Given my current position, what more should I do for my application/resume?

[DanielCA]

Hi, thanks for reading.

So my dilemma is this:
I did a decent amount of extra-currics at my community college (Vice President of an honors society for a year; got an award from a language honors society; volunteered at a day care center for half a year; did an internship for a politician running for state assembly) but this Fall I am starting classes at UCLA and other than joining a Pre-Law society, I would not like to do any more ECs so that I can focus on school and studying for the LSAT.

Granted that I did extremely well on my LSAT and had a terrific GPA (a big assumption, for the sake of information), would those ECs be sufficient enough to get into a school like NYU (my dream school)?
And is there anything else I need to worry about?

Thanks in advance.

[I AM A DREAMER]

One other consideration you might want to make is about recs. I graduated UCLA in March without really forming a connection with any of my profs and now I am scrambling to get a rec letter from at least one professor that will be decent enough for my law school applications.

In general, acheiving a really high score on the LSAT and earning a high GPA could be good enough. Remember that your LSDAS GPA will include your community college work too.

[DanielCA]

Thanks for the heads up!
I've made more than a few connections at my CC, but I'm wondering if the top schools would look kindly upon letters from CC professors.

One other thing I'm worried about is whether I could get into a school such as NYU if I went to a CC for my first two years. 
Hope that's not a factor.

I have heard that the LSDAS GPA includes CC work (which is really awesome for me!).

--Anyway, thanks for your advice. I hope I can carry on a good GPA @ UCLA.
Good luck to you with fidning a rec (and congrats on finishing UCLA, lucky ).

[I AM A DREAMER]

Going to community college shouldn't hold you back as long as you perform well at UCLA and do well on the LSAT. Still, a friend of mine who also went to community college and now is at UCLA law stressed to me trying to de-emphasize time spent at community college. Also, recs should be from UCLA/employers. Recs from community college should be a last resort.

By the way, if you change your mind about another extra curricular, the philosophy club is pretty cool as well as the debate club. Personally, I would choose the debate club over the pre-law society. 

[DanielCA]

So, de-emphasizing CC time means ignoring my ECs done there?
Hope not.

I will try to get recs from UCLA professors then, thanks.

I might do both debate and pre-law then, didn't know there was a debate club @ UCLA.
Philosophy Club sounds pretty neat. Thanks for all the tips.

I'm thinking I might join a fraternity as well...

[bamf]

So, de-emphasizing CC time means ignoring my ECs done there?
Hope not.

I will try to get recs from UCLA professors then, thanks.

I might do both debate and pre-law then, didn't know there was a debate club @ UCLA.
Philosophy Club sounds pretty neat. Thanks for all the tips.

I'm thinking I might join a fraternity as well...

debate = useful if you are going to competitions.  all the rest of that crap (INCLUDING pre law club) is BS and not worth your time if you aren't doing it because YOU want to do it.  Don't bother joining clubs because you think law schools will want to see them on your resume.  You will be much better served by keeping a 4.0 at UCLA and studying for a 95+ %ile LSAT

[I AM A DREAMER]

I don't think that having a couple clubs on your resume will hurt, as long as your stats are stellar. Besides, the philosophy club at UCLA is pretty cool and might even help you develop some of LSAT logic.

Anyway, in terms of deciding the extent of involvement at your cc you want to discuss in your law school applications, that is up to you. But like I said, my friend says it's not worth it.

Also, the frat will only help in terms of soft factors if you take a leadership position, but maybe you mean you just want to join for fun/socialization.

[DanielCA]

You guys have been really helpful in showing me all the variables.

I guess it's up to me now to decide what to do, and I've never been as nervous.

Regarding my ECs, I can't imagine not mentioning them because I'll probably have done too little during my 1 year at UCLA. I mean I think it's impossible to even be expected to do that much in 1 year as opposed to what I did in 2 years with much more free time. I'll have to talk to many counselors @ UCLA and e-mail a few of my top choices.

The Pre-Law club, I think, would be something I'm interested in doing because of what I hope to learn, as opposed to something just to put on my app. I'll check out the philosophy club as well (and I'll stay if I like it). t t
Regarding the frat, I'm done with leadership positions at student groups (too many annoying people to deal with) so I don't think I'll be joining just for the perks then, thanks.


LAST QUESTION PLEASE:

I already said I did one internship, and at UCLA I can get 4 units by doing an internship over the summer.
I wonder if that would be of some help, because I don't think it would take away any of my extra time (no more than a class would) and maybe it looks good. What do you smart people think?

[bamf]

I don't think that having a couple clubs on your resume will hurt, as long as your stats are stellar. Besides, the philosophy club at UCLA is pretty cool and might even help you develop some of LSAT logic.

you totally missed the point...

[I AM A DREAMER]

I don't think that having a couple clubs on your resume will hurt, as long as your stats are stellar. Besides, the philosophy club at UCLA is pretty cool and might even help you develop some of LSAT logic.

you totally missed the point...

Yea, I guess I didn't read your post carefully. I agree that taking some for solely for the application wouldn't be a very good idea.

You guys have been really helpful in showing me all the variables.

I guess it's up to me now to decide what to do, and I've never been as nervous.

Regarding my ECs, I can't imagine not mentioning them because I'll probably have done too little during my 1 year at UCLA. I mean I think it's impossible to even be expected to do that much in 1 year as opposed to what I did in 2 years with much more free time. I'll have to talk to many counselors @ UCLA and e-mail a few of my top choices.

The Pre-Law club, I think, would be something I'm interested in doing because of what I hope to learn, as opposed to something just to put on my app. I'll check out the philosophy club as well (and I'll stay if I like it). t t
Regarding the frat, I'm done with leadership positions at student groups (too many annoying people to deal with) so I don't think I'll be joining just for the perks then, thanks.


LAST QUESTION PLEASE:

I already said I did one internship, and at UCLA I can get 4 units by doing an internship over the summer.
I wonder if that would be of some help, because I don't think it would take away any of my extra time (no more than a class would) and maybe it looks good. What do you smart people think?

From what I know about the UCLA pre-law soceity, I think it is a place for getting free pizza, not really learning, but I could be wrong. Go ahead with the internship as long as it won't take away any more extra time than you think it will and it is really something you want to do.