Today, I met with Jim, a junior at Nova who is majoring in Legal Studies. Together, we attended a pre-law meeting with other pre-law students at the Shepard Broad Center on campus. Several law school faculty were hosting this meeting in order to inform pre-law students of the law school admissions requirements. During the meeting, I learned that all pre-law students who wish to attend law school at Nova must perform well enough on the LSAT. The faculty hosting the meeting provided everyone with information about preparing for the LSAT. They encouraged everyone to study for the LSAT well in advance of taking the test. In order to prepare, they recommended that students check out the Law School Admission Council’s website. This website provides helpful tips, advice, practice questions, and information about how to register for the exam.
As the meeting progressed, I watched as Jim and the other pre-law students took careful notes, making sure to write down dates and important deadlines. Afterwards, I talked with a few of the pre-law students. One student, Rob, in particular, seemed overwhelmed by how much “stuff” he had to get done in order to apply on time. He didn’t seem as excited as Jim had. I asked him later why he was going to law school and he indicated that it was because his parents thought it would be a good idea. I didn’t press the matter further since I thought it might make him unconfortable, but I was left wondering if Rob actually wanted to attend law school.
At the end of my first observation, I feel I have learned a lot about the people who make up the pre-law community on campus. However, I also feel like I could learn a lot more. For example, after talking to Rob, I want to find out why the other members want to go to law school. I think I will start by asking Jim, since I know him best. I also want to know how much time these students will put in preparing for the LSAT. I assume it is a lot, but I think more observations will help shed some light on this.
A Blog about Pre-Law Students at Nova 