Wondering About the Likelihood of Getting Accepted to Law School?

A Useful Tool for Calculating Your Odds of Getting Accepted

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) has released a useful tool that allows you to put in your GPA and LSAT score and see where your GPA and LSAT score falls relative to the 25th-75th percentile based on the 2017 full-time admission data.  You can find the tool here. Be sure to carefully read the information on how to use the tool and interpret the results.

While it is not a guarantee, the tool allows you to reasonable predict your chances at admission and can inform your decision on where to apply. The tool also helps you see where your LSAT needs to be to have a reasonable chance of admission at particular schools of interest.

Remember, not all ABA accredited schools are equal in terms of value and the best fit for your particular circumstances and goals. Law school is expensive.  Admissions rates do vary from cycle to cycle and depend on the applicant pool -- timing matters too.   Sometimes its better to wait, take a gap year, gain life or work experience, and apply later than it is to attend a law school just because they are willing to accept you.

For Future LSAT Takers

A new option to commercial preparation courses and self-study you might want to check out: the Khan Academy has partnered with the LSAC to offer free LSAT preparation.  Check it out here.

Guest Blog - Jordan Sieracki (2015, History & Political Science)

Jordan (2015, History & Political Science)

Guest Blog: 

The History and Political Science Department’s guidance has been instrumental in my undergraduate success and in preparation for my future law school plans.  In the summer of 2012, with the encouragement of my academic advisors, I applied to and was one of twenty area students selected to be a participant in the Law School Admissions Council Pre-law Scholar’s Program at University at Buffalo Law School. Last summer. I received an opportunity to travel to Poland to study Polish language and culture. My scholarship was awarded through the Kosciusko Foundation, and my travel was supported by a private donation from a Daemen almunus.  This spring, I received a scholarship* to take a Kaplan LSAT Prep Course that helped me improve my initial diagnostic score by 15 points when I took the LSAT officially this June. I would have not been able to take advantage of these amazing and life-changing opportunities without the advisement, encouragement, and recommendation letters of the professors in my Department.

My advice for any other students looking to take the LSAT is practice, practice, practice! Hard does not mean impossible. The preparation course provided the structure and instruction I needed, but ultimately it all comes down to diligently practicing a new skill set. You have to practice tackling the questions until the breakdown of answering them becomes second nature. It can definitely be overwhelming and frustrating, but practicing over time will yield rewarding results. If you unable to take a commercial preparation course, you should make a study schedule to keep yourself accountable and on track. Otherwise, it can be too easy to put off studying and letting discouragement distract you from your goals.  

My dad has always told me that success is when preparation meets opportunity. Daemen’s History and Political Science Department both prepared me through my course work and introduced me to new and exciting opportunities that have allowed me to grow in success each year. I am excited for the experiences and stories of success yet to come! 

*The Kaplan Scholarship was awarded to Dr. Lisa Parshall through the Northeast Pre Law Advisors Association (NAPLA). Dr. Parshall was awarded a NAPLA travel grant to attend their 2013 conference where she additionally received a preparation course certificate from Kaplan, Inc. to be conferred upon a student of her choosing.  Jordan was selected as the recipient based on need and in recognition of her outstanding service to the Department and College as a peer mentor, orientation leader, and active member of the student clubs/associations.     

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