Frequently asked questions by upper class students

1. Where can I learn more? 
2. When should I take the LSAT?
3. Should I prepare for the LSAT? 
4. What printed resources are available at McDaniel College? 
5. When should I begin the application process?
6. What do I have to do to get into a good law school?
7. How many Law Schools should I apply to?
8. Should I participate in the McDaniel College internship program?
 
 
1. Where can I learn more? 
Of cousre your best resource is the Prelaw Advisor in 316 Hill Hall. He conducts a general meeting once a semester, where application procedures, admissions criteria, relevant coursework, the LSAT, and other prelaw topics are discussed. "The Law School Application Process Information Session" is held once in the Fall, and once in the Spring. While the events are designed for third year students planning on going to law school after they graduate, students of all levels are also welcome to attend.

If You are a junior, you should make every effort to attend the Washington DC LSAC Law forum in June or the George Washington Law Fair in October. There is no other way to talk to a large number of law school representatives. In addition to the law schools present there are seminars on financial aid, personal statements, etc. Pre law advisors will also be on hand to answer your questions.

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2. When should I take the LSAT?
Since law schools have a rolling admission acceptance policy, it is to your benefit to get your application in as soon as law schools start accepting them (usually around October 1st for fall applicants and May 15th for spring applicants).  Therefore, taking the LSAT exam in the second semester of your third year or as early into your fourth year as possible is preferable.  However, because law schools average LSAT scores, it is important to be as prepared as possible the first time you take the exam.  Do not choose an earlier test date if you are not prepared. You should take the LSAT exam the calendar year before you plan to start law school.  If you plan to begin Fall 2006, you should take the June or October  2005 administration of the LSAT.

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3. Should I prepare for the LSAT? 
Yes. You need to be as prepared as possible because the proabilty of your increasing is the same as it decreasing. Since most law schools averaged LSAT scores it may not be in your best interest to take the exam a second time. If you are considering taking the LSAT again consult with the prelaw advisor. 

There has been no statistical evidence that shows students which take review courses do better than students who don't. These courses can be expensive ($400-$1200+), therefore, you may want to buy several LSAT preparation books first to evaluate whether or not you can improve your score by studying on your own.  However, if it would make you feel better just knowing you took a review course then, by all means, take one.  The important thing is that you feel as prepared and confident as possible when exam day arrives.  You can and should order old LSAT (with answers!) exams from Law Services . For more information on the LSAT visit our websit

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4. What printed resources are available at McDaniel College? 
The most inportant resource is the LSAC website and the ABA.LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools. Bothe of these are available in the prelaw seminar room 312 Hill Hall. The Internet Legal Resource Guide which list joint programs as well areas of the law is also available.

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5. When should I begin the application process?
You should begin the process during the summer preceding your fourth year by collecting the information you need to select the law schools to which you will apply. The pre law advisor encourages you to submit your completed applications by Halloween, Thanksgiving at the latest, but how important is it really to get your application in before the final deadline? Well, all but three U.S. law schools have rolling admissions, meaning that applications are reviewed for acceptance or denial as soon as they are complete. If you wait until the very final deadline to submit your application, the number of open spots may be dramatically smaller than it was a few months before. The average percentage of seats filled by the application deadline ranges from 5-95%, with the overall average about 50%. So, your chances for admission are generally much greater if you submit your application early, as opposed to waiting until the deadline. Keep in mind that application deadlines vary from January to April, so what is late for one law school may be early for another. Determine the deadlines for your chosen schools, and plan accordingly!

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6. What do I have to do to get into a good law school?
Not a whole lot really. You need to demonstrate that you can read and analyze various types of material. It is not that difficult to get into a law school. It may be difficult to get into some law schools (e.g., Chicago, Yale, Duke), but as long as you have relatively good statistics there is a law school somewhere that will take you. The legal profession cheerfully admits lots of students into lots of law schools. . Law school admission committees evaluate applications on several criteria.

A. Grades . Build a transcript that demonstrates academic excellence by maintaining an above average GPA and taking a wide range of courses over several liberal arts disciplines. Many law school applicants are double majors. Be forewarned that involvement in non-academic activities will not compensate for a poor academic record.

B. LSAT . Score at or above the national average on the LSAT. If you succeed as an undergraduate and prepare for the exam, you should do well on the LSAT.

C. Application . Present yourself as a student mature enough to handle the pressure of law school, who will be a “good fit” with the law school, and who has the potential to contribute to the legal profession.

D. Letters of Recommendation. Most law schools will ask you for two letters of recommendation from your professors. Law schools are more interested in academic letters than in job-related letters. Make it your business to get to know some of your professors. It's not impossible to be personally known by UMass professors but it does require extra effort on your part. Their recommendations will be much more effective if they know you personally. 

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7. How many Law Schools should I apply to?
The answer here depends on how much money you are willing to spend and/or how nervous you are about the process. Applying to law school could be thought of as two separate steps: applying in the fall, and then deciding in the spring where to go once the acceptances and rejections are received. If you apply broadly, you should have more choices at decision-making time.

I recommend that you apply to two "safety schools," where you are virtually certain of admission, and then to several "competitive schools," where you will be a competitive applicant but not necessarily a successful one. In addition, you should apply to two"dream schools."

To determine which schools you are competitive at, you should take a look at the ABA Official Guide, the Boston College Law School Online Locator, which allows you to input your GPA and LSAT scores to generate a list of schools that might be right for you. It is located at: http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/gradschool/law/lawlocator.html 

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8. Should I participate in the McDaniel College internship program?
In a word yes. You need to have some activities to demonstrate your interest in law and your commitment to public service. The internship and other activities might separate you from the other applicants. 

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