How to Begin Law School

Begin exploring law schools that would best meet your criteria and start exploring law school websites, guidebooks, and good ol’ Google for answers.

Some students enter law school knowing exactly what they want to pursue, while others use law school as an opportunity to explore various legal specializations.

1. Get a head start on your classes.

One of the more prevalent law school myths is that students will dive headfirst into all their assigned reading and emerge fourteen weeks later, completely fluent. While this might sound intimidating, this is simply an unrealistic stereotype: most students don’t complete all reading requirements at the same time and those that do do it at their own pace.

Before starting law school, a “pre-read” of your books can help familiarize yourself with the material and give an estimate of how much time will need to be dedicated each day for assignments.

If you haven’t done so already, request transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended and send them directly to LSAC’s College Admission Service (CAS). In addition, file the FAFSA and begin collecting letters of recommendation preferably from professionals rather than family or friends.

2. Start reading the law.

As law school is an intensive experience, reading cases requires having a firm grasp on legal terminology. An investment in a quality legal dictionary will enable you to decipher judges’ and lawyers’ sometimes complex terminology more easily.

Note that exams and assignments will judge you based on your ability to assess, critique and synthesize complex rules and laws rather than simply regurgitating them. In order to acquire these skills effectively, consistent note taking methods will need to be established.

Instead of relying solely on highlighters to remember the key points of an opinion, try writing detailed, organized outlines. Not only will this make exam and assignment preparation much simpler but also demonstrate that you can think like a lawyer!

4. Get out of your comfort zone.

Law school can be an intellectually stimulating environment. Students must come prepared each day, taking challenging exams that require extensive studying.

If you are considering law school, taking practice LSAT tests and making a list of schools that would best meet your goals, GPA and LSAT scores as well as personal circumstances is key to finding an institution suitable to your goals and personal needs. Resources available for doing research include law school websites, ABA reports, student reviews/forums/guidebooks as well as speaking with lawyers from different fields who may know more than you.

Assuming you want to begin attending law school immediately after graduating high school, ideally law school admissions planning should start as early as your junior year of college.

5. Start networking.

Making friends among your classmates is vitally important. Not only will these individuals serve as future reference sources and introduce you to other colleagues, but they may even help secure you an internship or job!

If you’re applying to law school, write a personal statement that details why and how the field drew you in. Try to avoid cliches; saying you hope to save or transform society simply doesn’t stand out among applicants who share similar goals.

Launch networking early by attending law school events. Be wary of treating this as “professional socializing”, however. Networking should be seen as an ongoing process; don’t rush into creating short-term relationships – instead create authentic ones that will last beyond law school.