The Law Lifestyle

As if there it isn't already harrowing enough to get everything together to apply to law school in general, but you also have to choose where, out of all the law schools available, to apply as a JD candidate. Many factors apply into what you're looking for in a law school, and, for each person reading this, it's a different combination of factors. Hopefully, you've thought a little bit about what you're looking for in a law school. Maybe you prefer a certain climate or city size, or you're looking for a school that's known for its programs in a certain specialty. Whatever it is you're looking for, there are ways to narrow schools down until you get to which ones you'll apply to. The most important thing to do is research. In the beginning, I pulled up the US News list of law schools and scrolled through it, writing down which ones I wanted to further look into based on their ranking and location. This helped put a lot of ideas into my head, a

As the old saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. It's pretty common to think back to what you could have done better, especially with big events just like the LSAT. Looking back at my experiences taking the LSAT, there are plenty of things I wish I had known while preparing for it and taking it the first time. If you're at the beginning of your LSAT journey, just know that, yes, it is a long one, and there's a lot to learn, but hopefully what I learned will be helpful for you--and you'll know it before you take the LSAT. Do more five-section preptests Looking back, this should have been a no-brainer, but I focused a lot of my attention on the basic four-section tests that were available because I thought that would be enough. After all, if I could already get through several hours, what difference could practicing another 35-minute section make? A pretty decent one, actually. While prepping for my second LSAT, I chose to do more five-section practice tests--and,

I have posted plenty of blogs about my experiences studying for the LSAT. I chose to study on my own for it, although I did see plenty of options for LSAT prep courses. It can feel like a challenge to decide how to approach your studying. After all, it's already stressful enough to take the actual LSAT. Although I am unable to speak from experience regarding LSAT prep courses, I did study on my own for two different LSATs, so I have a little bit of experience with that. Related: My LSAT Study Schedule Now that I'm done tooting my own horn, here's some honesty: it can be really hard to self-study. Like, really hard. There were days I'd just stare at my prep books and preptests and not know where to go from there. I'd get stuck with a question type and not understand how to work through it no matter how many times I read how to do it. Even though it was tough, I also loved that I was able to control my own schedule. My work schedule comes out on a weekly ba

Impostor syndrome is something I've heard of only recently. Mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook timeline, I stopped on a video a friend share describing what impostor syndrome is, and I found myself interested in and relating to this syndrome. The definition of impostor syndrome is having a feeling that your successes were only due to luck, not due to any skill you may possess. Along with this feeling comes the fear that you'll be exposed as a "fraud" due to this. You'll constantly doubt your accomplishments and feel as if you don't deserve them. This may sound familiar to you. Maybe you've heard about this, or maybe it's something you experience. Due to the overwhelming presence of social media, I began noticing the mention of impostor syndrome everywhere. Maybe that happened to you, too. I've always considered myself to be a perfectionist, in both good and bad ways. Taking a step back and looking at my own behaviors led me to believ

As I was working on my applications, I definitely stressed out over my personal statement. As a writer, I wanted it to be absolutely perfect. It needed to demonstrate that I would be an ideal student for all the schools I planned on applying to. I know for a fact that I probably stressed myself out a little too much, but I ended up with a personal statement I am proud of. In order to help you feel more confident when it comes to writing your personal statement, I thought I'd share some tips I found from all over the web to make this a more fun process for you than it was for me. Get rid of "fluff" Even though you have much more space in a personal statement than on your resume or even on the application forms themselves, but that doesn't mean you should take up space for the sake of taking up space. You have a story to tell within your personal statement; make the best use of that space to tell it correctly. Edit, edit, edit By the time I decided I was read

Amidst studying and stressing during law school, you should take some time to relax with your friends--so grab some drinks, curl up on your couch, make some popcorn, and enjoy these movies that'll give you a break from worrying about your own law school experience. Legally Blonde Is anyone shocked this is the first movie I'm recommending? This is an iconic movie full of hilarious quotes, and there's something special about watching an underdog rise to the top and succeed. The Paper Chase This is an Oscar-winning film about a 1L at Harvard attempting to balance his tough classes and his relationship with the daughter of his strictest professor. It showcases the Socratic method in a contract law class and it has me hoping I never have a professor who grills me as much as the students in this movie get grilled. Twelve Angry Men Even if you haven't see this movie, you've definitely watched references to this iconic movie. What starts out as an open-

Resumes can be tough. How do you bring about your personality, accomplishments, and hard work on just a sheet of paper? Although an interview or personal statement is where you can really show off who you are, it's the resume that helps get you to the point that you're invited in to interview or have your personal statement read over. Make sure to spend time on your resume while working on your law school applications, even though it may be slightly less important than your LSAT, undergraduate GPA, and personal statement. What to Include on Your Resume It can be hard to try and filter your life down to just one piece of plain computer paper (thank goodness law school application resumes can be more than one page!). Here's what you should try to include on your resume: Header Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of your resume. Education Next up is your education. Be sure to include the name of your underg

Happy February, everyone! Things finally feel like they're falling into place. Now that my second LSAT is over with, I get to begin the more fun parts of applying to law school: looking for apartments, finding roommates, meeting classmates, and, before I get too far ahead of myself, being accepted to law school and choosing where to attend. Here's a quick recap of my goals for January: Do yoga every single day of the month ( check! ) Get at least a 160 on the LSAT ( I'll find out on February 15! ) Find some freelance editing/writing jobs to earn extra money ( check! ) Create a better self care routine and stick to it ( check! ) Create more gratitude lists in my journal ( not quite--focused more on yoga than journaling this month ) Finish all my applications for law school ( check--just waiting for my second LSAT score and one more letter of recommendation ) Related: Looking Toward January February Goals Like I mentioned above, life seems to be fall