Law school questions from a college freshman Forum

[TheLegalBeagle]

Hi, I'm new here on the board, and I'm currently a college freshman at Nova Southeastern University in FL. I'm a History major, planning on adding an English major. I have a few questions:

1. Would a double major increase my chances of getting into a good law school (Georgetown, Yale, etc.)?
2. I want to be in JAG when I graduate law school, what classes should I take now to prepare for it, and how hard is it to get into JAG (specifically Navy and Air Force)?
3. I'm currently on my school's Mock Trial Team. If I did this for 4 years, would it look good on my transcript?
4. Georgetown is currently my dream school. How hard is it to get in, and what should I do to prepare for it (ex: LSAT scores, GPA, clubs, etc.)

Thanks!

[chiyeung]

You're just like me! Goodluck. I have been considering a double major as well but in
Cosmology

[asoli]

All you need to worry about is getting the highest GPA you can. Towards the end of you 3rd year, start looking over the self prep LSAT threads here. Take the June or Oct test and score as high as you can. Apply as early as you can and get good letters of Rec.

[Hawkeye Pierce]

.

[paratactical]

Hi, I'm new here on the board, and I'm currently a college freshman at Nova Southeastern University in FL. I'm a History major, planning on adding an English major. I have a few questions:

1. Would a double major increase my chances of getting into a good law school (Georgetown, Yale, etc.)?
2. I want to be in JAG when I graduate law school, what classes should I take now to prepare for it, and how hard is it to get into JAG (specifically Navy and Air Force)?
3. I'm currently on my school's Mock Trial Team. If I did this for 4 years, would it look good on my transcript?
4. Georgetown is currently my dream school. How hard is it to get in, and what should I do to prepare for it (ex: LSAT scores, GPA, clubs, etc.)

Thanks!

1. Not substantially. Better to have a 3.8 with one major than a 3.4 with two.
2. JAG is incredibly difficult to get into. You should find people in JAG and ask them about how they did it. There have been threads on the board about JAG before. Search and see what you can find.
3. Meh. Having extracurriculars you commit to is good, but four years of Mock Trial is not going to make a difference in the schools you can get into and the schools you can't.
4. Get a high LSAT score and get the highest GPA you possibly can. Do some research about the legal industry. Have reasonable expectations of what kinds of jobs you can actually get so that you know how much debt you should reasonably take to get the degree.

But, seriously, at this point, have fun and get a high GPA. Take easy electives to make your GPA higher. Get a degree in basketweaving, but get a high GPA.

[bk1]

Short answer:

Soft factors don't matter. Get straight A's, take the easiest major if you have to, have tons of sex, worry about the LSAT in 2 years and seriously devote yourself to it when the time comes.

[CGI Fridays]

1. Would a double major increase my chances of getting into a good law school (Georgetown, Yale, etc.)?

Maybe marginally, but if it could decrease your GPA in the slightest it's prolly not worth it.

3. I'm currently on my school's Mock Trial Team. If I did this for 4 years, would it look good on my transcript?

Certainly couldn't hurt.

4. Georgetown is currently my dream school. How hard is it to get in, and what should I do to prepare for it (ex: LSAT scores, GPA, clubs, etc.)

Don't worry bout the LSAT for years. Rock your grades & get involved in clubs, preferably leadership positions. Volunteer as well.

[nealric]

I'm a Georgetown alum if you have any questions about the school.

[TheLegalBeagle]

I'm a Georgetown alum if you have any questions about the school.

Awesome! You're just the person I'm looking for!

1. Do agencies like JAG and the State Department recruit on campus, and are they at campus fairs?
2. Was Georgetown really hard to get into?
3. Is the Law Center campus and surrounding area nice?

[D. H2Oman]

I'm a Georgetown alum if you have any questions about the school.

Awesome! You're just the person I'm looking for!

1. Do agencies like JAG and the State Department recruit on campus, and are they at campus fairs?
2. Was Georgetown really hard to get into?
3. Is the Law Center campus and surrounding area nice?

1.Government agencies at the OPICS fair this week

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

· Broadcasting Board of Governors, Office of the General Counsel

· Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Office of Chief Counsel

· Congressional Research Service, American Law Division

· Department of Agriculture

· Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Directorate for Civilian Reprisal Investigations

· Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Directorate for Whistleblowing & Transparency

· Department of Education, Office of General Counsel

· Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Homeland Security, Human Rights Law Section

· Department of Homeland Security, Office of Civil Rights and Liberties

· Department of Homeland Security, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Housing and Urban Development, Officer of Finance and Administrative Law, Finance Division

· Department of Justice, Criminal Division

· Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division

· Department of Justice, Office of Attorney Recruitment & Management

· Department of Justice, Tax Division

· Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Honors Program

· Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser

· Department of Transportation, Honors Attorney Program

· Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control

· Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Office of Commissioner Chai R. Feldblum

· Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington Field Office

· Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy

· Federal Bureau of Investigation

· Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

· Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

· Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Competition

· Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection

· Institute of Museum and Library Services

· Internal Revenue Service, Office of Chief Counsel

· Law Library of Congress

· Maryland Department of Legislative Services

· National Archives and Records Administration, Office of General Counsel

· Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of the General Counsel

· Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

· Overseas Private Investment Corporation

· Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

· Public Defender Service of the District of Columbia

· Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy

· U.S. Air Force JAG Corps

· U.S. Army JAG Corps

· U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia

· U.S. Coast Guard JAG Corps

· U.S. Foreign Service

· U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Legislative Counsel

· U.S. Marine Corps JAG Corps

· U.S. Navy JAG Corps

· U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee


2. Check LSN

3. it's sort of on the border of the nice part of DC and a not so nice part of DC

[CGI Fridays]

WTF waterman being helpful?!?!
I honestly think this is my first sighting.

[nealric]

Awesome! You're just the person I'm looking for!

1. Do agencies like JAG and the State Department recruit on campus, and are they at campus fairs?
2. Was Georgetown really hard to get into?
3. Is the Law Center campus and surrounding area nice?

1. Yes. There is a separate government interview program on campus. And I have a few friends doing JAG.
2. As hard as other schools in its rank range. Georgetown was my reach school. For the most part, it boils down to numbers.
3. It's OK. I don't think describing it as "on the border" is really accurate. The only somewhat bad part of town it's near is northeast- and I can't imagine why you would be heading in that area. The truly bad parts of DC (Trinidad, Parts of Anacostia) are a ways away. It's in an area with a lot of government buildings- so there's not too much going on in the immediate area. One of the largest homeless shelters in the city is on the south side, but it rarely poses a problem. The nice thing for me is its proximity to the capitol hill area- which is MUCH cheaper than living near main campus but still a nice part of town.

[turkeysub]

In before someone says "go get laid"

[paratactical]

In before someone says "go get laid"

OP Didn't know the vast difference between Yale and GeorgeTTTown. OP is probably already slobbing several knobs.

[2014]

Why would a club membership be on your transcript?

[bk1]

In before someone says "go get laid"

Too late.

[turkeysub]

ugh..well that's embarassing...

[Grizz]

"go get laid"

[ResolutePear]

"go get laid"

[OmbreGracieuse]

I don't know anything about Georgetown, but as someone who was interested in JAG, I have a few comments.

Both the LSAT and ASVAB are study-able. That said, if you start studying now you will burn out. I got a 97/99 on the ASVAB and with that you can do almost anything. JAG can be hard to get into though; when I was looking into them, none of them were currently open and accepting new recruits. There's a lot you have to do as well (interviews, essays, ect) and you have to meet certain physical requirements. I would recommend you get ahold of a recruiter and make sure this is something you REALLY want to do.

Seeing as you are taking both tests, you might feel compelled to study. My advice? Wait on it. If you start now you will BURN OUT. I would suggest, like some of the other TLSers, getting involved in activitiesand holding leadership positions. Do well in your classes; from what I've read, law schools look at your GPA and not necessarily what your major was.

Consider summer work (or working during the year, to some extent). This is a good resume booster; if you can do something humanitarian, all the better, IMO. Pick something you like, because then you are doing something you love and are getting paid to do it.

Have fun! You still have a while ahead of you, and law school is a VERY long 3 years, so have some fun now. If law school and JAG are really your goal tough, study then have fun.

Good luck!!

[OmbreGracieuse]

PS- Look into FLEP (the funded legal education program) for whichever branch you are interested in. They don't cover a lot of people, but if you can get in they will PAY your law school for you!

Cheers.

[Voodoo94]

My advice?

Take some time off between undergrad and Law School.

If you want to serve in the military, consider applying to Army OCS your senior year. Serve your 3 years as an officer and then go to graduate/law school. You will gain valuable leadership/managerial experience and have the great, new GI Bill for Grad/Law school.

Financially, this is a much better course of action and you will have the benefit of a few years work experience to really reflect on what you want to do. Law School is the "default" career path for too many bright undergrads.

http://www.armyocs.com

[TheLegalBeagle]

I'm a Georgetown alum if you have any questions about the school.

Awesome! You're just the person I'm looking for!

1. Do agencies like JAG and the State Department recruit on campus, and are they at campus fairs?
2. Was Georgetown really hard to get into?
3. Is the Law Center campus and surrounding area nice?

1.Government agencies at the OPICS fair this week

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

· Broadcasting Board of Governors, Office of the General Counsel

· Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Office of Chief Counsel

· Congressional Research Service, American Law Division

· Department of Agriculture

· Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Directorate for Civilian Reprisal Investigations

· Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Directorate for Whistleblowing & Transparency

· Department of Education, Office of General Counsel

· Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Homeland Security, Human Rights Law Section

· Department of Homeland Security, Office of Civil Rights and Liberties

· Department of Homeland Security, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the General Counsel

· Department of Housing and Urban Development, Officer of Finance and Administrative Law, Finance Division

· Department of Justice, Criminal Division

· Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division

· Department of Justice, Office of Attorney Recruitment & Management

· Department of Justice, Tax Division

· Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor, Honors Program

· Department of State, Office of the Legal Adviser

· Department of Transportation, Honors Attorney Program

· Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control

· Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Office of Commissioner Chai R. Feldblum

· Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Washington Field Office

· Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy

· Federal Bureau of Investigation

· Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

· Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

· Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Competition

· Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection

· Institute of Museum and Library Services

· Internal Revenue Service, Office of Chief Counsel

· Law Library of Congress

· Maryland Department of Legislative Services

· National Archives and Records Administration, Office of General Counsel

· Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of the General Counsel

· Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

· Overseas Private Investment Corporation

· Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

· Public Defender Service of the District of Columbia

· Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy

· U.S. Air Force JAG Corps

· U.S. Army JAG Corps

· U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia

· U.S. Coast Guard JAG Corps

· U.S. Foreign Service

· U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Legislative Counsel

· U.S. Marine Corps JAG Corps

· U.S. Navy JAG Corps

· U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee


2. Check LSN

3. it's sort of on the border of the nice part of DC and a not so nice part of DC

Wow! Thanks so much, awesomely detailed list!