There’s plenty of good advice regarding when and how to apply to law school, with most experts suggesting that you start the application process by January of your third-year undergraduate college education.
Many law schools use rolling admissions processes, giving applicants who submit their applications early a greater chance of acceptance.
Fall
If you want to start law school this fall, applying between August and October should be your target date for application submissions. That is when application volumes peak and competition to gain admission may be fiercer. When this time comes around, be prepared with an LSAT score ready-for review application along with letters of recommendation in hand and your completed and ready-to-review applications submitted and complete!
Law school admissions differs significantly from undergraduate admissions in that most admissions teams make decisions about applicants on an ongoing basis. Therefore, to increase your odds of consideration from admissions teams it’s wise to submit applications by October 28th at the latest if possible.
By February’s end, most law schools will have accepted their entire class for fall admission and may begin placing people on waiting lists. Furthermore, most merit-based scholarships for the year have already been exhausted, meaning you’re more likely to apply to schools with smaller scholarships than had you applied earlier in the year.
If you are applying to schools offering spring semester starts, your application should be complete by November or December at the latest. Furthermore, take the LSAT in either summer or fall before taking another LSAT and getting letters of recommendation ready.
If you’re considering law school, the ideal time and place to begin planning for its admissions process is during your junior year of college. That will give you plenty of time to be ready when the fall of senior year rolls around; hopefully with your hard work and luck combined you could start law school next fall!
Winter
The winter law school application cycle typically begins in September when applications open, when students can submit and complete their applications as well as take or retake the LSAT, as needed. Additionally, this period provides ample opportunity to conduct research into prospective schools and prepare for interviews should any arise.
No matter when law schools set their application deadlines, applicants should strive to have all applications submitted by November. This allows the admissions committee time to review them prior to Thanksgiving and make decisions by December. It will also give plenty of time to work on any necessary supplemental materials like diversity statements and personal statements; writing these pieces requires significant thought and multiple drafts; the sooner you write these pieces the better they’ll turn out! It is also beneficial if other people review your personal statement to make sure it accurately represents you as an applicant.
Applying early may also increase your odds of receiving merit scholarship money. Many schools award merit scholarships on an ongoing basis, so the sooner in the application process that you submit an application, the higher your chance is of receiving funding – this is particularly true at schools rated highly in US News and World Report where seats available and applicant quality tend to be greater.
But unlike undergraduate schools that tend to set application deadlines and review applications on a strict timeline, law schools operate differently: they accept applications on an ongoing basis until their classes have filled up, making acceptance possible even if you apply in February, provided you possess impressive GPA and LSAT scores. That being said, top law schools recommend applying by November at the latest if possible in order to secure scholarships and gain admission into your desired school unless applying early decision – in which case its deadline will come sooner.
Spring
Law school admissions differ significantly from undergraduate admissions in that applications are evaluated continuously throughout the application cycle. Therefore, applicants who submit early have a greater chance of acceptance and more competitive scholarships opportunities; this is particularly applicable if a student intends to attend one of the top-ranked law schools; spaces tend to fill quickly early on in this regard.
The spring semester is an excellent opportunity to start working on your law school applications. Begin by gathering information from schools and learning more about their “highlight reel” and what they value in students. Next, fill out applications ensuring a complete and polished version is submitted; take or retake the July LSAT; write/revise personal statement/application essays keeping best practices in mind while working through process; also request letters of recommendation as needed and consider filing FAFSA if applicable if not yet done so.
Even though many schools remain open for admission well past February, the sooner you apply the better your chances are of success. In general, for fall entry applications you should submit them by April at the latest.
Take advantage of open houses, orientation sessions and other events for admitted student to get an idea of life after entering a program. This can help you make an informed decision regarding where and how you want to spend the next three years, and can ease the transition into law school. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to ask any final-minute questions that arise regarding either the process or your new school. Finalize housing arrangements (if necessary), and verify that all application materials have been received by schools (i.e. LSAC verification of transcript submission and official versions of recommendations requested from schools).
Summer
If you are applying to law school immediately following your undergraduate graduation, then the summer should be your most critical period for research and application essay writing. By then, you should have identified a handful of schools that might suit you based on factors like application deadlines, LSAT requirements, application essays due dates etc. Now is also a good time to use resources such as databases, guides or forums hosted by either your undergraduate institution or LSAC to assist your efforts.
Fall is when applications open up at law schools. Since admissions committees typically evaluate applications on an ongoing basis, you should plan to start your application between September and October at the latest; earlier applications increase your odds of acceptance as well as scholarship opportunities.
At this stage, you should have completed your law school list and formulated an understanding of which GPA and LSAT scores you require to compete for each law school on it. Furthermore, you have probably begun working on your personal statement or any additional essay prompts such as diversity statements or addendums that might need completing. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time for this task, having smart people review and edit any rough writing as poorly-written essays can often be the cause for rejection among otherwise well-qualified applicants.
Before applying to law schools, it’s also a good idea to register with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS). For a fee, CAS will gather all your official transcripts, letters of recommendation and LSAT scores before sending them directly to law schools you are applying to. Most American Bar Association-accredited law schools require this service.
Decide whether you will apply early decision or regular decision before beginning the application process. If opting for early decision, applications must be submitted no later than November – three months ahead of the regular decision deadline.
