Thursday, June 30, 2016

I GOT IN! (SCHOOL UPDATE)

After waiting for what seemed like ages, I was finally accepted into my Dream Law School! I received the notification a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't had a chance until now to tell you all about it.

If you did not read my previous update post, I was asked to interview with one of the admission directors last month (note: a post on that interview will be going up soon). Following the interview, I felt really good about where I stood with the school. And then a week later it happened:



Following my acceptance into the law program, I was asked to interview for a business program I applied to during the application process. Essentially, I want to mix my business background (I studied economics in undergrad and worked in accounting for the past five years) with law to create a career that will best use my skill set. I was originally considering getting my JD/MBA, but I was reluctant to adding an extra year of school. With this business certificate program offered at the school, I would be able to get the necessary business courses integrated seamlessly with my law program.

After I interviewed for this program, I did not have as much confidence that it went well. I admit, I was really nervous and it showed. Even so, I just recently found out that I was accepted into the program!

I cannot say enough how excited (and nervous) I am about this next chapter in my life that is about to begin. I will continue to take you all along with my on this journey!

-W

GETTING IN! LSAT

We all dread it...We all have to do it.

One of the most important portions about the law school application process is taking the LSAT.

There are tons and tons of posts on what to do and what not to do to prepare for the LSAT. All I can say personally is find what works for you, but choose wisely. Taking and scoring well on the LSATs could mean the difference between getting into your dream school or having to go to your safety school. 




So, how should you prepare??? There are several options:

1. Self Study
2. One-on-One Tutor
3. Prep Courses - online or in class

I chose to self-study. That way, I could do things on my own time table and pace. This was especially helpful since I was at work for 80H+ a week. 

Now, don't let getting a lower score than you expected discourage you. There are many people who have to take the LSAT a second time (and even a third time). Most schools take your highest score (some average your scores, so be sure to check).

The first time I took the LSAT (yes, I took it more than once), I did horrifically. I was crushed when I got my score, because I thought I was properly prepared and ready. 

Turns out, I was wrong. Honestly, I didn't give myself enough time to study. I crammed too much information into a too small amount of time. Couple that with my natural anxiety (especially during exams), and I crumbled under the pressure. Although I was sad for a couple of days, I immediately signed up for the next LSAT exam. I swore I would make the necessary changes to do well the second time around.

I retook my first LSAT exam as a practice test and compared how well I did on my own vs under test conditions. I used that as a starting point for what I should focus my attention on for the upcoming weeks. I found that I did well when there was no time limit. So, it was about increasing my speed at answering questions without sacrificing my accuracy. I spent all of my time taking and retaking practice exams. In the end, I was able to raise my LSAT score 10 percentage points which put me in fighting range for my dream school. 

DO:

  • What works for you.
  • Create a study schedule. 
  • Get a good night's rest before the exam.
  • Select the right materials. 
  • Practice. Practice. Practice. 


DON'T:

  • Cram at the last minute.
  • Doubt yourself.
  • Waste your money (Buy only what you need).


-W

P.S. One of the best websites with advice about the LSATs is LawSchooli. Check it out!


Thursday, June 2, 2016

GETTING IN! THE PERSONAL STATEMENT



Hey All! Like I promised, I am starting a series on the law school application process. As you know (or maybe you don't), getting into law school is a long process with a lot of different components: 
  1. Personal Statement
  2. LSAT (and g.p.a.)
  3. Recommendation Letters
  4. Resume + Transcripts
  5. Interview
  6. Other: Supplemental Information
I don't presume to have all the answers, but hopefully I can provide you with some insight on the process since I just went through it recently. Many people assume law school is purely a numbers game. While the LSAT and GPA factor a great deal in your ability to be accepted into schools, there are other factors highly considered. Enter the personal statement.

A personal statement does something your LSAT score and GPA could never do: it provides insight into you as a person. This is your chance to give the admission committee a glimpse into your world. You can highlight things that are important to you, be it leadership, diversity, your current career, etc. 

But, what do you write about? 

I admit, I had A LOT of trouble thinking of what to write for my personal statement.  I struggled with narrowing my train of thought. What makes me different? The best advice I ever received on the topic was from my company's legal counsel. He told me to just write; jot down anything and everything that comes to mind on paper.

So that's what I did. I literally brain-dumped my thoughts. Eventually, I started to see a pattern. I was able to narrow my focus to a single element from my past that told a story. 

Below is the personal statement I wrote for my law school applications:

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Sweat was starting to form on my forehead, and I was losing concentration with every passing second. My vision was blurring. I knew it for what it was; an anxiety attack. All before the first class had even started.
GB301. The name alone leaves all Juniors dripping with trepidation and fear.  A mandatory class comprised of four sections (Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Project), the class has one purpose: prepare students for the real world of business. Over the course of a semester, students are tasked with analyzing the business strategy of a real company and creating a comprehensive business plan to improve the company’s business model. This is later presented to a panel of judges including the company owners. The best presentation wins.  It is a student’s first real test and look at how they will stack up in the never ending business rat race.
Professor Landsman’s voice cut through the fog in my brain. “Everyone’s first task is to choose their Team Leads.” I looked at the people in my group. Everyone was looking away. “Not me.” “I would do it but….” The excuses could not come out fast enough. I took a deep breath. “I’ll do it,” I said with a shrug. Relief was apparent in the faces around me while I tried to conceal the apprehension etched all over my face. Being the team lead comes with a double-edged sword: If your team does well, your personal score is boosted an extra 10 percentage points; if they do not, you lose 10 percentage points. The problem is, most groups do not succeed. Each year, they use 5-6 actual companies; each project company is assigned to a cluster of classes; each project cluster is made up of 25-30 groups; each group consists of 4-6 members. From almost 1,000 students, less than 30% get a 3.0 or better in all four sections; less than 5% get a 4.0 in all sections.
What did I just do? I immediately thought of excuses to back out. Although I hid it well, voicing my opinion and commanding the presence of a group filled me with bone crushing anxiety. Growing up, I had always followed the lead of others. At home, I listened to what my parents said and went along with the plans of my seven siblings with little fuss. At school, I trailed after friends and avoided speaking up in class. So, how does one with no leadership experience take the jumbled opinions of six people and create a cohesive plan that stands out against the sea of other groups? What if I made mistakes?
Walking back to my dorm, I pushed play on my IPod and let the sounds of Miles’ On the Corner album drown my senses. The songs successfully throw its listeners off balance; it reels you in and never lets you go. It reminded me of the famous phrase Miles said to all his musicians, “Don’t play what’s there. Play what’s not there.” That is how I would succeed. The assignment left much room for interpretation and creativity. Though it took much focus and dedication, I was able to use what I learned so far in my economic studies to blend our ideas into a cohesive plan. I realized that our differences actually gave us an edge over our competition. Our “mistakes” would in essence help us find what others were missing. With a risk-taking marketing campaign and a new application of services, my team was able to offer a different approach that others ignored.
Ultimately, we came in second overall in our cluster, and I succeeded where others had not by acquiring a 4.0 in all four sections. Although we did not win, I accomplished something I previously doubted I could do: I conquered my anxiety and successfully lead a team. This experience gave me my first real taste of taking charge over my fears, and it left my mouth watering for more.
In spite of my apprehensiveness, I never failed at accomplishing the goals I set for myself, both academically and professionally. My curiosity for the decision factors behind the changing modern world and its behaviors brought about my major in Managerial Economics. The implications of these rational choices as a tool to dissect the effects of legal rules led to my concentration in Law. I went on to graduate magna cum laude. Professionally, I received the rare opportunity to lead the company-wide implementation of a new business solution when I was only a staff accountant.
Looking back, I realize that when I assumed I could not succeed, I never tried. I stuck with what I knew. I played what was there. Now, I find myself looking forward to the future with excitement. Although it has been more than six years since that fateful semester, the lessons I learned about myself will stay with me long after I graduate from law school. Regardless of the obstacles I will surely face in the next three years, I will not retreat within myself; I will shroud my anxiety and play what is not there. 

Keep in mind, this is what worked for me. Find what works for you.When in doubt, keep these simple tips in mind:

DO:
  • Write about what you are passionate about in your statement. 
  • Narrow your focus of topic.
  • Follow the instructions on your application; some schools have specific topics they want you write about in your statement.
  • Give yourself plenty of time to dedicate to your statement.
  • Proofread, Proofread, Proofread! Have several people you trust read over your statement.
  • KEEP IT SIMPLE!
DON'T:
  • Write what you think the committee wants to hear.
  • Wait until the last minute to write your statement.
  • Play it safe.

Monday, May 16, 2016

UPDATE!

So...It's been awhile. I've been swamped these past couple of weeks with work stuff and haven't been able to put any time into the blog. Anywho, this post will just be an update. As I have heard back from all schools in one manner or another, I officially have some idea of where I will be going to law school! 

Dream School - Top 5 Law School (Chicago)
2nd Choice - Top 15 Law School (D.C.)
3rd Choice - Top 25 Law School (D.C.)
4th Choice - Top 100 Law School (Boston)

Here's a breakdown of my current status with each school:

Dream School - Invited to Interview; application under review
2nd Choice - Preferred Waitlist: apparently they rank their waitlist, and I'm on the waitlist they pull from first if spots become available. They send an update about once a month.
3rd Choice - Waitlisted: no ranking; I actually haven't heard anything from the school since I was waitlisted, which is kind of annoying.
4th Choice - Accepted; deposited

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The anxiety I feel waiting to hear back from my top law school is literally killing me. I don't know what to do with myself. I spend all day at work periodically (ok...every hour :/) checking my email and the online status checker. I was invited to interview with a member of the Admission Committee this past Friday. I think it went pretty well. After the interview, my application was again placed under review.

Note: I'll be writing up a separate post about the Law School Interview as part of a new series: Getting In!. The blog series will hopefully give you some insight on the various parts of the law application process (i.e. LSAT, personal statement, etc.).

The real bummer about not knowing if I was accepted  to Dream School yet? My 4th Choice school's deadline for a seat deposit was April 15th, so I had to put down the deposit as a back up. There goes another $500 in the never-ending tally of money for Law School. I'll be sure to create of post on the wondrous amounts of money I have spent and will continue to spend over the course of the next year.

...and the wait continues.

-W

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Here it Goes...




I'm writing my first blog. Why? I'm not entirely too sure, but I can't think of any good reason not to, so here I am.

This blog will mostly be about my upcoming law school experience: the good, the bad, and the inevitable ugly. Along the way, I'll share tips and tricks for success in school and various lifestyle posts.

I'm positive my family, friends, and coworkers will get a kick out of this once they find this blog, and they will find it. They're nosy. But, I love them (most of the time). Only time will tell whether or not anyone actually reads my blog. At the very least, it will be a way for me to catalog the next three years of my life as a law student. 

On that note, I'm going to get back to work. EEeks!

Let the blogging begin!

-W