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Hey TL,
I figured I'd just throw out a little blog detailing my hell summer and maybe get some encouragement. I have a rather unique school situation as I'm married and a father at 24 and just finishing up my undergraduate work. I work full-time and go to school full time. It's rough, but I've been doing well this year (4.0 GPA).
This gets me to the summer of hell part. I don't get the wonderful summer break, this summer I'm not only doing full time work, full time school but also law school prep. I've done some preliminary studying for the LSAT and my last score was a 170 under LSAT conditions, so I'm confident that I'll do well here (taking it in October). My biggest problem is the fact that I have little time to get teacher-student interactions on a personal level. I basically wake up at 4:30 in the morning, go to work, then to class, and back to work. I get out at 3:30 ish from work then go study for my classes and LSAT until 9:30, then back to sleep. Fun life right? So ,The most any professors hears from me is an occasional email and my participation in class.
So my question to you law school students, how do I get some solid teacher letters of recommendation for law school? Also, any tips on writing your personal statements?? I don't mind hearing from any current law students or anyone who has received excellent professor recommendations, since I know that can make or break you when it comes to admissions at the largest schools (Harvard, Columbia, Michigan, etc).
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Can't help you, but just want to say way to be! Sounds like you've got ambition, the drive, and the can-do. Keep it up, and good luck!
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Braavos36402 Posts
I went to Michigan, and I scored a 170. I was consistently scoring 173-175 on practice tests under what I thought were "test conditions" as well. It's hard to simulate the stress and pressure of the actual test so you just have to aim to get higher scores in practice. That's how it worked for me, but maybe you're different.
As for teacher recs, I would suggest going to office hours and talking to the profs in classes that you're doing well in. Or just email, or talk after class. Talk about the class but not only that. Something as simple as asking their advice on certain things goes a long way to putting a name to your face. Professors get asked for a lot of recommendations so don't feel bad for doing it, they know schools require it and if you did well in their class and spoke with them a few times they will be happy to write one for you. If you absolutely have no time to speak in person, try to do a few emails back and forth, though this is much harder. Try to set some time to talk to them in person.
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You sound like someone who understands what you need to do to meet your goals. Everything I've read suggests that the LSAT is the single biggest factor in your application, so any time you can spend on preparation for the test is time well spent.
This website (based on actual admissions results) proves the point rather well, and is a good motivation for trying to get the highest score possible: Law School Predictor
top-law-schools.com is a very helpful resource for all things application related.
I found manhattanlsat.com to be very helpful in my own LSAT preparation. I will be applying to work for them soon, although without much hope of success.
HotBid is absolutely right about the importance of aiming higher than the score you "need". It sounds like you are aiming to take the test in October. Given how high you are already scoring and the amount of time you have, I think you should pump yourself up and aim for a 180.
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Wow, good luck! I was considering the law path myself once upon a time, but now I'm messing around with my other ambitions so I have no advice to give you..
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Hot_Bid knows what he's talking about. You need to cultivate a one-on-one relationship with a professor to get the best result here. Pick one or two (if time permits) you feel you have the best shot with, and start going to their office hours immediately. Use your interest in the class as a hook, but then start talking with them about other things. Asking questions about their careers and asking for life advice is a great way to start. A professor that you establish a personal connection with is more likely to talk you up and put effort into your letter because they're now personally invested in your life (and your family). You sound incredibly busy, so if you just can't fit office hours into your schedule, try to ask for a face-time appointment at an hour that works better for you.
I did horrible on my LSAT compared to what I was practice-testing at, but two of the schools that accepted me did so even though my score was below their median ranges. That's where grades, recs, and writing come in. You should think about a letter from your boss/manager at work too if you're confident he/she can write well and likes you. He/she probably stands in the best position to talk about your work ethic and ability to manage your time.
Good luck man. Keep your nose to the grindstone this summer and we'll be here if you need to vent / seek more advice.
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thedeadhaji
39489 Posts
On April 20 2011 12:48 Hot_Bid wrote:
I went to Michigan, and I scored a 170. I was consistently scoring 173-175 on practice tests under what I thought were "test conditions" as well. It's hard to simulate the stress and pressure of the actual test so you just have to aim to get higher scores in practice. That's how it worked for me, but maybe you're different.
As for teacher recs, I would suggest going to office hours and talking to the profs in classes that you're doing well in. Or just email, or talk after class. Talk about the class but not only that. Something as simple as asking their advice on certain things goes a long way to putting a name to your face. Professors get asked for a lot of recommendations so don't feel bad for doing it, they know schools require it and if you did well in their class and spoke with them a few times they will be happy to write one for you. If you absolutely have no time to speak in person, try to do a few emails back and forth, though this is much harder. Try to set some time to talk to them in person.
I'll add that you should give your recommenders at least 1 month of lead time (though you probably know this from applying to undergrad)
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Thanks a ton guys for the great info! I've always been hesitant to talk with my professors about personal stuff, but I'll definitely spend some schmoozing time with them. As far as work goes, my boss will give me a solid review and if it isn't great I have one or two other people that can give me good recommendations as well. I'll definitely keep posting about my experience this summer hopefully as encouragement to me and to others, as well as a big fat warning to those people who put off college.... it sucks to try and do all this and if I had just stuck it out 3 years ago my stress level would be soooooo low comparatively.
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EPT
