Black Jesus On Surviving @ Law School

The LSAT

2006-08-11T09:05:00.000-06:00

I didn't like the LSAT. I took it twice and didn't do great either time.

The first time, I got ready by taking a class put together by Kaplan. I thought it was a massive waste of money. I would have been better off studying on my own or finding one of those Powerscore classes that everyone raves about.

For the second time around, I decided to take matters into my own hands and study by myself. There are two amazing books out there that can help you with this. They are Powerscore's LSAT Logic Games Bible and Logical Reasoning Bible.

I highly recommend both of them.

I ended up scoring just two points higher on my 2nd LSAT. I was scoring much better on my practice exams...so naturally, I had to think back about what might've went wrong. It didn't take long to figure it out. You see...I'm a huge fan of Dunkin' Donuts. That morning...I woke up very early, and drove down to the nearest one and set myself up with an iced coffee. I wasn't half way through the reading comp. section when I had to piss like a mother. It was bad. I was sweating and shaking and gripping my pencil like a mad man. I wanted to let it all out, right in my pants...but I probably would've been ejected from the test.

I would've taken the test a 3rd time - but I would've needed an extremely high score to bring up the average and I was so upset that I just didn't feel like dealing with it anymore.

If the LSAT is in your future…let me try to save you some money and stress. Don’t drink any diuretics before your exam – and buy the Powerscore bibles. Work with them until you’re scoring what you need to on practice exams. If you need practice exams, go with these:

Good luck!

- BJ

Law School Student & Applicant Resources

2006-08-10T11:34:00.000-06:00

During this application process, I found myself asking hundreds of questions ranging from “Can I get into this school with my LSAT score?” to “Where do graduates from this law school end up working?” There’s a good chance that YOU have similar questions and as it turns out, there are a ton of great resources on the internet to help you find what you’re looking for.

Here are a few that have been helpful to me. If I missed anything…feel free to drop a comment and let everyone know!

Law Student Paradise

This is a very prestigious law school message board. Sure, you can use the links below to dig up statistics, data and opinions on different law schools and employers – but before you make any decisions based on numbers alone, consider checking this place out. There are a handful of very knowledgeable posters who take pleasure in helping others find their way. It’s a great resource and it can be a lot of fun too.

Law School Numbers

Want to know if anyone got accepted to your favorite law school with numbers similar to yours? Look here! Just be aware: registration is easy, and occasionally you’ll find people entering information that is false. If you notice that a white male got accepted to every T14 law school with a 149 LSAT and 3.0 GPA – be sure to investigate, because there’s a good chance it’s bullcrap.

Chiashu

This site has changed since I first started using it…it confuses me now. But it used to be a calculator of sorts that would tell you your chances of admission based on your LSAT and GPA. Check it out...maybe you'll find it helpful.

LSAC Data Search

This is the Law School Admission Council’s device to help applicants gauge the likelihood of an acceptance or rejection from a law school based on their LSAT & GPA.

Law School Ratings & Reviews

Part of 4lawschool.com, this page allows law students to rate their own law school and write a short paragraph it.

FindLaw Salary Charts

Want to know how much money law firms in a particular city are giving to first year associates? This is a great site that can answer that question for you. In addition to that, you can sometimes discover how much associates are pulling in by their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th years and beyond.

Martindale

Want to know where recent (or not-so-recent) graduates of your law school are working now? Or maybe you’re interested in working for a specific firm? This site can, probably in addition to other things, let you know where alumni of your future law school are.

NALP Directory of Legal Employers

If you’re interested in what firms will come to your law school to conduct on-campus interviews, the NALP Directory is a great resource. Sometimes, you can take it a step further and discover exactly how much these employers pay first year associates as well as summer interns.

These are most of the resources I used throughout the application process. I also used information from the US News and Princeton Review. I had more data and statistics than I knew what to do with! If you’re into that sort of stuff…these links could keep you busy until the end of time. I hope you find them as useful as I did.

If you want to suggest a website for law school applicants, please feel free to comment. It’s a sick world out there and people can use all the help they can get!

Peace & Love.

- Black Jesus

Reading

2006-08-09T16:50:00.000-06:00

I'm going to recommend some books to all of you...I don't even know if anyone is reading this, but if you are - I've read these this summer and I think they're all pretty great. You can probably pick them up at the library (as I've suggested doing before) or you can buy them used on Amazon.com for a fraction of their full retail value.

Since this site is supposed to be about surviving law school, these books are law-related. I read them to get psyched about becoming a 1L - and if you're about to start law school too, then maybe they can do the same for you. They won't tell you how to ace your exams or how to pull a 4.0 ...I'll post about those books another time.

These are just fun, refreshing stories about lawyers doing their thing!

Enjoy!

I would also like to note, if you decide to purchase any of the above books, a fraction of the cost will be sent to me, Black Jesus! I have to pay the bills, you know?

- Black Jesus

Walking It

2006-08-08T21:22:00.000-06:00

Cars are really overrated. My entire freshmen year, I got by without having one. It was pretty nice, looking back on it. If I ever got to go somewhere, it became a special trip...and on top of that, I didn't pay a dime in gas or auto payments. But as the year progressed, I started to miss my ride...and by the time the 2nd semester of the 2nd year came around - I had my car back.

But even then, I found that I was able to accomplish most of my traveling in other ways. Public transportation should never be too hard to find - and it's often fairly cheap. It's also good for the environment. I was a big fan of walking everywhere too. Sure, it takes longer...but there's something nice about walking around every now and then. I'd occasionally run into people I knew and I'd be getting some exercise at the same time - which is a big deal when you're living in a world where people keep giving you all sorts of fatty crap to heat up and eat for dinner.

So when you have the time - leave the car in the lot, keep your nice parking space, and take a stroll to wherever it is that you need to get to...unless that place happens to be in a bad neighborhood or something. Then hell, take the car. And if you think you might be vulnerable to an attack or something...it's probably best to just drive. Also, always invite a friend to go with you. Be safe, you know? It's good to save money and be cheap...but don't get stupid about it.

Adios.

- Black Jesus

Welcome!

2006-08-08T10:07:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my blog!

I've never attempted anything like this before...but hopefully it'll attract some readers and do some good for everyone out there trying to make it in the college world.

I survived four years at New York's University at Buffalo. I was the first in my family to attend college away from home, and in a few weeks, I'll be off to law school.

Lately, I've been finding that coming up with the cash for everyday life isn't as easy as it once was. As I've been getting older, the 'rents aren't shelling it out like they were before - and as expenses become more and more significant, my bank account has been suffering. That being said, I'd like to offer some of the wisdom I've gained on how to keep living like a pimp while not spending money that you don't have. I'll try to update this as much as I can...but here are a few things to get you started:

1. Hit Up Garage Sales...And Make Sick Deals

OK. I know what some of you might be thinking. "WTF, Garage sales?! Fuck you! I shop at ABERCROMBIE!" Get that shit out of your head right now...garage sales are what's up. TRUST ME. Once you try it...you'll feel like you're getting ripped off even at the cheapest places.

Just the other day I was at one...I picked up a rug, a globe, a $50 router for my computer, bed sheets and a pillow all for $25!

Now, normally - you can't score that much crap for so little money, even at a garage sale. So here's what you need to do: find at least 3 or 4 things that you think you want. Group them together, and ask the seller how much they want for EVERYTHING. You're basically taking their garage sale, and turning it into a Sam's Club in the sense that you're getting a bulk discount.

It never fails.

2. Take Advantage Of The Library

Stop going to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, cancel your Net Flix...and if you illegally download your media, stop doing that too...there's a better, risk-free way to get that sort of stuff: your local library.

When was the last time you were in there? Middle school? Most of them have kept up with the times, and now boast such luxuries as internet access, DVD's and the latest novels. It's as if you're walking around Borders - but you can take what you want for FREE! It's a sick deal...and with Blockbuster charging about $4.50 per rental...you'll find yourself saving big money by utilizing this wonderful building. It's paid for by YOUR taxes...so you'd be an idiot to not check it out. Mine even has CD's that you can check out.

3. Ask Your 'Rents For Stuff

Don't be a little girl...man the hell up and ask your parents if they can set you up with some basic things. The worst they can say is "no." If they agree to help you out a little, you probably just scored some good, quality items for free. It doesn’t really matter what you get...ask them for whatever you need (but you'll probably have the most luck if you get specific, and avoid asking for cash). Focus on asking for things that you'd like to avoid buying with your own money: toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, etc. Your parents might even be proud of you for thinking ahead and being concerned with some of the more vital necessities of everyday life.

That's all I have for now. Hopefully you'll try what I've mentioned and have some luck. The college life can be a lot of fun if you stay smart and avoid making stupid decisions...financially and otherwise.

Stay cool.

- Black Jesus