The School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology

1. Will law schools consider the fact that I have a hard major/went to a difficult school?

Because Tech GPAs are thought to be low compared to other universities, some students are concerned that they won't be competitive when applying to law school. These fears are overblown.

Most law school applicants subscribe to the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). When an applicant applies to law school, the LSDAS provides a great deal of information about his/her academic standing to that law school's Admissions Office. This information allows the law school admissions committee to see where his/her GPA stands in relation to other Tech graduates who are applying to law school anywhere in the country. Thus, the admissions committee can put a Tech GPA into perspective and Tech grads are not prejudiced by Tech's grading policies.

However, a few law school applicants choose to submit their transcripts directly to the law schools where they intend to apply. The LSDAS will then be unable to provide information about their standing in relation to their classmates. Keep this in mind when deciding whether to subscribe to the LSDAS.

Furthermore, be aware that the LSDAS is comparing a graduate's GPA to other students who are applying to law school. The LSDAS is not comparing a graduate's GPA to the entirety of the graduating class. Lastly, keep in mind that we have somewhat oversimplified the process here in order to provide a general overview of our opinion about the impact of Tech GPAs on the admissions process.

For those students who continue to be concerned about Tech GPAs, see no. 2 below.

2. What's the deal with the letter I’ve heard I can include with my application?

Each fall semester, the Director of the Pre-Law program updates a letter discussing the level of competition for admission to Tech, the quality of Tech's programs, and the difficulty of the Tech curriculum. Many students include a copy of this letter with their applications to ensure that the admissions committee reads it.

Keep in mind that some law schools won't accept material they didn't ask you to submit. You should ask each law school to which you apply how to submit the letter for inclusion in your file. Alternatively, you can simply ask one of your Tech recommenders to attach the letter to his or her letter of recommendation.

Signed copies of Prof. Pikowsky's letter are available for pick up beginning in mid-October from outside his office, Room 210 DM Smith Building.

3. What classes do I need to take to prepare for law school? Is there a specific major that I should choose?

There is no major or class requirement for applying to law school. You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. While certain majors tend to go to law school in large numbers (ex. political science and history), there are plenty of engineering majors, science majors, business majors, etc. who have gone to law school. In fact, attorneys who work before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office generally must have an undergraduate degree in a scientific or engineering field in order to sit for the Patent Bar Exam, which must be taken in addition to a state Bar Exam.

4. What law schools do Tech students usually apply/get accepted to?

As the majority of Tech students are from Georgia, lots of our graduates choose to stay in Georgia to go to law school. There are five law schools in Georgia, two public (UGA and GSU) and three private (Emory, Mercer, and John Marshall). Each fall Tech will send roughly 12 students to both UGA and GSU, and 5-10 to both Emory and Mercer. There are also Tech alums who have gone to other prominent public law schools (such as the University of Florida and the University of Maryland), as well as nationally prestigious schools such as Harvard, Stanford, and NYU. A list of "Tech Friendly" law schools (meaning schools that have accepted Tech students in previous application cycles) is available at http://www.prelaw.gatech.edu/techfriendly.php.

5. How do I prepare for the LSAT?

LSAT preparation can take a variety of forms; from enrolling in a full length course to taking practice exams on your own. Each option has positives and negatives. Full length classes, such as Kaplan and Princeton Review, cover lots of ground and give you the benefit of an instructor, but can cost more than $1,000. Private tutors are also available, but they are also generally expensive. However, keeping in mind that most people are likely to earn a higher LSAT score with extensive preparation, and that your LSAT score is a critical component of your application for admission, it may be worthwhile to pay for the class or a tutor.

Other options include ordering old tests or buying test prep books and working through them on your own. This will be significantly cheaper, but you will not have the benefit of an instructor or a classroom setting.

Preparing for the LSAT involves familiarizing yourself with the types of questions that will be asked, and learning to answer those questions within the given time constraints. The LSAT is divided into 5 sections, with approximately 25 questions per section, each lasting 35 minutes. Only 4 of the sections will count towards your score while 1 section consists of experimental questions; you will not know which section was experimental until you receive the results of your test. There are three types of sections: reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical reasoning (the “games” section). You will have at least 1 reading comprehension, 2 logical reasoning, and 1 analytical reasoning; so, whichever type of section appears in addition in these is the type of section that is experimental. For example, if you have 2 reading comprehension sections on your test you know that one of them is experimental.

You can take the LSAT more than once if you're not satisfied with your score. However, you should make a maximum effort to do as well as possible the first time. It has been common practice for law schools to average the LSAT scores for a person who takes two or more exams. Today, law schools are more likely to simply consider an applicant's highest score. However, it can be dangerous to rely on general statements such as this. Check the policy of the specific law schools where you plan to apply. Don't be afraid to re-take the LSAT if you must; just be aware of the potential consequences.

6. What kind of Pre-Law activities does Tech offer?

Tech’s Mock Trial Team placed 2nd in the U.S. for the 2004-2005 academic year, losing to UCLA in the national finals. More information is available by emailing Robert Pikowsky.

Tech has a chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International. PAD arranges activities such as visits from law school admissions officers and other events of interest to students who plan to attend law school.

If you want to participate in either of these organizations, contact Prof. Pikowsky, who will forward your name to the appropriate people.