preLaw - Back to School 2007 - (Page 6) editor FROM THE What is your passion? When you think about getting into law school, you probably first focus on GPA and LSAT scores, and with good reason. But once you get past those litmus tests, your passion is perhaps the most important factor that will determine whether a law school accepts you or not. “I want you to tell me about you and give me some sense of who you are as a person, of what contribution you want to make, of what your passion is,” said Susan Estrich in an interview for our “Law School Audition Secrets” feature on page 34. Estrich, a professor at the University of Southern California, echoes the views of most admissions committees. “When I spoke a few years ago to all the heads of admissions of all the law schools in the country, the big word was passion,” she said. “We want people with passion.” Why all the fuss about passion? Law school and the practice of law are not pursuits for the faint of heart. Law school is expensive, time-consuming and demanding (see the story on page 10 about emotional stress in the first year). The practice of law is equally demanding, and those without passion for their careers simply don’t last in the profession. I graduated from law school 16 years ago and have watched as my classmates progressed through their careers. Those with passion are still lawyers, committed to their causes and happy in their lives. Those who did not follow their passion, and instead followed a big paycheck or the security of a job, either left the profession discouraged or are very unhappy — not just in their careers but also in their lives. Law schools want students who will succeed in school and their careers because they have the ability and the passion — the drive — to be great lawyers. It is our mission at preLaw magazine to help you discover your passion, and to select the law school that will help you best achieve your passion. We are doing this through profiles of the most popular practice specialties (page 40 in this issue and on our career page at www.NationalJurist. com), features like our Best Value Law Schools (page 24), and profiles of various law schools throughout the year, both in print and online. So go find your passion and live a meaningful and fulfilled life. Jack Crittenden Editor-in-Chief preLaw magazine What is a lawyer? A debater? A fighter? Or more than that? A creative problem solver. A principled advocate. A rigorous and versatile thinker. Explore the wide scope of the law in a school devoted to the big picture. Listen to our weekly podcast: Law in 10 www.cwsl.edu /Lawin10 www.CaliforniaWestern.edu 6 preLaw www.preLawInsider.com http://www.CaliforniaWestern.edu http://www.cwsl.edu http://www.CaliforniaWestern.edu http://www.preLawInsider.com
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