Looking Toward Law School--The Hard Numbers

Looking at Your GPA

Now, this is where every single person initially starts their freak out.  Not very many people receive the perfect grade point average that they are used to in law school.  Either you had the typical "first semester adjustment period, or you chose a difficult major that led to a few speed bumps.  All of this is okay--you are not just your GPA.

I myself had a pretty middle of the road GPA following undergrad.  I majored in accounting with a minor in international studies.  Accounting at my school was known to be quite the competitive choice.  I had some difficulty in some of the more advanced classes, and I had to balance that with writing weekly papers for my International Studies classes.  Luckily for me, I was able to take most of my minor's classes during study abroad programs, and it is true what they say--studying abroad is a more relaxed environment in regards to grades.

If you do want to do a study abroad program, but you are worried about finances, I suggest going to speak to people in your study abroad office.  There are often scholarships available to students who have a strong interest in participating in their programs.  (Schools often want the study abroad statistics when they are advertising to students.)

But most of all, do NOT let your GPA drag you down.  If you are one of the lucky ones with an extremely strong GPA, congratulations.  Either way, the next step is to look at the LSAT.

Tackling the LSAT

The LSAT is a necessary evil for everyone that wants to get their JD.  Some people need to do it on their own, others need a multitude of help.  If you have trouble with testing, the LSAT actually offers quite a few options for testing accommodations if you fill out the necessary paperwork.  A lot of it needs to be notarized, so my suggestion is to look into these with significant time before you intend to take the test.

Prep Courses

I know that is hard to admit that you need help, especially if you are a Type A personality like most of us law students, but sometimes it can make a large difference.  There are quite a few LSAT prep courses that you can enroll in.  They vary quite a bit, in both structure and offerings, so what I did was "screen" the programs to one that fit my learning style.  The companies may interview you, but there is nothing wrong with practicing your legal skills early and interviewing them and finding what you need.

If the price tag is an issue, you can definitely negotiate packages with the different companies.  Sometimes, if you get lucky, some tutors will even work with you "off the books" for a reduced price.  Also, some tutoring services offer competitive pricing if you tell them about the prices of other packages.

The Test Itself

The only way to truly be prepared for something so systematic is practice, practice, practice.  I know it sounds cliche, but logic games do not come naturally to anyone.  They are meant to trick you.  But, the best part is that you can trick them right back with having some techniques up your sleeve.

A must is to complete some practice exams under "true testing conditions" with a time limit and all of the sections.  If you run out of time on some parts, you should still complete the questions, but mark where you stopped with a line, so you know if you need to train to pick up speed.  The LSAT is a marathon, not a sprint.

Much luck and much love,