Month: April 2020

Attention June LSAT Registrants: In-Person LSAT Cancelled; June Test to be Administered in LSAT-Flex Format

Here is today’s announcement from the LSAC:
The well-being of our candidates remains a top priority for us. Given the continued severe impact of the COVID-19 emergency in many areas and the uncertainty over how the situation will evolve over the next six weeks, we have made the decision to cancel the in-person June LSAT that was scheduled for June 8 in the U.S. and Canada.
All test takers who were currently registered for the June 8 test in the U.S. and Canada are eligible to take the online, remotely proctored LSAT-Flex, which we have created to provide candidates the opportunity to earn an LSAT score even though in-person testing is not possible due to the pandemic.
The June LSAT-Flex will be administered during the week of June 14. Most test takers will test on either Sunday, June 14, or Monday, June 15, with a small number of tests occurring later in the week based on specific remote proctoring requirements.
Currently, we are targeting Tuesday, June 30, as the score release date for all test takers, regardless of when they test during the week of June 14. We will update the score release date as needed. June test registrants have been instructed to visit their LSAC accounts and submit the online form to confirm their interest in taking the June LSAT-Flex or to receive a coupon for any future test between July 2020 and April 2021. Any affected registrants that we do not hear from will be automatically registered for the June LSAT-Flex.
Since announcing LSAT-Flex earlier this month, we have received a lot of support from both candidates and schools. If you would like to learn more about the LSAT-Flex, please visit our LSAT-Flex Frequently-Asked-Questions page.
LSAC is committed to helping every test taker have the equipment and other resources they need to take the LSAT-Flex. We are asking any candidates who do not have the necessary equipment or an appropriate place to test to let us know, and we will work with them to try to address their needs. If your institution is in the position to offer a test taker a private room with internet access in which to test for either the May LSAT-Flex or the June LSAT-Flex, please let me know and we will add you to our roster of potential locations for test takers who need assistance.
We remain committed to doing everything we can to support candidates and provide testing opportunities, while following public health guidance to help protect the safety of test takers and the broader community.

FREE LSAC Webinar – Law School Admission in the Time of COVID-19 – THIS Wednesday, April 29

Attention All Law School Applicants – FREE LSAC Webinar: Law School Admission in the Time of COVID-19

On Wednesday, April 29, from 1-2 p.m. (ET)/Noon-1p.m. Central, LSAC will be hosting another live stream discussion for candidates featuring a panel of law school deans and admission leaders, who will provide updates on the evolving COVID-19 situation and answer as many questions as possible from potential law school students. This is a great opportunity for you to get answers from the folks who will be making the decisions on your applications!

Pre-Law Advising Services – Important Updates for Spring and Summer

Hello Pre-Law Students!

As most of you know, there are big changes coming for the PLAS Office.  Alex Gil, our Graduate Assistant, who is a 3L at the UIUC College of Law, will be graduating in May.  Jamie Thomas-Ward, our long-time Director of Pre-Law Advising Services, took a new position in the LAS Department of Economics in January.  Judy Argentieri, Pre-Law Advisor, is retiring on April 30.  There is a search underway for a new Director of Pre-Law Services, but that person will not be “here” on May 1, when we are all gone. So what are you going to do?

Appointments – Alex will be accepting appointments through this Thursday, April 23, then will be focusing on his law school final exams.  Judy will be taking student appointments through next Wednesday, April 29.  Please go to our online scheduling portal to make appointments.

New Team – As mentioned above, the search for a new Director of Pre-Law Services is ongoing.  The hope/plan is to have that person on board soon, possibly by June 1.  In any event, there will be a new director in place before classes resume in the fall.

In the meantime, when you have pre-law questions….

  1. SEARCH THE PLAS BLOG!! Do not forget to search this blog for any topic related to pre-law.  For example, as you all begin Fall 2020 course registration, you can use our March 30 blog post “Suggestions for Fall 2020 Courses” to assist you. Even some of our older posts, covering a wide variety of topics, can be helpful!
  2. USE THE PRE-LAW HANDBOOK!!  As we have mentioned many, many times, the PLAS Handbook, accessible on our webpage, has answers to a lot of your questions with embedded links to help with your research on a host of issues.  Spend some time reading through it.
  3. USE THE PLAS COMPASS PAGE!!  Our Compass page contains a lot of good information, such as: info on UIUC law school applicants; Pre-Law 101 and Personal Statement short videos; the Jobs/Internship Newsletter; and more!  Not sure how to access it?  Go to the Resources tab on our PLAS webpage, and then scroll all the way to the bottom for instructions on how to add the PLAS Compass page.
  4. KEEP CHECKING THE PLAS FACEBOOK PAGE!!  As updates are available concerning the new PLAS team, this will be the best place for up-to-the-minute information.  Haven’t joined our Facebook page yet?  Ask to join Pre-Law Advising Services at Illinois ASAP!
  5. KEEP CHECKING LSAC.ORG!! LSAT registrants and law school applicants – make sure you check www.lsac.org for announcements about LSAT cancellations, LSAT Flex (registration OPENS THIS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 – TEST TO BE ADMINISTERED MONDAY, MAY 18 OR TUESDAY, MAY 19), law school application changes, etc.  And do not forget that you can access the LSAC’s FREE LSAT Test Prep Class, developed in partnership with Khan Academy, on LSAC’s website.
  6. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH!! Now is not the time to be passive.  You must be proactive to stay on top of the constant changes happening here and elsewhere.  Put reminders in your mobile phones to check each of the above resources for important updates and changes!!  Here are a few other areas of interest that most pre-law students want/need to learn more about:
    1. Financing Law School: AccessLex (https://www.accesslex.org/) Law School Transparency (https://www.lawschooltransparency.com/ Our PLAS resources, including our Handbook, list these and other good sources for information on how to manage the cost of a law school education.
    2. Employment Information: ABA’s website http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/MainHome.aspx. You can also check each individual law school website – this data MUST be published on their websites by ALL ABA-accredited law schools. Articles featured in the Law.com and NationalJurist.com publications, as well as data compiled by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) are also helpful. https://www.nalp.org/
    3. LSAT and GPA Medians ABA 509 Report data – ABA’s website here http://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/MainHome.aspx. You can also check each individual law school website – this data MUST be published on their websites by ALL ABA-accredited law schools.

Refer back to this post or the PLAS Handbook as questions arise during this transition period.  And stay tuned for announcements and updates related to the new Director of Pre-Law Advising Services!

 

Over 100 Scholarships for Undergrads and Incoming Law Students!

Whether you’re heading off to law school this fall or staying here to continue your pre-law education, you’ll want to see this: Scholarships! Could you use an additional $500, $1000, or even $40,000 towards your undergrad or legal education? Then take a look at this resource. We have compiled over 100 scholarships available for BOTH incoming law students and pre-law undergraduates. Head over to our Compass page to find the full listings–but hurry, because some have upcoming deadlines! The full spreadsheet with 100+ scholarships is the very first item posted on our Compass page.

Popular Scholarship Websites

Here is a list of popular scholarship websites for you to research scholarships yourself!

All UIUC students can access our Compass page. Here’s how:

  • If you are an Illinois student who is designated pre-law: All students who are designated pre-law already have access to our Compass page. Log in to Compass and under “My Courses” look for OPEN LEARNING: Pre-Law Advising Services.
  • If you are an Illinois student who is not designated pre-law: Click here for instructions on how to add yourself to our Compass page.

Pre-Law Advising Services Update

Hello Pre-Law Students!

As we continue to navigate this new world of physical distancing, and given Governor Pritzker’s “Stay-At-Home” Order, there will be no on campus activities or programs for the rest of this semester.  However, various campus offices, like PLAS, will be providing additional and expanded online resources for students.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the University and COVID-19, please follow the link https://covid19.illinois.edu/.

All students are, of course, welcome to email an advisor with questions.  Judy Argentieri’s email is jargenti@illinois.edu; Alex Gil’s email is agil6@illinois.edu.  And finally, do not forget to use our main website, www.prelaw.illinois.edu, and particularly our “Pre-Law Handbook,” as a starting point for a quick answer to your question(s).

Final Appointments – Alex will be accepting appointments through this Thursday, April 23, then will be focusing on his law school final exams.  Judy will be taking student appointments through next Wednesday, April 29.  Please go to our online scheduling portal to make appointments.

Course Registration

Fall 2020 Time Tickets will be available to view Monday, April 6th.  For more information on registration, times follow the link: https://registrar.illinois.edu/registration/registration-process/reg-fall-20/.

Additionally, our “Suggestions for Fall 2020 Courses” blog has been posted so don’t forget to check it out!! Link here: http://publish.illinois.edu/prelawadvising/2020/03/30/suggestions-for-fall-2020-courses/

LSAT UPDATE

Reminder those planning on taking the June LSAT, the registration deadline is April 24.  Since the cancelation of the March LSAT, and with the general uncertainty that may impact the April LSAT, there will be more people taking the June test.  Please check with the LSAC for any updates. Here is the link to the Coronavirus section of their webpage. https://www.lsac.org/update-coronavirus-and-lsat.