LAW SCHOOL RESOURCE GUIDEYOUR COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE AND EVENTS GUIDE

2014

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Visit Us on Law Day

Michigan Union, Second Floor University of Michigan

Tuesday, September 23, 2014 | 3–6 p.m.

Chicago’sPractice-Ready

Law SchoolJohn Marshall prepares students with the skills, knowledge, and experience to be practice-ready from day one.

Visit jmls.edu/ImReady or call 866.575.7878.

Prepare to Succeed

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2 The John Marshall Law School • 3 Table of Contents

3 University of Wisconsin Law School • 4 Applying to Law School

5 University of Miami School of Law • 6 Pre-Law Fall Programs

8 Where Should You Apply? • 10 The Law School Personal Statement

10 Maurer School of Law • 12 Letters of Recommendation

13 William & Mary Law School • 14 Law Day Participating Schools

16 The Career Center’s Law Day

Content on pages 3, 4, 6-16 provided by The Career Center and the Newnan Academic Advising Center.

You can schedule pre-law advising appointments with the Career Center (734.764.7460) or the Newnan Advising Center (734.764.0332).

Students and alums from all UM Schools or Colleges are welcome.

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Table of Contents

Account ExecutiveAccount ExecutiveAccount Executive

Evan CopelandAnna HeBreahna Nowak

Business Manager Designer

Douglas SolomonNolan Loh

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You may also find it helpful to peruse the LSAC application checklist.

• Decide when to apply (this year vs. in the future)

• Look into fee waivers if applicable

• Register for/take the LSAT as applicable

• Register with the Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS)

• Approach your writers to discuss and obtain letters of reference

• Investigate schools and decide where to apply

• Consult with a Career Center pre-law counselor and/or a LSA pre-law advisor

• Start working on your main application essay and schedule a review

• Mark your calendar now for the UM Law Day on September 23, 2014

Summer of Your Application Cycle

• Register for/take the LSAT

• Send your official transcripts to CAS

• Gather and send reference letters

• Fine-tune your list of schools based on your GPA, LSAT scores and other factors important to you

• Write multiple, tailored application essays

• Have your essays reviewed by multiple parties for feedback

• Complete and submit law school applications

• Monitor your applications after submission for completeness

September Through December of Your Application Cycle

• Await results

• File your FAFSA

• If waitlisted, consider sending an application update

• Manage admission offers

• Pay deposit and send final transcript

January and Beyond of Your Application Cycle

This timeline is also available on the Career Center’s website. The highlighted text below indicates links to more information.

careercenter.umich.edu Pursue Med, Law, Grad Law Application TImeline

Applying to Law School Suggested Application Timeline

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LSAT Familiarization CourseParticipate in this nine-session course to jumpstart

your preparation for the December 2014 LSAT and beyond. Learn how the LSAT is structured and scored, assess your baseline competence

by practicing with real LSAT questions, enhance your test-taking strategies, and develop a study plan for additional post-course preparation.

Pre-registration required: http://careercenter.umich.edu/article/med/lsat-familiarization-courseFridays, September 12 through November 7, 12:00 PM–2:00 PM, Location TBD

Applying to Law School 101Are you considering applying to law school? We will review the law school

admission process and provide tips on how to submit a strong application. Students at all levels are encouraged to attend.

Thursday, September 11, 12:00 PM–1:00 PM, 3200 Student Activities Building, Career Center Program Rm

Friday, October 17, 2:00 PM–3:00 PM, 3200 Student Activities Building, Career Center Program Rm

Pre-Law Fall 2014 Programs

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The listed events are designed to help students prepare a successful application to law school. From information sessions

to workshops to courses, events are offered for students of all levels.

Mark Your Calendar

We encourage all interested students to attend as many events as possible.

Personal Statement WorkshopLearn what law schools are looking for in your personal statement and participate

in writing exercises designed to help you write a strong and inspired essay.

Thursday, September 18, 2:00 PM–3:00 PM, G243 Angell Hall, Newnan Advising Center Conference Room Monday, October 6, 1:00 PM–2:00 PM, G243 Angell Hall, Newnan Advising Center Conference Room

Wednesday, October 22, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM, G243 Angell Hall, Newnan Advising Center Conference Room

Law School Admissions Committee PanelJoin Michigan Law School’s Dean of Admission and Admission Directors from University of Pennsylvania and University of Chicago Law Schools as

they discuss a host of topics ranging from how to decide whether law school makes sense for you, to how to maximize your chances of admission,

to how to select among the various choices you have.Monday, September 22, 5:00 PM–6:00 PM, 100 Hutchins Hall, University of Michigan Law School

Law DayMeet with representatives from over 100 law schools.

Students at all levels are encouraged to attend.Tuesday, September 23, 3:00 PM–6:00 PM, Michigan Union 2nd Floor

Pre-Law Walk-In AdvisingWalk-in advising is designed for quick discussions of recent

LSAT scores and simple questions regarding your application.Tuesday, October 28, 1:00 PM–3:00 PM, 1255 Angell Hall, Newnan Advising Center LibraryThursday, October 30, 1:00 PM–3:00 PM, 1255 Angell Hall, Newnan Advising Center Library

Wednesday, November 5, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, 1255 Angell Hall, Newnan Advising Center Library

Visiting Law Schools’ Information SessionsHarvard Law Information Session

Friday, October 17, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM, 3200 Student Activities Building, Career Center Program Room

One-on-One Pre-Law Consultations with MSU Law Admissions DeanWednesday, October 29, The Career Center

Pre-registration required: https://cosign-umich-csm.symplicity.com/

University of Detroit Mercy Law Luncheon and Information SessionWednesday, November 12, 11:30 AM-1:30 PM, Michigan Union Welker Room

Financing Law School WorkshopLindsey Stetson, UM Law School’s Director of Financial Aid, presents information

on financing your legal education with a focus on minimizing your debt. Students at all levels are encouraged to attend.

Wednesday, November 19, 12:00 PM–1:00 PM, Room TBD, University of Michigan Law School

University of Detroit Mercy Law Luncheon and Information SessionWednesday, November 12, 11:30 AM-1:30 PM, Michigan Union Welker Room

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The application process and law school are costly so take the time to carefully research schools. Create a table or spreadsheet to help

you evaluate all of the information you gather.

Create your initial list by considering multiple criteria: availability of specific programs, student publications, law school atmosphere,

career services, employment statistics, location etc.

Where Should You Apply?A quick list of things to consider

This information is available in greater detail on The Newnan Academic Advising Center’s website. The highlighted text below indicates links to more information.

www.lsa.umich.edu/advisingAcademic Planning Pre-Law When and where do I apply? Choosing a law school

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According to the Law School Admission Council, “…about half of all applicants applied to five or fewer schools.” Do not apply to a school unless you would be happy to attend.

Before accepting an offer of admission, we strongly encourage you to visit the school.

Reach SchoolsYour LSAT & GPA overlap the bottom 25% of LSAT and GPA scores reported for the school.

Your LSAT & GPA overlap the middle 50% of LSAT and GPA scores reported for the school.

Your LSAT & GPA overlap the upper 25% of LSAT and GPA scores reported for the school.

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Target Schools

Safety Schools

Make a pre-law advising appointment to help you further evaluate your list.

734-764-7460

734-764-0332

Three key sources of data for researching law schools:

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) - lists American Bar Association (ABA) approved schools by state and region, provides GPA and LSAT information

and links to the online application known as the Credential Assembly Service.

The Book of Law School Lists - an online resource that lists law schools according to specific programs, journal opportunities, student organizations etc.

The ABA provides employment statistics on recent graduates.

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Narrow the list by considering GPA and LSAT score data reported for each school. This information can be found on The Law School Admission Council’s (LSAC) website.

Your edited list should include:

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You• What’s your background, your values?

(First generation college student, parents’ occupation, role models, spirituality, social justice, etc.)

• If applicable, reflect on the diversity/uniqueness that you bring (culture, age, major, special life experiences and perspectives.)

• How would you describe yourself?

• How would your professors, employers, family members, classmates, and friends describe you?

• What are you passionate about?

• What kind of learner are you?

• What do you want the law schools to know about you?

An effective personal statement is based on sound self-assessment.To help you reflect on some of your accomplishments, interests,

personal traits and characteristics, ask yourself:

The Law School Personal StatementA Self-Reflection Excercise

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Your Plan• How have you formed your own opinion/perception of the nature of

legal practice and the daily demands placed upon lawyers and their families?

• What kind of lawyer would you like to be and why?

• What impact do you want to have on your community? In what ways have you already started this process?

• What are your goals for the future, both personally and professionally?

Five Tips For Writing A Law School Personal Statement!• Follow the prompts provided by each school.

Make sure your statement addresses the question(s).

• Don’t repeat your resume. Focus on the “why” of the experience(s) rather than the “what.”

• Start by recording or blogging your thoughts rather than trying to write THE statement.

• Write the stories you want to tell rather than second-guessing what the admissions committee wants to hear.

• Seek feedback from multiple people; however, make sure the final draft is your statement.

Bottom-Line Points• Why do you want to become a lawyer? Be as sincere as you can.

• What experiences have confirmed your career choice? Be as specific as you can.

• What do you want law schools to know about you beyond what is stated in your application?

Your Experiences• Think of your proudest moment.

Why was that accomplishment particularly meaningful to you?

• What skills are you learning in your classes, research experiences, and other academic endeavors that are relevant to the legal profession?

• What are you learning about yourself through your experiences inside and outside of the classroom?

• Reflect on your extracurricular experiences: remember critical incident moments, “revelations” etc.

• What kind of hurdles did you have to overcome in your life?

• What experiences have enabled you to interact with people of different backgrounds and cultures?

Letters of Recommendation

Whom should you ask to write your LORs?• Request a minimum of two academic references from instructors or

GSIs since this will cover the recommendation requirements of most schools.

• Choose someone who knows you well. The prestige of the letter writer will have little influence if the letter is superficial.

• Additional letters of reference from employers/supervisors will help to round out your application (check with each school to verify

that they will accept more than 2 references).

Letters of recommendation (LORs) can be quite influential in admissions’ decisions. We encourage you to consider the following:

How should you ask him or her?• If possible, ask to meet with the letter writer in person.

• Bring relevant materials such as a resume, brief statement explaining why you are interested in law school and a writing sample, if available.

• Politely ask if he/she is able to write a strong recommendation for you.

• Be sure to discuss a specific deadline for submitting the letter.

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This information is available in greater detail on The Newnan Academic Advising Center’s website.

The highlighted text below indicates links to more information.

www.lsa.umich.edu/advising

Academic Planning Pre-Law How do I apply? Application Process Letters of Recommendation

The characteristics of a “good” LOR• The letter should assess the student’s academic achievement and potential, par-

ticularly research skills, capacity for analytical thinking and writing ability. Additional comments that reflect on the candidate’s maturity,

insight, organization etc. are also valuable.

• Whenever possible, the letter should include concrete examples.

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When should you begin thinking about LORs?• Begin early in your academic career.

Cultivate relationships with your instructors by going to office hours, asking meaningful questions, actively participating in class discussions,

seeking advice and demonstrating that you can follow it.

• Plan to acquire recommendations by the end of your junior year if you are applying in your senior year.

How should the letters be sent?• Most law schools require that applicants use the

Credential Assembly Service (CAS) to process all aspects of the application.

Your LORs could be stored at the Career Center’s Reference Letter Service (RLS) and later forwarded to CAS or your LORs can be directly submitted

by your recommenders to the CAS.

• “…26 % of all law school applicantswere 22 years old or younger; about

37 % were 23 to 25…”

• During the 2012-2013 application year, the average of the highest

LSAT scores achieved for all applicants was 153.1 and the

average undergraduate GPA was 3.26.

• At least one UM graduate is currently attending each of the

top 15 law schools.

(Based on 2013 data provided by LSAC.org)

(Based on January 2014 data published by LSAC.org)

Fun Facts

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American University Washington College of Law

Appalachian School of Law

Arizona State University - Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

Ave Maria School of Law

Baylor Law School

Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Boston College Law School

Boston University School of Law

Brooklyn Law School

Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Catholic University of America - Columbus School of Law, The

Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law

Charleston School of Law

Charlotte School of Law

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

Columbia Law School

Cornell Law School

DePaul College of Law

Duke University School of Law

Duquesne University School of Law

Elon University School of Law

Emory Law School

Florida Coastal School of Law

Florida State University College of Law

Fordham Law School

George Mason University School of Law

George Washington University Law School

Gonzaga University School of Law

Howard University School of Law

IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Indiana University Maurer School of Law

Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law

John Marshall Law School, The

Liberty University School of Law

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Loyola Law School, Los Angeles

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Marquette University Law School

Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University

Michigan State University College of Law

New England Law | Boston

New York Law School

New York University School of Law

Northeastern University School of Law

Northwestern University School of Law

Notre Dame Law School

Nova Southeastern University - Shepard Broad Law

Center

Ohio Northern University College of Law

Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, The

Penn State Law

Penn State’s Dickinson Law School

Regent University School of Law

Roger Williams University School of Law

Saint Louis University School of Law

Santa Clara Law

Seton Hall University School of Law

SMU Dedman School of Law

South Texas College of Law

Southern Illinois University

Southwestern Law School

St. Thomas University School of Law

SUNY Buffalo Law School

Syracuse University College of Law

Touro Law Center

Tulane University Law School

UC Hastings College of the Law

UCLA School of Law

UConn School of Law

Univeristy of Houston Law Center

University of Alabama School of Law

University of Arizona James E Rogers College of Law, The

University of Baltimore School of Law

University of California Davis School of Law

University of California, Berkeley School of Law

University of California, Irvine School of Law

University of Chicago Law School, The

University of Colorado Law

University of Dayton School of Law

University of Denver Sturm College of Law

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

University of Florida Levin College of Law

Law Day Participating Schools

September 23, 20143pm-6pm Michigan Union 2nd floor

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2. Prioritize your list of schools in advance to make effective use of your time.

3. No need for a suit, however, give some thought to what you wear. Business casual works; keep in mind though “business casual”

doesn’t mean “classroom casual”.

4. Bring your questions about the schools and be prepared to answer questions about yourself. No need to bring a resume.

5. Look beyond the rankings and visit with familiar and new schools. Multiple perspectives are always helpful and you may find new possibilities!

5 Tips For Making the Most of Law Day!

University of Illinois College of Law

University of Iowa College of Law

University of Maryland, Francis King Carey School of Law

University of Miami School of Law

University of Michigan Law School

University of Minnesota Law School

University of Nebraska College of Law

University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill, The

University of Oregon School of Law

University of Pennsylvania Law School

University of Pittsburgh School of Law

University of Richmond School of Law

University of San Diego School of Law

University of San Francisco School of Law

University of South Carolina School of Law

University of Southern California, Gould School of Law

University of Tennessee College of Law

University of Texas School of Law, The

University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law

University of Utah SJ Quinney College of Law

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin Law School

Valparaiso University Law School

Vanderbilt Law School

Vermont Law School

Villanova University School of Law

Wake Forest University School of Law

Washburn University School of Law

Washington & Lee University School of Law

Wayne State University Law School

West Virginia University College of Law

Western Michigan University Cooley Law School

Western New England University School of Law

Western State College of Law

Widener University School of Law Wilmington, DE & Harrisburg

William & Mary Law School

List compiled 9/2/2014

1. Come! Law Day is a fun event and a great place for chatting with law schools.

September 23, 20143pm-6pm Michigan Union 2nd floor

Juniors, Seniors and Recent Grads• Learn about specific programs from law school representatives

• Collect application and financial aid information

• Get tips on personal statements, applications and reference letters

First Year Students and Sophomores• Ask questions about undergrad coursework and extra-curricular activities

• Explore law school options

• Build networks for the future

Registration• Registration is on-site the day of the event.

No registration fee... just bring your ID

The Career Center’s Law Day

Law Day is a great way to connect with a large number of law schools right here on campus!

Typically, 100+ schools and over 300+ students participate in the event. Law Day offers something for everyone:

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