Look Before You Leap: Veritas Prep Outlines Key Application Considerations for This Year's Crop of Prospective Law

MALIBU, CA, Oct 29 (MARKET WIRE) --
As students of the class of 2013 begin to compile their applications for
the country's top law schools, leading law school admissions consulting
firm Veritas Prep encourages applicants to think critically about their
professional goals and how they align with the emerging realities of the
legal career landscape to help them produce the most compelling
applications possible.

Despite an anticipated economic rebound on the horizon, the bleak career
outlook that confronted 2009 law school graduates -- characterized by a
shifting distribution of job opportunities from conventional positions at
large law firms to less traditional fields like non-profit and government
-- is projected to continue into the foreseeable future. As a result, says
Veritas Prep, admissions offices at leading law schools will maintain a
keen eye for candidates that have given extensive thought to both short-
and long-term career goals, accepting applicants whose realistic
perceptions and aspirations will likely result in job placement upon
graduation.

"This is not the year to apply to law school without clearly defined
professional goals and a thorough understanding of the career outlook for
graduates," explains Adam Hoff, director of admissions consulting at
Veritas Prep and former corporate associate with a top global law firm.
"Admissions offices will likely look to the personal statement to
identify newly important key application themes in order to identify
applicants who truly want to pursue careers in law and have the
resourcefulness to withstand a job market that may continue to offer
fewer traditional 'big law firm' opportunities."

Key to crafting effective personal statements in this year's admissions
cycle lie in the following themes:

Goals -- Attractive applicants will use the personal statement to clearly
articulate both short- and long-term professional goals, which not only
demonstrate that a candidate understands the current hiring landscape, but
also give the admissions office confidence that the career services office
will be able to assist the candidate in ultimately securing employment in
a desired field.

Maturity -- Law schools have shown increasing interest in admitting mature
candidates who bring the discipline and focus necessary to succeed in a
highly competitive and intellectually demanding law school environment.
This year, maturity matters more than ever, because it speaks to an
applicant's level of sophistication and ability to bring a nuanced
understanding of the law and legal careers. "Readiness" is another word
that law schools are looking for: Is the candidate ready to succeed in the
classroom and ready to practice law once he or she graduates?

Resilience -- Given how fast things are changing, candidates need to come
to the table with a Plan A and a Plan B, as well as a track record for
dealing with change and adapting to new realities. The hard truth is that
many current graduates find it difficult to land jobs in their desired
fields and practice areas. Many successful personal statements for this
admissions season will showcase lessons learned and perspective gained
from a difficult past experience.

For more information about Veritas Prep's law school admissions consulting
offerings or to engage an admissions consultant to assist in the law
school application process, visit www.veritasprep.com/law/ or call 1 (800)
925-7737.

About Veritas Prep

Veritas Prep is the world's fastest-growing test preparation and
admissions consulting provider, offering industry-leading programs to
help applicants improve their test scores and gain admission to the
world's best graduate schools. Founded in 2002 by graduates of the Yale
School of Management, Veritas Prep now offers live GMAT prep instruction
in more than 80 cities worldwide, as well as interactive online courses
available everywhere. Additionally, Veritas Prep offers industry-leading
admissions consulting services for applicants seeking admission to the
most competitive business schools, law schools and medical schools in the
world.

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

-0-