i am taking lsat classes at kaplan, if you hav't started yet, i would recommend, do consider some better options available. kaplan classroom course is never recommended for lsat...powerscore and testmasters are way better.
do not worry about logic games. this is the area on lsat where maximum improvement is possible...and of course most interesting one....at beggining it seems to be the most difficult one but once you start learning techniques, results are often startling. if you are planning to start law school in fall 2007 and are not confidantly prepared,its pretty safe to take lsat in oct 2006.
try to take lsat only once....every law school has its own admission policy, but most of the high ranking schools average your score, no matter what.
....LOR, it depends on your background. if you are a fresh graduate, LORs are supposed to be from faculty, but if you have been out of school for a longer period of time, as in your case and mine too, it should better be from your employers. and yes, professional life experiences are always considered as very plus point by admission committee.
... good luck :)

I'm attending law school starting Fall of 2006......I'm having trouble choosing....many of the lower ranked schools will give you scholarships if you do well on the LSAT....some high ranked schools may also give you scholarships........as for me, I'm leaning towards Indiana University.....they're ranked pretty good.....and I live in Indiana and get residency.....Going to UCLA or USC will cost around $34,000 a year compared to about only $14,000 a year for an Indiana resident attending IU Law..........i'll let you know if things change......good luck

i would go to law school f/t. i honestly cannot imagine working full time and trying to balance law school.

when choosing a program, please look into the school's recruiting program. i go to howard--yes, it's a third tier school, but i do not know a single person in my class without a job right now. we had over 400 firms come interview us (and that's just the private sector!), primarily because these firms are trying to diversify themselves....but who the hell cares how you get a job?! if race is going to help me, i'm all for it! :)

i would not take the lsat too many times. as for recommendations, i had former employees--i graduated from undergrad 4 years before i decided to apply to law school, so i didn't have any contact with old professors, so i used former employees.

as for a recommended law school, i absolutely love howard. and the job placement numbers are phenomenal here. mashallah i have gotten a great job offer at a premier firm here in dc, and i will be working with students from harvard, yale, georgetown and all these other great schools....just remember--job placement is key!!

if you have any questions or would like to chat further about law school, i would be happy to speak with you!

good luck!

Thanks for the advice, Fantasyfairy! :) I study each and every single day for the LSATs hence I think I'll be alright by June insh'allah.

I would recommend attending law school F/T as it is very demanding. Also, only write the LSAT when you are completely ready. If you are not ready in June, repeat the prep course and write it next time!

Thanks, Shaque. Any bit of advice helps. I've been out of practice with exams...the last one I took was the GMAT in 2001 to get into the MBA program and that exam was tough as well (alot of math) but I did it and got my MBA also.

Now I kind of feel like I have to start from scratch now with law school but I think that isn't the case since I have a good handle on the reading comprehension stuff...it's these darned logic games questions that I am getting eeeeked out about a little bit *: I can't wait 'til my Kaplan course (it starts next month to help with LSAT prep) so that I can learn some good tips on how to handle these.

I hear there is an essay section as well even though it doesn't count. How tough is that to write?

Can you recommend some good schools for corporate law and employment law?

its hard to remember specific tips--but i think with respect to reading comprehension questions, it is wise to quickly skim over the questions they're asking before reading the passage so you can underline/mark up the passage for points that may be relevant when you get to the question part.

Shaque: So how did you do on the exam then, and how did you handle the issue of time constraints in terms of the logic games questions and reading comprehension questions?

the only tip for the LSAT i can offer is to do as many practice tests as possible--under simulated conditions (namely, keep yourself under the time restraints). time was my biggest challenge with the exam. that, and my pencils kept breaking:(

Attorney786: Immensely helpful advice! Thank you so very much. Do you happen to have tipcs re: how to study best for the LSATs? The exam is in early June and I am starting to study for the exam now and will be taking the Kaplan course next month to assist as well. How do you handle best the "logic games" on the LSAT? Also, do most schools have rolling admissions and/or Spring Semester start?

It depends on the school. Some do not accept recommendations and many don't put much weight on them at all. You've really got to get a feel for the requirements and preferences for each school you're applying to.

Also, I don't put much stock in school rankings at all. My school (Cooley Law School) is not ranked high at all, mostly because it is only 30 years old. But our grads regularly kick serious butt in the field because we have the toughest graduation requirements of any law school in the nation. Even the student who graduates dead last in his/her class at Cooley actually knows the law inside and out and has a better understanding of it than most other law grads.

If it is of any help at all, Cooley also has the first and only exclusively weekend-class law program. You can keep a full time job and work 5 days a week, attend classes only on the weekends, and still graduate in 4 years or less.

My understanding of the LSAT was that the first 3 times you take it, the new score replaces the previous score. After that, if you take it again they get averaged out. Then again, it's been a while since I took the LSAT.

When selecting a law school, look for support programs at the school. Does each department have mentors and tutors for their students? (i.e., does the constitutional law department have faculty available to help with problems in that topic?) What are there availability? Office hours? How involved is the career office? If you can, look for experienced professors who have been in the field at least 5-10 years prior to teaching.

Also, consider where you are looking to practice. Going to a law school that is local to the jurisdiction in which you plan to practice brings numerous and immense advantages.

Costs, financial aid availability, and housing (cost of living expenses) in the area are also huge factors. Some of the finanacial aid will be governement subsidized (Stafford), while others will be credit-based. Consider what you can do with these.

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me at your convenience.

Thank you! Any thoughts on those recommendation letters? Please heeeeellllllppppppp!

:)

i agree that taking the LSATs more than once doesnt help much. the scores get averaged and most people end up getting almost the same exact score. as far as ft vs. pt, i think thats up to you--and probably depends on your personal circumstances. if you can afford to, both time and money-wise, i think full time is probably more fun, but then i LOVE being a student! good luck! i'm sure you can't go wrong either way.

Jolie: Thanks so much for the advice. Re: recommendation letters, what if you have been out of school for a while (I've been out of undergrad since 1995) and have roughly 10 years of work experience, do law schools still want you to track down some professors? If so, I have no one to turn to. I can, however, get some good employer references. Please advise.

I am looking into Corporate Law or Employment Law. I have an MBA and have alot of human resources experience; I'm currently an HR Manager. Hence, either type of law would be great to do.

LSAT scores get averaged as far as I can remember. And honestly it's silly to take it twice b/c the numbers are so close together anyway that it most likely won't make a difference.

From all the materials I read about recommendation letters: get at least 1-2 professors and an employer is ok too.

If you are interested in litigation/ trial advocacy then come to my school (south texas) b/c it's #1 in the nation for that particular area.

I am a full time student but also know a few part timers-- it's totally upto you and what you can handle. In fact if you sign up for part time and don't work then that gives you extra time to study!