Email This StorySurvey: LSAT scores outweigh internships, jobs
Nov. 3, 2009
Kaplan releases data ranking experience
below test scores
By Adeola Aro
Staff Writer
Undergraduates in a law-related internship or job may be gaining valuable legal experience for the profession they hope to one day enter, but a recent survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep and Admission reveals it may not be enough to get into law school.
After a survey of admissions officers at 152 American Bar Association Law Schools, Kaplan found that more than 60 percent of the officers said applicants with work experiences related to a career in law have little or no advantage over those who do not.
Only 4 percent reported that applicants' with legal internships had a "great advantage" for admissions.
"What's clear from the survey is that admissions officers continue to consider an applicants LSAT score to be the most important admissions factor, followed by undergraduate GPA, the personal statement and the personal experience," stated Howard Bell, executive director of pre-law for Kaplan Test Prep and Admission, in a press release.
However, Bell said internships can still prove to be advantageous in another way.
"Get the internship that has the most impact to you. The internship can turn into a set of recommendations," Bell said in an interview with the Lariat. "People thrilled with your work can be used to bolster your application. The internship itself will not get you into law school."
Dr. Thomas Myers, associate professor and director of civic education and community services, coordinates a local internship program. Myers said internships are primarily helpful to provide students with experience that will help them determine if law school is something they want to consider.
"Many students' interest in law is based on simplistic movies and TV shows about lawyers and they are not accurate," Myers said.
The program Myers coordinates gives students the opportunity to get hands-on experience in an actual law firm. Students are placed in either the district attorney's office or in a defense attorney's office and study records and talk to clients -- all of which Myers said better inform students on their decision to enter the legal profession.
The highly competitive internships are open to students with a strong academic record and interest to enter the legal profession.
"Students also need to take a reduced load so they can put the eight to 10 hours a week in the law office," Myers said.
While, internships are valuable learning mechanisms, they often are not measurable of a students' knowledge, said Becky Beth-Chollet, assistant dean of admission for Baylor's School of Law. "Often times at the undergraduate level, the types of things [students] doing are not things that are really substantial for us to look at," Beth-Chollett said.
Chollett said that in addition to LSAT scores and GPA, concrete examples such as the personal statement and extracurricular activities help law schools determine that a student with leadership experiences has skills such as drive and determination ingrained in them.
Bell said extracurricular activities could strengthen overall applicants' application by showing they are "well-rounded" and can contribute to society.
Bell and Chollett both agreed that great emphasis and preparation should be placed on preparing for the LSAT exam.
Chollett encourages students to approach the exam as if they are only going to take it one time, and to take the test with a positive attitude.
"I've worked in admissions for the past 28 years, and I have worked with students who totally panicked on the exam," Chollett said. "They realize they have to take it again and they study more efficiently and increase by 11 to 15 points. Just relax a bit and you will score better."
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