{"105221":{"#nid":"105221","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Preparing for Law School","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERobert Pikowsky, JD\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDirector, Pre-Law Program and Adjunct Professor of Public Policy\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs you would expect, the \u0022top tier\u0022 law schools are highly selective in their admissions decisions. However, there is no required undergraduate major. A law school admissions committee wants to see that applicants have successfully completed a rigorous curriculum and have demonstrated the potential to excel at the professional school level. Whether students major in science, engineering, management, or liberal arts, they can become competitive for admission to highly regarded law schools.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESome general considerations for anyone contemplating law school:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.prelaw.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech School of Public Policy Pre-Law\u003C\/a\u003E Web site. It contains an overview of our pre-law program and the law school application process. Students and parents are also invited to subscribe to the pre-law newsletter to stay up to date on various matters related to pre-law and law school. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.prelaw.gatech.edu\/program_newsletter.php\u0022\u003EClick here\u003C\/a\u003E for subscription instructions.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Take some pre-law classes at Georgia Tech. Our Law, Science, \u0026amp; Technology minor or pre-law certificate will help you make a more informed decision about whether to go to law school.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Take at least two classes that will require a 10-15 page research paper. Additional paper classes would be helpful. Effective writing skills are critical to success in law school and law practice.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Engage in extra-curricular activities such as mock trial competition, which will also help you make a more informed decision about law school. Mock trial will be fun, will begin teaching fundamental skills, and will look good on a resume. The mock trial team requires a serious commitment, so students should not expect to get by with minimal effort just to fill out their resumes.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Get to know some of your professors who you may want to ask for letters of recommendation. Ask for recommendations well before you need them. Don\u0027t expect a professor to complete a letter within a week after you ask for it.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESome specific considerations for students as the application season approaches:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Become familiar with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC\/LSDAS) Web site at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.lsac.org\u0022\u003Ewww.lsac.org\u003C\/a\u003E. The site contains critical information regarding the LSAT and the application process. Most students apply to law school through the LSDAS.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Start working on your personal statement well before you intend to submit your application package. You can find a lot of information about writing the personal statement if you enter \u0022personal statement law school\u0022 into an Internet search engine.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Register for a commercial LSAT preparation course. They cost about $1,300, but it\u0027s considered a good investment. Kaplan and Princeton Review have the biggest presence on campus, although there are others as well.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Take the LSAT in June prior to the start of your senior year if at all possible. Otherwise, take the test in September of your senior year. I strongly discourage students from waiting until December of their senior year, and even more strongly discourage them from waiting until February of their senior year.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* The application season starts in October. Students should submit the completed application package in October if possible. Early applications have an advantage in the rolling admissions process. In any event, submit your application prior to the end of the fall semester.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI look forward to working with your student in preparation for law school. You can contact me at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:robert.pikowsky@pubpolicy.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Erobert.pikowsky@pubpolicy.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E or 404-385-7222 if you have any questions.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"As you would expect, the \u0022top tier\u0022 law schools are highly selective in their admissions decisions. However, there is no required undergraduate major. A law school admissions committee wants to see that applicants have successfully completed a rigorous curriculum and have demonstrated the potential to excel at the professional school level. Whether students major in science, engineering, management, or liberal arts, they can become competitive for admission to highly regarded law schools.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Great suggestions of how to successfully prepare for law school."}],"uid":"27164","created_gmt":"2009-02-03 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:33","author":"Rachael Pocklington","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2009-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2009-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1298","name":"Parent and Family Programs"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1413","name":"advising"},{"id":"1414","name":"career services"},{"id":"1412","name":"major changes"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003ERachael Pocklington\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EParents Program\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=rpocklington3\u0022\u003EContact Rachael Pocklington\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3920\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["rachael.pocklington@vpss.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}