Here’s a plan Forum

[Qtc]

Advice for those applying, based on my own experience. These are things I did not do that I absolutely should have.

1. Take the LSAT seriously. This is the single most important factor in admissions and you have a significant degree of control over it.

2. Related to 1, develop a study plan and actually perform it. I did not study and expected my score to change.

3. There is no rush. You can go to school this year, or next year, or 3 years from now. Nothing will significantly change. In fact, your applications may get better from WE. If you need more time to study, or you had a bad cycle, there’s no harm in trying again next year.

4. Don’t assume your undergraduate record will carry you to success in law school. I didn’t know much about class rank etc until I got to school. I was fortunate to do very well. But even at my school there were plenty of smart people. Things could have turned out differently. One example. I received a Mediocre grade in an elective course. This was completely unexpected and arbitrary. It took me from top 5 in my class to top 5%. The same thing can happen with any exam.

Here’s a cautionary tale. I was waitlisted at a bunch of top 30 schools. If I had simply taken even a few weeks to study seriously—and I had the time—I would have been looking at large scholarships T20 schools and admits possibly with $$$ in the T-14. Although I had no significant debt after school, I could have been in a better position career wise with minimal debt if I had simply studied for the LSAT.

Here is the message you should not forget: study for the lsat like thousands of dollars, possibly hundreds of thousands, depend on it. Had I absorbed such a mindset, I would not need to be here preaching.

[CardozoLaw09]

This should be stickied