A Law Student’s Approach to University Applications

Every student’s university application experience will be different – however, feelings of uncertainty and confusion will be common, as well as excitement and optimism about what future studies may bring. Applying to law is a unique process that differs from other subjects, for example, universities will not expect you to have a detailed knowledge of the Law prior to beginning your degree, yet still desire applicants to have the relevant skills for a Law course. Having navigated this process myself, I aim to offer an insight as to how to embark on the specific stages that are inherent only in Law applications.

Choosing Law as your subject

Genuine passion, rather than mere interest, in the subject for which you apply is a crucial starting point for all students. Otherwise you should think about whether committing yourself to a university course is the right path, remembering that there are alternatives to further education that could be better suited to you. For me, this passion evolved from always being curious about the work of a lawyer to learning an outline of the law at A Level, as I realised how diverse legal studies can be and that a university course would develop my communication and critical thinking skills – which would benefit me in any career that followed. I have written about my experience of doing A Level law in a separate article here.

For those that have not studied Law A Level and are considering Law for university, there are a number of ways to identify if the subject is for you and thus grow your intrigue from there. Family members, friends or even online content creators that are lawyers are excellent resources for both discovering what legal studies entail, as they can reveal the pros and cons of their experience, and what the work of a lawyer looks like in practice, as their daily routine may be one that you cannot see yourself following in the future. In addition, you can read articles about recent legal developments and cases, browse university courses online and attend law departments on university open days, as doing so will confirm if Law is for you.

The right university for Law

In addition to location, league table rankings, and the courses suited to your grades, choosing which universities to apply to for law involves further considerations. Firstly, the breakdown of the course and topics covered should be viewed in detail. Though many universities have a similar list of compulsory subjects that all students need to get to grips with the law, it is where optional modules come in that can set courses apart. You may be able to choose between studying more practical modules and more theoretical, perhaps linked to politics or philosophy, which are less catered to a typical legal career. When viewing law courses myself, I gravitated towards those that provided a varied list of optional modules, so that I could keep my educational and future career options open. Teaching structure is also something to keep in mind, as some of the courses I came across focused their lessons on collaborative work, in which small groups of students would tackle legal problems and learn from practical tasks rather than more traditional lectures. If you feel less confident with group-based learning, and prefer to address new content independently, these courses may not be compatible to you.

Law Personal Statements

Personal statements are a valuable way to promote you as a student and show universities that you are suited to their course. A key feature of law personal statements – similar to, for example, Architecture or Computer Games Development – is that those writing them may never have studied the subject at GCSE or A Level. Therefore, when writing about your education and how this has prepared you to study law, you need to tailor your subjects to present you as a prospective lawyer, with the skills required for a law degree. I discussed my essay writing and analytical skills from my English A Level, my knowledge of the legislative process and political influence on the law from my Politics A Level, and the detailed research I conducted for my EPQ. Critical thinking and problem-solving in Maths, essay writing in History, and the professional benefits of being fluent in another language are just some suggestions of how you can utilise your studies. When discussing extra-curricular activities, you should also link them to your compatibility with a law degree – team sports may have improved your communication skills, or balancing a part-time job may have resulted in your becoming more organised.

Demonstrating your academic interest in the law is, perhaps, the defining feature of your statement. Whilst work experience in a legal setting is highly beneficial to mention, these opportunities are not always available, and my own lack of work experience did not put me at a disadvantage compared to other applicants. Here are some alternative examples of how you can actively expand your legal knowledge, benefitting yourself and your personal statement:

• Wider reading: For a real introduction to the law, you can read books explaining the workings of the English legal system, how laws are made and the different specialisms that law is divided into (see ‘What about Law?’ by Barnard et al, ‘The Law Machine’ by Berlins and Dyer, and ‘Letters to a Law Student’ by McBride). However, after becoming familiar with these topics, I would recommend reading up on a more specific area of law that you find interesting. Discussing why you were drawn to this area of the law, and perhaps your views on the topic, will give your statement a unique edge.
• Keeping updated: The world of case law is constantly evolving, and so an important or unprecedented case decision is useful to research into and mention in your statement. Again, reflect on you research – Why did you find this case interesting? Did you agree/disagree with the decision? Can you find any other cases on this area?
• Visiting the courts: Viewing a case in any court, whether this be your local Magistrates’ or the UK Supreme court, is a valuable way of seeing the law unfold and be applied in a real situation. Not only can you learn the facts of a case and its judgement, you can analyse the judges and lawyers at work, understanding what skills it takes to work in the law and, in your statement, explain how you would like to develop these skills when studying at university.

The LNAT

Few university courses have an admissions test; it is generally those with higher entry requirements that use them, as the universities want to distinguish between applicants using a resource other than their grades and personal statement. A distinctive part of the Law application process for some UK universities (Bristol, Durham, Glasgow, KCL, LSE, Nottingham, Oxford, SOAS and UCL, to be exact) is the LNAT – the Law National Aptitude Test, with the University of Cambridge using its own admissions test for those interviewed. This is an online, timed, two-stage test; the first involves reading 12 passages of text and answering 3-4 multiple-questions based on their content – with 95 minutes to do so, and the second involves writing an essay from a choice of 3 questions – with 40 minutes to do so. Each student will have their own preferred method of tackling the LNAT, and the official website clearly sets out all you need to know, but here are some tips that I found useful:

• Bookings: You need to book the test yourself as it is independent of your school/college, so try to stay on top of key dates as you cannot book or sit the test past certain points in the application cycle. There is also a £50 booking fee – but there is a bursary if you meet the financial aid requirements. I booked my own test in September and sat it in October half term, as this did not clash with college, allowed me to have time to prepare but did not get in the way of any revision for upcoming exams. I would recommend sitting the test as early as you feel comfortable with, as mock exams at and other deadlines may start to creep up.
• Prep and practice: There are many books that aim to help students prepare, and I bought one that had passages and corresponding multiple-choice questions, as well as potential essay questions. Looking back, however, this was not as helpful as it claimed, and these books can be expensive. The resource I would recommend the most is the LNAT simulator that is free to download from the website, which presents timed questions in the same format as the real thing and gives you a sense of how to go about answering them in exam conditions. There are also suggested essay questions online, which I would suggest planning and writing in 40 minutes, as this is a relatively short period of time and universities will be looking at the quality of your writing.
• On the day: Enough sleep, eating a good breakfast and drinking water are a given for any test. One of the most important things I can stress is to remember to bring your printed booking confirmation email and a form of photographic identification, such as a passport or driving licence. If you forge these, you will not be admitted. Also, ensure you know exactly where your test centre is and make allowances for any delays in your journey there – I had never been to my own test centre and so had to take a few minutes to find the right reception. Finally, as the LNAT is timed, you need to prepare yourself for spending 2 hours 15 concentrating on the test and trying to limit any rest breaks, as you cannot pause the timer once you have begun. As mentioned above, using the practice simulator is the best way to re-create these conditions at home in preparation for the final exam.

Article by Eliza Liddicott