Meeting: October 06, 2010
DUES ARE DUE TODAY
If you pay after October 6, you need to add $15 as a late fee.
Note: New Orleans Law School Fair:
October 8
1:00-5:00p
Hampton Inn Suites
New Orleans Convention Center
LSU Open House October 11th
Next Meeting October 27th
Kaplan Sample Class
Texas Tech Admissions visited.
Located in the ‘pan handle’
Broad Curriculum
Liberal Practice Program ranked 18th in the nation. Can go to the court room straight after
law school with little training. Unique**offers a MD/JD program that takes 6 years to
complete. You will be a licensed Medical Doctor as well as a licensed Lawyer. Full time only
program. 90% of graduates stay in Texas after they graduate due to heavy recruiting. 700
students total at LSU Law. There is a qualification that some students can obtain to have
out of state tuition rates waved prior to your first year. It is essentially like a scholarship
that you will never pay back. Average Acceptance LSAT score is aprox. 157
Speaker: Patrice Hollins
Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
(225)346-8016
Patrice.Hollins@kaplan .com
Classes start soon: October 19th at 6pm at LSU
Seminar: DO’S and DON’T’S of Law School Admissions
Law School Admissions Trends:
Competition is stiffer with economic hardship.
Right now is record numbers for taking the LSAT
Increased number of applicants
More competitive LSAT Scores
Make sure your score is a TOP SCORE
Understand Time Line: LSAT is given 4 times a year: JUNE, OCTOBER, DECEMBER, and FEBRUARY
Must have recorded score to be considered for Law School Admissions
Early Decision is a Binding Contract. You pick one school and if accepted—you MUST attend.
Then there is rolling admissions which are not binding.
Make Application Flawless and Early
Several Factors when applying:
Quantitative: LSAT Score and GPA
Qualitative: Personal Statement, Application Addendum, Letters of Recommendation, Work
& Extracurriculars, Interviews.
Index formula online to compare where you stand.
You can CONTROL the process.
DO this with your LSAT
Do’s and Don’ts
Admission Interviews: Don’t count on them: Northwestern is the only school to require
speaking face to face.
Visit schools wherever possible. Don’t judge based on rankings alone as culture will vary
and you may have issues adjusting. Research and visit. Set up meetings.
Get acquainted with admissions personnel but do not keep calling with requests.
Work Experience and Extracurricular
Gain legal experience confirming desire: DO NOT gain legal experience to pad your
application.
Commit to something you are passionate about. DO NOT over-commit yourself.
Submit a Resume. Personal Statement should not be a resume format. Do not rely on work
to overcome shortcomings.
Make your experience work for you.
Letters of recommendation
Best coming from employers and professors who know you well. Don’t worry about the
clout like a Dean who doesn’t know you very well. Make sure it stands out and speaks
about you as a person.
Give your recommenders content to work with: provide a personal statement, resume, and
talk with them. Do NOT let them fly blind.
Ask specifically for a strong DETAILED letter. DO NOT write it yourself and lie. They email to
check and you will violate admissions ethics and not be admitted if discovered.
Application Addendum
Extra writing piece to explain something further.
Do not use it to highlight negative aspects of application. Explain something beyond your
control.
Use plain, businesslike manner to explain issue first. DO not analyze what it could have
been.
Error on the side of disclosure, Do Not let them find out about things, Do Not omit
minor/expunged/sealed records because you will have to reveal all to take the Bar.
DISCLOSE IT ALL.
Personal Statement
This is for those border line students. This is required.
Why this school? Why Law? Why you should Admit me…
NOT a “why I want to go to Law School statement.” Should not have a lot of future tense
verbs in it. Use recent, past, present stories that have a common theme. Like the ability to
achieve goals, what you have over-come, etc….
Showcase your learnings and experiences: what you took from it. WELL-ROUNDED.
Beware what experience you pick. Do not pick things that make you take a stance/side.
Talk about how it made you who you are now and how it affected you.
Do NOT speak negatively about anyone. Do Not offend. You don’t know who is reading
this. Write effectively, following directions: like word limits, pages, etc…
DO NOT go it ALONE. Ask honest feedback. Have people read and review. There are
workshops to review your statement.
MAKE IT STAND OUT
Being unique shows passion.
GPA
Major does not matter. But do have classes that challenge you. Strength of Schedule is
looked at.
Squeeze out every point you can to make you competitive. DO NOT pad GPA with
supplemental graduate work.
Show the strength of passion for major by doing really well in your classes that are focused
on your major. DO not over-estimate the importance of GPA.
GPA and LSAT score are used to show expected success.
Your academic potential is measurable.
Did a Break Down of the LSAT
DO NOT view it as an obstacle to admission. Get as many correct as possible. It is
important. Give it attention.
Learn skills, not stuff. It is a skill to take this Exam. Don’t tackle the exam as a whole. This is
timed. If you have an opportunity to take a course to PREP for LSAT, do so.
You need to learn an efficient way to take the exam—need to answer correctly…fast.
Do Not take test after test after test to improve.
This is NOT an obstacle but a measuring device. Learn the skills.
You can Achieve Success on the LSAT
THE LSAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR ON YOUR APPLICATION
High scores = scholarship
GET PAID
Did a Parallel Flaw question Example: KAPLAN can Help
It is personalized to you!
Over 40 years of experience. HIGHER SCORE GUARANTEED.
On the 27th, there is a Sample Class of How KAPLAN PREPS YOU!
Come to the next meeting!!!!