To excel in high school and college you have to do your best at all

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Tips for boosting motivation

To excel in high school and college, you have to do your best at all times. But sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated, even when you really care about the work that must ( DO ).

The ultimate key to success in school is ( STAY ) focused on your course work.

Naturally enough, the vast majority of students find it tempting to do the ( SIMPLE ) assignments first.

However, those tasks that take more time and effort to accomplish are probably the ones that you ( LEARN ) the most from by the exam time.

Changing your approach can help you stay interested. If you ( GIVE ) an assignment similar to one you’ve done previously, think about it in a different way.

If you ( WRITE ) an essay for a creative writing assignment last year, try a poem this time.

You can also reach out to peers who can motivate you by listening and sharing ideas.

Give ( YOU ) a quick reward when you complete an assignment or task. Take a walk, get a snack — whatever works for you. Then move on to the next project.

Tips for boosting motivation

To excel in high school and college, you have to do your best at all times. But sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated, even when you really care about the work that must BE DONE.

The ultimate key to success in school is STAYING (или TO STAY) focused on your course work.

Naturally enough, the vast majority of students find it tempting to do the SIMPLEST (или THE MOST SIMPLE) assignments first.

However, those tasks that take more time and effort to accomplish are probably the ones that you WILL HAVE LEARNED (или WILL HAVE LEARNT) the most from by the exam time.

Changing your approach can help you stay interested. If you ARE GIVEN an assignment similar to one you’ve done previously, think about it in a different way.

If you WROTE an essay for a creative writing assignment last year, try a poem this time.

You can also reach out to peers who can motivate you by listening and sharing ideas.

Give YOURSELF a quick reward when you complete an assignment or task. Take a walk, get a snack — whatever works for you. Then move on to the next project.

Students at Excel High School have certain requirements they must meet to graduate just like students at traditional brick-and-mortar schools.  In a public school setting, students will often attend assemblies discussing these standard requirements, or guidance counselors will visit their classrooms to help them sign up for their required credits. 

At EHS, your Academic Success Coach can help make sure that you meet these requirements, and our enrollment team keeps close track of your credits to monitor your progress toward graduation.  There are four areas that students should be knowledgeable about as you work toward graduation:

• Core classes,
• Elective classes,
• Minimum grade requirements, and

Core Classes

Students have to take a certain number of credits in each core subject area in order to meet the graduation requirements at Excel.  Core subjects include math, science, social studies, and English.  The academic program you’re enrolled in determines how many credits of each core class you must earn.

Standard and Adult Diploma Tracks

If you’re enrolled in either the Standard program or the Adult program, in order to graduate with your 21.5 credit diploma, you have to enroll in the certain core classes to meet the minimum graduation requirements.  Student must earn three credits of math, three credits of science, three and a half credits of social studies, and four credits of English.

It is important to earn as many of your core class credits as early in your education as possible.  Keep in mind that you have to earn one English credit for every grade level you complete, so being sure you’re proceeding successfully through each of your required English classes is very important.  You will take two survey courses in English class, followed by American Literature and then British Literature. 

To meet our state requirements, we require all Standard High School students to complete the levels of math through Algebra II to earn their high school diploma.  This credit requirement will benefit you because most colleges and universities will require that their students have demonstrated successful understanding of Algebra II.  Adult student might want to follow those same guidelines; however, we offer more flexibility with math credits for the adult track, and although we do recommend all students take math courses through Algebra II, it is not required for adult students.

Graduates of Excel High School should also complete one full credit of U.S. History within their required total social studies courses in order to meet the state requirements for graduation. Finally, students have flexibility within their science courses and can enroll in whichever science classes they would like in order to meet those credit requirements. If you plan to pursue a science-based career, taking more advanced science classes will be important in preparing you for your post-secondary education.

Honors and Advanced Placement Diploma Tracks

Students enrolled in either the Honors or the AP programs have more credit requirements that they have to fulfill before graduation.  Each of these programs requires 24 credits to graduate.  Students must complete four credits of math, three credits of science, four English credits, and three and a half social studies credits.

You will want to be very careful to earn one credit each in English and math for each grade level you complete because you need four credits in each of them.  With the Honors program, you will take two survey English courses followed by American Literature and then British Literature.  The AP program offers the additional option of AP English Literature and Composition or AP English Language and Composition.  You have the option to take any of the traditional math courses with the addition of Probability and Statistics, Trigonometry, and AP Calculus AB. 

Honors and AP students need to earn at least three and a half credits of social studies, and they have to include at least one full credit of U.S. History and one full credit of World History within those required credits.  AP students must also include Government and Economics in their course selections to graduate.  Much like the Standard and Adult programs, students in the Honors and AP programs have flexibility to choose whatever core science classes they would like to add up to their three required credits; however, if your focus of study when you leave high school will be science-based, you will want to challenge yourself by aiming to include more advanced science courses like Physics in your coursework.

Elective Classes

Any class that you take that is outside of the core subject areas is considered an elective course.  In order to graduate from Excel, all students regardless of program must pass a semester of health, a semester of physical education, and a full grade level of a fine arts class to meet the minimum state requirements for graduation.

Standard and Adult Diploma Tracks

Standard and Adult students have to earn a total of eight elective credits.  Two of those credits will come from the required electives mentioned above, but six can be elective courses of your own choosing.  Electives are a great time to explore subjects that you are interested in learning more about or in expanding your horizons by challenging yourself to learn about topics you have no background in.

Honors and Advanced Placement Diploma Tracks

Honors and AP students have to earn a total of nine and a half elective credits.  In additional to the health, PE, and fine arts credits already mentioned, Honors and AP students have an additional two credits of required international language courses.   

Minimum Grade Requirements

All Excel students, regardless of their program, have to meet certain minimum scores in order to earn credit for their courses.  This ensures that you gradaute with a diploma that represents the learning that has taken place and provides you with the secure knowledge that colleges and universities will recognize the hard work you’ve done to graduate based on the validity of your diploma and our programs.

Standard, Honors, and Adult Diploma Tracks

All students in the Standard, Honors, or Adult programs must meet certain grade requirements to earn class credit.  Every student must pass their courses with an average score of 60% or higher.  Within each class, students have to take a final exam and pass that final exam with an average score of 60% or better.  Along with their average class score and passing final exam grade, all essays and writing projects should also be passed with the required 60% or better average.  With the ability to use notes and retake exams twice, along with the chance to revise and resubmit their essays, this expectation is one our students regularly achieve.

AP Diploma Track

Advanced Placement students must earn a minimum average score of 70% in their coursework.  Additionally, if you want to earn credit for taking Advanced Placement classes with the college or university you plan to attend after graduation, you will often have to pass the official AP exam for each Advanced Placement course you take.  To do so, you will want to view the test dates for your local area and take note of the testing requirements through the College Board AP website.

Although it can sometimes feel overwhelming, knowing our graduation requirements will give you a positive foot forward in planning your education.  With access this this knowledge, you will be prepared to work toward graduation with confidence and will be able to take pride when you graduate, knowing you’ve accomplished and learned so much along the way.

It seems simple on its face: to get into a good college, get good grades in high school. If you know what kinds of schools you’re aiming for, you probably have an idea of what your GPA should be. But how exactly do you get where you need to be?

A good grade is a reflection of both hard work and comprehension of the material. In the short term, it shows colleges that you’re a good student who can succeed in a highly rigorous academic environment, which is what they offer. In the long term, working towards good grades teaches you important skills in studying, preparation, discipline, and self-advocacy. These are lifelong skills that will serve you even when you’re no longer taking math tests and writing book reports.

Whether you’re trying to raise your current grades or are just looking toward future success, following this step-by-step guide will ensure that you’re in the best possible position to thrive in your academic courses, now and in the future.

Nine Tips for Getting Good Grades in High School

1. Do Your Homework

It sounds obvious, doesn’t it? To get better grades, do the homework assignments. Yet, you would be surprised by how many high school students don’t do their homework, leaving assignments unfinished or waiting until right before the test to do them. That might have worked in middle school, but it’s unlikely to fly in high school.

If you’re in a rigorous class, it’s covering a lot of material, and your teacher assumes you are going to learn some of it on your own. This is excellent preparation for college, when your classes will meet much less frequently, but you will have much more work to do outside of class. High school teachers are trying to prepare you for this shift by encouraging you to maintain and expand your knowledge through homework.

Finally, if you aren’t doing the homework, you won’t know what you don’t understand, which means you won’t be able to ask the right questions and get the right help. If you don’t know what you don’t know, you’ll never learn it!

2. Participate in Class

Everyone knows that it’s easier to pay attention to something if you’re active and involved. Particularly in a classroom, passively listening often makes it harder for you to remember what was said because you weren’t actively participating.

Of course, your ability to participate depends somewhat on your teacher, the class, and your own personality. Some teachers prefer to lecture, with minimal input from their classrooms, while some students feel uncomfortable speaking in front of others. Nevertheless, these days almost all educators recognize the importance of active learning and making such participation inclusive for all students.

Whether it’s answering a question, asking a question, participating actively in group work, or otherwise being involved in the classroom, participation in class is a great way to master the material and show your teacher that you’re trying hard.

3. Take Good Notes in Class

It’s a near-universal fact: straight-A students take good notes. That said, note-taking is not necessarily something all high school students know how to do, and not all schools do a good job of teaching it. Learning to take notes may be something you need to undertake on your own, but it’s absolutely crucial to getting better grades.

Not everyone takes notes the same way. Some students find it helpful to write long-hand, while others record lectures and take notes later, when they can pause. In general, though, it’s best not to write down everything the teacher says. Rather, truly good note-takers digest what’s important and write down just the key facts.

Don’t worry if this doesn’t come naturally right away; note-taking is a skill that takes time to develop. As you improve, you’ll likely earn higher grades as well.

4. Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help

There’s a common misconception among high school students that you should only ask for extra help if the teacher specifically recommends it or if you’re getting really bad grades. In fact, all good teachers would love to help you whenever you need it!

Whether you’re trying to understand your test scores, essay comments, homework assignments, or class involvement, setting up a time to talk to your teacher out of class is always a good use of your time. They don’t want to give you bad grades; they want to help you learn the material. It’s why they teach!

That said, if you do go in for extra help, you’ll get more out of it if you have specific questions. Don’t ask the teacher to give his or her lesson all over again; pinpoint what you’re struggling with and ask for advice or additional problems.

5. Keep Yourself Motivated

Another truth about getting better grades is that it isn’t just about one test or one paper. A strong final grade is the product of a lot of good grades all strung together, which means you need to stay motivated throughout the year.

Staying focused on schoolwork isn’t always easy. Things come up in and outside of school that take away from your focus, and it’s easy to give into procrastination when you have a lot on your plate, a situation you’re sure to encounter at some point.

Bear in mind that this is a marathon, not a sprint; once in a while, you won’t finish your homework, and that’s okay. The important thing is that you are striving toward your best academic performance by doing as much of this as you can.

6. Create a Study Schedule

Staying on top of your schoolwork isn’t always easy; you have extracurricular activities, service commitments, family responsibilities, and more. Time management can be the best tool in your arsenal for getting better grades.

Creating a study schedule can help you manage your time and keep from cramming. By learning and studying in small chunks, rather than trying to do so all at once, you’ll be less overwhelmed and better able to master the material. For each class, consider setting out a certain amount of time each day, maybe in a calendar or agenda book. Doing a little every day is miles better than cramming.

A study schedule should be flexible to both your learning style and your life. But even if it gets disrupted sometimes, just having made it can be enormously helpful.

7. Remove Distractions

Getting the most out of studying means staying focused, which in turn means minimizing distractions. These days, it’s hard not to get distracted by notifications on your phone, computer, or other screen. But maintaining productive study time means filtering all this out to focus on your schoolwork.

To that end, do what you can to minimize distractions and build good study habits. Turn your phone to Do Not Disturb so you don’t get notifications and alerts. Use anti-procrastination browser extensions like StayFocusd to keep yourself off social media and other distracting websites. Sign out of instant messaging.

Distractions can be physical, too. Keeping your desk organized can help boost your productivity and lead to higher grades, as can organizing your notes and materials. Managing your space can be as important as managing your time.

8. Don’t Study Alone

When we imagine studying, we often picture someone alone at a desk. But just as being an active class participant can help you connect more deeply to the material, so too can studying with a partner, group, or tutor help your grades!

Forming a study group or partnership can be a particularly great way to work toward higher grades. Rather than just quizzing yourself with flash cards, studying in a group allows you both to ask questions of another student and to explain concepts to a peer, which will really test whether you understand the material or not.

Beyond a study group, working with a private tutor is also a way to manage your schedule and get help with your homework. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to meet with your teacher or a group, a tutor might be a good option for you.

9. Take Care of Yourself!

Finally, one of the most important things you can do to get good grades in school is to take care of yourself. Getting burned out and overwhelmed will not increase your grade point average! At a certain point, everyone needs some self-care.

Good health—physical and mental—is critically important to success in school. Eating well, getting regular exercise, and managing any stress or anxiety are all essential factors in setting yourself up for academic success.

In fact, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get a good night’s sleep! Try not to let your schoolwork or extracurricular activities interrupt your sleep schedule. Rest will help you focus and keep you healthy for the long term.

Conclusion

Your grade point average isn’t the only thing colleges care about; even if you’re one of the best students in your class, you still need to develop a leadership profile, earn good standardized test scores, be involved in your community, and put together outstanding essays. Nevertheless, if you don’t have the academic qualifications colleges expect, having all those things won’t do you any good, either.

For all but the most selective schools, you don’t need perfect grades or straight As in every single class. But you should strive to perform at the highest academic level you can. By staying engaged, motivated, and healthy, you can raise your grades and show admissions officers that you’re ready for college!

From online classes to having more freedom to work and enjoy your passions, here are our Top 6 Reasons for why is college easier than high school

Graduating high school is an accomplishment, and not an easy feat. It’s tough having to spend eight hours a day in the same building, going from class to class, completing daily and weekly assignments from subjects that aren’t always interesting. And then having only a couple hours in the rest of the day to hang out with friends and family, eat dinner and go to bed, only to wake up early the next day and do it all over again! So should college be any different? Is college easier than high school?

You might be among the many who are planning to go to college but are nervous, even hesitant, about entering yet another difficult school regime. But we are here to tell you that your high school days are over! We understand that you might be worried about going to college and starting to study again. And now as an adult, you need to earn money as well. This means having the added challenge of balancing school and work. So, you might be wondering if college is harder than high school and if college is a lot of work. Well, it’s a myth that college is harder. In many ways, college is actually easier than high school. Here’s why…

1. The Classes and Subjects

This time, you get to choose! As opposed to high school, college is full of choices. Aside from the big decision of what degree to pursue, you also get to choose your elective courses. These are the subjects you pick to study that are not necessarily connected to your degree. This is what is so great about college – you get to learn about what interests you! Not only are you earning a degree in your chosen field, you also get to learn about other subjects and broaden your knowledge in general.

When we are free to choose, we are more likely to enjoy what we do. Who wants to be told what to learn and have to excel in it against our will (ahem, high school)? In college, it’s easier to enjoy the classes you take since you’re already interested in that subject. It makes the whole process so much easier.

Source:Pexels

2. No More Surprises!

Just knowing that you won’t come to school one day and have your teacher say, “pop quiz!” should be enough to convince you that college is easier than high school. Not everyone is a fan of surprises, let alone the “quiz” type. In college, you know up front what you’re getting into. From the moment you enroll, you are given a syllabus. The syllabus (a.k.a. the course “Bible”) tells you exactly what you are going to be doing. You will have a list of the course material, the assignments, and everything that will be expected of you. When we know what is expected of us, it’s a lot easier to meet expectations and succeed.

“College is the reward for surviving high school” – Judd Apatow

3. Your Schedule

In college, your schedule is more flexible and spread out. You will have much fewer classes than you did in high school. And with fewer classes, there are fewer assignments. That means more free time. And more free time means more time to sleep! Let’s not forget the importance of sleep. It is super important to get enough sleep in general, but when it comes to learning, sleep is especially vital. Here’s an explanation on why healthy sleep is vital for school success.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should spend all your free time sleeping! Aside from the wonderful benefits of getting enough sleep, college also offers more time for you to work and earn money as well as pursue your hobbies and passions. Knowing your schedule from the beginning allows you to manage your days, weeks, and months. Finding a job that fits your class schedule is totally doable and not as difficult as you may think. Tons of students find part-time (or full-time) jobs and succeed in their degrees.

Source: pixabay

Many students also still find time to do the things they love, like running, painting, or writing, for instance. And not only is it possible, it’s important! Finding that balance of work and pleasure is what gives you your mojo to keep going. So don’t think you have to quit everything when you start college. Quite the opposite! College allows you the freedom in your schedule to keep doing what you love or find new hobbies.

4. Professors (vs. Teachers)

When it comes to college, professors are quite different from teachers. Professors tend to give you more space and freedom to be who you are. For one, the classroom experience is radically different (for the in-person classes). You can go to class wearing whatever you want, open up your laptop, and use your cellphone too. For online classes you can attend class when you want from wherever you want, even in bed. In college, the professors’ goals are to teach you about the subject you are learning. They are not going to tell you to take your hat off and sit up straight.

Professors also tend to be more flexible. Yes, you do have a syllabus that includes due dates. But those dates are almost always open for discussion if you come to them with a personal request and a good enough reason. They respect you as a responsible student who wants to learn and they are usually willing to work with you. In most cases, respect is a two-way street. If you respect your professor, they are more than likely to respect you as well. And this atmosphere of respect makes learning that much more enjoyable.

5. Freedom

College gives you freedom. Yes! But with freedom comes responsibility. That said, it’s all on you. Your courses, your schedule, your grades, and so on. Contrary to high school, your professors won’t be reminding you about your assignment that’s due next week. No one is on your back anymore. It’s your job to keep up with the work. And how you manage your time is a huge factor. Time management is an essential skill and a determinant of success in your studies. For tips on how to ace your time management skills, read this.

When we have the freedom to do things our way, on our watch, it makes the whole process more enjoyable and more rewarding. College also gives you a fresh start. A clean slate. Didn’t like your high school experience? No worries! You can start a new page of a new chapter in a whole new book. College is essentially a new era of your life and you get to choose how you want it to go.

6. Support and Guidance

In college, there are many resources and modes of support that each and every student is entitled to and even encouraged to use. There are mentors available to each student who provide a support system of guidance and encouragement throughout the process. If you want to know more about the mentoring available to you, click here.

As a college student, you also have the access to personal advising. You can get connected with a personal program advisor that will help you throughout your entire degree. The great thing about college is having easy access to student services and a network of people whose job it is to help you! Take advantage of it. It’s a useful tool.

Source: pixabay

College may be easier than high school, but there are still challenges

Remember, although college offers more benefits than high school, it is important to keep in mind that there will also be new challenges. But considering that you are already looking to study a degree, then you’re probably one who accepts a challenge. And with every challenge, there is a feeling of accomplishment. Here are some challenges that college students might face:

• You will still have to do work. Each course has assignments and/or exams that are your responsibility to complete.
• You will need to work with your peers. There are courses that still involve teamwork and the need to coordinate with others. This can be tricky, of course, but a huge skill set that almost all employers value.
• College is a lot bigger than high school. Which means you are going to be a small fish in a big pond. But there are lots of fish! And you can swim with them. It’s easy to make new friends in college because you will find many others with similar interests.
• College has more people in general and from diverse walks of life. People come from different cultures and have different perspectives. But that’s what makes life interesting! Take it as another learning experience.

The moral of the story

So what’s the take away? Well, college is not only easier than high school, it’s also better. It is better because you now get to call the shots and enjoy the rewards that come with that. The freedom to choose what you learn, having time in your schedule to earn money and have fun too, and overall taking control in your life is both challenging yet rewarding! Going to college is a major period in your life and you will definitely reap the benefits.

Congratulations! Today is your day.
You’re off to great places! You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.

-Dr. Seuss

Doug Walters

Business Administration, US

Back to school is an exciting time for students and families.  It can be a big step – particularly for those starting prep, or moving to high school. ​​​​​

Starting high school is a significant milestone in a student’s life.  It marks a passage into adolescence and brings about several significant changes.  You will go from being the oldest in school to being the youngest, having to find the way around a new school with different teachers for different subjects.  High school students have a lot to think about, from test preps to extra-curriculars to new social situations – not to mention the big “Where will I go to college?” question on every teen’s mind. 

However, it’s also an exciting transition – you’re finally getting to high school, which means new friends, more privileges, and new opportunities for exploring who you are.  High school has a lot to offer  – a chance to figure yourself out, find your limits, and do your best academically.  By taking advantage of all these benefits, we bet you will walk away from high school with a lot more than a diploma!

In this article, we compile a list of advice for high school students, recommended by recent graduates.  We hope from this list, incoming freshmen will be able to gain some insight into how to start your high school years with the right frame of mind – and get off to a great start.

If you’re a parent reading this, let’s pass along these tips to your son or daughter, and use them as talking points at home to help them survive – and thrive – in high school. 

Law is one of the toughest trades to break into—there’s a lot of competition out there, and there’s a lot at stake (law school isn’t exactly cheap). If you’re interested in entering the legal profession, you should be well-informed about everything it takes to become a lawyer.

Here, I’ll go through all the steps of how to become a lawyer. Before I jump into that, however, I’ll begin by touching briefly on what the job market looks like for lawyers both now and in the future.

What Is the Career Outlook for Law?

Before we get into exactly how to become a lawyer, I’ll talk a bit about what the job is actually like before jumping into more logistical concerns (like salary and projected job availability). This stuff may not be particularly exciting, but it’s helpful to be informed about how easy (or difficult) it’ll be to find a job in the field after you’re done with school.

What Does a Lawyer Do?

Law is a very broad profession—lawyers can do all sorts of different jobs. They may work in corporate, private, and government settings.

Common responsibilities include providing legal counsel and advice, researching information or evidence, drawing up legal documents, and prosecuting/defending in court.

Occupational Outlook

Here’s some important info about the law profession from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• 2014 Median Pay: $114,970 per year

• Job Outlook, 2014-2014 (i.e. the average growth in the number of jobs): 6%, which is about average across all professions

The number of jobs may be projected to grow as fast as average, but there are some other important factors at play here. Namely, competition for jobs is likely to be extremely high— the number of students who graduate from law school each year is higher than the number of new jobs available.

In a nutshell: the market is pretty saturated with law graduates at the moment, which means that finding and keeping a job in the field is no small feat. Even the American Bar Association started discouraging people from going to law school after the 2008 market crash—the profession is recovering very, very slowly. If you’re on the fence about law school, I’d encourage you to read this article, written by a lawyer, in the Huffington Post (fair warning, it includes plenty of colorful language).

This isn’t to say that no one should become a lawyer—if you plan on pursuing this career path, however, you should be aware of all the challenges you’ll face along the way.

Step 1: Excel in High School

With such serious competition in the field, it’s best to take your academic performance seriously from an early age. One of the best things you can focus on is bettering your chances of getting into a great college or university.

Put simply, better grades in high school → better school for your BA degree → better law school → better chances of getting a job. Law is one profession where it really matters where you go to school. Attending a top-15 law school doesn’t guarantee that you’ll end up with a great job, but it really helps. Attending a lower-ranked school will likely make it very difficult to find work. As such, you’ll want to put yourself in the best position to succeed starting as early as high school.

Follow these tips in high school to start off on the right foot:

Courses

There aren’t really any specific classes you can take to prep this early for law school, but you can work on developing some of those critical skills that I mentioned earlier, like writing and critical thinking.

Aim to take as many advanced and/or AP courses as possible. Classes in English, Government, Economics, and Math will all you well in college and law school (and will pay off even if you change your mind about becoming a lawyer).

Extracurricular Activities and Leadership

Extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and leadership experience all help boost your college applications. Some activities might double as a way to get a feel for the legal profession. Check out these posts for more information on these activities:

• Complete list of extracurriculars
• How to get leadership experience in your extracurriculars
• 9 best places to do community service

If available at your school, you may want to check out Mock Trial (a club that simulates court trials), Debate, or Model UN—all of these activities help students develop writing, critical thinking, and leadership skills. If your school doesn’t have any of these clubs, consider starting one yourself!

Activities like mock trial are pretty different from what most lawyers actually do, but it’s the closest you can get to legal experience in high school.

Finally, high school is a good time to learn more about what being a lawyer is actually like. Here are some ways to get more hands-on experience:

• Shadow a lawyer.

• Volunteer with a local legal aid organization.

• Talk to any friends or family members who work in the field about how they spend their time at work, what they like/don’t like about their jobs, whether they would do anything different, etc.

ACT/SAT Prep

One big part of getting into a good college is doing well on your ACT or SAT. Whichever test you choose, it’s best to take it more than once—aim to take your first test fall of junior year (at the latest).

Read more about:

• Whether to take the SAT or ACT
• How long you should study for the SAT or ACT
• Complete study guide for the SAT or ACT
• How to get a perfect score on the SAT or ACT

College Applications

If you end up at a well-ranked school, the following steps you’ll have to take to become a lawyer will be that much easier. Like I mentioned earlier, students at top-15 law schools have a much easier time finding a job than students at lower-ranked schools. The better your undergraduate program, the better your chances of getting into one of these top law schools.

So where do you start when it comes to looking at colleges?

You don’t have to look for schools with dedicated pre-law programs. In fact, some people argue that students hoping to go to law school should avoid pre-law majors altogether (I’ll talk more about this in the next section).

Learn more about how and when to apply for college.

Step 2: Get Involved in College

You need a Bachelor’s degree at minimum in order to go on to law school, and it definitely helps if you end up at a school with a strong reputation.

Once you get to college, it’s important to keep up your academic performance (your grades will be important when you apply to law school). A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for pretty much every law school in the US, but the truth is that this probably isn’t competitive enough. Aim for 3.5+ (the higher the better).

Staying on the Right Side of the Law

The first thing you should keep in mind as a college student is that any sort of criminal record may prevent you from becoming a lawyer. The American Bar Association puts aspiring lawyers through a moral character screening process (I’ll speak more about this towards the end). If you’re generally honest and haven’t broken any laws, you won’t have any issues—just try to stay out of trouble as you make your way through the following steps.

Choosing a Program or Major

The American Bar Association (ABA) doesn’t recommend any specific major or discipline for students who hope to become lawyers. Some schools have pre-law programs, but (as I’ve mentioned) they’re rare and not necessary in order to get into a great law school.

The most important core skills you can develop include critical thinking, logic & reasoning, reading comprehension, and communication. Some majors which may prove useful for the LSAT/law school include:

• English
• Political Science
• Business
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Math
• Journalism

You don’t have to know exactly what kind of law you hope to go into. If you do have an idea, though, you might use that to inform your choice of major. If you’re interested in corporate law, for example, you might major in Business. If you’re interested in tax law, consider Math.

Develop Relationships With Professors

You’ll need several strong letters of recommendation from respected faculty members when you submit your law school applications—use this to motivate you to network with as many people as possible.

Develop relationships with professors and mentors by going to office hours, participating in class, and taking opportunities to work on research projects.

Get Involved

I’ll go into more detail when I discuss law school apps, but most schools are looking for applicants who demonstrate some sort of social and professional engagement, community service, extracurricular involvement, and/or work experience.

Start by looking into volunteering with legal aid services at your university or in your neighborhood. If you’d like more ideas, check out our posts on different community service opportunities and extracurricular activities.

You can gain similar hands-on law experience by getting a student job. A position in a law firm (even in an administrative capacity) will help you get a better idea of the day-to-day work as a lawyer. A paying job also means more funds to cover college and law school expenses.

Prepare for Law School Applications

You’ll have the best chances of finding a job (especially a well-paying job) after getting your J.D. if you attend a top-15 law school (remember how I talked about how competitive it is out there for new lawyers)? To optimize your chances of getting into one of these schools, start working on your apps the summer before the year you want to begin your J.D. For example, if you want to start law school right after college, start working on apps the summer before your senior year

First, you should figure out whether you want to go to law school right after you graduate from college. If so, you need to plan on spending most of your senior year preparing for the LSAT and law school applications (I’ll go into more detail about the LSAT in the next section). The LSAT should be completed, and applications should be sent off the winter of your senior year if you don’t want a gap between college and law school.

A small side note: there is nothing wrong with taking time off from school after college graduation. If this is what you hope to do, you can use this time to get more law experience (e.g. working as a paralegal).

You’ll also need to prepare those letters of recommendation—ask professors/mentors if they’d write them for you at least 12 weeks prior to application due dates.

Finally, register for the LSAT, and take the exam (at the latest) in December the same year you submit your apps.

Step 3: Ace the LSAT and Law School Applications

The Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT, is an exam all aspiring law students must take. It’s a half-day standardized test for admission to all American Bar Association-approved law schools and serves the same purpose as the SAT and ACT when students apply to colleges.

• Exam scores range from 120-180
• The average score is about 150
• You have to score well over 160 to get into a top 25 law school

The LSAT is a huge part of your law school applications—it might even be as important as your college GPA. As such, it requires that you dedicate some serious study time to the exam.

The recommended study time for the LSAT is 150-300 hours. This comes out to 20-25 hours a week for 2-3 months, which is obviously a serious commitment. You might want to look into a LSAT study program if you have trouble staying on track and/or motivated.

The test is administered only four times a year — usually in February, June, September, and December—so plan on registering months in advance. The latest you can take the LSAT for Fall admission is December of the previous year, although it’s best to take it earlier (aim for June or September).

Studying for the LSAT: your new part-time job.

Submitting Your Law School Applications

Just like with college apps, law school apps consist of several parts. Their major components are your personal statement, LSAT score, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and resume. Let’s go through what you should do to submit each of these components.

I’ve already talked about the importance of preparing for the LSAT, forming relationships with profs for letters of rec, and doing well in college for a great transcript.

Personal Statement

Your personal statement is one of the only ways that admissions offices will get any insight into who you are and why you care about going to law school. You should write several drafts, well in advance of your application deadlines. Have a trusted prof or mentor read over your personal statement and give comments 3-4 months before the deadline.

Read more about how to write a great personal statement.

Resume

Your personal statement may demonstrate what you think and believe, but your resume demonstrates what you actually do.

According to UChicago’s Law School admissions office, schools are looking for several things in an applicant’s resume, including:

• Evidence of a strong work ethic
• Social and professional engagement
• Some combination of community service, extracurricular involvement, or work experience

It should be polished and professional—visit your school’s career center for guidance.

Submitting Your Applications

All materials should be submitted by the winter before you hope to go to law school.

Competition for a reputable school is tougher than it is for colleges, so you should plan on submitting more apps. Most applicants apply to at least four schools, but I would encourage you to apply to 8-10. Whatever you do, only apply to American Bar Association-approved law schools—an unapproved law school degree is basically worthless.

Don’t wait until the last minute to submit all of your materials. This doesn’t leave you any extra time to fill any gaps in your application, or opportunities to fix any issues.

Finally, you should be prepared for potentially uncomfortable application costs. Some applications are free, but others may cost $100 or more. It may be helpful to start budgeting for these expenses a few months before applications are due.

Step 4: Earn Your JD at Law School

It’ll take you three years to earn your law school degree. If you want one to find success after graduation—no matter what type of law you hope to go into—you’ve got to do well in law school. The way students are graded here is very different from how they’re graded in college.

Here are some important things you should know before heading off to law school:

• Your first year is really important. Law firms usually hire summer associates at the beginning of the second year—at this point, only grades from your first year will be available. The type of jobs available to you as a student—and after graduation—will be heavily dependent on your grades from 1L.

• Your grades are mostly dependent on your exam performance. You’ll receive few (if any) graded assignments outside of your final exams. This means that it’s important to keep up with your work and your reading through the entire semester.

• Plan on keeping meticulous notes. You’ll be learning about a lot of cases, and it’s important that you’re able to easily access notes from class about each one. It’s not uncommon for professors to allow notes in some final exams. Many successful students form study groups to work together to share notes.

• Do your readings and prepare to get cold-called. Law professors are notorious for cold-calling on students in class, so you’ll want to do the reading (and take notes) prior to heading to lecture. You want to make a good impression on your profs!

You’d think that acing your classes is the last big step to becoming a lawyer—but there’s so much more to do.

The MPRE

While you’re in law school, you may have to take the MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination), which is required for admission to the bars of most states. The examination is meant to test students’ knowledge and understanding of established standards related to a lawyer’s professional conduct.

When you need to take it, and the minimum passing score, varies based on your jurisdiction. For example, some states require you to pass it before you take the bar exam (sometimes months in advance).

Do your research on what’s required in your jurisdiction (or where you hope to practice in the future) early on in law school.

Professional Experience

A big part of law school involves networking (and just plain working) in an effort to secure a job before you even graduate.

You’re going to be very busy keeping up with your schoolwork, but, if possible, it’s to your advantage to work part-time at a law firm. Examples of possible jobs include assistant, file clerk, messenger, or intern (paid or unpaid).

More importantly, you’ll want to start thinking about landing those summer associate and internship positions. The best way to secure these jobs while you’re in school is to network as much as possible—attend student events, communicate with your profs, and be on the lookout for recruiters.

Unfortunately for students without a ton of available resources, many legal internships (even at very prestigious firms) are unpaid. Some law students take out loans, in addition to loans that they use to pay for tuition, to cover expenses associated with taking summer internships. This is important to consider as you budget for both law school and your career after you pass the bar.

Be conscious of the sort of internships and associate positions you seek out for yourself. Oftentimes (if you do well), these employers will offer you a full-time job after you graduate. In fact, it’s pretty normal to have a job like this lined up in your third year of law school.

To sum up: the better your grades (especially your first year), the better your summer job opportunities. The better your summer job opportunities, the more likely you are to land an awesome job after graduation.

Unpaid internships are not ideal, but they may be necessary if you want to land a great job after law school.

Step 5: Pass the Bar Exam

In order to practice law in the US, you have to pass the Bar exam. Most students do this the summer after they graduate from law school, when information is still fresh in their minds. The exam varies by state, but some parts are standardized:

• MEE: Essay exam
• MPT: Performance Test
• The Bar: A separate test administered by each jurisdiction/area

Most exams last two days total, although some states (e.g. CA) have 3-day exams. To find out more about what the exam is like in different jurisdictions, check out the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ website.

Preparing for the Bar

The Bar is a notoriously difficult exam. Pass rates vary by state, although some states (again, like CA) have rates as low as 46.6%. It doesn’t matter how well you do as compared to other test-takers, as long as you pass.

You’ll have to prep for all areas of law that will show up on the test, even if you don’t plan on practicing in most of them. These areas include:

• Constitutional law
• Contracts
• Criminal law and procedure
• Evidence
• Real property
• Torts

One expert suggested that if you’re preparing for the California Bar Exam—one of the most difficult in the country—you should study for 400 to 600 hours. If you study for 20 hours a week, that comes out to 20-30 weeks of prep time.

You’ll have to start studying for the bar while you’re still a 3rd year student if you follow the traditional timeline—this may prove helpful if you’re able to form a study group with others.

There are a few different ways to prep for the bar exam:

• Independent study. This may work for students at a well-reputed law school who are also performing well in their classes. A quality education + strong foundational knowledge are the factors that most positively affect performance on the bar, but students would still of course need to spend significant time preparing.

• A bar prep course. Law students commonly take prep courses when they want a solid review schedule that will keep them on track. There’s a lot of material to cover, and a good course helps you make sure there aren’t any major gaps in your knowledge of content or strategy. They can be very expensive, however—most are several thousand dollars. Check out Barbri.com, Kaptest.com, and Adaptibar.com (a less expensive, supplemental option).

• A private tutor. Students who attend a poorly-ranked law school, whose grades weren’t up to par, or who have failed the bar before may want to consider this option. If you choose to seek out a tutor, choose someone with glowing recommendations and years of tutoring experience—they won’t come cheap, but they’re also less likely to waste your time and money.

Like I mentioned earlier, most students plan on taking the bar (in the jurisdiction they plan to practice) the summer after they graduate from law school. Read a more detailed guide on preparing for and taking the bar exam.

Final Steps: Beyond the Bar

If you’ve made it this far, you know that there are so many hoops to jump through for aspiring lawyers. Once you’ve passed the bar and gotten a job, however, you should know you’re not quite done!

Continuing Legal Education (CLE) is an important part of staying informed and up-to-date. Information on state-by-state requirements for CLE available through the American Bar Association. Fortunately, it’s not too big of a deal when compared to all of the education and exams you would have to endure through this point.

Finally, The ABA puts aspiring lawyers through a moral character screening process. If you’re generally honest and haven’t broken any laws, you won’t have any issues. The process varies by state—see CA as an example.

How to Become a Lawyer: Summary

This is a ton of information to take on at once, especially if you’re at the beginning of this process (or even if you’re still unsure about becoming a lawyer). Let’s review the five main steps:

#1: Do well in high school.

#2: Study hard and get involved in your community in college.

#3: Prepare for the LSAT and give careful thought to your applications.

#4: Attend law school.

#5: Pass the bar exam and become licensed to practice law.

This process may feel overwhelming, but here are a few important things to keep in mind:

• The path to becoming a lawyer is fairly flexible until you actually have to submit law school applications. This gives you tons of time to figure out whether the path is right for you.

• You don’t have to think about all of these steps at the same time. Once you’re in law school, your peers will be thinking about (and worrying about) the same things—there’s no way you’ll forget any important steps.

Becoming a lawyer is definitely not for everyone—it’s a particularly competitive field right now, and most lawyers’ jobs are nothing like what you see on TV. But if you decide you want to enter the legal profession, you now have the info you need to start off on the right foot.

What’s Next?

You have a lot to think about, but remember: you just have to take it one step at a time.

To give yourself a head start, think about seriously preparing to get into a great college. Read about how to get a perfect score on the ACT or the SAT, and check out our guide on how to get into an Ivy League school.

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