Your recommendations are crucial because they are the only component of your application that is contributed by a second-party. When choosing recommenders, consider the following:

It’s a funny thing – law schools are pretty much all the same, but they think of themselves so differently. All 1L students (pretty much) take the same courses: contracts, torts, civil procedure, constitutional law, property, and criminal law. Almost all law school students graduate with debt. All law schools produce a similar variety of lawyers – lawyers at firms, in-house counsels, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and a smattering of other positions.

Logic games are the best. If you’re reading this, chances are they’re currently the bane of your existence but hear me out.

The first step for any successful law school list is to go to this website. This tool is incredibly helpful and managed by LSAC – you input your LSAT score and GPA, and it shows you the 25/75 percentile range for various schools, and basically how you stack up. Private companies have their own tools – do not trust them! The LSAC collects all of their data directly from the law schools – it is by far the most accurate prediction tool. Don’t listen to “chance me” blogs or forums, or any tool but the LSAC one. It is the best starting point for your search.

The personal statement – that famous, infamous even, stress-inducing 500-750 words. What separates you from the law school of your dreams. Pages of scribbled down notes and back of the napkin insights into who you really are. Here are a few pieces of advice to help get you through it.

Ah, the LSAT. That dreaded rite of passage. The most important piece in the law school puzzle. And those Logic Games! Who cares if Train C pulled in at 1pm before Train D! But, alas, it is the kicker for securing top law school admissions, so it must be taken seriously. Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to retake:

Law school applicants typically see an opportunity for more – another essay, another letter of recommendation, a supplemental report – and jump at it. The more the better, right? Another opportunity to show off writing skill, or have a professor brag about your Greek mythology paper from junior year.

So you’ve asked your professors and supervisors to write you a letter of recommendation for law school. Your work is done, right? Not quite!

If you’re reading this blog post, chances are you’ve already begun studying for the LSAT or at the very least you’re thinking hard about it. For those of you in the first category, this post is for you. For those in the second, congratulations! You’re about to be let in on a very open secret about the LSAT that will set you up for success right out of the gate.

Perhaps the most common question I am asked these days is, “Is law school right for me?” While I would love to be able to provide an earnest yes or a definitive no to all those who ask, the reality is that there is seldom a quick or easy answer. But, above all, it is a question to which each of us has to come to our own answer. What I and other law school admissions consultants can do, though, is make sure you are coming to an answer from an informed perspective and are thinking about the right things. And, of course, if the informed answer is yes, then we can help you get into the best possible law school!