LAlogic (2022-2023)

A study in applying late to law school... Feb LSAT and all applications submitted between 2/2/2010 and 4/2/2010.

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT GOING TO LAW SCHOOL:

I'm older than the average kid going to law school (29). I spent time writing, producing films, stealing cars, and running bars and nightclubs between LA and Vegas for the last 7 years. I wrote about my experiences for my law school personal statement. I'm not a minority from an ethnic standpoint in the year 2010 (although I will be before my career in law ends, along with the rest of the world's caucasians). I do, however, represent more diversity to a law school class than 99% of applicants due to my life experiences and view of the world, though as I'll explain below, no one really cares. I'm headed to law school on the beautiful beaches of Malibu and will be continuing to live in my cozy four-bedroom, two-story townhouse in the Hollywood Hills. My fate could be much worse.

A couple important lessons from the law school application process for the rest of you:

1) Apply early. They like that. As you'll see above, I did not. I didn't even take the LSAT until February 2010, and my applications suffered as a result.

2) Be a minority. That sounds offensive initially, but the reality of the situation is that it's what schools, especially in California, are looking for, no matter what they say about other forms of diversity. Note the graphs on this site (USC's is perfect) and you'll see what I mean. Look at the profiles that were accepted with a 164 test score, for instance.

3) Be a nerd. Have good grades and good test scores (obviously), AND once you have those, DON'T TAKE TOO MANY CHANCES with your personal statement etc. The ONLY thing they use those additional materials for is to rule people out. They are looking for ways to whittle down their overwhelming numbers, not reasons to keep more people in the realm of consideration. I'm a very good example of this. My personal statement was risky, and as you can see it yielded less than spectacular results (at least from what I guess a traditional applicant's view to be).

4) Most importantly though, EVEN IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE ESTABLISHED CONVENTIONS, YOU CAN STILL GET THE JOB DONE. I actually found the right fit for me despite defying every rule about how to apply for law school. I stay in the city I want to be in (LA). I keep all my connections from 7 years of living here. I have one of the world's most beautiful beaches to study on. I'm already clerking for a criminal defense attorney who is giving me an opportunity to start law school with a bunch of experience under my belt, and who I'll probably go to work for immediately upon graduation. I get to be happy and do the things I want to do simultaneously.

Great Law School - check
Great Quality of Life - check
Awesome Job When I graduate - check
Never Having To Be a Miserable Corporate Prick In a Dungeon Office Making Somebody Else Millions By Reading For 20 Hours A Day - Check

Get what YOU want out of this process, not what they want you to get. Good luck.

Oh, and one last little side bar...
Loyola are you f'ing kidding me. I'm way above your 75th percentile, I went to a Jesuit high school AND the premiere
Catholic college in this country. Unfuckingbelievable. Guess I'll be in Malibu while you enjoy your smog and your silly, silly little admissions department.