HEY Y’ALL
Ok right now it’s the second day of summer and I have no idea what to do besides SAT Prep? I don’t know what to do to make my college application shine and I’m PANICKING.
What do you recommend for someone planning on studying law in college?
Volunteer for a campaign – either a politician, or if there are any state or local issues on the ballot this fall with referendums, they often need volunteers.
See if you can find any interesting free online MOOCs to take – lots are technical, but not all of them.
Volunteer someplace else – library, etc.
Get a part time job
For law you can do anything. Find something that actually interests you this summer and do it. I know that sounds silly, but the truth is: No matter what you choose to do, if you’re genuinely interested in it, you will get a lot out of it. Even if the activity turns out to be kind of a bust, you will still get a lot of skills and will learn what you do and do not like.
You are aware that in the USA at least law is not an undergraduate degree? You study any major at all, then you apply to law school.
Law is a big umbrella that covers virtually all interests. Most people suggest political science as a law background, but you can go into law with a nursing / health background, music, engineering, fine arts, theater, journalism, food prep, foreign language and study abroad, activism for a cause (like gender equality, free speech, human rights, immigrant issues, homelessness or anything else that you fancy).
I strongly suggest finding your passion this summer.
Ask yourself: what do I love? And then say: No, not what everyone tells me that I should love. What do I really actually truly love?
Then go do that.
Then get As in college
Get internships in what you truly love.
Then study your fanny off for the LSAT and score in the upper 2%
You have a good chance of getting into a top law school.
@Dustyfeathers Thank you so much for your answer! I honestly discovered a lot about myself this year, and found myself interested in talking about gender equality, human rights, and things involving feminism. I’ve applied to become a full time writer for a literary magazine, but what else could I do to focus on the issues involving gender inequality facing today’s society? What can I do to get my voice heard, ((and still look good on college applications lol))?
Contact main office of the ACLU in your state and see if there is anything you could do on a volunteer basis for them. However, make sure to market yourself - make it about what you can do for them and not vice versa. If they do not have anything maybe they can refer you to one or more advocacy organizations that have a need for a summer intern or volunteer - for the environment, for children, LGBT, etc.
ACLU is great, and also look for other advocacy groups and organizations. As with ACLU you may want to look at groups that don’t necessarily look like feminist groups or human rights groups or gender-issues groups per se. For example, your community might have a program to help homeless find jobs or housing, to tutor students over the summer. There will inherently be issues involving children, gender equality, and LGBT concerns across these issues. Or, for example, going abroad will help widen your perspective on these issues within a different culture. When you describe your experiences on an application, you’ll have a chance to show the underlying connections, for example in your essays.
Passion for an issue will show. People with passion naturally seek out ways to innovate and solve problems. You can’t fake passion although many have tried! Passion and innovation and excellent academics will look “good” to colleges.
Get a summer job.
Volunteer in something that you are interested in.