The Girl's Guide to Law School®
Get In, Get Through, Stay You
Guest writer Zoila Sanchez is back to talk about deciding between a full-time or part-time law school program.
One of the most exciting aspects of applying to law school is getting down to the specifics such as the kind of program—part-time or full-time studies. There are important things to consider when selecting the right option for you.
Questions to ask yourself may include:
This week we welcome back guest writer and 1L Stephanie Gregoire to talk about making the decision to transition from the working world to law school.
Deciding to attend law school meant leaving the career I had since finishing undergrad five years ago. It was not a decision I made lightly – it needed forethought, introspection, and figuring out personal and professional priorities. If you find yourself in similar shoes, here are five things I weighed to figure out if this was right for me, especially as a “non-traditional law student” or someone who didn’t graduate undergrad and go straight to law school.
This week we hear from guest writer Mihal Ansik to discuss how to handle a gap year in the midst of COVID-19.
In a pre-COVID-19 world, the short answer about whether to take at least a year before law school would have been “Probably.” There are so many benefits to working before going to law school, which we’ve discussed before, including positioning yourself to be a more holistic candidate, building a resumé that tells a story, developing perspective around grades and law school success, creating lasting connections, and contextualizing the law. [Read more…]
This week we welcome back guest writer Briana Borgolini to talk about how to position yourself in your law school applications when you are not a “traditional” candidate.
Applying to law school can be intimidating for anyone, let alone someone who may have been out of a school setting for a few years, or more. Those who studied something seemingly unrelated to law, or spent a significant period of time working between undergrad and law school may be considered “non-traditional” compared to their counterparts applying directly from undergrad with more traditional pre-law majors. While non-traditional applicants may have to do some extra explaining to convince an admissions committee that they will be a successful law student, there are a number of things that can be done to make the application process a bit easier. [Read more…]
We’re welcoming back guest writer and 3L Mark Livingston to talk about the transition from a professional career to law school.
Most people agree, change is hard. Kakuzo Okakaura said, “the art of life is constant readjustment to our surroundings.” Gone are the days of working at the same factory, day in and day out, for your entire adult life, only to be rewarded for your life-long commitment with a cheap gold watch. There are moments in life when we must choose to change course and start anew. Transitioning from a career, benefits, steady paycheck, and relative stability to run the gauntlet of law school is a tricky proposition, but one that is manageable and rewarding. Here are a few tips from a fellow life-course changer. [Read more…]
Please welcome back guest writer Kala Mueller, Director of Public Interest Programs at the University of Nebraska College of Law. She’s discussing how to handle law school if you’re not a “traditional” student.
Most people equate “non-traditional” with being older, but if a “traditional” student is one who has gone straight from college to law school, then “non-traditional” might encompass anyone who has not. Still, I typically think of a non-traditional student as someone who is entering law school after at least a few years out of an educational setting. I worked full-time for one year between college and law school, and while that might technically mean I was a non-traditional student, I certainly wouldn’t have felt that the label was fitting for me.
Part of the reason is that I don’t really think my experience was unique from that of my classmates coming straight out of college, whereas most non-traditional law students feel that their experience is different, at least in some respects, whether it is due to the fact that they spent a few years in the workforce, are significantly older than many of their counterparts, or have children. Although maturity and life experience are usually beneficial, it probably will not come as a surprise that life as a non-traditional student is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are both positive and negative implications of the characteristics we often associate with non-traditional students.
Please welcome guest writer John Passmore, assistant managing legal editor in Houston, Texas, who interviews Ann Levine, expert on law school admissions.
Talking with Ann Levine, author of The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert (3rd ed.)
The law school experience begins far before you sit down for your first class. First comes the law school admissions process. With a to-do list including the LSAT, your personal statement, letters of recommendation, scholarship applications, and much more, the process can quickly become daunting. If the process has you looking for some expert advice, you may be looking for lawyer, law school admissions consultant, and author Ann Levine. Formerly a law school admissions director, after founding Law School Expert, Ms. Levine helps students navigate the admissions process as an admissions consultant. She has recently published the third edition of her popular title The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert. We were able to ask Ms. Levine some questions about her work and why her book The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert could help you on your law school admissions journey.
Today we welcome back Jaclyn Wishnia, rising 2L at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and aspiring entertainment law attorney, to discuss the generation gap at law schools and how to work together at any age.
Like most law students, I felt both nervous and excited on my first day of law school orientation. I also shared many of the same thoughts my colleagues have mentioned as well, such as would I make friends easily? Or would everyone be as cold and competitive as the rumor mill suggests? They were the typical questions of doubt anyone entering a new social situation, would ask themselves. Unlike many of my colleagues though, one major concern was dominating my nerves that day: my age.
It took me six years to finally apply to law school after college; the bulk of my twenties. I had lived through almost a decade of failures and triumphs, worked for prominent firms and attorneys, networked with top CEOs of reputable companies, and best of all, was now certain that I belonged in law school. Why was a petty number destroying my confidence? [Read more…]
Today we welcome Christen Morgan, guest writer and foreclosure attorney, to discuss taking a year off before starting law school.
Should You Take a Gap Year Before Law School?
Well, it depends. Taking a gap year before beginning your law school career can certainly be a beneficial alternative as opposed to jumping right in after four years of college. Although I highly recommend this alternative venture, taking a gap year will only be worthwhile based on your current situation. If you’re a non-traditional college student, who perhaps started college later in life after already receiving some work experience, or a student who worked full time during college and completed their bachelor’s degree on a part-time basis, then taking a gap year before law school may not be in your best interests. A gap year is a perfect opportunity to gain full-time work experience, to travel or to complete a fellowship. These are all experiences that should be completed with the intent of enhancing your resume for post-graduate legal employment. If you’re a non-traditional student, chances are you may have already amassed a wealth of the above experiences to enhance your resume. Therefore, jumping right into law school after college without taking a gap year should not hurt your chances in the legal job hunt.
Is it ever too early to think about applying to law school? Please welcome back law school admissions essay expert Eileen Conner, founder of Pen and Chisel, who has some timely advice on getting a head start on your law school application.
If you missed any of her other admissions Q&As, check them out here.
Planning to apply to law school next fall? It may seem like it’s far too early to get going with the application process. But even though your deadlines are currently nothing but a far-off glimmer in the distance, you can get a head start on your law school applications right now. How? Research.
Now is the perfect time to start researching the schools you think you would like to attend.
Early stage research can set you up for success when it comes time to fill out your various forms and send in your law school applications.
[Read more…]
