Hello everyone! My name is Jacob Weiszer, and I’m a fourth-year International Affairs and Management Information Systems Major on the pre-law track. Your final year of undergrad is full of exciting events: Last season of football between the hedges, senior events, and eventually graduation. But it can also be hard to not think about what happens next. If you’re like me and law school is on the horizon, it can be hard to know where to start. I have compiled a list of tips and to-dos to help simplify the process so that you can live senior year to the fullest.
- Finalize Your List
- The best place to start is to research what you value most in a law school and make a list of the schools you want to apply to. It’s okay if your list changes throughout the process but start thinking about which schools offer courses or areas of specialty in the type of law you want to go into.
- Perfect Your Resume
- I know you’ve heard this throughout your college career, but your resume is so important for helping law school admissions officers get to know the whole you. This starts by making sure your resume is professional and concise. If you need resume resources, the career center website is a great place to start.
- Letters, Letters, Letters
- By the time you apply to law school you should already have at least one professor in mind who can attest to your strengths as a student. While it might be tempting to try to get a letter of recommendation from the most distinguished professor in your department, if they haven’t had you as a student in 3 years, their letter likely won’t be as strong. Choose a professor that you’ve taken a class with recently that you feel like you’ve had a meaningful connection with. Most law schools prefer applicants to have two letters, so a good rule of thumb is to try to get a letter from a professional or someone that knows you outside of academia. Make sure to give your recommender several weeks’ notice and include any materials that can help them write the best letter to represent you and your interests.
- Test Success
- Prepare to take either the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) if the law schools you want to apply to accept either. Most schools require you to submit scores for one of the other. Here’s a list of law schools that accept the GRE if you choose to take that route. Either way, start preparing early and put your best foot forward!
- Personalize It
- The final piece of your application law schools will want to see is your personal statement. This is your chance to really let your personality show and convey to those looking at your file why you want to go to law school. Whatever you choose to write about, make sure your voice shines.
- So, what next?
- Submit your applications and make sure to regularly check your email so you don’t miss any important additional information or scholarship opportunities law schools might send out. Relax and enjoy your senior year! You got this I can’t wait to see all you accomplish in the future!
Written by
Jacob Ian Weiszer
