My most helpful lesson was "How to Write a Diversity Statement."

@ Congrats on the scholly!

Merry Christmas to all! But actually I just logged in and started studying. There's no rest for the LSATer, even on Christmas day.

I had both AP credits and dual enrollment credits from college classes taken in high school. Since I received an associates degree while in high school, as well as taking classes not offered at my local community college online, I attended eight different institutions, including the college I am currently attending. As such I submitted 8 transcript requests from my LSAC file. Some were submitted electronically, others had to be in response to a mailed request from the LSAC, and this is taking some time to complete. Start early. Nowhere on the LSAC does it require submission of transcripts of your AP credits, although I assume it shows up on your current college transcript.

"Request transcripts to be sent to LSAC from your:

undergraduate degree-granting institution

institutions attended even though a degree was never received

graduate degree-granting institution(s)

law/medical/professional institutions

institutions where college-level courses were taken while in high school."

@ I am confused. If i pay more money for ULtimate package in January, then will it expire in two months in March? I thought Ultimate would last for 12 months, so if I already used two months on the 7Sage starter, then wouldn't the Ultimate package expire in September?

[Admin note: Ultimate+ includes 12 months, and Ultimate includes 9 months now]

I am from CA and have visited many of the CA law schools, so ask away if you have any questions. If you can afford USC/UCLA then do attend, but if you have to pay full sticker and need scholarships to attend you may not wish to go if you are worried over 150000 or more indebtedness. While I originally dreamed of attending UCLA and working at a film company while in school, I then looked on other boards and found that UCLA grads are also big in So CA PI defense as well, if that is interesting to you. While some people like to bash UC Hastings, it does, as well as SCU law, place its graduates locally with SF high tech firms. I have family who works in the legal field in California, and many top grads in biglaw are from T14 eastern schools, not local products of CA law schools. If you get into Stanford, you should definitely attend, and perhaps Cal as well. Feel free to ask about other CA law schools you are interested in.

Thanks so much for doing this. PLEASE add me too.

I think it is worrisome and I do take it seriously. We know some attorneys in real life that ended up working doc review to survive, even someone from CAL. We did meet a UC Hastings grad working at the Barnes and Noble in San Mateo, but did not want to ask what are you doing here as that would be rude. I think it is a personal and financial decision that each person has to make. If your family can afford to pay for your law school tuition, then it is less risky than someone who takes out 200000 in loans for law school and has to pay back 2000 or more a month, plus pay for housing. I think you can only really weigh this decision when you see who actually accepted you, and if any schools offered loans or scholarships to you.

@ It appears from the wording of the bill that you are only grandfathered in if you have taken out Federal direct loans for a graduate program. Even if you have taken out Federal Direct loans for undergrad, you are not grandfathered in as the loans must be for a graduate program. If you are starting graduate school in Fall 2018 and are taking out Federal Direct loans, there is no $28,500 cap for that academic year. The following academic years will have a $28,500 cap. At least that's my interpretation of the wording. Keep in mind that the bill was just introduced earlier this month and has not passed House yet.

Here is a new article on the PROSPER Act so more people are becoming aware of the issue.

"The bill also caps how much a student can borrow for graduate or professional school at $28,500 per year. (Under the current Direct Loan system, a student can borrow as much as it costs to go to graduate or professional school.) As a result, many borrowers will be forced to seek help from private sector lenders. Those without the financial resources to obtain private loans would simply not be able to attend graduate or professional school. "

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-the-prosper-act-hurts-graduate-and-professional_us_5a38084be4b02bd1c8c60907

@

I have exhaustive 'checklists' for LR and LG. They're much more streamlined and convenient than this. I'm still working on a definitive RC approach but I have something more definitive than what's on the flowchart above

Hi I would like a copy of your checklists if you can post it or message me. Thanks.

Here is the link to the bill from the Congress bill tracker website:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4508/text

I find it more likely than not that the House and Senate will pass this bill given that both are Republican majorities. It seems to me that you can't be grandfathered in if you take out Federal Direct loans for undergraduate education. You can only be grandfathered in if you take out Federal Direct loans for a graduate or professional program, not an undergraduate program. This would impact students who are enrolling in graduate programs in Fall 2019 and thereafter. Even if you start graduate school in Fall 2018 and take out Federal Direct loans for that year, the amount of loans cannot exceed $28,500 for any academic year beginning after June 2019 (see below text).

“(i) GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS.—In the case of a graduate or professional student who is not described in subparagraph (E) and who has received loans made under part B or D for enrollment in a graduate or professional program at an eligible institution, the total amount of which equal or exceed $28,500 as of the time of disbursement, the student may continue to borrow the amount of loans under this part necessary to complete such program without regard to the aggregate limit under subparagraph (B)(ii), except that the—

“(I) amount of such loans shall not exceed the annual limits under subparagraph (A)(ii) for any academic year beginning after June 30, 2019; and

“(II) authority to borrow loans in accordance with this subclause shall terminate at the end of the academic year ending before September 30, 2024.

Isn't the Senate controlled by the Republican party currently? While I really pray for a Hail Mary that raises the proposed 28500 loan cap I don't really see that happening in the current political climate in Washington. If you look at the comments in the articles many people seem to get angry about supporting graduate students or high dollar tuition. Also, we should not forget that these proposed loan caps do not just affect law students, but anyone who maybe attempting grad school except medical students, whether it is a Masters in Social Work or Forestry. That low of a loan cap would make it difficult to both pay tuition and live in an urban area where rent is expensive.

"Much of the growing enmity for higher education from Republican political leaders has been aimed at wealthy research universities and elite colleges, such as criticism of $60,000 annual tuitions or large endowments (most recently in the tax reform legislation now before Congress), doubts about the value of research and the liberal arts, and escalating complaints about perceived political correctness and liberal bias."

I find the timing of the passing of this PROSPER act to be very suspicious. First of all I have been attending numerous visiting law schools coming to my college, some in the 70k per year annual cost, and I also attended two seminars on financing your law school education. At no time did anyone ever mention that there would be a 28500 cap on grad school loans coming (except loans for med school). I guess they just wanted as many applications in as possible this round before the loan cap was announced. It makes it difficult to decide what to do. If I started law school even after taking out undergrad loans will everyone be capped at 28500 per year, or just those starting with the new Direct one loans in 2019? It doesn't seem entirely clear. Also I note that many posters talk about waiting for scholarships, but if this bill is the so called asteroid to hit law schools funding, law schools may be thinking they will not have funding to award multiple year scholarships any longer. However, I would honestly rather know than starting at a school and not having funding to pay for it the next years and then having to drop out and immediately start repaying the monies owed. Also, it is funny the House waited to drop this bomb until schools are all closed and students cannot organize a protest against the PROSPER act. United we are a large group, individually no.

@ How many months did you study before actually taking the LSAT the first time? It looks like some people on here spend a year preparing. Since I will be returning to school full time in few weeks & working, I am wondering whether I should postpone the test until June to give myself more prep time. If yours is a rough estimate 8 weeks x twenty five hours is a lot of hours.

You should probably wait a few weeks to make a decision and see how this all shakes out. Most schools are on closure now so financial aid deans will probably not be writing anything on the impact to law schools. If I see anything new I will post it here. The PROSPER act has a great impact on those thinking of taking a gap year after graduating and postponing starting law school until Fall 2019, but it seems like you if need loans it would be best to start Fall 2018 before the new PROSPER regs kick in.

For myself, I hate to suggest taking out loans, but if you are starting Fall 2019 or later it might be best to take out a small loan while still in undergrad. That way you can get grandfathered into the existing loan programs, that seem to have more favorable terms of repayment and subsidy, rather than PROSPER Direct one loans that will start Fall 2019.

http://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/prawfsblawg/2017/12/a-looming-asteroid-for-law-schools.html

http://news.ufl.edu/articles/2017/12/5-ways-the-proposed-prosper-act-could-impact-students.php

The class entering Fall 2018 is safe. The PROSPER Act takes effect for those entering Fall 2019 or later. Personally, I am really devastated at this news because it means that some dream law schools may be out of reach if you are relying on student loans and can only take out 28500 per year. I do think you need to think strategically and plan, so if you can only take out 28500 per year and really want to go to law school I think the best strategy is to plan for part time tuition where the cost is less. Still most law schools charge 35k or so for part time, unless it is a state public law school. So you could theoretically work full time and perhaps get some scholarships or pay the tuition that is not covered out of the 28500 with your earnings from work.

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/part-time-law-rankings

I like to put on noise cancelling headphones so I am not distracted by outside noise. I also find that since I am stressed, i like gum and lots of chewable candies to get through the day. I also use an array of different color highlighters and sometimes attach post its to sections of the Power Score bibles I want to revisit. Lastly, if home I like to have my dog in my lap. That's mine.

It is an issue if you start fall of 2019, as you will only be able to take out the new Direct one loans capped at $28,500 annually " Graduate students will see their loan limits set at $28,500, as opposed to the current limit, which is the total cost of attendance. For parents, the loan limit would be set at a flat rate of $12,500, as opposed to the current limit, which is the cost of attendance wherever their child attends college."

Actually the House just passed the PROSPER Act a few hours ago. I did not want to take out loans for undergrad, but I will check out what you mentioned about taking out Stafford loans now to get grandfathered in. I am still not sure whether those loans would be capped at 28500 as well.

https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2017/12/16/prosper-act-student-loan-house/

@ said:

This is a fine line to walk for sure. There are a finite number of hours in a day. What you are attempting has been done, but will always be difficult. Depending whether you are at the PT stage of your prep, I would say 1 fresh PT strictly timed per week along with thorough review and supplemental drilling 4-5 days per week, with 1 day per week of no LSAT should suffice. This should work out to roughly 1.5-2 hours per day of quality review/drilling and roughly 3-4 hours of work on the PT day. Try to avoid burnout by not pushing too much progress into a certain amount of time.

Best of luck moving forward, don't hesitate to reach out with any further concerns

David

Thanks David! I will follow your advice.

@ said:

I recommend everyone in school, esp with demanding academic schedules, to study after they graduate and work. Your main focus should be maintaining your GPA.

I have a 4.0 GPA and I already sent some of my applications in. I am going to law school in Fall 2019, but thanks for your input. Is there anyone left on this forum still in school?

I have visited all the UC law schools as I grew up in the bay area. My favorites if I were accepted are Cal and UCLA. Please, do not think if you are accepted to Cal or UC Hastings that you can commute into the bay area from Tracy or Stockton, it is too far. It would be helpful if you had a relative or a friend that you knew living in the SF Bay area, otherwise the cost of rentals is extremely high, as in $3000 or more for rent. One guy bought a bus to go to Berkeley as the student housing wanted 1600 for a room share and he felt it was too much. Stanford and Santa Clara University have the most beautiful campuses in the bay area I feel, but again there is the challenge of finding housing, unless you can luck out with an on campus place. If you want to attend in CA, UC Davis has perhaps the cheapest housing, but there is not much to do in Davis, other than go to Tahoe or SF if you have free time.

In Southern CA, I also visited USC and UCLA law schools. I love USC, but it is surrounded by a crime challenged area. UCLA law is a favorite of mine, but I have heard not all grad students can get on campus housing, and the area around Westwood, West LA can be expensive. UC Irvine and USD law have very nice campus facilities and are in nice areas, housing would be cheaper than SF bay area.

In Florida, I have visited all the main Florida law schools. UF and FSU both have fairly cheap rentals in Gainesville and Tallahassee, but you might not like those towns if you are from a big city. I have also visited FIU law and University of Miami, and I love being in Miami, but the housing is pretty pricey there as well. Stetson Law in Tampa is a gorgeous campus with a pool by the law school, and Stetson has a great rep amongst Florida attorneys.

I have also visited UT Austin and Tulane and I like both law schools. I think it would be great fun to live in New Orleans and attend Tulane, but I have heard it is challenging to find work in Louisiana.

@ Awesome stats! I noticed you mentioned that you were granted an LSAC fee waiver. I'm curious if law schools make note of that and whether it factors into their decision. I was also granted a fee waiver so I'm wondering if anyone might know.

I started my LSAT prep by ordering the Powerscore Trilogy. I really had no idea how to study or prepare for the test, or even what it was like. When I posted questions on various campus legal groups, no one really explained what the questions were like or how to study. The answers were really random and vague such as "Studying worked for me, I got into Georgetown". Other students were even asking for old Barbri books to study from, as if studying a Torts outline would help you knock out LSAT questions. Someone finally answered another student that was struggling and told her about 7Sage. I didn't know what 7Sage was so I immediately checked it out and really liked the discussions. I could actually ask a question and get a helpful answer, especially since a great deal of my studying is independent. Plus, people here are kind and friendly. So that's it, I have been here for a short time, but a valuable time.