Ivy league grad school anyone?

[likeitaloud]

Hi I'm currently first year student in Canada doing my undergrad in Political Science. Since high school I've been aiming at the top law schools, but for a few reason decided to to stay in Canada for undergrad. I just finished my first semester and so far everything is going very well, I'm in a reputable school, I get amazing grades and I'm involved in quite a few academic and community oriented clubs.

I'm not going to ask ridiculous questions like how high my marks have to be etc. But I would like some advice from current/alumni students on what they did to prepare during their undergrad. It seems as there are very few resources around me and non of my advisers/proffesors really have much to say on the subject. I understand the level of competition so I would like to know everything there is that helped you.

Maybe books, classes, outside tuition? Any advice would be appreciated or if you know a place where these kind of questions are discussed. I'm planning to stop by a few law schools I am interested in but these are not the type of questions advisers will answer.

Thanks!

 

[Connemara]

Not again...

 

[Tarmac]

I've read your threads, I don't think you are smart enough for Ivy.

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=89890

 

[Jumbie]

Originally Posted by Tarmac

I've read your threads, I don't think you are smart enough for Ivy. http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=89890

PWND!

 

[crazyquik]

I get amazing grades and I'm involved in quite a few academic and community oriented clubs.

Just keep doing that. Take easy electives so it won't hurt your GPA. Then kill the LSAT. Make sure you take a few small classes and get to know the profs so they can write recommendation letters for you (not that anyone reads them).

It wouldn't hurt to do some goofy thing over the summer like go build a school in South America or on an Indian reservation.

Don't they have law schools up there anyway

McGill not good enough for ya?

 

[likeitaloud]

LOL ok i'll give you the sunglasses thread... that was pretty funny to point out. However mind you what I actually need them for

.

I don't have anything bad to say about McGill but I want to work in US so going to a Canadian law school would make it a lot more difficult.

 

[MetroStyles]

I <3 Ivy threaks.

 

[bluemagic]

I chose a non-Ivy graduate/professional program over an Ivy one. The non-Ivy (and no, it's not Stanford) was better.

 

[likeitaloud]

Originally Posted by bluemagic

I chose a non-Ivy graduate/professional program over an Ivy one. The non-Ivy (and no, it's not Stanford) was better.

Alright..spill Oxford or Cambridge

 

[bluemagic]

It's in the U.S.

 

[wmmk]

^^HYPS are out...
So I'm thinking MIT, Caltech, maybe UChicago?

But wait, I thought you were an undergrad at Princeton. I'm almost positive I've seen Whitman in the backgrounds of your WAYWT's...

 

[crazyquik]

University of Phoenix Online

It cracks me up they bought the naming rights to an NFL stadium, so that people might think they actually have a physical campus

If you aint Ancient Eight, you aint great!

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by likeitaloud

Hi I'm currently first year student in Canada doing my undergrad in Political Science. Since high school I've been aiming at the top law schools, but for a few reason decided to to stay in Canada for undergrad. I just finished my first semester and so far everything is going very well, I'm in a reputable school, I get amazing grades and I'm involved in quite a few academic and community oriented clubs.

I'm not going to ask ridiculous questions like how high my marks have to be etc. But I would like some advice from current/alumni students on what they did to prepare during their undergrad. It seems as there are very few resources around me and non of my advisers/proffesors really have much to say on the subject. I understand the level of competition so I would like to know everything there is that helped you.

Maybe books, classes, outside tuition? Any advice would be appreciated or if you know a place where these kind of questions are discussed. I'm planning to stop by a few law schools I am interested in but these are not the type of questions advisers will answer.

Thanks!

That other post is damning, but I will never fault someone for trying to better themselves. The most important thing are the grades, standardized test scores (you might want to start preparing for the LSAT early - take a course if you think it will help). But one of the most important things besides community work is internships and relevant work experience. You should probably spend your summers on Bay st. (considering that you're canadian). Other things that are gold mines for law school apps are working for a non-profit that defends and gives free legal advice to people in inner cities. If you have time, try to work on one campaign.

 

[likeitaloud]

Hi that sounds like great advice, I've started looking a few weeks ago into a possibily of working for a law firm (toronto is deffinatly a possibility) as well as non profit legal help. The only thing that made the idea seem dodgy is that I'm an undergrad freshman so what kind of a job can I possibly be fit to do at a law firm? Even with my extensive interest in law and my involvement in politics I still lack the knowledge or the credentials to do any work related to law. Is it realistic to get an internship for the summer in a law firm as an undergrad? If so, that is deffiantly something I'm going to look into.

And what campaign are you talking about? Like a federal/provincial election?

 

[Tarmac]

Your original question is extremely vague and shows that you have not really thought this through beyond even 5 minutes.

First of all, you want to go to Law School? Do you know which Ivies even have a law school? Are they all good? Are they all better than non-Ivies? If I were to offer you admission to Brown Law School vs NYU right here, today, which one would you prefer? Maybe you want to apply to Princeton Law.

In the end you need 2 things, GPA and LSAT. Come back in 3 years with a 3.9 and a 170+ and you will be talking possible. Maybe.