Law School

PLEASE NOTE THIS IMPORTANT CHANGE

Posted on February 03, 2009
Law School Expert Blog has MOVED to http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/All new posts and comments will be made at http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/It's still Ann Levine, and it's still completely candid, honest, optimistic and wise advice, but it's now at http://www...

Law School Expert Blog News

Posted on January 26, 2009
Hi Guys,This is the first warning I'm issuing that the url for the blog will be changing in the next two weeks - it's going to be based on my LawSchoolExpert website.The downside is that while things are in transition, I'm unable to comment (long, technically depressing story...

Yale taking February LSAT this year

Posted on January 20, 2009
See the Yale Law Blog for details.

Ann Levine Interviewed by LSAT Tutor Blog

Posted on January 15, 2009
Thanks to Steve Schwartz for posting my interview on his LSAT Blog today.In the interview I discuss the February LSAT, the LSAT writing sample, and common (awful) mistakes made on law school applications.I look forward to your comments!

To access blog feed reader register for free. (You will also learn about new ways to read and access the freshest law blogs.)

Law School Expert's 250th Blog Post

Posted on January 11, 2009
I have been very busy assisting clients through the application process and have not had as much time as I would have liked to share my thoughts on the blog and/or respond individually to as many comments. I am reading everything and responding when I am able, and I do not want to post fluff, but only share information that will truly be useful to law school applicants...

Part III: Observations of the Legal Job Market

Posted on January 05, 2009
9 to 5: 9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market & 5 Strategies for New Attorneys Entering the 2009 Legal Job Market ? A 3 Part Series (Part 3 of 3) By Amanda C. Ellis, Esq. Parts 1 and 2 of this post examined 9 observations regarding the legal job market: (1) layoffs; (2) hiring freezes; (3) pay freezes and bonus cuts; (4) increased bureaucracy in lateral hiring decisions; (5) busy small firms; (6) hot practice areas; (7) geographical variance among practice areas; (8) a slow moving hiring process; and (9) importance of law school grades...

9 Observations About the Legal Job Market - Part II

Posted on January 04, 2009
9 to 5: 9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market & 5 Strategies for New Attorneys Entering the 2009 Legal Job Market ? A 3 Part Series (Part 2 of 3) By Amanda C. Ellis, Esq. Part 1 of this post examined 4 observations regarding the current legal job market and all 4 observations concerned large firms ? (1) layoffs; (2) hiring freezes; (3) pay freezes and bonus cuts; and (4) increased bureaucracy in lateral hiring decisions...

9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market

Posted on January 02, 2009
I am not a career counselor, but everyone applying to law school should be thinking about the marketability of a lawyer's skills and education. I called upon a real expert in legal hiring, Amanda Ellis, president of Amanda Ellis Legal Search (www...

New Year's Resolutions for Law School Applicants

Posted on December 31, 2008
Here is a link to one of my favorite LawSchoolExpert posts ever - New Year Resolutions for Law School Applicants. I posted it a year ago, and I hope this year's class of law school applicants finds it just as comforting as last year's.Happy New Year.

December LSAT Scores Out Today!

Posted on December 29, 2008
Just heard back from my first client about December LSAT scores - Congrats on the big increase, B! Looking forward to hearing more news..... Check your email.... (not to make you totally paranoid, but keep your eyes out!)Good luck!And for those of you who haven't yet applied, let's get started ASAP...

Law School Expert's Best of 2008

Posted on December 29, 2008
Thanks to all of my readers for your wonderful comments and feedback this year.Over 63,547 of you visited the Law School Expert blog 93,719 times. WOW. Thank you. I love how many of you left comments and sent me e-mails about how the blog has helped you through the law school admission process...

Holiday Cheer

Posted on December 24, 2008
Hello Everyone! In honor of the holiday season, today's blog post exists to congratulate some of my law school admission consulting clients who have heard good news from the following schools:M - Miami, PSU, Drexel (with scholarship)R - Cornell, GeorgetownS - UCLA, Georgetown, BerkeleyD - William & MaryB - RichmondH - GeorgetownK - Wisconsin, BU, W&M (with scholarship!)J - Georgetown, Washington University, Fordham (with scholarship!), USC (with scholarship!)M- Baltimore, Rutgers Newark, Suffolk, CatholicK - Rutgers NewarkE - U...

How Binding is "Binding Early Decision"?

Posted on December 23, 2008
"Exactly how binding is early decision?"Thanks to Nathaniel for this great (and timely) question.LSAC lists obligations of the law schools and obligations of law school applicants in the admission process, and one of the key obligations of a law school applicant is in regard to binding early decision programs...

Your Law School Admission Questions Answered!

Posted on December 18, 2008
Hello law school applicants! I am currently accepting suggestions for blog topics..... Fire away by leaving a new comment here - and please give yourself a name (rather than "Anonymous").br /br /I look forward to answering your questions.br /br /Ann

101 Ways to A Higher LSAT: Featuring Law School Expert!

Posted on December 09, 2008
I am very excited to announce that I am a featured case study in the book: 101 Ways to Score Higher on Your LSAT: What You Need to Know About the Law School Admission Test Explained Simply by Linda C. Ashar.If you're just starting to think about the LSAT (especially those of you applying for Fall 2010 admission and beyond), this book is a great, unbiased resource from a company that's not trying to sell you anything...

After taking the December LSAT - 3 tips

Posted on December 06, 2008
You took the December LSAT today? My three most important tips:1. DO NOT SPEND TIME TODAY ON DISCUSSION BOARDS. If you feel good walking out of the test, don't change your opinion of your own performance based on what the mob says on discussion boards...

December or February LSAT? 6 Tips for LSAT Test Day.

Posted on December 04, 2008
Here are the 4 most common questions that I'm hearing this week from people scheduled to take the December LSAT:1. I have the flu. What do I do?2. This is my first time taking the LSAT and I'm not ready. What do I do?3. If I postpone until February, is that too late in the rolling admission process?4...

A Note to My Readers

Posted on December 02, 2008
Just a quick note to my loyal readers - I just started running Google Ads as an experiment. For the first 18 months of this blog, I did not run any advertisements. I have decided, however, that I'm not scared that you might learn about my "competition" - rather, I welcome you to learn about other law school admission consulting options...

Choosing an Area of Law as a Specialty

Posted on November 26, 2008
You've probably heard (or read) my speech about not "picking a major" when applying to law school unless you can really, really, really back it up.Anna Ivey's recent post about the downside of choosing International Law as an area of specialization when applying to law school is extremely relevant and I hope you'll find it helpful (although I'm sure a portion of my audience will find it discouraging)...

LSAT Advice

Posted on November 26, 2008
I'm not an LSAT tutor, but sometimes my clients give me great tips to pass on. Here are a sampling: From S: I am feeling much better about my LSAT progress ever since I finished the PowerScore books and utilized the materials at: www.testsherpa...

Applying to Yale Law, and Applying ED t o Another School?

Posted on November 25, 2008
A very interesting (and a tiny bit self-serving) post from the Yale Law Admissions blog.

Why I Help People Apply to Law School

Posted on November 24, 2008
I got a great phone call today from a client I helped 3 years ago in her law school application process. She had a REALLY low LSAT score - I think it was a 140 or something. And she has sent me a new client every year for the last 3 years. And today she called to tell me she's graduating from law school - and graduating as a member of the law review and on the moot court board...

Concluding a Personal Statement

Posted on November 20, 2008
Most of my law school admission consulting clients struggle to state the reasons why they are applying to a certain law school. I want to offer some hints and tricks in this regard:1. Do I have to say why I want to go to Law School X?No. You don't. Unless X Law School asks you to, and then - yes - you do...

The Best Personal Statement Samples

Posted on November 17, 2008
BU has posted some amazing personal statement samples. They are the best I've seen on the Internet. So, this is for all of you who love to beg me for examples of law school personal statements.

5 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Law School

Posted on November 12, 2008
Don West, Jr. is THE guy. I admit, I was his unofficial campaign manager when he ran for SBA president 10 years ago, and the first in line for a hug when he won. And so it is no surprise to me that he is now SuperLawyer of the Universe. So, I asked Don to share with my readers his thoughts on the "Five Things I Wish I'd Known Before Law School...

Best Law Schools for Public Interest

Posted on November 12, 2008
National Jurist just picked the Best Law Schools for Public Interest, so check it out....

Tips for December LSAT Takers

Posted on November 09, 2008
Here are some previous posts that will offer insight and advice for those of you taking (or retaking) the LSAT in December:Pre-LSAT Advice (with just a caveat - I am no longer accepting clients with LSATs below the mid-140s because I have not seen them be overwhelmingly successful in their admission attempts recently and I do not want to give anyone false hope - only realistic hope...

Mistakes to Avoid in Law School Applications

Posted on November 01, 2008
Ok, been reviewing a lot of applications this weekend so I want to tell you of some common mistakes people have been making:1. Pay attention to whether a school wants you to list things in chronological order or reverse chronological order.2. Don't submit a 4 page personal statement when 3 will do...

Dean's Certification Letters

Posted on October 28, 2008
Ok, what is the deal with these? I know I'm supposed to be answering the questions and not asking them, but they just started really appearing on the scene a few years ago and schools are incredibly inconsistent about what they mean by them, when you need one, whether or not there's a form, who should fill it out, etc...

Thank You!

Posted on October 26, 2008
I just wanted to say thanks to all of my readers - we hit some major records this weekend.More than 10,000 people read my blog this month!On Friday alone, almost 2,000 of you checked my site!In appreciation of your readership and Loyalty, I'm offering 2 rewards:1...

More about Retaking the LSAT in December

Posted on October 25, 2008
One of my former clients who writes the pithy postings about her 1L year has a funny scenario that is very typical law school classroom fare so definitely check it out. She also read my posting yesterday about people who improved their LSATs in December and reminded me of the following: "P...

Should You Re-Take the LSAT

Posted on October 24, 2008
Ok, LSAT scores are out. (Boy, am I glad I was right about that early release! Phew!).So, you're either ready to go ahead and put together your schools list and apply to law schools or else you're agonizing about the pros and cons of re-taking the exam in December...

Are you Suffering from APS? 3 Things To Do to Avoid Panic.

Posted on October 21, 2008
My husband came up with a name for a syndrome I'm seeing a lot of right now - "Application Panic Syndrome." There are many specific (and cumulative) causes of APS, including:1. Seeing the LSAC common application form.2. Trying to remember every job you've ever held and how many hours you worked when you were in college ten years ago...

When the Economy Lags.....

Posted on October 14, 2008
Law school applications increase when there are popular law related television shows and when the economy is in a downturn. What better way to duck out of the job market for a few years and increase your chances of a good job when (hopefully) the economy is on an upswing again...

6 Things You Didn't Know About Me

Posted on October 11, 2008
My amazing web marketing woman, Lorrie Thomas at WebMarketingTherapy, actually blog-tagged me this morning - whatever that means. I think it's like a perverse chain letter but for blogs. So now I am supposed to blog about the 6 Things You Didn't Know About Me...

While Waiting for the October LSAT Scores

Posted on October 10, 2008
Yes, you're counting the minutes and seconds until the scores are released by email on the 24th. (OMG, if you didn't know that and thought there was no reason to be nervous until the 27th then boy did I just change your plans that weekend!).In the meantime, be productive!Here are some tips:Things to do while waiting for your LSAT score and After the LSAT.

Cancel the LSAT?

Posted on October 04, 2008
Congratulations on Finishing the LSAT Today!Now, for those of you thinking about canceling your score see these previous posts: Thinking About Cancelling Your LSAT ScoreWhether to cancel your LSAT score. For details about how to cancel your LSAT score see LSAC...

No LSAT Advice Today; Just Life Advice

Posted on October 03, 2008
Just wanted to wish all October LSAT takers good luck.No LSAT advice today, just life and coping advice:1. Put away all of your study materials. Find a remote corner and cover them with a blanket. Don't look at them. Don't be tempted to look at them.2...

No Grades at Harvard Law?

Posted on September 28, 2008
Here's a very interesting discussion about a potential grading change at HLS on Brian Leiter's blog.

More Public Interest Loan Repayment News

Posted on September 26, 2008
Aaron at Equal Justice Works sent me this email today:More info was announced today regarding the College Cost Reduction & Access Act. The U.S. Department of Treasury confirmed that loan forgiveness for public service under CCRAA is not taxable. Great news for lawyers planning on entering public service after law school! Visit the Equal Justice Works Blog for more info.

Support Law Students Working in the Public Interest

Posted on September 26, 2008
Please support the University of Miami School of Law's HOPE program - in its 10th year "Making a Difference Through Legal Advocacy and Service" - by bidding or donating.

Countdown to the October LSAT

Posted on September 25, 2008
Ok. I know you October LSAT takers out there are getting nervous with only a week to go. I'm not an LSAT tutor, but I know that the biggest thing that can hurt your LSAT score between now and next Saturday is your NERVES.To that end, this will seem like elementary and rather obvious advice, but if you are feeling the jitters, or psyched out, or getting paranoid, or exhausted, or any combination of the above, here are my suggestions:1...

Over 30 and Applying to Law School?

Posted on September 20, 2008
Some of my favorite clients to work with are those who are applying to law school in their 30s, 40s, and - yes, even 50s. The reasons I enjoy working with these individuals are the same reasons why law schools like to have these individuals:1. They are pretty darn aware of what they are doing...

LawSchoolExpert is now on Twitter....

Posted on September 17, 2008
You can now follow me everywhere, getting little snippets of the advice I give my clients regarding their law school applications, on twitter at http://twitter.com/lawschoolexpert Looking forward to seeing you there!

What to Ask at an LSAC Law School Forum

Posted on September 15, 2008
I received a great comment on a previous post about LSAC Law School Forums that led me to provide some information about questions you should consider asking law school representatives at forums.Here's a link about financial aid related questions to ask...

Not hitting your Goal LSAT Score?

Posted on September 11, 2008
I'm fielding a lot of calls and emails right now from people scheduled to take the LSAT in October who are not seeing the kind of progress with their LSAT practice scores that they would like to be seeing. Here are three thoughts geared toward those individuals:1...

Applying to Law School Early Decision/Early Notification

Posted on September 09, 2008
I published this about a year ago, and it's suddenly time to talk Early Decision/Early Notification again.Please keep in mind that I'm not sure Early Decision/Early Notification is worth getting very excited about. The decision you receive may just be "we've decided to defer your application to the regular admission cycle" or a waitlist decision...

Medical School Advice that Applies to Law Applicants

Posted on September 08, 2008
Here's a link to a cute little video by someone giving the Top 10 tips for medical students applying for residencies. Only listen to Tips 10-4 - they absolutely apply to law school applications. (Tips 1, 2 and 3 sound Greek to me : )

Deciding Whether to Take the October LSAT

Posted on September 08, 2008
I'm getting a lot of calls from people signed up for the October LSAT who are wondering whether they are really ready to take the test. The number one thing law school applicants in this quandry want to know is whether it's better to apply early with a lower score, or later (with a December LSAT score) that's a few points higher...

Someone has been Stealing My Work

Posted on September 05, 2008
I want to thank one of my clients for notifying me that an anonymous blogger was stealing my work by publishing my articles without citing me as the author or linking back to my blog.They took this post about Law School Personal Statement tips word for word and published it at http://www...

Law School Expert News

Posted on September 04, 2008
Just wanted to give you three updates regarding my law school admission counseling services:1. Yes, I still have room for Fall 2009 applicants. I limit the number of clients I work with at any given point, but am currently accepting clients. (I've gotten a few emails inquiring about this, so I wanted to let everyone know)...

A Little Law School Humor....

Posted on September 03, 2008
I want to thank one of my former clients, now a 1L at a top law school, who has been sending me pithy little stories about her first few weeks of law school. I thought my readers would get a kick out of the e-mail she sent me today (S- thanks for letting me share it! I think it shows that the Socratic Method isn't quite as scary as law school applicants believe...

Law School Applications are Now Available

Posted on September 01, 2008
That's right - it's officially time to start applying for Fall 2009 law school admission. Many schools have already released applications on LSDAS.org, and others will be doing so in the next few days and weeks. But don't rush - take your time filling them out...

Law School Expert Hits Post #200!!!!

Posted on August 29, 2008
This marks my 200th blog post on LawSchoolExpert! (That deserves an exclamation point, right?) It's been an amazing year and I want to thank all of my readers. Your comments and e-mails motivate me to keep writing, even when I'm knee-deep in law school personal statements...

The Relationship between U.S. News Rankings and Part Time Law School

Posted on August 26, 2008
The availability of spots in part time programs may be severely limited in the future, and applying to part time programs may no longer be the "back door" into a better law school. See this WSJ article.

Is Law School Expert Your Favorite Blog?

Posted on August 25, 2008
I'd really appreciate it if you'd go to technorati and list LawSchoolExpert as one of your favorite blogs. You can simply click on the "Make LawSchoolExpert A Favorite Blog" box on the right hand side of my blog (scroll down just a bit if you don't see it immediately)...

More on Loan Repayment and Forgiveness

Posted on August 21, 2008
Congratulations to Equal Justice Works on launching their blog this week. It already offers great resources for law school applicants and those considering a career in public interest law. Here's the post about new legislation offering opportunities for law school loan repayment and forgiveness.

Tips for Law School Applicants Interested in Public Interest Law

Posted on August 20, 2008
My good friend and the person who served as my mentor when I was in law school (more than ten years ago!), Marni Lennon, is the Assistant Dean for Public Interest and Pro Bono at the University of Miami School of Law. Because so many law school applicants express a desire to use their legal education in the public interest, I asked her to provide some insight about comparing opportunities available at different law schools...

Top 5 Mistakes Made When Re-Applying to Law School

Posted on August 19, 2008
Each year, I work with people who were either unsuccessful in their attempts to apply to law school previously or were unhappy with their options at the end of the admission cycle. There are absolutely things you can to to bolster your applications, but here are some common mistakes people make when reapplying to law school:1...

Resources for Advice about Getting into Law School

Posted on August 18, 2008
Here's an article by a CUNY John Jay Criminal Justice professor with some worthwhile information about how law schools view undergraduate GPAs from various schools and between various majors. It's called "Advice for Getting into Law School."My alma mater, the University of Miami School of Law, has a great document called "Law School:29 Critical Questions to Ask Today...

Advice Upon Starting Law School

Posted on August 18, 2008
I happened across this today, and although it was written in 2002 (when many entering 1Ls were still in high school!), it rings true today. The only part I really disagree with is about not looking at your grades because they don't matter, but on the whole the other points will help you put the coming semester (and 1L year) in perspective and I hope my clients and readers who are starting the adventure of law school enjoy this...

When is a Low LSAT Score Too Low?

Posted on August 18, 2008
My most-read blog topics are those dealing with very low LSAT scores; there are a lot of you out there. So, what constitutes a "low" LSAT score? This is not a discussion for those of you who find yourselves disappointed with your 158s. Let's aim this conversation at those of you below a 147 LSAT...

Law School Personal Statement Tips

Posted on August 13, 2008
One of my law school admission consulting clients sent me an email this morning with 6 key questions about law school personal statements. The questions were so good (and so common) that I wanted to share my responses with all of my pre-law readers. 1...

The Value of Internships in Applying to Law School

Posted on August 12, 2008
During my first phone consultation with prospective law school admission consulting clients, often a parent or applicant will tell me they've had "great internships." These invariably include things like UC-DC programs, interning with a Member of Congress (which really just means answering calls and giving tours of the Capitol building, right?), or perhaps something in the business world like being a marketing and promotions intern for a sports company (which is really just throwing t-shirts into a crowd)...

Best Majors for Law School Applicants

Posted on August 05, 2008
How do law school admission committees evaluate people with different undergraduate majors? Are there good majors and bad majors for law school applications? I wouldn't quite say there are bad majors - I think there are good things about most areas of study, and if you have good grades then you're absolutely set...

Fall 2009? Law School Admission 101

Posted on July 31, 2008
Ok, it's practically August. Many of you are just getting underway preparing for the October 2008 LSAT. Some of you will start prep courses this week.What else should you be thinking about right now?1. Getting LORs (Letters of Rec) underway. Who will write them? What should they emphasize about you? Ask these people and give them deadlines 4-6 weeks out...

Additional Insights About Law School Rankings

Posted on July 28, 2008
The U.S. News Law School Rankings are Over-EmphasizedI love the idea of the U.S. News law school Rankings going to a "Top 10", 1st Tier, 2nd Tier, Regional Schools listing (as suggested by articles and comments here) because I hate to see law school applicants choose #21 over #24 simply because that's how the schools are ranked in a particular year...

Choosing an LSAT Prep Course

Posted on July 22, 2008
There are basically 3 options for LSAT preparation:1. Self-study;2. A formal in-class prep course; and3. Private tutoring.(Please take note: failing to prepare and taking the LSAT cold are NOT options. See my guest blog post on this topic at integrated learning)...

Law School Letters of Recommendation

Posted on July 18, 2008
I tell my clients that the first thing they should be thinking about right now is letters of recommendation. It takes time to consider the right person, ask them, supply them with the appropriate information and materials, and then you have to wait until that (very busy) person gets around to writing your law school LOR, and then you have to wait even longer for LSDAS to process it...

Law Schools with January Start Dates

Posted on July 13, 2008
Some of my clients have been asking me about their options if they want to start law school in January 2009 instead of Fall 2009. I found this list on the internet and while I can't guarantee its accuracy, it provides a good starting point for research.

UC Irvine Law Announces Founding Faculty

Posted on July 11, 2008
For my So-Cal applicants, here is exciting news about the promising start for UC Irvine's law school. They will be accepting applications this fall.

I Have an LSAT Score; Now What?

Posted on July 08, 2008
Here is a link to a post from last year about what to do once getting your June LSAT score. And here is a previous post that may help you decide whether to retake the LSAT or just go ahead and apply early in the rolling admissions process with your current score...

A 2-year JD at a Top Law School

Posted on July 02, 2008
One of my readers asked me about my assessment of Northwestern's new 2-year JD program. Here is a great article about it by Brian Leiter.

Most Popular PreLaw Questions

Posted on June 21, 2008
I'm back from Maui and wanted to share with you the most common questions and issues I'm hearing this week from law school applicants. Hopefully this will make you feel better. (It isn't just you, really!).1. Should I cancel my LSAT score? I've blogged quite a bit about this...

Thinking about cancelling today's LSAT score?

Posted on June 16, 2008
I'm on vacation in Maui, but thinking about all of you June LSAT takers today. (Really! The proof is that I'm blogging from Hawaii).First, enjoy yourself tonight. Relax, blow off steam, watch a guilty-pleasure movie on cable.For those of you who are already thinking about cancelling today's LSAT score, here's an article I posted last September that gives you things to consider in making this decision...

New Law Schools to Consider

Posted on June 11, 2008
Brian Leiter pointed out this article on LawJobs about TEN possible new law schools coming up....The discussion about the demand for these schools (and their graduates) is worth reading.

What a Law School Admission Consultant Can Do

Posted on June 08, 2008
I hate to hear stories about law school applicants who feel misled by law school admission consultants about their chances for law school admission. If you are going to invest in expert advice, it's important to work with someone who is candid with you from the very beginning...

June LSAT Tips

Posted on June 03, 2008
A week from Monday, many of you will be sitting for the June LSAT. Whether this will be your first time taking the LSAT or you're someone who tried applying to law school in the past and/or is trying to increase your score, these tips apply toyou.1. If you just picked up your first LSAT prep book this past weekend and think that a last minute 2-day crash prep course will be all you need to do, save yourself a lot of aggravation and wait until October 4th to take the LSAT...

How important is ABA accreditation?

Posted on June 01, 2008
I often get e-mails and blog comments asking me about issues relating to non-ABA accredited law schools. I don't consider myself an expert on unaccredited schools (and as a law school admission consultant, I only assist with applications to ABA law schools) but here is a link to the ABA's response to the question of the value of accreditation...

Are you ready for the June LSAT?

Posted on May 31, 2008
We're 2 weeks away from the June LSAT and many fall 2009 law school applicants are wondering whether to go ahead and take it or to wait for the October 2009 LSAT administration. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether you are ready to take the June LSAT.

Take II: Reapplying to Law School

Posted on May 14, 2008
If things didn't go your way for Fall 2008 admission and you are retaking the LSAT to apply for Fall 2009 admission (or Winter 2009 admission), here is a post of things to consider as you approach the June 2008 or October 2008 LSAT. (Please forgive the plug at the end - this was one of the first lawschoolexpert blog entries)...

Taking the LSAT Cold? Bad Idea.

Posted on May 08, 2008
My friends at Integrated Learning posted an article I wrote about why it's so important to prepare adequately for the LSAT the first time you take it, rather than winging it to see how you do knowing you can always retake it.

LSAC Law School Forum Dates

Posted on May 07, 2008
LSAC has announced the dates and locations of its 2008 Law School Forums.Here is a previous posting about the value of attending LSAC's law school forums.

American's 10-mile Long Waitlist

Posted on April 18, 2008
Is opening up. One of my clients just was asked via email to re-confirm his interest and within 5-minutes he had an acceptance letter (and 24 hours to submit a deposit).

Things to Consider When Accepting a Law School Scholarshi

Posted on April 17, 2008
For those of you considering law school scholarship offers right now, please consider (1) whether the scholarship is renewable and (2) what is required of you to renew it. A 3.25 doesn't sound so hard to attain coming out of undergrad; but at some law schools that may be a GPA reached only by the top 20% of the class...

Getting Ready for the Fall 2009 Admission Cycle

Posted on April 15, 2008
The Integrated Learning Blog posted an article I wrote for them about things you can do now to prepare for the Fall 2009 Law School Admission Cycle.

Best Law Schools for BigLaw

Posted on April 14, 2008
I have a handful of clients contemplating Columbia, Harvard, NYU, Boalt and Northwestern and here's a timely post by WSJ Law Blog of interest if you're hoping for a BigLaw job after graduation.

Rankings Lead to Increased Transfer Admits

Posted on April 08, 2008
The Faculty Lounge has a great article today about law schools downsizing to jump in the rankings, and compensating by taking more transfer applicants. This is a well-known practice, and applicants are just now starting to get wind of it.

Pre-order 2009 ABA LSAC Official Guide Today

Posted on April 05, 2008
Don't even think of applying to law school without this!

Agonizing over Being Waitlisted?

Posted on April 04, 2008
Anna Ivey, fellow member of AIGAC, has a great blog post about (1) why schools waitlist and (2) what to do about it.

How the University of Buffalo Responds to Dropping 23 Spots

Posted on April 03, 2008
A great article about the big impact little numbers can have on a law school's ranking.

University of Minnesota's Take on the Rankings

Posted on April 03, 2008
Here's another example of a school that hasn't changed much in the rankings since 1996 but is catching flak for going down 2 spots in 2009: University of Minnesota Law School.Think this school will be watching its incoming LSATs a bit more closely? Probably...

What do the Law School Rankings Really Mean?

Posted on April 02, 2008
Here is a link to an open letter written by Brian Leiter about the flawed methodology of the U.S. News Law School Rankings. Every law school applicant (in deciding where to apply and where to attend) should read it. If you do not read it, you are not doing your homework...

Fluctuations in Law School Rankings

Posted on March 30, 2008
William and Mary offers a good example of how a law school as a whole doesn't change from year to year, but it's ranking in US News fluctuates. I offer this to prove a point - if you choose a school because it's 26th, rather than going to one that is 35th, you may end up disappointed in your reasoning rather quickly...

U.S. News Mentions AIGAC Admission Counselors

Posted on March 28, 2008
U.S. News mentioned that Admission Consultants with membership in AIGAC provide assistance to applicants in an ethical manner. I'm proud to be one of 40 members of this group!

Deciding to Apply to Law School?

Posted on March 27, 2008
Here are 2 more posts I came across today:U.S. News provided some insight into salary and specialization trends.Here is one Hamline Law student's take on the important considerations in rankings.

More About the Law School Rankings

Posted on March 27, 2008
As you know, I've done quite a bit of blogging on both the productive and detrimental reliance of law school applicants (and of the law schools themselves) on the U.S. News Rankings. As you know, the 2009 results have leaked. Here are two good postings you should read to help take the rankings with a grain of salt...

2009 US News Rankings Leaked Early!

Posted on March 26, 2008
Thanks to Daniel Filler, Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs at Drexel University College of Law (and fellow law school issue blogger) for pointing out to me that the US News Rankings have been leaked a bit early. (They are due in print on Friday)...

Thinking About Multiple Seat Deposits?

Posted on March 20, 2008
If you've been admitted to law school for Fall 2008, you probably have a seat deposit due April 1 or April 15. The complication, of course, is you may be one of the many law school applicants waiting to hear from other schools and you probably don't feel ready to make a commitment to one school without knowing what your other options might be...

Getting Ready for the June LSAT

Posted on March 19, 2008
Here's a nice reminder post that we're within 3 months of the June 2008 LSAT.

Transfer Applicants: Get Started Now!

Posted on March 11, 2008
It's that time of year for 1Ls to start the transfer process. If you've earned good grades as a 1L and would like to attend a different law school, now is the time to compile deadlines, get your letters of rec in line (ask professors now before everyone else does!) and start the process...

How to Spend the Summer Before Law School

Posted on March 09, 2008
A great post about how to spend your 0L summer.

A Crazy Year for Wait Lists, Deferrals & Holds

Posted on March 09, 2008
As I noted in a previous post, there have been some strange admission trends this year. Schools are waitlisting like crazy, and using "deferrals" and "holds" more than I've seen in the past 5 years. Here are some examples:As I've said before, American is one of these schools (consistently waitlisting high 150s LSAT applicants this year)...

U.S. News Rankings To Be Released This Month

Posted on March 06, 2008
See this funny faculty post on the upcoming release of US News and World Report's Law School Rankings.

Racial Inequity in Legal Education

Posted on March 04, 2008
I saw this interesting article today addressing the performance of African American students in law school.

Thinking about Re-taking the LSAT?

Posted on February 23, 2008
Did you just get your LSAT score? Many February LSAT takers are in one of these two situations:1. Applying for Fall 2008 and now wondering whether to add some schools to the list, or2. Applying for Fall 2009 and considering re-taking the LSAT in June...

New Link to Yale Law School Admissions Article

Posted on February 22, 2008
The Yale Daily News has made corrections to its article (which is why the link in my previous post does not function). Here is the current link.

Feb. 2008 LSAT Scores are out!!!

Posted on February 22, 2008
Check your e-mail!!!!

Yale Law Admission Secrets

Posted on February 22, 2008
Here's a great (and useful) article in the Yale Daily News with insights about how Yale Law School makes its admission decisions.

How to Find a Law Job

Posted on February 21, 2008
My husband was driving to court today in Oxnard, CA and saw a van with an ad on the side. We looked up the website and found a site that claims to be the largest resource for law jobs for attorneys and law students.

Are you a Texan Pre-Law?

Posted on February 20, 2008
The University of Texas at San Antonio is accepting applications for its Summer Law School Preparation Academy. The application deadline is March 26.

One Lawyer's Career - An Example

Posted on February 20, 2008
Yes, she went to a local school and she went part time. Yes, it was 30+ years ago. But don't fail to notice this lawyer's impressive career and the impact she had on people's lives. For all of you idealists out there who want to use the law to make a difference, here's some inspiration.

More about Drexel Law School

Posted on February 19, 2008
Last week I shared the news about Drexel's Provisional ABA Status and today I found an article with great information about Drexel's Law School that I thought would be useful to anyone considering attending.

Is the LSAT Biased Against Women?

Posted on February 19, 2008
I found an interesting post today that makes the case that the LSAT must be biased against women..... see the analysis of the score differentials.

Drexel Law Receives Provisional ABA Accreditation

Posted on February 16, 2008
Thanks to one of my clients for forwarding this good news about Drexel Law School becoming Provisionally Accredited by the ABA. I am confident that this school will serve as a great option in the Philadelphia area.

Online Forum for LLM Applicant & More Forum Thoughts

Posted on February 14, 2008
Following up on yesterday's post.... I am headed out for vacation tomorrow and in hopes of finding a light-hearted pre-holiday weekend post, googled "happy news about law school." In doing so, I found an online forum that I thought was very useful for LLM Applicants...

Law School Discussion Driving You Crazy?

Posted on February 12, 2008
My readers know that I hate to be negative, but I've been asked to address my feelings on LawSchoolNumbers and Law School Discussion so here goes.My major problem with these forums is that you can?t trust what people say because you don't really know where the advice is coming from...

Female Law Applicants Not Choosing Politics?

Posted on February 11, 2008
Historically, politicians are largely law school graduates. However, a recent study shows that while the number of female law school applicants is substantially equal to that of men, women are not choosing politics as a career aspiration. For more, see here.

Detroit Mercy to Offer Joint Degree in Mexican Law

Posted on February 08, 2008
Here's a very interesting post on blawg about a law school dean going above and beyond to carve a niche for his graduates.

5 Things Fall 2009 Applicants Can do Right Now

Posted on February 08, 2008
For those of you applying for law school admission for Fall 2009, here is a great timeline for you:1. LSAT in June 2008 or September 2008. (Prep courses would start 7-8 weeks prior to the test date)2. Register for LSDAS now and start compiling Letters of Rec...

Did you take the February 2008 LSAT?

Posted on February 06, 2008
What should you do with your February 2008 LSAT score? Are you hoping to apply for Fall 2008? You'll probably be ok at safety schools but anywhere that you're mid-range or reaching is going to end up with a wait list response at best. This is the joy of rolling admissions...

Good luck to all February LSAT Takers

Posted on February 01, 2008
And I apologize for being MIA this week. Today is my seventh official day with the flu and bronchitis...... Fun stuff. I'm so sick of chicken noodle soup I can't even tell you. I hope my readers are all healthy and doing well and back next week for a more stimulating level of conversation...

Watch out for Questionable LSAT Vendors

Posted on January 23, 2008
I've seen a few articles recently about people who prey on vulnerable LSAT takers. Here's one example with some good advice about how to tell if you're going with a reputable company.

New Law Schools to Consider

Posted on January 22, 2008
A current client sent me an e-mail this morning inquiring about some up-and-coming law schools and I think it's worth sharing with my readers:As I'm reading up on different law schools, there are some law schools that are expected to get ABA accreditation as soon as they become eligible and they are affiliated with some respectable undergraduate institutions, which I suppose makes it a safe bet that it'll receive accreditation...

How to Choose a Law School

Posted on January 18, 2008
I just came across a very good posting by LawSchoolTruth about job prospects and law school rankings. I don't know who writes it, but my favorite part was this: "Remember: If you really, really want to be a lawyer, none of this matters. Go to whatever school you want/can!"

The Benefits of Attending Law School Part Time

Posted on January 18, 2008
My post on Wednesday was geared toward those who really want to be full time law students but were considering applying part time due to perceived lower numerical standards. Today's post is geared toward those that really will be working and/or taking care of families in addition to attending law school and for whom part time programs are their best option for applying to law school...

Law school apps hold steady - News

Posted on January 17, 2008
Thanks so much to Cecily Wu from the University of Pennsylvania for quoting me in today's published story about law school admission trends:Law school apps hold steady - News

4 Things To Consider Before Applying Part Time to Law School

Posted on January 16, 2008
You may have noticed that at schools with part-time programs, the 25th-75th percentile LSAT numbers are a bit lower than that for the same school's full time program. In some instances, applying part-time may increase your chances of being admitted if your numbers are more in line with those of the part-time admitted students...

5 Things You Can Do To Be Admitted From the Wait List

Posted on January 14, 2008
Did a law school put you on a waitlist? What does that mean and what can you do to boost your chances of being admitted to that law school?First, why were you waitlisted? Simple Answer: U.S. News & World Report Rankings.Schools are very concerned with their rankings and an easy way for them to control things from an admission standpoint are (a) watching the LSAT/GPA for admitted students; and (b) keeping acceptance rates low...

You Pick The Topic!!!!

Posted on January 11, 2008
Hi Everyone! One of my clients pointed out I haven't posted anything this week, so I'm taking this opportunity to ask my readers for topics you'd like me to address. Leave a comment to let me know which of these would interest you most and I'll get to work on them this weekend...

The LSAT Shouldn't Be Everything

Posted on January 02, 2008
Just found this and thought I'd put it out there to offer hope to those who believe the LSAT is overly relied upon in the law school admissions process.

Rushing to Re-Take the LSAT in February?

Posted on January 02, 2008
Today I received an e-mail with a relevant question about re-taking the February LSAT. When I tried to respond to the question, the person's e-mail server kicked it back to me. Therefore, I'm taking this opportunity to respond to the question here, hoping that (1) the reader will return and have her question answered, and (2) the response will benefit many of you...

Law School Expert's Best of 2007

Posted on December 30, 2007
Since launching the lawschoolexpert blog in July, I've had 12,000 readers visit. Thank you so much for your support, comments, and encouragement.Here are the year's 5 Most Popular Law School Expert Posts:1. With nearly 1,500 readers and 23 comments, this post about low LSAT scores was the year's most popular post...

Lawyers as Professionals

Posted on December 29, 2007
The law (and studying the law) is about listening to the views of others and developing well-reasoned opinions. Therefore, I happily print comments that disagree with my own.Just as my opinions are taken into context, I urge my readers to consider the context of others' opinions...

Deciding to Attend Law School

Posted on December 29, 2007
I've been inundated with comments today from people who are very negative about their career prospects as attorneys. There are a lot of postings and articles on this topic (financial ramifications of attending law school). I'm not sure why there's such a sudden interest in something I posted back in September, but I always welcome new readers...

New Year's Resolutions for Law Applicants

Posted on December 27, 2007
If I were a law school applicant, these would be my New Year's Resolutions:1. I will not judge my worth as a person by my LSAT score.2. I will not judge my worth as a person by the law schools that choose to admit me.3. I will continue to do everything in my power to craft professional, mature, careful and well-reasoned communications with the law schools that I hope to attend...

December 2007 LSAT Results Posted

Posted on December 21, 2007
LSAT scores came out early. (Happy Holidays!)Read this previous posting about what to do now that you have your LSAT score.If you're considering re-taking the LSAT in February 2008 for Fall 2008 admission, keep this in mind - People have been applying since early Fall and while your safety schools are still pretty sure bets, February LSAT takers are more likely to be waitlisted at schools where they are mid-range applicants...

Deferral to Regular Admission?

Posted on December 18, 2007
Santa Clara Law is among the schools that sent out "deferral" notices this week. What does a "deferral to regular admission" really mean?If you applied Early Action or Early Decision (binding) to any law schools, they will make one of 3 decisions on your application by the deadline they provide (usually December 15th)...

Proof that Powerful Personal Statements Pay Off

Posted on December 17, 2007
I spend a lot of time on the subject of "Rankings Aren't Everything" and "LSAT Isn't Everything" and for those of you who still don't believe me, I want to share this with you--- it's from a client with a 154 LSAT who e-mailed me tonight:Ann!!!!!!!!! Oh my god, i just got home and opened a package from Boston College Law School!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still can't believe it!!! Couldn't have done it without you!

Proof that the LSAT isn't Everything

Posted on December 13, 2007
Ok, so in the last 2 days several of my clients have heard great news - acceptances came in from the University of Miami, Loyola-Chicago, and two of my clients got the thumbs up from UC Berkeley (Boalt). But the best proof that those dreaded law school personal statements matter (and that the LSAT is not the end-all, be-all) came in today...

Getting into Law School

Posted on December 11, 2007
This is one of the best parts of my job as a law school admission coach - hearing back from my clients when there is good news to share. This week, some of the law schools that admitted my wonderful clients include:Fordham Boalt Hall (UC Berkeley)U. New MexicoBaylorASURutgersVillanovaBaltimoreBarrySt...

Pre-Law? Considerations for Choosing a College Major

Posted on December 05, 2007
I came across this posting today by a current law school applicant who talks about why she feels majoring in journalism has prepared her for a law degree. You don't have to major in pre-law or law and society to prepare yourself for law school. In fact, I felt (as an law student) that the undergraduate courses that best prepared me for law school exams was actually art history...

Today's LSAT exam

Posted on December 01, 2007
Congratulations on having the LSAT behind you!Here are links to my previous posts about what to consider when deciding whether to cancel an LSAT score. Things to think about before you cancel your LSAT score are posted here.For those of you still waiting to submit applications, this is the time to get things underway with your law school applications, including law school personal statement, optional essays, addenda, resume, letters of rec, etc...

More Law School Humor

Posted on December 01, 2007
One of my former clients, now a 1L, sent me this e-mail today:It might be bad for business but in the interest of full disclosure I think you should post this on your website....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8ABhatAfsAThanks Ben! Now hit the books!!! Exams are just around the corner ...

LawSchoolExpert.com Gets a New Look!

Posted on November 29, 2007
Law School Expert has a whole new look and feel. Please check it out today!Also, for all pre-law students (applying for Fall 2009 and beyond) I have launched a brand new website and consulting service PreLaw Expert and invite you to check it out. I am going to start dedicating a certain amount of time to assisting college students in building their experiences to help them become the kind of quality, well-rounded applicants sought by law schools...

LawSchoolExpert's 101st Post!!!!

Posted on November 28, 2007
I'm excited to report that the last post was my 100th Lawschoolexpert post! Thanks to all of my readers for your support, comments, and encouragement.Two things today:Please vote for Brett McKay's Frugal Law Student Blog as one of the top blogs for Lawyers in Training...

News for Law School Applicants in New York

Posted on November 28, 2007
Two headlines of note for my New York area law school applicants (and future applicants):1. CUNY Law rebounds.2. SUNY Binghamton is making a bid to create NY's Third Public Law School.

9 Questions to Ask a Law School Admission Consultant

Posted on November 26, 2007
After getting past the LSAT, many law school applicants then look to hire a law school admission consultant. Here are some things to keep in mind when hiring a law school admission adviser:1. Have you previously served as director or dean of admissions for any ABA law school? Or, were you merely a committee member or student recruiter? Do you have any experience making admission decisions?2...

Putting the LSAT in Perspective

Posted on November 24, 2007
With the December 1, 2007 LSAT a week away, many law school applicants are feeling like the entire future trajectory of their lives and careers are resting on this four-hour exam. I read all the discussion boards and blogs and I know this is a self-perpetuating stress-inducer...

Countdown to the December 1, 2007 LSAT

Posted on November 21, 2007
You have 9 days to go before the December 1st LSAT. You have a lot riding on this, especially if this is your first time taking the exam and you're applying for Fall 2008 law school admission.Some tips on how to handle yourself from now until the LSAT date:1...

Law Students' Priorities Not US News Priorities

Posted on November 18, 2007
There are a lot of good posts in the blogosphere about the recent article in National Jurist by Ted Soto (a professor with whom I worked at Loyola Law School) about what law students think is important in a law school and how the rankings don't take those things into account...

Great Law School Personal Statement Tips

Posted on November 16, 2007
Here are two schools that have great advice for law school personal statements:http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/gradschool/law/lawstatement.html http://www.yale.edu/career/students/gradprof/lawschool/lawapply.html (I especially like the do/don't list on this one)

More about Legal Assistant Jobs Before Law School

Posted on November 16, 2007
After my post yesterday, I received a well-considered response from one of my clients. I think she raises some wonderful points and wanted to share them with my readers:True, working as a legal assistant did require long hours and tedious work. However, after my experience, I have a much more realistic view of the legal profession and am entering this profession with a better idea of the career path that I wish to take (or avoid)...