So, being a solicitor is the path for you, huh? You’ve prepared yourself mentally for the pain of vacation schemes, the legal practice course and training contracts? Damn you’re brave. Honestly the idea of getting a training contract these days seems like a fantasy. You’ve achieved your GDL or QLD and a 2.2 (but make sure to check your preferred uni’s requirements!).
One of the first things to know is that the LPC is expensive BUT taking a masters alongside the LPC, while being a painful concept, will help cover the costs, not entirely but hey, beggars can’t be choosers. Another way to minimise the expense is to consider the discount often provided if you do your postgraduate course at the same university that you carried out your undergraduate, this is sadly not possible for all universities. Other than that, my only other advice is prepare yourself for getting a job to fund it. Oh, and kiss your social life goodbye!
The LPC application is rather straightforward, you use LawCabs to choose up to 4 institutions you want to study at and follow along with their instructions. Easy! Except no, because now you must beg a teacher that knows you and likes you to write you a reference, and a glowing reference is even better so making sure to be on your best behaviour (i.e. turn up to class!).
Next, do you remember the pain of writing a personal statement for your undergrad? I certainly do, I wasn’t sure what degree I wanted to take so mine actually had to be so general it could be used for four different topics! I do not advise. Now if you’re applying for the LPC, there’s clearly only one topic you need to demonstrate a love of, the wonderful world of law! Talk yourself up, discuss why you love law, why you need to be a solicitor and how you deserve to continue your legal studies. My best piece of advice is to google an example personal statement, and don’t get too overwhelmed by what they have done, we aren’t all robots with impeccable work ethic, sometimes things get in the way of achieving all these accomplishments. Then you spend £20 submitting it and pray someone takes mercy on you.
The Law Student Diaries 