Recent Mercy University graduate Keyana Griffith was motivated to become a lawyer since her freshman year. Pursuing legal courses allowed her to venture into this profession in order to gain a deeper knowledge and love for the subject. Furthermore, her title as President of the former Public Service, Law, and Government Advisory Board allowed her to evolve and improve her character and leadership skills. More specifically, her true certainty for wanting to become a lawyer came from her experience as an intern for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Interning enlightened her to want to make a change in the criminal justice system. Together, these experiences have led her to her current mission of applying to law school. However, as many of us can relate, Keyana did not expect to be applying to law school during a pandemic. When conversing with Keyana, she emphasized how the pandemic has drastically changed her perspective when applying to law school. It caused her to have increased doubts about applying, when to apply, whether it be after the pandemic or not, and even changed her current income. Despite these persistent negatives, Keyana persevered through her amazing support system as well as developed her own self-motivation. Keyana stated: “While these doubts came to mind, I also just thought to myself, ‘Now, is the time do something with your life. To be the change that the world needs.’” Through thick and thin, Keyana managed her time and attention to the dedication of studying for the LSAT and the application process of law school. In fact, Keyana diversified her search for finding a LSAT tutor through Instagram. Various tutors have gone onto social media to market their services and outcomes to the general public. In addition, many accounts focus content on motivation and tips for aspiring law school students. Through diligent research, Keyana unlocked multiple resources through Instagram’s networking platform, allowing her to feel confident in preparing for the LSAT. Along with studying for the LSAT, Keyana has been faced with the application process for law school. Keyana mentioned: “There is a lot behind the application process for applying to law school. Ensure that you have letters of recommendation prepared and the list of schools that you wish to apply for. Lastly, law school is such a huge investment, so have that in the back of your head.” Overall, an important component of the application process and preparation for law school is networking. Whether it be with professionals or with the schools you are interested in, networking is a critical part of anyone’s professional journey as it opens doors, places you with individuals who have similar interests, and creates a strong foundation for your professional goals. A perfect example of the power of networking is Keyana’s internship at the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Through networking with a peer, Keyana discovered this internship which led to her success as an intern. While applying and preparing for law school during a pandemic is extremely challenging, just note, as Keyana said, “Start as early as you can. Network in order to increase your knowledge about law school. You never know how it could benefit you!”
