Hundreds of San Antonio students took advantage of a unique opportunity Oct. 27 to find out everything they ever wanted to know about becoming a lawyer. Representatives from 85 law schools from New York to California brought their information to the Law School Fair at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Monique McCarthy, assistant director of admissions at St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, Minn., said, "Generally, certain types are attracted to law school - a lot of Type A students."
Representatives interviewed agreed that the undergraduate major choice isn't as important as the grade-point average.
Daphne James, assistant director of admissions at Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, said, "Grades do count. Pick something that you love and that you do well in. If you decide not to go to law school, pick something you'd enjoy doing as a job."
Skills that help a student succeed in law school include analytical reasoning, reading comprehension and time management, as well as being able to write well. "Journalism students, English and business majors do well in law school," James said.
Brian Miller, assistant director of admissions at Willamette College of Law in Salem, Ore., said classes like symbolic logic and economics are important in preparing for the Law School Admission Test. "Those classes require you to organize your thoughts and to consider matters from an analytical and logical formation. That kind of thinking serves one well on the LSAT," he said.
The law school representatives agreed that students shouldn't worry about deciding on a law specialty.
"You don't have to select that," McCarthy said. "We offer over 100 courses each year. Take what you're interested in." James said LSU teaches both civil law, which is based on the Napoleonic Code and is the basis for Louisiana's legal system, as well as common law, which is practiced in the other 49 states. Students who graduate earn both degrees, so they can practice anywhere.
Chances are good that students won't figure out their niche until they're halfway through law school.
"Law school should be a time of exploration," Miller said. "Not knowing what kind of law you want to practice is not unexpected. It's standard."
Miller said Willamette offers a joint J.D., or doctor of law degree, and master of business administration program because people often want a law background to support their business careers. "We have a faculty member who talks about the J.D. as being the new B.A.," he said.
"There are so many opportunities to use your law degree in support of other academic and professional interests."
Perhaps the hottest tip of the day was how to prepare for the LSAT.
Miller recommended getting an LSAT prep book and taking plenty of time to practice - but under the right circumstances.
"Try to recreate the testing environment that you'll face in the actual exam," he said. The idea is to simulate the stress you'll experience during the exam.
"Don't take a section and go have lunch, then take another section," Miller said. "It's over a four-hour period of time, with a few breaks in between. It's nonstop." And the student who has practiced under these conditions will have built up stamina and endurance to take the actual exam."
Miller said building up endurance for the long test can help one stay focused.
For more information, log onto http://www.lsac.org/.
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