RIT Prelaw Association Open to all majors, the RIT Pre-law Association holds biweekly meetings and seminars on preparing for law school and sponsors a speaker's series on law related topics. In the past, the Association has participated in mock trial competition and also publishes student research papers in "The Journal of Social and Legal Research at RIT", which was the first undergraduate prelaw journal in the country. The purpose of the Prelaw Association is to: >>Encourage students interested in law or law related professions. >>To prepare students to apply for and attend law school. >>To develop student research, writing, and advocacy skills.   Objectives for 2002-2003: >>Organize Rochester Area Law Day trip. >>Presentations on LSAT, law school admission & essay writing, and joint degree programs. >>Panel discussion wixth RIT Alumni currently attending or graduated from law school. >>Guest presentations by local attorneys. >>Trip(s) to law schools. >>Moot Court experience. >>Pre-Law Journal. >>Establish mentoring program between perspective law students and attorneys To Join Contact: LaVerne McQuiller Williams, Esq. phone:(585) 475-2935 | email: llmgcj@rit.edu Jennifer Gravitz, Esq. phone:(585) 475-6846 | email: jlgnge@rit.edu Journal The Journal of Social and Legal Research at RIT The Journal of Social and Legal Research at RIT, is a publication made up entirely of undergraduate student papers. WhiThe Editorial Board is comprised of all undergraduate students, and the publication was the first undergraduate prelaw journal in the country. Currently, the Journal is sent to fifty law schools and the White House. Prelaw Advising (Application Time Table for Law School) Junior Year Make this your best year academically. Your acceptance to law school will depend to a great extent on your academic record. If you hope to go on immediately to law school after graduation, your junior year grades will be the most recently completed and thus reported. Usually it is not a good idea to take the LSAT prior to June, but start reviewing old copies of the test and exploring the option of enrolling in a commercial test preparation course. Sample tests are available in the LSAT registration packets (available in an advisor's office), or in LSAT prep books (such as Barron's). Do not write to law schools for catalogs and application forms until you return to school in August. Their printing deadlines for current year materials are late summer. Continue to explore and learn about the legal profession by: reading articles, pamphlets, and books, talking with and observing lawyers. taking part in the law-related activities on campus. Start investigating law schools. Think about where you want to spend three years of intensive study. There are a number of variables to consider: location, size, prestige, cost, special programs, student body, chances of admission, etc. Again, reading and talking with others can help. Most law schools request two faculty letters. Now is the time to correct any remaining weakness(es) in your academic skills. If you are a slow reader, have a weak vocabulary, or possess mediocre writing skills, you might explore courses in a community college in your home town during the summer or you might take an additional English course. Summer Between Junior and Senior Years Pick up and LSAT/LSDAS Registration Packet (available in an advisor's office). Read the packet thoroughly to make sure you understand all phases of the application process. This is the single most important step. Register for the LSAT and LSDAS. Read the Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools, if you have not already. Begin to develop a list of 10-15 law schools which, given your GPA and LSAT scores, offer a reasonable chance of your gaining admission. A few should be longshots, but most should be in the "more likely" range. It's also nice to have one or two "safe" schools. Most applicants wind up sending applications to 6-10 schools. Prepare for and take the LSAT. The advantage of taking the June test is that you will know your score before August and can better select an appropriate range of law schools. You will also have time to register for and retake the test in the fall if your performance is not up to par. If the June test is not convenient, plan to take the October test. Develop a system for keeping track of all the registration and application details. Duplicate all forms, applications and correspondence for your own records. Senior Year First request applications from law schools using the postcards in the LSAT/LSDAS packet. Make an appointment with the Pre-Law Advisor to discuss your plans. Pull together ideas for a personal statement or essay. Begin drafting and revising. Conclude arrangements for your letters of recommendation. Use the transcript matching forms in your LSAT/LSDAS packet to request that the Registrar send your transcript to LSDAS. Obtain financial aid applications (available from financial aid) if you intend to apply for financial aid. Investigate other financial aid possibilities. If you are uncertain about the strength of your credentials or the advisability of retaking the LSAT, make an appointment with the Pre-Law advisor. Finalize and send your applications (with the Law School Matching Forms in the LSAT/LSDAS Packet) to law schools before Thanksgiving, if possible. Double check everything. By mid-January, make sure the law schools received your applications, your LSDAS reports and all letters of recommendation. Wait and hope. Once admitted, send a deposit to reserve your space in the entering class. After hearing from all law schools, but before graduation, let the Pre-Law advisor know your results and decision. --Let your recommenders know of your application results. Arrange with the Registrar for a final copy of your transcript to be sent to the law school you will attend FAQ's What major should I choose in order to be admitted to law school? No specific majors are required to carry out the purposes of prelaw study. However, the American Bar Association (ABA) does encourage undergraduates to develop basis skills such as language and communication, creative problem solving, a basic understanding of ethical theory and theories of justice, and critical thinking. Since there is no "best" pre-law major, choose to concentrate in a discipline which holds genuine interest for you and in which you will be motivated to produce your best work. Seek breadth in your undergraduate program keeping in mind the need to hone your writing skills and your abilities of logical analysis. What criteria do law schools consider to determine admission? Although there are numerous criteria that law schools consider, such as extracurricular activities, and employment and/or internships, the primary factors are the applicant's Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score and Grade Point Average (GPA). However, you must always keep in mind that your grades are much more important to your chances of admission to law school than your activities or employment. Therefore, the best advice is do not sacrifice your grades by becoming too bombarded with work or extracurricular activities. In addition, all law school applicants are required to write a short essay, generally known as a "personal statement". Subjective factors such as faculty recommendations, extracurricular interests, and work experience are also considered by many law schools, but they are less important and typically do not compensate for mediocre academic performance. To pad your GPA by taking easy courses at the expense of gaining a diverse and rigorous education and sharpening your analytical and writing skills will work to your disadvantage in scoring well on the LSAT and being prepared for the rigors of legal study. For information on the LSAT, this site has been ranked number one with students: Law School Admission Council | http://www.lsac.org >>Topics include questions about the LSAT and LSDAS >>Steps in the admissions process >>Getting in to law school >>Paying for law school, and even includes >>The Official Guide to Approved law Schools. How many of letters of recommendations do I need and from whom? As you research your law schools, most will require two or three letters of recommendation. As to "who" should write your letter, refer first to the application for the school's preference. If no preference is given, choose references who are closely familiar with your academic work. Since law schools are most interested in your ability to handle the intellectual rigor of law school, your professors are the best choice for recommendations. In contrast, a letter from a judge or an attorney will not benefit you unless the letter clearly indicates a strong familiarity with and personal knowledge of your intellect and work ethic. When should I take the LSAT? The LSAT should be taken either in June after your junior year or in the September/October test dates of your senior year. One advantage of signing up for the summer test is that you will have your results back in time to determine an appropriate range of schools to which to apply. Shouldn't I take the LSAT once for practice? No, definitely not. When you eventually apply to law schools, all of your test scores are reported. Since most schools average the scores or deduct points from the second score if it is higher, you should plan to take the test only once. If you do poorly, then take the test again - you have nothing to lose. You could, however, become familiar with the LSAT by reviewing copies of the old LSATs, in Barron's or LSDAS sample books. It's up to you to take the test under test-like conditions. How can I finance my legal education? Although a variety of resources are available to assist you in locating financial aid, your best source of information is at the law schools to which you apply. Other resources include: >>FastWeb >>Crestar's Guide to Student Loans >>Princeton Review Law Schools Attended by RIT Graduates >>Cornell Law School >>Stanford University Law School >>University of San Francisco >>George Washington University Law School >>Berkeley School of Law >>University of Maryland >>University of Chicago >>Boston College Law School >>Boston University School of Law >>Albany Law School >>Franklin Pierce Law Center >>SUNY at Buffalo School of Law >>Syracuse University College of Law >>University of Florida College of Law >>Washington & Lee University School of Law >>University of Detroit Law School >>Cleveland Marshall College of Law >>Tulane University Law School >>New York University School of Law >>Brooklyn Law School >>Fordham University School of Law >>Northeastern University School of Law >>Emory University School of Law >>Western New England College of Law >>Mercer University School of Law >>Benjamin Cardozo School of Law >>Yeshiva University Chicago-Kent College of Law >>Rutgers University School of Law- Newark >>CUNY Law School at Queens College >>New England School of Law >>St. John's Law School >>University of Baltimore School of Law >>University of Toledo Law School >>University of Denver Law School >>Widener University School of Law