Hello,
Law professors will often use the Socratic Method to teach cases, it can be hard, but it really helps knowing the case.
The way professors may use the Socratic method varies, they may choose one student for each class, or they may decide to go down a list alphabetically. Once the professor calls on a student he may ask them a few questions about the case, if the student is unprepared, the professor may question him several times until he gets he right answer, or being not impressed with the student’s performance, may tell him to sit down.
Some professors may ask specific question such as “what is the issue of the case?” or “what is the holding?” The easiest way to prepare for this is to have a brief available for each case, some professors may ask very specific questions about the case, some will ask more general questions like to describe what happened in the case, either way it’s best to be prepared.
An important tip is to learn what each professor’s style is, and what they are looking for, this will help when preparing for a certain class.
It’s also smart to take notes throughout the class, because usually the only test given at the end of the semester will have material from lectures and case briefs.
Until next time...
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
10 Things To Do Before Going To Law School, According to FAU Professor and Attorney Gary Gaffney
Hello,
As an officer in FAU's Pre-Law Society, we like to have speakers at our meetings. We got Professor Gary Gaffney to talk to us and give us some pointers, he made us a list of the 10 most important things to do before going to Law School, I will decribe them briefly.
1. Perform- maintain a high GPA, do well on the LSAT, cultivate good study habits.
2. Dont wish for things you dont want- be 110% sure that this is what you want to do.
3. Join LSAC- study and prep, take the LSAT at the best time for you, put together an application package , pick the right schools to apply too.
4. it's all about LOGIC- take as many courses as you can about logic, if you understand it, you are on your way.
5. Write, and write more- persuasive writing is key to doing well in law school.
6. Learn the law- Take as many law related course as you can.
7. Read- read everything and anything you can, books, magazines, and keep up with current affairs.
8. Martial all assets- three years of law school can be a very taxing experience, so enlist support from all available resources.
9. Mind and Body- Get as healthy as you can before school starts, and before classes begin, because you wont have time for it afterwards.
10. Prepare for the first year- visit the campus, investigate your professors, get study aids, and practice "socratic" method with one who knows.
Hopefully these help out, I know it did for me...
Until next time..
As an officer in FAU's Pre-Law Society, we like to have speakers at our meetings. We got Professor Gary Gaffney to talk to us and give us some pointers, he made us a list of the 10 most important things to do before going to Law School, I will decribe them briefly.
1. Perform- maintain a high GPA, do well on the LSAT, cultivate good study habits.
2. Dont wish for things you dont want- be 110% sure that this is what you want to do.
3. Join LSAC- study and prep, take the LSAT at the best time for you, put together an application package , pick the right schools to apply too.
4. it's all about LOGIC- take as many courses as you can about logic, if you understand it, you are on your way.
5. Write, and write more- persuasive writing is key to doing well in law school.
6. Learn the law- Take as many law related course as you can.
7. Read- read everything and anything you can, books, magazines, and keep up with current affairs.
8. Martial all assets- three years of law school can be a very taxing experience, so enlist support from all available resources.
9. Mind and Body- Get as healthy as you can before school starts, and before classes begin, because you wont have time for it afterwards.
10. Prepare for the first year- visit the campus, investigate your professors, get study aids, and practice "socratic" method with one who knows.
Hopefully these help out, I know it did for me...
Until next time..
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Do's and Dont's of Personal Statement Writing
Hello all,
Your personal statement is an important part of the application process.
With so many qualified applicants, it gets a little hard to stand out, but that is when you want to do. According to some Law School Admissions committees, those extracurricular activities may prove to be the defining character of your application.
Things you should you should consider including in your personal statement:
Leadership- if you are involved in something, a school club, even a community project, mention that in your personal statement to show that you have not skills, but also character.
Tell a story, don’t write a novel- if you have listen your activities on the application, don’t list them again in the personal statement. Once is enough, instead pick out some of the most important things to you and write specifically about those.
Hobbies and Diversity- Law Schools are looking to increase their diversity with each year. One way to emphasize that is to talk about your interests, as long as it’s something positive of course.
Honesty is the best policy- if you haven’t spent a whole summer feeding orphans in a third world country, don’t say you did. Chances are no one is going to check, but just in case, if comes out to be false, your whole career could be ruined. Just be honest and talk about the things you did accomplish, it’s just not worth it if you get caught.
`
Your personal statement is an important part of the application process.
With so many qualified applicants, it gets a little hard to stand out, but that is when you want to do. According to some Law School Admissions committees, those extracurricular activities may prove to be the defining character of your application.
Things you should you should consider including in your personal statement:
Leadership- if you are involved in something, a school club, even a community project, mention that in your personal statement to show that you have not skills, but also character.
Tell a story, don’t write a novel- if you have listen your activities on the application, don’t list them again in the personal statement. Once is enough, instead pick out some of the most important things to you and write specifically about those.
Hobbies and Diversity- Law Schools are looking to increase their diversity with each year. One way to emphasize that is to talk about your interests, as long as it’s something positive of course.
Honesty is the best policy- if you haven’t spent a whole summer feeding orphans in a third world country, don’t say you did. Chances are no one is going to check, but just in case, if comes out to be false, your whole career could be ruined. Just be honest and talk about the things you did accomplish, it’s just not worth it if you get caught.
`
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Law School Musical
Hey guys,
This is hilarious, YOU TUBE offers many videos about Law School, but this one takes the cake. Everything anyone ever warned you about is portrayed in this video. It might be funny but it probably is a good portrayal of what it’s really like…
Watch with caution, because it just might make you want to reconsider your future goals…
This is hilarious, YOU TUBE offers many videos about Law School, but this one takes the cake. Everything anyone ever warned you about is portrayed in this video. It might be funny but it probably is a good portrayal of what it’s really like…
Watch with caution, because it just might make you want to reconsider your future goals…
Part-Time Law School- To do it or not to do it...
Hello,
Not everyone that wants to attend law school is an undergrad who can afford to quit their day job or get a part time one if that at all. Some professionals who hold full-time jobs make the decision of attending law school, however, have to do so at night because of their job.
In this article ‘The Attractions of Part-Time Law School’, by Nikki Schwab, teachers, police officers, even nurses decide to make a drastic career change and become lawyers.
Part-time programs are now available at many law schools across the country, and although they take 4 years instead of 3 to complete, they attract a wide array of students. Some schools even allow students to switch to full-time enrolment in the midst of the program.
Part-time students generally are older than full-time students, who are working professionals with families, which makes it even harder to juggle everything, and keep a healthy balance.
One drawback that the article discusses is the fact that since students work during the day and attend classes at night, it makes it harder for them to have time to intern or work in a firm and gain experience, which may turn some employers away.
Schwab also describes the atmosphere at these night classes “one like no other” because of all the different backgrounds which can offer different perspectives.
So whether you are considering the Part-time program, or decide to take the more traditional road, there are both pro and cons to consider.
To read the article CLICK HERE.
Just some food for thought,
until next time...
Not everyone that wants to attend law school is an undergrad who can afford to quit their day job or get a part time one if that at all. Some professionals who hold full-time jobs make the decision of attending law school, however, have to do so at night because of their job.
In this article ‘The Attractions of Part-Time Law School’, by Nikki Schwab, teachers, police officers, even nurses decide to make a drastic career change and become lawyers.
Part-time programs are now available at many law schools across the country, and although they take 4 years instead of 3 to complete, they attract a wide array of students. Some schools even allow students to switch to full-time enrolment in the midst of the program.
Part-time students generally are older than full-time students, who are working professionals with families, which makes it even harder to juggle everything, and keep a healthy balance.
One drawback that the article discusses is the fact that since students work during the day and attend classes at night, it makes it harder for them to have time to intern or work in a firm and gain experience, which may turn some employers away.
Schwab also describes the atmosphere at these night classes “one like no other” because of all the different backgrounds which can offer different perspectives.
So whether you are considering the Part-time program, or decide to take the more traditional road, there are both pro and cons to consider.
To read the article CLICK HERE.
Just some food for thought,
until next time...
Law School Tips
Hello,
When it comes to getting into law school, everyone has a different approach on what to do, and which letter or essay will be the one that will win you a seat in that 1-L classroom. It’s always good to do research, and apply whatever works best to our personal situation. Rober Half Legal, a research firm for U.S. NEWS and World Report offers some tips for getting into law school, and how to get out.
First, they say that specialization is key, and participating in legal clinics provides experience and impresses future employers. Actually University of Miami, just opened an Immigration clinic which offers it’s students to work and gain experience for the future.
Second, your GPA and LSAT score do matter, even if your GPA was always high, school appreciate seeing maturity which makes up for the early undergrad years.
Third, your essay is a critical part of the application process and allows to show your emotional side.
Fourth, work experience is a vital part of getting into law school. Showing interest in the field make you look better,
Fifth, do some research about the school and see what they have to offer to you.
For more information, and to read the full article CLICK HERE.
Until next time...
When it comes to getting into law school, everyone has a different approach on what to do, and which letter or essay will be the one that will win you a seat in that 1-L classroom. It’s always good to do research, and apply whatever works best to our personal situation. Rober Half Legal, a research firm for U.S. NEWS and World Report offers some tips for getting into law school, and how to get out.
First, they say that specialization is key, and participating in legal clinics provides experience and impresses future employers. Actually University of Miami, just opened an Immigration clinic which offers it’s students to work and gain experience for the future.
Second, your GPA and LSAT score do matter, even if your GPA was always high, school appreciate seeing maturity which makes up for the early undergrad years.
Third, your essay is a critical part of the application process and allows to show your emotional side.
Fourth, work experience is a vital part of getting into law school. Showing interest in the field make you look better,
Fifth, do some research about the school and see what they have to offer to you.
For more information, and to read the full article CLICK HERE.
Until next time...
Why Law School Is For Everyone
Hello,
There are many articles out there telling you why law school may not be for everyone for one reason or another, however, for a change I read an interesting article called “Why Law School If for Everyone” by Frank Wu and it really caught my attention.
Wu talks about the fact that not too many people actually enjoy the process of law school, especially the first year of it, and the impression that people have on lawyers is usually false and negative.
Wu argues that law is such a broad topic that it entails all aspects of life, from environmental issues to regulations of the internet and responses to terrorism. He also argues that lawyers need to be familiar with every aspect of life because their work ranges from the most complex transactions to the simplest family law case. Overall, whether lawyers chose thier careers because they aspired to it their whole lives or maybe they just happened to do well on the LSAT, they are all leaders and their career path allows them to be so.
TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE.
Until next time…
There are many articles out there telling you why law school may not be for everyone for one reason or another, however, for a change I read an interesting article called “Why Law School If for Everyone” by Frank Wu and it really caught my attention.
Wu talks about the fact that not too many people actually enjoy the process of law school, especially the first year of it, and the impression that people have on lawyers is usually false and negative.
Wu argues that law is such a broad topic that it entails all aspects of life, from environmental issues to regulations of the internet and responses to terrorism. He also argues that lawyers need to be familiar with every aspect of life because their work ranges from the most complex transactions to the simplest family law case. Overall, whether lawyers chose thier careers because they aspired to it their whole lives or maybe they just happened to do well on the LSAT, they are all leaders and their career path allows them to be so.
TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE.
Until next time…
Monday, February 15, 2010
Veritas PREP offers tips for application process
Veritas PREP Admissions Consulting is a online service that offers admissions counseling and review to graduate schools. They offer a variety of services which include application evaluation, personal statement writing, resume evaluation, hourly admissions consulting and more.
They offer the following application tips:
1. Balance your Law School application- take the time to look for the most important traits schools are looking for, and then analyze your own strengths and weaknesses within that context.
2. Law School Admissions is not always a numbers game- many applicants are convinced that their GPA and LSAT score will decide their fate of getting accepted to law school. However, that is not always the case, there will be some school where the students will find themselves on the bubble, and the numbers maybe enough to get you in the door, but the rest is up to your application.
3. Prompt yourself on the personal statement- Don’t be the applicant that submits a vague narrative or a rehash of the resume. Find a great essay prompt and get focused, get specific, and write a compelling statement.
4. Don’t waste the most valuable piece of information of real state on your entire application- applicants can make the best use of the resume by ensuring that the information included under “Additional interests” meets at least one of five standards: Specific and unique, an impressive accomplishment, an indication of personal character that not shown in the resume, suggestive of intellectual curiosity and appropriately funny.
5. The best recommender is the credible person who knows you best- It is far better to have your anonymous history professor eloquently detail your passion for learning, your collegiality, and your desire for social justice than it is for a famous politician to deliver a canned letter about what a promising future you have.
6. Take a deep breath..then make a checklist- Being placed on the waitlist of a law school is a frustrating experience, They key to surviving a waitlist process is to create and follow a plan of action, just as you would for your initial application. Putting together a checklist can help you gain valuable insight and perspective into your situation and will allow you to maximize your chances of gaining admission off of the waitlist.
7. Always send a note- Part of maximizing encounters with law school representatives is following up with a hand-written thank you note. This is an application tip that almost didn’t warrant mentioning, since it seems like such common sense, but almost no one does it.
CLICK HERE To access Veritas PREP and to read more about the Application Tips.
They offer the following application tips:
1. Balance your Law School application- take the time to look for the most important traits schools are looking for, and then analyze your own strengths and weaknesses within that context.
2. Law School Admissions is not always a numbers game- many applicants are convinced that their GPA and LSAT score will decide their fate of getting accepted to law school. However, that is not always the case, there will be some school where the students will find themselves on the bubble, and the numbers maybe enough to get you in the door, but the rest is up to your application.
3. Prompt yourself on the personal statement- Don’t be the applicant that submits a vague narrative or a rehash of the resume. Find a great essay prompt and get focused, get specific, and write a compelling statement.
4. Don’t waste the most valuable piece of information of real state on your entire application- applicants can make the best use of the resume by ensuring that the information included under “Additional interests” meets at least one of five standards: Specific and unique, an impressive accomplishment, an indication of personal character that not shown in the resume, suggestive of intellectual curiosity and appropriately funny.
5. The best recommender is the credible person who knows you best- It is far better to have your anonymous history professor eloquently detail your passion for learning, your collegiality, and your desire for social justice than it is for a famous politician to deliver a canned letter about what a promising future you have.
6. Take a deep breath..then make a checklist- Being placed on the waitlist of a law school is a frustrating experience, They key to surviving a waitlist process is to create and follow a plan of action, just as you would for your initial application. Putting together a checklist can help you gain valuable insight and perspective into your situation and will allow you to maximize your chances of gaining admission off of the waitlist.
7. Always send a note- Part of maximizing encounters with law school representatives is following up with a hand-written thank you note. This is an application tip that almost didn’t warrant mentioning, since it seems like such common sense, but almost no one does it.
CLICK HERE To access Veritas PREP and to read more about the Application Tips.
GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE LAW SCHOOL FORUM
Hello,
In my last blog post, I discussed a little about the Law School Forum, there is much more that needs to be said and so I decided to expand about the topic in this post.
For those of you living the Miami area, the next 2010 Law School Forum will take place on Saturday, September 11 at the Miami Hyatt Regency, 10:00a.m.- 4:00p.m.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FORUM.
LSAC also has a brochure you may want to look over before attending a forum.
Click here To get the most out of an LSAC Law School Forum
Some tips LSAC.org offers for you before attending the forum are the following:
- Since the forum is in an open house style, which means you can come and go as you please, something that LSAC mentioned which I have also learned from personal experience, is that the afternoons are much less crowded which can give you an opportunity to speak with representatives on a more intimate level and get a more personable experience.
- Also, make a list of the schools you would be interested in visiting, and visit some that are not on your list.
- Do plenty of research on the school you are interested in, and make a list of the questions you want answers to and absolutely couldn’t find anywhere on the web.
- Most representatives will be giving away business cards, make sure to take one and place it in a safe place, most people never contact these people, so if you do, they will probably be happy to help you in the future.
- An important tip to consider before going to the Forum is to sign up ahead on LSAC.org, by doing so, you can save time at the forum, and receive reminders and updates.
A video from LSAC.org shows a glimpse of what the experience was like for some attendees.
Until next time...
In my last blog post, I discussed a little about the Law School Forum, there is much more that needs to be said and so I decided to expand about the topic in this post.
For those of you living the Miami area, the next 2010 Law School Forum will take place on Saturday, September 11 at the Miami Hyatt Regency, 10:00a.m.- 4:00p.m.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE FORUM.
LSAC also has a brochure you may want to look over before attending a forum.
Click here To get the most out of an LSAC Law School Forum
Some tips LSAC.org offers for you before attending the forum are the following:
- Since the forum is in an open house style, which means you can come and go as you please, something that LSAC mentioned which I have also learned from personal experience, is that the afternoons are much less crowded which can give you an opportunity to speak with representatives on a more intimate level and get a more personable experience.
- Also, make a list of the schools you would be interested in visiting, and visit some that are not on your list.
- Do plenty of research on the school you are interested in, and make a list of the questions you want answers to and absolutely couldn’t find anywhere on the web.
- Most representatives will be giving away business cards, make sure to take one and place it in a safe place, most people never contact these people, so if you do, they will probably be happy to help you in the future.
- An important tip to consider before going to the Forum is to sign up ahead on LSAC.org, by doing so, you can save time at the forum, and receive reminders and updates.
A video from LSAC.org shows a glimpse of what the experience was like for some attendees.
Until next time...
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Law School Forum is a must!
Once a year you will have an opportunity to meet law school representatives from around the country, all under one roof.
It called a Law School Forum and it happens at least once a year at designated locations.
It is a great opportunity to meet and speak with representatives and learn about the requirements to attend those schools.
I attended the Law School Forum last year in Miami and it was one of the best experiences i have had since I made the decision to apply to Law School.
Also, besides meeting representatives there also different workshops that being offered including ones about financial aid for law school, LSAT, and personal statements.
Like with anything else, you do have to have an LSAC account in order to register for a forum.
See keep your eyes open, and wait for the next one to visit your area.
It called a Law School Forum and it happens at least once a year at designated locations.
It is a great opportunity to meet and speak with representatives and learn about the requirements to attend those schools.
I attended the Law School Forum last year in Miami and it was one of the best experiences i have had since I made the decision to apply to Law School.
Also, besides meeting representatives there also different workshops that being offered including ones about financial aid for law school, LSAT, and personal statements.
Like with anything else, you do have to have an LSAC account in order to register for a forum.
See keep your eyes open, and wait for the next one to visit your area.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
LSAT study time...
The LSAT (The Law School Admissions Test), is a standardized test that may sometimes be the deciding factor of whether you make it into the law school of your choice. It is administered four times a year at designated testing centers around the world, and all ABA (American Bar Association) approved law schools require that you take the test as part of the admissions process.
The test is composed to assess the skills of potential law students in areas such as logic and reasoning skills. The test really has no questions that are directly related to law, it was created to give law schools a way to judge applicants uniformly.
Different people study differently, some study on their own and others decide to utilize the many study aids available out there, including prep courses, mock tests, books and online programs.
I personally chose to take a Kaplan course because I heard good things about it, and although it is a big investment, I believe that studying on my own would not be as efficient for me. My course starts on February 20th, and continues all the way up to when I take the test which is on June 7.
I will be updating and documenting my progress as I go, and hopefully obtain my desired score by June.
The test is composed to assess the skills of potential law students in areas such as logic and reasoning skills. The test really has no questions that are directly related to law, it was created to give law schools a way to judge applicants uniformly.
Different people study differently, some study on their own and others decide to utilize the many study aids available out there, including prep courses, mock tests, books and online programs.
I personally chose to take a Kaplan course because I heard good things about it, and although it is a big investment, I believe that studying on my own would not be as efficient for me. My course starts on February 20th, and continues all the way up to when I take the test which is on June 7.
I will be updating and documenting my progress as I go, and hopefully obtain my desired score by June.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Which Law School is right for me?
Finding the right law school for you can be a difficult and time-consuming task, but one that needs to be done carefully.
Thanks to the vast information on the web, all this becomes much easier and easily accessible.
As I was researching and looking at different school on the internet, I stumbled upon a website which ranks all the top law schools in the country. It also ranks third and fourth tier law schools. This website is very informative because it provides a chart which has the rankings of the schools, Education Quality rankings, Average GPA Percentile, LSAT score percentile and the student to faculty ratio. Also, if you see a school which you might be interested in, you can simply click on the name and it will take you to a page which has all the necessary information about that school including introduction about the school, admissions information, Recommendations, Personal statements and even application fees. The page also provides some outside information like Employment in the city where the school is located, internship opportunities in the area, and contact information for the school.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEBSITE
or log on to: www.top-law-schools.com
Thanks to the vast information on the web, all this becomes much easier and easily accessible.
As I was researching and looking at different school on the internet, I stumbled upon a website which ranks all the top law schools in the country. It also ranks third and fourth tier law schools. This website is very informative because it provides a chart which has the rankings of the schools, Education Quality rankings, Average GPA Percentile, LSAT score percentile and the student to faculty ratio. Also, if you see a school which you might be interested in, you can simply click on the name and it will take you to a page which has all the necessary information about that school including introduction about the school, admissions information, Recommendations, Personal statements and even application fees. The page also provides some outside information like Employment in the city where the school is located, internship opportunities in the area, and contact information for the school.
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEBSITE
or log on to: www.top-law-schools.com
Monday, February 1, 2010
The importance of LSAC.org
The first thing a potential Law School student should do is set up an account at Lsac.org. I found this website to be more useful and full of information than anything else on the web.
LSAC (Law School Admission Council) is a nonprofit corporation which provides admission related services to around 200 ABA accredited Law Schools in the United States, Canada and Australia.
This website has everything you need to know about the application process, although they do charge a registration fee of about $120.00, it is well worth it. In fact, most law schools will not even accept any required documents like letters of recommendation and LSAT scores, unless it is through the service.
Some of the helpful services LSAC offers are information about different law schools in the country and the degrees they offer, LSAT preparation materials as well as registration for the test, information about financial aid, law school forums, and much more.
Basically, LSAC is “Law School Central” and every potential Law School student should create an account, and even if you’re not ready to pay the membership fee, you should at least visit the site and get familiar with it.
To visit LSAC.org CLICK HERE
LSAC (Law School Admission Council) is a nonprofit corporation which provides admission related services to around 200 ABA accredited Law Schools in the United States, Canada and Australia.
This website has everything you need to know about the application process, although they do charge a registration fee of about $120.00, it is well worth it. In fact, most law schools will not even accept any required documents like letters of recommendation and LSAT scores, unless it is through the service.
Some of the helpful services LSAC offers are information about different law schools in the country and the degrees they offer, LSAT preparation materials as well as registration for the test, information about financial aid, law school forums, and much more.
Basically, LSAC is “Law School Central” and every potential Law School student should create an account, and even if you’re not ready to pay the membership fee, you should at least visit the site and get familiar with it.
To visit LSAC.org CLICK HERE
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