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Goodbye and Good Luck
Tweet Share on Facebook January 18, 2011 Comment (2)As the "application" part of the season comes to a close, I would like to thank U.S. News and its readers for welcoming my posts throughout this admission cycle. As you sit and wait for law school admission decisions (checking your status online every few minutes, I know), I return to my own blog, Law School Expert. You can continue to follow my advice and discussions there.
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Consider This Before You Transfer
Tweet Share on Facebook January 3, 2011 Comment (23)This time of year I get a lot of questions from two groups of people about transferring: those who just finished their first semester of law school and are waiting for their grades and hoping to transfer to another school, and those who are starting to hear back from schools and are wondering about their chances of transferring "up" after their first year of law school.
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How to Write a Law School Personal Statement
Tweet Share on Facebook December 13, 2010 Comment (8)Times have changed. Law schools are well aware of the dismal job market, and they want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into by applying. It's important that you convey in your personal statement that you've carefully weighed the benefits and drawbacks before applying. Your entire essay shouldn't be about the law, and it shouldn't all be about why you want to go to law school, but the experiences you choose to share should lead into why you believe you have the attributes, characteristics, and affinity for the legal profession.
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Law School Admission Trends
Tweet Share on Facebook December 6, 2010 Comment (1)There's a lot going on at this time of year, and in today's post I'd like to give you a heads-up on a few different issues:
Fewer LSAT Takers This Year
The good news: 10 percent fewer people took the LSAT this October than last October according to the Most Strongly Supported blog. However, MSS also reports that the October 2010 LSAT administration was still the second most popular LSAT administration in history.
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Know What You're Getting Into
Tweet Share on Facebook November 22, 2010 Comment (6)I am proud to be a lawyer and I am proud to help other people reach their dream of becoming a lawyer. However, there have been numerous stories recently that may discourage you from applying to law school. There are negative and disgruntled law students and attorneys warning you about the evils of law schools, of the profession, and of anyone remotely related to it. My goal is to make sure you don't join that disgruntled bunch.
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Put a Face to Your Name
Tweet Share on Facebook November 1, 2010 CommentIt's not all about shaking hands. Taking time to go to a LSAC recruiting forum or a law school recruiting fair can be worth your while if you use the time wisely. Law school admissions personnel read thousands of files every year, but they don't get to meet more than a couple hundred applicants face to face. Use this time to shine.
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Choosing a Law School
Tweet Share on Facebook October 25, 2010 Comment (1)Are you blocking out all of the talk about a law degree not being worth the investment? Or are you among those who are so engrossed in the law school discussion forums and blogosphere commentary that you can't sleep at night? Law school applicants tend to gravitate to one of those camps, but I wish more were in a more reasonable middle ground between the two. I want you to do your research about job prospects, hiring trends, and actual salaries made by real lawyers. Then, instead of letting it discourage you from entering a profession you're passionate about, how about letting it guide you to make smart choices?
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The Post-LSAT Blues
Tweet Share on Facebook October 11, 2010 Comment (9)You took the LSAT on Saturday—maybe for the first time or maybe for the third time. There's probably a lot on your mind, so I want to use today's column to answer the three most pressing questions:
Should you cancel your score?
You have six calendar days after the test to cancel your LSAT score. There is no reason to rush this and decide today. You should absolutely cancel if you now realize that:
— You failed to prepare adequately for the exam
— If an illness or recent personal event hindered your ability to perform
— If you suffered from extreme anxiety that caused you to mis-bubble a section of the test
— If you were unable to finish more than one section of the test
— If you are otherwise sure that something went terribly amiss during the exam
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Act Like a Professional
Tweet Share on Facebook October 4, 2010 Comment (1)I'd like to talk about how we conduct ourselves--all of us. In person, on Facebook, when anonymously posting on blogs, through e-mails, text messages, and every other way that we communicate.
As an attorney, your reputation is your most important asset. They told this to me at my law school orientation in 1996 and it's still true. Who will refer cases to the know-it-all in class? Who will tell you about a job opening at their firm if you're known to be an egomaniac, a jerk or are dishonest or lazy? What client will choose you as their attorney if she is turned off by your salty language, by typos in your email, by an unprofessional voicemail greeting, or by what your fellow attorneys say about you?
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10 Mistakes Made on Law School Applications
Tweet Share on Facebook September 27, 2010 Comment (6)Applications are out, and—yes—people who already have LSAT scores are submitting them. Don't panic if you're taking the October or December LSAT, but keep these 10 common mistakes in mind when it's your turn to fill out and submit applications.
