One semester down, five more to go!

Overall, it wasn't as bad as some would have me believe. It was certainly a grueling 16 weeks, but it should be expected, as it is preparing me for what life will be like once I become a practicing attorney.

Finals time definitely made being on campus an anxiety-ridden experience. I made it a point NOT to spend too much time on campus. I did a lot of studying at home, which is HARD when there are so many distractions, like cleaning, the laundry that sat on my couch for WEEKS, and my television. However, the thought of flunking out of law school, wasting 16 plus weeks of time, and not to mention the student loan debt I'd already incurred, kept me quite motivated to remain focused on the task at hand.

Like all other law school students, I created outlines and used supplements and flash cards while studying. I also took practice exams, which for torts was a hilarious experience because I spent the night before my torts exam dreaming about the practice exam. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep, but once I cracked open the three page hypothetical, I was grateful that I'd taken the time to look at the practice exam because it was extremely helpful.

Overall, I feel like I had a good grasp of the material and I didn't have any real problems with issue spotting in the torts and contracts exams. Civ Pro was pretty straight forward and I actually enjoyed it (yeah, how weird is that?!?). I tried not to talk about the exam with my colleagues and you would think every law school student has heard that piece of advice at least once- but there was always someone who walked out of the exam room and immediately began talking about this, that or the third on the exam. I closed my ears and exited the building.

So, now comes that waiting. It seems our grades won't be posted until the second week of January, so that is plenty of time to wonder how well I did or didn't do. I'm trying not to think about it. Right now, I just want to enjoy the holidays and spending time with lil' mama.

Merry Christmas!

For the Single Parent....

Well, with less than four weeks left before the end of the semester, I have thought about and put together a list of things that I think a single parent should consider before and during law school to make for a smooth transition for parent and child(ren) in the situation. The majority of these are tried and tested, so I hope it helps.

• Prepare. You can do this by putting aside as much money in savings as possible, saving money by buying certain things in bulk (such as personal items you use everyday, canned goods, paper products), lining up day care providers and others who would be willing to keep your children if you are in need, as well as anything else that might need to be handled based on your situation.
  

• Be honest with yourself about the challenge. Law school is not like anything else you have encountered in life. Even if you feel you are the brightest and the best, you will at some point be put in a position where you will question your decision, even if for a nanosecond. You must be prepared to feel overwhelmed and sometimes unprepared, however, you must continue to move forward because as long as you stick with it, it will get better.
  

• Be honest with your child(ren). If they are at an age where you can talk with them about your transition to law school, then it is good to have the dialogue. I have talked to my daughter about things ranging from our need to change our spending habits, to the time I have to devote to studying. However, I don't allow law school to take all of my time and I make it a point to make the time we spend together a special time for us both.

• Manage your time. As a parent, you have a lot of responsibilities which include taking care of a household, your children and yourself. Remember that your "colleagues" may not have these same responsibilities, which affords them the opportunity to "live" in the library. You have many more responsibilities than most of your classmates, and your time has to be delegated amongst those responsibilities. While you want to devote time to your studies, don't let that sidetrack you from everything else in your life.
  

• Don't be afraid to ask for help. This is probably the most important. I can honestly say that I have had sit downs with upper L's, professors, career support staff and financial aid in the last four weeks. Why? Because I needed help, be it with studying certain concepts learned in class, understanding an assignment, wanting to get information regarding networking opportunities, or needing additional financial help. I wasn't afraid to ask and asking was all it took to get exactly the help I sought. It most certainly alleviates a great deal of stress and allows me to remain focused on doing my best in law school.
  

• Take advantage of any and all offers of assistance. This deals with things outside of the realm of law school. More specifically, help in the form of government subsidies. My daughter has health care coverage and child care through government subsidies, and our household receives food stamps. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't too keen on the idea of going to FSD to secure these items, however, I had to put my pride aside for the sake of my daughter. She needs to have health coverage and we have to have food. Furthermore, it is one less thing to have to stress about and allows me to remain focused on doing my best in law school, which is my goal. Besides, I was in the work force for 10 years paying into this system. Why shouldn't it return a benefit to me when I am in a time of need.
  

With that being said, I encourage all single parents who are interested in going to law school because it is doable and you can succeed. Now, I must get back to studying for finals. Ta-Ta!

It took a little while, but I think I got the hang of it.

So, it's the end of week seven. I've completed my first memo, finished my Torts and Contracts outlines, and am almost finished with my Civil Procedure outlines. I feel like I've finally gotten the hang of life as a law school student. It has been a tremendous amount of work, which forced me to be honest with myself about a few things very early on in this process. In week three I made the decision to drop two credit hours. I was taking on WAY too much. My situation is unique because I'm not only a law school student, I'm also a single-parent. Most single-parents choose not to be a full-time day student because it is extremely challenging. The challenge can be even greater if you lack a support system. I knew beforehand what I was getting in to by relocating and essentially leaving my support system behind. I discussed my concerns with my institution before making the commitment to attend, and they have kept their end of the bargain by being extremely encouraging and understanding when I come to them with any concerns. Plus, my daughter has truly been understanding and supportive of her mommy. I can't thank her enough.

In week five, I think I was beginning to at least get comfortable with everything that embodied law school. I definitely didn't feel like I was drowning in a sea of legalese and massive reading assignments. I took a weekend trip home, which I think I desperately needed. I saw some familiar sites, visited some friends, and felt refreshed by time I made it home. Now, don't get me wrong, I did not take the weekend off! I went to my favorite library and did a few hours of studying, so that I wouldn't feel guilty later on.

By week six, I had lunch with a professor and my TA, and gotten to know most of my "colleagues" in my section. It seems I spend a ridiculous amount of time with my nose in a book, or researching online, or writing a memo, or working on an outline. The days go by sooooo fast, to the point where I can not believe that I'm almost halfway through this semester.

At the beginning of this week, I took a practice Mid-Term. The results were not so hot, but it does provide guidance as to where I need to be once finals rear their ugly heads. At this point, my plan has been to do weekly cumulative reviews of the materials and try to get in as much practice as possible between now and then.

I suppose I should be glad it only took seven weeks, I still have eight more weeks until finals, so wish me luck!

I should be reading.....

But, I feel as though I have been neglecting my blog. I want folks to know about my adventures thus far, so I'm taking a little break. It's been less that an hour since my last class of the day (Contracts..yippee) and it's just a little bit past the lunch hour, so I think I'm entitled to a little personal time to do what I want to do. So where do I start??

Okay- as promised, I want to talk about Law Preview.

At this particular moment, I can say that it is currently helping me. I have a general understanding as to what is going on in class. I think I'm a little less lost than some other folks in class, so I think that helps. Also, they provided a nice schedule to follow for studying, which I'm glad I have and plan to follow pretty closely. Additionally, they provided a few supplemental study materials, which I actually cracked open while trying to understand my first Civ Pro assignment. Some of the cases I'm going to encounter in class have already been discussed in Law Preview so hopefully at those moments things won't seem so daunting. I'm sure at the end of the semester, after the final exams have all been graded and posted, I'll know whether the class was truly beneficial to me.

Next- Orientation

Overall, I had a really good experience during Orientation. It was over the course of three days and it provided A LOT of information. Some information was repetitive because of all the law school prep I've been doing over the summer, some was school specific. I was able to meet my classmates and befriend some 2L's and 3L's, which is always a benefit. I also identified individuals whom I would probably steer clear of, for various reasons. I will refrain from sharing any stories at this point, however, if I happen to cross paths with any of these individuals I've mentally noted in the future, and if from that interaction a story arises, I will be sure to provide you with a story that I'm sure will be entertaining.

First Day of Class

I'm not sure why my schedule is constructed so that I don't have class until 3pm on Mondays, but I'm seeing the bright side in this because I am able to read, study or review for practically a whole day OR if I'm ahead, I can just rest. My daughter will be at school and my house will be silent. At any rate, class doesn't start until three and I only have one- Civil Procedure. The class that seems to leave me with the largest question mark at the end. LOL. I'm told that is supposed to be my state of mind and eventually I will have an AH HA! moment. I'll let you know when it comes, lol!

First Week of Class

By the end of the week, I felt indoctrinated in the law school process. My week was full of emotional highs and lows (mostly feeling either rested or exhausted). All and all, I feel like this is more than doable. It will take alot of work, which I am more than prepared to do.

Parent v. Law School Student

I'm surprised that being a law student has not yet interfered with my ability to be present for my daughter. I imagine that conflict will probably appear closer to exam time. My schedule has me in school when she is in school and studying after she's asleep. To celebrate our first day of class, I took her out for ice cream, but I paid for the celebration later on in the week, since the break away from our schedule found me having to "catch-up" on reading until about Wednesday. It was a sacrifice well worth it.

So far my experience has been overwhelmingly positive. I hope that continues to be the case. I'll keep you posted.

PTI (Pardon The Interruption)

Yes, I know I've been MIA....it's been due to reasons beyond my control really, reasons I will attempt to explain very soon. I have SO MUCH I want to share, so please STAY TUNED!

Whew!

Hey folks! I made it to College Town, finally!!!! Moving actually went very well, surprisingly. My daughter is absolutely ecstatic about her new home, as am I. I spent the first couple of days unpacking and getting familiar with our new surroundings. I enjoy my new neighborhood, which is really quiet and very conducive to studying. I also LOVE the fact that I can get anywhere in College Town in 15 minutes or less. On the other hand, I don't like the fact that I no longer have a job. It's the oddest feeling ever! I'm extremely risk-adverse and am having an issue adjusting to the fact that I'll have to live on loans. Luckily, I got an increase in my child support, so I felt extremely blessed about that. Tomorrow is the first day of Law Preview, and in true procrastinators form I have not even begun briefing the cases for the first day of class. I'm going to get it done tonight, I promise. In the meantime- I hope all the other 1L's out there are having as smooth a transition as I am thus far! Good Luck!

Tips and Techniques

As I said before, I found the A.I.E. seminar very helpful and it provided many different tips and techniques that I think will make my transition to and through law school pretty seamless. Some suggestions include:

• Start practice exams early. Now, let me clarify. First, you would want to get copies of exams fairly early, in order to beat the rush later on. As far as begining practice exams, you certainly don't want to wait until two weeks before finals. Four to six weeks prior may be better.
  
  
• Structure your time. This includes study time, class time, and play time.
  
  
• Get help before it becomes a problem. I think this is especially important for minority students because I've heard on countless occaisions that law school can be more difficult for us. If you have an academic support department, that's a good place to start.
  
  
• Educate yourself early about the Bar exam. If you know the jurisdiction you would like to practice law, begin researching the requirements. If you think you'll want to practice in multiple places, research them all to determine the best way to go about planning for taking each Bar exam.
  
  
• Think of yourself as a professional. Professionalism begins day one in law school. Whatever you do in law school, good or bad, will follow you into the profession.
  
  
• Bring a digital clock during exams. Apparently some have problems reading analog clocks or the anxiety of test taking makes it a bit difficult. Honestly, I could totally see myself having this issue.
  
  
• Go over exams with professsors. This includes any practice exam questions you undertake, as well as your actual final. This will hopefully help guide you to what it is the professor is looking for in exam answers. I honestly wonder how easy (or hard) this might be. I guess I will find out in the next couple of months, eh?
  
  

So, do any current 1L's (now 2L's) or future 1L's have any suggestions that might help one get a leg up in law school? If so, please share!

CLEO- A.I.E. Program

Hello All,

As promised, I want to give you the lowdown on my experience at the Council on Legal Education Opportunity's ("CLEO") Attitude is Essential ("A.I.E.") Seminar I attended in Atlanta over the past weekend.

I love the fact that CLEO brings together so many diverse people, from so many different walks of life, who all share a common goal- wanting to be a successful law student. I met a lot of great people, most of whom will be my peers in the legal profession.

Highlights of the seminar included-

• Mock Torts and Criminal Law classes.
• A panel discussion about how to obtain success in law school.
• A presentation on reading and briefing cases, and legal writing.
• A workshop on strategies for legal thinking.
• A discussion on ethical issues and law school.

I found the mock classes to be the most helpful. We were given cases to read and brief about a week before the seminar. During the mock class, which were taught by actual law professors, we discussed the cases we were given to brief. Some professors called on people randomly, while others took volunteers. Some even made you stand up to give your answer. It makes me both excited and nervous to be in class on the first or second day. I doubt I would be a volunteer, but in the event I am called upon, I will make sure I am prepared, because professors can be brutal if you give an incorrect answer, or if you are obviously trying to BS your way through a question.

I also found the ethical issues and law school workshop very insightful. It discussed things like social networking websites and how they can be used for good and evil, and it also discussed the Character and Fitness portion of the Bar. It definitely shed light on the importance of staying out of trouble (criminally, financially, and otherwise), because even if you pass your Bar exam, if you are found to not be fit of character-you will have essentially wasted three years of your life, and a ridiculous amount of money that you will STILL have to pay back.

There are definitely other tips and techniques that I took away from the seminar. I've decided to share them over the course of the next couple of days. I'm doing this mostly because I need something to do as I await my last day of work, LOL! So, stay tuned!

The Home Stretch

You have no idea how excited I am about the fact that I will be on my way to College Town in just a matter of days. Twelve days to be exact! I still need to finish packing, but I have plenty of time. Honestly, this job is REALLY getting on my nerves! I spend eight hours a day sitting in front of a computer doing absolutely nothing useful. I've already completed all the necessary planning for my transition to College Town and for law school and I'm afraid I've run out of useful things to search on the Internet. How sad is that?!?!? I continue to tell myself that the money I'm being paid to keep this seat warm is totally worth it. Hell, at this point, I'm damned determined to ride out the last eleven days, but I realize that I'm going to have to get creative, LOL!

As always, I'm down for a challenge!

Free Study Aids- Thanks Kel

As I've said before, I follow other bloggers who are in law school and thus far, they have provided useful insight into what I can possibly expect to encounter during my time in law school. Well, leave it to Kel to step it up a notch and offer up her 1L study aids to rising 1L's. She doing so by holding weekly drawings. I think it's a terrific ideal and may even carry on the tradition. Now, on to the rules....

• You must leave a comment on her blog in order to enter the drawing.
• You may not win two weeks in a row
• Only rising 1L's please
• If you have a blog, Kel would appreciate a shout out so that more 1L's can enter

Winners will be announced on Sundays. Good Luck!

$$$

Over the last few days, I've been trying to recount the amount of money spent towards anything law school related since my decision to pursue a J.D. Honestly, it makes me a teeny tiny bit sick to my stomach. Being that I am solely responsible for not only supporting myself, but also my child, I have to be extremely discerning about where I choose to spend the dollars I earn. It is not to say that I regret any of it, because I don't, but it is to say that anyone who is thinking about making a decision to pursue a J.D. degree needs to take into account that doing so is far from cheap.

***

At this point I know of the expenses I've already incurred such as, a KAPLAN prep class, application fees, LSAC report fees, travel expenses (should you choose to visit various schools), my seat deposit, my security deposit for housing, deposits for utilities, postage costs for external scholarships, and moving expenses. I know there will be additional expenses once I get to College Town and am trying to plan accordingly.

***

Then there's that situation where you aren't allowed to work during your first year. Honestly, the concept on its face is a bit foriegn to me because I was one of those people who worked full-time, sometimes with overtime, and carried a full undergrad schedule. It was alot, but I made it work and was pleased with the results. Initially, I thought I would buck the trend and get a little job anyway....but after talking to several law students, it became clear that being hard-headed probably wouldn't serve me well in this situation. "So, you mean to tell me that I'll have to rely solely on LOANS TO LIVE?!?!?!?" The thought still makes me shudder...just because it's not the way I've been used to living.

***

So, now I'm working on adjusting my spending habits. I anticipate doing things like clipping coupons, cooking more often (YIKES!), staying FAR away from malls and other shopping centers, and creating a budget that I can hopefully stick to. At this point, I look at it as a challenge. I always LOVE a good challenge!

My feelings are hurt (not law related)! RIP MJ

The world lost a legend today and I'm SAD about it!

***

I don't know about you, but I grew up with Micheal Jackson (circa Thriller). He's the only music artist who's poster graced my bedroom wall. I watched his videos and memorized dance steps. He's practically the key influence of most of the music artists out today. Of course, I don't know Micheal Jackson personally, nor did I ever have the pleasure of seeing him perform in concert, but I know that he was THE BEST and there hasn't been anyone who could even touch him in his ability to produce music that touched people across the globe.

***

I blog about this because I am a hard core music fan. I like good music- not this "pseudo-gansta, bling-bling, pop that booty" bull**it played on the radio today, but music that is timeless, memorable and keeps generation after generation grooving. I think the music industry has suffered a tremendous loss. As tragic as it is, Micheal passed away while preparing to get to the place that truly made him happy- being on stage and performing for his fans.

***

He will be missed.....

Anxiously Waiting

All this waiting is SOOooooo for the birds! On the other hand, I imagine that in a few months I'll be wishing that I had all sorts of idle time. In the meantime, I've managed to find a few things to distract myself while I await the beginning of my law school career. First, I am currently planning a birthday/going away party. This party is actually scheduled to take place this Saturday...and I am going semi-nuts trying to get everything situated. It's been a decent distraction, I must say, however, it has affirmed the fact that I DO NOT enjoy event planning and would never pursue it as a career.

***

Next, I will travel to Dallas to visit my friend, hopefully see my brother and favorite cousin, AND catch Mrs. Beyonce Carter in concert. This trip shall be deemed "The Last Hoorah!" as I have no clue if/when I will be able to travel for leisure once I begin the next phase in my life. I enjoy Dallas and would hope to someday make it my permanent home. As far as the concert, I told myself the next time Miss B was in concert, it was imperative that I be in attendance. I am a huge fan and as concerts go, it's certainly money well spent.

***

The following weekend, I will travel to Atlanta to attend the A.I.E. (Attitude is Essential) Seminar sponsored by CLEO. I am excited to meet other 0L's and hope to make connections with other minority law students. Plus, I'll be in the ATL! Last year, I ventured out a little bit and it was fun. I imagine this year will be the same! I'll let you know all about it!

***

Once I get home from Atlanta, it will be time to pack up, as I will have less than two weeks until I move to College Town. Can you tell that I'm sooo ready to go, already??!?!?!!

Class Schedule...CHECK!

Well, one more piece of the puzzle has revealed itself. I now know what my first semester 1L schedule looks like! YAY! I was placed in the section I requested (score!) and now I have some sort of idea of the time constrains I'll be dealing with my first semester. Overall, I am happy. I'll have time to study, workout, cook a decent dinner for my food-loving child and hopefully NOT fry my brain before finals arrive.

***

It is now 47 days until I relocate to College Town. Unlike some, I've given myself about three weeks to get acquainted with my new home. I'm sure I'll need to know the location of a bank, a grocery store, a Wal-mart (they have those in every town, right?), and whatever else might come to mind. I certainly don't want to feel rushed in this transition. I already have enough anxiety as it is.

***

I am currently reading "Getting to Maybe" and am finding that it has some really useful information regarding the nature of the law school exam and how one should go about analyzing hypotheticals presented. I can absolutely see why this book is mentioned so heavily on forums and various blog sites.

***

I'd like to thank everyone for the comments on the blog. I really appreciate that folks are at least a little interested in what's going on in my lil' ol' life. I especially appreciate those who share their experiences, because I think something can always be learned from the experiences of others. Keep it coming!

Law Preview

I first heard about Law Preview (www.lawpreview.com) while reading "Law School Confidential" (a book I would recommend to all 0L's and anyone who is considering attending law school). It's basically a mini law school boot-camp that provides an overview of the subjects taught in the first year of law school. It takes place over the course of six days and they have classes all summer at various law schools across the country. Now, like anything else that has to do with law school and law school prep, this course isn't cheap. However, some super sleuthing allowed me to come across a need-based scholarship that would cover most of the cost of the class. Aside from filing out the application and providing supporting documentation, the only requirement is that once you become an attorney, you "pay it forward" and provide legal assistance to three needy people, free of charge. How great is that?!?!

***

After reviewing the website, reading the testimonials, and even emailing one of the students that attended the course, I became convinced that it would be something that would definitely give me an edge. I feel as though I need all the help I can get and I want to have a certain level of confidence once the "games" begin. Not to mention, if you attend the course, you get discounts on your first semester books AND free study aids.

***

So a couple of months ago, I sent in my application for the scholarship and imagine my delight a couple of days ago, when I received an email saying that I was chosen for the scholarship! I'm sure it's going to be a hectic week, full of lots of work, but I'm really excited to attend and will definitely make the most of the information I receive.

***

I will definitely provide a play-by-play of the course. I think it will be interesting!

Twiddlin' my Thumbs

The waiting is EXCRUCIATING! I continue to count the days (64...argh!). I have most of the major details handled....and so I wait. I wait for my schedule, because I am highly interested in knowing which section I'll be assigned to. I've sort of decided in my head which section I want...and may even "ask" for that particular section, if it isn't selected for me. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but I am interested in being taught by a couple of professors that stood out to me on the couple of visits I made to my institution. I figure, I'm paying a ridiculous amount of money to be educated, so I should at least have the right to request a section. Besides, it's for a valid reason...I'm not trying to be paired up with a buddy or anything like that.

***

I wait to apply for my GRADplus loan because I still need to get my child care cost figured out. I have to submit additional paperwork and my distance from the school is posing a problem in that regard. The hope and plan is to have it all taken care of by Aug 1.

***

I wait to put in my letter of resignation from my current job. My boss is located in a completely different state than where I work, so I don't see this person on a regular basis, as a matter of fact, I've only seen this person once since beginning this job last year. The situation is really different than anything I've experienced in my working career, and getting someone to replace me won't be simple, for various reasons. That being the case, I will try to provide at least one month's notice.

***

Aside from waiting, I've been taking care of all the odds and ends. I actually had to get inoculated. Apparently, you must have at least two Measles/Mumps/Rubella shots on record in order to register for classes....well, Milla only had one on file. So- I had to face my fear of needles, twice over since the nurse was nice enough to recommend I also get a tetanus shot. My arm was sore for like three days...horrible!

***

I also took an opportunity to speak with some of my friends/ex-coworkers regarding their experience in law school. It was really just to pick their brains to see what they felt worked for them in law school as far as study habits, and how they were able to make the most of their experience. They know me, my work habits, and my abilities, and so their confidence in my ability to do well in law school was extremely encouraging.

***

64 days can't seem to pass quickly enough,

And so the waiting continues....

Daughter Enrolled in School....CHECK

As a parent of a school aged child, the most important item that has to be taken care of where she is concerned, is getting her enrolled in school AND finding additional child care. Here's the deal, my plan is to treat law school as if it were an actual job. Right now, I clock in at 8am and clock out at 4:30 pm. My daughter's regular school day runs from 8:20 until about 3:20, so to cover the time before and after her school day when I need to be at work, she participates in a before & after school program, which allows me to drop her off as early as 7am and pick her up as late as 6 pm. The school she will be attending seems to work on a similar school schedule and luckily, it has a similar before & after school program. I was able to get on the waiting list (in the top 5). I also found what seems to be a decent home day care that is down the street from her school, in the event the waiting list doesn't work out in my favor. The best part of all is that our home, her school, and the back-up daycare are all on the same street, just a couple blocks away from one another! A mother's dream....lol!

***

My daughter is actually excited about moving and starting a new school. She's already decided how she's going to say goodbye to her friends, and she even informed her current teacher about her upcoming move a couple weeks ago. I'm glad I won't have to deal with any tantrums or general anxiety about our move...one less thing to worry about...thank God!

***

I'm sure some are probably wondering about the cost of the above-mentioned child care options. Well, as always, child care isn't cheap. It's probably going to cost about $200 + a month, depending on which route I choose, but I think it's great that my school will allow me to add my child care costs to my cost of attendance.

***

At this point, things are moving right along and I'm to the point where I am counting the days, 86 to be exact. I'm still as excited as ever!

Place to Live?...CHECK!

So, it seems that each step thus far in the process of preparing for law school comes with its own set of issues. This week, I had to deal with the complications that came with securing a place to live. After making a visit a couple of weeks ago, I was settled on our future home. This time I even submitted my application BEFORE leaving town (didn’t want to make that mistake twice). I emailed the woman who showed me the property to make sure she had everything she needed to process my application and it looked as though things were moving along pretty smoothly. That is, until I received the lease agreement. The rental amount on the lease was 25 bucks more than what she initially told me. So after an email and two phone calls, she tells me that her owner assigned all of the units that rented for the price we discussed and the more expensive units were all she had available. I respond by telling her to remove my application because I wasn’t interested. I mean, I’m on a budget and the most irresponsible thing I could do is accept a price that was outside of my budget. Besides, I had other options.

About an hour later I get a phone call from the owner of the property. She was interested in what happened to make me withdraw my application. I told her the situation, I found information on the internet that quoted a specific price, emailed her property manager who confirmed the specific price, viewed the property with the manager who once again confirmed the specific price, but then I end up with a lease locking me in with a different price, which I didn’t plan on paying. The owner was really nice in explaining that basically her property manager screwed up. The price on the lease is apparently what the unit rents for presently, and the price I was quoted might have been a winter special. Regardless, I wasn’t going to pay more than what she verbally quoted me, on more than one occasion. The owner apologized for her manager’s mistake and agreed to change the paperwork to the verbal quote. Problem solved!

This is definitely a situation that has some characteristics of a hypothetical that could be used in a contracts class, LOL! Tokyo Kiss got me thinking about it after the whole “unsigned check in the mail” debacle. What if I really wanted the unit for the price quoted? Would I have a cause of action to get the unit at the price verbally quoted? What if I signed the lease without paying attention to the altered rent amount? Ok, I’m going to stop now, LOL!

All the Pieces are Coming Together!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday!

I spent a portion of my holiday looking for a place to live during my time in law school. Since I have a child, I have to take so much more into consideration when looking for housing, such as neighborhood schools, whether the location is kid-friendly, and the overall size of our home. We are both particular about our space, lol! Luckily, College Town has extremely affordable housing, so finding a nice duplex, townhouse or condo in a nice neighborhood, with a decent school nearby wasn’t too hard to come by. My daughter endured an almost two hour car ride to and from College Town, as well as a directionally challenged mother who did her best to navigate in an unfamiliar town. By the end, I was decided on our future home, which had all of the things we needed to live comfortably for the next three years. So begins the application process for that and spending more money….YAY!

Approximately two weeks ago, I attended the Admitted Students Reception. My intention was to put my seat deposit down while I was there. It would have been the smart thing to do. It definitely would’ve saved $.42 cents on postage, but for some reason I decided against it. Even though when asked, I was telling everyone I spoke to I was 99.89% sure I would be attending, the .11% of doubt was enough for me to leave without securing my seat. I realize now that I was extremely nervous about everything. Putting the seat deposit down would make all of this FINAL! I would be a law student. That realization was absolutely overwhelming and for two days I was nervous wreck!

I didn’t understand why I was reacting in such a way because going to law school is something I’d been working so hard for and now it was all coming together. I had accomplished another goal. I’d been accepted, all I had to do was say, “Yes, Take my money. I want the seat!” So after two days of fretting and sorting through all of the nervousness, I wrote the check, put it in the envelope, and stuck it in the mailbox…but something still wasn’t right. Did I sign the check?

OMG! Are you kidding me! So, I examine the carbon sheet in my checkbook…and all signs pointed to an unsigned check. Apparently something subconscious was going on, but I was in no way amused. I call the school, let them know there’s a possibility that they’ll receive an unsigned check and I’ll be putting a signed one in the mail- ASAP!

That .11% of doubt cost me $.84, 2 envelopes and a little bit of embarrassment. One of the admissions folks tried to convince me she sends checks out unsigned “all the time.” I doubt it, but I’m glad she tried to make me feel better about the situation.

Admitted Student Reception

At the end of March, I attended an Admitted Students Reception at the school I am now 100% sure I’ll be attending this fall. For the most part, I had a really nice time speaking to the student, the professors, and other students that are attending the school. I only had one somewhat negative experience and it was with the first person I spoke with. When I arrived, I chose survey the event, walking around first before I approached someone or allowed myself to be approached. After that, I walked up to a guy that at first glance seemed approachable. I introduced myself, and maybe said one or two more words before he diverted his attention to someone else and carried on what seemed like a two minute conversation. He then offered me a half-assed apology after the conversation with the third person, at which point I’m sure I just walked away….I pray that these types are few and far between. We shall see.

The rest of the people I spoke to were not rude at all. They were actually really nice and went out of there way to answer my questions and engage in conversation. I have to admit that I spent the majority of my time speaking to a group of African-American students. I think one thing any minority looks for is someone that resembles them. It’s a sign that maybe they won’t be uncomfortable and hopefully there will be someone they can relate to during this whole process. I did speak to non-minority students and they were equally helpful in making me feel comfortable. At this point, I’m anxious to see my classmates this fall. I CAN'T WAIT!

A Gift and a Curse....

My job! While the economy continues on a ridiculously scary downward spiral (the unemployment rate is 8.1% WTH?!?!), I have to be extremely grateful about the fact that I have a job. Not only do I have a job, I have one that pays well, doesn't require much effort on my part, and is secure at least until I go to law school. Though that is the case, I am literally counting the days until it's all over, mostly because I'm sooooooo bored! I have entirely too much free time, which allows my mind to wander and I end up thinking up these crazy scenarios regarding law school. Some of it is helpful because it allows me to make certain plans regarding my legal education, but on the other hand, my brain usually doesn't know when to stop, so I have to create a distraction....like WORK!

Meanwhile, the situation with the economy has got me wondering about its chances of rebounding by the time I graduate law school. I don't want to dwell on it too much, but I'd be a fool to completely ignore it. I have decided that after dealing with and overcoming so much in order to get to the part where I could say "I'm going to law school," I'm going to move forward with my dream. I'm sure competition will be intense and the work will be hard, but it is true that anything worth having is worth the hard work. I just need to be wise in my decisions and take any and every opportunity presented during my journey in law school.

Which brings me to my question to those who are in law school now. What are your thoughts about the state of the economy, job outlook, and how is it affecting choices you're making about your education?

We've got a winner!

I will be attending the University [school name redacted for privacy] this fall and I am extremely excited about it. I think this school with be a good fit for me academically and financially. I also think the transition for my daughter and myself will be pretty easy, and for me the easier the better! I've been informing friends and family of my final decision and they have been helpful with directing me to people to help with moving, babysitting and any other out of the way need that may come, so I'm feeling very blessed to already have some sort of network.

My daughter is very excited about everything as well. She has been there for almost every envelope opening and each time she would say, "Mama, everybody wants you. It's because you're a really smart girl." I figure if anything, this journey I'm taking both of us on will instill in her the importance of having an education. As a first generation college graduate, I wasn't exposed to college campuses, I didn't have any immediate family members who talked about going to or graduating from college, and I have had to navigate my way through undergrad and to law school through trial and error mostly. She's been with me since day one and she knows that college isn't an "option" it's AUTOMATIC!

Right now I am working on finishing a scholarship application which is due on March 2nd! Once that is finished and sent off, I will be sitting pretty for the next two or three months. Then comes the pre-work, if you will....finding a place to live, enrolling my daughter in a new school district in a new city, MOVING, argh! Wish me luck!

Admitted Students Day

Admitted Students Day presents the opportunity to visit the schools you've been accepted to in order to determine if you are ready to take the next step of forking over the cash necessary to reserve the seat offered. At this point I realized that somehow I miscounted the schools to which I have applied, (it was nine instead of 8...weird) but even with this oversight I'm still pretty set on which school I plan on attending. Although my "choice school" has not yet scheduled its Admitted Students Day, I know I will be one of the first to register.

Meanwhile, I'm starting to notice a trend with some of the schools and their Admitted Students Day. Schools are offering travel stipends and reimbursements to perspective students. So far it's ranges from $75-$250 for one or two days. It's nice to see these schools realize the cost associated with visiting a school, especially if you are attending out-of-state. I'm on the fence about whether I will take advantage of the offers, mostly because I don't want to waste my time or anyone else's if I'm not totally sold on the school. On the other hand, you can't really tell what a school is about by just looking at their viewbook. Furthermore, if time (as opposed to a lot of money) is all I have to give up in order to make the best decision about where to spend the next three years of my life, and most importantly, where to begin what will be the foundation of my career, it's worth serious consideration. At the very least, it will get me out of this cubicle for a couple of Friday's next month. Who could ask for anything more?

CLEO

I decided not to attend the summer institute. While I understand it would give me a six week head start on my first year, it would then leave me stressing over my finances. If given the choice, I would rather stress over law school, figuring it out as I go, than stress over my financial situation. At least the stress over law school can be alleviated with the help of professors, classmates, law school staff, or even a little exercise. Financial stress is a beast all its own and since I have no one I can call my own personal ATM, it just wasn't practical to give up the 2k for the seat and the additional income on the back end for something I can surely figure out on my own.

I sent a very gracious email thanking them for the opportunity, but declined due to financial reasons. I do still hope I can go to one of their weekend programs. Last year's was SO fun!

**Update** A couple of days ago I received a letter offering a seat in this Summer's AIE program, so I'm super excited about that!**

Credit Cards, Taxes & FAFSA's Oh My!

At this moment, I am pretty much focused on taking care of as much financial stuff as I possibly can. I filed my taxes over the weekend, and filed my FAFSA on Monday. Though doing both of these things is somewhat time consuming, I figure the earlier it's done the sooner I'll have tax refund in hand, which will go straight to credit card balances. As far as the FAFSA is concerned, I have alleviated some stress in that department as I have notice that some schools have a deadline as early as March 1st. Also, having these two items complete means that I have a couple more components needed to submit external scholarships, should I choose to do so.

And that leaves CREDIT CARDS! Right now I considered them to be the devil! I can admit that in the past I was an avid credit card charger and I liked having those pieces of plastic at my disposal. I must also admit that as a full time undergraduate student, a parent, and an employee at a job that just barely allowed me to make ends meet, the cards supplemented my income. I can recall many of the items I purchased and feel that most were justified, but once I decided that law school was going to be the next destination in my life, it became quite obvious that I needed to get rid of this awful debt. So far I have gotten off to a really good start paying down my balances and hope to have it all credit card debt zapped by this summer!

Momma, I'm sick...

Yesterday afternoon I received a phone call from my daughter's school nurse. Apparently my daughter wasn't feeling well. Symptoms were headache and vomiting. Great! Luckily, I have enough sick time (although sometimes I wish they would give a separate allowance of time specifically for use for the children) and the call came towards the end of the day (and I was really ready to go home). What struck me about the whole situation is that most of the time I found myself thinking about how I would feel if/when this happens while I'm in law school. Overall, it's not a huge deal because my daughter is my number one priority and she'll be taken care of no matter what I have going on, but I just thought it was funny that my head was in that particular place.

So far, so good!

The last couple of days have been very interesting and have produced many new developments. First, I received a phone call from one of my school choices advising me that I have been offered a seat for the Fall semester. EXCITING! Honestly, at this point the acceptance was merely an ego stroke, because I think I know where I will be attending law school (approx. 90% percent sure).

Second, I toured the campus of my 90% school and was BLOWN AWAY! The city is quaint and has everything you need. If you like to shop, the mall is nice. If you like nature, there are plenty of walking and bike trails. The cost of living is extremely affordable. The public school system is excellent. The campus was bright, clean, and modern. Add to this the fact that the students and faculty were all very welcoming. It just so happened that one of the Student Ambassadors I met with has a 5 year old daughter. Apparently they were running late and were unable to get the tike to daycare, so while I'm in the admissions office, in walks this cute little girl. All of the adults greet her by name and immediately offer her candy and a drink. It was really refreshing to see the exchange because it showed me that I didn't need to feel uncomfortable about bringing my little girl into the admissions office if I ever needed to. At this point, I don't have any reason NOT to attend this school, however I hold out the 10% because I believe that you can never be 100% sure about any decisions made in life.

Third, I received a letter in the mail from CLEO, advising of my acceptance into the CLEO Summer Institute. The program boast of a scholarship upon completion (ranging from 1K-5K), which is matched by my 90% school. Also, it is an excellent opportunity to get a head start on the teaching methods used in law school and while I am happy that I got accepted, I'm bothered by a few things. First, I have to pay a total of $2K by February 23 in order to hold my seat. I have the money, but it is money that is set to go towards my credit card debt, debt I'm trying to rid myself of before I move on to law school. Second, it is going to require me to be out of state for six weeks. This is a problem because it means I would have to quit my job 9 weeks earlier than I initially planned. Quitting my job earlier would take a huge chunk of money out of my pocket, further hindering my ability to rid myself of credit card debt. You may say, but you'll get a scholarship, Milla! True, but because I am not considered low income, the most I could hope for is 1K from CLEO and 1K from my school. At that point I've only recouped what I paid to reserve my seat. On the other hand, if you look at from the standpoint of gaining the knowledge and what it's worth- I've already located a program that teaches the same thing for 1/6 of the time, 1/2 of the cost, and is scheduled during the period AFTER I plan on resigning from my job.

So now I wonder how other future 1L's made the decision about which school to choose. How do you know when you've found "the one"?!

And, if anyone has an opinion about the my CLEO debacle, please feel free to share. I would appreciate another perspective.

All it takes is a little effort!

Yesterday evening I attended an online chat with one of the schools to which I have applied. It was an opportunity to ask any questions I thought I might have and to also get $50 bucks off my seat deposit in the event I was accepted and decided to go to this particular school. I have attended several chats with a few schools and it never ceases to irritate me when folks sign on and ask questions that are specifically answered on the school's website. Usually, when those questions are asked, the moderator will say....go to this link-it's on our website! How much thought have you truly put into attending a school if you haven't even glanced at their website??? Then I begin to wonder what the moderator (usually an admissions director) thinks about one's lack of preparation for something as simple as an online chat? Do they correlate that to the effort one might put forth in law school? I doubt it- but I'm sure at the very least they, like me, feel some sort of irritation.

Meanwhile, I received a very nice, personalized, hand-written letter from my 80% school. I especially appreciate the personalization. I was reassured that I wouldn't be the ONLY single parent on campus AND the other parents provide support for each other with things like babysitting! Music to a mother's ears! They put forth the extra effort and it really makes me feel that they truly want me to attend. I think the only reason I haven't totally committed is because I have yet to receive any scholarship information. Supposedly I should know something by mid-February.

I have planned a campus visit for next Friday and it's possible they can convince me without the scholarship information. ;-)

Odds and Ends

This morning I had a meeting with my attorney (yes, the irony) to discuss my court ordered parenting plan. Many years ago I felt it necessary to file for sole legal and physical custody of my daughter as a C.Y.A. measure. I'm very glad that I did it, for many reasons, but now today my attorney and I are discussing the additional hoops I may have to jump through in order to attend law school.

I made a choice to forgo applying to the school that was in my city because I didn't feel like I would succeed there. To me, it wasn't a very welcoming environment and after visiting as many times as I had over the last 3 years, you would think I would have felt SOME level of comfort. At any rate, the school I am 80% sure I will be attending is approximately 2 hours away from my current residence and of all the schools I applied to, it's the second closest (the closest is about 1 hour away).

I realize this is just one more thing that I- a single parent and aspiring law student- have to deal with when trying to make this transition. Now I have to draft a letter to my child's father, advising him of the move and what little details I have about it. My only hope is that I don't get any resistance from him. I secretly believe he expected me to fail and not amount to anything once we split, so I'm sure he will not be happy to receive my good news.

We shall see......

The Amazing Blogosphere

It's amazing how many different blogs there are from folks sharing their experience in law school. Most of them are interesting and unique and have provided me with a great deal of information regarding what I need to plan for and what to expect once I become a 1L. I have decided to follow a few because their stories were especially interesting to me, some because of their candidness with their experience thus far and others because I identified with certain personality traits or thought processes and am interested to know how they navigate the maze that is law school.

Meanwhile, I continue to "mailbox watch" and two days in a row I've opened an empty mailbox...the good news- no bills (YAY!) and no letters of rejection, the bad news- no letters of acceptance. The thing is, even if I did get any letters of acceptance, I'm about 80% sure that I'll be attending a school that has already accepted me. Why am I so worried about the others??? Maybe I should shift my "mailbox watch" to the scholarship information that should be coming from my future professional institution.

In the meantime, if anyone has any advice as to what I can do to distract myself from the "mailbox watch" I will be forever grateful.

I Decided....part two

CLEO

Last summer I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a weekend in Atlanta courtesy of CLEO. CLEO is a program that mentors minority, rural, urban, and low-income students who aspire to become attorneys. The program was centered around the application process and provided assistance with personal statements, how to choose schools based on your UPGA/LSAT scores, and discussed the financial aspects of applying and attending law school. The information I received from the program was the BEST part of the weekend. The second best part was my hotel stay (a NICE hotel) and my meals were free. While I was responsible for my airfare to Atlanta, upon completion of the program I received a $200 stipend. It was all worth it and I'm sure its addition to my law school application showed I am truly serious about attending law school and becoming an attorney.

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

Letters of Recommendation (LOR's) are an important part of an application. It is really the only part of the application where admissions committee will get a different opinion regarding one's success in law school. Usually the LOR will come from a former professor. It is wise to select professors who can speak specifically and positively about your work ethic and quality of work. If it's a situation where you've been out of school for a while, then an LOR may come from an employer.

I selected three professors and an attorney that worked with me at the law firm to write on my behalf. After choosing my LOR writers, I put together a packet of information to send to each of them. The packet included a personalized letter outlining why I selected them to write the LOR and what I wanted their letter to highlight for the admissions committee. I also included a REALLY rough draft of my personal statement, my resume, my transcript with the classes they instructed highlighted, the LSAC LOR form and a pre-addressed, stamped envelope for them to send their letter to LSDAS. I wanted to make the process of writing the letter as convenient as possible by providing them with a good amount of material to refer to when writing their letter and I also eliminated the need for them to have to look for or purchase envelopes and stamps to send the letter.

THE APPLICATIONS

I'm really glad the application process had been streamlined through the Law School Admission Council. Here you are able to pull up the applications, input your information, save it for later-if needed, and send it electronically. Some schools received the application instantly. The most important thing is make sure you fill-out everything truthfully and proofread the application before sending it.

LAW SCHOOL FAIRS/VISITS

I absolutely recommend visiting any law school that you may think you want to attend. It gives you the opportunity to sit in on a class, speak to students, and tour the campus. I have done this several times and in cases where I really thought a particular school was one I wanted to attend, after the visit, I felt the exact opposite and vice versa.

Law school fairs provide an opportunity to meet admissions personnel face to face, ask any questions you may have about the school, and hopefully make a positive impression. I attended several law school fairs and usually targeted the same schools. I was happy to see when some admission personnel remembered my face or remembered me specifically. It definitely helped to bolster my opinion of the school and helped me to determine whether I would be treated as a person rather than a number when/if I became a student.

AS A PARENT

When going through this process, I thought about my daughter every step of the way. I explained as much as I could, as best as I could being that she's only seven years old. She's even visited a law school with me, which I have to commend her for because listening to various professors and deans speak for about two hours is NOT what a seven year old yearns to do at ANY time. I made sure she knew I was proud of her for sticking it out with me.

One of the questions I asked all the schools I have applied to is "how well does the campus tolerate children?" While I don't plan on having my daughter on my hip, I know there may be a moment or two when I will have to choose between not coming to class or coming to class and bringing my daughter with me. The answer to this questions had varied from one extreme to the other, but the vast majority have answered that the campus is mostly tolerant of children being on campus and understands that at times it may be unavoidable. Knowing that was extremely comforting.

And so, now we wait! Of the eight school I have applied to, I have been accepted to two. I await a reply from the remaining six. While I am happy that I haven't been rejected yet, I'm much more anxious to have all eight letters in my hand so I can make a choice and send a seat deposit. FYI- I am a little impatient. At any rate, as promised, I will keep you posted!