Top Law Schools

Hey guys,

I am currently finishing my junior year in Nuclear Engineering and Political Science at the University of Florida. My GPA is 3.5, and I have not taken the LSAT yet. My freshman year I took a diagnostic with a pre-law group and scored a 152 without ever seeing the test before.

I am planning to graduate Spring 2013 (I added an extra year), but feel terribly lost as to what to start working on to create a strong application. I was hoping to get some guidance here as to what I should perhaps begin doing to maximize my chances into a top 20 law school.

Some of my concerns are:
What extra curricular activities should I invest my time in?
How do I go about asking for letters of recommendation?
When should I begin preparing for the LSAT? What is a good time to take it?
Is there anything specific that I could begin doing that would strengthen my application?

Thanks

Whatever you're passionate about
Just ask its no biggie really

-Do whatever extracurriculars you are interested in and passionate about. There are none that look better than others. Schools just want to see that you are passionate about whatever it is you choose to do

-Asking for recommendations is as easy as it sounds. In your final semester in 2013, you go to the 2 or 3 professors you are closest with, and they will likely be happy to help you out. Make sure you get to know at least a few professors so that you have someone to go to. Though you have a ton of time to meet new ones over your next few college years.

-If you graduate in 2013, then shoot for the June 2013 test. So you would probably start prepping sometime during your final semester of college, and into the summer of 2013. The June test is good because, if you don't do as well as you like, you can always retake in September 2013, which still allows you to get your applications in very early.

-The only thing you can do right now is raise your GPA by doing well in your classes. That should be the only thing on your mind. And above all: HAVE FUN and enjoy college. Don't stress about this or waste time thinking too far ahead.

Crush the LSAT

The two most important factors are GPA and LSAT. You definitely don't want your GPA to get any lower (not that 3.5 is low, mine's 3.3, but around here it's low-ish), so your number one priority should be keeping your grades up.

You'll want 3-5 months to study for the LSAT. It's usually best to take the June admission so you can fall back to October if a retake is necessary. If you've not studied at all yet, June might be a bit soon for this year. So, work hard and nail it in October, or take a year off, get some work experience and sit the exam next year/apply later.

Good luck!

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