How do I get into law school?
Today I attended a virtual roundtable event on law school admissions. While undergraduate admissions are my primary area of expertise, I do have two current clients (one college sophomore and one senior) who are either considering law school or currently applying to law school. I’ve learned a great deal from working with these two clients.
Probably the most common question I hear from my high school clients who are considering law school is whether or not you need to attend a prestigious college in order to attend a top law school. Having spoken with a number of law school admissions staff, and having read Ann Levine’s excellent book The Law School Admission Game, I can say that the answer is emphatically “no.” Law school admissions committees will look at your LSAT scores, your college GPA (which will be weighted if you attended a prestigious college), your letters of recommendation, and your personal statement. Where you went to college will factor only minimally, if at all.
If you’re considering law as a career, and if you’re not independently wealthy, I recommend taking out student loans strategically, if at all. I advise most students who are bound for law school to spend minimally on their undergraduate education, perform well there, study hard for the LSAT, and then, if they want to attend a top law school to propel themselves into a high-powered career, take out student loans only then. Or, if they want to practice law in a less competitive environment, apply to a slightly lower-tier law school and angle for a merit scholarship.
Successful law school admission does have a number of special considerations that make it quite different from undergraduate admissions. I highly recommend Ann Levine’s book (mentioned above), which is clear, succinct, and extremely helpful. If you’d like to learn more from me about law school admissions, please don’t hesitate to sign up for a free consultation! Just click the “contact” link from the main menu.
