Online Programming and Resources for Students Applying to Law School This Year

 

CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM! AUGUST 2020

Newsletter Highlights WCC Fall Virtual Events What is the LSAT-Flex? WCC Participating Schools California Western School of Law Chapman University Fowler School of Law Golden Gate University School of Law Gonzaga University School of Law Lewis & Clark Law School Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount Pepperdine Caruso School of Law Santa Clara University School of Law Seattle University School of Law Southwestern Law School University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law University of San Diego School of Law University of San Francisco School of Law University of Southern California School of Law Western State College of Law Willamette University College of Law Updates and Resources On Applying To Law School During The Covid-19 Environment Applying to law schools may look a little different this year. But there is still plenty of virtual events you can attend and resources you can access as you begin your journey to earning your law degree. Save the date and join us for the following Fall virtual events: September 12: 10:00am-12:00pm PST Mock Admissions Panel & Law Fair  - RSVP Here October 24: 11:00am-2:00pm PST Diversity, First-Gen, and Academic Support Panel & Law Fair November 12: 5:00pm- 6:30pm PST Student Panel & Financing Legal Education December 15: 2:00pm-5:00pm PST Application Workshop & Law Fair As RSVP details become available, they will be posted at westcoastconsortium.weebly.com. ♦ Law School Application Tip: Check to see if the law school you are applying to is offering virtual campus tours or other virtual events! It's a great way to learn more about a school from the comfort of your home. Who is the WCC? The purpose of the West Coast Consortium of Private Law Schools (WCC) is to share information with prospective law students and to promote the opportunities and benefits of attending a private law school. The WCC hosts law school fairs, panels and other events throughout the year. What is the LSAT-Flex? lsac.org/update-coronavirus-and-lsat/lsat-flex In light of the COVID-19, LSAC is offering an online, remotely proctored version of the LSAT — called the LSAT-Flex. This offers a convenient and safe way to still take the LSAT. The August LSAT-Flex will occur during the week of August 29, 2020. Be sure to monitor LSAC website for details on how LSAT exams will be administered beyond August 2020. LSAT Prep: Check out lsac.org/lsat/prep for resources on LSAT preparation - including FREE prep resources offered through Khan Academy. Law School Application Tip: Admissions applications are typically reviewed on a rolling basis. Some law schools even offer early admissions deadlines. Plan your LSAT preparation and test taking date accordingly. The sooner your application materials are complete - the better. Apply early, if possible!

Free LSAT Prep Resources from Kaplan, Inc.

As you gear up for the upcoming semester, I want to remind you of a few free student resources as well as the most recent news from the LSAC regarding the July LSAT-Flex technical glitch. 

Student Resources: Please pass these free resources along to your pre-law students!  

• LSAT® practice - Students can experience the LSAT before test day with a free realistic practice test. 
• Online events - Students can join our free live online events or watch a recording from previous events.  
• Consultation - As supplemental support, students can schedule a complimentary consultation with a Kaplan expert.  
• Affirm - If students are interested in breaking payments into lower installments versus an upfront payment, they can sign-up for Affirm.  
• Tuition Assistance - Any student who is currently enrolled in a college or university, with at least a 3.0 GPA, can apply for assistance from Kaplan through our 3-Tier Assistance program. 
• LSAT study resources - No matter what stage of prep a student is in, Kaplan has plenty of resources to help them keep raising their score—for free. 

Recap of the LSAC update that led to some July LSAT-Flex errors: 

• A technical issue caused some  July LSAT-Flex test answers to be lost (please note the May and June tests did not have this issue) 
• The LSAC has created a remedy for this issue moving forward; however, they were unable to recover the lost test answers from the affected candidates 
• All some affected candidates have been provided options 
  • Retake option 1: Free retake as early as this week (week of August 3) - scores will be available within a week or less  
  • Retake option 2: Free retake during the next testing cycle which ends April 2021 
  • Full refund for their LSAT-Flex registration fee and four free law school reports 
• A portion of the affected test takers  had applied for admission this fall 
  • The LSAC is working with schools to ensure they are aware of the situation and requesting as much flexibility as possible given that the circumstances are not in any way  the fault of the candidate  

My role at Kaplan is to be your voice and aid. If you ever have any questions about our advisor resources, student products, test updates, or have feedback on student barriers, please do not hesitate to contact me! 

Wishing you and your students a great fall 2020 semester.

Sincerely, 
Krystin Major
krystin.major@kaplan.com
Pre-Law Program Director

Looking for a Job? Webinar at the CUNY Graduate Center

8/5 – Job Searching in Uncertain Times: Finding a Full-Time Job in 2020 and 2021 (Non-Faculty Job Search) 

If you are in the midst of a job search or thinking about starting one in the near future, join this webinar to learn about the latest strategies that lead to successful results, particularly during uncertain times. We will cover how to:

· Prepare for your search by assessing your skills and experiences, as well as your target positions and fields
· Devise a job search plan and goals to help keep you on track
· Find job postings that fit your goals and tap into the hidden job market
· Identify ways to help you stand out during a challenging job market
· Connect with and grow your network to further assist with your job search goals

Wednesday, August 5, 2020
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

You can register to attend this webinar using this link: https://gc-cuny.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYod–hpz0vH9e367jDgCkPSSNI5xoG7yKT​

A Helpful Update on the LSAT from Kaplan

In case you missed some of the recent Law School Admission Council announcements, below is a recap of the main highlights. 

• Digital LSAT®: The August LSAT will also be replaced by LSAT-flex administrations with shorter, three sections only (Saturday, August 29-Monday, August 31). Registration for the August LSAT closed on July 15.  
• LSAT Writing: The LSAT Writing will be opened eight (8) days prior to every test administration allowing candidates to complete this portion at a time and date that is most convenient to them. 
  • Scores will not be released until a candidate has completed writing samples in their file. 
• Score Preview: For first-time test takers only, students can pay to see their LSAT score and decide to keep it or cancel it from their LSAC transcript. 
  • This new feature will cost students $45 before the test date and $75 on or after their test date. 
  • Students have six (6) calendar days from the day they receive their score to decide if they want to cancel or keep it.
  •  Cancelled scores will be reflected as “Candidate Cancel” on student’s LSAT transcripts. 
  • This feature will be available for purchase starting around August 1 for the August 2020 test administration and all subsequent test administrations. 

I will share more insights and updates as they are released. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. 

Sincerely, 

Krystin Major

krystin.major@kaplan.com

Pre-Law Program Director

Message for CSI Students from the New York Public Interest Group (NYPIRG).

NYPIRG, the on-campus student advocacy organization, is making sure that students are heard this Summer! We will be hosting weekly meetings for our issue-based campaigns focused on ensuring a free and quality CUNY system, fighting climate change, tackling economic inequality, and more! For more information about these meetings, please fill out our sign-up form. For more information about NYPIRG’s work across New York State and on campus, join our Student Networktoday!

Join Us on July 18th to Protest Against Budget Cuts and Layoffs at CUNY

College of Staten Island Students

To Sign, Click Here: ONLINE PETITION 

Against Budget Cuts and Layoffs.  Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, Community Members:  Please consider signing.

To Sign, Click Here: ONLINE PETITION


Best regards,
Michael Paris
Associate Professor and Chair
Dept. of Political Science and Global Affairs
College of Staten Island, CUNY
Michael.Paris@csi.cuny.edu

Text of Petition:

Students Against CUNY Faculty Layoffs Petition

CSI Students, we deserve better.

Our class sizes are increasing, our professors are losing their jobs, and the quality of our education is at risk.

On June 30, 2020, thousands of CUNY employees were laid off amid serious budget cuts. At the College of Staten Island, low-paid adjunct faculty and college assistants have faced the brunt of the layoffs–without much notice.

What does this mean for us?

Having fewer teachers means having fewer courses offered and larger class sizes. It means losing trusted mentors and advisors. This dramatically increases the burden on those faculty remaining, both full-time and part-time.

These trends would forecast a continual decrease in enrollment, meaning CSI’s budgetary issues will only get worse. As a result, our choices will be diminished and the quality of our learning will suffer.

Budget cuts and layoffs targeting the most vulnerable employees are unnecessary. To date, neither CUNY’s nor CSI’s central administration has shared detailed budget information showing that these measures are necessary.

CUNY has already laid off nearly 3,000 employees, 422 of whom will lose their health insurance, despite the fact that CUNY received $251 million under the CARES Act.

Faculty and staff are undoubtedly the backbone of education at CSI, the ONLY public institution of higher education in the borough.

They bring their passion for teaching and guidance into our lives with little in return.

They are not dispensable, yet, the college’s actions show otherwise.

We, the undersigned, demand that CUNY does not lay off any part-time faculty due to COVID-19 or budgetary issues because it will unduly burden students.

We, the undersigned, demand that class sizes are not increased.

We, the undersigned, demand that our fellow students’ tuitions do not increase because of CUNY’s circumstances.

To protect CUNY is to protect students and the future of New York City.

To sign the petition, input your first and last name, as well as your email address.

To Sign, Click Here:ONLINE PETITION