From Community College to Columbia Law School: What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Law School from Before You Take the LSAT

From Community College to Columbia Law School: What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Law School

38 minutes Posted Feb 9, 2023 at 12:19 am.

Can you tell us a bit about your background? 

How were you able to navigate through school with English being your second language?  

Can you tell us a bit about your experience at community college, at Santa Monica College? [choosing a major] 

How were you able to complete UCLA in 3 years? Did you plan on doing that? 

When you were majoring in psychology, what was your game plan? Did you think you would go to grad school for psychology? 

How did you decide that you wanted to go to law school? 

How did you decide to minor in Spanish?  

How did you get started in terms of beginning to study for the LSAT? 

When you first started studying for the LSAT, were you just studying or were you working as well? What do you recommend for others who are studying? 

So you don't get the score that you wanted the first time you took the LSAT, what happens next? 

Tell us about the last time you take the LSAT, where you get the final score which was a 174? 

You almost decided not to register for the LSAT that last time, can you tell us that story? 

Finding out that final LSAT score 

What were some of the strategies you used to study for the LSAT? 

When you see that LSAT score, what does that mean for you? [I also talk about how I chose my target score] 

Hearing back from law schools 

Why Columbia? 

What's your favorite part of going to Columbia? 

What do you wish you would have known before you started at Columbia? 

How can someone better prepare themselves before going to law school? 

What advice would you give in general for getting involved in law school? 

You've take advantage of the extracurriculars at Columbia, can you talk a bit about your involvements? 

What are you most looking forward to? 

Do you want to talk about your experience being a legal extern at Mastercard's HQ? [I also talk about the ways in which law schools differ, and how that's important in deciding which law school you want to attend.] 

What are you most proud of so far? 

Why did you create "Before You Take the LSAT"? 

What has been your experience since you started "Before You Take the LSAT"? 

You've been able to interview some really cool people, do you want to talk about any of those interviews? 

What I wish I would have known [applying to law school, studying for the LSAT] 

How do you keep going even when you want to give up (on the LSAT?) [mindset on the LSAT]

0:00

38:21

Download MP3

Share at current time

Show notes

(IG: beforeyoutaketheLSAT; time stamps below!) For the first time, Doreen — along with special guest host Shannon (her sister) — shares insights into her path going from community college (Santa Monica College) to Columbia Law. The interview covers topics including her experience improving from a 148 diagnostic score (well below 50th percentile) to a 174 (99th percentile), her experiences in undergrad, and the advice she wish she had known before she started law school.

Here are the timestamps for the questions asked:

+

Hope you enjoy and please do not hesitate to reach out via email ([email protected]) or on Instagram @Before You Take the LSAT with any questions, future videos you would like to see on this channel, or feedback!

← See all 16 episodes of Before You Take the LSAT