Ihab Mikati
What year did you graduate from the University of Minnesota, and what was your major and minor?
BS in Ecology '15
What law school do you attend?
NYU Law
What year are you?
2L
Did you take time off between undergrad and law school?
Yes
If you took time off between undergrad and law school, what did you do during that time?
I worked at the Environmental Protection Agency for 3 years under an ORISE Fellowship, contributing to air pollution and health research.
Share one thing you wish you'd known about law school as an undergrad.
I didn't consider law school until after I was an undergrad, but I don't think that hurt me. Develop your interests and do something meaningful with them such as student organizing, community service, or academic research. More than anything, an authentic manifestation of your interests will serve you in law school (and on applications).
How did you choose your law school?
I was deciding between NYU and a higher ranked school. Ultimately, I chose NYU because I received a major scholarship, I felt their LRAP (public interest loan repayment) schedule was more generous, I liked New York City, and the student culture was more appealing to me when I visited.
What advice do you have for students/recent alums as they begin the application process?
I've read dozens of personal statements at this point, and I'm surprised by how many don't really address why the applicant wants to be a lawyer. Other times I read the application and think, "this person really wants to go to policy school." A UMN Law alum once told me "law school is technical school for suing people," and I'm fond of that description. There's no need to be overly-flowery; simply discuss a formative experience or set of experiences that made you want to be a lawyer (it could be personal or it could be a world event), and discuss the kind of lawyer you'd want to be. The best ones make me think, "this person has a unique perspective that will make them a more effective lawyer." The less-impressive ones simply say "I love the law and am invigorated by challenges."
It's unfortunate how much the LSAT matters, but the fact is that a few extra points on a retake can make a major difference in the next three years of your life-- either because you get into a different set of schools, or you attend the same school with a better financial aid offer. If you feel you can do better, you should try again. I personally didn't use any paid study programs besides some recent practice exams (which you might find at your local library). Oddly, I felt that the Intro to Programming class I took as an undergrad at UMN helped me to do well on the test.
