A very helpful blog for law students around the country based on fame writer Anna Ivey, this blog deals with a range of issues and situations that law schools students face from time to time, such as transferring to a new school, and how it can affect your credentials and standings.
What makes the blog unique
The great thing about some of the articles is that they really go into details on what and what not to do when transferring schools, and why you should do it. Other topics covered in the blog are how to deal with student loans, how your TOEFL test results could affect the choice of your school, and how your debt could determine whether or not you are fit to take the bar exam. Another neat thing about this blog is that it also accepts e-mails from readers as they post questions on the site while the author gladly gives her advice for everyone to see. The blog goes deep in context as it also has discussions on the current state of law schools as a whole, as can be read in an article entitled Are Law Schools Churning Out Too Many Lawyers? This entry asks the question whether or not law schools are producing too many lawyers to fit the demand, and how this massive influx of lawyers coming in year in and year out has greatly affected the competitiveness of the job market.
Areas for improvement
While this blog gets much praise in the writing department, it seriously needs a makeover on its layout. At first glance, it looks too plain to grab your attention. If you came across it by accident, you would be missing out on how informative and helpful the articles actually are because you probably would pay no attention to it. The only pictures you could find on the blog are the picture of Anna Ivey herself, and a shot of her book cover.
The Blawgraphy is a blog owned, written, and managed by Mr. Luke Gilman, a law student of the University of Houston Law Center. Mr. Gilman shares his different experiences, and likes and dislikes, which I’m sure most law students could relate to. The Blawgraphy also has different book reviews that are law-related, which Luke posts on his blog. Much of his reviews are focused on books that might fancy other law students as well.
What makes the blog unique
The writer really knows his target audience, as he stays on point with topics that would interest him and topics that involve law students not only in Houston but around the country as well. His review on David Dow’s Judicial Activism Makes America Great takes excerpts from the book as well as giving his points of view on the book. The blog also has linked videos attached to it which involve seminars from different individuals in the law industry. It also includes pictures that are related to each article. The layout is quite pleasing to the eye, and the links are spread out neatly on the left side of the blog, making it easy to navigate to other hot topics and previous posts.
Areas for improvement
Although his articles about his life in law school are interesting and amusing, they are too short. Each article feels like a summary of what he wants to say. It would have been nice if he had gone more into detail with his stories. Another area for improvement aside from the short, written articles is the links that take up more space on the blog than the articles do. A little more emphasis on the articles would have given the Blawgraphy a better standing.
The Legal Scholarship Blog is more of a bulletin board for different events, which are law-related. The blog features calls for papers, conferences, workshops, and more importantly, general resources for law scholarships.
What makes sets this blog apart from the others
What makes it a very credible blog is that it??s managed by the faculty and staff of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and The Gallagher Law Library of the University of Washington. As I further went through the blog, I was a bit surprised to find more posts about events and workshops, which are all law-related. What struck me were the few available resources for law scholarships. The heavy emphasis on workshops and seminars does not go well with its name, Legal Scholarship Blog. Someone who came across this blog looking for a source for legal scholarships would be disappointed to find the blog bombarded with announcements of events happening in other parts of the world.
When it comes to being a source of law-related seminars and workshops, the Legal Scholarship Blog has a quite impressive amount of events posted on the blog. From calls of papers from New York to all the way in India, this blog has it covered. Countless seminars and workshops across the country and the world would be helpful for any lawyer who comes across this blog. It also has a very wide range of seminars and workshops to choose from, divided by each different university that may be offering them.
The Law Tutors blog gives the much needed advice to pre-law, law, and bar students. Tons of advice and help are given to these people who are preparing for law school, studying law, or getting ready for a bar exam. They also offer one-on-one and small group tutorials to those who are interested. They also specialize in essay writing and other concerns for the bar exam.
What makes the blog unique
Anyone thinking about going to law school or taking the bar exam should check out this blog. There large number of articles are aimed at helping people choose their school, as well as what and what not to do before law school. There are also practical tips on what not to write about in essays for law school, and these are quite impressive. The entry What You Should Know Before Law School is an interesting piece as well.
If you do fall under this category, you will find that several of the articles posted on this blog will be very helpful to you. For those who are in law school, they also have articles directed toward them. Different advice on what to specialize in and how to study when in law school are given throughout the blog.
Areas for improvement
Although the blog has a good collection of articles on helping out students for law school and bar exams in general, the blog seems to be very lacking when it comes to visuals. Having some pictures or visual aids and media would have been a nice addition to this already great blog. Another thing is that since they do also offer tutorial classes, one might suspect that they might use this blog as a marketing scheme or a form of advertisement for their tutorial center.
A blog about the Center for Internet and Society, this blog talks mostly about technology and politics. It has a quite a number or writers, which they call their Central Processing Unit, as well as contributing writers, so the tones and topics of the articles have a wide range as well.
What makes the blog unique
What I noticed is the issue of health care in the United States is a recurring topic on the blog. The writer goes into different tones in approaching this issue, but stands firm on the belief that reform must be taken. In one of his stories entitled A red/blue dialogue on health care, he tells of how he had an argument with an old high school friend on the issue of health care reform. He being the liberal making his point to his conservative Republican friend, the story is worth reading as he puts in much passion in making his point. The other articles also dwell into other casual topics such as quizzes on Facebook and Walt Disney buying an overly priced issue of Spiderman. The range of topics covered are wide, and other articles are about law school, lawsuits, and cases which are connected to the Internet, such as libel cases on blogs, or harassment issues over social network sites like MySpace. The topics are written well in a casual yet informative tone.
Areas for improvement
While this blog has as a strong point in its well-written and informative articles, it lacks in the eye-candy department. The layout is quite okay, with limited pictures that accompany the articles. Navigation through the blog is quite okay, and the articles are arranged in such a way for easy access, with a search button located on the upper right section of the blog. The only thing I found lacking in this great blog was a set of great-looking pictures to go with the already interesting articles.
They say that good law school essays are thought-provoking. However, by writing in this manner, there’s also the risk of putting off your readers. This could happen if you are not careful in stating your opinion on your essay. Although your personal statement should reveal your thoughts, ideas, and emotions, you still have to strive harder to make your essay objective and acceptable to everyone. Below are some things you can consider to make your law school essay acceptable to all.
Be sensitive to the opinion of your readers
It is true that the personal statement is about you. But you should not be so tactless to disregard the opinion of your readers when writing your essay. Being sensitive to the opinion of your readers would prevent any negative reaction from your readers. This would also give an impression that you are considerate, mature, and objective because you already know how to curb your thoughts and emotions.
Don’t use offensive remarks
Using offensive remarks on your law school admissions essay is a no-no. Doing this would only show your immaturity. You have to show the admissions committee that you are sensitive and mature enough to know what are the things that could hurt other people. Also be sure to back up any claim with supporting details.
Be careful with word choice
Your choice of words is a very important factor that would make or break your law school application. Your word choice would determine your sensitivity to the feelings of other people. As much as possible, choose neutral words. You also have to make sure that the phrases are not prone to misinterpretation. Take note of proper diction. Be personal but still retain a sense of formality. Focus on clarity of thoughts and ideas, instead of the urge to impress readers.
Related links:
Law School Curriculum – Things you need to know about law school
Financing Your Education – About financing your law school education
Time Management – The importance of time management skills in law school
Admission Essay Tips – More tips on admission essay writing
Law School Admission – Guide to law school admission
As you probably already know, the personal statement is one of the most important requirements in your application package for law school. For many, the personal statement is what will make the difference between getting accepted or rejected by the admissions committee. For this reason, it’s important to write an excellent essay. If you are stuck or unsure about how to go about writing your personal statement for law school, then you may be tempted to purchase a ready-to-submit essay from the Internet or any other source. Before you do that, though, you should be aware that there are numerous dangers involved with purchasing a ready-made personal statement for law school. Read on to learn more.
Trends regarding sites that sell ready-to-submit essays
In recent years, essay-writing and editing services have experienced an increase in demand. More people are looking for help with their essays, including personal statements and admission essays. Today, anyone can go online and find a website offering to help you with composing and editing your personal statement. Most of these websites offer samples of some of the essays that they have written, so customers can see the quality of the end product. While these samples may be free, essay-writing and editing services usually come at a premium. Sometimes, the cost to compose and edit your essay can reach hundreds of dollars, because the writers will try to compose the essay using the personal information that you give them. In other cases, some websites sell essays that are already completed and ready for submission, but the essay may not be based on your own information.
Dangers of buying ready-to-submit essays
As mentioned above, there are many dangers that are involved with buying ready-to-submit essays. The first and most obvious danger is that the admissions committee may find out that your personal statement wasn’t actually written by you. This may lead to your rejection from the law school or, if the essay is plagiarized, you may even get punished under law. Another danger is that, even if the writers make use of your personal information, the essay may not say much about who you are, what your personality is like, and what makes you a good candidate for the school. One danger that many people tend to overlook when purchasing ready-to-submit essays is that they are giving their personal information to complete strangers. You may reveal information about who you are, where you live, your academic and career background, and much more. As a result, you may be putting your own privacy on the line. To avoid these dangers, it would be best to get such services from reputable and reliable websites that are willing to work together with you to come up with an original, compelling, and personal admission essay for law school.
Tips in coming up with an original essay
Your best bet when it comes to writing an excellent personal statement is to write an original essay. While online writing and editing companies can help you with this, you may want to forgo the thought and just compose your own essay. Here are some helpful tips for coming up with an original essay:
- Take time to reflect on your life. Part of writing an original essay that is persuasive, interesting, and compelling is about making deep connections between your character and the events in your life that have helped shape that character.
- Remember that many law schools are looking for diversity in their students and the student body as a whole. Think of the things about you that make you unique such as personal experiences or your general background. Use these to express why you would make a good addition to the school and why you would make a good lawyer.
- Finally, the best tip for coming up with an original personal statement is simply to be yourself.
Discussing in Your Personal Statement Law School How Setting Up a School Organization Has Helped You Develop Skills
Showing how responsible and reliable you are in your personal statement can give you more chances of getting admissions to a prestigious law school. There are actually various ways to show your potential in your personal statement law school. One of these is by talking about the activities you have done in the past that highlight your leadership potential and your sense of responsibility and commitment.
Why discussing in your essay how you set up an organization is an excellent idea
Setting up an organization shows that you have what it takes to be a good leader and a responsible team member. Aside from showing off your best points, talking about how you set up an organization will also give you the chance to talk about the challenges you have faced, the lessons you have learned, and the skills you have acquired when you started your own organization. Talking about these things will give the impression that you have already faced various hurdles and that you already have developed the potential that would help you survive and find success in law school.
What to include in your personal statement for law school
Because an admissions essay should not be too long, you only have to focus on the topic of setting up organization. It is not necessary that you talk excessively about the organization. Rather, concentrate on the obstacles that you have endured and what you did in order to hurdle these obstacles. You also have to discuss the potentials that you have developed that you think would be important in the career that you want to pursue.
What to avoid in you personal statement
When writing your essay, you also have to be aware of the things that you should avoid. One of these is to keep away from saying your skills directly. This may give the admissions committee an impression that you are bragging. Instead of saying it outright, why not give an example of a situation in which you have exhibited your skills? You also have to avoid focusing on the organization you set up. Always remember that the personal statement is still about you, and your organization is only included in order to put you in a positive light. So you have to make sure that your topic on organization does not monopolize your whole essay. Another no-no in a personal statement is trying to be very humorous. Although humor can be a very effective ingredient in making an excellent essay, if you are not adept in using it, better avoid it.
Who can help you in your essay
To help you with your essay, you can ask your professors to read it and make suggestions. You can also approach your team members in the organization to help you brainstorm for the theme if you haven’t started your essay yet. Just remember to be honest in writing about yourself because the admissions committee can surely see through your lies. And one more thing you should not forget is never to submit an admission essay to law school without having a pre-law advisor read and critique it.
Photo Credit : Alicia Nijdam
Top 5 Law School Movies That Made You Want to Pursue Law and Come up with a Winning Personal Statement Law School
There is always an inspiration behind every passion. Whether it is for the creation of an artistic masterpiece or for the pursuit of knowledge, there is a thing that ignites one’s urge. If you are an aspiring law student, you can have better chances of obtaining admissions to a prestigious law school if you show this passion and inspiration on your personal statement law school. If you haven’t thought of a topic for admissions essay, why not try writing about what inspired you to pursue a career in law? To grab the attention of the admissions committee, you can talk about interesting things such as the top five law school movies that inspired you to study law. If you haven’t seen such inspiring movies, then consider these top five films about law school.
Top five films that can inspire you to attend law school
Cinematography is not just the only criteria that you should use in rating a law school movie. Another important consideration is the statement that the film has to say about law and justice. The film should say something enduring and inspiring.
One of the films that meet this standard is the 1959 film “Anatomy of the Murder”. This film is based on the novel of Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker. The film raises many legal issues concerning trial practice and ethics.
Next in the list is “To Kill a Mockingbird”,which is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee. The story revolves around the trial of a black man for the crime which he is not responsible for. The film is set against the backdrop of pre-civil rights era. In this film, the character of Atticus Finch is really inspiring. He is a lawyer who made personal sacrifices for the sake of justice.
The “Judges at Nuremberg” is also one of the best movies about law. This film is basically about the judges and the clashing of their philosophies and principles. The setting of the movie is 1948 Germany.
“The Paper Chase” is also an excellent law school movie. This film shows a law school student’s struggle to survive the very competitive academic environment.
The film “The Great Debaters” is also a great movie. This is about a group of black students who were inspired by their professor to fight the racist Jim Crow laws through the power of words.
How to write about these movies in your personal statement
You have to keep in mind that your personal statement should not be too long. When you use these movies as your theme, there is no need to write everything about them. After all, it is not a movie review that you are going to write, but an essay about yourself. So you only have to include the most important lessons you have learned from these films. Writing about how these films inspired you to study law is also an effective way to capture the attention of the admissions committee.
Photo Credit : Jesse Michael Nix
The Marshall-Wythe School of Law, or more commonly called the William & Mary Law School, was founded in 1779 by Thomas Jefferson and is the oldest existing law school in the US. Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, the W&M Law School is part of the College of William & Mary, which is the second oldest college in the US next to Harvard University. W&M Law is a public university listed among the top 30 law schools in the US, with their list of notable programs including the Institution of Bill of Rights Law, Election Law Program, and the Human Rights and National Security Law Program. More detailed information about the school’s program offerings, as well as their application procedures, can be found at the school’s website and admissions page.
Columbia Law School is one of the graduate schools of the Ivy League member institution, Columbia University. Columbia Law is located in New York City and is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious law schools in the US. The school has a highly selective and competitive admissions process, and has produced lawyers who have become senators and congressmen, successful businessmen, diplomats and ambassadors, and even former US presidents, such as Franklin Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt. Columbia Law is known for its specialty in intellectual property, international law, and corporate law. To know more about the school’s programs, curricula, and admissions requirements, you can visit their official website at www.law.columbia.edu/ and their admissions page.
Established in 1887 and located in Ithaca, New York, Cornell Law School is one of the graduate schools of Cornell University, and is one of the five renowned Ivy League law schools. Cornell Law offers a wide variety of law degrees and programs, such as JD-MBA, JD-Masters in Global Business Law, LL.M, and JSD. The school’s program offerings include Clarke Program in East Asian Law and Culture, International Human Rights Clinic, Public Interest, International and Comparative Law Program, and an extensive Externships program. Application competition is tough in Cornell Law, so you might want to do your research on the institution by logging on to their official website at www.lawschool.cornell.edu and the school’s admissions page.
