The night before the test, you should lay out all of the things you’re going to need, most important of which are your admissions ticket from the LSAC, photo identification.

And the day of the test, get up early, have a good breakfast. If you’re the type of person that needs coffee, then drink.  Don’t screw with your routine but also sort of scale back on the caffeine a little bit. 

Try to remain calm. Try to, again like I said, if you’re going to do anything, get something you’ve already done like in logic game you did well on that week and just walk yourself through it, put yourself in the right mindset.

By Accepted.com, the premier admissions consultancy and essay editing company, that has helped applicants around the world gain admissions to over 450+ top schools since 1994. Visit Accepted.com for guidance with your law school application today. 

Segal is at it again. In his latest piece for The New York Times, he shifts the focus to the ABA and its detrimental impact on legal education. Segal notes that in order for a law school to even obtain provisional accreditation, it must meet a large number of standards, which inevitably raises tuition. Most states require a degree from an ABA-approved school in order to practice law, which leaves prospective lawyers with little choice when accruing debt in order to eventually find a job. And then to pay off those debts, they must earn an adequate salary, charging more than many in need of legal aid can afford. Segal points out the paradox: “The United States churns out roughly 45,000 lawyers a year, but survey after survey finds enormous unmet need for legal services, particularly in low- and middle-income communities.”

As opposed to other countries, in the U.S. there is generally only one option for legal services—hiring a lawyer trained by an ABA-approved law school. And many believe that ABA’s standards are “one-size-fits-all and overly rigid, which drives up the cost of both a diploma and of legal services.” For a school to be considered for provisional accreditation, it must be in operation for at least a year, which makes this whole process not only “expensive,” but “risky,” as well.

Segal brings up the case of Duncan School of Law, part of Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, which had been awaiting provisional accreditation. The school finds fault with the ABA’s methods, charging them for their raised expenses and tuition. However, as Above the Law points out, about half of Duncan’s budget goes to paying its faculty, which cannot be overlooked: “Segal does a lot to try to indirectly blame the high cost of professorial salaries on various rules, written and unwritten, about attaining ABA accreditation, but there’s no way to completely gloss over faculty greed and deans (who are themselves part of legal academia) being all too happy to keep paying into the system that keeps salaries high for all.” We cannot keep pointing fingers at different culprits in the case of exorbitant legal education, until faculty salaries are taken into account as well.

But, with all this blame directed at the ABA, it has “noted that it would be an antitrust violation to cap or limit the number of law schools.” So, one would expect the thumbs-up for Duncan. However, two days after the NYT article, the school was informed that the ABA had denied them provisional accreditation. Reasons for this move were not disclosed, but The National Law Journal reports that “the council had identified problems with the academic credentials of the school’s incoming students and the school’s ability to provide academic support to those students.” That’s not how Above the Law sees it: “The timing of this, three days after the New York Times published its article, creates the unmistakable impression that the ABA denied accreditation in retaliation for the school bitching to the Times.” Yet, apparently the ABA made their decision weeks before Duncan was notified.

Regardless of what transpired with Duncan, the NYT still brings up an important issue, one which is addressed by USC Law professor Gillian Hadfield. Instead of one avenue for training lawyers, Hadfield envisions “a range of options that would entail an array of educational degrees and a broad spectrum of prices and formats for legal services.” This way, those who want to work in the legal field but avoid hefty tuitions can do so, and everyone would be able to afford legal services at some level. Yet, Above the Law notes that this solution would “require a nationwide reinterpretation of legal services.” Plus, schools like Duncan Law would still want to train “full-service, do-it-all lawyers,” which is “very lucrative.” As it sums up, “the ABA doesn’t force prices to be high, so much as it refuses to require costs be controlled.”

This blog post originally appeared on Accepted Admissions Consulting blog.

Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

Among the findings, the study from Veritas Prep noted a 13 percent decrease in law school applicants who would still apply even if a significant number of law school graduates were unable to find jobs in their desired fields. Only 68 percent of respondents indicated they would still apply in such circumstances, compared to 81 percent in 2010. Also of interest, only 26 percent of respondents believe they will always be able to find a job if they have a JD, a nine percent decrease from last year’s results.

The survey, conducted in June and July of 2011, was distributed to those currently applying or considering applying to law school including Veritas Prep’s law school admissions consulting clients and subscribers of preLaw Magazine and Law School Podcaster. Nearly 150 current and prospective law school applicants participated in the survey, representing a combination of both college graduates and current undergraduates. A breakout of select findings is below:

Professional Aspirations and Concerns

•  Finding a job that allowed them to pay off their student loan debt (73%) supplanted last year’s top issue, which was finding an appealing long-term career path (68% of respondents as opposed to 79% of respondents in 2010).

Law School Financing

•  Although the number of respondents (21%) relying on grants and scholarships remained unchanged, the number expecting to finance their education through student loans grew substantially, from 38 percent in 2010 to 49 percent in 2011. Perhaps somewhat related to this increase was the fact that in 2011 only nine percent of respondents indicated parental support would help them finance the degree, as opposed to the 14 percent expecting parental support last year.

Law School Research and Selection

•  Location continues to be the most important factor in selecting a law school (71% this year, 69% in 2010). Although prestige and ranking continue to be important considerations (64% in 2011, 63% in 2010), this year career placement rate displaced prestige and ranking as the number two consideration, with 67 percent of respondents considering it a high priority (versus last year’s 62%). Additionally, the affordability of a legal education has assumed a higher priority for respondents: 60 percent (versus last year’s 54%) cited it as a consideration in the law school selection process.

Veritas Prep’s law school admissions consulting services ensure that Veritas Prep clients are successfully poised for admission to their select law schools.  Learn more about Veritas Prep and how they help applicants gain admission to the world’s most competitive schools.

Your pre-med friends have no doubt been taking science classes since freshman year as they work their way towards the MCAT and applying to medical school. If you’ve got law school on your mind, you probably already know that there’s no particular course of studies recommended and there’s no single path to  prepare you for a legal education.

Still, a big question law school applicants ask is, what can you study as an undergrad to position yourself well for the admissions process and for law school itself.  We’ve devoted a whole show to this topic, What’s Your Major – The Courses That Help You Get In and Succeed in Law School.

To start, Associate Dean for Admissions at the University of Chicago Law School, Ann Perry, says there isn’t one major in particular that will help you prepare for the LSAT. Perry sees and accepts a variety of majors. “I’ve admitted into the law school here music majors, math majors, political science majors, engineering majors, biology majors, accounting majors, philosophy majors. So, there’s a lot of majors represented in the law schools across the country.”

Of course, each major comes with its own strengths,  Sarah Zearfoss, Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions, University of Michigan Law School says. “If you’re talking just about grades, it is… basically, it is very rare at Michigan Law School, at least, to see students with science, math or engineering majors who end up at the bottom of the class. Those students always seem to do pretty well. But grades are not the entire story. I also think that people with those majors may have a bit more work to do to get up to speed in terms of learning the historical context behind the evolution of law. So from that perspective, history and poli sci majors have a huge advantage. And English majors are very, very well-trained in close reading of huge amounts of text, which is another important skill in law school, and so forth. I do think that most majors will give you some specialized training or knowledge that will give you an edge in some law school subjects.” Dean Zearfoss also shares some insight about faculty preferences for students with different backgrounds and areas of study.

In our podcast, host Diana Jordan also interviews the following guests:

• Chloe Reid, Associate Dean & Dean of Admissions, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
• Debbie Chizewer, Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions and Director, Chicago Careers in Law, University of Chicago
• Richard Montauk, Admissions Consultant & author, How to Get Into the Top Law Schools

Listen to the full show!

More Information on this Topic from our Sponsor

Veritas Prep offers the industry’s most comprehensive admissions consulting services to help applicants gain admission to the world’s most competitive law schools. Their admissions experts can show you how to make the most of your candidacy with refined personal statements, strategically crafted resumes, and a personalized Law School Game Plan™ for attacking the admissions process. The Veritas Prep team of admissions consultants represents all of the top 14 law schools, including Yale, Harvard, and Stanford. These experts have the insider information and experience need to successfully lead law school applicants through the admissions process. Law School Podcaster listeners can receive a 10% discount on any law school admissions consulting service by registering at veritasprep.com/law with the code LAWPOD09.

Guests:

• Ann Perry, Associate Dean for Admissions, The University of Chicago Law School
• Sarah Zearfoss, Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions, University of Michigan Law School
• Chloe Reid, Associate Dean & Dean of Admissions, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
• Debbie Chizewer, Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions and Director, Chicago Careers in Law, University of Chicago
• Richard Montauk, Admissions Consultant & Author, How to Get Into the Top Law Schools

Transcript:

Welcome to Law School Podcaster, your source for inside information and advice on the law school application process.  I’m Diana Jordan.  If you’re thinking about law school, you no doubt want to do everything possible now to prepare yourself.  If you’re still an undergraduate, you may be wondering: Does what I study in college matter for law school?  Are there classes that will help me stand out with admissions committees? Is there a particular major or a concentration of studies that will help me develop the skills I’ll need once I get to law school?

In this show, What’s Your Major – The Courses That Help You Get In And Succeed in Law School, you’ll learn that there is no perfect path, and that there are many myths about the majors, which can give you confusing and false guidance.  Our guests in this show lay out the stats and bust the rumors.  For example, on those myths is Senior Assistant Dean For Admissions, Sarah Zearfoss, with the University of Michigan, “Oh, I think there are two central myths that I always hear, and they’re both about poli sci, and they’re diametrically opposed.”  Pre-law adviser Debbie Chizewer is the Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions and Director of Chicago Careers in Law, a program at the University of Chicago that supports students and alumni who are deciding whether a career in law is a good fit for them.  She takes Dean Zearfoss’s point one step farther, “There is no one preferred major for preparation for the LSAT or for law school.”  And at the Gould School of Law at the University of Southern California, Associate Dean & Dean of Admissions Chloe Reid weighs in on how she can possibly compare an Egyptologist with a physicist.  “It’s not as though we have this little book though that tells us ‘for X School you need to subtract two one-hundredths of a point from their GPA because there’s grade inflation.’  I mean, there’s nothing like that that occurs.  So it’s a very organic process that takes place with an admissions committee.”  In this show we will also hear from Associate Dean for Admissions at the University of Chicago Law School, Ann Perry, and consultant Richard Montauk, who is the author of How to Get Into the Top Law Schools.

Records are not kept about every law school applicant’s major.  But Dean Sarah Zearfoss with the University of Michigan offers guidance for the most promising launch to a successful law career.  “Apparently, two fifths of law school applicants don’t tell the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) their major – they just check the ‘other’ box.  But for the remaining three fifths, the LSAC data shows that the most common majors among law school applicants are political science, which dominates by a wide margin, making up almost one fifth of the total; English; and history, psychology and economics, which are, you know, pretty much equal to each other.  So I took a look at some data I have, showing the most competitive law school applicants as assessed by LSAT and GPAs thus far this year.  There are about 4000 names on this list, total, and about 1000 are in the top one percent of LSAT scores.

Of the majors that are the most common, according to LSAC, the poli sci, psychology, and history all perform approximately equivalently, showing up in roughly similar numbers in the top one percent.  But econ., on the other hand, really outperforms by a wide margin – a completely disproportionate number are in the top one percent.  And English majors also appeared to perform a bit better, although not quite as well as econ. majors.  With English it’s just that they are very adept at working with text, which is helpful on the LSAT.  And with econ., you know, maybe the quantitative skills that you often have with an econ. major are helpful.  And I just… there are some other less traditional majors that appear to do incredibly well too.  So there are 22 math majors and 11 physics majors on the list of about a thousand, which sounds like nothing, but because there are so few of these majors in the pool as a whole that’s actually really noteworthy.  So, you have to ask though, is that the major that’s preparing them to do so well, or is it something that people who major in math and physics are, you know, super-smart to begin with, and a little thing like the LSAT is not going to give them any problems?  It’s hard to say.”

Author and consultant Richard Montauk says it’s not about the major – it’s about your brilliance.  “The best performing majors on the LSAT tend to be the science and technology disciplines, the ‘STEM’, i.e., Science, Tech, Engineering and Math disciplines, largely because they tend to attract the smartest, most capable students, on average.  The least performing majors, so to speak, those students who tend to get the lowest scores, tend to be in the softest disciplines, things like, unfortunately, criminology and the like.  So in terms of the best academic preparation to help you prepare for the LSAT, it’s not a matter, really, of the discipline that you follow.”

Associate Dean for Admissions at the University of Chicago Law School, Ann Perry, says there isn’t one major in particular that will help you prepare for the LSAT.  Perry sees and accepts a variety of majors.  “I’ve admitted into the law school here music majors, math majors, political science majors, engineering majors, biology majors, accounting majors, philosophy majors.  So, there’s a lot of majors represented in the law schools across the country.”

Select a major you’ll do well in, and enjoy.  That, from USC Dean of Admissions Chloe Reid.  She agrees with Dean Perry that all majors are welcome.  Most are political science, English, history, communications, journalism, engineer[ing], art and music majors.  “One of the things that we always stress with students is that you want to major in something, or at least take coursework in areas that you know are going to be used in law school.  And so, law school is all about reading and digesting material.  And it’s all about writing, and logical reasoning.  So, taking some logic classes would be great, even if you are the art major.  Certainly taking writing courses that give you an opportunity to engage in expository writing is important.  And then, you know, some reading classes that help you understand, you know, how to compare information.”

Pre-law advisor Debbie Chizewer says there is no preferred major.  “All majors have the potential to prepare students well.  The most important skill for a student to learn is analytical reasoning.  And that can be developed in a wide array of classes.  Really, I have no preference, and I will say that I see students across probably 40 majors.  The students who have experience in writing find that some of the work of the LSAT writing sample and preparing for law school can be easier.  But all students are capable of it.”

Of course, each major comes with its own strengths, Dean Zearfoss says.  “If you’re talking just about grades, it is… basically, it is very rare at Michigan Law School, at least, to see students with science, math or engineering majors who end up at the bottom of the class.  Those students always seem to do pretty well.  But grades are not the entire story.  I also think that people with those majors may have a bit more work to do to get up to speed in terms of learning the historical context behind the evolution of law.  So from that perspective, history and poli sci majors have a huge advantage.  And English majors are very, very well-trained in close reading of huge amounts of text, which is another important skill in law school, and so forth.   I do think that most majors will give you some specialized training or knowledge that will give you an edge in some law school subjects.”

As for the majors viewed as especially valuable in the admissions process, Dean Zearfoss says it often depends on the preference of faculty.  For example, a pair of professors at Michigan Law School want to see classics majors, which, she says, is not typical.  “Our corporate law faculty love to see finance majors.  Our intellectual law faculty love to get science and engineering majors, but also music, film and visual arts majors.  So again, it’s going to just depend on the particular faculty.  Putting those idiosyncrasies aside, the LSAC does have national data showing that history, biology, econ. and math majors do exceptionally well in the application process.  Almost 80% of them get admitted to law school.  But the overall average is only two thirds.”

Now about that poli sci degree – Dean Zearfoss says she hears two rumors about poli sci, and they are diametrically opposed.  “People think you have to be a poli sci major to get into law school.  And people think you absolutely ought not to be a poli sci major to get into law school.  The fact is that poli sci majors fare a smidgen better than average in the admissions process, according to LSAC data, and I think it’s pretty clear that admissions offices are neither selecting for poli sci majors, nor holding them to a higher standard.  So if you want to be a poli sci major, go ahead.  And if you don’t, don’t worry about it; do something else.”

To get into law school, Montauk says, you might want to avoid these classes: “It’s not necessary to do political science or history or literature, for example, in order to go to law school.  And it’s certainly not necessary to do anything labeled ‘pre-law’ or ‘criminology’.  Those are the sorts of courses that tend to get short shrift in this process because they’re ordinarily very, very soft, i.e., not demanding, with easy grading.”

Pre-law advisor Chizewer says there really isn’t a bottom seven list of majors, or a top seven, not at Chicago.  “We tend to see a lot of history and political science majors, and within those majors I’ve seen scores all over the board.  Sometimes math and science majors may perform strongly on the LSAT, but may have a more challenging time with the writing or reading comprehension side of the LSAT.  So I’m not seeing any consistent trends in our population for best performance on the LSAT, or worst performance.”

There is no sense, she says, in choosing a major for any other reason, except this, “I encourage students to follow their passion, and do well in that area.  And law school admissions officers often repeat that same instruction.  It’s best for a student  to do well in whatever they pursue.  And so, chances are they’re going to do well in an area that they really enjoy.”

And Chizewer has several examples: “I’m working with a student right now who is an English major and has an art history minor.  She has a strong interest in art.  And she hopes to use her law degree to work on intellectual property issues.  And so, it may not look at first blush that an art history minor would be interested in law, but she is passionate about using her… both her background in art and her interest in law to combine them.  I also regularly see science students and math students who really enjoy the logical reasoning aspect of a legal argument, and will use their law degree to enhance their impact in their field.”

Michigan’s Dean Zearfoss says admissions officers see curricula that is both broad and deep.  “You should certainly be trying to take challenging courses in whatever is your chosen core field, to show that you can perform at a very high academic level.  And then it’s also important though that you branch out and test yourself in areas outside your comfort zone.  So classes that give you experience [such] as close reading of texts, detailed analysis, logical reasoning, and extensive writing are always helpful.”

In comparing different majors in the admissions process, Dean Perry reviews the entire application, and discerns how the student performs in their major fields.  “So, it’s looking at their transcripts, seeing what courses they took.  Did they challenge themselves within their major, meaning they took upper level classes beyond maybe what was required?  I like to see some writing classes — and even hard science majors sometimes take writing classes — because I think that’s a core skill that it would be nice to come with for law school, even though you take a whole year of legal writing.  So it’s evaluating that, but also here’s where letters of recommendation become helpful, especially when they’re from a professor who the student had, who can really kind of talk about this student’s academic ability.”

Once admissions begins comparing undergraduate GPAs it can become complicated, according to Dean Zearfoss.  “The single best source of information we ever get about grading patterns and the meaning of a particular student’s performance comes from academic recommenders.  Sometimes professors will explicitly tell us the candidate’s GPA may not look impressive, but in fact places him or her in the top, you know 5% of the major’s cohort.  So if you have a major with a particularly demanding curve, that’s incredibly useful information for a committee, an admissions committee, and you’d be very well served to politely request that the recommender give us that kind of background context.”

There are a few combinations that will attract the attention of admissions committees, suggests consultant and author Richard Montauk.  “Somebody who has a strong engineering background and wishes to do intellectual property work, i.e., patent work and the like, will be viewed a bit favorably for that, because frankly, without that kind of a background a patent practice is highly unlikely to work.  Something unusual can be of a bit of assistance… an Egyptology major, for example, might be viewed a bit favorably.  Now this is going to be a more of a feather, probably not a thumb, on the scales, and certainly not a lot more than that.  By the same token, people who are double majors or close to it, in two very disparate subjects, are likely to be viewed favorably.  Somebody who does French literature and statistics, for instance, where the overlap is obviously pretty slim, will be viewed as people who really take on a challenge and are going to be benefited by that.”

Pre-law adviser Chizewer says no majors are given preferential treatment.  “I would say that if a law school is looking at a science major they may be wondering if they’re someone who wants to go into patent law or some combination of health and law, depending on their specialty in science.  But they are looking to create interesting and diverse classes, and so they will pull from all majors.  And as long as they have some indication that they have the potential to succeed in law school, based on their writing samples submitted through the personal statement and the LSAT.”

And the good news is that admissions committees know how to evaluate course names and which are more rigorous.  The pre-law adviser Chizewer says she doesn’t know of any one major that helps you prepare for the rigor of law school.  “I will say that students who had the opportunity to practice their writing skills may find the transition easier, but because law school teaches you to think and write a new way, I think all majors have the ability to perform well.  A strong undergraduate training in analytical thinking, critical thinking, is going to help no matter what the specific major is.”

USC’s Reid thinks back on her undergraduate career, and would have done it differently.  “When I think about all the classes that I wish I had taken, and yet I was so fixated on, you know, being the poli sci major because I was going to go to law school.  And so I always just say, you know, take those courses also that you think are going to be helpful to you as… in terms of supporting your own interests, but also the things that may just be fun and that you think, you know, I’ll probably never ever take a folk art class in life, and maybe this is my time to do it. So certainly, taking courses that will help you grow as a person and as an individual.  But also, you know, just thinking about being practical in terms of what could help me in law school.  And again, taking courses that are going to help me with my reading and writing are useful.  And so taking other courses throughout the university that may not necessarily be in my major, but perhaps will have a paper complement as part of a requirement for the course.  Again, you’re utilizing those writing skills, rather than taking a multiple choice question exam, and regurgitating information.  But you know, expository writing, again, is what we do in law school.  So getting as much opportunity to do essay writing is helpful.”

Something else to consider in choosing classes: Is law school the right next step for you?  Dean Chizewer says chances are good you’ll know if you take law-related classes.  “One of the things that I think is most important for pre-law advisers is to help our students assess whether law school is the right next step for students.  And one way to do that is to take law-related classes so that you are trying to read a case for the first time, seeing if you enjoy that process, thinking about issues that have, you know, opposing arguments, and being able to navigate those and communicate your position, and understand the weaknesses of your position.”

Don’t stick to your favorite classes, says Dean Zearfoss.  “It’s very important to get a good variety of coursework, both to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have a lively mind and can perform well outside your comfort zone, and to give you the broad training that will help you succeed.  So, if you’re a liberal arts major, make sure not to focus exclusively on your major coursework.  So if you’re an English major try a poli sci course.  If you’re a poli sci major take some poetry.  But if you’re a science or engineering or math major you really need to make sure you take some coursework that has you dealing with texts, both reading and writing.”

What if you’ve been out of school for awhile?  Consultant Montauk has some advice to consider – do a thesis; take demanding classes to impress the admissions committee; and solid work experience can improve your profile.  “Those who are working in a demanding sort of job are going to find that if they do well in the job their applications are greatly bolstered by that.  In fact, people with questionable undergraduate performance will tend to find that the best way to repair that record is not through coursework after college, but instead by having a strong bit of work experience.  The longer, of course, the better.  Beyond that, they can look to improve their profile by having a strong LSAT.  And perhaps lastly, can improve their profile by doing coursework of a demanding nature, post-college.”

But  if you’ve been out of school a long time, you really don’t need to go back to graduate school to look good for law school, Dean Zearfoss says.  “I think it’s a lot of money and time for a very uncertain advantage.  But practically speaking, the problem is also that Master’s Degrees are just very different from law school, and won’t really demonstrate that.  I think the better thing to emphasize is your work experience and your real life experience outside of school.  That’s often very appealing to law schools, and I would work on that.”

Dean Reid suggests taking additional classes for LSAT prep, and before you enter law school – writing classes, reading comprehension, or logical reasoning.  Anything that will get you to critically analyze material will support you in law school.  And sometimes it’s not about the major.  “Read as much as you possibly can the summer before law school.  And read as much as you can, if it’s the trashy novels or if it’s the historical books.  Just read though, because that’s what you’re going to be exposed to in law school, and I think that’s always the biggest surprise for law students, is the amount of reading that’s required, and how it just starts from day one.”

As we’ve heard, law schools would rather you choose a major you love, instead of picking something to impress the admissions committee.  “Some institutions do have pre-law majors.  I don’t think it is necessary.  And I would say that some law schools are turned off even by the pre-law major, because they would rather see students follow their passion and not try to dot the i’s and cross the t’s to get to law school.  So I would encourage students to think critically about picking a pre-law major just because it’s a pre-law major.  If they enjoy the courses offered in that discipline, or they find something else specifically attractive about it, then they should pursue it.  But just for the sake of having a pre-law major I would not recommend it.”

Don’t take just any old course, says Dean Perry.  “I think students should choose a major that they’re interested in, not just because they think it’s going to look good for law school.  Because if you choose something that you’re interested in, you tend to do well in it because you’re enjoying yourself.”

Also from Chicago, Dean Chizewer says admissions committees have their eye on a special kind of law school student.  “Law schools want students who are passionate, who are going to take their law degree and use it to make an impact in the world.”

So, it looks like there’s no need to set your sights on a poli sci degree, if you don’t want it.  What does matter?  Be excellent in a major you enjoy.  If it’s a rigorous course of study, have a recommender point out that your slightly lower GPA in physics ranks better than a numerically high GPA in lit.  Focus on disparate subjects to demonstrate your range.  Take classes in critical writing, robust analysis, and microeconomics to boost your skills.  Best, our deans and consultants say, to play your passions, rather than to try to get into law school by dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.

For more information, a transcript of this show, or to sign up to receive more law school podcasts, visit www.lawschoolpodcaster.com.  Look for us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest news and insight into the world of law school.  I’m Diana Jordan with Law School Podcaster.  Thanks for listening.  Stay tuned for more shows as we explore another topic of interest, to help you succeed in the law school application process and beyond.

Was this your reaction when you saw your LSAT score? Yes? Keep reading.

Initial Considerations

Let’s start with a dose of reality. Most people see very little improvement in their LSAT score after retaking (an average of roughly two points for folks who scored between 150 and 167 the first time), and some even see a decrease in their score. Take a look at the below chart for some analysis of the success of 2010-2011 ‘retakers’ with various initial scores:

*Data courtesy of LSAC.org’s 2010-2011 “repeater” statistics (pdf).

The most important take away from this data is the marginal nature of the score increases that repeat LSAT takers tend to achieve. Just because something is unlikely, however, does not make it impossible, especially when there are some repeaters scoring worse, telling us that some people do significantly better than the 2 or so point average increase. Furthermore, there are very legitimate circumstances that may have applied to your first attempt at the LSAT that prevented you from realizing your full potential.

When considering a retake, it is important to make an honest assessment of your efforts the first time around. Here are the important questions you must ask yourself in order to avoid becoming the next sad repeater statistic:

Did I study like hell the first time I took the exam?

There are a large number of test takers who underestimate the beast that is the LSAT. The LSAT is a very difficult exam, and in taking it you should assume you are competing with the upper quartile of college students nationwide. If you approached your LSAT prep with the same fervor as your SAT prep, you’re in trouble. That would be the equivalent of jogging a two miles a day to train for a marathon. Simply put, you should ask yourself whether you underestimated this test. If your answer is yes, you are a prime candidate for a retake. If your answer is no, read on.

Did I have a “bad day” when I took the exam?

When we say “bad day” here, we’re referring to everything from the completely and totally disastrous, to the mildly distracting. First, the completely disastrous: if Murphy’s Law inconveniently applied itself to your test day experience, you should have a good sense of this and how it negatively affected your score. Were you late for your exam? Did you get sick half way through it? Did a motorcycle gang decide to ride up and down the street your test center was located on during the Logic Games section? Was there a guy nervously tapping his foot on your chair throughout the test? Did the proctor flirt with you during the break and totally mess with your concentration? Were you abducted by Aliens during the break? If your answer is yes, hopefully you had the foresight to “cancel” (even extra terrestrials should have internet access), and are rightly plotting your course toward the next exam date.

Unlike the completely disastrous scenarios, slight distractions are more likely to rear their ugly heads again in future test implementations. If you found yourself slightly distracted on test day, you need to decide whether or not you believe you can overcome similar scenarios in the future. Was it really your neighbor tapping his or her pencil on their desk that destroyed your focus, or are you predisposed to test anxiety? Identifying whether truly external and unpredictable factors negatively affected your test experience is a crucial component to your retake decision. It can be unnerving to take such a high stakes test in a tense room full of prospective lawyers, but unfortunately that is part of the game day experience.

I prepped really hard, but did I prep long enough?

The LSAT is one of the harder or the hardest standardized exam that many people ever face. The skills it assesses are not only learned in 3 months of prep—they’re gained through a decade of rigorous high school and college courses. That’s not to say that someone who spent college staring at the bottom of a beer mug can’t do well on the LSAT, but it does mean that it may take some people longer than the usual 3-4 months to get to their best score. Tips and tricks can get you only a few points, really hitting your top means cleaning up and speeding up your thinking—and that’s not done in a weekend workshop!

I prepped really hard, but did I prep smart?

If you’ve read this far, I’m going to assume that you put in the effort in prepping for your LSAT. The question to ask yourself now is: was that effort the best use of my time? In other words, did my LSAT prep suck?

Let’s face it, there are many, many options out there for preparing for the beast that is the LSAT. It could be that you signed up for the first course that caught your eye (or perhaps the cheapest available option), and it simply didn’t cut it for you. At Manhattan LSAT, we firmly believe that the second most important factor in one’s LSAT prep, after their own hard work, is the quality of the instruction and the materials that they use to study.

Perhaps this time around you’ll want to add a structure to your self-study regiment. We have seen countless examples of structure alone being a “make or break” factor in one’s LSAT prep. Working through the quality material in the order that a 99th percentile professional LSAT tutor/curriculum developer has put together can make all the difference in the world. Or maybe you need to take a class (or a different class, if you took one that didn’t work for you).

Whatever your situation may be, do not think that you can continue to study for your next LSAT the same way that you studied for your initial test and receive greater results – provided you did put indeed put in the effort that first time. Doing so is the definition of insanity!

The Next Things to Consider

Admissions Policies of Your Target Law School

So you’ve taken the LSAT, did not cancel, and are not 100% satisfied with your score. You have reflected on what happened on test day, as well as on your LSAT prep. You’re convinced you have a higher score in you. Does that mean you should register today for the next exam administration? Not quite. You need to think about the schools that you’re trying to get in to, and what their policies on multiple LSAT scores are.

Earlier this year we did some research on what top law schools admission policies pertaining to multiple LSAT scores are. Four of the top ten (from US News and World Report’s 2010 rankings) said they would consider only the highest LSAT score on an applicant’s score report. Two schools said they would take an average, and four considered their review of applications to be a “holistic” approach (whatever that means – it’s a safe assumption is that they would consider more than just your top score).

Knowing the policies of the schools you are applying to is a crucial consideration in your retake decision. If your top two schools are only considering your highest LSAT score, you might be more inclined to have another go at the exam. If you’re looking at schools that consider an average, you’ll want to seriously evaluate whether or not external factors ruined your first test – or whether there are tangible fixes that you can make to your prep this time around, as coming in with a lower score could damage your chances of admission.

Your Timeline

If you are applying for admission to law school for the fall of a given year, you will need to have taken the LSAT satisfactorily by December of the prior calendar year at the latest. The February LSAT is too late to use on an application to law school if you intend to start later that same year.

Do you have enough time to take the LSAT again? A thorough LSAT prep takes 3-5 months. If you are realizing in the middle of October that you did not optimize your LSAT prep the first time around (or perhaps completely underestimated it), will the six weeks remaining until the December test give you enough time to really dive in?

All things considered, what should I do?!

You’ve done a frank assessment of what went wrong for you during your unsatisfactory LSAT(s). You’ve evaluated your prior LSAT prep, the policies of the schools you will be applying to, and your admissions timeline, but you’re still not sure what to do.

Retake if…

If tangible, identifiable factors contributed to your initial, unsatisfactory score(s), you are in a solid position for a retake, provided that there is still time. Valid examples of these factors are:

• Freak happenings on test day (ie. late to the exam, sickness, proctor from hell)
• Lack of preparation
• Poor preparation



Do not retake if…

• If you’re going to be at the same place on repeat test day. Some signs this will occur: You do not have adequate time to make the necessary adjustments and retake the exam before applications are due
• You re-study and you’re still doing about as well as you did before the first LSAT you took
• You have no idea what went wrong leading up to/during your unsatisfactory exam

As we saw in the re-take score table above, most students score only marginally better when retaking the LSAT. As hard as it may be to come to grips with, there does come a point in time when one needs to leave well enough alone, and move on to the next phase of getting in to law school (applications) – or reevaluate one’s plans completely.

Often we see students frustrated by stagnant scores after months and months of quality LSAT prep. The leading cause of this is typically fundamental issues with their reading and/or language skills. There is no doubt that the LSAT rewards people who can read dense material quickly. Conversely, the test can be brutal for very bright students who are not strong readers and/or are not native English speakers. For these students, the root of their problems may not be something that can be addressed in a few months time.

Here’s a little flowchart we put together once upon a time to illustrate some of the points we’ve made. This should be taken with a grain of salt, but not too much.

This post is provided by Manhattan LSAT, a leading LSAT-exclusive test preparation provider.  Check out Law School Podcaster’s full show on this topic: Cancelling or Retaking the LSAT: What to Do When Test Day Doesn’t Go As Planned.

Across the United States and elsewhere, law schools are continually offering more and more joint degrees, thereby allowing their students to study for an additional graduate degree not related to the law while they simultaneously study for their JD. Usually, such joint programs allow students to graduate with two degrees in less time than would be required for them to complete the two degrees consecutively. And although you may think that joint degrees are limited to traditional programs such as JD/MBA options, the choices are vast indeed.

At Harvard, for example, you can earn a master’s in urban planning in conjunction with your JD; at UCLA, you can earn a PhD in philosophy while earning your JD; and at Duke, you can earn a master’s in theological studies while pursuing your JD. So, when considering law school, ask yourself whether you are one of the small but growing number of students who will ultimately graduate with more than a JD.

This is a guest post by jdMission, a professional law school admissions consulting firm, specializing in helping law school applicants identify and showcase the strongest aspects of their candidacy in their application.

You can sign up for a free one-on-one consultation with jdMission by submitting the form found at http://jdmission.com/consult.php.

We’ve dedicated a full podcast to the topic, Deciding Whether To Pursue a JD and an MBA:  When It Makes Sense to Go ‘Two for One’ and our guests discuss the various kinds of joint JD/MBA programs offered these days, the appeal of such programs, and the kind of career opportunities available to those holding a joint degree.  The podcast spotlights the joint JD/MBA programs at NYU, Penn and Northwestern, and features representatives from each of these top schools.

There has been a lot of negative talk about law school lately, but the facts belie the hype. The legal profession has low unemployment rates, lawyers earn high salaries and loans are manageable.

It’s open season on legal education — falling applications, lawsuits by former students and dooms day warnings about the legal job market. The rampant bad publicity has taken on a sensational flair. Popular blogs and even established news forums are peppered with anecdotes about law school graduates drowning in debt with no good options for the future.

But as is often the case with anecdotes, these compelling tales of woe represent exceptions. Worse yet, criticisms of the wisdom of attending law school are often based on flawed premises and faulty logic. You’ve likely heard many reasons why you shouldn’t go to law school. I’m going to give you a few reasons why you should.

Legal training helps in tough economy

Let’s start with the legal job market. Lawyers have not been immune to the effects of the recent recession. However, they have fared much better than most workers. According to U.S. Department of Labor data, the unemployment rate for lawyers was 1.5 percent in 2010 — more than six times lower than the overall rate of 9.6 percent. Since 2009, while the overall unemployment rate has remained above 9 percent, the rate for lawyers has exceeded 2 percent only once. It is true that unemployment among lawyers has increased significantly over the last few years (it was barely 1 percent in 2007), but the increase pales when compared to other occupations.

The plight of new lawyers in this economy has been a topic of frequent discussion. According to the National Association for Law Placement, “class of 2010 graduates faced [the] worst job market since [the] mid-1990s.” Only 87.6 percent of graduates in that class were employed within nine months after graduating — the lowest rate since 1996, and down from 91.9 percent in 2007. Again, lawyers are not immune to the effects of larger economic malaise — new lawyers less so. In fact, the 1996 rate was in the aftermath of the recession of the early 1990s. But these statistics show that even in bad times, the vast majority of law school graduates secure employment shortly after graduation. Moreover, logic dictates that employment rates increase with the passage of time, and history dictates that bad times don’t last forever.

Salary data show that the vast majority of lawyers earn relatively high salaries. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, lawyers boast the fourth highest median salary behind medical doctors, dentists and CEOs (some of whom have law degrees). While the majority of occupations have median salaries between $20,000 and $49,999, the median for lawyers in 2010 was almost $113,000. Again, this was the median — the actual midpoint — which means the majority of lawyers made six-figures.

Predictably, starting salaries for new lawyers tend to fall below the median for the profession as a whole, but they still tend to be relatively high. According to NALP, the class of 2010 had a median starting salary of $63,000, a respectable living for a new entrant into any profession. On the downside, the 2010 median was $9,000 lower than the year before. But declining wages have buffeted the entire economy. Fortunately, as the economy sputters back to life, salaries are unlikely to continue falling at the same rate — if at all.

The decline in salaries for new lawyers is attributed in part to a decline in private-practice jobs. About 21 percent of 2010 graduates got jobs in large law firms, compared to about 26 percent in 2009. Because these jobs are among the highest paying — typically starting well above $100,000 — the decline in this sector affected overall salary data for new graduates. This shift, however, does not render law school a bad investment. Even with the 5 percent decrease in BigLaw jobs, the overall employment rate for graduates fell less than 1 percent between 2009 (88.3 percent) and 2010 (87.6 percent). Again, the vast majority of law school graduates find employment paying relatively high salaries — even if it’s not the type glamorized by popular culture.

BigLaw has always held a special place in legal profession lore, so it’s not surprising that a decline of those jobs has received outsized attention. However, large law firm jobs have always comprised just a small portion of the overall legal job market. In fact, the job market for lawyers has always been broad, and based on recent data it appears to be broadening.

According to NALP, the proportion of 2010 graduates who accepted jobs for which a bar license was required was 68.4 percent — the lowest percentage ever measured. NALP characterizes this trend in negative terms, suggesting that weaknesses in the legal job market are forcing new lawyers to settle for being underemployed in non-legal jobs.

There may be some truth to that suggestion. But it’s also true that there are many well-paying, stable, even prestigious jobs for which the law degree is not required, but for which a law degree can provide a useful advantage in the hiring process. Lawyers have always inhabited non-legal career fields, where employers value the skills and dispositions nurtured in law school. As such, most law schools provide specific career planning services to students pursuing non-legal jobs. So the trend away from traditional legal jobs is a testament to the versatility of legal training and the favorable position lawyers often find themselves in the non-legal job market.

In terms of outlook, there is some optimism that the legal job market is thawing, albeit slowly. The legal sector has added about 900 jobs so far in 2011. Law schools are reporting increased employer participation in on-campus interviews. And there are signs that law firm hiring will increase in 2012. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that jobs for lawyers will grow about as fast as jobs overall. So larger economic trends will influence, if not determine, the speed at which the legal job market recovers. But one thing seems certain: workers with legal training will fare better than most in this economy, no matter what happens. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, lawyers make up one of the 10 smallest professions. This finding calls into question the “too many lawyers” memo, especially when you consider the prominence of the legal process in this country. In reality, lawyers are still relative rare — and with rarity comes demand and a wage premium.

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