For months now, we have discussed on the blog how the number of law school applicants is declining. While important, it is also necessary to focus on why the remaining applicants are still considering law school. We have discussed the benefits of a legal education and the job prospects in light of the changing landscape, but now we are going to look at the “cultural capital” of a law degree.

According to Lucy Jewel, an associate professor of law at the University of Tennessee, earning a law degree yields benefits beyond the economic gains. Her new paper for the Journal for the Legal Profession examines the social mobility associated with obtaining a law degree, a concept she argues extends past moving up within the structures of one's society. For many graduates, achieving the dream of becoming a lawyer represents the attainment of membership in a significant profession, as well as a critical role within their respective communities.

In her words:

Every graduation, when I see the beaming smiles from my students’ family members, I do not think about the fact that they are getting a degree from a so-called fourth-tier toilet law school; I see people who have achieved a dream (albeit at great financial expense) and obtained a credential that signifies membership in a powerful profession. Even for low-status members of the profession, there is still power, because all attorneys are vested with the ability to bring the power of the state to bear (even if this means filing a small claims lawsuit or negotiating a personal injury claim with an insurance company). That the symbolic value of the credential does not convert to a purely economic value is irrelevant in this equation …

Rather, a law degree provides the recipient with value in knowing a little bit more about how the world works and how to obtain benefits in an institutional setting (such as a courtroom, business negotiation, or school). This type of cultural capital creates small-scale benefits that add up and can also be transmitted to one’s children. Therefore, the cultural capital encapsulated in a law degree can and does connect with social mobility, even though it may not directly connect with economic wealth.

While these social benefits may not outweigh the economic costs for some potential applicants, Jewel's paper does offer interesting food for thought when it comes to the changing face of law school. Her point that the cultural value of law school may continue to defy economic reason in the future is certainly worth considering.

While many of you are probably in the home stretch of preparations for the December LSAT (and we'll have test day tips for you on Thursday), today we're going to look at whether or not it is an ideal time to apply to law school.

With the legal job market and improving and declining numbers of LSAT test-takers, it seems like now is the time to strike if you are looking to maximize your chances for acceptance. Some, like Ryan Calo at Forbes, are optimistic about students' opportunities if they enter law school during the next few years. With fewer applicants competing for spots, some law schools are shrinking their enrollment goals, while others are working even harder to attract top candidates. Proponents argue that, for some students, these changes can open the door to scholarships and one-on-one attention that they might not have had during peak enrollment years. Not only has the application process become more favorable, but with fewer graduates competing for jobs, the employment rate for new lawyers is far higher than in recent years.

Some legal watchers remain more skeptical in the face of these changing dynamics, emphasizing the backlog of graduates still searching for employment opportunities. Even with fewer graduates entering the market in the future, they believe that the market will not be able to keep up with the existing demand. Deborah J. Merritt, a professor at Ohio State University of Law, makes an important point that the quality of positions available may be changing just as rapidly as the quantity. It is difficult to predict whether the majority of opportunities available for future graduates will be traditional associate positions or document review and contract positions that are more reflective of the recent changes in the market.

While both proponents and skeptics make strong arguments, the decision to apply to law school remains a personal decision for every student. It is important to weigh your individual pros and cons for doing so, while also taking into consideration the opportunities you may gain from further studies and experience.  

By now, you've probably seen the headlines about the decline in LSAT test-takers. After releasing the October scores early last week, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) also sent out updated data showing that 33,673 people sat for the exam. Compared to the October 2012 test date, there was an 11% drop in tests administered. The decline from 2009, when more than 60,000 people took the October test, is even more dramatic, with the Wall Street Journal estimating a 45% difference.

You're not alone if the numbers are causing you concern, but John A. Byrne has an interesting take on why this decline may be the best case for law school we've seen in some time. In the years immediately following the recession, not only did the number of LSAT test-takers spike, but so did the number of law school applicants. The influx of law school students meant that the legal field was saturated by new JDs searching for work after graduation.

For the last few years, all we've seen in the news is that these graduates are struggling to find employment in the field, so the decline in people pursuing legal careers is of benefit to those of you still competing for entrance into competitive schools. As Byrne points out in his article, the smaller applicant pool means that those competitive schools are slightly less competitive than they once were. And just like applications may yield more positive results, it's likely that career prospects will follow the same trend in the next few years as the market for legal jobs stabilizes.  

Planning to apply to law school? Have questions about the application process or a specific program?

If you're in DC next Monday, October 7th, you're in luck because George Washington University is hosting this year's Washington, DC Law School Fair. The event is completely free and open to anyone interested in hearing more about law schools across the country.

Details:

October 7, 2013
4:00 – 7:00 PM
Foggy Bottom - Charles E. Smith Center
600 22nd Street NW
Washington, DC 20052

To read more about the fair, check out the website: http://go.gwu.edu/lawfair13 or contact Michael Gabriel at dclawschoolfair@gmail.com.

Every law school has a different requirement. Some schools don't limit your length, while others cap it at a certain number of pages or words.

Most schools limit the length to 2 pages, double spaced, or about 500 words.

One strategy: Look at all the schools you're applying to, and pick the school with the shortest limit. Write your essay within that limit.

Granted, the more you can customize your statement for each school, the greater impact it will have on each admissions committee. But writing your statement within the shortest limit will allow you to use it for any school you apply to.

Here are some sample limits:

Georgetown

There is no minimum or maximum length. We do not feel that an applicant's personal statement should be limited. Please send in your personal statement with your application.

George Washington

Please try to keep your personal statement to 500 words – two pages, double spaced.

American

The average length is 2-3 pages. Reviewers appreciate it if you could keep the font size legible (at least 11 point) and double spaced.

George Mason

The application requires submission of a personal statement not to exceed 500 words, double-spaced.

Harvard

We ask that you limit your statement to two pages, double spaced, using a font size that is comfortable to read (not less than 11 point).

Stanford

Enclose a statement of about two pages describing important or unusual aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application.

NYU

Because people and their interests vary, we leave the content and length of your statement to your discretion. You may wish to complete or clarify your responses to items on the application form, bring to our attention additional information you feel should be considered, describe important or unusual aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, or tell us what led you to apply to NYU School of Law.

It usually takes about 3 weeks.

For the June 2009 test, for instance, LSAC says you'll get your score by June 28:

June 2009 Dates and Deadlines

But they often send the scores a few days early. It just depends on your luck.

Yes, law schools will look at more than just your LSAT score. But in a sea of applicants, it's impossible not to rely on the exam. Some say that as much as 70% of the decision depends on your three-digit result from this four-hour test.

Not fair? Perhaps. But consider Georgetown Law School.

Georgetown's Numbers

In 2008, it received 11,000 applications for a class of about 400 students. How else is a small admissions committee to wade through all the chaos?

They could turn to everyone's GPA, but that, too, poses serious challenges. The main challenge is the lack of consistency. These GPAs come from schools all across the country (and, for that matter, the world) and represent every type of degree imaginable. Try to compare a physics-program 3.67 from NYU with an American-studies 3.92 from Stanford.

Not sure? Okay, just read all 11,000 personal statements.

But even personal statements are misleading. They favor those who know how to sell themselves. Granted, that's a talent that might suit a future lawyer well. But we're still looking at over 11,000 monologues of why so-and-so is the best applicant ever. There's simply not enough time.

Level Playing Field

This brings us back to the LSAT—the strictly monitored, standardized test. It's the easiest way to size people up in a heartbeat. So simple, in fact, a computer can do it.

It may not be fair, but it's the reality.

The Secret

Now for the least-understood secret:

The LSAT is no IQ test. The longer you study for it, the better you'll do. If you want to score high, just study more and beat the system.

That's why we created the 100-Hour Course. It's long, but it works.

Now imagine Harvard, Yale, Stanford . . .

Every year, the LSAT is administered four times—in February, in June, in late September or early October, and in December.

Most law schools start accepting applications in September and stop accepting them in February.

Applying Early

Because most schools start accepting students as soon as they get applications, it's better to apply as early as you can. UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall), for example, fills 75% of its seats by its application deadline, which is February 2 in 2009.

That said, every school is different. To give you an extreme example, ... more.

The LSAC has published a booklet for minorities on how to apply to law school. The tips, however, are good for everyone. Here are a few, quoted verbatim:

• Apply early.
• Contact each law school you’re interested in for specific information and requirements.
• Prepare well for the LSAT; take timed practice tests.
• Research the right school for you.
• Talk to lawyers and find out what they do.
• Have realistic expectations.
• Know what you are getting into.
• Prepare a well-thought-out and intriguing personal statement.
• Do your best academic work as an undergraduate.
• Round out your portfolio with activities and leadership positions.
• Attend a Law School Forum.
• Reach out to and consult with prelaw advisors.

We must comment on their advice to "take timed practice tests" since we proctor more timed tests in our 100-Hour Course than any other national preparation company. It's nice to read that LSAC agrees that this practice is key.

In the end, however, we go further: Our students actually end up taking over 20 timed, full-length tests when you consider the homework they do in addition to the proctored, in-class exams. And that doesn't include the over 3,000 untimed but official practice questions that students work on in class and at home. Yeah, it's intense, but fun -- and rewarding!

If you're a minority, check out the advice on addressing your ethnicity in your personal statement on page 4:

Pursue a Career in Law: Change the Odds

The other pages also have good advice for anyone considering law school. Enjoy!

Most applicants apply to 4 or fewer schools.

Over the last ten years, however, the number of applicants applying to over 11 schools has more than doubled from 8% to 18%. I suspect more people are getting more competitive by applying to more schools (factor number one listed below).

A whopping 27% of applicants in 2007 applied to only one law school. I guess they had the scores to pick and choose their destination or, more likely, they settled for a safe school.

How many applications you send out depends on

1. How much you want to go a top school. More want, more schools.
2. How high your LSAT and GPA are relative to other applicants. Higher scores, fewer schools.
3. How much money you have to spend on applications.
4. How picky you are. More picky, fewer schools.

Given the cost of law school, I'd err on the side of applying to too many. Granted, it may cost you a few hundred dollars, but you're about to dish out thousands. Make sure you give that money to the right school for you. Besides, consider your post-graudation salary, which is positively correlated with law-school rank. The higher the rank, the higher your likely salary. No joke.

Here's the application data, provided by LSAC:

Number of Applications per Applicant 1993-2007

The DC Law School Forum, hosted by LSAC, will be held:

Saturday, June 27, 2009
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Marriott Wardman Park
2660 Woodley Road, NW
Washington, DC

Admission is free.

You can register at the event or online (to avoid waiting in line):

• Meet representatives from over 170 law schools
• Attend workshops on:

Financing a legal education (10:30 AM and 4:00 PM)
Applying to law school (11:15 AM and 12:15 PM)
Being a lawyer (2:30 PM)
Taking the LSAT (11:30 AM)

• Get admission materials and catalogs
• Review LSAC’s LSAT preparation materials
• Visit the prelaw advisors’ table for general advice on applying to law school

DC Law School Forum

Wondering whether you can into Harvard Law School or any school, for that matter?

Official GPA and LSAT Calculator

LSAC makes you read a disclosure! To skip it, scroll down and click on Return to Search Page.

After you enter your GPA and LSAT score (or estimated score), sort by Likelihood.

Every year some pre-law student interns for some U.S. Senator, hoping to get a great letter of recommendation. Nothing wrong with that, unless you never get to know your boss.

These letters from "famous" recommenders are far less influential than those letters from recommenders who are "familiar" with who you are and with how you work.

That doesn't mean you want to ask your dad, of course. But you do want to ask someone who's worked with you closely in school or at work, so they can really dig deep and show the admissions committee what you're made of.

For those who still have time, remember this and work really hard for someone before you apply so you can ask for a recommendation with complete confidence that it will get you in at your top school -- and not get in your way.

Which reminds me, if you're not sure whether someone will sing your praises, don't ask them to recommend you. If you're desparate and can't find anyone else, be direct:

"Would you be willing to write a strong recommendation letter for my law school application?"

If they hestitate (even slightly) and then say "yes," just tell them you'll get back to them. Then go with Plan B by either asking someone else or getting a new job so you can build up future recommenders.

Many people have been asking if they should take the test now -- in December -- or wait until February.

Short answer:

If you really want to go to law school in 2009, take the December LSAT.

Most schools don't accept February LSAT scores from students who want to attend the following fall. But even when schools do, they've usually filled up most of their incoming class by that time, so your chances of acceptance are much lower.

If you're willing to wait a year, take the February LSAT and apply early.

You'll be ahead of everyone else, you'll have more time to study for the LSAT, you'll be able to focus on your applications in the summer, and you'll know where you want to apply because you'll have your actual score. Then go get a cool internship over the summer that will give you a good recommendation letter and bragging rights on your resume.

Law School (total students)

1. Yale (600)
2. Harvard (1700)
3. Stanford (500)
4. Columbia (1200)
5. NYU (1400)
6. UC Berkeley (900)
7. University of Chicago (600)
8. Penn (800)
9. University of Michigan (1200)
10. University of Virginia (800)
11. Northwestern (1200)
12. Cornell (600)
13. Duke (600)
14. Georgetown (1600)
15. Vanderbilt (600)
16. UCLA (1000)
17. University of Texas (1300)
18. USC Gould (600)
19. Washington University in St. Louis (800)
20. George Washington (1400)

Every year, about 140,000 people take the LSAT.

Feb LSAT: 25,000
Jun LSAT: 27,000
Oct LSAT: 50,000
Dec LSAT: 41,000

These numbers are based on the averages for the last five years.

This article below is just an op-ed. The author doesn't rely on any study, but it's the kind of topic that many folks like to ask about.

In the end, however, how well the LSAT predicts future success is not that important because law schools think it does a good job. So the better your score, the better your school. And there is actual evidence, contrary to some comments posted after the article, that law-school rank and post-graduation salary are positively correlated.

Here are some comments from Stanford Law School worth quoting:

Stanford's website offers a refreshing dose of honesty when it professes, "Admissions officers downplay the role of the LSAT in admissions decisions, but don't believe them." Stanford claims further that a "perfect GPA, an abundance of extracurricular activities, and a background as unique as an honest politician will not get you into a top-five law school if your LSAT score is low."

Here's the full article:

LSAT Score Fails to Determine Quality