Please give a brief background on yourself:
My mom was so determined that I’d attend an all-women’s college and I had been on Wellesley’s mailing list since I was seven-years-old! My decision to attend Wellesley was a tad bit set in stone, but it was a truly pioneering experience for me. I was the first in my family to attend college out-of-state and I knew literally, no one on the east coast. I came from southern California and was the only student to attend Wellesley College from my high school (Western Christian). My four years at Wellesley allowed me to pursue courses and concepts that I had very little exposure to in high school. I majored in Anthropology and Political Science and was the Co-President of the Wellesley College Pre-Law Society.
What made you choose to go to law school?
I knew early on that I wanted to practice law. Particularly, I pinpointed my strong suits (writing and speaking) and my weaknesses (math and hard science) during my first few years at college and decided that I’d pursue a legal career because it fit my skill-sets. Like a lot of Wellesley women, I knew my blood boiled when I saw injustice in the world and I still believe that attorneys, especially female, can make a difference in our judicial system.
What was a typical week like for you when you were applying to law school, taking the LSATs, and being a full-time student? How did you balance the work?
In my junior spring, I started to study for the LSAT. I took a Kaplan class for two months at Harvard and I think I could have done without it. Acing the LSAT is more about your ability to fit in studying with academics. If you have good self-discipline, I’d say to buy a study manual and do practice tests for two-three months. I didn’t really feel the pressure of applying to law schools and balancing the academic load until my senior fall. I applied early in August and felt immense pressure of trying to finish applications, track schools I applied to, letters of recommendation, etc. But, always remember that planning in advance can minimize this stress!
During this time period, a typical week for me consisted of 10 hours of work at the Alumnae Association; 4 classes and an independent study; and at least two hours a week for organization meetings. As a caveat, I totally loved my experience working at the Alumnae Association and my ability to network with attorney alumnae highly influenced my decision to become an attorney. Reach out to the Wellesley Lawyers Network or the Alumnae Association to find alumnae who have been in your exact shoes.
My advice for anyone applying to law school during their senior year is to plan ahead. If you know you want to attend law school, it would be wise to have an idea of who you want to write your recommendations. Save time by learning in advance what schools want from you and work on it BEFORE the application cycle comes out. A great resource for that, of course is the CWS Pre-Law Advisor (Ellie Perkins) or the Pre-Law Society. Though I’m biased from my personal experiences, I really believe that taking part in legal events or talking to attorneys is a fantastic way to learn more about what they do daily and ultimately, what you’d like to do in the future.
How has your idea about a potential career changed since you started at Wellesley? What other career paths did you consider?
Originally, I entered Wellesley as an aspiring International Law attorney that wanted to serve in the foreign service or at an NGO. Four years down the road, I am now interested in Energy Law and practicing in either a private law firm or company. My experience in Anthropology at Wellesley shaped my desire to practice law. One of my favorite professors, Philip Kohl, influenced how I started to see the world and how the law can differ based on culture. I like to think that I will take my experiences in the classroom and with my classmates at Wellesley to the legal profession. It’s important to pursue whatever you do with determination and passion, regardless of whether or not your career interests change over time.
What piece of advice would you offer to other students looking to get into law school?
Find a good mentor/professional adviser: I recently was selected to be a Ms. JD journalist and I wrote on the Importance of a Professional Mentor. Law school is very expensive and the applications for each school you apply to range from $25-$100. Thus, you should be sure on your decision to apply by your junior spring. I’d recommend pairing up with a professor, manager, coach or whomever that can give you professional advice on the legal field.
Taking courses that focus on writing: Law school teaches you how to be a lawyer through courses like legal process and civil procedure. But, you don’t have time to learn how to write in law school. I’d say focus taking classes in your undergrad that helps you learn how to write and think critically.
What do you wish you had known before applying to law school?
I think there are two key elements of applying to law school that I wished were demystified for me when I was still in college:
1. If you are applying for financial aid, law school can and usually will consider you as an independent student-meaning not based on your parents tax returns. This increases your chances to have your legal education funded by personal loans.
2. Law schools want undergraduates to be well-rounded, but they really want to see you focus on your grades and LSAT score. After all, law school is all about doing well in your courses in order to be eligible for better jobs.
Lastly, I think it’s vital to keep in mind when you apply to law school or even think about applying. Focus on your classes and study for the LSAT. Whether or not you apply to law school your senior year or in five years, I think you should remember the deeper reasons why you want to practice law. That will push you through the sleepless nights or the uneasy feeling of waiting for law school decisions. Overall, I think anyone from Wellesley can handle the law school process and I hope that I hope that I shed some insight into what it takes to get in to the school of your choice!
I’m available to answer questions on law school or pre-law; writing for Ms. JD; or anything else that may pertain to practicing law. Feel free to contact me at blamonpa@vols.utk.edu