Director of admissions at the Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Ashley Gray, came to Marshall University Thursday for an information session with students who are interested in going to law school or might just be curious about the application process.

“Law school is reading a whole lot, using a lot of logic and analysing a whole lot of information,” Gray said.

Some of the most important application requirements to NKU and most other law schools include the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), academic background, letters of recommendation and a personal statement.

Gray said it is important to be very prepared for the LSAT. Gray also said students should try to give their best and do well in their first year in college.

“But even if you struggle a little, it is fine,” Gray said. “We take into account a lot of things when it comes to academic history, like lack of maturity and being away from home for the first time.”

The average number of letters of recommendation students submit from college faculty is two to four. At NKU law school they suggest two letters, however, the committee will still review students’ files even if they are without it, but this might not be true at other law schools.

“The worst letter of recommendation that I’ve received was a letter that came from the uncle, who is an attorney, of an application written, ‘Don’t ever let my nephew get in,’”Gray said.

Finally, a two to three page personal statement is a key piece that serves to help the faculty get to know an applicant and evaluate his/her writing.

At NKU, the personal statement is an open topic and Gray said students should write about themselves. For example, a goal the applicant had set and how he/she met the goal.

Debby Stoler, assistant director for development and outreach at Career Services, said this was an opportunity Marshall provided for students so they could get information about going to law school, since the university does not have one.

Senior criminal justice major Lindsey Ray, one of the students who attended the session, said she is going to take the LSAT in December and is making sure she still keeps her GPA up in her final semester here at Marshall.

“I want to be a family lawyer that deals with divorces and custody battles,” Ray said. “It was interesting and really helpful to get Gray’s perspective as a director of admissions about what she is looking for.”

Gray advised students to apply as early as possible and no later than February or March of the year they are looking to go to a law school to be able to gain admission and scholarships.

A $40 waiver fee to apply to NKU was given out to the students who attended the session.

NKU is home to about 15,000 students and is located across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Kessyl Lim can be contacted at [email protected].