by River Addington

Created on: May 15, 2008

The application and admissions process for law school is tedious and lengthy. It often requires a sizable effort throughout the year previous to law school. I recently went through the process successfully and will be attending the University of Mississippi School of Law with a nice scholarship starting in August.

Yes, it is important to study hard throughout your undergraduate study. Many pre-law advisers will tell you that you need to have a 3.5 grade point average in order to get into law school. With a good LSAT score, however, some students with mediocre grade point averages will also get into law school. A good resource for studying admissions trends is Law School Numbers (http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com).

I did not take an LSAT preparatory course, but for those unfamiliar with the test it might be a good idea. They are very expensive, however, and often teach to a book that is already available. My personal advice is to buy a book and study it. An excellent book is the yearly edition of the Princeton Review's "Cracking the LSAT," which includes a helpful DVD.

If you go to law school websites, they will claim that they look beyond the LSAT and GPA to each individual applicant. They take backgrounds into account. They also will look at a personal statement. If your numbers are "subpar" for the school you are applying to, a great personal statement might get you accepted. The same is true for great letters of recommendation.

It is also very important to apply as early as you can. Scholarships are often awarded to those that apply early, and most law schools begin accepting applicants as early as August. The earlier a student applies, the more likely they are to be accepted in most situations. The schools you apply to are also very important. I have met several individuals who applied to a dozen schools well outside of their range and were rejected or waitlisted at all of them. It is important to apply to at least a couple of schools that you are very confident you will get into. These schools are also very willing to offer incentives to get you to come to their school.

I have found that occasional communication with the admissions staff throughout the process will put you in good graces with the school. Often, communication may lead to more consideration of an application or even a scholarship.

Good luck with the process, it is a rewarding one. It will test your patience, but if done correctly, it will make you a more confident person, at least for the few months before you start attending law school.

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