How to Get Into the Top Law Schools, 4th edition (Paperback)

by J.D., Richard Montauk (Author)
Key Phrases: essay options, weak undergraduate record, deferred applicants, Boalt Hall, Don Rebstock, Susan Palmer (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Richard Montauk, a savvy admissions insider, demystifies the application process and provides the tools to ace every step. Based on interviews with dozens of admissions officers, Montauk delivers a candid view of what leading law schools look for in an applicant. He also gives applicants solid advice on developing marketing strategies, writing winning essays, maximizing financial aid, and assessing and upgrading credentials to better match that ideal profile.

About the Author
Richard Montauk, J.D., is a former corporate lawyer and the founder and president of Degree of Difference, a firm specializing in the admissions process.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall Press; 4 edition (August 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735204292
• ISBN-13: 978-0735204294
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.9 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,569 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top-notch info on the law school admission process, August 20, 2001

By	Sean Harding (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: How to Get Into the Top Law Schools (The Degree of Difference Series) (Paperback)

Applying to law schools can be a mysterious and daunting task. There are rankings, scores, essays, recommendations and numerous human factors involved. Sometimes the steps seem pointless and the decisions appear arbitrary. With this book, Montauk attempts to take some of that mystery out of the process by providing concrete information on what the schools are looking for and specific advice on how to give yourself the best chance possible. He succeeds admirably.

I found the most valuable feature of the book to be the quotes from law school admission staff members at various schools. Virtually every topic includes input from admissions counselors and directors. And these aren't people from "Joe's J.D. Mill." They work at the top law schools in the nation. These are the people who make the decisions about who gets in to a top school and who doesn't. Their candid advice is invaluable.

As a whole, the book is well-written and informative. Some portions may be redundant to people who have already done a significant amount of research on law schools and the admission process. But it's all good information and it's useful to have it in one place.

While I don't recommend using this book as your sole source of advice, it's a fabulous starting point. If you're serious about going to law school, buy this book. It's well worth the price.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent advice for those seeking to attend top law schools, November 22, 2002

By	Sheila Bee (New York, NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Get Into the Top Law Schools (The Degree of Difference Series) (Paperback)

I discovered this book last summer when I first decided to put myself through the law school application process (again). What a find! I only wish I had had it the first time around. There are so many little nuggets of advice that are useful to those applying to top 20 law schools. The emphasis on the importance of the LSAT cannot be missed. There's also a great section on how to get the best letters of recommendation from profs (although the sample letter Montauk includes seems a little unrealistic--it's almost four pages long). Also, don't worry if your resume isn't as solid as some of the sample ones included--those people are NOT your typical law school applicants.

Montauk does a thorough job of going through every aspect of the law school admissions process, including the most important one: Is law school right for you? The first chapter is invaluable in evaluatng whether you're making the right choice for yourself, since law school is a costly commitment (time, effort and money-wise). There are also countless data tables that examine statistics for each law school and a great chapter on law school rankings.

Overall, I would say that this book is worth every penny for those applying to top law schools (for those who are looking outside of the top tier, I would be more hesitant to recommend it since the data he includes is restricted primarily to top 20 schools).

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on the Subject, October 12, 2005

By	Blah (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How To Get Into The Top Law Schools (Revised) (Paperback)

This is the only book you will need to help you apply to law school. The author covers everything from personal statements to Loan repayment programs at top schools. The author focus on top twenty schools but the information should be helpful to anyone. The best part is hundreds of quotes on all subjects directly from the deans of admissions at top schools. It includes quotes from the deans at every school in the top 15 in the U.S. News and world report rankings and a number of other institutions including Boston College, George Washington, USC, UCLA, and Boston University. This is particularly helpful if you are targeting one of these top schools. There are executive summaries at the end of the chapters if you don't have time to read the entire book. This work will help anyone taking the application process seriously to maximize their chances of getting into the best school they can.