What Law Schools Look For From Your Application

• Elements Considered for Admission
• GPA and its Relevancy
• Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
• Personal Statements and Supplements
• Letters of Recommendation
• Extra-curricular Activities

Contrary to popular believe there is actually more to your application than just your undergraduate grade point average and your LSAT score.  Granted they are probably the two most important parts of your application package, but the law schools attempt to create a balance between the quantitative aspects and the applicant’s qualitative assets.  Since top tier law schools receive so many “qualified” applicants, they are more likely to have to look passed the "numbers" in an application.  Less competitive schools on the other hand are just as concerned with looking passed the numbers as the top schools, but given the overabundance of applicants each year, all the law schools are capable of being selective; therefore, you must be sure to demonstrate to the admissions committee your ability to succeed in law school through opportunities such as your personal statement and letters of recommendation.

As I said before your GPA is very important for your application.  The unfortunate thing (unless you are looking at this website well before you will be attending law school) is that your GPA is probably pretty much set in stone as of now.  If your GPA is a 3.0 or higher you are definitely in good shape, but if your GPA is lower, you should concentrate on your stronger points in your application and maybe address why your GPA is what it is in a supplement letter.  If you do feel that this is something that you want to write about remember not to make “excuses” for your lower GPA because this is something the law schools will surely frown upon.

 Summer School

If you have taken any summer courses during your undergraduate career you must send your transcripts to the LSDAS.  Because it is summer it is very easy to slack off in these classes, but I suggest that you take them serious because your grades will be included in your cumulative GPA that the LSDAS will send to the law schools.

Pass/Fail Grades²

Pass/Fail grades are something that law schools feel distort the accuracy of the cumulative grade point average; the more the pass-fail grades the more inaccurate the GPA is of the applicant's abilities.  Because of this, many schools, whether warranted or not, will assume that an applicant chose this course because they were in danger of getting an undesirable grade or because the student wanted less work in that class.  Since assessing the meaning of pass/fail grades is difficult, it is advised that you primarily pick courses that offer conventional grading practices if you intend on applying to law school.

Requesting Transcripts^2,3

If you end up registering for the LSDAS you will have to send them your transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that you have attended.  You must use the forms they provide which can be found either in the LSDAS’ annual information book or on www.LSAC.org.  Take the form to the Registrar’s office and have them attach it to the transcript.  This ensures that LSDAS will be able to match the incoming transcript to your file.  Your transcript has to be official and sent directly from the school.  A copy of your transcript will be part of your LSDAS report and therefore will be summarized and sent to each law school to which you apply.  After the formation of your initial report you should sent updated transcript information to LSDAS if a new semester passes.  This new information will be incorporated into your file and the schools will receive an updated version of your report.  It is suggested that you look at the transcript summarization policies in the LSDAS booklet for grade conversions and other issues pertaining to your transcript to better understand how your GPA will be calculated by this service (which may differ from your university’s methods).

The Law School Admission Test consists of 101 multiple-choice questions, which is required for students who are applying to law school.  The LSAT is given to provide law schools with a standardized score that measures the potential success of the applicant in law school. The test is administered by the Law School Admission Council and is composed of five 35-minute sections, one of which is experimental, and finally a writing sample.  The LSAT tests logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, and reading comprehension.  The LSAT is scored on a scale of 120-180 with an average score of 150.  Once you receive your score you are also given a percentile rank, which is used by the law schools to determine where your score places you in comparison to the rest of the applicants.  Four times a year, February, June, October, and December, the LSAT is administered.  You can register for the LSAT through the LSAC website for $108.  There you can also find the exact test dates, cancellation policies, and study materials.  I highly suggest that you take a commercial preparation course such as Princeton Review or Kaplan in order to familiarize yourself better with the dynamics of the exam.⁴

When to Take the LSAT²

As long as you meet the appropriate deadlines for each school, you can take the LSAT at anytime.   From what I have gathered, the most ideal time to take the test would be the June before you are applying.  More importantly though, you must make sure you are prepared and ready to take the test.  Allow yourself 4-6 months of preparation.  Most schools, unless applying early, accept scores up until December of the year preceding anticipated law school admission.  Much fewer schools accept scores from February, which is why you will need to check each school’s deadline before deciding when to take the LSAT.      

Retaking the LSAT²

If after taking the test once you decide to retake it, you need to check all the catalogs or websites of the schools to see what they do with multiple LSAT scores.  The practice varies greatly between each school, ranging from taking the highest, taking the most recent, or averaging (probably the most common).  All scores will be reported to the law schools, to a limit of 12 previous reportable test results.  Additionally, photocopies of all your writing samples are sent to the law schools.  Take them seriously for if an admissions committee is torn between you and another applicant they may resort to the writing samples.

Links to more LSAT information

For more information on the LSAT please visit

1) LSAC.org

2) PrincetonReview.com

3) Kaplan.com

4) Your Pre-Law Advising office

5) Home LSAT Audio Tapes - Home-LSAT.com

When writing your personal statement you have to concentrate on what you say, as well as how you say it.  To ensure that your message is not misunderstood, you must write in a coherent, logically grammatical way.  Since many schools do not offer interviews, you should consider your essay as close to the real thing as possible.  It is your only chance you will have to come in contact with a person and express to them who you really are.  You need to convince the admissions committee of your reasoning as to why you want to pursue a legal education.  You should also express what experiences in your life make you feel that a legal profession would suit you well.  Try to focus on qualities about yourself that will make you stand out among thousands of others, and that may not be  available from the application in any other form than a personal statement.  Many schools require the personal statement as a way to construct a diverse and interesting class. 

A few obstacles you may encounter when constructing your personal statement involve carbon copying and proofreading.  Some of the most common errors in an applicant’s statement are “cookie cuttering” it.  You may certainly write one essay and remold it for each school, but I advise you to do so cautiously.  Admission officers are likely to sense if the essay was not edited for that particular school.  You can write a general essay, but sure to tweak it for each law school to which you are applying.  Note: Remember to have the correct law school name in your essay.  I know this may sound obvious but it is a common mistake made by applicants when they use the same essay for each school.  Just as important, you must proofread your work extremely well.  Besides relying on your own proofreading skills, ask a friend or advisor to read over your work.  You will be surprised how many errors you miss.  The personal statement needs to be focused and interesting, but above all grammatically perfect.  Having a flawless essay is essential, not only because it is a reflection of you, but also because careless errors can diminish the impression an otherwise well-written essay would make on a committee.

For some tips on how to begin your statement see Tips For Writing a Winning Personal Statement.

Just about every school will give you the opportunity to write a supplement letter.  Beyond your personal statement and everything else on the application, you can write this letter if you feel that there is something you would want to clarify or elaborate further on.  These statements offer you a further opportunity to tell your story.  Upward or downward trends  in grades are a common topic with the supplement letter.  If you do choose to write about your academic record, you don’t want to pass the blame.  Rather, you should take responsibility for it.  Generally your transcript says everything, but if there is something that relates to your academic performance that you feel is not well represented, or if you feel that you want to point out any inconsistencies, use the supplemental letter as an opportunity to  let the admission officers know.

Kinds of Recommendations^2,7

Choosing the right recommenders for your law school recommendations is very important.  This is not a time to be shy or to take chances. Go with someone that could provide you with a resource that can counter a possible weakness in another part of your application.  The people that end up writing your recommendations should know you well in your academic experience, leadership qualities, and work ethic.  In order to be a valuable aspect of your application, the recommendation should include specific information about you that may not be expressed otherwise.  The most valuable recommendations you can get are ones from professors.  They should be able to say something about the unique qualities you portrayed in their class.  Another useful recommendation may come from an employer and should express your exceptional personal qualities, achievements, and motivation in relation to your work.  When recommendations refer to specific experiences, they tend to be more influential in your application package.

When you are ready to meet with your recommender you should provide for them all the appropriate forms.  Make sure you supply all the envelopes, stamped and addressed.  One point to remember is that you should not give your form to a recommender and ask them to complete it in less than three weeks.  This may put your recommender in an awkward position, and ultimately leave a bad impression on them.  I suggest that you hand in your recommendation forms well in advance to alleviate any problems with timing for both you and your recommender.

In addition to recommendations from professors or employers you will need to have a Dean's Letter of Recommendation made up.  These letter can be written from someone in your pre-law advising office.  Not all schools require it, but either way, the pre-law advising office will send the recommendation to every school to which you apply.  The Dean's Letter is a formal review of your transcript, which must be formulated by someone in a position of authority.  This person must also have access to student records.  The point of this letter is to ensure the law schools that there are no hidden problems , and if there are, they can be identified.  Also, they point out your strengths in your performance.  Because of this, it is probably a good idea to get to know your pre-law advisor personally.     

Amount of Recommendations to Get

The amount of recommendations that you need to collect varies from school to school.  Some require two academic recommendations while others require none.  You need to check each school’s catalog to see what their recommendation procedures consist of. 

Where to Have Your Recommendations Sent^2,3

Where to have your recommendations sent is another question that can only be answered by looking through the catalogs of your selected schools.  Use of the LSDAS is certainly the easiest and most efficient way to organize your recommendations.  When sent to LSDAS your recommendations are grouped together with the rest of your report and sent out to each school to which you are applying.  When using LSDAS you must have their appropriate form filled out, signed, and it must accompany your recommendation.  These forms are available either on www.LSAC.org or in the LSDAS annual booklet.  When the law schools receive your letters of recommendation is dependent upon the desires of each school.  They may be sent when your file is complete (after two recommendations are submitted, along with your transcript and LSAT score) or at a later date.  Some schools require the use of this service while others prefer you to use their forms and have the recommendations sent directly to their school.  If you are sending a recommendation to only one school and do not want it sent to each school you are applying to, then you need to send it directly to the school itself.  LSDAS does not discriminate between law schools with your recommendations.   

Waiving Your Right of Access²

When you are filling out your recommendation forms you will come across a paragraph that asks if you want to waive your access to your recommendation (Buckley Amendment Waiver).  If left unsigned you will have access to all your letters of recommendations, revealing everything the law schools view.  Some schools feel that if you do not waive your access your recommenders may feel inclined to inflate their response because they know you will see their recommendation.  Most law school admission committees probably do not look to see if the applicant has signed the waiver.  If they do take notice, it is such a minor factor that you should not even think twice about it.

Just by being a member of a club or organization will not alone be a benefit to you with the law schools.  More importantly, you have to be able to demonstrate active participation, which will reflect your maturity, motivation, and leadership.  Holding a leadership role in your activities shows you have the ability to handle responsibility and will project initiative to the admissions committee.  What the law schools will consider is the depth to which you are involved, not your mere association with the organization.  The activities you choose do not necessarily have to be law-related.  If you do choose to pursue a law-related club or organization though, it can be a benefit to you in a couple of ways.  First, it could show the law schools you are committed to your interest in studying law.  Second, it may direct you to an area of law that may particularly interest you.² 

Internships/Work Experience²

If you are interested in an internship or some sort of other law-related work experience, check your school’s bulletin boards and publications.  Additionally, you should contact the proper college offices that handle internships, placements, student employment, and career services for job opportunities.

If you do something out of the ordinary your application will stand out upon the thousands of other students that are applying for the same spot in your desired law school. 

National Organizations²

Most pre-law advising offices sponsor certain law-related organizations that you may be interested in participating in.  These opportunities allow you to expand your knowledge of, and involvement in, the law.  You can find more information on these organizations from your Pre-Law Advising Office.  Some of the aforementioned organizations include:

1) AHANA (African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American) Pre-Law Association- A minority organization that sponsors events through your school, such as seminars, career fairs, and guest lectures.

2) Mock Trial Team- An organization that allows students to learn court procedures through simulated trials.  Students are able to participate in regional and national competitions.

3) Pre-Law Review- A student-run publication that offers students an opportunity  to write and publish articles about current issues in the legal profession.

4) Pre-Law Society-An organization that sponsors events through your school, such as seminars, career fairs, and guest lectures.

Community Service

Getting involved in your community is always a good idea and will do anything but hurt your application if your intentions are genuine.  Search your local newspapers or churches if you are interested in getting involved with some community service events.

Other Programs/Societies/Awards

Along with the pre-law advising offices’ sponsored clubs you should begin to lay the foundation for academic or scholarship honors as an undergraduate.  Get involved with any honor societies that you feel you would be interested in and of course qualify for.  Along with honor societies there should also be a plethora of other organizations run by your college, both law-related and not.  It is also advisable to look into any awards you may be eligible for, such as pursuing a senior thesis or setting the goal of being awarded Latin honors, to name but a few.

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