Applying to law schools can be a mysterious and daunting task. There are rankings, scores, essays, recommendations and numerous human factors involved. Sometimes the steps seem pointless and the decisions appear arbitrary. With this book, Montauk attempts to take some of that mystery out of the process by providing concrete information on what the schools are looking for and specific advice on how to give yourself the best chance possible. He succeeds admirably.

I found the most valuable feature of the book to be the quotes from law school admission staff members at various schools. Virtually every topic includes input from admissions counselors and directors. And these aren't people from "Joe's J.D. Mill." They work at the top law schools in the nation. These are the people who make the decisions about who gets in to a top school and who doesn't. Their candid advice is invaluable.

As a whole, the book is well-written and informative. Some portions may be redundant to people who have already done a significant amount of research on law schools and the admission process. But it's all good information and it's useful to have it in one place.

While I don't recommend using this book as your sole source of advice, it's a fabulous starting point. If you're serious about going to law school, buy this book. It's well worth the price.

Richard Montauk, J.D., is a former corporate lawyer and the founder and president of Degree of Difference, a firm specializing in the admissions process.