Writing your law school application personal statement can be as nerve-wracking as preparing for the LSAT exam. You probably feel as though much of your future hinges on getting accepted into the college of your choice. Even the smartest of undergraduates struggle to find the right words to say. Before the panic attacks start, try this advice first.

Consider the purpose of a law school personal statement, which is two-fold. First, you must try to convince an admissions committee that your accomplishments are worthy of consideration. Second, you need to prove that you are not only lawyer material, but you are also a perfect addition to the student body at that particular institution. These are the two main questions that you need to answer.

With entrance to law school becoming more and more competitive, the Law School Admission Test is playing a large role in determining the fate of the candidates. It’s not enough to just pass the test, successful applicants need to ace it. Students with a 3.5 GPA are a dime a dozen, but LSAT scores of 165 and higher show your analytical thinking ability in it’s best light.

The LSAT, or Law School Admission Test, is offered by the Law School Admission Council and is necessary for admission to the more than 200 law schools who are members of the LSAC. Though there are hundreds of test locations, not all test dates are available at all test centers. Check the LSAC website for exam schedules and sites. You should register as early as possible to ensure that you get your first choice of location.

You can register for the LSAT either online, by telephone or by mail. But do yourself a favor and signup on time. There is a late registration period available, but you will pay an extra $64 for the privilege. For those students who celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday, alternative exams are usually given on the Monday following the regular Saturday tests or the June exam is given on a Monday.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the definition of
accreditation is “to recognize (an educational institution) as
maintaining standards that qualify the graduates for admission
to higher or more specialized institutions or for professional
practice.” Law schools generally fall into three catagories of
accreditation, American Bar Association (ABA) accredited, state
accredited or unaccredited.

ABA accreditation – According to the American Bar
Association, “Law schools approved by the American Bar
Association (ABA) provide a legal education which meets a
minimum set of standards as promulgated by the ABA. Every
jurisdiction in the United States has determined that graduates
of ABA-approved law schools are able to sit for the bar in their
respective jurisdictions. The role that the ABA plays as the
national accrediting body has enabled accreditation to become
unified and national in scope rather than fragmented, with the
potential for inconsistency, among the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and other
territories. The Council of the ABA Section of Legal Education
and Admissions to the Bar is the United States Department of
Education recognized accrediting agency for programs that lead
to the first professional degree in law. The law school approval
process established by the Council is designed to provide a
careful and comprehensive evaluation of a law school and its
compliance with the Standards for Approval of Law Schools.”