To those of you blog-readers who are not fellow-Francophiles, I apologize for the following blog post. Last summer I re-visited my favorite place in the world: Paris. I guess I still have Paris on the brain.
LSAT prep studiers, I'd like you to imagine something for me. You are done with your studying. You have no more Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and Logic Game sections to do ever again! You are in your first year of law school having a grand time, clad in outlines you've cajoled out of upper-classmen and stacks of heavy expensive leather-bound law books. Sounds quaint, right? Well, at least the part about no more LSAT prep forever does. Now, think of all that, but stick a baguette in your hand, and maybe plop a fancy beret-wearing poodle by your side; suddenly, this image has gotten ten times better right??? But, just how can you be in law school and in Paris? Well, I suppose if the law school you choose offers a summer abroad in Paris you might be able to do that. But, really, everyone knows a summer isn't enough time to buy a poodle, let alone figure out where to buy it a beret! So we all know that to make this dream a reality you'd have to spend a bit more time in France.
But, how? Two words: dual degree. Now don't flutter away in a panic. The dual degree you'd be in the market for would be a JD/Master en Droit. It's only one extra year, and you get not one, but TWO law degrees; one from America and one from France. What does this mean for you? Not only will you be able to play out this amazing baguette-eating, poodle-owning, law school fantasy, but you can also have the option of actually living and working in Paris after your studies are done! Mon Dieu! C'est pas vrai! Many law schools offer this degree, and work with very prestigious universities in Paris. Columbia, Cornell, Yale, Northwestern, American and Tulane are just a few of the many law schools that offer dual degrees in cooperation with the Sorbonne and the University of Paris.
This dual degree is the best of both worlds. The first two years of your law school career you spend studying in your chosen law school in the United States, and then your last two years (yes, you'll have to sacrifice just one extra year for an opportunity to live in France) you will study law in Paris. By the end of the four years you will be fully prepared to take the bar exam both in America and in France. The title of attorney and avocat will grace your name. If you're interested in a career in international law, politics, working for the United Nations or even if you're just interested in gaining a new cultural experience and delving further into your academic knowledge of law, this dual degree is something you should think about as you study for the LSAT.
A few logistical things you need to keep in mind. All of these dual degree programs require that you are fluent in French. For those of you who have ever had the grand opportunity to peruse a law school book while studying for the LSAT, you can attest to the fact that, even in English, the material is dense and sometimes confusing; just think of how much trouble you'd have if you had to read it in a language you were less than familiar with! You can apply for the dual degree either as you apply to law school or during the spring of your first year in law school, so there's no rush!
Think it over. Baguettes are mighty tasty! Just thought I'd fill your minds with a nice little tid-bit of where your LSAT prep can take you. There are a myriad of things you can do with a JD, especially if you have two! Remember my little LSAT studiers, the world is your oyster, if you want to earn your JD while your Parisian poodle stares obediently at the croissant sitting on your Contracts book, then do it! Aurevoir!
Happy Studying!