Law school rant

This has nothing to do with journalism. This is just me ranting about how tedious the law school application process is. This is going somewhere, I promise.

First of all, let me start off with my LSAT prep course. Everything, including the homework, is online. Now this is fine if I'm at home, but considering that I'm rarely home between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., it's becoming a huge inconvenience. I can do the homework in the book and fill in the answers, but then I have to find a computer and fill in the same answers online. It's a gigantic pain, and if the computer isn't equipped with Flash, then I can't do it at all.

Second: the actual applications. Five years ago when I applied to college, every single one of my applications was a paper application, and at certain schools I could check the status online. Now, ALL of the applications are online. I have to electronically attach my personal statement for each school. I have requested paper apps from all of the schools - I've received ONE. It's been 2 months.

Lastly: the LSAT and LSDAS is a gigantic rip-off. If you want to go to law school, you have to take the LSAT. It costs $123. Ok, fine, all admissions tests cost money. In addition to that, you're required to sign up for the LSDAS - Law School Data Assembly Service. There's no way around it. Law schools trust you about as far as they can throw you, and they won't accept your LSAT scores or recommendations unless they come from the LSDAS. The cost? $113 to register for one year.

I understand that schools are trying to make it easier to apply. You can fill out the common form. I just feel more at ease when I can see the applications in front of me, and if I can touch them and put them in an envelope myself. In any case, come March, I will be extremely happy to be done with the process. And extremely broke.