Northeastern this fall...

This break has been a good time. With lots of music and slow mornings, it's probably been too enjoyable. I've got two books to read, two papers to write, and two presentations to be prepared for by Monday..... I'm hoping for a late Christmas miracle on this one. But regardless, it'll get done.

(receiving Northeastern decision letter. Photo courtesy of Jessica)

So, my plans for the fall are to head up to Boston and attend Northeastern University School of Law. They have a unique Co-op program along with a strong reputation for public interest. The second and third years are broken up into quarters. Every other quarter, second and third year students work full time in a legal placement of their choice. This program excites me for several reasons. The first relates to employment.

With the current job woes that are being faced, working a full time internship will help me build relationships with future potential employers. Also, my resume will enjoy a year of real world experience before graduation. In addition to the connections and experience, it will be a reminder that studies go beyond academic evaluations and will have a real world impact.

During undergrad, having a volunteer or intern position has been helpful with work ethic and grades. Writing a paper or speaking about something seemingly irrelevant to the present becomes an exercise in organizing ideas, summarizing, or communicating clearly- probably one of my larger insecurities and, as a result of giving it extra attention, is also one of my unacknowledged strengths. Thumbing through distant, unrelated history becomes a practice in reading comprehension and an attempt to know the world a little bit more than my own experience allows. Having a co-op or a clinic will be a reminder that any seemingly irrelevant task is building a relevant skill for future use.

Their co-op and clinics should also be an adventure. Their clinics during the semester include: Domestic Violence, Criminal Advocacy, Poverty Law and Practice, Prisoner's Rights, and Health Law. The kid in me is stoked about waking up early in the morning, wearing a suit, walking around beautiful buildings with manila files under arm, and approaching each situation or person as if that's the most important part of my day. It'll be interesting when my expectations meet reality.

Other reasons I'm stoked: Northeastern has a strong reputation for public interest law. Following graduation, their students seek employment in government, nonprofit, or judicial clerk positions at a rate of five times the national average. I'm excited to be in the company of people who are pursuing public interest as a priority rather than a last resort.

Writing has helped me procrastinate long enough. I've got to get to some work. Dr. Tom Hanchett's "Sorting Out the New South City" is on my reading list today. I'm really curious about the book. He's the historian from the Levine Museum and the book is about Charlotte's urban development between 1875-1975.

The application nightmare, an initiation of sorts...

After much reflection about my desired purpose and future, I began the law school application process last fall in 2009. My friends Brandon and Jana have also shared in the madness of grad school applications. I've known Brandon since 2006 through Student Life at CPCC. He was the AmeriCorps Vista with Service Learning. He's also applying to law school. Jana, I met last summer. She's a seasoned nonprofit veteran and a strong advocate for individuals living with autism. Her goal is to bring her administrative and direct service experience together through a career of social work.

In the late summer, I began writing my statement. My statement opened up with an attention grabbing scenario after the six Marine snipers were killed in Haditha. Our unit arrived in the Al Anbar province shortly after and was tasked with a mission in response to that event. It was an uneventful mission although the news attention made it noteworthy for an essay. An uneventful raid can still sound pretty exciting. After that introduction, I wrote that my military experiences at home and abroad moved me to a life of service. Since returning, I've taken steps to prepare for a life of advocacy through civic minded involvement. The rest of the essay outlined that involvement.
It took a while to polish and trim the essay to the required two pages for most schools. On one side, it was a fun writing exercise. I exchanged drafts with my friend Jana, a nonprofit veteran and future student of Social Work. We mutilated each other's drafts, explained concerns, and found unexploited strengths. Aside from getting each of us into school, it was a refreshing practice with giving and receiving constructive criticism. The essay forced me to focus my goals and intentions into a definition. By late October, my drafts were done and it was application time.

LSAC, the Law School Admissions Council, has a very helpful system to help with the application process. It's a central website where you submit your transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statements, etc. Then, applicants select the schools they wish to apply for, fill out an electronic application, and LSAC sends out your paperwork.

The LSAT was probably the biggest weakness in my application. It was a tough test. Part of me enjoyed the half day of word puzzles and mild pressure. The other part was looking forward to it being over. My mindset was probably most helped by the following words: "Tomorrow, when you take the test you won't be able to prepare anymore. Adding up the extra prep time you could have spent won't help you at that point. Appreciate that fact and have fun." All in all, it was a relief to have that test done in September.

In a way, I felt like the whole process was an initiation into the law school experience.

The acceptance and denial letters have been trickling in since December. Brandon and I have been updating each other on our schools and sharing an occasional beer to talk about the future. Initially it was a little scary. Schools that were a reach like Fordham and Illinois sent me denials while a few of my safe schools sent me acceptances like Charlotte and NCCU. With a rough job market, the school I go to and connections I make will be especially critical. Since the beginning of the application process, I was especially interested in Northeastern and Chapel Hill. Not knowing from either of them stressed me to make contingency plans just in case. Fortunately, I received an acceptance from Northeastern this spring and celebrated with my friend Jessica over a cigar. She was kind enough to hear my excitement about the future while we walked and puffed on UNCC's campus. High fives were shared with other friends on campus as I spread the news.

Since that time, it's been solidified that I'm going to Northeastern. They have a really unique program. I'll rant about why I'm stoked for that school later. I'm excited and owe a gazillion thank you cards to the folks in student life at CPCC, my supportive friends, family, and former professors at CPCC and UNCC.