Category: Pre-Law

How Do I Pay For Law School?

by Todd Rothman

If you are currently in the law school application process, hopefully your applications are long submitted and completed and you are awash in acceptances and terrific offers – and if you aren’t yet, please don’t panic.  The application season is still very much underway, so I’m sure they’re on their way soon.  Now, with acceptances – and perhaps some holds and waitlists – in hand, your mind should now be turning to the following equally question: So now that I’m in, how do I pay for law school?

It is certainly an overwhelming and daunting question and, last night, Jeffrey Hanson – a financial literacy expert and a specialist on graduate school borrowing – gave an informative presentation on just this topic. [To view a video of Mr. Hanson’s presentation at another recent LSAC venue, please click here: http://www.lsac.org/jd/finance/financial-aid-video-paying.asp] And to help you follow along with his presentation, here is his corresponding handout for your convenience: Paying for Law School Handout

This presentation is a great way to start thinking about – and more importantly, planning for – the inevitable financial component of this exciting next step in your academic and professional career.  It is certainly not exhaustive, but I would encourage you to avail yourself of this resource.  In addition, here are some other valuable resources for you as you begin to tackle this question of paying for law school.

Hopefully, this will get you on your way to being both knowledgeable and less anxious about finding an answer (or answers) to this all-important question in the law school application process.

It’s (Really) Only One Number… I Promise (And I Know That You Still Don’t Believe Me)

Since the delayed release of the October LSAT scores following Hurricane Sandy – as if anyone needed any further suspense and build-up – I have spoken to many students in the past week about their scores and its impact (or more accurately, their perception of its impact) on their law school aspirations.  With that in mind, I thought it timely to repost a blog I wrote about this very topic two years ago to help settle nerves and provide some grounding and perspective about this particular component of the law school application process.  My hope is that it does just that… and that it allows you to now get back to finishing up those applications!

Continue reading “It’s (Really) Only One Number… I Promise (And I Know That You Still Don’t Believe Me)”

It’s Time To Get Your Ducks In A Row

by Todd Rothman

Well, it is that time of year again – the start of the law school application season – and so I thought my blog post from last year around this time would serve as a helpful reminder of what you need (and do not need) to be thinking about and doing at this stage of the process.  Although undoubtedly stressful, please also remember that this is also a very exciting time and we look forward to working with you to make applying to law school as smooth and enjoyable as possible in the year ahead.

Continue reading “It’s Time To Get Your Ducks In A Row”

Don’t Leave School Without It!

Graduating students, don’t leave Penn without setting up an Interfolio account through Career Services. This on line credential/reference management system offers you the opportunity to store letters of recommendation, and have them mailed whenever you apply for graduate school admission, jobs or special programs in the future.  This is the ideal time to ask current professors, your advisor, or others you have worked with for a recommendation.  Let the author of a letter know what your future plans may be.  Have a discussion with them to determine their willingness to write a recommendation for you.  More detailed information is available on the Career Services website:  How to Ask for a Recommendation.

Please go to www.interfolio.com. Follow the instructions for opening an account and learn how the system works.

Pre-Health applicants will continue to use the Career Services Credentials system.

PennLink and You: New Online Tutorials

New Year’s Resolution season creates a sense of urgency to search PennLink and hope to find a job or internship.  As a result, there are many new users, or users who haven’t logged in for a long time and need a refresher on how to navigate the system.  Well, I’m excited to announce there’s a new line of help for all of you PennLink job seekers – old and new.  There is now a PennLink channel on our Vimeo video site – PennLink FAQs for Job Seekers!

These videos walk you through step by step, screen by screen, mouse click by mouse click to answer all your questions about navigating PennLink.  New videos will be added frequently, so keep checking back.  If you have any questions or issues with the system, email me at pennlink@pobox.upenn.edu or leave a comment here.