Courtney Hammer graduated in May 2015 from Michigan State University. “For the past two summers, I have interned at FLOW (For Love of Water), a water law and policy nonprofit in Traverse City, Michigan. I also did a political internship with the Michigan Democratic Coordinated Campaign in the fall of 2014,” she said. “I plan to pursue a legal career that focuses on the inextricable connection between human rights and the environment.”

After looking at schools all over the country, Courtney made the decision to attend MSU Law for the academic opportunities it offers and the interactions she had with faculty, staff, and students throughout the whole admissions and decision-making process.

“Sitting down with the admissions staff and seeing how I could put together a curriculum that would allow me to pursue the areas of law that I am passionate about really helped me see myself continuing my education here,” she said. “Additionally, there is something truly special and genuine about the sense of community at Michigan State, and I knew that that was the type of environment I wanted to be in for law school.” 

To prep for the LSAT and get a baseline score, Courtney first took a free practice test that her undergraduate degree program offered in February 2014. “I then signed up for Kaplan's LSAT Advantage On Demand online prep course. This course was one in which you paced yourself through lessons, homework, and practice tests. I finished the course a few days before I took the June 2014 LSAT,” she said. “My major's curriculum was reading, writing, and research intensive, so I think that helped me prepare for law school.” 

Researching MSU Law was easy for Courtney. “Because I went to MSU for undergrad and had such a great overall experience, I naturally decided to research MSU Law. During the summer I began the application process; I spoke with attorneys at my internship and they all gave incredibly positive reviews of MSU Law. Also, the month before I made my decision, I set up an individual visit day with the admissions office which entailed, meeting with admissions staff, had coffee with a current student, and sat in on an actual class to gain a holistic perspective of MSU Law.”

Courtney also attended the Admitted Candidate Visit Program held at the end of March. “I think the experience I had that day is what honestly helped me ultimately choose MSU Law. The atmosphere was very welcoming, and it made me realize that MSU Law was the right fit for me,” she said.

She added, “Every interaction I had with members of the MSU Law community throughout both the admissions and decision-making process was positive. I felt the same sense of ‘Spartan family’ that I had during my time as an undergrad at MSU, and that was a big factor in my decision to attend MSU Law.”

 Courtney advises prospective students to have an open mind, and to treat the whole application and admissions process like a fact-finding mission. “You will feel more comfortable with your decision when you have done the research to find the school that best suits your needs, not only academically, but also personally,” she said.