If you’re reading this, it most likely means you’ve just started your third year of college and are trying to be proactive in your goal of becoming a lawyer. Or, you may have already finished your junior year and are just now deciding to pursue law school leaving you wondering what to do next. Perhaps you’re even still an underclassman that’s reading ahead trying to see what horrors await you in the not-so-distant future. [Editors Note: If this is you, don’t forget to check out our earlier posts about what to do as a freshman and sophomore to prepare for law school.] In any case – no need to panic. Even though the question of “what should I be doing to prepare for law school?” is probably plaguing you more and more with each passing day, fear not. Blueprint is here to help ease some of that anxiety and set you on the right path. So, let’s jump right in!

1. Keep Studying! It may seem like I’m just repeating the same things from previous blog posts over and over – and that’s because I am. BUT! It seems that the more I repeat something, the more it sticks (funny how that works, isn’t it?). And I REALLY need this to stick. So, I may as well just say it again: Keep studying! The grades you get are one of the two most important factors of your law school application. Even more so in your junior year, since these will be the last grades on your transcript when you apply. These will be the grades that your dream law school will use to determine if they will grant your acceptance. Did I make that sound ominous? Good. Fear seems to be a solid motivator. But seriously, Keep studying and show those law school admission people you’ve got what it takes to succeed!

2. Letters of Recommendation: Start sucking up to…whoops! I mean, thinking about, who you’re going to ask for recommendations at the beginning of your junior year. Then, build and strengthen those relationships by attending office hours, participating in classes, etc. If you’re struggling with deciding who to ask, an important consideration could be: whose class am I doing well in? Which professor knows me best and has seen me improve/grow over my college career? If there’s a professor that has had you in several classes and you’ve done well in those classes- think about asking them!

3. Start looking at law schools: This is a really important step. You need to know where you’d want to go and what kind of grades/LSAT score you’re going to need in order to get in. Look at the incoming class medians for both LSAT and GPA and plan accordingly. Estimate your chances of admissions by inputting your LSAT score and GPA (or test out hypothetical scenarios) in our Law School Compass. Research all the different programs of the school you’d like to apply to as well as the school culture and see which matches you and your goals best. If possible, go visit the schools! Talk to the teachers and the students, and even attend some lectures! Once you have some schools in mind, set your goal LSAT score….which brings me to the next point.

4. Set time aside to study for the LSAT: Junior year is a great time to start prepping for the LSAT! Remember how grades were the first part of the two most important factors of your law school application? Well, the LSAT is that second factor. Learning the LSAT is like learning a new skill – it takes time and you can’t cram for it like you would for one of your midterms. So, make sure you start studying at least 3 months ahead of your LSAT, even longer if your schedule allows it, since you’re in school and can’t focus on it full time. Be prepared to work hard and put in a lot of hours studying as the LSAT requires your undivided attention and focus. Adjust your schedule to be able to take the June LSAT at the end of your junior year – this will give you enough time to study and retake in August if needed. Blueprint LSAT has LSAT prep to fit every schedule and learning style, from self-paced courses, live instruction classes, or private tutoring to meet all your LSAT studying needs.

Hopefully, this guide has helped point you in the right direction and now you can relax knowing that you have a rough outline for the months to come. Or if you’re anything like me, instead of relaxing you will spend the next 5 hours obsessively researching your top law schools and scanning the r/lawschooladmissions thread on Reddit. So, in that case: happy scanning!