CHAPTER 10.2 
LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS 

LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION
TOPICS
 

 
TOPICS
  • ADVICE
  • LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION
  • TIMETABLE
  • FULL DISCLOSURE
  • ANTICIPATION
  • A COMPLETE LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION
                           

     

    LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION
    ADVICE

     
    • The appearance of your application is important; type all your applications.  .
    • While filling out each law school application, carefully read the directions making sure that they are adhered to exactly.  .
    • Fill out each question completely even if the information appears elsewhere.  .
    • If a questions does not apply, write NA (not applicable) rather than leaving spaces blank   .
    • Prepare your application carefully making sure that all responses are clearly, completely, and concisely written and making sure that you signed in all the appropriate places. .
    • If you run out of room answering any question on the form, use a separate sheet of paper; be sure to put your name on it and indicate which question you are supplementing.  .
    • Law school admission is on a rolling basis. Applying early may increase your chances of being admitted and, no matter what the decision, early application may lead to early notification.  .
    • Law school applications should be completed by Halloween or, by the latest, Thanksgiving. Harvard recommends as soon as possible after September 15.  .
    • For your records, in an orderly and systematic fashion, keep track of all law school application details; this implies duplicating all forms, applications, and correspondence related to your law school applications. Keep track of the date or dates the law school applications were sent.and pay careful attention to all deadlines.   .
    • Nearly all ABA-approved law schools require that applicants use Law School Data Assembly Services.    .
    • If necessary or desirable, consider including an addendum or resume with your application.  .
    • You are responsible for making sure that all law school application materials are sent on time to the law schools.   .
    • Do not assume that you will be contacted if some item of your law school application is missing; this applies to the law schools to which you applied and LSDAS.   .
    • You may wish to send all important mail (this includes application and seat deposit after acceptance) certified mail/return receipt requested (the cost is less than $5.00); this should alleviate anxiety and provide proof of mailing.   .
    • Sometime after you mailed your application material  (but before the application deadline!), call each law school to which you have applied to be sure that your file is complete. Then, wait to receive written confirmation of your completed law school application from the admissions office.   .
    • Applicants may receive decision letters as early as November.   .
    • Applicants who are wait-listed may receive a decision letter or phone call as late as early August.  

     

    LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS
    LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION

     
    New College  (of Florida) Pre-Law Handbook offers the excellent advise, "When completing applications, be sure to meet all deadlines, complete all forms, answer all objective questions (if the questions don't apply, put NA rather than leaving spaces blank), and repeat information rather than referring the reader back and forth. A quick way to damage your chance of admission is to show that you do not read and follow directions carefully. Be sure to type all applications. Fortunately, this is made easy in most cases by law school applications that can be completed online."
    The University of Virginia Prelaw Services give some useful advice: "Be thorough when completing paperwork. Do not rush the process. Check and DOUBLE-CHECK all information to ensure accuracy and neatness. To eliminate guesswork on the part of admissions staff and reduce the chance for error, include your social security number [or perhaps just the last four digits] on ALL forms, correspondence, etc. and complete every area of information which applies. PHOTOCOPY each application before you mail them to law schools. TYPE applications."  
    Johns Hopkins University The Law School Option makes some good suggestions: "The law school application process is long and complicated. There are many opportunities for mistakes to be made. Start early to allow for delays and assume nothing. If you don't hear from LSDAS or a law school you have applied to, call and verify that your application or registration has been received. You are in charge of your own destiny. The Prelaw Office, your faculty, parents and friends will offer support, encouragement and information, but you, and only you, can complete the application process."

    When you are ready to apply for law school, you can fill out your applications through the LSAC website. The LSAC has created an on-line application process called "LSACD on the Web." All ABA-approved law schools provided their official application for use in the LSACD on the Web and welcome applications prepared using this time-saving software. One benefit of this program is the "common application form." This form allows you to type in common information, such as biographic information, once, and the program will then place your answers in the appropriate section for each school's application. After you complete each school's application, you will electronically attach any necessary information (personal statement, resume, etc). You then have the option of submitting your application electronically, or you can choose to print it out and send it via mail. Remember to apply early!
              University of California (Merced) Law School Information

     

    LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS
    TIMETABLE

     
    Johns Hopkins University The Law School Option under the header "Do It Early/Assume Nothing" states that their conversations with law school representatives lead them "to believe that it is in your best interest to apply as early as possible to law school. Even though stated application deadlines fall anywhere between January 1 and May 1, it is advisable to get your application completed and in by November 15 or earlier. This will insure a careful and thorough reading of it before admissions officers are faced with the thousands of applications that they have had to deal with in recent years. Many law schools have rolling admissions procedures, allowing those applicants who apply early a better opportunity; October 1 is not too early for competitive schools with rolling admissions. Earlier applicants also have an advantage of being considered for scholarship and grant opportunities.   
    The University of Virginia Prelaw Services warns that, "Putting things off until the last minute will create a more hectic and stressful time for you and may cause you to make mistakes on your applications."  
    The University of Florida Pre-Law Handbook says that the senior year ''is the year you apply to law school. As soon as you come back to school for your senior year you should get yourself organized for the application process. ... It may help to make a list of all of the things which need to be completed for each application and a personal deadline for each of these items. Most law schools begin accepting applications on or about October 1st. Since law schools have a rolling admissions process, as soon as your file is complete the admissions committee can make a decision about your application, it is to your advantage to get your applications in as soon as possible. You can increase your chances of acceptance by sending in your application as early after October 1st as possible because your application may be compared with a fewer number of other applicants. Once applications are complete and sent into the law schools  [and received by the law schools], it's time to sit back, relax and wait for their decisions."  
    The University of Notre Dame Prelaw gives the following advice: "File your application in a timely manner. You should plan to have your applications completed and sent well in advance of the application deadlines. We recommend having them in the mail by Thanksgiving if you plan to be admitted for the following September. This will maximize your chances of acceptance, especially to schools with rolling admissions. As admissions committees begin to fill the available positions in a class, your odds of acceptance decrease with each new admittance before your application arrives."
         "You are responsible for making certain your letters of recommendation are sent in a timely fashion. Some applicants discover, even though they have filed their applications early, their files are delayed in the review process because the required letters of recommendation have not been received. This can seriously diminish their chances of acceptance, especially if they are already borderline."
     "You may wish to mail your applications ''return receipt requested'' to alleviate anxiety about timely receipt of your applications and to provide proof of filing. You may want to do the same when you mail in your seat deposit after acceptance."
         "Be certain to include a 'Law School Application Matching Form' from the back of the LSAT/LSDAS Registration and Information Book with each application. Law schools use it to obtain your LSDAS report from Law Services."  
    New College (Of Florida) states that "Many law schools use a rolling admission process, which means they evaluate applications and inform candidates of admission decisions on a continuous basis over several months, usually beginning in the fall and extending into mid-summer for candidates on a wait list. Due to rolling admissions, it is wise to apply as early as possible since the earlier you apply, the more spaces the school will have available. In addition, the more acceptances or rejections you receive from law schools early on, the better you will be able to make decisions such as whether to apply to more law schools or whether to accept an offer."  
    The University of Massachusetts Pre-Law Advising Office says that. "December 1st is the latest we recommend sending out your applications. Most law schools review applications on a rolling admissions basis beginning in late November or early December. It is to your advantage to be considered early before the incoming class begins filling up. Even if you are passed over in the first review, your file will still be considered a second or third time unless it is a clear-cut rejection."  
    The University of Florida Handbook warns that "If you are trying for admission to law school in the spring your deadlines will be different so make sure you know the spring application deadline for each of the schools you are interested in. Remember that not every school has a spring or summer matriculation so be sure to find out if the schools you are interested have one.''  
    Pre-Law Advising at Lowell House gives some advice: "Once you have decided to apply to law school, you should plan on getting your application in by the end of November at the latest. Admission is on a rolling basis and the earlier your application is filed, the better your chance for admission."  "Most law school  applications are similar and chiefly require: grades [transcripts] (for all academic institutions that you have attended), LSAT score, two professor recommendations, the College Certification/Dean's Letter [A form indicating your college academic and disciplinary standing], and a personal statement."

      

    LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS
    ANTICIPATION

     
    The Pre-Law Handbook at the University of Florida considers an interesting post-application problem: Anticipation. "Once your applications are in and your file is completed they can go to committee and you can be considered for admission. All of your hard work is done and now comes the easy part-the waiting and waiting and waiting. For some students the wait may not be that long. If your application is very competitive, you may find out you have been accepted to a law school before the Thanksgiving break depending upon how early your application was sent in. On the other hand, if you are not competitive for certain schools, you may find out you have not been accepted fairly quickly. The positive spin to this is that you may still have time to apply to another school you were holding back on. Most students, however, will be placed in that middle category where the law schools want to get a look at every eligible application before they make their final determination about the make-up of the class."  

     

     

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