What should I be doing? Forum

[tangelo]

What do you suggest for a Freshman in college who is hell bent on Law School? If you had the chance to go back to being a Freshman in college, what would you have done differently? I figure I'll take the LSAT in my Junior year and I'm already reading various LSAT books, but what else can I be doing to make sure I enhance my chances when the time comes for LS? Is there something I should be studying this early? Should I just not think about it until my Junior year? Should I be looking into doing internships? Is there anything I can do now to improve my softs? Any thoughts appreciated.

[aboutmydaylight]

You should focus 100% on GPA as that's likely to be the only factor from your first couple years in college that has any decent amount of relevance to where you get in. Maybe work part-time, hang out, chill with your boys. Enjoy life, there's no need to stress about this shit so early.

[chargers]

This early on just focus on your GPA. If, like you say, you are 100% hellbent on going to law school than just major in something you like so that your grades can be as high as possible. I would begin studying for the LSAT spring of your sophomore year and try to take the test October or December of your junior year, leaving yourself plenty of time for a retake (if necessary) before you graduate. As far as extracurriculars and softs, make sure you have something to put on a resume (i.e. club involvement, student government), but unless you have amazing softs (which few people do, or else they wouldn't be seen as that amazing) they won't really matter.

Ultimately, its a numbers game.

Good GPA + High LSAT

[WaltGrace83]

I am going to stress GPA again here. I was SOLD on law school as an incoming college freshman. In fact, I think I made a very similar thread here. Here is what I would do in order of importance:

1) Get a high GPA with two majors: one useful (finance for example) and one practical (English/Philosophy/etc.). My definition of "practical" here is something that involves critical thinking and writing. The skills that you develop in such classes are invaluable to anything you go into. It sickens me how many people graduate without the ability to critically think and write well. However, I am biased. I am an English major who just graduated in December. I think my degree is awesome. It definitely was not easy at all. I worked my tail off and I think I worked harder than anyone I've ever met in college. However, not only did I get a GPA above even Yale's 75%, I developed my writing in such a way that I know will be useful even I never go law school. In addition, my critical thinking is - in my opinion - on a much higher level than my peers. Having a "practical" major as I would call it is just if you never end up going to law school or you want to take some time off between law school and college (I would). I am going to be teaching English next year and will probably be applying in the Fall, matriculating in Fall 2015.

2) Do something cool: start something big, do interesting research, publish works, etc. These are you "soft factors." My biggest "soft" is being an RA for 2 years. I thought the experience was also invaluable. However, this is hardly a soft in comparison to what some people do, I just did it because I wanted to.

3) Get really good at reading: You know those long journal articles that they tell you to read for class? Read them. Read them twice. Understand their structure. Figure out why the argument made the points it did. Figure out why each sentence is there. Not only will it help you with class, it will help with the dreaded reading comp passage on the LSAT which is, for most people, the hardest to improve.

4) Get educated on why law: don't be those people that are in their last semester and still don't know what they want to do. Figure out if this is actually what you want to do. Talk to lawyers (they will presumably all tell you not to do it), try to find a legal internship, talk to law students, etc.

5) Start studying logic games: do Sudoku in your spare time, puzzles, etc. They are fun but will also develop critical parts in your brain for the LSAT

Interspersed with everything though: relax. Do absolutely work hard. I was a guy in college that, while having a girlfriend and friends and interesting experiences, I worked my ass off. I don't regret it! My GPA put my in prime position for anything I want to do. However, I probably stressed out too much. Just remember that a 4.0 is not necessary. Hell, a 4.0 isn't even sufficient. PM me for any other pieces of advice. I also have a sibling who is a lawyer so I've seen the whole process and he/she did things very differently then I did

[jk148706]

I developed my writing in such a way that I know will be useful even I never go law school.

Uh oh

[zhenders]

+1 to all especially Walt. I would argue though that a Major/Minor will serve you equally well. Also I couldn't recommend being an English major more highly. I had lots of different majors at different periods in my life, and through all that, English is the clear winner as far as personal development and LS-transferable skills (both active and cognitive).

But more than anything, become one of those students who dies a little inside when they get a B. That should be EVERYTHING. Every A you get pushes you closer to HYS and every single B you get pushes you away -- and if you want YS, four or five Bs in your 4 years can take you out of the running practically speaking.


Forget the LSAT right now. Be super student at your U.

[WaltGrace83]

I developed my writing in such a way that I know will be useful even I never go law school.

Uh oh

Say what you want but writing is important for every. single. career.

[jk148706]

I developed my writing in such a way that I know will be useful even I never go law school.

Uh oh

Say what you want but writing is important for every. single. career.

Oh I completely agree. It was just that you omitted a word or two in a sentence that emphasized the importance or writing, and I just couldn't help myself.

("Will be useful even I never go law school")

[WaltGrace83]

I developed my writing in such a way that I know will be useful even I never go law school.

Uh oh

Say what you want but writing is important for every. single. career.

Oh I completely agree. It was just that you omitted a word or two in a sentence that emphasized the importance or writing, and I just couldn't help myself.

("Will be useful even I never go law school")

haha! Well clearly I learned nothing . Good catch.

EDIT: I guess we are assuming that writing ability is correlated with typing ability? ok I'm always in LSAT mode now

[jk148706]

haha! Well clearly I learned nothing . Good catch.

EDIT: I guess we are assuming that writing ability is correlated with typing ability? ok I'm always in LSAT mode now

Hahah touché. Keep grinding