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October 13, 2020
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Reconstructing STEM, one woman at a time
W
Female students in male-dominated STEM programs face challenges and prejudice from the student body.
hen society refers to the STEM field, the same names appear. Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin; the list goes on and on. However, women always seem to be missing from this list of influential thinkers. Society automatically labels women as not “suitable” for careers in STEM. Women do not fit this century-old and male-dominated ideal of who a “perfect” scientist, mathematician or engineer should be. If we look more closely, these stereotypes can even be found on the one campus we call home in our nationally ranked STEM departments. Camille Do, a senior geosciences major, recounts how it initially felt to enter her field at Virginia Tech. “In general, there has been some casual racism, sexism, ableism and homophobic comments hidden as jokes,” she said. “They don’t realize how inferior it makes others feel.” Do refers to this feeling as imposter syndrome. “Even just being talked over, having your words ignored or just subtly swept aside, created this feeling … like I don’t belong here or I’m not good enough,” she said. Many women pursuing careers in STEM are subjected to similar experiences, especially women of color like Wynnie Avent, a senior geosciences major and founder and president of the Black Students in STEM organization on campus. “One of the hardest things is getting people to take me seriously,” Avent said. Women of color in STEM face many additional challenges. There are even situations in which they are overlooked because of language. “Because you’re white and you speak in the way that is expected of the field, you’re
getting credit and attention even though I just said exactly what you just said but in (African American Vernacular English) terms,” Avent said. At first it may seem easy to push these problems away and act as though they don’t exist, but this only reinforces the power of gender discrimination. Whether it be a microaggression, an overlooked comment or a sexist insult, no woman should be treated in such a way, especially within a college campus. “It wasn’t until I started losing myself by pushing away my problems that I realized that this had to stop,” Do said. Women in STEM can find support in integrative research opportunities and Cook Counseling workshops. “One on one attention and undergraduate research really helped to jumpstart my academic career and helped me find a bunch of internships and opportunities that I would not have had otherwise,” Avent said. Dealing with societal pressures is a constant struggle, and it is reassuring that Virginia Tech supports an environment in which women have power to ask for help when needed. “Having Cook Counseling and SSD accommodations so readily available to students has been very useful,” Do said. “If you have needs that can be met, Virginia Tech provides that very easily.” Despite these resources, the student body of Virginia Tech still has a ways to go until all women are treated equally within the STEM field without having to face these challenges on a daily basis. “At the root of what needs to change is normalizing difficult conversations and more initiation of women in these conversations,” Do said.
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Every student is part of the larger Virginia Tech community, and we must work together and support a more inclusive environment. We must acknowledge our mistakes and invest in these conversations to push change forward. “I would like to see a push of women in STEM and in sciences that aren’t as popular … we need female physicists and we need female chemists, so I would definitely like to see a push in these other sciences where there isn’t as much of a gender balance,” Avent said. If Do and Avent offer women beginning a
career in STEM advice, it’s to remember the power of resilience. “Don’t let anyone deter you from your passion,” Avent said. “You’re good enough. Demand for what you want, and don’t hesitate,” Do said. It is inevitable to encounter challenges as a woman in STEM, but with mentors like these leading the way, the community can revolutionize the way women are represented in this field on campus. OLIVIA NELSON • freshman • biochemistry
ANISHA KOHLI / COLLEGIATE TIMES Local K-12 students engaged in STEM activities at the sixth annual Virginia Tech Science Festival, Nov. 19, 2019.
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October 13, 2020 PAGE 3
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VTPD clarifies the language it uses in alerts, discusses addition of content warnings Under the Clery Act, VTPD uses specific words relating to sexual violence to relay important information to the community. MOMIJI BARLOW news staff writer
This semester has seen students receiving multiple emails from the Virginia Tech Police Department on reported sexual assaults that occurred on campus. Many students have raised concerns on social media about the language of the police alerts. One example of language that received criticism is the term “forcible fondling,” which was used in two emails sent out Sept. 5 and Sept. 11, based on reports made by students. The term, however, has a specific definition in the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act which VTPD follows when it
releases crime alerts. The information is released to students and their families in accordance with the Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to report crimes or potential threats on or near campuses in a timely manner. This ensures transparency and timely warnings for the safety and wellbeing of students. “The Clery Act, when you look at it, has four defined sex offenses that fall under it, and those are rape, fondling, incest and statuatory rape,” said Virginia Tech Deputy Chief of Police and Assistant Director of Security Tony Haga. “What we do is look at the facts of the case as it was reported to us and determine which of those it falls under.”
Virginia Tech Police Department station, Sept. 3, 2018.
Despite this, the wording of alerts may be altered if VTPD receives a suggestion to modify them, according to Haga. “We’re following federal guidance, but we can change the terminology, and we have, over the years,” Haga said. “We have edited and modified our crime alerts over the years based on conversations that we’ve had with advocacy groups and individuals that may respond to our alerts, and sometimes they offer some really good suggestions, and we try to accommodate those when we can.” A recent example of this can be seen from content warnings being added to the subject line of the emails from VTPD, warning students of the sensitive nature of the alerts. This was a suggestion proposed by the United Feminist Movement at Virginia
ANTHONY WU / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Tech. “UFM asked for (a content warning to be added) because we believe there is a level of downplaying the overall seriousness of what has taken place associated with referring to it as ‘forcible fondling’ rather than what it is, which is sexual assault,” said President of the United Feminist Movement at Virginia Tech Linsi Goodin. “While we understand that using this wording is required by the Title IX guidelines, referring to the event that has taken place can and should be referred to as both. Also, by adding a content warning, it assists in preventing others from experiencing potential triggers as these emails can be startling.” The emails themselves contained information about the facts of the incident, as well as background on the Clery Act and hotlines that are available to students if they wish to report a crime. “I think it’s great that they added information about who we can contact on the emails, and I think Virginia Tech handled it well,” said freshman public health health major Kayla Mbanzendore. “It’s good that they never said who it happened to but did tell us what dormitory it was in, and that’s a good thing so you know what’s happening around you. It also leads you to check on your friends. I think it’s more of the prevention and awareness that needs to be improved.” Even while the alerts are meant to be timely, reports can still be made to VTPD much later, following some limitations. “It is never too late to report something, but there is a caveat to that,” Haga said. “If it is a misdemeanor offense, there is a statute of limitations that applies, but under felony offenses, there is none. So no, it is never too late to report an incident.”
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Virginia Tech women’s soccer team falls to Duke The Hokies’ offense struggled throughout the game. KATIE SMITH sports staff writer
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The Virginia Tech women’s soccer team lost to the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils on Friday, Oct. 9. The Hokies’ defense held strong through the first half, but the offense struggled to move the ball. Neither team had a shot on goal during the first half, but the Blue Devils came out strong in the second half forcing freshman goalkeeper Alia Skinner to make three saves in the first 10 minutes. The Blue Devils kept pressure on the Hokies throughout the second half with 22 shots and 10 corners. Duke broke through the defense in the 66th minute when Olivia Migli was fouled in the box giving the Blue Devils the chance to take the lead with a penalty kick. Caitlin Cosme finished the penalty kick to give Duke a 1-0 lead. The goal did not stop the Hokies’ effort, though, as Virginia Tech continued to press forward, hoping for an equalizer. The Hokies had a chance to tie the game in the 80th minute with a shot from
Emmalee McCarter, but the shot was wide of the net. The Blue Devils secured their win in the 84th minute after Skinner saved a shot from Emmy Duerr, but Delaney Graham was there to put the ball in the back of the net giving the Blue Devils a 2-0 win. Skinner had eight saves for the night putting her at 51 saves for the season, the most of any goalkeeper seven matches into the season. Skinner entered the match with an average of 8.60 saves per game, making her the nation’s leader in saves per game. Grace Sklopan also reached a milestone, having played 634 minutes this season making her the only Hokie to play every minute of the 2020 season so far. Next, the Hokies will take on Miami at Thompson Field on Oct.15 at 7 p.m.
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Virginia Tech falls 45-56 against UNC Tar Heels The Hokies are set to face Boston College on Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. in Lane Stadium. CLAIRE CASTAGNO sports editor
No. 19 Virginia Tech’s record falls to 2-1 after a 45-56 loss against No. 8 North Carolina. The Hokies were expected to be on their game entering the matchup, but the defense could not stop North Carolina’s running game. The Hokies put up 495 yards of total offense, but never had the lead. Tech’s offense fluctuated but eventually found a rhythm with quarterback Hendon Hooker playing for most of the game. North Carolina came out of the gate running and clearly looked like the better team. The Tar Heels scored on its first three drives going up 21-0 early. Running back Javonte Williams rushed for two touchdowns and quarterback Sam Howell proved his arm with a deep pass to receiver Dyami Brown for North Carolina’s second touchdown. The Hokies started the game with two consecutive 3-and-outs; the offense consisted of incomplete passes from Braxton Burmeister and short running gains. Virginia Tech’s defense did not look strong in the first half, either. Defensive back Chamarri Conner got ejected just over 10 minutes into the game for a targeting call. Tré Turner helped build some momentum
late in the first quarter with a big running play up the sideline to put the Hokies in the red zone. James Mitchell scored a touchdown on the drive off a handoff from Burmeister to put the score at 7-21 early in the second quarter. Hooker took the field for the first time this season, but the drive ended up in another 3-and-out for the Hokies despite good field position. Burmeister entered the game again on the next drive, and Khalil Hebert carried the ball eight yards for touchdown. Poor tackling from the Hokies allowed North Carolina to gain its two-touchdown lead again by rushing 75 yard in just over two minutes for another touchdown. The Tar Heels were able to score one more touchdown after that before the half concluded; Howell completed a 43-yard pass to Brown to make the score 35-14 at halftime. Virginia Tech had its work cut out for it in the second half. The offense improved with Hooker on the field, but the defense was not strong enough to hold off the Tar Heels. After an illegal shift from Turner called back a touchdown, Brian Johnson put three on the board for a career-high 55-yard field goal, just one yard short of the longest field goal in Kenan Stadium history. However, North Carolina answered with another
touchdown from running back Michael Carter to make the score 42-17. The door was closing on Virginia Tech, and pulling off the win seemed almost hopeless at this point. However, Virginia Tech made an effort to close the gap. Hooker scored a rushing touchdown, and Johnson gained possession by kicking an onside kick to himself. On that same drive, Herbert was able to do what he does best and ran the ball 52 yards for a touchdown to cut the Tar Heels’ lead to 11. The Hokies kept the offense going with a touchdown from Tayvion Robinson off a 33-yard pass up the middle from Hooker. A failed 2-point conversion gave North Carolina a five-point advantage, though, and the Tar Heels increased it to 12 after Dazz Newsome found the endzone with 12:37 left to play. The game started to slip away from the Hokies again as the defense let through North Carolina players left and right. The Tar Heels made the score 56-37 after a 62-yard touchdown from Carter. The Hokies had under 10 minutes to make up the difference, and with 5:20 left to play, Mitchell scored six and Hooker scored two to cut the lead to 11 once again and give the Hokies hope. However, Virginia Tech could not stop North Carolina’s rushers, and the clock
burnt out. The Tar Heels averaged 9.3 yards per carry and totaled 399 rushing yards compared to Tech’s 260, Herbert with 138 of those. Up next the Hokies take on Boston College on Oct. 17 at 8 p.m in Lane Stadium. The Eagles currently sit at 2-1. If fewer Virginia Tech players are required to sit out next Saturday, Hokie fans can likely see an improvement on defense.
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Applying to grad school? Here are some tips for the application process
Here are some helpful hints on applying to grad school, because it has been a while since you’ve written a personal statement. SAMEERA SUNKARA former lifestyles staff writer
Editor’s note: Story originally published in February 2020. As your undergraduate college career comes to end, it is time to figure out the next step in life. While some people begin to search for a job, there are a number of students who plan on continuing their educational career by applying to graduate school. There are many different graduate programs ranging from M.D. and Ph.D. programs that are seven or eight years long to special master’s programs that last less than a single year. No matter what type of program you choose to apply to, the graduate school application process is long, grueling and stressful. Luckily, there are several techniques and tricks that can make the entire process much easier and pain free. For starters, make sure that you completely understand why you intend to apply to graduate school in the first place. Graduate school is not cheap, and it is not for everyone. So, consider the advantages and disadvantages of graduate school as you decide whether or not it is the right step to
take. At Virginia Tech, every program provides academic advising, so be sure to talk to your advisor. More often than not, an advisor can provide an outside opinion that can provide students with more clarity when making the decision.
An online application for graduate school.
Organization is also important when applying to graduate schools. You do not need to do anything fancy like creating complex color-coded Excel spreadsheets. All you really need is a list of programs that you are applying to along with due dates and the requirements for each one. This is a great way to ensure that you do not forget anything
“More often than not, an advisor can
provide an outside opinion that can provide students with more clarity when making the decision. If you are a pre-health student, there is an additional Health Professions Advising department as well; the staff is extremely well-informed and prepared to help with these types of things. Consider making an appointment to meet with them before making any major decisions. If you eventually decide that graduate school is the next step for you, decide which graduate school programs you want to apply to. It is important to do research beforehand in order to ensure that you meet all the requirements.
”
because missing a single element of an application can be catastrophic. Additionally, time management is key; it is absolutely crucial to make sure that you do not leave everything to the last minute. It is important to get everything done a couple weeks early, which gives you time in case anything goes wrong. Especially when asking professors and other mentors for letters of recommendation, it is important to ask them several months in advance. Make sure you provide them with all the necessary information beforehand,
JOHN BATTISTON / COLLEGIATE TIMES
and, if possible, it is much more helpful to ask them in person as opposed to sending an email. Some graduate programs require exams such as the MCAT, GMAT, GRE, etc., and it is important to get these things done ahead of time as well. It is especially beneficial to take these types of exams over the summer, as it gives you more time to study so that you only have to take exam once. Of course, the most important thing is to be unafraid to ask for help. Nobody is perfect, and it is very important to understand that. When writing a personal statement, be sure to reach out to friends and family and have them read over it because they tend to know you better than you may know yourself. Professors and mentors provide great sounding boards as well because, in many cases, they have been where you are. Overall, the entire process is essentially what you make of it, and it provides you with a chance to grow and learn. So, as long as you just take a breath and have a little faith, the application process will be a breeze.
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Impartiality means reporting, editing and delivering the news honestly, fairly, objectively and without opinion or bias. Credibility is the greatest asset of any news medium, and impartiality is the greatest source of credibility. To provide the most complete report, a news organization must not just cover the news, but uncover it. It must follow the story wherever it leads, regardless of any preconceived ideas on what might be most newsworthy. The pursuit of truth is a noble goal of journalism. But the truth is not always apparent or known immediately. Journalists’ role is
FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 13, 2020
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Floats on the wind 6 Campus houses 11 “¿Qué pasa?” 14 Assign, as time for a job 15 Columbus’ birth city 16 Spanish “a” 17 Tend, as a fire 18 Great __ Mountains 19 “Fresh Air” airer 20 The quaking aspen is one 22 Yucatán years 23 First-aid organizer 24 Vintage violin 26 Bad way to act 28 Cartwright son, in a TV Western 31 Coffee server 32 Words after hole or all 33 “__ Maria” 34 Restrictive type of ceiling 36 Music holders, briefly 37 Unleavened bread 39 Hockey’s Stanley __ 40 Lindsay of “Mean Girls” 43 No-winner result 44 Bowie’s weapon 46 Put on __: postpone 47 Washer cycle 49 Sis may have one 50 Gush 51 Commercial ambassador 52 Like a feeling of déjà vu 54 Witch 55 Auto parts giant 57 Ditch 61 Picks out of a lineup 62 Tries to lose, in a way 64 “__ Mio” 65 Brookville, N.Y., campus 66 Stopped playing 67 First “perfect 10” Olympic gymnast Comaneci 68 Cubs’ home
therefore not to determine what they believe at that time to be the truth and reveal only that to their readers, but rather to report as completely and impartially as possible all verifiable facts so that readers can, based on their own knowledge and experience, determine what they believe to be the truth. When a news organization delivers both news and opinions, the impartiality and credibility of the news organization can be questioned. To minimize this as much as possible there needs to be a sharp and clear distinction between news and opinion, both to those providing and consuming the news.
Today’s birthday horoscope (Oct. 13): Home and family center you this year. Consistent domestic attention, repairs and improvements nurture your family. Winter’s educational hurdles inspire renewed creativity and productivity into spring. Clarify miscommunications next summer, before a delicious investigation or adventure develops. Fill your house with love. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
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Graduating seniors file back into Lane Stadium after the thunderstorm all clear is given at the 2019 commencement, May 17, 2019.
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What comes next? COVID-19’s impact on entering graduate school Seniors at Virginia Tech and across the country are applying to graduate school a little differently this year. ABBIE COLEMAN lifestyles contributor
For thousands of seniors across the country looking at grad school, COVID-19 has flipped that process on its head. That isn’t even to mention the fact that their last year of undergrad has been spent in a way vastly different from what they were hoping. “I was disappointed realizing that my grad school experience would likely be different from what I had expected,” said Madison Storm, a senior multimedia journalism major. “I’m mostly worried about the quality of education not being the same if I work to complete my degree entirely online because journalism is a lot of applied learning rather than virtually taught lessons.” Senior human development major Jaida Buchanan shares some of the same concerns as Storm when it comes to online graduate classes. Buchanan aspires to be a teacher,
which pre-COVID was a mostly hands-on experience toward the end of the program. “I have my worries because student teaching was supposed to be hands-on, and it might just be Zoom now,” Buchanan said. “I’m not sure how they’re going to student teach.” This lack of hands-on experience worries Buchanan for her first few years of teaching. “Eventually if things do go back to normal, the only thing I know is Zoom,” she said. “I don’t know any hands-on stuff, and teaching is all about doing it your own way and just learning on the job. If I only have Zoom experience, I don’t have any classroom experience or know what to do in a classroom.” For students entering graduate school, there are more concerns than whether or not classes are online. They first have to worry about even getting in. This was already a concern for most students looking into graduate school before COVID-19, but now the process has been made even more
complicated. Buchanan plans on staying at Virginia Tech for graduate school while Storm is looking elsewhere, but for both of them the process is certainly different than they had planned. Buchanan is concerned about interviews being over Zoom. “There’s an interview process, so that’s probably going to be over Zoom when it would probably be in person,” Buchanan said. “And that may or may not affect my chances of getting in because what if that connection cuts out or what if I stutter and they don’t hear that?” On Storm’s end, she prepared for months to take the dreaded GRE, or Graduate Record Examination test, in order to be admitted to graduate school, but because of COVID-19, that time was put to waste. “I had studied the whole summer to take the GRE, which is exhausting, and I’m not a great test taker. So there were a lot of factors playing into that, but a lot of schools actually started
waiving the test requirement as a result of COVID,” Storm said. “I ended up canceling it after spending the whole summer studying, which was annoying.” But despite the new challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the process of entering graduate school, it hasn’t deterred Storm or Buchanan from their plans. “It didn’t make me less inclined to go to grad school,” Storm said. “Even though I am disappointed, I’m still excited to finish up with the application process and see where I’ll be learning next.”
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‘Show me your teeth’: The truth about preparing for the Dental Admission Test Aspiring dental student Violetta Nikitina offers words of wisdom to students applying to dental school.
PEYTON MANFRE lifestyles staff writer
Similar to many other graduate programs, dental school requires applicants to take an entrance exam. According to the American Dental Association, the Dental Admission Test is a multiple choice exam consisting of four tests, one in each of these categories: survey of the natural sciences, perceptual ability, reading comprehension and quantitative reasoning. Violetta Nikitina, a junior majoring in biology and clinical neuroscience, first took the DAT on Aug. 20 and is planning to take it again this coming January. According to Nikitina, this is the rundown on studying for and taking the DAT. First, it is important to know what resources to use when beginning to study for the DAT. Created and run by Ari Rezaei, DAT Bootcamp is designed to be an all-encompassing program so students can find everything they need in order to prepare for the exam in one place.
“Starting in July, I increased my studying; I would usually study around eight hours a day, making it like a full school day. I started taking full length practice tests about two weeks before my actual exam.” Nikitina suggests that pre-dental students wait to subscribe to DAT Bootcamp until almost exactly two months before their planned exam dates since the program costs about $500, and it is crucial to have the test material fresh in your mind on exam day. Overall, Nikitina claims that the courses she took at Virginia Tech prepared her well for the exam. She said that organic chemistry and the higher level biology courses she took were especially helpful since they covered more information than what she needed to know for the DAT. Another aspect of school that Nikitina found helpful was Virginia Tech’s American Student Dental Association Pre-Dental Chapter. She highly recommends that students who want to go to dental school join as it provided her with mentors who helped her through DAT preparation.
“Always keep in mind that every year
counts the same, and if you have a very good strong freshman GPA, you’re off to a good start.
”
Violetta Nikitina junior biology and clinical neuroscience major
“I followed Ari’s bootcamp schedule pretty precisely,” Nikitina said. “When I was lagging behind or when I got a low score on a practice exam, I would kind of add in things that I needed to work on more, but I stayed with his schedule pretty much to a T.” It is also important to implement a studying schedule and time management so that all the material gets covered before exam day. Before beginning a rigorous studying schedule, Nikitina utilized the five-questions-a-day generator from DAT Bootcamp, which only requires a free account, not a paid subscription. Then in June, she subscribed to the full two-month program which granted her access to more studying materials and full-length practice exams. “In June, it was more light studying; I was studying every day, but not very hard on hours, maybe like three to four hours every day having Sundays off,” Nikitina said.
“I think Virginia Tech prepared me very, very well,” Nikitina said. “The only thing that I was lacking, where I had to study a lot, was definitely that perceptual ability test section — and that wasn’t Virginia Tech’s fault. That was just because you can’t really get perceptual ability classes here or anywhere else; it’s something you have to do on your own.” Math was another area that required some extra brushing up before the exam . The DAT focuses primarily on algebra-based math, so Nikitina said she had to do a lot of refreshing since she had not done any math at that level in years. After talking with the dean at Virginia Commonwealth University, Nikitina decided she is going to attempt the DAT for the second time in January because she believes she can increase her biology score. According to Nikitina, members of Virginia Tech’s
COURTESY OF VIOLETTA NIKITINA Violetta Nikitina (far right) poses with other members of the American Student Dental Association Pre-Dental Chapter at Virginia Tech at an ASDA conference in January 2020.
ASDA Pre-Dental Chapter suggest taking the exam the summer after sophomore year, since all the necessary courses will have been completed, and then one more time as needed. For anyone contemplating the pre-dental track, Nikitina strongly suggests shadowing at a local practice as this will help determine if dentistry is something you are passionate about while also exposing you to the field and helping you gain experience. “My mom was the one that was pushing me to do dental, so I kept pushing away and away,” Nikitina said. “Then she was like, ‘Go one day and shadow — come back and tell me you don’t like it and I’ll drop the subject for good and never bring it up again.’ So I went into a dental office and asked if I could shadow for one day to expose myself to the field, and I ended up loving it.” As one last piece of advice to
undergraduates considering pursuing dentistry, Nikitina emphasizes the importance of academics and GPA, especially during your freshman year. “Always keep in mind that every year counts the same, and if you have a very strong freshman GPA, you’re off to a good start,” Nikitina said. “A lot of people that I’ve talked to regret having a low GPA freshman year because it weighs them down.” Just like applying to undergraduate programs, taking entrance exams and applying to graduate schools can be particularly stressful. As exemplified by Nikitina, a good work ethic and determination can take you far.
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October 13, 2020 PAGE 11
collegiatetimes.com
The L word: The ins and outs of deciding to be a lawyer
The road to applying for law school may not be an easy one, but with a few key steps the effort can pay off in the end. BRYCE NOLAN lifestyles staff writer
It’s a safe bet that a good number of people reading this article have, at some point, been asked by their parents to think about law school. To some, that’s the best suggestion they have ever heard, and to others the very notion fills them with dread. Some may even experience both at the same time. While law school has often been employed as a throwaway line for students who don’t want to admit that they are not sure of their future, committing to law school and making the firm decision to pursue a career in law is no small matter. Like many things worth doing in life, it is neither easy nor trivial. But accomplishing it is a feat to be proud of, and the sooner you start, the better. Though of course, everyone has a unique path. Some students have wanted to be lawyers since childhood, others may just now be thinking about it as graduation approaches. Both are equally legitimate, and despite their differences, they both have the same work to be done. To some, the checklist of tasks needed to prepare for law school may seem like the Labors of Hercules, just one thing after another, but every aspect of the process is important in its own way. Ultimately the law school application process is about who you are as a person and what you can accomplish. In other words, it demands a full view of your abilities and personality. Arguably the most important part of this process, and likely the first to garner your attention, is the Law School Admission Test, or LSAT, a standardized test required for admission into most schools certified by the American Bar Association, the regulatory authority for America’s law schools. The LSAT is not like most standardized tests. Rather than being based on knowledge, it is primarily concerned with the applicant’s problem solving and logical analysis skills. “In my opinion, the most important things for law students to keep in mind are first, in order to pursue a legal career, they must first plan to take the LSAT and give themselves adequate time to prepare and study for it,” said Manasha Bhetwal, an international relations and international public policy major in the class of 2021 and the current president of the Virginia Tech chapter of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. Phi Alpha Delta (PAD for short) is a campus organization dedicated to shepherding prospective law students through
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (CC BY 2.0) the processes leading up to attending law school, which includes preparing for the LSAT. While there is some debate over the ideal point at which to take the LSAT, the only meaningful answer to that question is something like “whenever you are most ready.” Prospective test-takers must sign up for the exam at least two months in advance of their test date, which gives students enough flexibility to make it fit with their schedule, but once that date is locked in, the world revolves around it. It is not an easy test, and that’s a good thing. If it were easy, taking it would hardly matter. It is also not cheap, costing around $200. The test is scored on a scale from 120 to 180, with a percentile ranking. What qualifies as a good score will vary depending on what a student’s ambitions are in terms of what schools they hope to attend, and law schools are required to publish their LSAT acceptance statistics, so it is to the benefit of test-takers to know a target score and study with that score in mind. The LSAT is a beast, but it is far from the only thing a prospective law school ought to be concerned about. What follows the LSAT in importance (again, arguably) are letters of recommendation. Most law schools will require at least two letters, and most will require that at least one be from a professor. “Another thing (in this process) is to
build relationships with professors and bosses. This helps in the long run as these are the people students are subsequently going to ask for letters of recommendation from,” Bhetwal said. “If you work hard and impress them from the beginning, you will have people willing to write you a great LOR and that goes a long way with law school applications.” There are a number of other steps on the way to application time, but once the letters and the LSAT are out of the way, you can be safe in assuming that much of the work is behind you. Thankfully, the actual application process is fairly streamlined, which is to say it is managed by a single entity, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), the same organization that puts on the LSAT. Most, if not all, ABA schools require application through the LSAC online portal, and the LSAC provides a service whereby all your credentials, such as your LSAT score, letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc. are provided to the schools to which you wish to apply. This is not free, sadly, and many schools charge an application fee, so budget appropriately. Applying to law school is a long and winding road, and it can feel like an overwhelming process before you ever even come near the physical act of sending in an application. But the effort is worth it, and the
legal practice isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s not an easy path and it’s not an easy career, but it is the path for some of us. After all, who wouldn’t want their parents to brag about having a lawyer in the family? All joking aside, if one seriously does hope to become a lawyer, it is to their benefit to learn as much about the process as early as possible. Knowledge is power, and never was that more true than in the case of the law. Editor’s note: the author of this article is a dues-paying member of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, which is mentioned and whose current president is quoted within. He has no leadership position in the organization whatsoever and does not profit in any way from their being mentioned here.
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