Yearly Archives: 2011

Across the United States and elsewhere, law schools are continually offering more and more joint degrees, thereby allowing their students to study for an additional graduate degree not related to the law while they simultaneously study for their JD. Usually, such joint programs allow students to graduate with two degrees in less time than would be required for them to complete the two degrees consecutively. And although you may think that joint degrees are limited to traditional…

This post is a guest commentary by  Aaron N. Taylor and provided courtesy of preLaw Magazine. Aaron N. Taylor is a professor at Saint Louis University School of Law. You can follow him on Twitter @TheEdLawProf. There has been a lot of negative talk about law school lately, but the facts belie the hype. The legal profession has low unemployment rates, lawyers earn high salaries and loans are manageable. It’s open season on legal education — falling applications, lawsuits by former students and…

Take the Logic Games Challenge! Manhattan LSAT posted Logic Games Challenge #34 and they invite our listeners to join in the chance to Win $200 off any LSAT Course or any Manhattan LSAT Strategy Guide (your choice!). The latest challenge: Party Problem (Easy) Before you start let us tell you something! You’re about to play the first of two “sister” games (go ahead one game in the archive for the second one). Taken together, the pair can be useful in…

In the world of law school applications, the personal statement is a well-known part of the admissions process.  Applicants may be less familiar, though, with a part of the application known as “optional essays,” where some schools invite applicants to submit additional information about themselves. Sometimes these essays are required, sometimes they are truly optional.  How does an applicant know when to submit an optional essay? What should these essays include? In our latest podcast, Law School Optional Essays & Addenda: What to…

Many writers tend to confuse adjectives and adverbs (“describing” words) with details. When adjectives and adverbs are used to emphasize an emotion or emotional state, they can add very little to the description of an experience and can even undermine it. However, when that emotion or emotional state is described properly, it can bring a story to life. Example 1: “With the award in hand, I felt extremely proud of my accomplishment.” In the case above, the word…

This week, Law School Podcaster pays tribute to Frank Kimball, a great contributor in the world of recruiting, mentoring and professional development for law students and young lawyers.  Frank was a guest on our podcast, Networking 101: Essential Tips for Law Students, (a podcast produced in collaboration with Ms. JD).  With great sadness, we learned today that Frank passed away.  Today Ms. JD posted a collection of some of  Frank’s warm, humorous articles, full of valuable advice for law students — and everyone else. To get…

These days, if you’re considering law school, your job prospects upon earning your degree remain a big point of discussion. And well they should. The job market remains tough and the debt you incur during law school will be there for a while when you graduate — whether you have a job or not. Back in July, we posted on this topic, observing that “the business of law school has been getting a fair share of attention lately,” and that escalating tuition costs, increased student debt…

A word of caution from the Dean of Admissions at Yale Law School: “Do not write the “one-trick pony essay.” What exactly is this? The one-trick pony essay is a personal statement that reiterates ad infinitum certain stellar accomplishments that have already been more than adequately showcased in your resume and recommendations. Instead, the personal statement should be taken as an opportunity to include additional information about yourself that you have not been able to present in the other elements…

Our latest podcast, Mastering LSAT Logical Reasoning: Strategies to Ace the Toughest Part of the Test, is out and it focuses on the Logical Reasoning section of the LSAT. Some say this section is the most important part of the test. That’s because there are four scored sections of the LSAT and two of them are logical reasoning. Since these questions constitute half the test, you’ll really need to excel in these sections to get a high score. This is the collection of questions that…

As we close in on the October LSAT, I thought I would share our usual tips to keep you on track as game day draws near. What’s that you say – you’re not sure if you are ready, willing, or able to take the October LSAT? Before you go pushing the panic button, make sure you are making all of the proper considerations about which test administration you should take. If you’re full steam ahead for the October…