#pre-law

hey! third year psychology major here. 

after undergrad & getting my BA psychology degree & sociology minor, i plan on getting to law school, however i am not sure where to start studying for the lsat. does any law studyblrs have any resources for the lsat to share? 

its because my university doesnt allow non-law students to get inside the law school’s library for possible study materials, and the law school here doesn’t really pay attention to pre-law students. 

Meet Marin Hoffman, a political science major with a pre-law concentration from Harbor Springs, Michigan. We asked Marin a few questions about her NMU experience so far: 

Why did you choose NMU?

Marin: I chose NMU for few reasons. For one, I met with Dr. Wilson during the Presidential Scholars Competition during my senior year of high school and he mentioned the program to my mom and me. From that moment, the 3+3 Legal Education Accelerated Program (LEAP) program with Michigan State University (MSU) was definitely a drawing factor to NMU for me. My top two schools were MSU and NMU so this was the perfect opportunity for me to experience both. 

Another main reason I chose NMU was the size and location of the school. I graduated from a small high school, in a small town, so I was nervous to move away to a big campus/city, such as East Lansing. Marquette was the perfect place because it allowed me to move into a bigger city with more of a small-town feel. I also love Marquette in general and being outdoors, skiing and adventuring. Lastly, I was also drawn to NMU because of the Honors Program opportunity. The Honors Program here allows students to have some flexibility in their studies making it possible for me to complete this in three years as well.

What's an example of a cool, interesting or helpful thing that you have done as a part of your major?

Marin: The most influential and helpful thing I have done as part of my major would be my internship I completed this past summer in a small law firm in my hometown. I was able to do this internship for 6 credits so I not only was able to experience the daily life of a lawyer but it also helped me work towards my degree. Doing this at a small firm allowed me to experience many things I wouldn't have been able to at a larger firm. I also learned to do many things first hand which has given me much more confidence going into law school and pursuing my goal of becoming a family and adoption lawyer.

How has NMU and LEAP prepared you for your future career?

Marin: NMU has prepared me for my future career in law by allowing me to work in close contact with many different professors with many different backgrounds in the law and political science field. I have taken two classes here at NMU with practicing lawyers in the area which has allowed me to talk with them and get a better understanding of the field I am entering. They have also given my classmates and me different tips for law school and starting your career.

It is hard to given an exact answer to how LEAP has helped me because I am only about halfway done with the program but so far, I would say it has taught me to plan ahead and work hard. Because it is an accelerated program, I have had to work through my requirements at NMU more quickly than most. To do this, I have been very diligent with my planning to make sure I complete everything I need to. I also have had to be on my toes, ready for anything life or school throws at me while still staying focused and working hard to complete my schooling in three years instead of four.

When do you start at MSU and what excites you the most?

I’m going to begin by telling you a story. A long time ago, my mother went to college and pursued a double degree in phsychology and English. I don’t know if she was fully set on being a phsychologist, but I do know it was her first choice career-wise. Until she took statistics for phychology. This stats class killed my mom, and when she found out this would be a main component of phychology, she quit this path and became a professor. Around 30 or so years later, history is repeating itself.

I have never loved math, but I haven’t hated it completely. I’m pretty good at algebra and I’m very analytical. When I began to figure out what I wanted to be career wise, I landed on accounting because its a safe career choice and I read that it wasn’t “hard” math. My thoughts of being a lawyer, doctor, or political analyst quickly went away due to a combination of fear of the competitiveness of the fields and the fact that I cannot deal with blood and guts.

So I went to college, I declared a major in accounting and hoped for the best. Up first, business stats. This class has made me experience daily mental breakdowns for over a month. I am spending around 10 hours a week on homework alone for this class. I have also begun to question how much I actually want to do accounting. The actual accounting class has gone well, but I seriously began to question if I could do this for the rest of my life. I came to the conclusion a few days ago that I can’t. Yes, stats is only one class, but the overarching idea that complex math actually makes me miserable is not a good thing when it’s your career choice.

I have also come to the realization that I do not want to be miserable in my job for a large portion of time. And I feel that being an accountant would make me too miserable. With that being said, I’ve decided to do what I’ve been thinking about since I was a child: going into law. I feel that I posses the qualities of a good lawyer, and that I can do more good in the world as one than as an accountant. I’ve decided to change my major to history, something that I absolutely love, and push for law school. My aunt and uncle are lawyers and I will be talking to them to get their expertise. I am also reading a book recommended by my aunt about a first year law school experience.

Law will be hard. I have never been the best at logic problems and it will be extremely competitive and stressful. I will regret my decision many times, but I think over all I will enjoy being a lawyer more than being an accountant.

So I will now push hard to become better at logic games, get good grades (because gpa is really important to law school), and research more about my new path.

I am incredibly excited about my future, which has been a first this past couple of weeks where I have been completely unmotivated with school.

My next step is to talk to an advisor about changing my major, talking about the pre-law program at my school, and re-registering for classes.

I messed up. The entrance exam to that law school is on the 17th and I only registered and started studying on Monday. I don't know if I can expect to pass. Maybe, maybe not.

What I do know is that whatever happens won't hinder my dream. I'm graduating from college soon. Whether I go to that law school or not, I will become a law student. I've dreamed about this for more than a decade and at this point, I won't let anything hinder me. Not when I'm getting so close.

Tyr devotee looking to hook up with lawblr and witchblr! If you are a pagan/witch blog or a law blog, please like or reblog so I can follow you. Thanks babes!