I’ve been a pre-law major at Michigan State University for four years now, so I have a lot of experience learning about the “ins and outs” of law school and what the journey to get there looks like. The purpose of this article is to let those who are interested or already on their journey to law school know my best tips and advice for how to get there.
The LSAT is the scariest part of law school. This is because the test isn’t similar to any standardized test you’ve taken before. If you are planning to study for this test like you did the SAT (which most of us didn’t study for), ditch that idea. This test will have you struggling to breathe; it lasts for 4 hours and has multiple reading and logical scenario questions with only a max of 3 retakes a year!
My word of advice? Study. By studying, I mean you should plan to review and practice about 6 months in advance of your first test. This was my first mistake and I am still paying for it to this day as I approach my third retake. The best way to take this test is to continually practice until you are happy with your score, however that looks for you.
The next piece of information that all aspiring lawyers should be prepared for is if law school is actually what they want to do. Most people think that there’s not much you can do with a political science degree. That’s just plain wrong. Several jobs find political science degrees useful. Linguists, analysts, lobbyists, and the military utilize those who have breadth and knowledge within the political science field.
When I ask aspiring lawyers why they want to go to law school, the answer should never be to make a lot of money. This is because most lawyers realistically don’t make a ton of money; the salary is completely dependent on the field they practice in. The main goal of becoming a lawyer is to fight to be a voice for the voiceless. If money is the reason you’re wanting to pursue a career in law, you should research other options that don’t require needing to go to law school.
Finally, the last thing I would like to say to those aspiring to go into law: Don’t give up. While it’s a really long and hard journey, the payout in the end will make all those late night study sessions and near anxiety attacks worth it as you walk into a career where you know you’ll make a difference.