 |
Legal Studies at Milligan College |
Why Legal Studies?
Legal Studies Minor & Emphasis
Course Descriptions
Advice for Pre-Law Students...Freshman & Sophomore Years Academics and Involvement Choosing a Major Junior Year Choosing a Law School Preparing for the LSAT Senior Year LSAT and Applications Personal Statements Letters of Recommendation
Legal Studies Links
Mark
Peacock's Home Page |
|
|
Many students are surprised to learn that the American Bar Association does not recommend a particular major and that there really is no such thing as a "pre-law" major. Like nearly all colleges and universities, Milligan College offers no specific major in pre-law. However, Milligan’s Legal Studies program is one step which can be taken in preparation toward a successful career in law. While no particular major can be recommended, most students considering law school wish to have exposure to foundational legal subjects for two main reasons. First, students want to be sure that going to law school would be the right decision for them. Many students come to college have a generalized, sometimes idealized, desire to attend law school, but lack a clear understanding as to what the study of law entails. Milligan's Legal Studies program is designed to help students ascertain whether a legal career is right for them. This is important, because law school is three difficult years, and students (and parents) ought to be confident that law school is the right decision before investing time, talent and money. The second reason students seek a "legal foundation" in college, is to prepare academically for law school and their professional careers. While Milligan does not attempt to fully teach students "the law" (that is left to law schools), we do seek to lay a solid foundation. Therefore, the legal courses within Milligan’s Legal Studies program are designed to enhance your knowledge of the American legal system, the legal profession and foundational legal topics (such as Constitutional Law, Legal Research and Criminal Law) . Embracing a Christian world-view, the Legal Studies Program at Milligan will help you develop an appreciation for the unique responsibility Christian legal professionals have in society. |
Click Here
|
Legal
Studies Minor This program is designed to enable students of any major to obtain a minor in Legal Studies by completing 18 hours learning the basic concepts of our government and legal system. Upon the successful completion of this minor, you will have a deeper understanding of and appreciation for our legal system and how it relates to our society as well as to our faith. Regardless of which major you may choose, legal issues impact all professions and areas of life. While this program will specifically benefit you if you are considering application to law school, it is also for any student who wishes to obtain a foundational understanding of the law. The Legal Studies Minor consists of the following required courses:
In addition, students must complete three Legal Studies electives, chosen from among the following:
Legal Studies Emphasis Within the Business Administration Major This program is designed to enable Business Administration majors to deepen their understanding and exposure to legal issues affecting business. Similar to other emphases offered within the Business Administration Major, the Legal Studies Emphasis requires the successful completion of 9 hours beyond the general Business Administration core requirements. Students completing this emphasis have a deeper understanding of legal issues particularly concerning business: governmental regulations, forms of business organizations, and business taxation. In addition, students gain a deeper appreciation for the relationship between law, government and business. The Legal Studies Emphasis is recommended for any Business Administration student who anticipates a business career requiring a legal background. A student seeking to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Legal Studies would complete the following courses:
|
|
|
Advice
for Pre-Law Students... Freshman & Sophomore Years -- a) Laying a solid academic foundation and getting involved; b) choosing a major a) Academics and Involvement... There is no need to be overly concerned with law school admission until after one's sophomore year in college. The best thing for you to do as a freshman or sophomore is study hard and get involved in your college and community. An important part of your education at Milligan occurs outside the classroom. The more involved you are in campus and area organizations and events, the more well-rounded you will be (law schools look for this!). You will develop valuable skills, such as the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, organizational skills and leadership skills. Be careful to strike a good balance between academics and extracurricular involvement -- remember that your education comes first. Also, get to know your professors. Sit in the front row, pay attention, take good notes, stop by their offices, and ask questions. You're going to need recommendation letters when you apply to law school! b) Choosing a Major... Milligan’s broad-based, liberal arts education develops and strengthens the student’s reading, writing and analytical thinking skills. Such skills are essential for law programs. The Legal Studies program allows students the flexibility to choose majors which most interest them. Here are some important considerations:
a) Choosing a law school. During your junior year you should commence your search for law schools. Factors to consider include: location, size, faculty-student ratio, curriculum, reputation, and of course, cost. Coming from Milligan, where you have had a great deal of personal attention and ready-access to your professors, you may wish to consider smaller law schools or law schools with a lower faculty-student ratio. Of course, you are not limited to attending a smaller law school; graduates from Milligan have excelled at large, prestigious law schools such as Harvard and NYU. It's important that you take your time and do some research. Consider what areas of law interest you most and where you might want to practice law after law school. Visiting law schools is perhaps the most helpful way to gather information. Most schools will allow you to sit in on classes and talk to current students so you will have a clearer understanding of their program. Of course, choosing a law school is subjective stuff, but here's my advice...
1. Geography. I put this
one first. Think about where you want to live for three years of your
life. Where do you want to intern? And finally, you might choose a law
school that is in the state (or region) you might want to ultimately
begin your work. Click here to search for law school by geography...
http://officialguide.lsac.org/Search/GeographicSearch.aspx
2. Cost. Can't get away
from this one. Who is offering the best for the least? I'm cheap --
and there's no need to pile on unnecessary debt. There are many great
schools out there that US News doesn't recognize. Going to a
smaller, slightly less prestigious law school can have its
advantages. You might have more opportunities to know your professors or
to become editor of your law review!
3. Retention Rates and Bar Passage
Rates. These are two important indications of just how good the
law school is doing. A high retention rate means that students after
their first year are meeting with success and are happy with the
school. The bar passage rate is important to look at for obvious
reasons, however, you need to keep in mind that some states have
notoriously tough bar exams and that even graduates from the best
schools might struggle. NY and CA are all known for their tough bar
exams. Thus, look to the state averages to get an idea of how tough the
bar is for that particular state. You can get this data by clicking on
the link above, then clicking on the state and then the law school
you're interested in -- finally, click on "ABA Law School Data."
4. Other specifics. Class
size, faculty/teacher ratios, average 1L (that's what they call first
year law students) class size, etc. When you visit, ask how 1L writing
is done - how much individualized instruction is there? Are you thrown
in a class of 100 students and expected to learn how to write? Is the
emphasis of the school on the academic learning of the law or is the
emphasis on gaining practical skills for the actual practice of law? I
prefer a school that strikes a balance between "learning the law" and
"learning the law practice".
5. Emphasis. Some schools
are known for their specialties. If you have your heart set on one area
of law, you might consider this in choosing a school.
6. Rankings. This is near
the bottom for me. US News rankings are very subjective and
their value, in
my estimation, is extremely over-rated. Their methodology of ranking
schools is, in my opinion, suspect. It will give you a general idea of
how good schools are generally (between tiers), but I wouldn't conclude
that #4 is superior to #9 just because US News says so or that a tier
four school should be automatically crossed off your list. Their
rankings are based largely on prestige and reputation. These qualities
are backwards-looking and do not necessarily correlate to whether the
school delivers a quality education today. Now, if you're
wanting to practice in a top firm in NY, DC or Chicago, then you'll need
the prestige law school. But for the most part students applying to law
schools place an undue amount of emphasis on prestige while ignore more
important factors. The one thing that is essential: ABA accreditation
-- it's a must -- an indisputable indication that the law school is
pursuing excellence. It is the stamp of approval by the ABA that
the law school is fulfilling its essential mission in educating future
lawyers.
7. Intangibles. Visit the
schools, talk to students and professors. Sit in on classes. Walk
around the law library, read the bulletin boards to get a sense of
campus life and student involvement, look at the course listings, find
where they list internship opportunities, etc. Is the school cut-throat
or are students civil to each other? Is there a peer mentor program
where the upper classmen assist the 1Ls? Are professors accessible or
are they all jerks?
b) Preparing for the LSAT. In the early spring semester of your junior year is the time to plan and perhaps apply for your LSAT exam. A student should not take the LSAT until after the completion of three academic years of college. The first question students have is: When should I take the LSAT? I recommend the June exam or the exam that takes place in late September or early October. The application deadlines are usually a month preceding the exams, so be prepared!
Preparing for the LSAT...
There is no one 'right' method to prepare
for the LSAT. Each student is unique and will require a specific plan
to prepare for the LSAT. I have known students who've walked in cold
and blown it away. I've known others who have taken expensive courses
and completed every practice test available and done horribly. In some
ways, it's not a test that you can really study for. It doesn't
measure your knowledge of the law or government or history. It measures
how critically you read, how logically you think and how quick you are
in solving complex problems. While you can certainly practice these
things, most of this is well established within you well before you walk
into the LSAT testing facility. However, what you can do is practice
answering the types of questions asked. You can become familiar with
the wording that is used and the style of questions asked. The only
section of the LSAT that I consider remotely 'skill based' is logic games
section. There is a certain degree of skill required in figuring out
how to 'map' these problems. Once you learn the five or six main
variations of logic games, you can then hone your skills. For many
students the logic games section goes from 'worst to best' for them. My
point in all of this is to have you recognize that what you really need
to focus on in your preparations for the LSAT is 1) to familiarize
yourself with the types of questions asked; and 2) to always, always be
focusing on timing.
Each year I hear from students who say they
scored in the 160s on a practice test. But then they come out of the
actual LSAT with a score in the low 150s and they say, I can't believe
how much harder that real test was from the practice tests. The degree of
difficulty in the tests is very intentionally calibrated to be on par
with previous years, so it's not a matter of the tests getting harder.
What's happening is that students have not prepared for taking the test
in an enormous room full of people freaking out, coughing, fidgeting,
and flipping pages faster than them. It's awfully hard to be prepared
for this stressed-filled environment. The moral of the story... don't
count on getting your best practice test score. Pick a "dream" law
school, a couple in the middle of the pack, and a then a couple sure bets, just
in case.
Should I take the $1300 Kaplan course? I
can't answer that for you. I will disclose that I took it because a) my
parents offered to pay for it; and b) I was not very disciplined in
studying for the LSAT on my own. I will also confess that I hated the
prep course intensely. But I'll admit that I needed it and that it
helped. Some students are very disciplined and motivated to study
independently for the LSAT by buying a couple study guides and then
marching methodically through them. Not I. I needed to the structure
and some external prodding to prepare for the LSAT. In some ways, I feel
that what I really paid for in taking the Kaplan course was confidence.
I walked into that room having a game plan and knowing precisely what to expect.
Most of my students opt for the intensive weekend course offered
by Prepmaster. This is intended to put the finish touches on the
students independent studying (not as a substitute for such studying).
It's offered the weekend before the actual LSAT as a way of giving you
important last minute reminders.
A note here about prep courses... please don't read the above as endorsements. There are dozens of different LSAT prep courses out there -- I've simply mentioned the two I know most about. I'd encourage you to do your research and talk to others as you make a choice as to how you can best prepare for this important exam. There's no one right answer here. You need to know yourself and be honest about your own study habits and time management. Whatever you do, I recommend when you practice that you set aside the CDs that often come with the practice books. You'll be taking the LSAT the old fashioned way with paper and pencil -- so you might as well prepare that way.
Most students take the exam in October of their
senior year, although some prefer to take it in June (during the summer before your
senior year). In my estimation, the June LSAT exam is preferred for the following
reasons: it allows you to apply early to law schools and it allows for the
possibility of retaking the LSAT if necessary. However, the LSAT is meant to be taken only
once. If you take the exam more than once, most law schools average your
scores. However, a growing number of schools are now taking the
highest score. Regardless of that trend, it is to your advantage to be
well-prepared and to take the exam only once.
Absolutely. This is your one opportunity to really sell yourself
and distinguish yourself from other applicants. I've spoken to
numerous admissions counselors who say
that the writing sample is by far the most underestimated admissions
piece. Here are some pointers...
1) Be serious. Don't crack jokes or use inappropriate humor.
You're applying to enter a profession. Be professional.
2) Be organized. Remember, in addition to being a personal
statement, this is also a writing sample. Clean up your
organization, grammar and spelling.
3) Be unique. Don't say you're applying because you've always
dreamed of going to law school and that you care deeply about
justice. Everyone and their sister writes that. Law schools VALUE
DIVERSITY - your writing sample is your opportunity to tell the law
school what you'll add to the classroom and law school environment.
4) Start early. This will be one of the toughest writing
assignments you've ever have. You'd think two or three pages about
yourself would be easy. Nope. Most of my students go through at
least five drafts, some require many more.
5) Find the middle ground. Don't be so boastful that you sound like an
arrogant
jerk. Don't be so modest that you sell yourself short.
6) Get someone to proof-read it.
What advice do you have
about letters of recommendation? Now when you pick a professor for a recommendation, pick one that has positive things to say about you. That sounds crazy, but you wouldn't believe how students who were always late to class, disruptive and unprepared call me to ask for a letter of recommendation. Those are difficult conversations. While I tell them that I cannot in good faith write a letter of recommendation, other professors will, and they'll write very negative things. So obviously choose professors who 1) know you very well and 2) have nice things to say about you! I think it is appropriate when asking people to write recommendations to suggest that they discuss certain aspects of your character or experience. This is different from telling them what to write (that would be wrong!). But as you already have a close relationship to these professors, you might ask them to consider highlighting your campus involvement or to discuss how you brought up your GPA from freshman year while working twenty hours a week or playing sports. Or perhaps you might ask them if they could talk specifically about your academic performance and your writing abilities. This is also a way to have things discussed that you avoided in your own personal statement for fear of sounding arrogant. Thus, you might ask a professor to consider talking about your accomplishments on campus or difficulties you've overcome. In every case... whether it is a professor or employer who is writing the recommendation, ask them to give specific examples. Letters that say "Bill is a nice person who was a pleasure to have in my accounting class" aren't going to help. Admissions committees immediately throw these letters aside. What you need are letters that say, "Bill was in the top 5% of all students who've ever taken accounting with me. Bill demonstrated his dedication to his academics by always taking difficult elective courses and tutoring other students." The use of specific examples will make your letters of recommendation stand out and will give the admissions committees important factual information about you. |
|
|
If you have any questions about Milligan's
Legal Studies Program, please contact me or the Admissions Department. Mark
Peacock |
|
Updated: 08.10.07
