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Find Smart Ways to Reapply, Get Involved in Law School

By WTOP Staff

Welcome to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q-and-A, a monthly feature of Law Admissions Lowdown that provides admissions advice to readers who send in questions and law school admissions profiles.

If you have a question about law school, please email me for a chance to be featured next month. This week, I will address questions about the challenges candidates face when considering applying to law school the second time around, as well as activities to focus on once you get into your school.

[Determine the best time to apply to law school.]

Dear Shawn: I was wondering how law schools look at students who are applying for the second time. If I decide to reapply, should I avoid applying to the same school twice? -Second Chance

Dear Second Chance: In the past, I have discussed the fact that there is no problem with reapplying to law school.

Although reapplying to the same school is not a problem, you will certainly want to do an extensive retooling of all your materials so that the schools you reapply to can see that you are a different applicant from the one they rejected previously. In your new application, you will want to incorporate all the ways that your profile has changed since you applied previously, including additional job experience and academic work, be it undergraduate or graduate.

You should also have your recommenders rewrite their letters of recommendation. I also strongly encourage my clients who reapply to write an addendum that explicitly discusses all the aspects of your profile that have improved since you last applied. The key is to show schools that you are a different and better applicant than you were when they rejected you.

In addition to revamping your application materials, strongly consider retaking the LSAT if you believe you can get a higher score. Increasing your LSAT score by even just a few points is often the difference between acceptance and rejection, and schools that see a reapplicant with an improved LSAT score will certainly look more favorably on the second application than the first. -Shawn

[Learn three common reasons law school applications are rejected.]

Dear Shawn: I have a question regarding what else to get involved in outside of the classroom during my 1L year. Obviously clubs and the like are not too much of a time commitment, but I was wondering more about skills competitions, particularly alternative dispute resolution. Should I take advantage of this opportunity? If not, what are some other good activities to do? -Getting Involved

Dear Getting Involved: When considering extracurricular activities during your first, or 1L, year, the most important thing to remember is that your first-year grades are by far the most important factor in creating future opportunities, both as a 2L and 3L and in the beginning of your professional career.

The first thing I tell 1Ls to consider when choosing extracurricular activities, therefore, is the time commitment and whether participating will take too much time away from getting the best grades you can. Most students find time for both study and extracurricular activities, but make sure any activity you choose doesn’t burden you, especially toward the end of each semester, when you should be focusing exclusively on preparing for exams.

[Get seven tips to survive the first week of law school.]

As you mention in your question, most clubs and less formal activities tend to be less of a time commitment than competitions, so only commit to a competitive activity if you know that it won’t encroach on your study time.

Another important factor in choosing an extracurricular activity is how that activity fits into your larger career goals. If you hope to find a job that focuses on mediation or arbitration, doing an alternative dispute resolution skills competition makes a lot of sense. Employers who value that skill will look favorably on that part of your resume, and your experience participating in the competition will provide you with great talking points during interviews.

So, if the ADR competition doesn’t interfere with your exam preparation and it dovetails with your professional goals, it sounds like a great choice for an extracurricular activity. -Shawn

More from U.S. News

3 Common Reasons Law School Applications Get Rejected

Choose College Classes Wisely for a Well-Rounded Law School Application

Evaluate Pros, Cons of Gaining Work Experience Before Law School

Find Smart Ways to Reapply, Get Involved in Law School originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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