T14 Law School applicants

[Anonymous]

What type of jobs /internships do successful T14 law school applicants typically have the summer after junior year?

In a law firm? Or something more public policy-related? Is one viewed more favorably over the over by law school adcoms?

Are law school admissions similar to undergrad (holistic; cohesive narrative-based)?

[Anonymous]

Law school admissions are so different from undergrad. Gpa/LSAT are so much more important than the holistic application reviews.

[Anonymous]

I studied abroad my junior year and travelled for 8 weeks in Africa for shits and giggles. I was admitted to three T14 schools. I honestly don't think an applicant's summer job is that important, although it's possible that things have changed since I went to law school. Nor, after nearly two decades of practice in big law and government, do I think that T14 is the golden ticket many believe it to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I studied abroad my junior year and travelled for 8 weeks in Africa for shits and giggles. I was admitted to three T14 schools. I honestly don't think an applicant's summer job is that important, although it's possible that things have changed since I went to law school. Nor, after nearly two decades of practice in big law and government, do I think that T14 is the golden ticket many believe it to be.

I’m a T-14 grad too and agree with the above.

[Anonymous]

I don't think a summer job matters very much for law school admissions. It might help a tiny bit for getting a job while in law school, but again, that is largely based on grades. If they can somehow get something remotely related to law for that summer, it can't hurt. But I wouldn't stress if they can't.

[Anonymous]

DOJ internship two summers, volunteer community organization with leadership summers and semesters, with leadership; different community work summer, with impact; worked with local law enforcement during the semester--professor connection. LSAT above 170, Harvard law.

[Anonymous]

^also 3.93 from an ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think a summer job matters very much for law school admissions. It might help a tiny bit for getting a job while in law school, but again, that is largely based on grades. If they can somehow get something remotely related to law for that summer, it can't hurt. But I wouldn't stress if they can't.

Agree with this as well. It doesn't matter much for admissions. Would recommend a legal job before law school to make sure that you want to go through the time and expense of law school though. Law school is expensive and law practice is a grind. Don't go to law school just because you haven't figured out what you want to do.

[Anonymous]

Congressional internship

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DOJ internship two summers, volunteer community organization with leadership summers and semesters, with leadership; different community work summer, with impact; worked with local law enforcement during the semester--professor connection. LSAT above 170, Harvard law.

And apply from Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, or a Dakota.

[Anonymous]

DC just went through the admissions cycle, with multiple T14 offers. My sense is that a cohesive narrative matters, but that it is a much less holistic process than undergrad admission can be -- the median GPA and LSAT of each school are very important markers of a candidate's competitiveness.

Summer jobs can matter in terms of:

(1) how they fit in with the overall narrative of how the applicant came to be interested in law -- the content should be consistent with the applicant's story, but does not need to be in any particular domain.

(2) will the experience help make the applicant competitive for first jobs in the future -- the hiring cycle has shifted to starting much earlier, so the pre-law school experience is more important now (hence the increased penalty for KJDs). A year or more of full-time employment post BA/BS is a real asset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^also 3.93 from an ivy.

You’re annoying do you know that? You got into Harvard because of your undergrad school, your GPA and your LSAT. The rest of the bullshit makes no difference

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DOJ internship two summers, volunteer community organization with leadership summers and semesters, with leadership; different community work summer, with impact; worked with local law enforcement during the semester--professor connection. LSAT above 170, Harvard law.

And apply from Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, or a Dakota.

Wrong. This isn’t college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC just went through the admissions cycle, with multiple T14 offers. My sense is that a cohesive narrative matters, but that it is a much less holistic process than undergrad admission can be -- the median GPA and LSAT of each school are very important markers of a candidate's competitiveness.

Summer jobs can matter in terms of:

(1) how they fit in with the overall narrative of how the applicant came to be interested in law -- the content should be consistent with the applicant's story, but does not need to be in any particular domain.

(2) will the experience help make the applicant competitive for first jobs in the future -- the hiring cycle has shifted to starting much earlier, so the pre-law school experience is more important now (hence the increased penalty for KJDs). A year or more of full-time employment post BA/BS is a real asset.

Look, mom, your kid getting into a top law school doesn’t make you and expert in law school admissions. Cut me a break!!

[Anonymous]

LSD.law is best source for stats.

Also look up Spiveys blogs