Applying for Aid Step by Step provides a time line and to-do list for applying to federal aid and institutional aid for law school. It’s important to complete Fafsa and review the law school Web sites, and file your tax return as soon as possible after January 1st. Please review LSAC’s link to get a fully comprehensive list of things to be mindful as of right now.
It’s that time of year when Dean Certifications start coming in in droves but are actually quite soon to their deadline. As I’ve been posting throughout this past semester, you need to get these things in early so there is time to process them - waiting until the last minute and expecting us to have a turn-around time of a day and overnighting them is not a possibility (we will, however, fax them if the law school permits faxes. It’s your responsibility to acquire that fax number). It takes time to process them - so please, please please, get them in now if you haven’t already! Also, complete the instructions found here and print out the release form. It’s fine if your personal statement and resume are not ready - you can simply complete the form and provide the dean cert forms and we’ll take it from there. Processing time can take up to two weeks (and certainly cannot be guaranteed to be sent out within that time frame) as offices are heavily taxed with completing official forms and searching records.
I have a book in my office that might be useful to you. It’s last year’s edition, so it can’t be taken as “gospel” but it should be helpful in finding any sort of listing of law school you’d be looking for. Want to know what law schools have an intellectual property law program? Want to know what schools have clinical programs? Student Organizations? Scholarships? On-Campus Housing? Very importantly, a list of schools requiring Dean’s Certifications? This book has a list for pretty much everything. Stop on by at 108 Norton Hall if you’d like to look something up and look for the “Law School Lists” book.
University at Buffalo has a Pre-Law Listserv. The Pre-Law Advisor will post relevant topics every few weeks, including reminders of upcoming workshops and other events. To join, please click on the following link, and type PRE-LAW-UPDATES-LIST in the box.
http://listserv.buffalo.edu/user/sub.shtml
Hello everyone and welcome back! Hope you’re excited about the new semester! I wanted to mention a few Pre-Law related things and some other matters of interest to undergraduate students at UB.
First of all, take a look at the workshops offered this semester. Pre-Law workshop listing can be found at http://prelaw.buffalo.edu/workshops. Please note the upcoming UB Law School Informational session for February 13th. If you are interested, please RSVP to me by February 10th. If you are interested in a general overview of what Pre-Law is all about, nothing is better than the Law School Application Process workshop on February 20th. For those of you who are looking to write your Personal Statement for your law school applications, Perfecting the Law School Personal Statement workshop, taught by Professor Charles Carr of the UB Law School, is a wonderful start. There are two sessions of these available, on March 5th and March 26th.
You can register for these workshops, as well as find other workshops of interest to you, by going over to http://workshops.buffalo.edu.
Also please note the KAPLAN workshops listed for this semester. They have a Test Strategy session this upcoming January 28th, and an LSAT Practice Test on February 16th. If you are interested in learning more about their services or finding out about other Pre-Law related events, you can contact them at (716) 636-1882 or stop by Suite 201 in The Commons.
“Managing your Academic Plan”, “Time Management”, “Study Skills”, “Financial Aid information”, and “Choosing a Major” are just some of the workshop topics offered by Student Advising Services this semester. Strong study habits lead to a healthy GPA, which is critical for success in your applications to law schools. (More about these workshops can be found at http://sas.buffalo.edu/workshops/)
Please tune-in to the Pre-Law Web site regularly for Pre-Law information (http://prelaw.buffalo.edu). Also, please take advantage of the helpful information found in the Student Guide categories. You can also use the IM window found on that page to contact me about a quick question you might have, or follow the contact information to make an appointment.
Career Services is another very important resource on campus (http://ub-careers.buffalo.edu). Wayne Porterfield in Career Services can help Pre-Law students learn more about careers in law, can help with resume questions, and much more. Please visit their Web site to find out how to best contact Wayne.
A great way to stay up-to-date on Academic Advisement information is the ever helpful Be Advised Newsletter (http://advising.buffalo.edu/beadvised/). Learn about important academic advisement dates and deadlines, helpful reminders about upcoming workshops, and other highly-relevant information (up there right now is a very good post about important dates to be mindful of this semester. I’d recommend you print that out!).
“Ivy Briefs. True Tales of a Neurotic Law Student” by Martha Kimes is a memoir by a Columbia Law School Alum. The book looks to be a very interesting take on the law school experience that is candid, insightful and engaging. A great read for any Pre-Law student interesting in knowing what law school is really like!
For anyone interested, I have a copy in my office that can be loaned out, and is also available in stores and online.
NY LEO is an opportunity program for underrepresented students to learn about the law school experience and prepare for the rigors of law school. The program focuses on what students should expect from their first year in law school, and focuses in particular on legal research, writing, and analysis. NY LEO Fellows meet with legal professionals, visit courts, and talk with members of the Judiciary.
If you are interested in applying to the NY LEO Program, please visit their website at www.nycourts.gov/attorneys/leo to learn additional information. You can also pick up applications from the Pre-Law Resource Center in 108 Norton Hall.
Harris Beach Attorneys at Law are offering a Senior College Scholarship viewable on their Web site. You can find additional information about the scholarship on “Senior College Scholarship” link found under “Scholarship Opportunities”. The scholarship has some requirements: “You must be a high school graduate of the Rochester City School District, or the Urban-Suburban Interdistrict Transfer Program, and attend law school in fall 2008. Students must be members of
groups traditionally underrepresented in large law firms. Applicants may not be the recipient of a
similar award from another law firm.”
Link. (Opens up a PDF file)