|
1.
Letters of Recommendation – Virtually
all law schools will require you to submit
letters of recommendation. Check the
requirements of the law schools you are
applying to for specific requirements. If
you are currently in an undergraduate
program, letters from professors are
strongly recommended. That means you should
begin to get to know your professors as soon
as possible. The better you know your
professors, the more personal a letter they
will be able to write on your behalf. Ask
questions in class, visit them during office
hours, and take advantage of any opportunity
to work with them in small group settings.
Other possible letter writers include:
Lawyers and Judges, Politicians, Employers
and Supervisors. It is not advisable to ask
a prominent person whom you do not know well
to write your letter. It is much better to
get a strong endorsement from a professor
who is familiar with you and your work
rather than a form letter from a senator who
gets dozens of requests every year. If you
have been out of college for a number of
years, check the admissions materials to see
what is recommended as a substitute for
college professors. It is not a disadvantage
to be older (especially if you have work
experience).
2. Transcripts –
Grade Point Average (GPA)
is an important factor in law school
admission. Remember that it is not the only
factor. A student with a 4.0 GPA and nothing
else may not be as attractive to admissions
committees as a person with a low GPA, a
strong LSAT score, strong letters of
recommendation, extra curricular activities,
work experience, public service experience,
and other factors that make a well rounded
candidate. You will have an opportunity to
explain a low GPA in the personal statement
if there are other factors that contributed
to it.
3. Personal
Statement – This portion of the
application package is arguably the most
important section. If you have competitive
scores and GPA, this is your opportunity to
set yourself apart from the rest of the
applicants and allow the admissions staff to
get to know you on a more personal level.
Likewise, if your GPA and scores are not as
high as you would like them to be, this is
an opportunity to sell yourself as a
potential student and explain factors that
may have contributed to the situation (a
death in the family, prolonged illness,
crime victim, English not first language,
etc.). As with everything else, you should
check your admission information for
specific instructions on how to approach the
personal statement. Some schools may want
you to answer specific questions, and others
may not give any instruction. Most schools
want to know why you are choosing law as a
career, and why their particular law school
fits your needs. In any case it is a good
idea to get help writing your statement.
Make sure you are using proper grammar and
spelling. Have other people who know you
well read the statement and critique it.
There are books available to help you write
an effective personal statement, although
you should be careful following a canned
outline to still make it a “personal”
statement. |
