Need help for LAW SCHOOL

[juniorgrrl]

Originally posted by kddani
Has it always been this way? Or do you think it's a recent push to improve their ranking?

Law school administrators will bitch and moan about how the US News and World Report rankings, etc. don't mean anything, but yet they still care like hell about improving their standing.

My class last year had a lot more pressure put on us the first year, because the bar passage rate had dipped slightly.

Also, last year we were ranked #51. They want to push us into the top tier (top 50) so they've been cracking down right and left.

No, they've always required this extra semester.

They have recently shoved a dual degree program down our throats. We will graduate with a JD/BCL, which is a Bachelor of Civil Law. So, unless you want to practice in a civil law jurisdiction like parts of Europe or South America, its a big F-ing waste of time.

We recently went up to the BOTTOM of the 2nd tier. They did this by reducing their attrition rate (read: flunk out rate) from about 50% in the 60s-80s to about 15-20% now, and by having actual admissions standards. It used to be anyone who wanted in could get in, but then most of them would be flunked out.

Our chancellor, former chancellor of Vandy Law is a moron. He says stuff like "Yale doesn't require certain classes past the first year" then he adds on more required classes. Um, if the top schools are doing it, why are WE doing the opposite?

The entire place is a ship of fools. Biggest mistake of my life.

[bruinaphi]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
Exactly what is a "good" LSAT score? I know they say if it's 155, then you should take a Kaplan course or something to make your score higher. But, my friends who were taking the LSATs were shooting for 175 or higher, and most were going to retake it if they got lower than a 170.

What a good LSAT score is depends upon your credentials. What is your GPA? What is your class rank? Where do you want to go to law school?

Law schools look at not only your GPA but also your undergrad's reputation.

I knew I wanted to go to a national and well regarded law school and that based on the number of competitive applicants from my undergrad institution I needed to score above a 163 (90th percentile). A good friend of mine had a much lower GPA at our undergrad and she had to get a 175 (99th percentile) or higher to have a chance to get into the same schools.

The other admissions factor that can't be overlooked is extraciricular activities. Most people would much rather admit people who are active in their communities and will add to the classroom environment.

[APhiAngel]

THANK YOU ALL for your advise! I have decided that I am going to take a prep class. When do I need to sign up for the prep classes before I take that LSAT?

[bruinaphi]

It depends upon which class you want to take. Before I signed up I took sample classes at Princeton Review, Kaplan and Test Masters. I decided to take Kaplan's 10 week course. They also have a 6 week course and several others to choose from based on the time left.

Personally, I liked Kaplan's study library and all of the extra materials available besides the normal books. My decision was also influenced by the fact that I didn't want to cram b/c that's not the best way to study for the test so I took the 10 week that ended about 3 weeks before my test.

Call the prep centers in your area and ask if you can sit in on a class and how their schedules work. It's good to do your research before hand.

LD