This year is already becoming stressful and hectic as I try to balance my academics, a part-time job, and extracurricular activities. I missed an appointment with a tutor this morning, so I have been really depressed because I totally forgot. Usually I am on top of my schedule, but this week is going to be very busy. Anyway, I know many pre-law students may be facing the same situation--guess what? We will definitely get through this :) One of the most important things I must do is PRIORITIZE! Pretty simple, right? Not actually. The first step I need to take is writing a list of all the things I must complete this week, then arrange in the order of importance.Writing everything done is very helpful which makes my life much easier. Here is the hardest part, putting my plan into action and sticking with it. I guess this is one more thing I must learn to do.
Reward Time: When my schedules becomes hectic, I reward myself for completing assignments.
One thing I am definitely doing routinely is rewarding myself for hard work. Every time I complete an assignment, I treat myself to either a trip to the mall, dessert, a night out with friends---these have really helped to decrease stress.
*I highly recommend rewarding yourself for hard work especially if you have a busy schedule.*
Is anyone else having a very busy year? How are you coping with it and what are you doing to stay calm? What extracurricular activities are you involved in and how do you balance your schedule?
I found this timeline on About.com for students preparing for law school and I thought it would be helpful to follow. I hope this timeline helps! Remember to keep up-to-date on deadlines for law school's admissions and LSAT Exams.
Junior Year:
September
- View different catalogs and directories on Law schools (in print and online), such as The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools.
- Start establishing rapport with faculty.
- Prepare for the June LSAT.
- Gain experience in the field.
March
- Register for the June LSAT.
- Discuss your plans with a pre-law advisor.
- Create a list of faculty, who you wish to write letters of reference for you and start a file for letters of recommendation.
June
- Take the LSAT exam.
- Prepare a draft of your personal statement and have it reviewed by a pre-law advisor.
- Prepare a draft of your resume.
- Create a list of Law schools that you plan on applying to.
July-August
- Register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).
- Have your higher education transcripts sent to LSDAS.
- Request information packets from Law schools.
- Visit Law schools.
- If necessary, register and prepare for the October LSAT.
Senior Year:
September
- Order the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) catalog and application or complete an electronic version.
- Finish writing your personal statement.
- Update your resume.
- Ask faculty for letters of recommendation.
- Ask a professional acquaintance or employer for a reference. Provide employers with a sample reference.
- Request financial aid information.
- Continue to visit Law schools.
October
- If needed, take the October LSAT.
- Finalize your personal statement.
- Finalize your letters of recommendation.
- Complete the LSDAS report.
- Make sure all law school applications have been completed before mailed.
November
- Send completed applications to Law schools.
- Obtain applications for financial aid (federal, institutional, private), e.g. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
December
- Contact law schools to confirm the completion of your application.
- Relax and enjoy the holidays.
January
- Have an updated transcript (which includes your fall term) sent to law schools and LSDAS.
- Submit completed financial aid forms.
- Prepare for Interviews.
February - April
- Evaluate offers of acceptance.
- Evaluate financial aid offers.
- Submit an acceptance letter to the Law School of your choice.
- Submit rejection letters to the schools that you will not attend
