Admissions to law school operate on a rolling basis, meaning schools evaluate applications as they arrive. Submitting early could give you an edge over later applicants.
Law schools look for students who are driven, engaged and determined to make a difference in their community and the world. Show law schools this by sharing leadership positions you’ve held or results achieved from extracurricular activities.
Fall
Many law schools begin accepting applications in the fall, typically August through September or even as late as October. Early application can increase your odds of receiving merit scholarships and acceptance into law school.
Step one in applying to law school involves taking the LSAT. This test is administered four times annually: February, June, September/October and December. At least once before you submit your application you should take it; most people need several months of preparation time.
Once you’ve taken the LSAT, it is necessary to submit your scores and documents through LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) so each school receives all of their materials on time.
As soon as your materials have been received by LSAC, you can begin working on your applications. Each school may require different information from you; to make sure everything goes smoothly with yours before submitting any.
Your application requires two letters of recommendation from individuals who know you well and can offer insight into your experiences, abilities, and potential. These can come from professors, coaches, supervisors, community leaders or spiritual guides whom have had direct interaction with you.
Letters of recommendation will help the admissions committee gain an understanding of your personality and character. They provide insight into your strengths, weaknesses and overall fit with Law School.
Notre Dame Law School stands for inclusion, belonging, cultural humility and dialogue – values which reflect in our mission of providing everyone access to education and resources. Applicants who apply are strongly encouraged to include these ideals when writing their “Why NDLS?” statements.
At UW Tacoma Law School, admissions decisions are typically determined by an Admissions Committee that reviews each applicant’s complete application and personal statement. This Committee seeks to ensure that applicants have both academic preparation and motivation needed for success in our rigorous program, while meeting our community’s stringent standards. While LSAT scores and undergraduate GPA are taken into consideration by this body, other factors like letters of recommendation, community involvement activities, extracurricular involvements as well as military or employment histories also come into play when making admission decisions.
Winter
Law school admissions usually open between August and October, making this period the optimal time for applications and submission of an LSAC Credential Assembly Service report before rolling admissions processes begin. Furthermore, this window of time gives applicants plenty of time to review all their options and decide which schools to apply to.
Students taking this approach typically start preparing their applications early, including gathering their materials, creating an application packet and proofreading essays before submission deadlines arrive.
Start a law school study group and become engaged with student life at your law school to broaden your professional network and meet like-minded classmates with similar career aspirations.
Law schools also provide academic and professional development support services for their students, such as counseling sessions, access to job-search software platforms, networking events and even ordering professional business cards.
With enough time on your side, law school preparation will become much simpler. You’ll have ample opportunity to complete your application, practice for the LSAT and negotiate scholarships offers from different law schools.
Take advantage of a summer exploratory program at law schools before applying to one. It can help you determine whether law school is right for you while giving you an idea of the campus and professors.
Some law schools offer an Early Decision process, which can shorten your application timeline significantly. But applying Early Decision does come with its own set of risks.
Assuming you are accepted to one school, if accepted you will need to withdraw all other applications to other law schools – though this might seem restrictive it can actually be advantageous if an applicant knows they want to attend that particular law school.
Applying Early Decision may limit your ability to negotiate merit scholarships – an integral component of law school aid packages. Furthermore, certain law schools will only accept Early Decision applications if enough applicants have applied already to fill their class.
Spring
Most law schools open their admissions windows each fall, though some schools offer flexible spring and summer start dates to give prospective law school applicants more time to make a decision or have other plans that prevent them from beginning in September.
If you are considering applying to law school, start by brainstorming all of the criteria that matter most to you and narrowing down your list of potential options based on these criteria – everything from who will attend school with you to where it would be located.
Once you have identified schools that meet your criteria, the next step should be conducting extensive research on each one and learning their admission requirements – LSAT score needed, letters of recommendation required and anything else relevant. You can use Law School Admission Council (LSAC)’s online resources and guidebooks for helpful insights.
Start off your application preparations by registering with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS). This service assembles transcripts, LSAT scores and letters of recommendation into an official report for easy submission of applications at ABA-accredited institutions. A fee will be assessed but it’s well worth paying it as this ensures all admissions requirements have been fulfilled.
Before applying for financial aid, file the FAFSA. This application opens October 1 (it used to open January 1) and should be completed quickly to make sure that you qualify for all available federal financial aid funds.
The LSAT will typically take place in October or December, so make sure you’re well-prepared by beginning to study for it early – ideally as soon as summer has started!
Before applying to law school, it’s essential that you conduct as much research as possible and take your time in making decisions and planning for a positive experience. Doing this will allow you to make the best possible choice and prepare you for an enjoyable journey through law school.
Summer
As a first-time law school applicant, summer can be an ideal time for you to submit an application. Many schools remain open past their formal deadlines and some even offer early decision options or binding decisions to expedite admissions processes.
Summer is an excellent opportunity to begin building your law school list and identifying which institutions best match your academic and professional interests. This process should include creating a balanced list of target schools which include both safety and midrange schools as well as more ambitious options based on LSAT scores and GPA requirements.
By doing this, it will help you narrow down which applications and questions to address in your essays, while giving you the chance to take practice LSAT tests and work on creating your personal statement.
By August’s end, you should have created a comprehensive list of target law schools for next fall’s admissions cycle. This will be invaluable when planning summer activities such as taking the LSAT exam and compiling recommendation letters.
Professors and employers that could write recommendation letters for you during the summer should be approached early on in their vacation periods to inform them when your letters will be ready to submit to law schools.
Communication between yourself and your recommenders must be clear and direct for optimal results. Send them your application packet so they can offer their feedback directly.
Remind yourself that many schools now offer summer-start programs that enable you to begin attending your law school of choice as soon as the summer following graduation – this could be ideal if your schedule is demanding, or if you wish to quickly jump into classes after graduating. It allows enough time for adjustment while still being challenging enough that everyone gets along well!
