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Selecting The Best LSAT Prep Courses

Should You Select An LSAT Prep Course Based On Cost?

In these economically difficult times it can be tempting to go with the cheapest option for pretty much everything - we shop at cheaper grocery stores, we buy cheaper clothes, and the like. However, when it comes to selecting an LSAT prep course, cheaper is NOT always the better option. Think about this: if you enroll in a cheaper course that offers a bit less than a more expensive course, you may miss out on some really important things that could have helped you get a better LSAT score. If this means that you have to take the LSAT again to get into the law school you want to, then you have not only wasted money but your time (which is an all too valuable commodity) as well. That being said, shop around. You may find some great LSAT tutors that can help you out just as much as one of the larger LSAT prep companies, but for a better price. If you can find a bargain with an LSAT coach, who offers pretty much everything you think you will need to prepare for the LSAT, then go for it!

Look At Class Size

Class size is one of the most important things to look at when selecting an LSAT prep course. The smaller the class, the more attention the instructors will likely be able to give you. While smaller class sizes usually means a higher cost, remember that this is an investment in your career that will likely have an incredible payoff if you stay dedicated to your goal of becoming a lawyer. A class of 10 is pretty good, but the smaller LSAT prep class size the better.

Look Up Reviews

The nice thing about LSAT prep courses is that you can easily see results. Ask the LSAT prep provider if they have any reviews from previous students available. You should try and get an idea of the improvement that previous students have experienced after taking this class, and be sure to try and find out the average LSAT score that student's of the course generally receive. These 3 things will give you a fairly good unit of measurement when looking at

When To Apply To Law School

Apply In December

The majority of law schools' programs start in Fall, unless you are applying to a program that runs on an alternate schedule. Since most law school start around this time, there will be a deadline to turn in your application around the beginning of the calendar year - most law schools require applications to be turned in before March if you are applying for enrollment in the following fall. With all that said, however, be aware that many law schools operate on a rolling admissions schedule. This means that the openings in the incoming class could fill up fast. So apply ASAP - generally, December is a good time to plan on having your application is sent in.

Apply Early

As a law school applicant, you have a clearer idea than anybody about all the stuff that goes into the application. Recommendation letters, undergraduate transcripts, LSAT scores, and all that fun stuff. A large portion of your law school application relies on information that can only be provided by others. This means that you should start working on your application as soon as you possibly can. You don't want to have your personal statement and the rest of your application ready to be handed in in December but have to wait for an old professor to finish writing your rec letter. Delays like these could be the difference between an acceptance and a denial. Get started early and be ready to go well before you plan on handing your application in.

Don't Apply Until You Are Ready

Getting your application in early is good, but it is totally counterproductive if your application was not completed thoroughly. While you should do your best to get your law school application in as soon as possible, take more time if you need to flesh it out.

When To Apply To Law School: Closing Words

I hope this has been helpful to you. Remember, start on your application as early as possible so that as soon as applications are being accepted you are ready to send your's in. Do you have any opinions or experience regarding when you should apply to law school? Share them below! Enjoy our posts for now, but remember to stay tuned for news about our new section on LSAT prep!

Keeping Healthy In Law School

Exercise

Meditation

Prayer

Hobbies (playing an instrument, games, etc.)

Breathing Exercises

(Safe) Sex

Do your best to manage your stress in a healthy way. Not only will you feel better in every way, but you will also stay healthier, too! I hope these tips are useful to you. Getting sick in law school can really mess you up, especially when you find yourself with a runny nose and a foggy head during finals week. Usually a trip to the doctor's office or a dose of medicine that will get you all dopey is out of the question, since you have to budget your time and keep a clear head, so it is best to set yourself up to avoid sickness than to try and treat it when it occurs. So just remember this the next time you wash a tube of Pringles down with Redbull after pulling your second all-nighter in a row! Don't forget to visit our homepage if you are interested in learning how to become a lawyer!

Writing Law School Personal Statements: Part 5

Personal Statements, Part 4

Personal Statements, Part 3

Personal Statements, Part 2

Personal Statements, Part 1

Financing An Education In Law

Prepping For The L.S.A.T.

You are all familiar with the weighted and often unfair admissions process from undergrad… law school is worse. The caliber of students competing for fewer seats is higher than before, and you get one shot at the thing that matters most. Unlike the SAT, the LSAT is an exam that should only be taken once for a variety of reasons: 1) schools will often penalize the student for taking the exam more than once; 2) some schools average the two scores rather than simply accepting the higher one; or 3) insist the student draft a letter explaining the increase. With the stakes so high, students must endeavor to be fully prepared for their one shot at cracking the LSAT.

Prep Class

The first and most efficient way to ensure that you are prepared for the LSAT is to enroll in a preparatory course. A structured study environment with an experienced professional can do wonders for a student. A good prep class can help students improve their score by 5-10 points (out of a possible 180), helping you leapfrog 10-20 percent of the competition.

When selecting an LSAT prep classstudents must examine the three C’s: cost, class size and classroom time. Cost is important for obvious reasons, but is the least important of the three. $800-$1,200 is not out of the question, just keep in mind this is an investment. Class size is a key selling point and students should look for the smallest class size possible. An 8-12 person class is considerably more valuable than a 30-40 person class and worth the extra money. Finally, classroom time is by far the most important feature of any prep class. All classes will come with homework, but the value comes from personal time for practice exams and review. Students should aim for a course with at least 8 hours a week of classroom time, with an emphasis on finding the class that offers the most.

Routine

During the months leading up to the LSAT, students should develop a routine to help manage their time and get the most out of studying. Mentally prepare to spend 20-40 hours a week studying and taking practice exams. This may sound excessive but this is truly what it takes and also serves as a preview for the commitment law school will require. Use a whiteboard or calendar to budget your time and get in the habit of setting weekly goals. Goals should start small and more generalized (i.e. take 5 practice exams this week) before working up to more specific targets (i.e. scoring a 167). Budget your study time for a common point each day (i.e. 3-7pm) to reinforce the routine. Breaks and days off are okay but in the end remember, a few months of studying makes this test more of a sprint than a marathon. You can rest after you finish.

Click here for our original post on Studying For The LSAT.

Paying Your Way Through Law School

Law School is Expensive

With tuition and living expenses approaching $50,000 a year, you must consider how this debt will impact a long part of your life. Paying off $150,000 takes a long time and with the legal market being in its current state of suffering, the odds of paying off law school debt are quickly diminished. That is not to say it is impossible, but the debt is a real hardship associated with obtaining a legal education.

In addition to tuition, most students have to take out Federal Loans (Stafford Loans and Grad Plus Loans) loans to pay for housing, food, insurance, gas, and just about everything else necessary for sustaining life. Keep in mind, everything you spend money on in law school is being financed, and you will be paying interest on it. Thus, remember the adage "if you live like a lawyer in law school, you will live like a law student when you're a lawyer." Use a "law school calculator" to help determine the minimum amount of money you can live on for the next three years. Lastly, budget your time and money, and strictly follow your budget. Living meagerly for three years will certainly reduce the burdens of the debt upon graduation.

Working in Law School

Law school, in addition to a financial investment, is a huge time investment. Keeping employment during the first two years of law school is discouraged. Your time will be consumed by law school, and the last thing you will want to do is dedicate the rest of your time to work, and have no free time. The American Bar Association even places limits on the number of hours a full time 1L may work.

Many students find paid summer employment. However, most students end up working at law firms and organizations for free during the summer. Even then, the money is nominal compared to the accruing debt.

On the other hand, many students continue to work with their summer employer throughout their 3L year. During 3L year, time is "freer," and balancing work with school is a possibility. Working for an employer during the school year is not about the money; it is about establishing a good relationship and receiving a job offer upon graduation.

Law School Scholarships

If your GPA and LSAT are very high, schools may offer you a scholarship to offset some of the costs. These scholarships can be somewhat misleading, so research the details and requirements associated with a scholarship offer. Many law school scholarships require a consistent law school GPA above a certain number. This is much harder to achieve than it sounds. Law schools use a curved grading system, so that only a small percentage of students can obtain a high GPA (usually set around the GPA required for scholarship). For example, school X may require a 3.2 GPA to keep a scholarship, but the curve allows for only the top 20% of students to have a 3.2 or above. As a result, many students lose their scholarship after the first semester or first year.

To help pay for law school, look through scholarship websites for local academic scholarships, fellowships, and grants.

Lastly, consider your reasons for attending law school. It will be one of the largest investments you will ever make, so invest wisely!

Original Format: How To Pay For Law School

What's It Take To Make It Into Law School?

To become a top candidate for admission into any law school, you will have to get an undergraduate education with a great GPA, take the LSAT, write a stellar personal statement, and send in the other application material that is particular to each school. Below we will go over the process in more detail.

Undergraduate Education Getting your undergraduate education is the first requirement to get into a respectable law school. You may be stressing out about which undergraduate courses you should take to make your application look even better, but don’t sweat it; the American Bar Association doesn’t have any recommended courses that you should take during your undergraduate career. Instead, study what interests you. Ideally, you will be so interested in what you are studying that you will have ample opportunity to practice your research and writing abilities, which are going to be absolutely invaluable once you get into law school.

GPA Perhaps the most important thing you can do while you are at college is to get the best GPA you are able to. Law schools place heavy emphasis on both the GPAs and the LSAT scores of their applicants; if you graduate with an amazing GPA, you’ll be able to approach the LSAT with a little confidence – you’ll still be scared (I know I was), but knowing that you don’t need to get an impossible score on the exam can take a little pressure off.

The LSAT The LSAT has become almost synonymous with “law school application”, and rightfully so. Getting a great score on the LSAT is one of the most deciding factors regarding your application to law school. It really is never too early to start studying for the LSAT, and many law students suggest taking the LSAT a couple of years before you graduate from undergrad; by taking the LSAT sooner rather than later, you will have enough time to study more and retake the test if you didn’t score very well the first time.

Your Personal Statement We all had to write these for college applications; well, personal statements are back one more time, and this time they count for more than ever. The trick here is to stand out – don’t be just another law student trying to tell the admissions council what they want to hear. Use this opportunity to really let the admissions council know who you are – what makes you special, what you have accomplished, what you hope to accomplish… you know, that sort of stuff. Read it once, and read it through again and again. Make it perfect, and be sure to have someone proofread it for you.

Then proofread it again ;)

Closing Remarks There’s a lot to getting into law school – a ton more than what I’ve written above, but I’ve tried to cover the big factors for you. In fact, there are so many things that law school applicants need to consider that the Law School Admission Council has created a checklist for the law school admission process. I’d recommend taking a look and even printing it out. There are a lot of good information there with links to resources that you will need.

To recap, have fun studying what you are interested in while in college and make sure you get a great GPA. Take the LSAT as soon as possible (just in case – you may need to retake it), and then once your hand recovers for the hundreds of bubbles you filled in on the test sheet, write a stellar personal statement! I hope this article has been helpful for you. If you have any questions or comments, go ahead and leave us a comment below and I’ll do my best to get back to you!

Check out our main post on Requirements For Law School Admission.

Becoming A Lawyer As A CONVICTED FELON

The first major requirement to become a lawyer is to gain your J.D. at an ABA accredited law school. Naturally, your criminal record will come up when the admissions committee looks over your profile. Don’t even try to hide it – if a law school applicant is a felon, the committee will find out. Of course, as a felon you can’t just apply to law school by submitting a personal statement and the normal application material; you are going to need to explain why you have been convicted of a felony, and why something like that will absolutely never happen again. Be sure that you explain the circumstances surrounding your arrest and how going through that experience has left you a better person. Don’t try and make the committee feel sorry for you, and don’t try and shrug off the responsibility; own up to your actions, and explain how this aspect of your life has changed you in such a way as to make you a viable, trustworthy candidate for law school. Consider getting involved in some sort of community service to demonstrate your change of character – and not just in the weeks leading up to your law school application.

The next step to becoming a lawyer is to take your state’s bar exam. There are a number of requirements to sit for the bar in each state, but as a convicted felon, you may face a few more stipulations. Many bar associations have a mandated period of time between the time of your conviction and the time you are allowed to take the bar. In addition, your state’s bar association will closely evaluate your application – and perhaps even more closely, your criminal record. Any crimes which seem to suggest you will be dishonest, unethical, or otherwise not fit for a career in law will be giant red flags. If your crimes suggest that you are untrustworthy, do your best to not only explain, but show the bar association that you have undergone a radical personal change that has resulted in your growth as an ethical individual.

Like the bar association’s evaluation of you prior to taking the bar, you will have to undergo a character and fitness evaluation, which will try and determine your ability to practice law in an ethical and legal manner. As you will probably be accustomed to by now, do your best to assure this committee that you are indeed a new person who has used their criminal history only as motivation to become a better person. Once you pass this final examination, you will have become a licensed attorney. A couple extra things should be noted. You are going to have to network more than anyone else, and meet and interact with people who will, based on their personal relationship to you, will be able to vouch for your character and write you recommendation letters. Do your best to establish yourself as a positive figure within your community – community service and other philanthropic events are a great way to do this.

If applicable, get involved with your church and any city organizations. People make mistakes, and people change. Just because you’ve made mistakes does not mean that you can’t become a lawyer, it simply means that you may have to try a little harder and overcome steeper mountains. Follow the advice above, and we’re certain that you have a shot at becoming a lawyer as a felon.

Check out our site for the original article on Can A Convicted Felon Become A Lawer?

Surfin' the Net... Or Practicing Law??

First, you need to get your bachelor’s degree. Although the degree type is not set in stone, it needs to be recognized by the Department of Education for it to count. Further, it is not required for the degree to be completed; you just need a total of 60 credit hours. However, the state of California may test you to ensure that you are at a similar level of education as other law students.

Second, find a good law school that is registered to offer online education (ensure that it is registered with the California Bar Committee). This step is the most important, so make sure that you choose the school carefully since they need to be capable enough to provide an education that can hold its own against what is being provided by physical schools. During your first year of study in the online school of your choice, take the time to register at the California Bar site to allow you to take the exams that you are required to pass in the coming years. After the end of your first year, take the First-Year Law Students' Examination.

Next, after finishing your online law education and collecting a total of at least 864 credit hours per year, take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam which gets you the Moral Character Determination. Make sure to register for these in your third year of education as they are both take some time to get accepted into. Finally, sit for the California bar exam and get the best grade you can on it. Having done this, you are now capable of practicing law in the state of California as an attorney. Nice job!

Check out our main article on How To Become A Lawyer Online.

Does It Take Very Long To Become A Lawyer?

Generally, one needs a four year bachelor’s degree and three years of law school at 864 credit hours per year to earn your juris doctor. Further, one needs to obtain a license by gaining admittance to the bar in the state one wishes to practice in by sitting for and passing the bar exam of that state. The bachelor degree does not necessarily have to be law related and can actually be any degree. However, most students choose criminal justice or political science as these degrees act as stepping stones to ease the transition into law school.

Further, although one can complete the bachelor’s degree in only two and a half years I highly recommend taking your time to finish so that you can maintain a high grade point average, something that is very important when applying to law school. Try not to piss your professors off too much and stay in their good books because you will need letters of recommendation from them to add weight to your law school application. Moreover, it is very important to start preparing for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) early on because, again, the score you receive on this test is very important when applying for admission to a law school. With the excessive amounts of competition that exists these days every extra point you get is of utmost importance and you should fight tooth and nail to get it.

Alright, let’s assume you’ve completed your undergrad, came out on top with a 4.0 GPA, sparkling letters of recommendation and have gotten into a top 10 law school because that’s how you roll, how long do you have to stay here? Let’s find out! Normally, a law degree takes around 3 years to complete if the student carries a full credit load, which is something you should be doing because come on, it’s not that hard. Once you have passed out of law school it is time to appear for and pass the bar exam of the jurisdiction of your preference. Most students give the exam a few months after completing their law school. Having passed this, you can begin practicing law as an attorney. All in all, it takes about seven to eight years of education, exams, and hard work to become a lawyer.

Click the following link to get the original version of our article "How Long Does It Take To Become A Lawyer?"

How Difficult Is It To Become A Lawyer?

The LSAT: One Tough Son Of A Gun

The LSAT is one of the requirements that all law schools have to help them sift through the large sea of candidates that apply every year and select only the most promising law students. What this means is, to stand out from the others and get accepted, one needs an exceptionally good score on the LSAT. I would recommend studying for it from your second year of undergraduate college to prevent things from piling up on you in the last minute. The average LSAT score is around 150, so try and aim for at least 170 to have any chance of landing a top 10 college. That is, of course, easier said than done; take a look at How Hard Is It To Pass the LSAT?to get an idea of what you’re in for.

GPA

It is recommended to get a GPA of at least 3.5 or above while doing your undergraduate course because this is another aspect upon which law schools distinguish those worthy of entering their gates from those who they deem unworthy. Of course, you shouldn’t just settle for a 3.5; you need to make it one of your primary goals during your undergraduate career to get the absolute best GPA that you are capable of. This is certainly no easy task.

Law School: You're Not In College Anymore

After admission, be prepared for a grueling three years of rigorous work. Many professors at law schools find it amusing to be hard on the first years as they feel this is some sort of system to weed out the students who have ended up in their school for reasons other than their love for law. Law school is completely different from what you will have experienced at college. The classes, the professors, even your friends will offer an entirely new experience, but I can assure you, it will not be easy by any stretch of the imagination. Click here for an in depth look at What Law School Is Like.

The Bar Exam: Not Just Another Drinking Game

Ask a random undergrad on any given Friday night as they are walking back from a party if they would like to take the bar exam, and they’ll probably take you up on it, envisioning some sort of juvenile drinking game. However, as you undoubtedly know, the bar exam is anything but that. The bar exam is an examination that all lawyers must take and pass in order to be licensed to practice law. Each state has its own variation of the bar exam and some are more difficult than others. In fact, similar to the LSAT, it is recommended to take some sort of coaching program before attempting the bar exam to ensure optimal performance. Check out this article for information on How To Pass The Bar Exam. The work does not stop after certification. Most lawyers are required to put in long hours and it is not at all uncommon to see an attorney taking his work home. Although the life of a lawyer is very difficult and tiring, it is highly rewarding at the same time in terms of monetary and mental satisfaction. To get the original article, click here.

What Are The Positives And Negatives Of A Career In Law?

A lawyer’s job is very exciting. If you are a criminal attorney then you will be involved in intricate cases with a lot of highbrow sparring. For those who enjoy debate, strategic planning and drama, a career in law will be very fulfilling. The feeling that one gets after dissecting the opponent’s case in front of a crowded courtroom cannot be easily paralleled. Another thing that most lawyers like about their job is that it is never mundane or repetitive. Every day is different as no two cases are ever exactly the same. Although some forms of law may not appeal to certain individuals, the great thing is that in order to address the legalities of everyday life, there is a myriad of types of law that one can practice. For instance, the unpredictability of criminal behavior, although damaging to society in general is a great source of amusement for the lawyer interested in that sort of law, as the cases he has to handle are constantly changing. Further, as an added benefit, lawyers have one of the highest paying jobs in the world. The salary that a decent lawyer gets can only be trumped by, perhaps, a brain surgeon. On the flip side, all this excitement and variety can have a detrimental effect on the lawyer’s life. A lawyer has to be on his toes at all times since he never knows when an important case would pop up that might baffle him completely. A criminal lawyer, in particular, faces cases where he cannot predict his success; failure is very real. Criminal lawyers are also the recipients of several threats or actual acts of violence. Prosecutors that are involved in cases against members of organized crime are frequently threatened with death should their prosecution succeed. Although most of these threats are baseless and amount to nothing, they can be very stressful to the lawyer and their family. All in all, the life that a lawyer leads is very exciting and his job is extremely lucrative from a monetary point of view. However, it is definitely not for faint of heart or those that cannot cope with the stress that comes along with the job. Therefore, before deciding to apply to law school make sure you know for certain that it is the right job for you.

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