Now that final exams are (hopefully) over it’s time to finish up the last of those law school applications. When you finally get to sit back and relax for the

Wishing everyone a relaxing Winter Break!

holidays, take a moment to catch up on a few of the top law school stories from the week:

Telling Your Story: A Well-Rounded Application (jdMission)

Mary Adkins shares some great advice on how to structure your law school application to best convey yourself as a well-rounded applicant.

Weigh the Benefits, Disadvantages of Attending a Non-ABA Law School (U.S. News Education)

This week U.S. News explains why a school without American Bar Association accreditation might be a good fit for some students.
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We hope everyone is surviving final exams and working to polish those law school applications! If you’re looking for some good reads this weekend, be sure to check out our roundup of law school news and advice.

Tighten Your Writing: Heed the Six Signs (Attorney at Work)

Looking to spruce up your legal writing skills? This post from Attorney at Work will teach you how to keep your writing clear, concise, and to the point.

Abraham Lincoln’s Advice to Young Lawyers (Slate)

This week Slate shared a document from Abraham Lincoln, which historians believe is a set of notes that Lincoln made in preparation for an 1850s-era lecture to a group of law students.

The Short on Long-Term Planning: Here is a Crazy Idea, Find the Actual Court Opinions (jdMission)

jdMission talks about how and why it’s a good idea to get acquainted with legal writing before you get to law school. It’s also important that you go to the actual legal source, rather than summaries presented in the news.
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Here are the free LSAT events we’re holding this week. All times local unless otherwise specified.

12/10/12 – New York, NY – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM

12/10/12 – Online – Free Trial Class – 8:00-10:00 PM (EST)

12/10/12 – Online – Free Games Intensive Trial Class – 8:00-11:00 PM (EST)

12/15/12 – Santa Monica, CA – Free Proctored LSAT – 6:00-10:00 PM

Looking for more free events? Check out our Free Events Listings Page.

Looking to kill time while you wait for your December LSAT scores to come in? Have a look at some of our favorite law-related articles from the week:

In Lean Times for Law Schools, an Opportunity (The New York Times Deal Book)

Thinking of applying to law school? Stats show that applicants who score well on the LSAT may have a better shot at getting into a top-tier law school and receiving a generous financial aid package than in years past.

The Short on Long-Term Planning: Keep in Touch with Former Professors (jdMission)

There are a number of reasons why you should not lose contact with your undergrad professors after a class ends. If you’re planning to apply to law school, perhaps the most practical reason is that you may eventually want to ask them for letters of recommendation.

A Possible Head Start for Law Students (The National Law Journal)

One of the top stories the law school news this week discusses whether third-year law students should be allowed to sit for the bar before graduation. Proponents at the University of Arizona argue that this change will give students a head start on the job search.
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The December LSAT is tomorrow! Best of luck to everyone taking it and don’t forget to check out our archive for Three Things You Should Do to Prepare for LSAT Test Day (And One Thing You Absolutely Should Not). Today is a day to relax so put down the prep books and check out some of our favorite articles from the week:

Law School is Worth the Money (The New York Times)

The dean of Case Western Reserve University’s law school makes his case for why students should not be discouraged from attending law school

2012 What’s Hot and What’s Not (Attorney at Work)

Trying to decide which area of law you want to practice? Attorney at Work turned to information from clients and leaders in the legal profession to compile a list of legal sectors that are really heating up (and some that are cooling down).
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Here are the free LSAT events we’re holding this week.

11/27/12 – New York, NY – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM

11/27/12 – Online – Free Trial Class – 8:00-11:00 PM

11/28/12 – Washington, D.C. – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM

11/28/12 – Irvine, CA – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM

11/28/12 – Los Angeles, CA – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM

11/29/12 – La Jolla, CA – Free Trial Class – 6:30-9:30 PM

Looking for more free events? Check out our Free Events Listings Page.

Happy Friday everyone! Celebrate the end of the week by checking out some of top stories about legal education and the LSAT: 

Top Five Factors Take Into Account by Law School Admissions (JD Journal)

Can you list the top five factors that are weighed the heaviest by law school admissions teams? We’ll start you off with the number one factor: LSAT score!

Countdown to the LSAT: What you Need to Do Between Now & Test Day (Law School Podcaster)

If you didn’t get the chance earlier this week, be sure to stop by Law School Podcaster to listen to Manhattan LSAT’s Executive Director of Academics, Noah Teitelbaum, for some advice for mapping out an LSAT study plan.
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Last week, Law School Transparency rolled out a new tool for prospective law school students to help guide application and enrollment decisions. While many students turn to U.S. News & World Report’s annual law school rankings, LST hopes that their Score Reports will reduce the influence of U.S. News by providing more detailed comparisons. Instead of comparing law schools based solely on traditional factors like LSAT scores and undergraduate grade-point averages, LST Score Reports sort schools according to employment outcomes, projected costs, and admissions stats.

Using LST’s Score Reports, prospective students can click on any state on the country map and receive a comprehensive chart that shows the relationship between regional law schools and employment percentages in that specific state. This way, students can essentially select where they want to land their future law career and see which schools will give them the best opportunity for employment.
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Here are the free LSAT events we’re holding this week.

11/17/12 – Washington, D.C. – Free Proctored LSAT Exam – 6:00-10:00 PM

11/17/12 – Santa Monica, CA. – Free Proctored LSAT Exam – 6:00-10:00 PM

11/17/12 – San Diego, CA. – Free Proctored LSAT Exam – 9:30 AM-1:30 PM

11/17/12 – Irvine, CA. – Free Proctored LSAT Exam – 9:30 AM-1:30 PM

Looking for more free events? Check out our Free Events Listings Page.

As we near the end of this week, we again hope that those affected by Hurricane Sandy are making a progressive recovery and that life is returning to as close to normal as possible. To help everyone ease back into the usual routine, we’ve complied our weekly list of law school and LSAT-related links:

Telling Your Story: Avoiding Oversimplification, Part 2 of 3 (jdMission)

As you’re filling out law school applications and writing your personal statements, take a moment to stop by jdMission for some tips for avoiding oversimplification of your essay.
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