Pre-Law Student Calendar

Suggested Planning Guide

Don't wait until the last minute to prepare for law school admissions. Make the right decisions while you are in college. Starting as early as your freshman year, the "Pre-Law Student Calendar" will guide you month by month through college, suggesting what to do and when to do it.

There are special exams and study courses to take, applications to prepare and letters to mail. There is no need to memorize all of these things--utilizing this calendar will help you to organize your Pre-Law preparation.

FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER

Take some time out and visit a Pre-Law advisor in the Department of Legal Studies at M.S.U. They are:

  1. Visit the Legal Studies office located in Dickson Hall, Room 347.
  2. Attend the Annual Law School Admissions Day at Montclair State University in the Fall of each year. Pick up law school catalogs and applications to look over.
  3. Drop in at the Legal Studies office or the Career Services office and pick up law school catalogs and Legal Studies bulletins. Start a file for your own personal review.
  4. Organize a study group and apply for a tutor, if needed, through the Tutorial Center located in Morehead Hall, Room 140 or call 973-655-5277.
  5. Explore the clubs, sports, and other available extra-curricular activities available. The Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity and the Paralegal Student Association are especially recommended. Also, try to sign up for any law- related activities offered on campus.
  6. Visit the Computer Labs -- learn how to use a word-processing program. It will be a life-saver when you have to write and rewrite your papers. Computer labs are located throughout the campus. You can inquire there about a typing tutor program to learn keyboarding.
  7. Plan to take "Introduction to Law" and "Foundations in Legal Research."
  8. Prepare for an optional Pre-Law Internship by taking the appropriate pre-requisite courses in the Pre-Law Studies.
  9. Investigate LSLW 388 "Advocacy and Persuasion " to develop your mock trial skills each Fall.

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER

  1. Now that you have settled into your classes, developed a good rapport with your professors by contributing to class discussion. Remember, you may need recommendation letters later from these same professors!
  2. If you think that you will need help for finals, organize a study group and utilize the University Tutorial Center.
  3. You may want to visit the Legal Studies office or the Alumni office and get addresses of practicing attorneys who are willing to meet with you as mentors and give you ideas on future legal careers.
  4. Prepare current resume.
  5. Ease up on extra-curricular activities to prepare for your finals.

JANUARY - FEBRUARY

  1. Check out the resources that Legal Studies and E.O.F. Legal Studies may have at your disposal-- tutors, computer programs, Law Schools Admissions Test(LSAT) assistance, scholarship information, etc. Also, visiting Career Services to discuss employment opportunities in the legal profession will give you some helpful ideas about a career in law.
  2. Let the Legal Studies faculty and staff know about what you like or dislike about your courses. They appreciate and remember your comments. The results will be of benefit to you when planning future courses schedules.

MARCH - APRIL

  1. Start making plans for the summer months (school, jobs, etc.).
  2. Meet with your Pre-Law Advisor again and plan your courses for the next year.
  3. Keep the college's requirements for graduation in mind.

APRIL

  1. Decide when you will take the LSAT, either by June of your junior year or October of your senior year. Begin preparing for the LSAT. Determine whether you plan to take a commercial prep course and, if so, which one.
  2. Register for the June LSAT(if you plan to take that one). Register for the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).

JUNE

  1. Take the LSAT(if you selected June).
  2. Send your transcripts to LSDAS.

JULY- AUGUST

  1. Use the summer to read through some of those law school applications and see what types of questions they ask.
  2. Begin to formulate your personal statement for law school.
  3. Prepare an up-to-date resume to include with law school applications.
  4. Register for the October LSAT, if you did not take it in June or if you think you can significantly improve your score.

SENIOR YEAR

You may be eligible for a Pre-Law Internship. Have you taken "Introduction to Law" and "Foundations of Legal Research?" If yes, you may be eligible to participate in the Pre-Law Internship. Check with your Pre-Law Advisor.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER

Take some time out and visit a Pre-Law advisor in the Department of Legal Studies at M.S.U. They are:

  1. Visit the Legal Studies office located in room 347, Dickson Hall.
  2. Ask your Pre-Law advisor forinformation on attending the annual Law School Recruitment Forum.
  3. Attend the Annual Law School Admissions Day at Montclair State held in the Fall.. Pick up some catalogs and applications being given out by different law schools and look them over. Even though they may not be the school's actual application for admission, the information they contain will help you in making a well-informed decision about the school.
  4. Write directly to law schools for catalogs and applications.
  5. Organize your applications, catalogs, and financial aid forms into a neat file and begin to work on the ones that are due first. Decide where to apply, based upon your credentials.
  6. Make an initial contact with recommendation writers. Make sure that you have a good selection of recommendation letters. Contact those from whom you are seeking recommendations. Have materials organized for them.
  7. Be certain that you understand how the LSDAS system operates. It can be confusing as you begin the application process.
  8. Send transcripts to LSDAS using "LSDAS transcript Request Matching Forms" from booklet. If you did not register for LSDAS when signing up for LSAT- do so now.
  9. Pick up a Law School Admissions Test Information booklet from the Legal Studies office for complete information and necessary forms.
  10. Talk to your Pre-Law Advisor about the special admission programs for eligible students.

OCTOBER

  1. Meet with your Pre-Law advisor and narrow down your list of law schools.
  2. Continue to research scholarships and other financial aid resources, if needed.
  3. Attend sessions offered by the law school recruiters when they visit your campus in the Fall. Make a good impression- sometimes they will remember you!
  4. Don't forget to attend Law Admissions Day at Montclair State University.
  5. Take the LSAT(if you selected October).
  6. Register for the December LSAT, if necessary.

NOVEMBER

  1. Make a realistic judgement of your chances for admission into particular schools. If possible, include some "back-up" schools, where you are relatively certain of admission. File your applications as early as possible.
  2. Complete all of the forms to ensure that your college transcript(s) and LSAT score(s) have been sent to the right places.
  3. Confer again with your recommendation writers. Remind them of anything special that you think would be of interest to admission committees.
  4. Develop a Progress Chart, such as the one below:

 

SAMPLE PROGRESS CHART
Law School
Application Status
Personal Statements
Recommendations
Contacts
Rutgers Finished Ask Pre-Law Adv. to proofread. Ask Dr. Nagle Dr. McMorrin
Columbia Ready to be typed. Completed first draft. Ask Dr. Connolly Dr. Tayler

DECEMBER

  1. AT THE VERY LATEST, try to complete all of your applications by the middle of December. Try to submit them before the holidays.
  2. Stay in contact with your Pre-Law Advisor.
  3. Take the December LSAT as a last chance fall back if needed.
  4. Re-evaluate your admission picture regularly. As soon as you begin to get results from applications, decide whether you need to apply to additional schools or investigate alternative programs.
  5. Complete financial aid forms.

JANUARY - FEBRUARY

  1. If you know any law school alumni or important contacts, ask them to help you. Since the time is now, being shy will not complement all the hard work that you have put in so far.
  2. Now that your applications are all in, you may want to contact each school and POLITELY ask if your file is missing anything(letters of recommendation, transcripts, LSAT scores, etc.).
  3. Send current semester grades to law schools if they are requested or if they are strong.
  4. You may want to visit the Legal Studies office or the Alumni Office to get the addresses of practicing attorneys who are willing to meet with you and give you ideas on future legal careers.

MARCH

  1. Continue to look for scholarships and other sources of financial aid.
  2. Send to the law schools where you have applied supplementary materials such as new awards or anything else that may help your candidacy.
  3. Wait for decision letters.

APRIL - MAY

  1. Keep your fingers crossed! You'll probably hear the decision some time this month.
  2. Once you have heard from your law school(s), it may help your decision if you visit the campuses one last time or look at the law school's placement records.
  3. After admission, carefully check deposit and notification deadlines. Out of consideration for fellow applicants, notify schools at which you no longer wish to be considered as soon as you have made a decision.

 

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATION!!!


Sept. '99 Course of Study Phi Alpha Delta
Pre-Law Advising Law School Ratings

Revised March 2004