Pre Law News: Dr. Parshall Attends 2013 NAPLA Conference

 Hello Everyone:
    I was fortunate enough to be awarded a grant from the Northeastern Association of Pre Law Advisors to attend their 2013 Conference hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia, PA (June 18-21). The event brought together undergraduate pre law advisors and law school representatives (faculty, deans and admissions officers) to discuss current trends in legal education and best practices for undergraduate pre law preparation. This was a tremendous opportunity to hear directly from law school personnel as to what they are looking for in prospective law school applicants. Mock admissions panels, advising workshops and multiple informational sessions yielded numerous insights into the application process, disclosure requirements and changing law school curricula. I was also able to speak directly with representatives from over 90 law schools and to tour several law schools:  University of Pennsylvania Law School, the Earle Mack School of Law (Drexel University), Temple University's James E. Beasely School of Law School and Villlanova Law School.

The statue of Benjamin Franklin resides on Locust Walk on  the University of
Pennsylvania's main campus. The pathway is lined with quotes from the Founding Father,
including his observation that "little strokes fell great oaks" -- a great reminder to aspiring law students
 that steady efforts yield big results.  

   By overwhelming consensus, law school representatives indicate that a broad-based liberal arts education, and a major which emphasizes critical thinking, logical reasoning, moral & ethical discernment, and written & oral communication skills, is the most desirable and best training for law school success. This is great news for our History & Political Science majors and may be why all 5 out of the 5 graduates from our department's class of 2013 who applied to law school were admitted!

   I will be sharing the insights learned from the 2013 NAPLA Conference with the Pre Law Student Association this fall. Watch for news on the Law School Application Process Workshop in October and contact me if you want to be added to my list of pre-law students. 

  Please be absolutely certain to notify me if you plan to take the LSAT between October 5, 2013, and October 4, 2014, as we will be awarding one student a certificate for a Kaplan Test Prep Free Course (valued at up to $1,500) that I received during the Conference. Selection criteria are TBA, but I want to start identifying potential recipients ASAP.

   As always, please contact me if you are interested in Pre Law studies, the Pre Law or Criminal Justice Minors, or if you are in need of advising assistance.   

Very Best Wishes,
Dr. Parshall