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Veteran’s Guide For Going to Law School

Veterans' Guide for Going to Law School

Veterans' Guide for Going to Law School

Veteran’s Guide to Law School

Veterans gain qualities such as leadership skills, critical thinking, and stress management while in the service. This experience can provide a strong foundation in legal education and law practice.  If this is a degree you want to pursue, then read on for our Veteran’s Guide For Going to Law School.

Looking to become a legal professional requires some work and will take time. Getting accepted into an accredited law school is one of the first obstacles you need to surpass in order to become a lawyer. Although it takes a bit of work, making a plan and following certain steps will make the process easier.

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GPA and Academic Diversity

Your GPA score is one of the most important components along with your LSAT when applying for law school. They view your GPA as a measure of your potential to succeed in the intense classes and competition of law school.

The median GPA varies, but high tier schools have rigorous requirements so their GPA for acceptance may be as high as 3.9.

Along with your GPA, having the right courses can set you up for success.  The American Bar Association does not require a specific degree. Instead, law schools analyze how challenging the program is in combination with your GPA.

It’s best to take challenging courses that will improve your analytical and writing skills. Incorporate a plan that will keep your GPA up and guarantee a well-versed academic record.

Prepare your Personal Statement

The personal statement is your chance to show the law school admissions who you are as an individual, draw in readers, and keep them interested.

Write about challenges you faced or tell a specific story. The details and situations you’ve been through are unique and interesting to admissions.

However, make sure to avoid using military jargon and acronyms since everyone does not understand these terms. It is distracting for the reader and can take away the attention from your personal statement.

Translate and use your military experience to highlight what you’ve learned and relate it to how it has prepared you for law school.

Study for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

The LSAT is the most essential part of the application and is the only admission test accepted by every ABA-accredited law school.

The LSAT is designed to test your critical reading, analytical reasoning, logical reasoning, and persuasive writing skills. All of these skills will be needed if you want to be successful in law school.  Check out your school library or online to get an LSAT study guide.

Also take classes that will challenge you intellectually and will help you develop skills that you’ll need to take the LSAT. It’s best not to focus on only law-related classes but to make your class schedule more diverse.  Classes such as philosophy, history, any language course, political science, and humanities can help you become more prepared for the LSAT.

When to Take the LSAT

Along with studying for your test, it’s key to plan when to take the LSAT. There are certain dates which you can take the test so don’t wait too long.

Remember to look into the law school you intend to apply for to see when the LSAT will be accepted for the current year’s application process.

At the Law School Admission Council website, you can find more information for when to register for the LSAT.

Enhance Your Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are required for almost every law school application. The individuals you choose to write your recommendations should be able to speak about your work-ethic, character, and professionalism.

Past supervisors and coworkers from the military have seen how you work, handle challenges, and lead, all which are topics that can enhance your letters.

Remember to provide as much time as possible for them to write; minimum of three weeks in case they have a busy schedule.

Also provide them with as much information so they can write a letter that best correlates your skills and experiences to the law school you apply for.

Form a Timeline

Law schools have rolling admissions which favors those who submit their applications early. Most law schools accept applications between August and October, but may close between February and June.

There are more spots available at the beginning dates so it may be more difficult to be accepted if you turn in your application at a later date.

Have an extended timeline that gives you enough time to prepare your application as well as balance out your life.

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