Florida State's Summer Program for Prelaw Students

Posted on behalf of Florida State Law:

I’m pleased to inform you about Florida State Law’s 2010 Summer for Undergraduates Program—an intensive, four-week program that provides interested students with an inside look at law school and the legal profession.

This program will run from May 17th to June 11th, 2010, and applications must be postmarked by Friday, March 26. Students can access additional information about the program, including a downloadable application, frequently asked questions, and a sample schedule from our Web site (http://www.law.fsu.edu/slp). Also see the flyer, which can be found here. http://www.law.fsu.edu/prospective_students/documents/interestedinlawschool.htm

-UNLV Prelaw

PAD Meeting Tuesday, September 29, 2009 in the Student Union Rm 219 from 4pm-5pm

Posted on behalf of UNLV PAD

Members,

Reminder: Meeting Tuesday, September 29, 2009 in the Student Union Rm 219 from 4pm-5pmWe will not be holding candidate speeches I am currently re-revising the election process I have scribed up. We will go over that and plenty of other information for this upcoming semester. I will send out another reminder tomorrow. Attached with it the itinerary forTuesday's meeting. If you have
anything you might like to add to our meeting or speak about. Please notify me ahead of time so i can list you on the itinerary, but we will also have an open forum as well. So feel free to use that time as well.

Fraternally,
PAD President

Keith.Stephenson@rocketmail.com

-UNLV Prelaw

LSAT Takers: READ THIS NOW!

Dear UNLV Prelaw's brave September 2009 LSAT takers,

It's time! The LSAT is *gulp* tomorrow! Hopefully, you feel ready. Probably, you don't. That's normal. At this point, there are only a few more things you can do to help make the process as comfortable as possible.

1. Stop fretting. Rent a DVD or something. Wind down at a reasonable hour tonight. If you need to work a logic game or two, fine. But don't go overboard. It won't help. You need to get a good night's sleep, so you'll want to take your mind off of the test for a while. If you usually exercise, you should exercise in moderation. If you're not sure whether or not you're allergic to shellfish, tonight is not the night to eat at Red Lobster for the first time. You get the picture, right?

2. Don't get wasted tonight. Keep good sleep hygiene tonight. Read a novel if you can't get to sleep. Don't knock yourself out with a six-pack or a handful of Tylenol PMs. You'll feel like crap in the morning.

3. Be sure that you know where you're going. Most UNLV Prelaw readers will be taking their tests on campus. Know where you need to be, what time you need to be there (no later than 8:30 a.m.!), and where you're going to park. If you show up late, you will NOT be allowed to take the test.

4. Make sure you have what you need. Items you MUST have include:

• Your admission ticket. Print it out TONIGHT. If you have already printed it out, log on to your LSAC account anyway, just to be sure. Sometimes the proctors need to change the location at the last minute, and you want to be in the know.
• Identification. Any old identification will simply not do. The LSAC requires "current valid (not expired) government-issued ID bearing your signature." The photo must be recent and recognizable. Really, you need your drivers license or your passport. The first and last name on the identification MUST MATCH the last name on your admission ticket. They will be sticklers about this!
• Pencils. Again, any old pencils will not do. You need No. 2 pencils. No mechanical pencils are allowed. Why? Beats me. Because they said so, I guess. They will not provide pencils for you. They will not even provide sharpeners for you.

5. Assemble the other things that you're allowed to bring. It's not much. You can put your things in a clear plastic ziplock bag, maximum size one gallon. If it's not on this list, DON'T bring it. Seriously.

• Your ID and LSAT Admission Ticket stub
• Your wallet
• Keys
• Analog (NOT digital) watch
• Medical or hygiene products
• #2 or HB pencils (not mechanical)
• Highlighter
• Erasers
• Pencil sharpener (not electric, I'm guessing)
• Tissues (not to say that the test will cause you to burst into tears or anything...)
• A beverage in a plastic container or juice box (max. 20 oz.)
• A snack for the break

6. In the morning, don't do anything crazy. Don't try to run 5 miles at 5:30 a.m. if you don't usually run 5 miles at 5:30 a.m. If you're a regular coffee drinker, have your normal amount of coffee. If you're not a coffee drinker, for goodness' sake don't start now. Don't gobble down a handful of caffeine pills. If you're not used to having a huge pancake breakfast, now is not the time to start. Be sure to eat at least SOMETHING (or you'll be really, really hungry during the test), but don't put yourself into a food coma. Moderation, folks. Moderation.

7. In the morning, make sure you do NOT have contraband on or around your person when you reach the testing center. It's a good idea to have your mom or roommate pat you down to double check. The following items are strictly prohibited:

• Electronic timers, beeping watches, alarm watches, calculator watches, or any watch with any features other than a dial and three hands;
• Cell phones, beepers (really? beepers? What is this, 1980?) pagers, PDAs, computers, etc.;
• Hats or hoods that are not pieces of religious apparel (sorry, skateboarding is not yet a recognized religion);
• Books, dictionaries, papers of any kind, calculators, rulers, slide rules, compasses, protractors, abacuses, etc.;
• Mechanical pencils, ballpoint pens, fountain pens, a tablet and chisel, etc.;
• Briefcases, handbags, backpacks, duffel bags, etc. The only bags you can bring are the clear plastic bag and the bags under your eyes;
• Earplugs, headsets, those annoying little Bluetooth headsets that make people think you're talking to them, listening devices, TV Ears, etc.;
• Recording devices, cameras, mimeographs, etc.
• Guns, knives, machetes, slingshots, blow darts, brass knuckles, etc.;
• ANYTHING electronic. If it has a battery, an AC or DC adaptor, a generator, a solar panel, a nuclear reactor or gunpowder, and it is not an analog watch, you cannot bring it to the test center. Break these rules and they will throw you out. Seriously.

8. What to expect when you get there. The proctors have very strict instructions, and they will enforce them. This is one situation where you do NOT want to stand out from the crowd.

• Listen to the proctors. They are the boss of you. They may pace around the room.
• Be prepared to show your ID at any time, and repeatedly.
• You will be thumbprinted, and you'll be asked to sign a statement on your test sheet. If you don't, this could delay or invalidate your score.
• If you are late, you will not take the test.
• You'll get an assigned seat.
• The time limits are strictly enforced. Don't think that you'll be able to sneak a few bubbles in after the official time has expired.
• You won't have any scratch paper, except for the writing sample. That will be provided by the proctor if you need it.
• You will only get access to your snack and your juicebox during the break. While you are taking the test, do NOT attempt to take anything out of your plastic bag.
• If you need an emergency potty break, you'll need permission, and you'll have to turn in your materials and collect them once you're done. Remember, you will NOT get to make that time up. If you can, hold it.
• If you're left-handed (as most exceptionally bright and talented folks are), they might have a special desk for you, but they might not. You'll probably have to suffer life as a lefty in a righty's world, just like you always do.
• If something very unusual happens (e.g., the fire sprinklers go off in the test room in the middle of the test or the power goes out), you might have to take next regularly scheduled test. You won't have to pay for it, but it will be a total pain in the rear. You'll get a notice from the proctor.
• If you create a disturbance (DON'T), or you cheat, or you try to cheat (DON'T and DON'T), or try to take test materials from the test center (DON'T), you'll get in trouble. Just don't do it. Again, this is NOT the time to stand out from the crowd.

Okay. Now you're ready, right? Right! Good luck!

-UNLV Prelaw

PS. Don't take my word for it. Click here to find the LSAC's much less comical version of the test day instructions.

Join UNLV's Prelaw Fraternity This Week!

The Student Involvement Fair is in the Student Union on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9/15 and 9/16, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Be sure to come by and get information about Phi Alpha Delta, UNLV's prelaw fraternity. They will be at table 13. When you enter the Student Union from the side facing the FDH building, turn right and you will find PAD against the window.

-UNLV Prelaw

Application Cycle Tips from Seattle U

Tips for the Application Cycle
from the Law School's Perspective

DO submit your application early.
DO allow 24 hours for us to respond to your inquiries (whether it be via email or voicemail).
DO be professional and courteous when leaving voicemail or sending email.
DO follow up about the status of your application (use the online status checker tool).
DO be patient. We know you are nervous, anxious, etc., know that we are working hard to get information to you.
DO set up an appointment to visit a class, receive a tour, etc. (you'll get the opportunity to speak with our current students).
DO read all correspondence thoroughly - paying close attention to deadlines and fees due.
DO keep us updated with new contact information (phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses, etc.).
DON'T submit more than one copy of your application materials.
DON'T forget to check dates closely.
DON'T have a spouse/partner or parent call about your application file (we can't talk to anyone but you).

-UNLV Prelaw

Widener Law | Fee Waiver

Widener Law is offering a fee waiver for applications received before December 31, 2009. Apply online here.

UNLV Prelaw FAQs | Health Insurance for Law Students

A forward-thinking UNLV Prelaw student recently asked a great question about health insurance, which I've paraphrased here:

Once I become a full time law students, how will I be able to get insurance? Will it be expensive? How good is the insurance?

The short answer is that there is no short answer. The first plan of attack is to check with your parents. You may be able to continue your coverage under their plan, depending on your age, your enrollment status, and your folks' insurance carrier's rules on these things.

If this doesn't pan out, you'll want to contact your law school. Indeed, this is something you'll want to investigate when you're choosing your law school. Each law school has a different plan for covering its students. Unless you've got a scholarship package that includes this coverage, you'll probably have to pay a premium for it. The premiums and coverage will vary by school.

That said, most states do not currently require you to have health insurance if you don't want it. While international students are typically required to carry this kind of coverage, domestic students are often free to decide for themselves whether or not to have health insurance coverage during their law school years. You can find out the status of these requirements on a state-by-state basis by visiting the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute's website.

Once you've narrowed down your list of schools, it is a good idea to check their websites for information about health insurance. You can find links to the ABA Accredited Law Schools on the ABA's website, and a list including other law schools can be found on the LSAC website.