Pre-law students say that their biggest concerns about their first year of law school are academic and financial, according to a June 2015 Kaplan Test Prep survey of 466 pre-law students.* As they put together their law school applications at a time when the number of LSAT® takers is noticeably on the rise, here’s what prospective students are thinking about most when it comes to their first year (1L) experience:

  • Achieving High Grades: Understanding how academically intense the 1L experience can be, nearly 9 out of 10 (89%) pre-law students surveyed said they are concerned about achieving high grades.
  • Maintaining a Healthy Work/Life Balance: Students’ first year is considered to be the most rigorous of the three-years long law school experience because of the many exams and reading. With that in mind, 82% of surveyed students said maintaining a healthy work/life balance was a concern.
  • Debt: With tuition at many law schools topping $40,000 a year and the job market for lawyers still struggling to return to healthy levels, more than three-quarters (76%) of pre-law students surveyed said that taking on large debt is a concern.
  • Securing a Summer Internship: Securing a summer internship, which can lead to post-graduation jobs, is an extremely competitive process, which may explain why 73% are concerned about this aspect of being a 1L. The critical piece to secure a summer internship: high grades.
  • Fitting In: Whether due to confidence in their social skills or indifference to being socially accepted, just 38% of pre-law students said that fitting in socially was a first year concern.

“Your first year of law school is undoubtedly your most important. It’s the start of what will hopefully be a rewarding three year experience, and when you earn the grades that are most determinate in launching a successful legal career,” said Jeff Thomas, executive director of pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “The fact that pre-law students are concerned about achieving everything from high grades to covering tuition is an appropriate and natural response to the real challenges that await them.”

*The e-survey was conducted in June 2015 of 466 pre-law law students who prepared for the LSAT with Kaplan Test Prep. The LSAT is a trademark of the Law School Admission Council, which is not affiliated with this survey or Kaplan Test Prep.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services. Additionally, Kaplan operates new economy skills training (NEST) bootcamps designed to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today’s job market and prepare participants for hire.

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC)