“Location, location, location!”  That’s what many realtors will tell you when you’re trying to determine which of several prospective homes will provide the most re-sale value over time.   Simply put, a particular home in one location may end up being a lot more valuable to you than the same type of home in another area.

What did you say?  You’re not purchasing a home right now?  All right, I understand that the housing market isn’t doing so well.  What’s that?  You’re not applying for your realtor’s license either?  Okay, okay, I get it already – you’re applying to law school.  But, that doesn’t necessarily undercut my main point.  The mantra of location, location, location may still be relevant to you.  If geography hasn’t entered your mind yet, stop for a moment and think about it.

One reason why several of you may want to consider geography when applying to law school is that choosing the environment in which you’ll be the healthiest and happiest will make it more likely that you’ll be able to perform at your best.  And that could make you a stronger law school student, leading to higher grades, more inspiring contributions to the law school community, and better internships, better jobs and better careers.  By the way, if you think that one’s level of comfort isn’t a big deal for law school students, trust me.  I’ve advised many re-applicants over the years who first contacted me only after either dropping out during their first year of law school or deciding to transfer because they hated the environment in which their schools were located.  Some of these applicants couldn’t adjust properly because the local area was too rural or too urban for them. Others couldn’t take the weather (too frigid or too hot and humid), and still others felt uncomfortable living in a community in which they perceived local residents to be less than friendly due to differences in background characteristics.  Finally, others simply wanted or needed to be nearer to or farther away from their families.  Obviously, in every one of these instances, the mantra of “location, location, location” was subjective to each law student.  But, that doesn’t deny the fact that geography was a very real and crucial factor for each of them.  And, it may be a critical one for you as well.

I know, I know.  Some of you are probably thinking, “I’m not like those people.  For three years, I can buckle down, focus on my studies, and perform at my best in any type of environment – hot, cold, rural, urban, far away from or close to home.”  I hear you – but, keep on reading.  The value of law school location doesn’t just depend on where you’ll be more or less comfortable studying and living.  Geography can also have an impact on your pocketbook, as well as your future employment opportunities.

Affordability, or the pocketbook issue, is a key factor in the law school selection process for many applicants – especially in today’s trying economic times.  And you should be aware that affordability intersects with geography in interesting ways.  Let’s say, for instance, that you live with your family in southern California, and you’re extremely worried about the cost of a law school education.  In that case, to keep your expenses down, you might want to consider attending a local law school while living in your parents’ home, where your room and board, not to mention your travel and possibly your telephone costs, will be much lower.  To take things a step further, you might also want to consider public schools in your local community, as well as in other parts of California, where the tuition is still relatively low (albeit rising) for in-state residents.  Pushing out beyond your home state, you might want to think about calling your Aunt Madeleine in Miami and Grandpa Carlos in Chicago, who would be thrilled to have you live with them for three years at little to no charge.  You might also want to make a conscious effort to look at law schools beyond major urban areas where the tuition may or may not be high, but where the cost of living is likely to be lower.  If saving thousands – indeed, potentially tens of thousands of dollars – in educational loan repayments sounds like something you would be interested in, then geography is definitely a factor that you’ll want to think about when considering law school.

To be sure, geography isn’t just about saving money, it can also be about having the right opportunities to establish the best career for you, a career which can lead to more money in your pocket and – what to some of us is an even higher priority – a more fulfilling professional life.  First, when it comes to internship and post-graduate employment opportunities, you should be aware that the vast majority of law schools tend to have their greatest pull with potential employers who are within closer proximity to their geographic area. While a small number of law schools have national clout, the vast majority of law schools have disproportionate influence primarily within their city, state and potentially their broader geographic region.  What this means is that if you absolutely know that you want to work in city ‘x,’ then – all other school characteristics being equal – attending a law school in or near city ‘x,’ might just get your career off to a better start than applying to a school of similar quality in city ‘y,’ on the other side of the country.  At the same time, keep in mind that some schools are located near concentrations of certain types of law firms, corporations, and other organizations, including government entities.  So, if you’re interested in working in legal field ‘z,’ you might want to apply to law schools which are geographically closer to a concentration of institutions in that field.  Of course, just to be on the safe side, you’ll want to check out the recent placement records of the law schools in question to ensure that the correlation of proximity and clout with employers holds in every instance.

The above examples represent just a small sampling of the reasons why law school location might be critical to you.  But, hey . . . If it turns out the geography doesn’t really matter in your case, then more power to you.  Just to be certain, I encourage everyone to at least consider the realtor’s mantra when thinking about law school.

Location, location, location! It’s often a valuable consideration when purchasing property, and it can be just as important to think about when you’re applying to law school.

Kaplan is proud to announce a new partnership with JD Oasis! Bookmark them at www.jdoasis.com.

Man… after a few weeks off from blogging (as sporadic as it was for the last few weeks, it will be similar in the coming months), I was ready to jump right into the saddle and manage both blogging and school. Two weeks ago at orientation, I realized I’d be screwed on that one. Let me back track… about 3 weeks before school started, my Law School suggested that we spend the rest of our summer enjoying life with the implication that we would be going through hell during our 1L year. Yup, best advice is to wish your loved ones well right now ‘cause you sure as fuck aint gonna be seeing ‘em… that’s what the letter should have said. So, I roll into orientation and from the moment I sat down to the moment we were finally dismissed on Friday, the undertone from the faculty and the outright admission from our guest speakers was that of prepare to have no balance your first semester and slowly regain it your second. Clearly I’m starting to understand what they mean.

In my week under the gun, I’ve read more than I think possible, survived an earthquake, survived a hurricane and then helped clear out waterlogged basements and driveways, and have yet had found the opportunity to go out and enjoy a beer with friends. Yes, the Virginia Aftershock made its way to where I am and we got hit by some rain and wind from a storm that they called Irene. I’m also not sure if I’m ahead or behind in my reading, but that’s the Hurricane’s fault.

In my first week of class, I’ve learned that Civil Procedure is not civil at all and that it’s all about the rules. In fact, the rules that I thought I knew made no sense at all too! In fact, the best part about it is that my professor looks like Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I finally came to appreciate the finer points of pastries and how enjoyable torts can be, even if it means I’m learning about the fine art of ambulance chasing through negligence, both the intentional and unintentional kinds. Contracts, I’ve learned, is all about the facts and how sensitively you decide to pay attention to them. It’s a bit of an emo approach, but I don’t really give one hot who ha ha about how you slice it.

Enough of the amusement though. I have to be honest; the thing I realize most is that this is all about time management. It’s not a 40 hour job, but more of a condensation of 2 years of working as an Investment Banking Analyst. The hours improve as you get further down the road, but they still suck and are rather lengthy. Getting staffed on multiple deals and wearing multiple hats is something I know, but this is a much harder challenge than expected. The time management involved for Law School is the biggest thing I can stress trying to learn and understand. There are only 24 hours in a day, of which I’m out of commission for at least 5 of them, not counting the commute and time spent in class.

One of the most frequently asked questions we get here at Kaplan for prospective law students is “how should I spend my summer.” Well, for the next few weeks, if you’re a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior… or beyond… our team of Admissions Consultants provide some advice for you on how to best spend those “lazy days”. First up – for all you rising sophomores…

School’s out, the weather is great, my friends are inviting me to all kinds of fun - what’s a serious future law school applicant to do? While law school applications may seem to be in the distant future, there are a lot of things you can do now to make your application stronger. And, many of the candidates you will be competing against are already doing these things. Here are some suggestions for work you can do now that will pay off in a better impression for your future law school application:

- RESEARCH SCHOOLS. There are a lot of options for you to consider; where geographically do you want to go to school, what GPA and LSAT numbers should you strive to meet or exceed, what size classroom/student body do you want to be part of, what areas of specialization does your dream school offer, what financial aid options are available/do you need. Start making a list now of reach schools, schools you stand a pretty good chance of getting into, and schools you’d be willing to attend if all else fails.

- HELP YOURSELF GET THE NUMBERS YOU WILL NEED. Start studying now for the classes you know will be challenging next semester. Your GPA is important and making yours as strong as it can be may give your application an advantage. And, it isn’t too early to pick up an LSAT review book and become familiar with information you’re likely to see when you sit for the test.

- TAKE CLASSES RELATING TO LAW. The area of law in many ways has a language all its own. If you can show even the most basic exposure or familiarity with the vocabulary and classifications of law, your interest in law school will be considered stronger and more sincere.

- GET AN INTERNSHIP OR JOB IN LAW. Interning, clerking, volunteering at a law firm or legal clinic or courthouse will allow you to meet lawyers, see what they do, and maybe even perform some of the actual duties of a lawyer. When you can show you know what the practice of law involves and have even acquired some lawyer-like skills, an admissions committee may see you as knowing what you will be getting into and weigh your application more seriously.

- DO COMMUNITY SERVICE. Merely saying in an essay that you are interested in using your law degree to be of service isn’t enough. If you can actually show your good works in writing and tie them to your interests in law, that is what will make the positive impression for you.

- BE INVOLVED IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. Law school admissions committees are impressed by leadership skills. Presiding over an organization, chairing a committee, spearheading a project are all roles that will show you as possessing the traits of a leader.

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It’s okay to enjoy your summer break. But keep in mind that time you spend preparing for your law school applications now will increase your chances of acceptance in the future.

The law school application process is certainly not easy to navigate. For the last two months, we’ve focused our attention on the personal statement. Now, we turn to letters of recommendation. What are law schools looking to learn about you? Our team of Admissions Consultants here at Kaplan breaks it down.

Ahhhh. It must be spring. A little birdie just flew in my window and told me that at least a few thousand of youwho will be applying to law school this fall are already thinking about whom to ask for letters of recommendation. In the process, I know that many of you are going to be including one or more letters from current and perhaps former employers. Before you do so, you might want to take this short quiz to find out if you’re ready to select and prepare your employerrecommenders for action. Answer the following seven questions, and then check your responses against eachcorresponding answer (located below each question). Note that for several questions, there may be more than one correct response. In those cases, your job is to choose the answer that is “most” correct.

Tally your correct responses, and tell us how you did.

Ø 5 or fewer correct responses: You’re probably not ready to ask for employer LOR’s. You need to spend a lot more time working through the issues involved in recommender selection.

Ø 6 correct responses: You’re nearly there, but you should think things through a bit more.

Ø 7 correct responses: You’re ready to ask your employer for a Law School LOR!

1. Who among the following is likely to carry the most clout among law school admissions reviewers?

a. A high ranking executive at your company who doesn’t know you well, but who has the kind of powerful job title and reputation that might “wow” reviewers

b. A colleague who has the same work responsibilities that you do and will write anything in the letter that you tell him to

c. A direct supervisor who has provided you with your assignments,reviewed your work and seen you carry out your responsibilities firsthand

As tempting as they may be, options “a” and “b,” the high-powered executive who doesn’t know you well and the colleague / friend who will write anything you want are not at the top of the list when it comes to employer recommenders. In fact, more often than not, they’re closer to the bottom. (We won’t even mention the fact that your colleague in this case is not really your employer.) Law School admissions reviewers typically prefer to see a recommendation from a supervisor who has had the opportunity to manage and observe you – the kind of person who understands not only your strengths and accomplishments, but your weaknesses as well.Therefore, answer choice “c” is correct.Note, however, that a supervisor isn’t necessarily the only excellent option when it comes to selecting a recommender from the workplace. Other possibilities include a higher ranking colleaguewho may not have served as your direct supervisor, but who has seen you in action and worked directly with you, and even a vendor who has had a business relationship with you and your company (though strictly speaking, the latter would not be classified as your employer).

2. Which of the following willtypically provide a greater edge in the admissions process?

a. An LOR that endorses your candidacy for law school and focuses primarily on the qualities that you need to improve in order to become more effective

b. A letter that strongly endorses your candidacy for law school andpresents specific examples that highlight your skills, abilities and accomplishments

c. A concise one paragraph letter that saves time for busy application reviewers by getting right to the point indeclaring you to bethe best employee that your recommender has ever supervised

Although a recommender’s letter might be taken more seriously if he or she briefly refers to a weakness of yours after making a strong case for your candidacy, choice “a,” a letter that primarily focuses on your weaknesses is likely to do a lot more harm than good. Just as importantly, while Law School reviewers don’t want to read a 500 page novel, option “c,” a short, one paragraph endorsement, is simply not going to provide reviewers with enough information about your abilities. The best practice for your employerrecommendersis to support their praise with examples that highlight your abilities and accomplishments – answer choice “b.”

3. Which quality or qualities should your employer recommenders highlight?

a. Teamwork

b. Analytical Abilities

c. Research Skills

d. Leadership

e. High Ethical Values

f. Financial Experience

g. Attention to Detail

h. Scientific / Technical Background

i. Communication Skills

j. Ability to Think on Your Feet

k. All of the Above

l. A Select Combination of the Above, and, or Other Potential Qualities

While it is true that core qualities such as research, analytical and communication skills can carry you a long way in the field of law, these abilities don’t represent the only critical strengths that law schools are looking for in prospective applicants. For instance, law school reviewers can be highly impressed by an employerletter that highlights the scientific background of an applicant who is seeking a career in intellectual property law. At the same time, LOR emphasis on strong financial experience can bode well for an applicant seeking a career as an attorney for a Wall Street firm. But just because there are a wide variety of skills which recommenders may choose to focus on doesn’t mean that they should endorse option “k,” “all of the above.”Going that route would simply turn the letter into an unfocused laundry list. Nor should your recommenders present you as a “one trick pony” by focusing on a single quality (answer choices “a” through “j”). Rather, the best practice is for an employer recommender to highlight a select number of qualities, perhaps, two to five key attributes,which may or may not be included in the above list – option “l”. Finally, I should point out that since law schools are looking for applicants who work well with others, and since employer recommenders are usually more likely than faculty recommenders to see their applicants in team-based situations, it would be great if at least one of the qualities highlighted by your employer recommender focused on some aspect of your interpersonal skills.

4. Which of the following statements is most true?

a. My employer recommender should compare me to peers of mine that he or she has supervised or observed.

b. My employer recommender shouldn’t compare me to others he or she has supervised or observedbecause my job is not in the field of law.

c. My recommender shouldn’t compare me to others he or she has supervised or observed– regardless of the nature of my work – because law schools want to know only why I’m a strong candidate, not how I compare to others at my job.

Options “b” and “c” are generally incorrect. The best employer LOR’s will usually compare the applicant to members of his or her peer group (e.g., other assistant analysts, researchers, nurses, associates, summer interns, elementary school teachers, etc.). Therefore, the correct response can be found in answer choice “a.”Such comparisons can provide law school reviewers with important reference points that can help them to better gauge the overall strength of LOR’s.

5. To ensure that your employer recommender is ready to write an effective LOR for you, you should ask him or her for:

a. A letter of recommendation

b. A strong letter of recommendation

c. The strongest letter of support that he or she has ever written

Asking employers for “a letter” of recommendation can have very good results. Keep in mind, however, that in a small, but significant number of cases, when simply asked to write “a letter,” a number of recommenders will just crank out what has been asked for – a supportive, but rather basic endorsement. The problem is that since nearly all Law School LOR’s are supportive (after all, everyone gets to choose their own recommenders), a letter that is simply good will not be enough to separate you from the broader applicant pool. Therefore, it is usually not advisable to ask only for a letter of recommendation, answer choice “a.” That does not mean that you should pressure your recommender to write the best letter that he or she has ever written (choice “c”). It would be unwiseto put unwarranted pressure on your supporters. Moreover, this might cause them to write letters filled with “fluff,” rather than heartfelt prose. Ultimately, requesting a “strong letter of recommendation,” answer choice “b,” is typically your best option. Indeed, some of you might even consider asking for a strong, detailed letter – as long as you let your recommenders knowin advance that you can provide reminders about your work together, lest they become concerned about whether they have the time to recall the necessary detail.

6. If your recommender says that he or she doesn’t have the time to write an LOR and requests that you write it, you should:

a. Say, “thanks, but no thanks,” and immediately begin looking for another recommender

b. Indicate that you won’t be able to write the letter yourself and make clear that you need your recommender to write it on his or her own

c. Give in and write the darned letter

d. Explain why you cannot write the letter and offer to sit down with the recommender over lunch or coffeeto providehelpful information, such as your résumé, copies of past performance reviews and even an outline or set of talking pointsthat will make the recommender’s task of writing the LOR much easier

When requesting an employer LOR, the “you write it, I’ll sign it” issue comes up all the time. In most cases, the issue isn’t that your employer recommender is a poor writer (although if he or she is, this might lead you to consider an alternative option). Rather your employers are extremely busy, a good number of them are not quite sure what goes into an effective Law School LOR, and therefore many find the task to be a great chore. Nevertheless, you need to avoid option “c,” writing the letter yourself. Although doing so is not at all unusual in business,when it comes to the world of admissions, many Law School reviewers consider this to be the equivalent of application fraud. This ethical consideration is buttressed by a practical one: some admissions officers are quite good at spotting stylistic similarities between an applicant’s personal statement and letters of recommendation. While you should not write your letters of recommendation, you also don’t want to prematurely walk away from someone who might be capable of writing you an outstanding LOR, which is answer choice “a.”Nor should you annoy your recommenders by simply re-stating that you need him or her to write the letter, as noted in option “b.”Instead, we suggest answer choice “d.” Explain to your recommenders why you cannot write the LOR, and give every assurance that you will help provide info to guide them in this process. This should make the recommender’s taskmuch more manageable. Of course, if in the end, this doesn’t work, you may have to say “thanks, but no thanks.”

7. What is the rule of thumb regarding the number ofemployer recommendationsyou should submit?

a. One – just to ensure that you add variety to your pool of faculty LOR’s.

b. Two – particularly, if you are submitting two faculty recommendations, thereby providing the perfect balance

c. There is “no one size fits all” solution – the number of employer recommendations that you should submit depends on the circumstances

The answer to this question can be found in option “c.” There is simply not a “one size fits all” approach to determining how many employer LOR’s to submit. The actual number will depend on your specific circumstances. If, for instance, you’ve been out of school for many years, it is possible that most, and in some cases, all, of your letters will comefrom employers (though we strongly encourage diversity in your recommender pool). To be sure, if you already know that you cannot get a strong letter of support from your employer but that you’re likely LOR’s from other sources would be outstanding, you might not end up submitting any employer letters. In short, the true number of employer letters that you should submit will depend on your full consideration of all recommender options.

Choosing to apply to and attend law school is a decision that should not be made lightly, especially in today’s legal job market. This month, our team ofAdmissions Consultants at Kaplan will discuss what should be part of your thought process when evaluating your career options, and, will offer insights on why they believe now could be a terrific time to apply.

Then on Thursday February 24^th at 9pm ET/6pm PT, join us live, online for the debut episode of our new legal talk show – “The 180”. We’ll debate the hottest legal issues and take your questions live, on air. Among other topics, we’ll debate whether or not students should apply in today’s legal climate. Find more info and register to attend, here.

When I decided to pursue a legal education, it was a natural next step for me. I had been working as a legal assistant/paralegal in civil litigation/personal injury and had fallen in love with the field. I was stimulated by everything about the legal process and field of law, and wanted to become more immersed in it. Opportunities and respect for women were growing by the minute, so taking my education and career to the next level was an easy decision.

Today, all of this remains true. But as my world vision has become broader and the many paths a law degree can create have increased, I would choose a different focus for my legal education and career. Technology has brought us much closer to the concept of being united as one world, and I would want to use my education and skills to make this a loving world to live in.

More specifically, I would focus my studies and career afterwards on creating laws and processes that move women forward in the fields of education, government, and healthcare. I would work for non-profit agencies that pursue these efforts in countries where the freedoms we may take for granted in the US are not in existence.

For now, I’m so very honored to be able to work with many people who share this same vision of one world, and are dedicated to making it a better place to live by pursuing their own dreams of law school.