I generally do not read guide books, particularly those devoted to a particular vocation, but this one looked interesting to me, and indeed it was, for it takes into account the
current economy and the tone is light-hearted and conversational while still providing relevant information and pertinent advice. A few others have reviewed this book (you can see their reviews on Amazon's website). One review in particular attracted my attention, for it was written by someone who had attended law school.
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Kindle Edition sells for $5.95, but if
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If you'd prefer to purchase the book in paperback format, then please click on this link (it appears that Amazon has not yet reconciled the two pages as ONE piece):
Applying to Law School: A Guide for the Rest of Us
Unorthodox Approach to Law school (also covers the bleak land of tuition costs, & the danger of those seemingly harmless loans)., January 23, 2012
This review is from: Applying to Law School (Kindle Edition)
First, I'll say that this book covers all your law school application bases: the LSAT (preparing for and taking them), the GPA (and what this means in relation to law school), the visiting of schools via "open houses", "surprise visits", or "personal tours" (with accompanying discussion of the pros and cons of each approach), the recommendation letter, the personal essay, etc. That said, most guide books try to sell you on a vocation--in this case, the law--and guide you through that process without bothering to discuss, as is done in Miller's book, whether or not law school is truly appropriate for you. (What do you plan to do with the degree? This really amounts to: do you need the degree for future pursuits? He actually pursues this train of thought.) Should you spend the money to take a preparatory course for the LSAT, and yes, he does have an explanation for when to take such a course and when to refrain from taking it.
The surprise? The niche? What makes this book different from 99% of the others? Miller actually delves into the COST of tuition and explains how taking out loans WILL impact your future (approximately six months after graduation--whether or not you're employed). Yes, you may go to law school, get a job at a firm, etc., but, dependent upon where you live, and how much you owe, you may not be able to buy a house. If you're in your 20s, this does not sound so bad, but when you consider that most graduates will be saddled with this debt for at least ten years... well, perspectives and priorities change. Sadly, Education--yes, the capital E is intentional--has taken a twist, a change.
Frankly, this is the first book I have seen that takes into account the CURRENT economy and employment landscape with its influx of law students but stagnant growth in the field. Miller also acknowledges the years of paying back loans on increasing tuition costs (yes, tuition does have a habit of increasing by the year), and yes, you can still be paying back loans 30 years after graduating.
So watch out Harvard and Yale. :) Actually, according to some of the information in this book, unless you are one of those who WILL be in the top 5% of your class (at one of the Top 10s) and can instantly attract a first-rate job with a significantly higher than average salary for an entry level position and thus pay off your loans in no time at all... you're better off not going to Harvard or Yale. Miller does say that hopefully--thanks to your high GPA, outstanding LSAT scores, recommendation Letters, and brilliant personal essays, etc.,) you'll get a scholarship to one of the Top 10s, but if you can't, then WHY spend the money to go to a Top 10? Furthermore once you get past the Top 25 (this is one of Miller's points), who will know if you went to a school ranked at number 49, or number 50? Why am I mentioning this? Ultimately, Miller advises that you go to A) the school that makes you happy (he discusses this at length and helps you identify the school via your geographical preferences, your best learning methods, etc., that will put you in a school that does justice to you), and B) the school that gives you money. Why is this important? Owing less money, means owning more money (to put it cynically), but it also means that you can buy that house (without fear), or that car, without the burden of loans overwhelming and dominating your post-professional school life.
My tone, to some, may sound severe, but be assured Miller's is not. At one point, he calls himself "your wingman". That he is.
In my experience, most guide books (particularly those written to advise on how to apply or study for something) are boring, prosaic pieces of writing that I manage to finish simply because I MUST become informed about the topic, and when I'm through, I'm delighted to cast the volume aside and never look back. But this "guide" book is/was different:
For one, Miller has a sense of humor, has common sense, and is down to earth (all of which we really start to see in Chapter One--this is where he finds and sticks to his voice), and a light style and tone that made the experience of reading his work akin to sitting down and getting advice from a friend who had already been through the law school application process, the class experience, the studying for the BAR experience. Frankly, I wish there were more professors out there who would adopt this tone. But Miller made me laugh, even as I was learning what to do and what not to do! A few of my favorite quotes that showcase his style:
-- [On his first attempt at the LSAT]: "Unfortunately, my preparations were like preparing for a marathon by doing some toe-touching exercises the night before the race" ( (37).
--[Again about the LSAT]: "...if you are asking me, I will tell you that I think the Games section is as close as we, as a society, can come to voluntary mental torture" (56).
--[Not exactly funny, but the quote does give you a sense of his perspective and voice/manner/approach/guidance]: "I am guessing your first question is going to be, 'Why do you rank schools based on cost? Aren't school rankings, job placement rates, or bar passage percentages a more worthy metric to rate schools?' [His response]. Well, yes and no. We are not following the traditional law school application dynamic. That has not worked particularly for the majority of students in quite some time. It works extremely well for the top five percent who get into a top five school and then graduate in the top five percent of their class. For everyone else, the traditional method kinds of stinks." (110)
Miller is your wingman; he strives to empower you, the applicant, as you go through the process of applying to law school.
Final words: Very well written; a frank inclusive source. I highly recommend for those contemplating going into law.
