Presenter: Kyra Young SCS Program Coordinator Law School To Be or Not to Be? SCS Pre-Law Webinar Series

How to Participate in the Webinar 1) Chat & Questions. 1) Chat & Questions. If you do NOT have access to a mic and do not call in with a phone, you can use the Questions feature to type a question that you want to ask to the presenters. At the end of the presentation, the facilitator will read out loud any questions that come through this feature. 2) Raise Hand. 2) Raise Hand. For most of the webinar, all participants will be in listen-only mode, meaning that they will be muted. When the presenter opens the floor for questions, people will not be unmuted unless they use the Raise Hand function. 3) Surveys. 3) Surveys. After the webinar ends, a link will be ed to you to participate in a survey. We encourage ALL participants to participate.

Agenda Pre-Law Prep Suggestions Pre-Law Prep Suggestions Preparing for Law School Preparing for Law School Law School Application Law School Application LSAT LSAT Personal Statement Personal Statement Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Resources Resources Q&A Q&A

Pre-Law Prep Suggestions 1) Determine if law school is the right path for you o Visit your Career Center, attend a workshop, conduct informational interviews, and talk to a counselor. 2) Study o Visit the Math Resource Center, the Writing Center and the Academic Achievement Center.

Pre-Law Prep Suggestions 3) Get involved o Join a club or organization; write for your schools newspaper; get involved with the Student Senate; participate in community service; get to know your instructors. 4) Graduate with Honors 5) Research law schools o Visit the Law School Admission Council. Law School Admission CouncilLaw School Admission Council

Preparing for Law School GPA & LSAT = MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS!! GPA & LSAT = MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS!! Extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, personal statement, rigor of academic coursework, work experience Extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, personal statement, rigor of academic coursework, work experience NO preferred majors NO preferred majors Focus on communication and analytical skills Focus on communication and analytical skills Your interest = better academic success Your interest = better academic success Double majors wont increase your chances of getting into law school Double majors wont increase your chances of getting into law school NO required courses NO required courses Take courses that challenge you to write, think critically, and expand your knowledge of different cultures, social and religious philosophies Take courses that challenge you to write, think critically, and expand your knowledge of different cultures, social and religious philosophies Learning a foreign language can sharpen analytical skills and increase your understanding of the English language (study abroad) Learning a foreign language can sharpen analytical skills and increase your understanding of the English language (study abroad)

Common Pre-Law Majors Business Business Political Science Political Science English English History History Biology Biology Psychology Psychology Economics Economics Engineering Engineering Journalism Journalism Communication Studies Communication Studies Sociology Sociology Social Welfare Social Welfare Spanish Spanish Art History Computer Science Environmental Studies Philosophy Anthropology Chemistry Education French German Mathematics Physics Pre-Med/Health Womens Studies You can major in finger painting as long as you get great grades!

Law School Applications NO grammatical or spelling mistakes anywhere! NO grammatical or spelling mistakes anywhere! Submit Early (more time) – Oct. 1 Submit Early (more time) – Oct. 1 1) Rolling admissions – limited # of spaces 2) Discretion occurs early 3) End of the process is most competitive 4) You only need 1 advocate from law school committee (60% numbers, 40% committee) Apply for fee waivers Apply for fee waivers Call Law Schools and ask Fill out school apps Fill out school apps Across all tiers, across the country Negotiation – geographic diversity, financial aid, facing challenges Apply to all UCs & big out-of-state schools Check law school data service Check law school data service Keep professional communication Keep professional communication

Tiers 1-4 Law Schools Tier levels - based on law schools reputation of legal scholars and legal resources Tier levels - based on law schools reputation of legal scholars and legal resources Tier 1 = Top 50, 3.5, 161 Tier 2 = Top , 3.2, 155 Tier 3 & 4 = not top 100, 2.8, 135 Rank, Lowest GPA Median, LSAT Think of law school rankings as a hierarchy, in which the top % has the best resources that are exclusive to certain people. The bottom tiers have resources but because they are more tangible, they are less valuable. Think of law school rankings as a hierarchy, in which the top % has the best resources that are exclusive to certain people. The bottom tiers have resources but because they are more tangible, they are less valuable. See U.S. News and World Report annual college rankings for 2014 Best Law Schools T1 Tier 2 Tier3 Tier 4

Components of Law School Application Online or Paper Application Online or Paper Application Transcripts (GPA) Transcripts (GPA) LSAT LSAT Personal Statement Personal Statement Addendum Letters (if allowed & necessary) Letters of Recommendation Letters of Recommendation Resume Resume

LSAT Facts LSAT – Law School Admissions Test LSAT – Law School Admissions Test Cost: $160 (other fees not included) Cost: $160 (other fees not included) Offered 4 times/year: Offered 4 times/year: June, October, December, February Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes 4 sections: 4 sections: 1) Logical Reasoning, 2) Analytical Reasoning aka Logic Games, 3) Reading Comprehension, 4) Essay Scoring: 120 min, 180 max, 150 avg Scoring: 120 min, 180 max, 150 avg

LSAT Tips Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice, Practice, Practice! Take a LSAT prep course Take a LSAT prep course i.e. Princeton Review (SCS discount), Blueprint, TestMasters, Kaplan Private tutoring Private tutoring FREE: LSAT prep books at library, study at bookstore FREE: LSAT prep books at library, study at bookstore TIME is KEY!!! TIME is KEY!!! Seek experiences of law students, ASK questions Seek experiences of law students, ASK questions Logic classes (philosophy) Logic classes (philosophy) Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice, Practice, Practice! Practice makes perfect!!!

LSAT Tips continued When to take LSAT? o June after junior year o Fall (October, December) during senior year; may conflict with midterms o Right after completion of prep course/tutoring o Take a year off to work and study; June before you apply to law school o DONT take it more than twice

Personal Statement Cornerstone Cornerstone Goal: rich portrait of who YOU are Goal: rich portrait of who YOU are 2 pgs, 1 margins, double- spaced 2 pgs, 1 margins, double- spaced What to write about: What to write about: Who are you? What are your goals? Why do you want to go to law school? How is law school going to get you to where you want to be?

Personal Statement Rules 1) Nothing weird (complete sentences) 2) No typos 3) No procrastination 4) Short, sweet, & to the point 5) Edit 6) Dont put things that they already know 7) Dont include law schools name 8) Dont summarize 9) No family struggles – YOUR struggles 10) No quotes, rephrase 11) No history, sociology, anthropology essays 12) Open statement with narrative/story 13) Provide addendum if allowed and necessary

Letters of Recommendation

Most law schools require at least 1 letter of recommendation and may ask for up to 3 letters. The strongest letters come from faculty who are familiar with your intellectual abilities, leadership potential and other skills relevant to a law school admissions committee. Employers and volunteer Organization Reps are good, too! Most law schools require at least 1 letter of recommendation and may ask for up to 3 letters. The strongest letters come from faculty who are familiar with your intellectual abilities, leadership potential and other skills relevant to a law school admissions committee. Employers and volunteer Organization Reps are good, too! Don't seek a recommender with a fancy title who doesn't know you well enough to speak to your attributes. Letters from members of Congress, judges, ministers and family members do not carry any weight and can have a negative impact. Don't seek a recommender with a fancy title who doesn't know you well enough to speak to your attributes. Letters from members of Congress, judges, ministers and family members do not carry any weight and can have a negative impact. You don't need to prepare a file of recommendation letters until shortly before you apply for law school, but you should begin building rapport with instructors or faculty advisers early in your undergraduate career. You don't need to prepare a file of recommendation letters until shortly before you apply for law school, but you should begin building rapport with instructors or faculty advisers early in your undergraduate career.

Other Application Tips If AB540: If AB540: o Apply with more rigor (scholarships, CA Dream Act, etc.) If Waitlisted: If Waitlisted: o Fire off letter (letter of continuance) – , fax, walk it in - If true: my top choice, more extracurriculars, other awards/achievements since applying o Alumni of schools support (advocacy)

Resources Online Resources Online Resources Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) FindLaw American Bar Association For People of Color, Inc National Association for Law Placement Law Programs Law Programs CLEO TRIALS UCLA Law Fellows Capital Fellows See other programs at MTO, UC Irvine, Snell & Wilmer, UC Davis MTOUC IrvineSnell & WilmerUC DavisMTOUC IrvineSnell & WilmerUC Davis

THANK YOU!!! If you have any other questions, comments, or concerns, please feel to contact me: Kyra Young SCS Office - (310)