<p>what are some things a person MUST do?</p>
<p>Get awesome grades. Kick butt on the LSAT. Nail the essays.</p>
<p>In order of importance (spaces added for emphasis)</p>
<p>LSAT</p>
<p>GPA</p>
<p>Soft Factors</p>
<p>Essays
LORs</p>
<p>Honestly? GPA + LSAT is 95% of it...really just get good grades and ace that test.</p>
<p>Let's not overgeneralize here, though. It is quite clear that generally, if you don't have a high enough GPA and strong enough LSAT scores, your probability of getting into a T14 law school is greatly diminished. However, simply having a high GPA and strong LSAT scores does not guarantee you admission to a top law school. For example, having a 3.7 GPA and a 170 on your LSATs puts you squarely within the category of people that is likely to be admitted to one or more T14 law schools, but there are many others with similar qualifications vying for spots in T14 entering classes. </p>
<p>You need to make yourself stand out -- and not in a negative way. Your application needs to be clean, neat, spell-checked and free of typos. You need to have a well written, thoughtful (and again, spell-checked and free of typos) personal statement, even if it isn't the kind of essay that would knock someone's socks off (though that could only help). Don't underestimate how important these factors are.</p>
<p>You also need some decent recommendations and a few things on your resume that show that you didn't spend your four years of college locked away in a library or a lab. Try to show that you are not socially inept. The stronger your activities, leadership positions, work experience, recommendations, etc. are, the more likely you are to make an impression on someone whose voice matters in the admissions process. Are over-the-top, stellar activities and recommendations absolutely necessary? Perhaps not -- but the absence of activities and mediocre recommendations could kill an otherwise stellar-on-the-numbers application. Admissions professionals have to make assumptions about who a person is and how likely they are to add to the classroom discourse, law school community and ultimately, to succeed in the legal profession, from a few pages of writing. Do you want to have negative inferences drawn because you had nothing to offer other than a high LSAT score? I wouldn't.</p>
<p>Don't get arrested. A good idea, of course, even if you don't plan on law school . . . .</p>
<p>Get your LSAT and GPA above the medians of your target schools. As a general rule (per Ivey's Guide to Admissions): Once youre above the median, it comes down to finding reasons NOT to admit you. If one of your numbers are below the median, then your soft factors will count. If your numbers are both below the median, then you need exceptional soft factors. If you have the numbers, and the rest of your app is not completely crap, then anything outside of Yale and Stanford is within striking range.</p>
<p>Remember that "top law schools" is still a decently broad category. First of all, the OP could help by defining his/her own understanding of the phrase. Secondly, remember that not all of the strong schools are looking for identical things. Interested in Northwestern? Work experience will really, truly help you. Interested in Berkeley? Soft factors aren't going to lag too far behind GPA/LSAT. </p>
<p>Law school admissions, especially relative to undergrad, are surprisingly predictable, but there are still plenty of details and differences for prospective students to bear in mind.</p>
<p>That all said, strong GPA, high LSAT, well-written essays, spell-checked application, flattering LOR's, etc. will never hurt you, but that's hardly specific to "top" schools.</p>
<p>hi, I'm from Europe, not very familiar with the US university systhem.
Is it true that one can major in what ever he wants and then go on to law school, or are there some limits? Like I could get a marine biology BS and then continue with law and specialize in environmental law?
thanks</p>
<p>Yes, Luci that is correct. However, getting a JD in the US does NOT guarantee that you would be allowed to stay here and practice law. If you are planning to stay in Europe, an American law degree may not be particularly useful.</p>
<p>If you can find a firm willing to sponsor you to stay, then you'd be allowed to stay. Plus you get something called the OPT where you're allowed to stay around another year after law school to find work. Or if you already have found work, you can work until you get your H1B sorted out.</p>
<p>thanks for your help!
I have American citizenship, (thank God!, otherwise it would be really difficult), but grew up in Europe.
JD is a 2 year thing right? and the master afterwards....? also about 2 years?</p>
<p>I don't know what you mean about the master's afterwards, but a JD is three years.</p>
<p>a JD is 3 years day, 4 years night. an LL.M is an additional year. an J.S.D. can be 3 or 4 years after that.</p>
<p>Luci--</p>
<p>I'm not sure what you mean. Most attorneys only have J.D. degrees. Most of the exceptions fall into 3 categories: (1) tax attorneys ; (2) foreign attorneys who get LLMs in US law; (3) people interested in teaching who were <em>stars</em> at law schools which aren't among the most highly ranked, who get LLMs at top schools to improve their chances of getting academic positions. </p>
<p>There are certainly attorneys who get LLMs for other reasons, but these are the most common. In environmental law, most folks would NOT get a LLM.</p>
<p>I am only entering my Junior year in Undergrad, but I have already decided that I want to first join the Peace Corp for two years, and then come back and immediately start Law School. First, I will be waiting at least a year to apply, since my GPA will undoubtedly be stronger if it includes my senior year grades. I decided on applying for the Peace Corp, but I have a quick question. If I do my law school applications right before leaving for the Peace Corp and then choose a Law School from my PC region, could I defer it with no problem until I come back from the PEace Corp. Or do people recommend staying around the U.S. until it's all settled and then going into the PEace Corp. I don't want to do this because then it will about 3 years from my undergrad ed. until I enter Law School and I want it to be 2 years max.</p>
<p>I am not sure what you are asking. But I'll give this a try...</p>
<p>You can apply to LS in the fall of your senior year or the fall after you graduate. You should be able to defer for two years in order to join the PC at most schools. However, you would be well-advised to check with any school that accepts you. You could try and check with schools before you even apply.</p>