Law school admissions consulting is a great way to strengthen your chances of acceptance and gain skills you will use long after you are accepted to your top-choice law school program. But does everyone need law school admissions consulting to get in? Not every student hires a consultant and some students choose to go through the rigorous law school admissions process alone. But there is no doubt that every single applicant can benefit from one-on-one law school admissions consulting. Why? Well, in this article, we will discuss what law school admissions consulting is and what it does, and how it can be your competitive edge among thousands of other applicants. Finally, we will answer whether you really need law school admissions consulting. Read on to learn more!
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How Hard is the Law School Admissions Process?
Law school acceptance rates are notoriously competitive, and many students seek outside help to increase their chances of success.
There are nearly 200 law schools in the US alone and on average, law school acceptance rates are sitting at 45%. However, in well-regarded, more competitive law schools, such as Harvard Law School or Yale Law School, the acceptance rate drops to under 20%. For prestigious top-tier schools, the acceptance rate is under 10% and sometimes even under 5%.
For law schools in Canada, the competition is just as fierce. If you’re thinking of applying to the University of Alberta law school, for example, the acceptance rate is typically around 15%. Law schools in Ontario are just as competitive. Osgoode Hall law school has an acceptance rate of just over 10%. The University of Toronto law school has an acceptance rate of about 8%.
This should give you a rough idea of how competitive law school admissions process is and that you need to do something extraordinary to get accepted; whether you’re a first-time applicant, or a reapplicant, making your application absolutely shine is critical, but can be difficult to do alone. That’s why we offer law school admissions consulting:
I just had my first session with Kethlyn Africa and can whole heartedly endorse her guidance! As a reapplicant to law school, she immediately provided suggestions for improvement on my previous personal statements and the means by which to accomplish said improvements. By focusing on the content and the structure, I have a new understanding of what is required of me and a new faith in my personal statement.” – Oliver, Former BeMo student.
And there is another huge hurdle that law school applicants face - different law school requirements. Most law school applicants apply to 8-10 law schools, each of which has their own requirements. This means that you are preparing 8-10 applications even if you are using unified application systems like the Ontario Law School Application Service (OSLAS) or the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Not only will you need to make sure that every single application component is of outstanding quality, but you will also need to communicate effectively with every school and keep up with each school's deadlines.
All in all, it's safe to say that the law school admissions process is very challenging and competitive. Every student has his/her own strengths and weaknesses: some find the law school admissions essays incredibly challenging, some find the LSAT impossible, some freeze during a law school interview, and so on and so forth. Our admissions expert Aaron Schulze and Tyler Chiasson share their most challenging experience when applying to law school:
“I took the last administration of the LSAT for my application cycle. Because my scores were reported later after I had already submitted my applications, I missed early decisions. Also, one of the most challenging aspects of the application process was all the fees. I wanted to apply to quite a few programs, but each application costs from $75 to $100. To a broke college kid, it added up.” – Aaron Schulze, JD, University of Texas School of Law
"Studying for and writing the LSAT is the hardest part in my opinion. It is the biggest barrier to entry and requires the most time and effort. A low LSAT score will make some schools inaccessible to you.” – Tyler Chiasson, JD, Schulich School of Law
As you can see, everyone has their own challenges. This is why many students reach out to law school admissions consulting for expert advice and guidance on how to overcome these challenges.
What is Law School Admissions Consulting?
The purpose of law school admissions consulting or a law school advisor is to guide you throughout the entire law school admissions process and make sure that you get accepted to your chosen law schools. They are there with you every step of the way, from gathering your transcripts to writing your personal statement, to replying to your admissions offer!
“I had an application strategy meeting with Joseph Narusis to go over what to write for my personal statement and other supplemental documents for law school. Joe was supportive and attentive and have a lot of good advice on what to specifically write about, such which unique skills to focus the essay on and to look out for the school's mission statement for more guidance on what topics to write about. He was very patient answering additional questions I had about the BeMo program as well. Overall, I felt a lot more confident on what to write!” – Former BeMo Student.
The admissions process is lengthy, complex, and competitive. Law admissions consultants can provide invaluable tools and skills you will need during the admissions process and beyond, such as communication, writing, interviewing, self-reflection, and critical thinking.
Many law school admissions consultants are former admissions officers from top law schools, so they’ll know the admissions process inside and out, and more importantly, they’ll know what school admissions committees are looking for in their candidates Essentially, law school advisors have inside knowledge of the admissions process, failproof application and interview strategies, and experience as working lawyers so they can provide you with the full picture of this career path. Many of our current and former students find this particularly beneficial!
“My experience with Phoebe G. was amazing. I was so thankful to receive feedback from a lawyer who practices in clinical law. From her background, she has tested me and "nit-picked" on all the areas I can approve in. Furthermore, I am assured that her comments of what I am doing well is genuine based upon her career experiences.” – Justin, Former BeMo Student.
Law school admissions consultants offer personalized guidance in crafting your application. They’ll show you how to create a customized admission timeline and personalized strategy to be your guiding plan. They’ll also provide you with tips on how to study for the LSAT, coach you on writing admissions essays like law school optional essays or law school personal statements and any other part of the admissions process, including options in case of waitlisting or rejection.
One final note about the role of a law school consultant: they do not do you job for you. Law school consultants are there to support you and teach you important skills that you can use long after you are accepted to law school.
How Can Law School Admissions Consulting Help You?
There are many advantages to seeking the aid of a law school admissions consultant:
#1 Finding the Right Law School
Firstly, admissions consultants can go over with you which schools may be the best fit for your personal and academic needs, rather than just choosing the easiest law schools to get into. Narrowing down your list of potential law schools with a consultant to the ones you have the best chance of being accepted to can streamline the admissions process and save you a lot of time and money.. They are experts at doing this because they have done this themselves when they applied to law school:
" I spent a considerable amount of time researching and finding all the metrics (i.e., average GPA, average LSAT, extracurriculars, etc.) for the schools I was interested in.” – Aaron Schulze, JD, University of Texas School of Law
“I did research on what LSAT score was competitive at the different schools [when I applied].” – Tyler Chiasson, JD, Schulich School of Law
As our admissions expert Aaron Schulze already mentioned, applications are time consuming and expensive (and, not to mention stressful) so having an expert in your corner is definitely helpful:
“The feedback on my school selection list was great. It made me see my weak and strong points based on each school requirements. Thanks so much.” – Former BeMo Student.
Admissions consultants have the inside knowledge to help you find out what admissions committees are looking for and how to wow them. If your goal is to get into very competitive law schools, like Columbia Law or Stanford Law, a law school admissions consultant is a great idea, since your application will need to be very impressive.
#2 Expert Admissions Advice and Guidance
Many law school admissions consultants have been members of law school admissions boards, so they really have inside knowledge of the process and how students can stand out. Based on your grades and LSAT score, your skills, law school extracurriculars, interests and personality, a consultant will help you create an application strategy. For example, they'll help you brainstorm how to start your law school personal statement to capture the readers' attention; or advise whether you should submit optional essays like the law school diversity statement.
“Matthew helped me brainstorm ideas for several diversity prompts, helped me understand the different components necessary in my answer to a secondary essay. It was very helpful that he broke down everything to key bullet points, which makes it easier for me to keep track of when writing my essay.” – Nazanin, Former BeMo Student
Your law school admissions consultant can also provide insight as to what you can do to get into law school with a low GPA; or suggest whether you should apply to law schools that don't require the LSAT if your score is too low.
Would you like to see examples of law school personal statements that got accepted? Check this out:
#3 Professional Application Review
There are many moving parts and components in a law school application that are quite challenging, such as the law school resume or law school letter of intent. Most of these components require strong critical thinking skills, organization and time management skills, as well as superb communication skills. If you want help developing these qualities, you will benefit from working with a consultant. They’ll know the latest law school admissions essay topics or can provide you with some law school essay prompts so you can start drafting your submissions early. They will know exactly what experiences to note in your essays so you can stand out, and they’ll know what specific attributes and experiences schools are looking for:
“I had a prep session today with Kendra Martel, an excellent expert of BeMo. She did a great job to help me understand what Law schools are looking for in personal statements. We were able to organize my thoughts and put them down in a way that would is coherent.” – Harjass Kaur, Former BeMo Student.
The truth is that the written application components can often be the best way to stand out in the application review stage of the admissions process. In order to remain competitive with thousands of other students, many with better grades, you need to find a way to stand out - the essay and resume can really be that place for you.
Most importantly, a law school admissions consultant will help you avoid re-application. You can learn from their mistakes and they will share their personal advice on how to make your application better. Here’s what our expert Tyler Chiasson shares about his regrets about applying to law school:
"I would get hands-on work in a law firm environment by interning as an assistant or something similar. Most applicants don’t seem to do this so being able to show actual, directly law-related experience would be a huge asset. It also helps prepare for law practice more than law school will – law school does very little to prepare lawyers for actual practice so the earlier you can get exposure to that, the better.” – Tyler Chiasson, JD, Schulich School of Law
Reapplying to law schools is expensive and time-consuming, so it’s best to get in on the first try!
#4 LSAT Test Prep
The LSAT is a big challenge. As you could see from our admissions experts Aaron and Tyler, the LSAT was a huge hurdle for them.
“My GPA and LSAT got me most of my acceptances, so I’d say yes, [the LSAT is super important to most schools]. I was accepted to University of Toronto (generally the hardest law school in Canada to get into) and the acceptance letter mentioned my superior academic record was the main reason for this.” – Tyler Chiasson, JD, Schulich School of Law
Law school admissions consultants offer personalized tutoring for the LSAT for students, as well as advice on how to study for the LSAT and tips on choosing the right LSAT test date. Law school admissions consultants usually have additional study resources for students, too, such as practice exams and practice LSAT questions. If you prefer group courses to one-on-one consultations, law school advisors will know of useful LSAT prep courses you can take to make sure you're ready for this challenging test. They can help you get organized and feel more confident about your LSAT prep:
“My expert was Shiti Malhotra, and she was the sweetest, most helpful mentor so far! She was knowledgeable, and friendly and was able to help streamline my LSAT prep process.” – Former BeMo Student.
If you're looking to skip the LSAT altogether, a law school advisor can point you in the direction of any law schools that don't require the LSAT.
Looking for some LSAT study advice? We've got you covered:
#5 Interview Prep
Along with application review and test preparation, admissions consultants give guidance on how to prepare for a law school interview. This is perhaps one of the most nerve-racking aspects of the law school admissions journey, but also one of the most important ones.
For many, interview skills are not inborn, and because of this most students are never certain whether they are ready for the law school interview questions they'll face on the day of their interview. But if you use the help of a law school admissions consultant, you will be certain that you are ready. The job of a law school consultant is not to let you interview until you are absolutely, 100% ready. We’ve heard a lot of success stories from students who weren’t natural-born interviewers (like most of us), but managed to succeed with the help of our consultants!:
“From being a nervous wreck and having a shaky voice in the 1st session to being confident and ready to take on any interview question. I would like to credit BeMo. Dr Joseph added a complimentary session to go over all my questions for feedback. He gave me detailed strategies and also some quick pointers for easy memory recall. We brainstormed different approaches to present myself in the best possible way as the most suitable candidate. I am now very excited for the interview and I can’t wait to share my success story!” – SK, Former BeMo Student.
By using mock law school interviews and giving personalized feedback, the consultant will help you hone the right interview question strategies and appropriate interview behavior.
#6 Help with Financial Aid Applications
With law school tuition being so expensive, particularly at top schools, a consultant can help you decide which programs also fit your budget, and they can help walk you through financial aid options as well.
How to Find the Best Law School Admissions Consulting Service
Every student's journey is unique and every student has their own strengths and weaknesses. No matter what you hope to take away from working with a consultant, we recommend you follow the steps below:
Do Your Research
Start by reviewing available options. There are thousands of law school admissions consulting services. Some are holistic, while others focus on one portion of the application process, like the LSAT. Identify the services you need and most importantly, make sure they provide one-on-one personalized help and feedback. You do not want your consultant to provide group sessions – do not waste your time with general advice – and do not waste your time if you feel you and your consultant do not ‘mesh’ well. You’re paying for their service, so the entire experience should be valuable, comfortable, professional and worthy of your time. You should leave your sessions feeling good about your prospective future in law school, just like our current and former students do:
“Today I had a brainstorming session with Nirusan Rajakulendran. I already had a draft of my personal statement written up and he was very respectful in offering suggestions to improve my writing. I’m a bit shy when it comes to sharing vulnerable experiences, but he made me feel very comfortable and clearly explained the structure of a personal statement and made sure to ask if I understood every time he brought up a new concept. I really appreciated his patience and his ability to quickly provide me with examples of how I could transition from one experience to the next. I would highly recommend him to any pre-law student looking for guidance.” – Jeannette, Former BeMo Student.
Read Reviews
After you find some services that appeal to you, check out their reviews and students’ feedback. Make sure to review verified feedback. Find out how the services helped students in the past and whether the students express satisfaction with the help they got. Make sure the service has proven tack record of success. Take a look at a few of our reviews here:
“Fortunately, I was paired with Hanlin Liu for the interview panel session. Dr. Liu was a great educator who showed me how to apply the structure of BeMo's system. He helped me to destress, show confidence, and give instructions on how to be better. Hanlin Liu also offered a brainstorming session to help flush out some of my answers that needed work. I appreciate my session with Hanlin Liu and hope many other clients work with him and BeMo to follow their goals and dreams in the future.” – Abraham, BeMo student
“I had an amazing experience with BeMo. Apart from the fact that they had a flexible program that was tailored to my needs, the instructors were awesome… I would encourage others to try BeMo.” – Collette, BeMo student
“Hi, I'm Edmund and I had an onboarding session with Tyler Chiasson… Thank you BeMo Academic Consulting and like I said from my orientation session, I'm ready to work this out with your team and get the best results... I thank you once again.” – Edmund, BeMo student
Set Up a Free Consultation
Law school admissions consulting services should offer free strategy calls or free first consultations if they are legitimate. Take advantage of these calls to learn more about the service and how it can help you get accepted. Here’s how we help students in their free initial consultations:
“I recently did a mock interview with BeMo, right from the free consult I felt that this company truly cares about your success. My interview was planned and tailored to my academic program. I found the feedback was the most valuable as my interviewer (Kyle) picked up on things and gave explicit pointers on where to focus as I prepare for my upcoming interview! I am already feeling more confident and relaxed.” – Danielle, BeMo student
Can Law School Admissions Consulting Help Me Get Accepted?
The job of a law school consultant is to make sure you get in on your first try. They will work hard to make sure that you stand out as an applicant. Here's a quick look at how a law school admissions consulting service can help you stand out in a crowd of qualified applicants:
FAQs
1. What is law school admissions consulting?
Law school admissions consulting is a service which helps prepare students for law school with a comprehensive, personalized approach to admissions planning and strategy.
2. Do I need law school admissions consulting?
Not every student chooses to use law school admissions consulting. Students can still be successful in applying to law school without it, though some students find it is beneficial to them in the competitive law school admissions environment.
3. How competitive is law school admission?
Law school is famously competitive and difficult to gain acceptance to. On average, law schools in the U.S. accept only 45% of their applicants every year.
4. I need help with my LSAT preparation. Where can I find it?
Students often consult with tutors who specialize in LSAT preparation, but law school admissions consultants sometimes offer this service as part of their regular packages, too.
5. What do law school admissions consultants help students with?
Law school admissions consultants help students with not only choosing the right law school and area of law to study, they offer help with professional skill development, admissions essays, personal statement writing and sometimes LSAT test prep and more.
6. Does being a minority help with law school admission?
In general, statistics show that being an under-represented minority can help push your law school application to the top.
7. Can I contact law school admissions if I’ve been waitlisted?
It is acceptable to contact the admissions staff at your choice of law school if you have a question about your application. Just remember that law schools are inundated with applications and not to call or email every day asking for updates.
8. How soon should I start the law school admissions process?
As soon as possible. Start your admissions process early to give yourself as much time to prepare as you can, as it can be a long and complex process.
9. I have high LSAT scores. Should I hire a law school admissions consultant?
Law schools typically regard high test scores and GPAs more favorably than a well-written admissions essay or law school personal statement. However, it is your decision whether you feel you want some extra help with your application from a law school admissions consultant for other sections of your application.
10. Is hiring a law school admissions consultant expensive?
Law school admissions consultant services can be expensive, ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on the services offered. Some consultants work only with students applying to top 10 law schools, and therefore charge significantly more.
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1 Comments
Hayden Young
I am starting to apply to Law Schools and have my personal statement written but would like to have it revised and looked at, I would also be interested in doing anything else to help me get accepted-only applying to schools that accept the GRE.
Reply