Reflections of a 26 Year Old

“What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: “This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more; and there will be nothing new in it, but every pain and every joy and every thought and sigh and everything unutterably small or great in your life will have to return to you, all in the same succession and sequence – even this spider and this moonlight between the trees, and even this moment and I myself. The eternal hourglass of existence is turned upside down again and again, and you with it, speck of dust!”
Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus?… Or how well disposed would you have to become to yourself and to life to crave nothing more fervently than this ultimate eternal confirmation and seal?

– Friedrich Nietzsche

When I turned 25 last year, my boyfriend at the time decided to take me out to an amazing vegan restaurant in Berkeley called Sanctuary Bistro for breakfast. (They have Kombucha on tap!) He asked me to get ready while he laid in bed playing with Chico, my cat. I remember picking out my cutest outfit and deciding to keep it simple by wearing my jean overall dress, my white doc martins, and smudgy eyeliner. As I put my outfit on, piece by piece, I continuously looked over at myself through my full-length mirror. I didn’t look 18 anymore. I started crying. My ex looked up at me because he noticed I stopped moving around and he noticed tears rolling down my face. He asked “what’s wrong?” I gathered myself and sank into bed. He kept asking me what was wrong and I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t tell him I felt old and ugly.

I’d never felt so sad on a birthday, especially with an age-related issue. The last time I’d had an age-related crisis was when I was going to turn 18. I remember having long conversations with my mom about how afraid I was to turn 18 while she knit and I laid beside her. My entire life was ahead of me. How scary it seemed. I related it to an abyss, my anxiety of the unknown.

25 has been one the hardest years of my life. I lost Chico, my companion animal and best friend. We’d been together for 14 years. I fell into a deep depression because of this. I was also injured at my then job. I was off for 2 months straight. So financially, I was pretty fucked. My “soulmate” turned out to be an insecure, jealous asshole who wanted complete control of me.

In early February, some friends and I decided to take a trip to Lake Tahoe. I ate some shrooms with one of my closest friends. The psychedelics unveiled a thought I’d been trying to hide from myself since Chico’s death. I felt so alone but the loneliness turned into something much deeper, like there is just one ultimate self that exists and imagines everything, every creature, every event, every feeling, every piece of plastic floating in the ocean, and I continuously realized there is no point in living. There isn’t. We create meaning, it’s not out there waiting for us to find it. We imagine it, like we imagine our lives, our selves. We perceive everything and push some meaning or other onto it. The worst part is that a lot of the time it’s not even meaning we have autonomously chosen to give to existence, it is meaning that we’ve been taught to accept by the institutions within society. And because life is ultimately meaningless, I began to contemplate suicide. The worst part was that even if I did kill myself, what would that change? How would killing myself change the fact that life is meaningless? The ultimate self is an eternally recurring, eternally existing being. It can never actually die. It would not die with my death. I would be back to suffer the meaninglessness of existence all over again. I dwelled on the thought of suicide for some weeks after. It constantly dragged itself across my mind how easy it would be to just end it, but how could I end this if I knew it would simply occur again and again. There is no escape.

How could I respond to the eternal recurrence? Should I dread it or should I welcome this fact with excitement? #tosisysphus or #nottosisyphus ?

It has definitely been a year of suffering. So many of my fears actualized themselves. At the moment when all of these things were happening, I couldn’t see beyond them. I look back now and yeah, it still stings but I learned a lot. I survived. I suppose that’s what comes with age, besides the ugly, tired and old you.

I think about my life and I have come to the understanding that I am not just my body. I am my body’s experiences. And more fundamentally, I am the way I react to these events. For a long time I’ve been very angry at things, circumstances, other people’s actions, all of which I cannot control. I suppose I could allow this anger to consume me but I wouldn’t be acting autonomously or from my own will, I would simply be negatively reacting to the external things outside of my control. How I react, my will, my goals, those are mine. My daily actions are mine, this chain of existence is me.

The way I imagine the world everyday is my choice. I don’t want to be someone I didn’t look up to when I was 16. I want to try my hardest at everything I do. I want to leave my soul at the battlefield of anything that I’ve set my mind to. I want to give those I care for and the things I care about my all. I want to be grateful, humble, empathetic, and patient. I want to help those around me, and if I can’t help, then at least not bring them down or cause them more misery. I don’t want to feel contempt towards humanity, I don’t want to be angry at the world anymore. I want to inspire others to be just and to be loving.

Because of this, I want to change how I am. I am 26 now. From today, and here forth, I will be mindful, I will contemplate my thoughts, my words, and my actions. I must always choose who I am and who I want to be so that I may accept the eternal recurrence of existence with open arms.

Asking for Letters of Recommendation

“Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion.” 

― Aristotle

As you know from my last Law School blog post, most law school applications require 2-4 letters of recommendation. I know, from past experience, that asking for a letter of recommendation from someone you admire can be intimidating. However, the professors you look up to most usually think greatly of you, especially if you’ve connected with them outside of a classroom setting.

Keep in mind: If by the time you apply to law school you’ve been out of university for a year or two, you should also consider asking a supervisor or a manager for one of the 2-4 letters. I’ve never asked a manager for a letter of recommendation but if you feel comfortable enough to ask, then it’s for a good reason.

If the professors you’ll be asking letters from are professors you’ve never had before, start building a relationship with them from the beginning of the semester and let them know you’ll be asking for a letter at the end of the semester. However, I would strongly advise you choose professors you’ve had more than once. These professors will have a lot more to say than a professor who’s barely getting to know you.

Before You Ask Your Professors, Ask Yourself:

There are a couple of things you should consider before asking a professor OR manager for a letter of recommendation:
– If you ask a manager, is this someone who works in a professional setting?
You don’t want to ask someone whose job duties don’t include writing letters or communicating in writing. You want to ask someone who knows how to write, and who knows your work ethic. You should also consider asking someone who’s higher up in the hierarchy at your job.
– Do they know you well?
Not just academically, or professionally, but have you talked to/visited this professor/manager outside of class/work and talked about (not too) personal stuff? You should be trying to connect with your professors and managers as individuals. Not only will you learn interesting things about them as people, but if you’re having trouble in your person life and you mention it to them, they’ll always have great advice.
– Do you participate in their class? Are you proactive at work? Do they have a good image of you academically/professionally?
You should be participating in your classes, especially if it’s a subject that interests you. When you participate, is your input thorough, clear, and knowledgable? University isn’t called high school for a reason.
If you know you’re a good worker and they have mentioned your value to the company, then you should definitely ask for a recommendation letter from them.

Subject:

This super smart, young, vegan philosophy professor (a real catch, amiright?) I had in undergrad gave me the idea of providing professors with a brag sheet in order to help them write me letters of recommendation for scholarships and the application process itself. I reached out to him as soon as I realized I might need more than 2 letters of recommendation. He gave me some advice in regards to my plan of study for the LSAT and suggested I create a brag sheet.

Now that you’ve made the list of the professors and managers that know you well enough to write you detailed letters that emphasize your unique qualities, you should create a brag sheet to assist them in writing these dope ass letters for you.

A brag sheet consists of all of the academic, personal, and professional achievements you’ve accomplished. If you think law schools should consider your application for something that sets you apart from others, then you should disclose this to your professors and managers. A brag sheet should highlight your individuality and your character. The letters will be the only thing (other than personal statements, if the particular university you’re applying for requires or gives you the option to write one) that will put a face to who you are, metaphorically speaking.

Format of a Brag Sheet:

I searched “Brag Sheet Templates” on Google for about a lunch hour while I was at work in the break room. Honestly, I couldn’t find anything related to law school so I took pieces of brag sheet templates for high school students applying to university and undergrads applying for scholarships and I added other headings to my template to make it more wholesome (in my opinion.)

1. Background: this is a little summary of who you are and why you are the way you are. What factors have affected and shaped you as an individual? What implications do these factors have on your future? What kind of family do you come from? What are some hardships you’ve faced? How has that made you a better person?
2. Virtues: this one was a tough one for me because I don’t know how to perceive myself abstractly so I asked coworkers, family members, and friends to describe me. I made a list of the words they used to do so. I suppose I inserted this heading because I’m a philosopher at heart and I place value on certain qualities of character. How would you or those who know you well describe you(rself)? What characteristics do you posses that make you the individual you are?
3. Self-Description: describe yourself. What are your hobbies, your interests, what do you care most about? And why do you take interest in these things? What do these interests say about your character?
4. Academic achievements: create a list of all of your academic achievements. Any school-related, scholar/intellectual achievements that you’re proud of should be listed. Your professors will add on to this part by explaining the way in which you presented yourself academically and in their classes.
5. Non-academic achievements: in this section I included both personal and professional achievements such as volunteer opportunities, and jobs I’ve had/worked. One could also state things such as fitness and health achievements, political achievements, etc. If you’re asking a manager/supervisor for a letter they will be able to add on to this section as well. They may describe your work ethic, promotions you received and why you received them, your responsibilities and how you interact with your coworkers.
6. Weaknesses you could/have turn(ed) into strengths: here I stated some of the things I don’t like about myself but that I’ve worked on and how I could possibly use these weaknesses as strengths in the near and far future. What do you dislike about yourself and how could you turn this into a strength? How can you mold who you are into who you want to become?

Reflections:

I don’t think I can give much input on how the brag sheet has helped my professors and manager write my recommendation letters because I haven’t provided them with the brag sheet just yet. I do know who I’m asking though. My two all-time favorite professors: my philosophy professor Dr. Shelley Wilcox, and my German professor Ilona Vandergriff. Both are amazing, intelligent, compassionate, and supportive individuals whom I’ve connected with and confided my fears and achievements in throughout my undergrad experience. These women have helped me attain scholarships, have supported me while I was abroad, and have given me great advise when I’m most in need. I plan on taking them both out to coffee or tea since I haven’t seen them for some time and I’m no longer at university. For my third letter I’ve asked the hottie professor just because I wanted to reconnect with him…sucks he’s in the East Coast now. And because I will have been out of university for a little over a year when I turn in my law school application, I have asked the attorney I work for. He’s not only the managing attorney at the firm but he’s also a great mentor. He’s very stoic, calm, gets along with everyone, and he displays virtues I don’t possess yet but am working towards.

I would advise all of you to have your professors write these letters as soon as possible. Like with all of the other parts of your law school applications, try to submit them sooner rather than later. Give your professors and managers time to write them. After all, these letters might be what sets you apart from other applicants!

As always, thank you for reading! If you have any questions about brag sheets or examples of potential letter-writers, or if you have any suggestions for other law school-related topics, please leave a comment below!

The Gilman Scholarship and Studying Abroad

HEADS UP: This week I will be posting 2 consecutive blog entries. One will be a blog about my Study Abroad experience and the Gilman Scholarship, and the other will be regarding brag sheets and letters of recommendation for law school.

My Study Abroad Experience:

Studying abroad in Germany has been one of my greatest academic achievements and one of my most memorable experiences. I was able to live a year in an entirely different culture and immerse myself with the country and its people, learn a language more fluently and comprehensively, and study without the threat of financial insecurity.

I flourished like a patch of fresh grass under a big yellow sun. I grew academically, personally and emotionally. I became much more independent, responsible, self-reliant, and globally-experienced.

The reason I was able to live and not have to work was because of an amazing scholarship that has forever changed my life. The Gilman Scholarship allowed me to live free from financial stress, allowing me to focus entirely on school. This was the only time in my undergraduate life I was able to dedicate myself completely to my academics.

I was given an opportunity that has impacted me in many positive ways. Being able to study and not worry about anything other than my grades gave me insight to how economic stability can give students better academic results. My German language skills increased drastically. I went from A1 fluency to C1 fluency, and I never thought I’d think in German. I made so many amazing friends while I was abroad, friendships that will last a life time. And I was able to see parts of the world I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to see.

One criticism I do have is how the Study Abroad office pitched the idea of going abroad as if it were affordable for and accessible to everyone. Study Abroad really is for people that are well off, have money saved up or whose parents will pay for everything. If it wasn’t for the Gilman Scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to do it at all.

I remember freaking out because during the Study Abroad Application process the Financial Aid Office called me to let me know that my bank account did not reflect the amount of funds needed in order for me to partake in this year-long program, therefore I would not be able to participate. I also remember crying to the woman on the other line “You’re punishing me for being poor?! Just let me go! I will find a way to make money while I’m out there.” If I had not received the Gilman Scholarship, I would not have been granted the opportunity to study abroad nor would I have been able to live, study, and travel without having to worry over my financial situation while I was in Germany. This scholarship not only gave me the opportunity to go abroad to study and travel but it allowed me to experience what it feels like to give myself entirely to my education.

Applying for the Gilman Scholarship:

I just want to say that although study abroad is expensive and it creates an elitist culture that supports the type economic class of students that are allowed to learn abroad, travel, and create global networks, everyone should do it. Fuck the Financial Aid Office, get to where you want to get and do everything you can to make it happen. This is why I think every low-income, struggling student should apply for the Gilman Scholarship. I cannot stress how easy it is to apply for this scholarship, which gives so much in return for so little. Below, I will explain the process of applying for the Gilman Scholarship.

The application process for the scholarship is straight-forward and well-organized. The first thing you need to do to apply is create an account on the Gilman Scholarship site. Before you begin, remember to save any progress you make in the application because it will be lost if you don’t. Also, the site will log you out if it’s not active for more than 15 minutes.

After you create your account you will have to answer a series of yes/no questions which will determine your eligibility to apply. Once you finish this part and are deemed eligible you move on to the next phase. You fill out a page with all your information: your first name, last name, email address, phone number, permanent address, date of birth, and your social security number. In the following page you will have to provide information regarding your university. This section includes your major and/or minor, your GPA, and the study abroad advisor’s information, as well as your financial aid advisor’s information. I’m pretty lucky because my advisors were familiar with the application and they were great about completing the information needed from them. In the next part of the application you must upload a pdf of either an official or an unofficial transcript, it doesn’t matter which one as long as it’s current. Once uploaded you move on to the next phase where you will provide information regarding the Study Abroad Program you’re participating in. This includes the length of the program, the dates, and how many countries are included in the program. In the following page you will provide more detailed information such as: “program type”, the title of the program, the institution behind the program, whether you’ll be studying at a foreign institution and if you’ll be studying in a foreign language. The next page is a yes/no question regarding your experience with undergraduate study abroad.

The part where you realize how full of shit your study abroad office is comes up next. The scholarship asks how much the study abroad program will cost and how much money you will be receiving from financial aid, including loans. I can promise you that the number you give for the amount of financial aid you’ll be receiving and the number you give for the cost of the program is wayyyyyy different.

All of the sections mentioned above are pretty self explanatory and simple. You just type in the information that’s being asked of you. The harder (but more enjoyable) part of the application are the essays. In order to guide you through the essays, the scholarship provides you with questions you should seek to answer when writing. There are two essays. The first essay consists of the following questions:

1. Why do you wish to study or intern abroad and what factors led you to this decision? What do you hope to gain from and what do you anticipate will be the impact of your experience abroad? 
2. Describe your study or intern abroad program. What factors led you to select this program and length of study?  
3. Why have you chosen your country of study? What factors led you to select this country?  
4. How will this study or intern abroad program and the coursework you take abroad impact your academic and future professional goals?  
5. Are there any distinctive components to this program, beyond coursework, that will impact your overall learning experience abroad? (i.e. home-stays, internships, field research, volunteer activities, extra-curricular activities, etc.)  
6. What challenges, if any, did you face in your decision to study or intern abroad? How did you meet these challenges and what impact do you foresee them having on your experience abroad? These could include, but are not limited to, being a parent, being a non-traditional student, having a learning or physical disability, being in a field of study for which it is difficult to incorporate study abroad, etc.

For this essay the only advise I can give you is to be completely honest, genuine, and detailed. Let them know exactly what you’ve gone through, let them know how it’s made you stronger, how you will flourish in every aspect of your existence as a human being if you’re granted the opportunity to study abroad. Put it all out there because once you submit your application there’s no going back. I would also suggest you use a Google or Word Document to write out (both) the essay(s) before you cut and paste onto the space provided, just so you don’t accidentally submit any incomplete work.

Have 5 different people read it. You read it out loud too, more than once and at different points during the process of submitting it. Ask one of your professors to read it. Go to your university’s writing center.

The next essay is in regards to your “follow-up Project.” So you receive the scholarship, you study abroad, you have all of this great experience under your belt and you come home. What can you give back to the Gilman community? And how can you share your experience in a way that will impact others? The questions they want you to answer are:

1. Briefly outline your proposed project to promote the Gilman Scholarship and international education. How will this project impact your home university or home community? What are your project goals? 
2. What is your target population and how will your project impact this group? 
3. How will you integrate the impact of your experiences abroad into your project? 
4. What, if any, campus departments, student organizations, and/or community organizations will you collaborate with in promoting the Gilman Scholarship and international education? Have you already made contact with these groups? 
5. Upon completion of your project you will be required to submit a two-page final report summarizing your experience abroad and the impact of your Follow-on project. 

For this essay, I would advise to only do that which you know you are capable of doing and completing. So when proposing your follow-up project be reasonable and know you will follow through. The Gilman Scholarship will give you so much in return for you to simply promote the scholarship to others, which will happen naturally, trust me, so you might as well promote it on a platform.

The scholarship committee/organization provides you with variety of examples you could potentially complete. I will post a link to these examples, as well as a link to the Gilman Scholarship site to open your account and start your application.

FYI: The application is due on March 5, 2019 for the following Summer and Fall Study Abroad programs. As of now you have a little over a month to complete the application. It’s simple and easy and if you need any help with your essays please leave a comment. I would love to help anyone that has struggled through their academic life because of financial hardships. I helped one other friend organize his thoughts for his essays and he also became a Gilman Scholarship recipient.

LINKS:

CREATE AN ACCOUNT: https://gilmanapplication.iie.org/Applicant/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fApplicant%2f

EXAMPLES FOR FOLLOW-UP PROJECTS: https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/applicants/essays/

MORE INFO ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP: https://www.gilmanscholarship.org

CAS Report and LSAT Prep Courses

“All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.”

– Baruch de Spinoza

Updates:

Great news! I received a notification via email from the LSAC about 12 days after I sent in all the necessary documents I talked about in the last blog. I am now an LSAC Fee Waiver recipient! I have registered for the June 3, 2019 LSAT.

In my last blog I mentioned a couple of things I didn’t really explain or go into detail. One of the things I mentioned was the CAS registration, which is part of the LSAC Fee Waiver package, and LSAT prep courses.

First, however, I’d like to share something I’ve put together myself. I created a Google Doc of a list of universities I want to apply to. The list is comprised of 12 (so far) different universities (mostly in California because California is home), top tier law schools, and law schools that have reached out to me after I signed up for an account on LSAC.org. I created a format for research purposes and to help keep myself organized. The format is as follows:

• Name of the University – Location
• Cost of the application – most of the universities offered a waived application fee if you’re an LSAC Fee Waiver Recipient and others had their own fee waiver application/program
• Date the application becomes available – most of them were around September (of the year before the year you intend to begin law school.)
• Application deadline (differing dates of the following year, mostly in the Spring.)
• Application materials – the application on LSAC.org, an LSAT score, 2-4 letters of recommendation, a personal statement, a resume, transcripts and a CAS Report. Some universities offer the opportunity to submit supplemental statements/essays regarding financial disparity, diversity and why you’re applying to that particular university.
• Scholarships – most of the universities had scholarships. Some were need-based, some were merit-based, and you have to apply to them. Some universities consider you for scholarships once you get accepted to the school, without having to apply for anything.

This outline is for quick access to the documents I need to put together, the due date, and the money I need to come up with up front. There will be more narrow screenings as I go, but since this is the beginning of the process I kept it pretty basic. If this looks like something you’d like to implement in your own research of Law Schools, by all means, please use it.

Subject(s):

I did want to go into more detail about free LSAT Prep Courses but because it’s a little too late for me to apply to any of those scholarships, I will talk about the prep course I decided to purchase a little more than the information regarding free prep courses. I will, however, post some links below for anyone who’s interested in the scholarships and is willing to look further into them.

While I did my research, I noticed most of the universities generally asked for the same application material/documents, which the LSAC website compiles into one (not so little) report called the CAS Report. So what exactly is the CAS Report?

CAS Registration and Report

Almost all of the unis I researched asked for a CAS Report. When you register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) they will authenticate all of the documents that law schools require from you and compile them into a single report. The report consists of:

1. an Academic Summary Report, a. which includes your undergraduate GPA, your GPA in comparison to all the other students at your undergraduate university who registered for the CAS to reveal your ranking, and b. your LSAT score, and your score compared to other individuals who took the LSAT from the same university.
2. Transcripts from all academic institutions you’ve attended.
3. LSAT Score Reports – this goes into details about your score, your average score (if you took it more than once), the dates you took the LSAT, and your score percentile. As well as copies of your writing sample(s).
4. Letters of recommendation, which are certified when your professors/employers upload them to the LSAC.
5. You are also granted access to the electronic applications for all ABA-approved law schools.

Without the LSAC Fee Waiver, CAS Registration is $195. Once you’ve registered and submitted all of the materials above, you never have to do it again. The same report is sent to all the universities you apply for.

Basically, the CAS Report is a legitimized omni-access report to all of the documents/material universities need from you in order for you to formally and completely apply to them. The cost of each report is $35. If you’ve acquired the LSAC Fee Waiver, you get 4 reports for free, after the 4th one you will have to pay $35 for each report you send out to the remaining universities of your choice.

LSAT Prep Courses

All last week I researched LSAT Prep Courses only to realize that I’m pretty shit out of luck for this round, well in terms of free prep courses. I should’ve applied to the specific scholarships for the prep courses before graduating SF State last year and because I decided to take a year off of school I no longer have access to the scholarships.

The information is out there though. You can find scholarships on the LSAC.org site, or simply Google “LSAT Prep Course Scholarships.” Many law firms actually sponsor scholarships for prep courses. Super neat. Below I will post a couple of links to some of these but I won’t go into anymore detail about it because it doesn’t really benefit me in anyway.

However, I recently purchased a prep course from KAPLAN. The course runs for 4 weeks and a couple of days. It’s twice a week because repetition benefits my mind. And it’s at a convenient time and location, so I can continue working at the firm while I study and prepare for the test.

One of the attorneys I work for advised I look up the best courses from the year before in order to make my decision. KAPLAN was the best one in terms of classroom experience, and the closest to me. I don’t want to do an online course because of my experience with past online classes. I just didn’t feel as involved and I felt like I got distracted pretty easily, so I opted for the classroom experience.

The cool thing about KAPLAN is that they let you pay in 3 payments. Because I don’t have $1,400 just chilling in my bank account or in my pocket I went with the installment option. Although they charge an extra $45 for this option. Capitalism never ceases to amaze me. “If you can’t afford to pay an absurd amount of money, then you will have to pay an even more absurd amount!” Makes zero sense. So in case no one else noticed, it’s cheaper to be well off than to be broke. Get you to law school so you can live that cheap life.

My Experience:

Registering with CAS was fairly easy. Once I knew I was an LSAC Fee Waiver recipient I went online and registered. I also had a copy of The Official LSAT Superprep II sent to my house. This way I can familiarize myself with the test material before the courses begin.

I still have to upload my transcripts from community college and university onto the site but I’m thinking I’ll do this as soon as I get some days off work so I can go to the Admissions office at State and contact the Admissions office at city college. I also created a short list of the professors I will be asking recommendation letters from. This includes 4 different professors whose classes/teaching methods I enjoyed. For a couple of reasons: I know if I enjoyed the class and the professor’s form of teaching, then I participated and probably talked to them outside of class. Having built these academic relationships with professors both inside and outside of class makes for a stronger and more unique recommendation letter.

The sooner you get all of these materials prepared and uploaded, the better it is for your state of being. This way you’re not stressing over something you could’ve done a lot sooner.

LINKS:

Kaplan LSAT COURSES: https://shop.kaptest.com/i/lsat/promo?&mkwid=spCW39yHY_dc&pcrid=320739036463&pmt=b&pkw=%2Bkaplan&pgrid=48295432078&ptaid=aud-301631071812:kwd-297728259775&slid=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_HhBRDNARIsAGHLV50OgqnFjvH8e-rdeqTMoZabgjGkHMlpvVwS50ujyL_55lbz4TJrkVwaArV_EALw_wcB

Snell & Wilmer LSAT Prep Course Scholarship:  https://lawcruit.micronapps.com/sup/lc_supp_app_frm.aspx?lawfirm=187&id=4 

Kaplan Assistance Program: https://www.kaptest.com/tuitionassistance

CAS Registration: https://os.lsac.org/Apply/LSDAS/Information.aspx

Comments/Questions:

And as always I ask for your input. If I have misinterpreted any concepts please correct me. If you have any questions, ask. I will try to answer to the best of my knowledge and if I don’t know I can ask the attorneys at the firm, or research it myself.

I look forward to hearing from you! Thank you for reading!

Introduction and LSAT Fee Waiver

Photo and Art Credit to Jose Perez, one of my closest and most artistic friends ❤ thanks dude!

Introduction:

First and foremost, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Magali. I work at a workers compensation law firm in Oakland, CA. I double-majored in Philosophy with an Emphasis in Law and in the German Language at San Francisco State University. I am a first generation American and first generation to pursue higher education in my family. I was born in Compton, CA, to an impoverished and underprivileged family. My parents are both originally from Mexico. My mom is my best friend. She has always encouraged me to do and go after the things I want. My relationship with my dad is a bit more complicated. He comes from a patriarchal culture in which women are basically the servants of men. And although I love my dad and our relationship has only improved since I’ve moved out of my parents’ place, my dad and I have bumped heads many times. Not only has he passively discouraged me from my love of knowledge by not participating in any school-related matters but he has been outspoken of his negative perception of my mental capacities. However, my mom’s persistent push toward my goals and my dad’s constant questioning of them have ultimately shaped who I am and for that I am grateful.

The purpose of this blog is to document my journey to law school and to encourage those who find themselves with similar backgrounds and with identical goals because it truly is easier than we think it is. There’s no manual out there as to how to go about it for one’s specific situation but there is plenty of information for us to reference and share with each other. This blog is for those of us who come from the poorest communities, those of us who don’t know how to start because we don’t know anyone who’s done it before us, and those of us who understand that the only way to turn our dreams into reality is through daily action.

So the first thing I’ve done since I got serious about applying for law school finally was research LSATs. How much the test itself costs? What are my best studying options? Expensive prep courses that hold me accountable? Or not so expensive books if I have self discipline? How do I apply for Fee waivers for the LSATs and for prep courses?

These blogs will generally follow the same format: The subject will be introduced in the first part, second I will explain the subject in more detail, thirdly I will give you my experience with the information about the subject and my reflections, and finally I will provide you with the links to the subject information I shared with you.

Subject:

This first blog will be dedicated to the LSAC Fee Waiver which waives a bunch of stuff and opens the door to maybe even more free stuff, like prep courses.

The LSAC Fee Waiver:

Only US, Canadian, or Autsralian citizens, US Nationals, permanent residents, DACA holders and those who have applied for DACA can apply for the LSAC Fee Waiver. The LSAC Fee Waiver waives two LSATs ($180 each), CAS registration ($195), and four CAS Law School Reports ($35 each). The Fee Waiver is easy to apply for. You’re going to apply through your LSAC.org account. You will send:

1. your tax documents from the year prior (ex. if applying in 2018, send 2017 tax documents.), a verification of non-filing form (if you were not required to file federal tax return), or your DACA Documentation,

2. a completed Tax Form Cover Sheet,

3. and your most current bank statement

to the following address:

Attn: Fee Waivers
662 Penn St
Box 2000
Newtown, PA 18940

You will have 45 days to send this information to the above address once you have applied for the waiver. You can check the status of the waiver on your LSAC.org account.

My Experience/Reflections:

I applied the very next day I found out about the waiver, which was about 3 days ago. It was simple enough. I sent all of the documents they asked for to the address I shared with you above via mail, and now I’m waiting to hear back from the LSAC. I believe I put about 10 stamps on that envelope, just in case.

I’m pretty stoked (California girl…) about the LSAC Fee Waiver. I’m keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I get it. If I get this fee waiver I would be saving: $695.00 in total. I recently found out that if I am an LSAC Fee Waiver recipient then I can also apply for reduced prep course fees.

I will keep you all posted on whether I get it or not. If I don’t get it the first time at least I know I can apply again. If I don’t receive the waiver and I can’t apply for reduced prep courses, on the LSAC.org account there is a link to a free online prep course, the Khan Academy LSAT Prep Course, which I’ve heard good things about. Thank Marx and Engels for socialism…I just picked up a copy of “The Communist Manifesto” at my local public library.

Links to Information:

LSAC Fee Waiver Application --> https://www.lsac.org/lsat/lsat-dates-deadlines-score-release-dates/lsat-fees-refunds/fee-waivers-lsat-credential

Free Khan Academy LSAT Prep Course --> https://www.khanacademy.org/prep/lsat?utm_source=lsac-site&utm_medium=lsac&utm_campaign=lsac-launch2018&utm_term=jd-myhome

LSAC.org page --> https://os.lsac.org/Dashboard.aspx

Questions/Comments:

If you guys have any questions/corrections/comments/ideas regarding anything please share, maybe I can answer them or maybe more experienced users or law students can join the discussion to help us find the answers. Either way, it’d be great to get some feedback as to what information you think would be more helpful for any future law school applicant to know. Thanks to all for reading! ❤