Five Myths About Law School Admissions

Five Myths About Law School Admissions

Myth #1

If your undergraduate major is not related to law, you should not apply to law school.

Fact: Law schools have no required majors or courses for prospective students. Many law schools go out of their way to find students who have varied backgrounds in science, engineering, foreign languages, math, or even music and art.

Myth #2

It makes sense to take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) as an "experiment" to see if you have the aptitude for law school.

Fact: Not only does this myth have no factual basis, it can also destroy your chances for admission to a good school. Never take the LSAT casually "just to see how you will do." It is difficult, if not impossible to overcome a past, poor performance on the LSAT. This is because some law schools will average your past LSAT scores. Thus, a low score can not be overcome by getting a higher score on a later LSAT. It is crucial that you prepare for the LSAT in order to optimize your chances of success. Furthermore, there is virtually no evidence that the LSAT can predict your ultimate performance in either law school or in your legal career. The LSAT is simply a screening device used by law schools to compare applicants with different backgrounds who may have attended different undergraduate institutions with different grading systems.

Myth #3

The LSAT measures natural intelligence. Preparing for the LSAT will not help you improve your test score.

Fact: Even Law School Admission Services (the organization that administers the LSAT) strongly recommends that students prepare for this important test. You can visit their web site at www.lsas.org and purchase a wide variety of LSAT preparation materials including copies of recently administered prior LSATs. This means the LSAT is open and available to anyone who wants to study and analyze past tests. The LSAT is a standardized test with predictable, logical patterns. It is neither random or inconsistent. This is good news for test takers. With preparation and hard work you will be able to boost your LSAT score. Your LSAT score is a key factor in the admissions process over which you exercise a degree of control. (After all, there is little you can do, at this point, to alter your GPA.) A rational approach to law school admissions emphasizes those factors in the admission process which contribute to a successful law school application and which are still subject to improvement.

Click here for more information on preparing for the LSAT.

Myth #4

Completing your application early will have no effect on your chances for acceptance.

Fact: An early application may receive favorable consideration simply because there are fewer applications to measure it against. Most law schools begin reviewing applications as soon as they arrive in the fall. Although an admissions deadline is February 1st, the admissions staff will not wait until February 2nd to begin reviewing applications.

Myth #5

Most law schools make their admission decisions based on undergraduate grades and LSAT scores. Therefore, the personal statement is of limited importance.

Fact: Personal statements are especially important at top schools because the number of qualified candidates makes it harder for schools to make a final selection. Since many applicants have high GPAs and LSAT scores, admission officers have to look at other factors, particularly the personal statement. Next to your LSAT score and GPA, the personal statement is probably the most important part of your application. To an even greater extent than your LSAT score, the personal statement is a factor which is subject to your control.

Click here for more information on preparing an outstanding personal statement.

Get Prepped offers a Law School Admissions program to help you write an effective personal statement.