advice

Things I Wish I Knew, Vol. 2: Your story matters

/ Charlene Ochogo / 1 Comment

What the frack am I going to write my personal statement about?

A thought that has probably haunted many a person reading this for the past few months. And even after you’re done writing it, you have to read it, which is a lot like hearing your own voice on camera – i.e., “Gross. Do I really sound like that?” Even worse, you have to get someone else to read it to catch the typos and confusing tangents. And most people fall into one of two categories: the ones who tell you it’s perfect and not to change a thing (thanks, Mom!) and the ones who basically tell you to rewrite the whole thing.

To say that I was nervous about submitting my personal statement to BC is kind of like saying Boston got a few snow showers this past month. Race is such a sensitive topic of discussion, and I felt like I was really throwing caution to the wind in dedicating my entire admissions essay to the subject, but I couldn’t help it – it didn’t make sense to me to write about anything else. Then when I got the request to publish it in BC Law Magazine, I was even more anxious. I typed the confirmation email quickly and hit “send” before I could change my mind.

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BC Law Magazine: John Kerry AND Amazing Law School Admissions Essays

/ Luciabc / Leave a comment

For anyone thinking about law school, and BC in particular, the latest issue of the BC Law Magazine (http://lawmagazine.bc.edu/) is not to be missed. One of the things BC prides itself on is educating future lawyers who go out to serve their communities in a variety of ways. This issue of the magazine profiles a number of such leaders who got their start at BC Law, including of course Secretary of State John Kerry. As if that wasn’t enough, there are also a number of exceptional law school admissions essays reprinted which are great examples of the kind of succinct and compelling narratives which can grab a reader’s attention. Enjoy!

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It’s All About Perspective

/ rwmakawa / Leave a comment

So…I’m not a Patriots fan.  Sorry!  That being said, I really really enjoyed Rob’s recent post about persistence and motivation.  I think it’s great advice and generally reminds us all that we need things in our lives to help us maintain perspective and keep us grounded.  It’s easy to lose yourself in studying and legal textbooks, but being well-rounded is about more than trying to get an A at the end of the semester.  I’d like to highlight some advice from the BC Law Impact group about perspective:

[The Spring Break Service Trip] was my first opportunity to do legal work since entering law school, and it was so rewarding to be able to help people! – Lucia

I realized that the ‘racial justice’ that was an ‘area of interest’ for me was a matter of life or death, of resisting daily disrespect, for other people. Real people, standing in front of me.  – Amelia

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Life at BC Law: Working During the School Year

/ Luciabc / Leave a comment

Working at BC Law’s Admissions Office I often hear from prospective or accepted students who are wondering about whether they can work during the school year while attending BC Law. I remember when I was getting ready to go to law school I thought I would try to work my first year. I worked all throughout undergrad, so I expected that it would be the same in the law school. After starting 1L year, however, I realized that there were a number of reasons to hold off and wait for my second year before getting a part-time job.

Most importantly, something I didn’t know before I got to law school is that students are highly discouraged from working during their 1L year. I think there may be an ABA rule about this but I’m not completely sure. In any case, you’ll be adjusting to a new way of learning and studying and it is best to devote yourself to your classes. I know a few students who have quietly worked a few hours a week at service industry jobs they had before school, or gotten a cushy job at the library, but the general consensus is that it is wise to steer clear of working during 1L year. Your grades during this year are extremely important so it is best to hunker down with the books and use your time outside of the library to get to know your new classmates.

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Better Love It, and at BC, I know I do…

/ mptierney / 1 Comment

When you pick a law school, one of the biggest things you have to recognize is that this is the place where you are going to spend three years of your life. For most, that’s a third of your twenties, and almost as long as college. You better love where you go to school (I know I do). The thing that has made law school for me is the faculty.

The faculty at BC Law are nothing short of incredible. Of course they are leaders in their fields. Of course they are legal pioneers. This is BC, remember? But what truly sets these doctors of law apart is just how dedicated they are to their students. It’s almost scary how much they are willing to do for us.

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A Welcomed Déjà Vu

/ DQuattrochi / Leave a comment

“No single event can awaken within us a stranger whose existence we had never suspected. To live is to be slowly born.” — Antoine de Saint Exupéry

It started with an itch. From the tips of my toes, up the small of my back; it danced on my shoulders before taking root in my heart. And there it stayed, impatiently waiting. I can still remember that day, sitting at the office: apartment lettings and advertisements on my left screen, the name of a UK partner of my firm on the right.

The caret cursor bounced tauntingly in the message box, his address already entered into the appropriate field. To this day I’m not sure where I muddled up the gall. Minutes later I realized I’d sent him a meeting request. Two days later I applied to BC Law’s Global Practice Program. A week later I was suddenly booked on a January flight from JFK to London, Heathrow. I was headed abroad, once more…

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Many of you are just beginning your law school journey. Be it as prospective or admitted students; you’ve begun a search, a quest of sorts. It is my sincere hope that these posts might demonstrate to each of you that choosing BC Law as your guide through that journey is not simply a wise choice, but the best choice.

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