Skip to main content

Maximize Summer Courses for Law School Recommendations

By U.S. News & World Report

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

If you have a question, email us for a chance to be featured next month.

[Get more tips on applying to law school.]

This week, I will discuss considerations when requesting letters of recommendation from summer school professors. I will also address tips for applicants with science, technology, engineering and mathematics — STEM — backgrounds.

I will be applying to law school this September and I would like some advice. During my first year of university, I took my mandatory courses (100–1,000-student lectures); as a result of this, there were rarely opportunities to participate and have the professors notice me.

I took summer school for the purpose of fast-tracking my degree — it runs from May–July — and I am working on building a relationship with the professors in summer school. I took small seminar courses for the purpose of having the professors notice me. I preferably need two academic letters of recommendation for September.

Would it be acceptable to ask a couple of my summer school professors for a letter of recommendation even though they do not know me well? Are they used to such requests? How should I approach this? I do believe they like me, but as mentioned they have only known me for approximately three weeks. Also, is there any guideline for length of recommendation letters? –Summer School

Dear Summer School: D istinguishing yourself in a larger lecture course can be challenging. A letter from th at professor may not be strong, since recommenders need to be able to personalize their letters to highlight your academic accomplishments and your individual contributions.

Taking smaller seminars create s opportunities to develop relationships with your professors. The noted challenge of a summer school course is that your professors may not feel they have known you long enough to draft a strong enough recommendation. But here are some tips that will help you.

[Learn three tips for managing law school recommendations.]

First, dive into the intensive summer school experience. Make sure to show up daily prepared to engage in the material.

Go beyond the course requirements. Talk to professors before and after class , visit during office hours , ask about research opportunities or extra credit assignments. Show that you are genuinely engaged with the materials.

Next, wait until you receive your final grade before requesting the recommendation. That way, you can highlight your success in the class as evidence that the professor is in a position to write you a strong recommendation. Explaining how the class has prepared you for law school can also predispose your professor toward granting your request.

Finally, continue to nurture your relationship with the professor following the course. Consider submitting your law school applications in October or early November to give you and the professors more time to get to know each other.

A letter of recommendation should contain detailed, concrete evidence of your academic strengths in one to two single-spaced pages.

I completed a Master of Science in biotechnology this year, and I want to shift into intellectual property law, hence I will be taking my LSAT this September and applying to law schools for the fall 2018 term.

I’ve listed out a few of the questions I had regarding this: 1. Is it necessary for me to have prior knowledge about law in order to apply, or is it okay that I am from a STEM background? 2. What is, on average, the minimum GPA required by top law schools? 3. Should I apply to law schools that have an overall higher ranking or those that are specifically known to be good for patent law? –Prospective Patent J.D.

Dear Prospective Patent J.D.: Unlike other graduate degree programs, you don’t need prior knowledge about the law to apply to law school. In fact, law schools welcome applicants from diverse fields of study.

That said, your graduate work will be considered an asset and boost your law school applications. Employers in the intellectual property field will also value this.

[Read about three challenges for law school applicants with STEM degrees.]

Highlight your STEM background in your law school personal s tatement and explain how that knowledge connects to your law interest.

Top law schools don’t have a strict minimum GPA requirement. Review median LSAT/undergraduate GPA scores online or compare your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score with those of past admitted students.

While your master’s degree grades will not be calculated into your cumulative undergraduate GPA in your law school report, you must submit those transcripts. Your graduate performance will distinguish you from peers.

Finally, consider how each program will help you achieve your career goals. If you know you want to become a patent attorney, research schools with strong IP programming. Don’t completely disregard overall rank, but open yourself to programs that may have competitive IP programming.

P ay attention to other resources , too. S ome schools have an entire department devoted to the study of issues with patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets , such as Texas A&M University‘s Center for Law and Intellectual Property. Clinical work and externship opportunities are also worth considering.

When building your list of schools, think about how you envision practicing , since the programs vary in their areas of focus.

More from U.S. News

Benefits, Drawbacks of Law School 1L Prep Courses

3 Answers About Law School Applications for June LSAT Test-Takers

3 Daily Activities to Improve LSAT Score

Maximize Summer Courses for Law School Recommendations 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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote