near them offered me $____. they matched it. The reason that the schools I'm considering attending are all over the place is the schools in my home state (California) that I'd like to go to either waitlisted/rejected me or will end up being more expensive than the earlier mentioned schools. What I think helps me out is that I've made pretty good contacts while working at a law firm for the past 4 years. Even though I haven't started law school, I've asked many of my law school friends the same questions and here's what they told me.

Does a school's ranking really matter that much, and should I decide which school to go to based on rankings? - I've been told that once you get past the top 14-15, you should focus on the school with a combination of rank and coming out in the least amount of debt. Even though my choices are scattered all over the place, they are all places where I don't mind living if need be.

What can I do this summer to prepare me for school in the fall? - Everyone tells me to enjoy the last summer for a very long time. Personally, I'm planning on doing some traveling. I have been recommended to read "Getting to Maybe".

I've always done fairly well in school with minimal effort ; will this hurt me in law school? - Simple version, yes.

Do you really not make friends while in law school? - Based on hanging out with my friends, it really depends on the person. Most of my law school friends are sociable and have a fairly active social life while still doing well. They've also told me there are a few students who do nothing but study and keep to themselves.

All in all, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's going to be taking the leap to law school this fall. To those who are thinking about it, I really recommend Testmasters. Helped my score and helped me develop a better work ethic.

 

[gokickrocks]

Funny this topic has popped up. I'm also deciding on a few schools (Oregon, Seattle U, UNLV, Loyola Chicago, Pitt) and one thing that I've found really helpful is trying to negotiate merit-based aid. For example, one school didn't offer me any money, but after a simple e-mail stating that a school that is ranked near them offered me $____. they matched it. The reason that the schools I'm considering attending are all over the place is the schools in my home state (California) that I'd like to go to either waitlisted/rejected me or will end up being more expensive than the earlier mentioned schools. What I think helps me out is that I've made pretty good contacts while working at a law firm for the past 4 years. Even though I haven't started law school, I've asked many of my law school friends the same questions and here's what they told me.

Does a school's ranking really matter that much, and should I decide which school to go to based on rankings? - I've been told that once you get past the top 14-15, you should focus on the school with a combination of rank and coming out in the least amount of debt. Even though my choices are scattered all over the place, they are all places where I don't mind living if need be.

What can I do this summer to prepare me for school in the fall? - Everyone tells me to enjoy the last summer for a very long time. Personally, I'm planning on doing some traveling. I have been recommended to read "Getting to Maybe".

I've always done fairly well in school with minimal effort ; will this hurt me in law school? - Simple version, yes.

Do you really not make friends while in law school? - Based on hanging out with my friends, it really depends on the person. Most of my law school friends are sociable and have a fairly active social life while still doing well. They've also told me there are a few students who do nothing but study and keep to themselves.

All in all, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's going to be taking the leap to law school this fall. To those who are thinking about it, I really recommend Testmasters. Helped my score and helped me develop a better work ethic.

 

[kvsm23vs24]

Originally Posted by Dr Mantis Toboggan

Originally Posted by DrTobaggan

Dr Mantis Toboggan wrote:

---

How are you gonna jack my sn like that?

Check the date I joined NT 

got em

 

[kvsm23vs24]

Originally Posted by Dr Mantis Toboggan

Originally Posted by DrTobaggan

Dr Mantis Toboggan wrote:

---

How are you gonna jack my sn like that?

Check the date I joined NT 

got em

 

[kobefan23]

Originally Posted by ThrowedInDaGame

I always wondered do Law Schools factor in major into GPA like Business schools do?

Like HBS will take engineers with 3.2s.....but if you studied liberal arts...you better be 3.8ish.
Is this the same for HLS and other T14 schools?

Not really. A 3.8 Animal Science Major>3.4 Business major. If an undergrad is known for having a difficult Business/Engineering/Hard Science program with a tougher grading scale, they'll consider that. But, the USNEWS rankings don't account for difficulty of undergrad major. There's huge pressure to just take top LSAT/GPA's.

Aspiring law students:
1) Focus on LSAT/GPA. That's 90% of the application. Once you're in their GPA/LSAT range, the other stuff can make a difference (specifically the Personal statement). But you can't even play the game unless your GPA/LSAT is up to par.

2) Don't buy into any of the employment numbers posted on these school's websites. Most are outdated, manipulated, and heavily overstated.

3) URMs--ignore the score ranges you see for schools. Being a URM can get you into schools much better than your numbers.

4) Use the Powerscore Bibles to study for the LSAT. Take a Kaplan course if you feel like the structured environment will be helpful. Take TONS of practice tests. I'd advise taking a minimum of 10-15. Use the most recent ones that you can purchase from LSAC. Take each test under timed conditions. Go over all your missed answers when you review and see exactly what you're getting wrong. Make sure you can finish each section with time to spare. You don't want to be having timing issues on test day. Allocate minimum 3 months to study. Don't be discouraged if you're initial scores are low and improvement is going slowly. I started at a 151 and made it to a 173. I didn't do anything remarkable/am not incredibly smart. Put in the work and you'll get results. Unlike probably any other test you've taken, you can LEARN the LSAT. The same types of problems show up on every test, just with different words/numbers.

5) Really ask yourself why you are wanting to go to law school. It's expensive and time consuming. Do you want to be a lawyer? What's your career goals? How realistic are those career goals (Ex. you're changes of getting a BIGlaw job outside the T14 are < 20-30% in this economy.)

6) If you're going to visit one site, visit toplawschools.com; some outstanding information there on possibly question you may have.

 

[kobefan23]

Originally Posted by ThrowedInDaGame

I always wondered do Law Schools factor in major into GPA like Business schools do?

Like HBS will take engineers with 3.2s.....but if you studied liberal arts...you better be 3.8ish.
Is this the same for HLS and other T14 schools?

Not really. A 3.8 Animal Science Major>3.4 Business major. If an undergrad is known for having a difficult Business/Engineering/Hard Science program with a tougher grading scale, they'll consider that. But, the USNEWS rankings don't account for difficulty of undergrad major. There's huge pressure to just take top LSAT/GPA's.

Aspiring law students:
1) Focus on LSAT/GPA. That's 90% of the application. Once you're in their GPA/LSAT range, the other stuff can make a difference (specifically the Personal statement). But you can't even play the game unless your GPA/LSAT is up to par.

2) Don't buy into any of the employment numbers posted on these school's websites. Most are outdated, manipulated, and heavily overstated.

3) URMs--ignore the score ranges you see for schools. Being a URM can get you into schools much better than your numbers.

4) Use the Powerscore Bibles to study for the LSAT. Take a Kaplan course if you feel like the structured environment will be helpful. Take TONS of practice tests. I'd advise taking a minimum of 10-15. Use the most recent ones that you can purchase from LSAC. Take each test under timed conditions. Go over all your missed answers when you review and see exactly what you're getting wrong. Make sure you can finish each section with time to spare. You don't want to be having timing issues on test day. Allocate minimum 3 months to study. Don't be discouraged if you're initial scores are low and improvement is going slowly. I started at a 151 and made it to a 173. I didn't do anything remarkable/am not incredibly smart. Put in the work and you'll get results. Unlike probably any other test you've taken, you can LEARN the LSAT. The same types of problems show up on every test, just with different words/numbers.

5) Really ask yourself why you are wanting to go to law school. It's expensive and time consuming. Do you want to be a lawyer? What's your career goals? How realistic are those career goals (Ex. you're changes of getting a BIGlaw job outside the T14 are < 20-30% in this economy.)

6) If you're going to visit one site, visit toplawschools.com; some outstanding information there on possibly question you may have.

 

[dr mantis toboggan]

Originally Posted by KickHead23

Just received my bibles. Started on the LGB and already in the first 40 pages I've learned so much so thanks for the tip! However I was browsing over on TLS and im getting the impression I'm way too far behind for the June LSAT, fml. Would you recommend taking it only once end nailing it? Or taking it more than once if necessary and a greater core the second time is nearly guaraunteed? My target school is UF so nothing major is necessary, mid 160's is probably good enough to get in with a decent gap (3.5 and up).

You have more than enough time to get ready for the June test.  Like a previous poster mentioned, the test is learnable, and the Bibles will help with your accuracy.  Once you go through them, work 15ish tests to get down your timing.  I accomplished this in 2 months, so it is doable.  If you can spare a 2-3 hours a day, you can sufficiently prepare for the June test.
The general consensus about retaking the test is that having a lower score won't hurt you; the majority of schools outside of Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and maybe Chicago/Columbia don't average your scores.  The schools only care about the score because one of the metrics used by U.S. News and World Report to determine its rankings is the average score of the admitted students.  They only have to submit your highest score to be averaged, so the lower ones don't really matter.  I'd double-check on TLS to see if Florida averages scores, but I doubt it.

One last thing: don't go into the test with the mindset that you "only" need a certain score.  Prepare every day like you want to get a 180.  It's rare for students to score this high, but aiming for the top will ensure that you don't rest on your laurels once you start hitting the 160's on practice tests.  I consistently averaged between 166 - 171 on my last few practice tests, but there were a few outliers (a 161, and a 179 

).  While you will probably be admitted to UF with a score in the 160's, a few extra points could earn you thousands of dollars in scholarship money.  A difference in a single point can potentially earn you $25k per year 

.

I'm glad that there are so many people considering law school, and that y'all are doing the research necessary to make your decision an educated one.