Benjamin Bomber is the oldest of three children and lived his entire life in Vancouver, WA. “However, I have traveled extensively to other countries,” he explained. “I've spent time in China, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain, and the Dominican Republic. I spent some time in the Peace Corp after undergrad. In my spare time I read, play the violin, and play bridge and soccer.”

Benjamin decided to attend law school because he wanted new experiences, and the opportunity to live outside the Pacific Northwest. He chose MSU, in part, for its generous scholarship and the opportunities it offers in International Law and immigration.

To prepare for the LSAT, Benjamin bought a practice book and took lots of practice tests. To prepare for law school as an undergrad, he took classes focused on policy, which would translate better into law. “Also, International Studies was both writing and reading intensive, which helped me with the workload in law school,” he said.

In researching MSU Law, Benjamin checked law school rankings. “I also read a lot of the material that MSU Law sent me after I had taken the LSAT. I talked to my namesake, who lives in East Lansing with his wife, about his thoughts on the school and the area. He is a professor at the University of Michigan medical school and his wife is at MSU medical school.” 

Benjamin also utilized MSU Law’s webinars. “They had a lot of helpful information. It was also nice that they were recorded. Because I live on the west coast, the times were not usually convenient for live streaming.”

When Benjamin visited MSU Law, it was his first time traveling to Michigan. “I was glad to get the chance to visit before committing to coming across the country,” he said. “It was nice being put up with other prospective candidates since I got to talk to some of them about where they were coming from. I also liked the meet and greet before the program started, where we had the chance to meet current students; it was nice to talk and ask questions of them on a more intimate level.”

During his visit, Benjamin had the opportunity to speak with several professors. “I also enjoyed talking to David Sheaffer who is now a 2L. He is also from Washington, so he was able to give me a lot of information about what the adjustment would be like,” Benjamin said. “I would advise any prospective students to talk to current law students and make sure this is something you want to commit to. I'm not going to say it is not a lot of work, but if you’re willing to push through, the community here makes it worth the effort.”