Law Schools: Things You Must Know Before Getting Into Law Schools

Building a career as an attorney is a task that requires lots of study, hard work, stamina and above all, goal orientation. Because the average salary of an attorney is quite lucrative, students are flocking to law schools, thus enhancing competition.

Requirements for Getting into Law Schools

To begin your career as an attorney, at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as Criminal Justice or Humanities and Social Studies, is a must. However, getting into the top law schools is quite a difficult task. For instance, it requires a high GPA (Grade Point Average) of at least 3.0 or 3.5 to get admission into a school. Other requirements include:

• LSAT (Law School Admission Test): This is a 3 hour entrance exam that an applicant has to take to get into law schools. The exam tests applicants in 4 different sections, two sections in logical reasoning, one in reading comprehension and one in analytical reasoning. There is also an experimental section, which although not graded, must be done with great care. An admission committee will consider an applicant only if he has a score of at least 165 out of 180.

• Recommendation Letters: Law schools also assess candidates on the basis of the recommendation letters they receive.
• MBE and MPT: The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is taken after graduating from a law school, before practicing law. This six hour exam covers a variety of topics, with a state relevant paper. The Multistate Performance Testing (MPT) is a state-specific exam that also covers different topics. This is usually taken with the MBE.
• Individual Statement: Individual statements are a reflection of the applicant’s personality and persuasiveness, a vital quality for an attorney.

Things You Must Know Before Enrolling in Law Schools

• High Cost: While law schools generally charge more than $20,000 a year, private law schools can charge a tuition fee of $30,000 to $40,000 a year. To ease the burden, student can try getting scholarships, grants or take student’s loan.
• Intense Work: Law studies require three years of non-stop hard work, with lots of legal research. The first year is also known as the toughest, since there are great chances of elimination for non-dedicated students.

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