I went to school with a girl in psych who got her Phd in English. Ironically enough, she is actually working for a company who does contract work with legal firms. I never knew there was a market for English specialists within the legal field, but I guess understanding the language and structure of sentences could be useful when analyzing arguments.
I'm a current fourth year at UVa!! I'm also doing a thesis on Asian American lit. Loved this video! I'm trying to apply to law school after a gap year or two, but it's nice to see a wahoo out here :-)
Awesome! Love to see brilliant WOC taking on the world :) I wrote my Masters thesis partly on Chang-Rae Lee. Any recs for good AsAm new authors? Been reading Celine Nguyen recently
I'm actually reading Chang-Rae Lee right now!! I think I'm trying to write about Korean-American political activism through literature but I'm super unsure rn! I'd def pick up Pachinko by Min Jin Lee though--she's been getting a lot of attention recently:-)
Hi, I'll jump in & say it usually helps if you had leadership roles in activities that help people, like immigrants, poor people, children, etc. Just a few activities is enough because you don't want your grades to suffer.
hey! i'm interested in hearing about your journey before law school. could you share a bit about what led you to your AB (in whatever you studied), MA, and the things you learned during your gap years and so on?
Thank you so much for this video! My path is similar to yours in that I graduated with a degree in English. I'm currently doing my master's in public administration as a way to bridge the gap between English and law and to give me more time to study for the LSAT. I will definitely be using this checklist for my law school application journey!
Hi Esther, love the video! I am a prospective law student who is graduating from undergrad this May, and I was wondering if you had any advice. I recently decided to take a year off before law school to perfect my LSAT score. Aside from LSAT and GPA, what do you think made you stand out? The last thing I want is to squander my time, and I was wondering what sorts of things you would recommend I do to make me stand out too! Thanks in advance.
So you completed your Masters degree in English and then went straight to law school? Or did you quit your Masters program and go to law school? Did you ever try to look for jobs before going to law school?
Hi Esther! I'm a flute performance major (undergrad) right now, I was wondering if you took any law internships before applying to law school? Were you involved in a lot of political clubs or organizations? I'm planning on trying for my LSATs next September and then applying to law school after getting my masters in flute performance.
+Bethany Mclean I didn’t join any political clubs/orgs, and I didn’t do any law internships. Some of my coursework and writing in undergrad and in my masters had a political/legal component though! It doesn’t hurt to join some clubs and boost that part of your file, but you can definitely get a law degree with a major in performance! One of my profs at Stanford majored in performance before going to law school :)
Hi Esther thank you for your super informative video! I’m wondering do you need to take certain leadership positions in uni in order to stand out in the application?? (I’m second year in a UK university, currently considering joining debate society but due to the 3-year length for uni in UK it’s quite hard for me to become president or vice-president in that society) I’ll really appreciate your reply thx again for the video!
Hi Esther I just have a quick question regarding the applying process into law school. Do you think that Ivy League colleges look at what college you attended (like if it was prestigious and well known) or just the GPA and other factors? For example, do you think an individual with a 3.98 GPA and high LSAT scores but went to a lesser known university will get into Stanford Law School?
if they see someone with a 3.5 gpa and a pretty good lsat score from yale vs. your 3.98...they probably will choose the person from yale. At this point your lsat should be amazing and your recommendations and personal essay better be amazing...personal statement wise, make sure you talk about why stanford is right for you (programs maybe) and why you are a good candidate...some people just talk about why stanford is amazing (same with medical school, ect) but they don't talk about how their experiences make them a good candidate. Also, she went to U Chicago which has a pretty high ranked law school so it's hard to say...I know a guy at my unknown university trying to get into Uchicago for law and he's doing a gap year to travel abroad to help underserved areas. If you can get relevant experience in a gap year or summer break, it might help. Getting a masters at a higher ranked university might help you cultivate more in-depth professor relationships...maybe the prof has better research and their name can be googled which will put more weight in their letter. Law school is known for being (sadly) elitist so you don't have the headstart that people at ivies do and people whose parents who are lawyers from ivies, but if you really want it then do it :) Also, if you can get in a top 50ish school (better to be higher than lower), you can actually transfer out after 1L if you are the top of the pack thereby getting into ivies (although getting a recc letter from a law prof to attend another law school is kinda awkward)...it's possible. There's no cut and dry answer unfortunately XD
I agree with Anne. You still have a shot but the undergrad also counts for something. Just try to get as high an LSAT score as you can. Did you already start law school?
Wow your video is amazing. I like your voice and the way you speak. It’s quite impressive that your makeup has looked always perfect and you’ve studied hard at the same time. Please upload lots of law school related videos. It would definitely help many people. ;) I have two comments. 1. Could you give more details about making connection between your Master’s major(Asian English literature) and law? 2. Your background music is a bit loud compared to your voice. It’s hard to recognize or understand what you’re saying for me, a non-native English speaker.
+정인영 sorry about the background music! I’m still learning how to edit videos well :) will try to add captions to this video when I have time. As for the major, it’s actually quite easy to connect the two skills, because so much of the law is about analyzing texts and drawing detailed conclusions, just like the basic skills of literary analysis. Of course, studying English helps strengthen writing and argument skills as well since we write a lot of persuasive essays and academic papers that synthesize previous scholarship. :)
Thank you so much for this video & sharing your experience! I am still finishing up my bachelors (sophomore) so i still have a quite a long time to go before law school- but i really want to start studying the LSAT on my free time? What’s your advice on that? I noticed you said the Kaplan books and such don’t really “help” , they just explain what the sections are and such - so what do you suggest I do to be guaranteed high scores?
"Get Into Law School: The Applicant's Guide" (book) helped me when I was applying to law school. Only $5 on Amazon and it told me what to do to get into the best law school possible for me. Best of Luck!
Do the free Khan Academy LSAT course & buy previously administered tests to take under timed conditions. I taught for Kaplan & don't recommend it. A private tutor is better. Good luck!
I'm a psych major right now but thinking about getting into law. I know the undergrad major doesn't matter, but would it hurt my chances terribly if I did not do any internships?
It would be better to do them if you can, because they not only boost your resume but give you a chance to explore other industries and jobs before you decide on law school. Law school is quite a commitment and it can be hard to know whether the work will suit you if you don’t try out other things first. The internships don’t need to be law-related!
I picked it because I loved reading novels and writing! It was super helpful, I think, because it really sharpened my analytical writing and reading skills.
@@chelled8773 Hi, I am also majoring in political science along with history, and plan on going to law school after my undergrad. My advisor said it was probably the best idea, as he said a vast majority of law students major in those two. He said it has pros and cons, as I wont be behind other students, however it may be hard to set yourself apart. I ultimately think it is a good idea, but I guess try and set yourself apart with other things like gpa or lsat scores.
@@fortress5278 wait you can put political science and history together as a degree or is that a dual enrollment ? because mines is really different i am doing BSN for 3 years then going to law school but my major is still political science.
Esther Yu if you don't mind me asking, what set you apart from other candidates, how can I increase my chances of being awarded a scholarship in terms of my LSAT score as well as GPA etc.
Hey - I got a fellowship from the school, so I'm not sure how they determine it. Every school will have slightly different criteria, so I would check with the school itself to see what kind of programs they offer. I didn't get or apply for any outside scholarships for law school, so I can't help with that unfortunately :/ funding law school is definitely a challenge, so please let me know if you hear of any good resources! best of luck :)
yes! of course, you should also just take the major that interests you :) no major gives you a definitive edge in law school as far as I can tell, as long as it has a writing and critical reading component
"Get Into Law School: The Applicant's Guide" (book) helped me when I was applying to law school. Only $5 on Amazon and it told me what to do to get into the best law school possible for me. Best of Luck!
Really great video. I could feel the sincerity and compassion in the advice given. Keep the content flowing.
I went to school with a girl in psych who got her Phd in English. Ironically enough, she is actually working for a company who does contract work with legal firms. I never knew there was a market for English specialists within the legal field, but I guess understanding the language and structure of sentences could be useful when analyzing arguments.
I'm a current fourth year at UVa!! I'm also doing a thesis on Asian American lit. Loved this video! I'm trying to apply to law school after a gap year or two, but it's nice to see a wahoo out here :-)
Awesome! Love to see brilliant WOC taking on the world :) I wrote my Masters thesis partly on Chang-Rae Lee. Any recs for good AsAm new authors? Been reading Celine Nguyen recently
I'm actually reading Chang-Rae Lee right now!! I think I'm trying to write about Korean-American political activism through literature but I'm super unsure rn! I'd def pick up Pachinko by Min Jin Lee though--she's been getting a lot of attention recently:-)
Yes just finished Pachinko as you wrote that comment haha! Loved it.
Hi! I was just wondering what kind of internships or volunteer things you did? What kind of stuff outside of school made you stand out?
I would also love to know!
me too!
Hi, I'll jump in & say it usually helps if you had leadership roles in activities that help people, like immigrants, poor people, children, etc. Just a few activities is enough because you don't want your grades to suffer.
I wish the good luck to Stanford football team on my behalf and Monta vista high school 70
hey! i'm interested in hearing about your journey before law school. could you share a bit about what led you to your AB (in whatever you studied), MA, and the things you learned during your gap years and so on?
Great idea for a new video!
Thank you so much for this video! My path is similar to yours in that I graduated with a degree in English. I'm currently doing my master's in public administration as a way to bridge the gap between English and law and to give me more time to study for the LSAT. I will definitely be using this checklist for my law school application journey!
+Tatiana Olivera that's awesome! Good luck :)
I have to second that, 7sage is awesome and I wish I had returned the Kaplan prep book I bought....
this video was very helpful! thank you so much for illustrating the timeline x
Did you end up applying to law school?
Funny my daughter who also has a CZcams channel, wants to become a lawyer and Stanford is her dream school.
Holy shit no way!
Hope she gets in!
Hi Esther, love the video! I am a prospective law student who is graduating from undergrad this May, and I was wondering if you had any advice. I recently decided to take a year off before law school to perfect my LSAT score. Aside from LSAT and GPA, what do you think made you stand out? The last thing I want is to squander my time, and I was wondering what sorts of things you would recommend I do to make me stand out too! Thanks in advance.
Don't do it, you will hate it. Unless you need the identity of being a "lawyer" then knock yourself out. Most lawyers are that way.
don't project your fears onto others be impartial especially when you feel the need to give such negative advice
So you completed your Masters degree in English and then went straight to law school? Or did you quit your Masters program and go to law school? Did you ever try to look for jobs before going to law school?
thank you so much sis ...ur really really sweet ..
Can u please please explain about sources from where we should prepare for lsat ?
I realize your comment is from a while ago, but Khan Academy has a good free LSAT course & you can buy real previously administered tests from LSAC.
Great video! This is very helpful and important information. I also have my own channel and the videos focus on the ivy league law school experience.
What was your GPA when you first applied for Stanford?
I'm just 15 and I'm already planning my career
That's great to plan ahead. Good luck applying to colleges!
Hi Esther! I'm a flute performance major (undergrad) right now, I was wondering if you took any law internships before applying to law school? Were you involved in a lot of political clubs or organizations? I'm planning on trying for my LSATs next September and then applying to law school after getting my masters in flute performance.
+Bethany Mclean I didn’t join any political clubs/orgs, and I didn’t do any law internships. Some of my coursework and writing in undergrad and in my masters had a political/legal component though! It doesn’t hurt to join some clubs and boost that part of your file, but you can definitely get a law degree with a major in performance! One of my profs at Stanford majored in performance before going to law school :)
Hi Esther thank you for your super informative video! I’m wondering do you need to take certain leadership positions in uni in order to stand out in the application?? (I’m second year in a UK university, currently considering joining debate society but due to the 3-year length for uni in UK it’s quite hard for me to become president or vice-president in that society) I’ll really appreciate your reply thx again for the video!
Yes, leadership roles really help you stand out. Good luck!
Hi Esther I just have a quick question regarding the applying process into law school. Do you think that Ivy League colleges look at what college you attended (like if it was prestigious and well known) or just the GPA and other factors? For example, do you think an individual with a 3.98 GPA and high LSAT scores but went to a lesser known university will get into Stanford Law School?
if they see someone with a 3.5 gpa and a pretty good lsat score from yale vs. your 3.98...they probably will choose the person from yale. At this point your lsat should be amazing and your recommendations and personal essay better be amazing...personal statement wise, make sure you talk about why stanford is right for you (programs maybe) and why you are a good candidate...some people just talk about why stanford is amazing (same with medical school, ect) but they don't talk about how their experiences make them a good candidate. Also, she went to U Chicago which has a pretty high ranked law school so it's hard to say...I know a guy at my unknown university trying to get into Uchicago for law and he's doing a gap year to travel abroad to help underserved areas. If you can get relevant experience in a gap year or summer break, it might help. Getting a masters at a higher ranked university might help you cultivate more in-depth professor relationships...maybe the prof has better research and their name can be googled which will put more weight in their letter. Law school is known for being (sadly) elitist so you don't have the headstart that people at ivies do and people whose parents who are lawyers from ivies, but if you really want it then do it :) Also, if you can get in a top 50ish school (better to be higher than lower), you can actually transfer out after 1L if you are the top of the pack thereby getting into ivies (although getting a recc letter from a law prof to attend another law school is kinda awkward)...it's possible. There's no cut and dry answer unfortunately XD
I agree with Anne. You still have a shot but the undergrad also counts for something. Just try to get as high an LSAT score as you can. Did you already start law school?
Thanks
hello do you have any beginning readings for aspiring lawyers
Wow your video is amazing.
I like your voice and the way you speak.
It’s quite impressive that your makeup has looked always perfect and you’ve studied hard at the same time.
Please upload lots of law school related videos. It would definitely help many people. ;)
I have two comments.
1. Could you give more details about making connection between your Master’s major(Asian English literature) and law?
2. Your background music is a bit loud compared to your voice. It’s hard to recognize or understand what you’re saying for me, a non-native English speaker.
+정인영 sorry about the background music! I’m still learning how to edit videos well :) will try to add captions to this video when I have time.
As for the major, it’s actually quite easy to connect the two skills, because so much of the law is about analyzing texts and drawing detailed conclusions, just like the basic skills of literary analysis. Of course, studying English helps strengthen writing and argument skills as well since we write a lot of persuasive essays and academic papers that synthesize previous scholarship. :)
Thank you so much for this video & sharing your experience! I am still finishing up my bachelors (sophomore) so i still have a quite a long time to go before law school- but i really want to start studying the LSAT on my free time? What’s your advice on that?
I noticed you said the Kaplan books and such don’t really “help” , they just explain what the sections are and such - so what do you suggest I do to be guaranteed high scores?
"Get Into Law School: The Applicant's Guide" (book) helped me when I was applying to law school. Only $5 on Amazon and it told me what to do to get into the best law school possible for me. Best of Luck!
Do the free Khan Academy LSAT course & buy previously administered tests to take under timed conditions. I taught for Kaplan & don't recommend it. A private tutor is better. Good luck!
I'm a psych major right now but thinking about getting into law. I know the undergrad major doesn't matter, but would it hurt my chances terribly if I did not do any internships?
It would be better to do them if you can, because they not only boost your resume but give you a chance to explore other industries and jobs before you decide on law school. Law school is quite a commitment and it can be hard to know whether the work will suit you if you don’t try out other things first. The internships don’t need to be law-related!
What if you are going back to school after a very long period then what to do for the letter of recommendation.
I'm pretty sure they don't all have to be from former professors. A recommendation from a supervisor could work as well. Good luck!
Where did you earn your bachelors degree?
She says UChicago! :-)
why did you pick a english major ? do you think it was alot of help ? what major would you pick if you could change your major for law school ?
I picked it because I loved reading novels and writing! It was super helpful, I think, because it really sharpened my analytical writing and reading skills.
@@FortheTimeBeingchannel someone was telling me do something outside of law so i was going do bsn and law school but my major is political science.
@@chelled8773 Hi, I am also majoring in political science along with history, and plan on going to law school after my undergrad. My advisor said it was probably the best idea, as he said a vast majority of law students major in those two. He said it has pros and cons, as I wont be behind other students, however it may be hard to set yourself apart. I ultimately think it is a good idea, but I guess try and set yourself apart with other things like gpa or lsat scores.
@@fortress5278 wait you can put political science and history together as a degree or is that a dual enrollment ? because mines is really different i am doing BSN for 3 years then going to law school but my major is still political science.
Is doing an Honor’s program recommended?
what did she get on the LSAT and what was her GPA
What if your not from America, is it going to be hard for me to get into law school?
I don't think it'd be harder as long as you have the good grades and high LSAT score.
Where are you from??
I'm from Belize
Did you say UVA? go hoos :)
Hey, did you get a scholarship to attend law school?
Esther Yu if you don't mind me asking, what set you apart from other candidates, how can I increase my chances of being awarded a scholarship in terms of my LSAT score as well as GPA etc.
Hey - I got a fellowship from the school, so I'm not sure how they determine it. Every school will have slightly different criteria, so I would check with the school itself to see what kind of programs they offer. I didn't get or apply for any outside scholarships for law school, so I can't help with that unfortunately :/ funding law school is definitely a challenge, so please let me know if you hear of any good resources! best of luck :)
What courses should you take as an undergraduate if you want to go to law school
+KWP CHANNEL courses that develop your writing and textual analysis skills!
For the Time Being do you think Psychology is a good major for it?
yes! of course, you should also just take the major that interests you :) no major gives you a definitive edge in law school as far as I can tell, as long as it has a writing and critical reading component
Hi do you mind sharing what both of your GPAs were for undergrad and Grad school? And what your highest LSAT score was ?
I always dream about going to Law School, and then remember I'm dumb...Ahhh, one can dream 😂
You’re not dumb! Just figure a method of studying that works for you and put in the time, you can do it!
Think positive! Take more writing classes, learn how to study & be organized. Don't count yourself out!
why did you pick a english major ? do you think it was alot of help ? what major would you pick if you could change your major for law school ?
"Get Into Law School: The Applicant's Guide" (book) helped me when I was applying to law school. Only $5 on Amazon and it told me what to do to get into the best law school possible for me. Best of Luck!