help! where to start?!

[shmoo597]

I am taking the December LSAT and am wondering where the hell I should start on my applications!

I am signed up with LSAC, but that is all I have done so far. I have very basic questions, and I would REALLY appreciate any help.

1. When should I send in my transcripts, LOR and Personal statement to LSAC - should I wait until my LSAT, or do this before hand? Should I start on this process tommorow?

2. When do I actually apply to schools? Should I send in my incomplete apps through LSAC to the various schools I apply too before my LSAT is done?

Basically, at this point all I have done is started to study for the LSAT - I have not written my personal statement, have not sought any LOR, or done anything else, and I do plan on applying this cycle. I basically just need info on the whole application process. Is there any website that goes through this step by step?

Thanks, and again, any help is much appreciated.

[augusta]

Are you joking?

[heartbreaker]

I'm feeling generous/procrastinating during midterm season, so I'll bite.

1. Send in your transcripts and LORs immediately. I mean, right now, this moment, ask your registrars to send your transcripts (from all the colleges you ever attended, even if you took college classes in HS!). Make appointments with professors/employers from whom you want a recommendation. Put together a packet of information. I cannot stress enough that you have to do this RIGHT NOW.

2. If you finish your applications, you can send them before your score comes in, however, it will not be "complete" until you have a score. My suggestion would be to have everything ready to go, your essays, applications, addenda, resume, etc. Then when you get your score, you can apply accordingly.

3. You are late in the game. I mean, very late. I'm not even talking about the LSAT - people have applied successfully with December scores in the past, and I am of the opinion that it's better to get a great score in December and go complete in January than a mediocre score in October and go complete in November.

However, you've screwed yourself in several ways already. It takes professors up to 2 months to write and send recommendations (it took mine three, and both of my professors are people I am very close with) They are busy people and don't like to be rushed. You have put yourself at a disadvantage by waiting to seek LORs. Secondly, it sounds like you just started to study for the LSAT. I'm not saying it can't be done in two months, but that's a rough place to be. Thirdly, the personal statement is NOT a paper you can bang out in an hour or two. It takes a lot of work. Applications may be easy, but all the little supplemental stuff is a pain in the ass (it took me about two weeks to make my resume perfect. Yes, maybe I am OCD about things like that, but still. That's a long time just for a resume!)

In any case, depending on what schools you are targeting, what your GPA is, and how you naturally test, I might suggesting waiting until next cycle.

[tony_rocky_horror]

I'm feeling generous/procrastinating during midterm season, so I'll bite.

1. Send in your transcripts and LORs immediately. I mean, right now, this moment, ask your registrar to send your transcript (from all the colleges you ever attended, even if you took college classes in HS!). .

If you attented several schools I dont think your graduating school will forward transcripts they recieved from a prior school. I think you have to request transcripts from each individual school.

[heartbreaker]

Yeah, that's what I meant. I guess I should change it to "ask all your registrars."

[klmnumbers]

I'm feeling generous/procrastinating during midterm season, so I'll bite.

1. Send in your transcripts and LORs immediately. I mean, right now, this moment, ask your registrar to send your transcript (from all the colleges you ever attended, even if you took college classes in HS!). .

If you attented several schools I dont think your graduating school will forward transcripts they recieved from a prior school. I think you have to request transcripts from each individual school.

I have a bit of a question in reference to this. On the general application section, LSAC asks about high school information. Are we to send in our high school transcripts to LSAC as well?

[heartbreaker]

No, no HS transcripts. Only transcripts from secondary institutions you attended. If you took college classes while in HS at a community college or something, then you send in that college's transcript.

[klmnumbers]

No, no HS transcripts. Only transcripts from secondary institutions you attended. If you took college classes while in HS at a community college or something, then you send in that college's transcript.

Hmmm. Ok. So in the 'common info' section of the application section for LSAC, when they ask about our high school GPA, ranking, etc; we just fill it in? No transcript needed? That's just what I mean, hehe. I didn't take college classes in high school. I did IB, so all of my college credit from exams just shows up on my college transcript I believe.

And thanks to your lovely link to the grade calculations of the LSAC gpa, I know those count, albeit oddly. =)

[heartbreaker]

Just fill them in. Or don't. My HS didn't rank and I most definitely do not remember my exact HS GPA. Most applications I filled out only asked for the name and city of the high school anyway.

[hopeful1985]

Ester, youre so helpful!