sepia5
JoePa apologists = Pendejo
rock454;1239184; said:
Here's my advise, as a recent law school graduate that was probably in a very similar boat not too long ago.
I actually got a book on how to write a personal statement b/c I was sort of in the same place you seem to be: right on the cusp of getting in to the Top-50 schools I wanted, but assured I would get into most of the schools in the 50-100 range. My finding? I wouldn't waste your money on an essay guide. Honestly, if you didn't overcome the loss of your entire family in a plane crash over Guatemala, start an AIDS clinic in the bush of sub-Saharan Africa, or backpack across the world for 5 years with only $28, some flint, and a toothbrush, then your essay probably isn't going to help you get in to a specific school if your GPA and (particularly) LSAT score aren't in order. That's not to say you shouldn't spend a bit of time writing a cogent essay, because I do think turning in an incoherent, rambling, nonsensical statement could be detrimental. But unless you have an incredible story, your personal statement isn't likely to give you a bump.
What I would tell you to do is apply as early as possible to 10-20 schools of varying (perceived) quality. Many schools have rolling admissions, and it is easier to get in if you apply early. So, apply to a few schools you don't think you can get in to, a few you know you can get in to, and several that you just aren't sure about.
As far as the number of schools you should apply to, when I went through the process I had been out of school for a year, working a job I hated, and basically living paycheck-to-paycheck as I paid off student loans, so I only applied to 5 schools because I couldn't justify paying the $50 or so it costs to apply most places. I ended up getting in to three (my "fallbacks") and was wait-listed into oblivion with the other two (be prepared for that to happen), not receiving an official rejection until after my first week of classes were completed. In retrospect, I wish I would have bit the bullet, maybe even borrowed a few hundred bucks if necessary, and applied to at least twice as many schools.
You'll probably be surprised at the outcome of applying to many schools. I've talked to many of my friends at law school about the application process and a couple examples come to mind. I had a friend who claims he was rejected outright at South Carolina, but ultimately got into William and Mary. If you're willing to remain flexible and take a spot at the 11th hour, that can help get you into a desired school too. For instance, one of my friends got into Vanderbilt last minute, but, as a legacy applicant at our law school, declined the offer.
I would also tell you to really scout out law schools before applying. The application process is overwhelming and expensive, so there's no reason to apply someplace that you aren't willing to go if you get in. The University of Denver was one place I was accepted, but when it came time to pick where I was going to attend, I realized I didn't have the money or energy to make a second major move in two years (a year earlier I'd moved from Ohio to Florida). The application to Denver was kind of spur of the moment--it was someplace I felt good about my odds of getting in, and in an area of the country that seemed interesting to me. Nevertheless, when push came to shove, the $75 I spent applying was wasted money.
If you have an idea of what you want to do, you should also do some research and find out what schools are particularly strong in that area. For instance, a friend of mine did well enough on the LSAT to go to some really top-flight schools, but chose DePaul b/c (1) she liked Chicago and (2) DePaul has a really unique, outstanding Art Law program. I now realize I would like to work for a federal agency ultimately, so one of the DC schools like American or Catholic may have been good for me (I wasn't competitive enough to get into GW or Georgetown). Actually, I would look into some of those schools if you are interested in Patent Law, since the US Patent and Trademark Office is in Alexandria, and the DC schools may have ties to that employer. Also, if you want to go into a specific area of law like tax law, bankruptcy, or (I believe) patent law, you might consider a post-J.D. LLM program. These programs are designed (1) for foreign attorneys who want to practice in the US, or (2) US attorneys who want to get extra-specialization in a specific (and generally difficult) area of the law. It is often much easier to get into a great school for an LLM than for a JD. One of my friends got into Georgetown for a tax law LLM, for example.
You may also consider which bar you ultimately see yourself taking. Attending law school in a state where you want to sit for the bar makes some sense given that those schools will offer courses in state-specific areas of the law. This is especially true in states that test obscure areas of the law. For instance, I believe Washington state tests Native American Law. I ended up taking Pennsylvania's bar exam because PA has reciprocity with about 20 other states, so in a few years I'll have some options with regard to where I can become licensed without having to take another bar exam. One final word on this front--if you attend law school in Wisconsin, you don't have to take the Wisconsin Bar Exam to practice there! (By the way, if you want to practice patent law, I'm pretty sure there's a separate bar exam you have to pass).
If you don't get in where you are dead set on going, there's always the option of transferring. I had a friend who transferred to GW after his first year. Generally, it is much easier to get into a law school by transferring than it is by going through the traditional application process. I've been told that your chance of getting in to most law schools by transferring is surprisingly good if you are in the top 1/4 of your class after the first year at a lesser-regarded law school. Here's the catch. If you do transfer after year one, you lose your class rank and any other accolades (like moot court or law review membership) that you have earned during your first year. I actually did really well my first year, and was invited onto my school's law journal and moot court board, so I decided it was best to stay put and take advantage of those opportunities. Thus, if you are going to transfer, it really needs to be to a school whose name and reputation will help you get where you want to end up after law school. As someone who primarily looked for jobs in the federal system and within state agencies all over the country, one of the frustrations I had when interviewing this past year was that my credentials were often good enough to get me first and second interviews, but when it came to the final cut, I was competing against kids from places like Duke and NYU, which put me at a severe disadvantage. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you get into a top-20 law school), those US News and World Report rankings really do matter a great deal to most employers, I think. The lesson there is a pretty obvious one then: if you don't know exactly what you want to do or where you want to practice, try to get into the best school possible.
Finally, don't get discouraged if you don't get into your first, second, or third choice. It is really frustrating, but no matter where you go, you'll probably get great opportunities, and you'll get as much out of your education as you want to. When the admission statistics came out for my entrance class, I saw that our median GPA and LSAT scores were essentially identical to those published by my first-choice school the year prior. In other words, had I applied a year earlier, I may well have gotten in to my school of choice. That's just the nature of the beast right now, though. With the economy in the dumps and the ever-increasing importance of graduate degrees, more people than ever are applying to law school, and as a result it is harder than ever to get in at the best schools. The other reality, of course, is that there are going to be some really great applicants passed over, and many of them are going to be really great, successful lawyers in the long run. The bottom line is that a J.D. will open many doors for you, regardless of whether you actually want to practice law.
Well, that's my two cents, long though it may be. I hope you don't mind my rambling, but, as someone who was the first in his family to attend law school, these are things I wish I would have been told when I went through the process (study a lot for the LSAT is the other advice I would have appreciated). Good luck!
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