Your Guide to Law School by unlcareers

Your Guide to Law School A must-read for students considering or planning to attend law school.

CONSIDERING LAW SCHOOL? An education in law provides students with many avenues for their professional careers. Whether you plan to work as a practicing attorney, in the non-profit sector, in corporate America, or currently don’t know where your professional career will go, a legal education provides a foundation of skills ranging from communication and organization, to collaboration and research that can be useful in any walk of life.

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There are important skills identified by the American Bar Association (ABA) that good law school students and future attorneys should possess.

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A strong foundation in the following skills is important for the rigors of the law education and profession. Think about your strength in the below skills when considering if law school is the right educational path:

Analytical reasoning and problem solving.

Organization and management.

Critical reading.

Public service and promotion of justice.

Writing and editing.

Relationship-building and collaboration.

Oral communication and listening.

Background knowledge.

Research.

Exposure to the field of law.

Law school is a different educational experience than most students have experienced in their undergraduate education. The first year is most challenging because of the way law school is organized. There is a large quantity of work in the area of reading and writing, with professors using the Socratic method of teaching. Many law schools will offer mock lectures, or the opportunity to sit in on a law school class prior to applying, allowing students to research law schools and the law profession in advance to ensure that this is the right educational fit for them.

Reasons Law School Might be the Right Fit For You 1. You are an organized person who can read contractual information and make sense of it for others. 2. You want to make a positive difference by facilitating social and political change. 3. Socratic debate excites and invigorates you.

4. You yearn for intellectual stimulation and want to surround yourself with smart, driven people. 5. Your favorite courses in college have focused on reading, writing, communicating, problem-solving, and/or research.

Don’t Go to Law School Only for the Following Reasons 1. Law and Order is your favorite TV show. 2. Legally Blonde is your favorite movie. 3. You graduate in 6 months and don’t have a job.

4. Your parents say that you are a great debater/negotiator as illustrated by Prom 2015. 5. Your grandmother thinks you would be a great lawyer. 6. You want a career that can make you a lot of money. 1

READY TO GET STARTED? “There is no single path that will prepare you for a legal education. Students who are successful in law school, and who become accomplished professionals, come from many walks of life and educational backgrounds. Some law students enter law school directly from their undergraduate studies without having had any post-baccalaureate work experience. Others begin their legal education significantly later in life, and they bring to their law school education the insights and perspectives gained from those life experiences. Legal education welcomes and values diversity and you will benefit from the exchange of ideas and different points of view that your colleagues will bring to the classroom.” From the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education.

Exploring the Law Profession It is important to explore the profession of law to discover if this is the right environment for you. Taking time to shadow professionals in different disciplines allows you to experience the daily activities and get a sense for the environment and people that make up the different professions of law. You don’t need to know which area you intend to work in prior to going to law school, but it helps to know what your options are. Joining campus organizations such as the Pre-Law Club or Mock Trial Club allow you to learn about the law profession.

Undergraduate Majors Pre-law is not a major or degree track at UNL. Students who are identified as pre-law are listed in an Explore Center student group for advising purposes, but pre-law is not listed on your official UNL record. Although you can begin your academics as pre-law, you will need to choose a major in order to obtain your UNL undergraduate degree. Any major is the right major as long as you can identify how that major supports your interests and future goals.

Get Involved Student involvement and volunteering are a way for pre-law students to demonstrate their leadership abilities, and genuine interest in the people and activities that make up their community to law schools. UNL has hundreds of student organizations and service opportunities, allowing you to be involved in areas that you are passionate about and help define who you are as a person. You may choose research, a core skill and experience highlighted by the ABA, as an area of engagement and enrichment. UNL allows selected students from all disciplines a paid opportunity to work with a faculty research advisor on research.

Academic Advising Explore Center advisors assist you with planning your pre-law activities to ensure that you are doing the things necessary to prepare for law school and make yourself competitive for the schools to which you will apply. Through one-on-one advising, workshops, and special communications, the Explore Center is a key to your preparedness for a future in law.

CREATE A FOUR YEAR PLAN Sophomore Year

Freshmen Year

Declare a major

Explore majors

(if you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already declared)

Consider skill-based coursework

Begin researching law schools

Get involved in campus or community activites

Continue to learn about the law profession

Learn about the profession

Take a practice LSAT (at the Explore Center)

Declare a major

Consider skill-based coursework Register with LSAC

Senior Year

Junior Year Study for the LSAT

Submit your application in the fall

Attend law school forums

Attend admitted student days or weekends

Visit potential schools

Submit your FAFSA

Research funding options for law school

Evaluate the cost of law school

Accept an offer by published deadline (typically April)

Begin writing your personal essay

Pay law school deposit

(take several practice LSATs at the Explore Center)

RESEARCH LAW SCHOOLS There are over 200 law schools in the United States. So, how do you decide which law schools are a good fit for you?

Step 1: Do Your Research Some important key factors to consider when researching which law schools to apply to: Cost. Calculate the cost of tuition, fees, living expenses, books, and supplies. Find average student debt loans and the availability of scholarships and/or grants. Remember, law school students do not normally have time to work during law school. >> See law school 509 Reports: abarequireddisclosures.org. GPA and LSAT score medians for admitted classes to each school. You will be most competitive at schools where your GPA and LSAT scores fall within the school’s 25th/75th percentile ranges. >> See officialguide.lsac.org/release/OfficialGuide_Default.aspx. Employment. Law schools report employment rates, types, and geographic locations of students who graduate from their institution. Also check the availability of career planning services at the school. >> See employmentsummary.abaquestionnaire.org. Bar passage rates. How successful are graduates at passing bar exams the first time they take them?

See law school 509 Reports: abarequireddisclosures.org.

Financial Assistance. Inquire about scholarships, grants, loans, and financial aid available. >> See law school 509 Reports: abarequireddisclosures.org and contact law schools’ financial aid offices. Geographic location. Are you comfortable living in that geographic area? Will you have the support system you need? What is the campus like? What is the community like? Would you consider employment in this area after law school? Curriculum and classes. How large are classes? What opportunities will you have to take elective hours or to have a concentration in areas you are interested in for your future career? Degree options and specializations. Law schools often have strengths in particular areas of law or offer dual degree programs (JD/MPH, JD/MBA, etc.). If a specific area interests you, be sure to research these opportunities.

Step 2: Get Out There Once you’ve gathered information, visit schools and ask more questions. See what it’s really like to attend class and be a student there. Talk to current students about the opportunities they have for clerkships, law clinics, extracurricular activities, and interaction with professors, faculty, and law professionals. >> Meet with representatives from schools. >> Visit law schools. >> Attend law school fairs and forums.

Step 3: Narrow Your Choices Prepare a list of 5-10 schools you want to apply to. Try to include a few schools from each of the following categories: 1. Target schools: Your LSAT & GPA are near the middle 50th percentile of LSAT and GPA for applicants accepted to these schools. 2. Reach schools: Your LSAT & GPA are between the 25th and 50th percentile for applicants accepted to these schools. 3. Safety schools: Your LSAT & GPA are between the 50th and 75th percentile of LSAT and GPA score for applicants accepted to these schools. Now you’re ready to apply! Make sure to meet with your pre-law advisor to stay on track. 4

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AVAILABLE PRE-LAW RESOURCES American Bar Association

americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/pre_law.html

Find information on: ABA-approved law schools, preparing for law school, and student loan information.

lsac.org/index Find information on: Creating a student account for all application processes, searchable guides to law schools, the LSAT registration, and finding law school forums and fairs around the country.

discoverlaw.org Find information on: Learning about law school, the different types of law, and the law school application process.

accessgroup.org Find information on: Financial aid advising for law school.

nationaljurist.com/prelaw-home Find information on: News relevant to pre-law and current law school students, law school profiles and rankings, LSAT advice, and articles about employment and jobs after law school. 6

USE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE EXPLORE CENTER Pre-Law Advising You should plan to meet with your pre-law advisor in the Explore Center each semester for help with customizing a four year pre-law plan. Your advisor can help you stay on top of researching law careers and law schools; get involved in activities that will help prepare you for law school; making a plan for studying for and taking the LSAT; and planning ahead for application deadlines. You can make an appointment in MyPLAN.

Pre-Law Workshops & Events The Explore Center hosts workshops and events intended to help students develop their knowledge of law careers and continue to move forward in pre-law. Workshops and events include the Law School Essay Workshop, Law School Dean’s Panel, LSAT workshop, and more. Specific dates and time information can be found at explorecenter.unl.edu/events.

Professional School Visitors Do you have specific questions for a law school representative? Law school staff visit the Explore Center regularly to meet one-on-one with UNL students. To find out who will be here and sign up for an appointment, visit exploreregistration.unl.edu.

Practice LSATs According to law schools, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is one of the most important factors in admission to law school. Successful pre-law students should begin preparing for the LSAT six to eight months in advance of their intended test date. Practice LSATs are one of the best ways to see how prepared you are for the real thing before the score matters. Take as many Practice LSATs as you want, even as early as freshman year. Sign up for a free Practice LSAT at exploreregistration.unl.edu.

Application Essay Review Your law school application essay can make or break your application to law school. The Explore Center’s pre-law advisors can help you brainstorm ideas for your essay, share resources and advice for how to write the essay, and review drafts* of your essay as you work on perfecting it. You can schedule an appointment in MyPLAN to get started. * If you would like feedback from your pre-law advisor in the appointment, please send the essay draft to the advisor at least 1 week prior to your in-person meeting so that the advisor has time to review your essay and prepare thoughtful feedback for you.

Get in Touch Explore Center Love Library South 127 402-472-3605 explorecenter@unl.edu Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. explorecenter.unl.edu

UNL Pre-Law Advising UNL Explore Center UNL Pre-Law UNL does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Please see go.unl.edu/nondiscrimination.