Before you start writing your law school application essays, it's important to pay attention to the precise wording of each essay question and make sure you are answering that question—not that other school’s question, and not the question you wish were being asked.

Edited on May 12, 2011 to add: LSAC has reversed itself and the date-change policy has changed again. Please see here for an update.

The December 2010 LSAT test date change (postponement) deadline is today (if you're changing the date by mail, phone, or fax) and Sunday (if you're changing the date online).

I recently had an interesting and impromptu email exchange with LSAT guru Steve Schwartz, author of the LSAT Blog, in which we discussed what happens if you miss the postponement deadline, and whether you should cancel your score or have your record show an absence.

I love the question a commenter asked in my last posting called "International Law: Believe the Hype?" Here I've been telling you not to fall for the "International Law" hype, but I haven't told you what areas of the law you should focus on instead. I'll address that here.

In a perfect world, people don't go to law school right out of college.

I've written previously about the obsession among law school applicants with "international law" (which they can't even define, in most cases), and how law schools are responding to that obsession by slapping the "international" label on everything possible and furiously peddling their study abroad programs.

The "international" label is a great marketing tool for law schools, and they are no doubt responding rationally to demand from applicants for whom they compete.

"I'm currently weighing options from different law schools and I have a choice between minimizing my debt at a good, but not 'famous' school or going broke for the brand-name. Talking to lawyers about this issue has just left me utterly confused, as about half say to avoid the debt and the other half say the branding is well worth the money."