How do i get into a good law school???
452382
You should really concentrate on your LSAT score - try private tutoring.  You can get it through Kaplan.  Most schools have a minimum LSAT score that they require (although they will not say it themselves - once it gets to the admissions committee they will shove you into the "no" pile and not even look at your personal statement if your GPA and LSAT aren't good enough.)  So look at the 25-75th percentile ranges - try to apply to schools where you are in that range for a good chance to get in.  However, remember that 25% of students are still below that range.  There is also a feature on http://www.LSAC.org where you can input your GPA and LSAT and see how many students had those scores in the school you are looking at.\n\nThe best thing is for you to increase your LSAT score.  Did you already take it officially, or is that your practice score?  If it is official, some law schools automatically average the LSAT scores together, so it will really only help to take it again if you have a big increase.  But some schools will only take the higher score.  Make sure that you write in a statement with your application why your first score isn't representative of your true potential.\n\nDon't give up hope - if you work at increasing your score, it can pay off.  When I took Kaplan, I increased 9 points.  And you also are starting off lower, so it will be easier to inrease your grade.  You can focus more on the core concepts and it will pay off big.  Make sure you have a professional evaluate your strengths and weaknesses - at Kaplan they have a report based on practice LSAT tests that show you how you score on each concept.\n\nOnce you have maximized your score, you will really want to make yourself stand out in your personal statement. You can get admissions counseling to help you with this.  You may want to do some volunteer work to beef up your resume.  Focus on what makes you different - you have a masters degree, so that is already a strong point.  You should also try and volunteer in a public office (see if the district attorney or mayors office is looking for clerks - many schools have independent study programs where you can volunteer at these sorts of places, then suck up for a really good letter of reccomendation).  An admissions counselor could help you find out exactly what you are missing, and help you put together the perfect application.\n\nYou may also check with the career office at the school you currently attend - mine had a specialized pre-law counselor.  Good luck!!
78256
Find Out What You Good At..\n\nThen apply in the same. You'll find Good One.
1014713
They probably aren't answering because it is easy for you to find out on your own.  Go to some Law School web sites to find all of this information.  Check out US News & World Reports for a list of Law Schools and their rankings.\n\n1.  law school takes three years (in the US)\n\n2.  Yes, you can get in with a 3.0 gpa (though probably not to the very best schools).  I imagine you can get into a good one if your LSATs are high and you went to a decent undergraduate school.\n\n3.  Costs vary -- State schools are less expensive if you are a resident.  The top schools are probably over $30K per year.  Visit the school's web site to find out more.\n\n4.  At most schools you probably do not have to know a foreign language.
12834
Get good grades in high school and college.  Do well on the LSAT.  Be involved in college in more than just classes.  BE GOOD in college.  Know that when you go to take your Bar Exam, you actually have to find "character witnesses" (and yes, that is plural) who do not share your last name, that will vouch for your good character.  Realize that the profession you are going into has higher standards for you than most people do!
886501
Obtain the previously released LSAT exams through the Law School Admission Council's website (or from previous LSAT takers) and practice those real-deal former questions.  Ensure you can complete the questions in time by using a watch and timing yourself.  Do a set of questions in a set amount of time.  I don't remember how much time you have per question, but you can find that online probably.  Then spend at least twice the amount of time you spent working on those questions and review your answers.  Repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat until test day.\n\nYou could take a class, but those prep classes are not going to be a substitute for sitting down and actually learning and practicing the LSAT questions.  A class will have the benefit of forcing you to actually work on the questions (and potentially give you tips like, look at the call of the question first, watch the clock, don't leave any questions blank if you run out of time, watch your time, etc), but realistically the class is unnecessary if you're disciplined enough to take care of business on your own.
756179
Dear Kurt,  you can learn all there is you need to become a lawyer, but it would be most difficult to do it on your own--there are approximately 30 different areas of the law you need, the big six are Torts, Criminal Law, Contracts, Property, Civil Procedure, Constitutional law.  Then you need to learn the rules of Evidence, areas of law like estates and trusts, family law, UCC/Sales/secured transactions/negotiable instruments, domestic relations/family law, income taxation, federal jurisdiction, legal ethics, trial procedure, and so forth.  You would also need to learn about legal reasoning, legal writing (including the way pleadings are drafted, how to write legal briefs, how to draft appellate pleadings), how to read and brief a case.  \n\nAnd you would have to do all this using a full legal library to find and get the cases to read--law is taught by directed reading of cases that set forth the so-called "black letter" law.  It is not done by lecture (in most schools).  To do it on your own would be time consuming and perhaps not so fruitful because there are many cases reported in the law reporters that are not suitable for learning what the law is.  \n\nMoreover, most states still require you to go to law school before you can get a license.  So, you are not avoiding the cost of going to school.  Those states that don't require a degree, usually require some school and working like an apprentice for a licensed attorney.  I think only California allows a license by correspondence schools.  Perhaps now with internet learning there are some schools that offer a law degree online.  \n\nYou would do better to find a grant or student loan and enroll in a law school...Also they are pretty particular--you need and undergraduate degree, a decent grade point average and reasonably good scores on the LSAT to be admitted.\n--Lawyer here and instructor in a college....
115821
You need to pass the bar in the state in which you want to practice. This generally requires going to law school.
745433
In order of importance, law schools care most about your LSAT scores, then your college GPA. Being a minority does not factor in - honestly, it's just a numbers game.\n\nTop tier law schools probably won't consider you unless you get your GPA above a 3.5 and have a GREAT LSAT score.\n\nLuckily, you have plenty of time to improve your grades, but take your junior and senior year very seriously because law schools really care about your grades.
216751
Kaplan books are good, but I really suggest you take a classroom course.  I took kaplan's course and I improved 9 points.  Since you want to improve quite a bit, it would really help you to have in person training and assistance.  It's worth the money, because it will get you into a better law school and earn you much much more in the long run!!  I would call your local Kaplan center, they usually have 4 week crash courses available before each test, so you still have plenty of time!!! Good luck!!
509552
You should get a little life experience in your chosen profession before running off to law school. Too many people become lawyers simply because they have sufficient reasoning ability, but their lack of life experience makes them a disaster for their clients, because they have never faced any real world problems in their own life, so as to bring that experience to bear in solving the problems of others.\n\nYou are undoubtedly intelligent enough to get into law school, and any decent ABA school will be sufficent for you to obtain employment. But, don't do it just because you think medical law is interesting. Do it because you want to help people.\n\nFood for thought for an early Sunday morning. Good luck.
573557
You can always use the public defender who will be the dumbest person to ever get out of law school. To get a good lawyer free you have to have a very media worthy trial and sign over book rights.
526034
Sure. As long as your degree is from an accredited institution. Make sure you also have a high GPA and LSAT scores. Law school admissions is very numbers-oriented.
74339
Law schools look for indications that you can do well in law school, and gpa and lsat scores are two major pieces of data that they use to make this judgement. So, your task is to raise both of these if you can. \n\nYour first move is to go to the law advisor at your college. Most have one in either the career center or the advising center, or there is a faculty member who does this job. Go over in some detail your grades and your lsat scores and see if you can figure out what to do.\n\nTwo suggestions for the low gpa: Take a double major, which will delay your graduation but will give you the opportunity to increase your gpa. But, you really have to make the commitment to get all As in your classes from now on or taking all the courses you want will not improve your gpa or your odds of law school.\n\nDid you prepare for the LSAT? Buy several preparation programs on disk and the diagnostic test and look up everything you got wrong, then take another practice test. Look up everything you got wrong. Take another...and another... until you do consistently well on the tests.\n\nFinally, do you know why you have low scores on both of these indicators? Does this mean that you should reconsider law school as a vocational choice? These are questions that you must ask yourself.
669571
Okay, I am a law student and I will be happy to help you with the process. You can e-mail me at: cyanne2ak@yahoo.com\nYou need to send your transcripts to LSAC, as well as your letters of recommendation. You must register with them to take the LSAT. You do NOT have to use LSAC to submit your applications, however I highly recommend using them! Almost ALL law schools in the USA accept (and many require) that you submit your application online through the LSAC. Also, many of them waive the application fee if you do so. When you take the LSAT, at the end of the test you will have to answer a question with an essay. Kaplan has the best LSAT prep books, USE THEM. When you are accepted to a law school you will have to send them official transcripts to confirm that you did recieve your undergraduate degree, etc. If you have any more questions, please e-mail me. I understand the confusion.
1178410
I went to Thomas Cooley in Lansing, Michigan.\n\nI forget my LSAT score (believe me, it has no bearing on how well you'll do in law school).\n\nSuccess, thats another story. Dedication is the key. My class started out with 338 students. Maybe less than 50 graudated. The key is studying on how to be successful in law school. I know Cooley offered classes on how to prepare for law school. If the school you plan on going to offers them TAKE THEM. The first year they will try to break you. I averaged 500-800 pages of reading a week. They will also tell you not to use outside materials for research or learning. Screw that. I had good luck with Bar-Bri; just don't take them to class. I also used a product called "Rom-law". It had cases already typed out and condensed on a CD. I just printed them out and kept them in a binder for class...never got caught. Get past the first year and you'll do fine.\n\nThe professors are like anyone else; some arrogant, liberal, conceited, helpful, smart, clueless, or just "average".\n\nIf you go to law school try to get in a group of fellow students that you know are smart, and you get along with. You can help each other get through it in one piece. I ran around with 4 others; all of us made but one.  \n\nGood luck...and remember its all about dedication.
189995
What and where you study in undergrad is not as important in getting into law school as you may think.  Go to a good university that you like and do your best.  When you apply, they do look at your GPA relative to the school (for example, a lower GPA at UCLA will be just as acceptable as a higher GPA at Cal State LA).  And if you do well at a higher ranked undergrad, it looks great.  Just make sure you are happy with your undergraduate school and major, because in four years you may not even want to go to law school.\n\nBasically, find a school in CO that you like and has a good reputation, where you think you will be happy.  Then do your best and enjoy yourself.  Don't worry too much about that law school admission committee for at least 2 more years.
410513
That's awesome that you want to be become a judge!  \n\nFirst, figure out what classes in high school you HAVE to take and start getting those out of the way.  Then, take a class in government or law.  You could even try out for the Mock Trail or debate team if your school has one.  They usually deal with major political issues.\n\nGood luck.  ;)