What's Law School Like?

Question

I'm thinking about going to law school next year. Can you tell me about your experiences as a law student, what was your area of expertise, what you liked and what you didn't like?

Is there something I can do to prepare for law school, besides take the LSAT and read avidly? Are there things you wish you would have known or done before going into law school?

I'm interested in Yale. If there any comments particular to that school that would be an awesome addition.

Thanx.

Answer 1

I won't lie to you--your first year of law school is nothing short of traumatizing. You spend hours reading, even more hours researching, even more hours writing, and way too much time feeling very serious pressure. You will get very little sleep, and you will be lucky to spend any quality time with your family and friends. Unfortunately, the worst part about the first year is that unless you're dying to sell your soul and practice corporate law, your classes will bore you to tears.

That said, I highly recommend it. Because everyone in your class is going through the same harrowing experience, you will make friends that will last a lifetime, and nothing--and I mean nothing--will ever seem too daunting a task. What's even better is that after your first year, life really looks up. Law schools have almost no additional requirements beyond your first year (with the exception of professional responsibility and a writing seminar--both of which can be fulfilled by a long list of courses), which means that you can take whatever classes you want to take during your second and third years. Your last two years also offer the opportunity to participate in clinics, internships, social activities, and all sorts of more "lawyerlike" activities. And, of course, 2Ls and 3Ls have a lot of free time!

Although you will often forget this during your horrifying first year, law school will open the door to a number of gratifying career options. You can be a prosecutor, divorce lawyer, politician, patent lawyer, lobbyist, sports or entertainment agent, journalist, public policy analyst, public defender, tax lawyer, employment attorney, real estate lawyer, entrepreneur, 1st Amendment expert, TV legal analyst, judge, and the list goes on. The legal profession is also, shall we say, lucrative. :)

In terms of admissions, you need to take your LSAT ASAP if you want to enter law school in the fall of 2007. Law schools mainly look at your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score, so a high LSAT is incredibly important. I also recommend that you spend a lot of time working on your personal statement. Since you are obviously looking to apply to highly competitive schools, your personal statement will need to be amazing. I know that you want to go to Yale, but unless you have a perfect GPA at an Ivy League school and made a killer score on your LSAT, you will need a backup. I recommend applying to around 10 schools--2 "reach" schools, 7 "maybe/maybe not admit" schools, and 1 "safety" school.

In terms of law school preparation, there honestly is nothing much you can do that will give you any edge over your classmates. Yes, reading and watching the news will make you a more educated person, but nothing can truly prepare you for the unique education you will receive in law school. My only advice, then, is this: have as much fun as possible before you begin your first year---you'll thank yourself for it later!

It's all worth it in the end, I promise!

Good luck!

Answer 2

Hi. For Fall 2007 admissions there is a huge amount that you need to be doing now. If you are talking about Fall 08, you have some extra time.

If it is F 07, there is way more to do than I can pack in here. I've got a lot of printed info on the admissions process, LSAT, Personal Statement and timeline that you can access via web for free. That might be a good place to start. Then get an appointment with your prelaw advisor ASAP!

Jay Cutts
Cutts Graduate Reviews
http://www.cuttsreviews.com/jcutts/lsat/

Answer 3

Read avidly is a big one. But besides that, look into different areas of law and read up on things in that particular area. No one is just a lawyer these days. If you want to be an M&A lawyer, learn M&A as much as you can. If you want to be a trademark lawyer learn about branding. If you are going to work with businesses, learn how to help those businesses from a "not just law" perspective.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

New Haven is full of culture but not very safe at night. Yale's libraries are top notch. Lots of places to eat, drink and be entertained. That's all I can tell you.

Answer 6

ITS EVERY GETS HIGH AND DRUNK!!!!!!!! LOL