Law School Application Process

LSAC

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is a nonprofit corporation whose members are 200 law schools in the United States and Canada. Of these, 185 law schools are located in the United States; 15 are in Canada. Headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, LSAC is best known for administering the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

Programs and Services offered by the LSAC:

• The Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
• The Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS)
• Candidate Referral Service (CRS)
• Law School Forums
• MILE Program (Minorities Interested in Legal Education)
• Publications, Software, and Videos for Legal Education Questions

LSDAS

The Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) provides a means of centralizing and standardizing undergraduate academic records to simplify the law school admission process.

Almost all ABA-approved law schools and several non-ABA-approved schools require that their applicants register for the LSDAS.

The LSDAS prepares and provides a report for each law school to which you apply. The report contains information that is important in the law school admission process. Your report will include:

• An undergraduate academic summary
• Copies of all undergraduate, graduate, and law school transcripts
• LSAT scores: Up to 12 exam scores are reported in the LSDAS report. Exam scores are averaged when more than one reportable score is on file.
• Writing sample copies: If more than one LSAT has been taken, photocopies of the last three LSAT writing samples are provided in the LSDAS report.
• Copies of Letters of Recommendation if processed by LSAC

Admissions Index

If desired by the law school, the objective measures of an applicant's background (LSAT and GPA) can be combined into a single number called an admission index, using a formula provided by the law school. The Admission Index is a single number obtained by applying a formula drawn from two predictors: undergraduate GPA and LSAT score. The index is produced by:

1. Mulitplying the LSAT score by some constant (A)
2. Multiplying the undergraduate GPA by some other constant (B)
3. Adding the sum of these two quantities to a third constant (C)

The law school determines the values of the constants A, B, and C. Please note that not all law schools use index formulas and those that do use index formulas may not use them in the same way.

Law school admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. This means that decisions are made as applications are received and reviewed. It is critical that you complete the LSDAS and submit your applications as early as possible.

Financial Aid

Money for law school is available, in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans. Law students finance most of their education through loans, either from the federal government or private sources—often both. The amount of aid you receive and the form it takes is largely determined by the law schools; therefore, the law schools to which you are applying should be your primary source of information.

LSAT

The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is a half-day standardized exam that is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school. It is comprised of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the five sesions contributes to the test taker's score. The unscored section is used to pretest new test items and forms. The test is divided into the following sections:

• 1 Reading Comprehension
• 1 Analytical Reasoning
• 2 Logical Reasoning
• 1 Experimental section (unscored section)

In addition to the five sessions, a 30 minute writing sample is administered at the end of the test.

Legitimate reasons for retaking the LSAT include:

• Significant discrepancy between college grades and LSAT scores.
• Taking the exam prematurely. (Inadequate preparation, i.e. studying)
• Serious illness or dire situation that affected your ability to perform well.
• Recommendation from a law school or admissions committee member that the LSAT be retaken.

It is suggested that applicants take the LSAT no later than December for admission in the following fall's entering class. Applicants are not permitted to take the LSAT more than 3 times within a two-year period.

More:

• Law School Application Timetable
• Law School Recommendation Letters

How Do I Write a Personal Statement?

The personal statement is generally regarded as the third most important aspect of your law school application (after your LSAT score and GPA). In a sense, it serves as your personal interview with the law school. Treat it as you would an interview: be polished, sincere, straightforward, and sell your strengths. Given its importance, you should devote considerable time to your personal statement. But make sure your time is well spent, and make sure you adhere to a few basic principles, as noted below:

Time Well Spent

The most common mistake a student makes is sweating for days and days over a draft of a personal statement instead of showing it to someone right away, at the idea stage. I have reviewed many personal statements that students labored on for hours that I considered unsalvageable. The problem is that, after the expenditure of so much time and emotional energy, a student is extremely disappointed to learn that his/her personal statement missed the mark, and he/she is too tired or reluctant to change it.

The lesson is: do not hold on to your personal statement as you labor over it. You need to share it, the sooner the better, so that you can find out whether your approach is interesting and convincing. Show it to someone who will give you a frank and honest opinion. You also need to have a bit of emotional distance from it; do not leave it until the last minute. You need to put it on a shelf for a few days so that you can look at it in a more detached manner when it's time to revise it.

Number of Drafts

Expect to do at least three drafts. You need to craft this thing, and that requires at least three edits.

Length

Adhere to the length requirements stated on each application. If none are stated, stick to 2 to 2 ½ pages, double-spaced. Virtually all pre-law advisors agree on this limit. If you exceed two pages, you had better have a good reason. Don't try to "cheat" by reducing the size of your font. Remember, your personal statement, in addition to being interesting, also has to be "user friendly." Don't make it hard to read by making the font or the margins too small.

Topics/Themes

The purpose of the personal statement is to make the readers on the admissions committee want you to join their next law school class. You have to find some way to show them that you would be a good addition to the class. Sometimes a law school will request that you write on a specific topic. If not, you will have to come up with your own topic. There are many possibilities, and I can't tell you the best one for you (that's why they call it a personal statement). However, here are some ideas that might make you attractive to the admissions committee and/or help you to craft a compelling personal statement:

1. Diversity: Not just racial/ethnic. A whole host of things can count as "diverse." Are you a resident of Michigan applying to a southern law school? Are you from a small Michigan town without lawyers? Many law schools want a class that represents as much of the state/nation as possible. Do you have a special talent or skill (a sport, a musical instrument, etc.)? What can you offer the school that will be unusual or uncommon among those admitted to the incoming class?
2. Overcoming Adversity: If you have struggled and achieved despite a tough situation, you have a story to tell. Examples would include overcoming a personal illness; a personal tragedy or setback, such as the death of a parent or sibling; living on welfare; being arrested or fired, etc. The key here is to explain how the adversity shaped your development and made you a better person. If it also prepared you for law school, that's even better. Warning: you need to choose this option carefully. Don't lie, or stretch the truth. Make sure your "adversity" really is an adversity. If the adversity had no positive affect on you, don't use it as the basis of your personal statement. Don't whine or complain. Blaming others probably isn't wise, either. You need to be even-handed and thoughtful as you discuss your life struggles.
3. Stories from Your Past. This is one of my favorite approaches to personal statements. It is helpful for those who are worried that they don't look distinctive or don't offer much to distinguish themselves from others in the applicant pool. The truth is, you ARE different and you DO have much to offer. The trick is to identify what your unique contribution is.
   
   Exercise: Think of stories from your life that were formative. Think of people in your life who influenced you in a significant way. Think about things you have seen and done that struck you as profound. List them. Now look at your list. Can you see any connections among these events? What are they? What do the connections tell you about yourself? What trait do they reveal? Is this a trait that makes you an attractive candidate for law school? Use the trait you identify as the theme for your personal statement, and use the events as examples.
   
   Alternative Approach: Pick a trait that defines you or, better yet, ask your friends to describe you. You might be outgoing, ambitious, caring, reflective, etc. Now prove it! What examples from your life would you offer to prove that you possess this particular trait or skill?
   
   Consider this Example: I had a Berkeley football player do the first version of the above exercise, and this is the list of events he came up with, along with his response to each event: (1) In grade school, he was not selected for the advanced reading group. His elementary school rival was, and she teased him about it. In response, he resolved to join the reading group by the next semester, studied hard, and did. (2) In high school, he didn't make the varsity football squad as expected. In response, he worked like a madman in the gym, lifted weights, etc. and made the team the next year. (3) In college, he played for Cal but blew out his knee his sophomore year. His football career was over, and he had a transcript full of Cs, Ds, and Fs. In response, he resolved to get an education and became an A/B student by graduation. He did.
   
   He wrote up these events in his personal statement. The theme was "determination." He showed how, when faced with a personal challenge, he could not only meet it, but excel. His drive and work ethic enable him to accomplish the goals he set for himself. The next goal he set for himself was law school. After reading his essay, one had no doubt that he would succeed in achieving that goal, too. He went to Georgetown.
   
   Skeptical? Now you may feel that "determined" folks are a dime a dozen. And maybe they are, at least among law school applicants. But although you share the gifts of intelligence and drive and ambition with other folks, each one of you came about them in unique ways. Moreover, you will use your law school education to apply your gifts in unique ways. So don't think of yourselves as typical, because you aren't. Your personal statements will reflect your differences.

Things to Avoid

One topic to avoid in writing a personal statement is: "I have always wanted to go to law school, as proven by the fact of my efforts on student government and my political science degree." Keep in mind that there are lots of people like this applying to law school. That's not a problem—law school is self-selecting for these types of folks. The trick is to find something else to say about yourself, too. Use these traits as examples, not as the theme of your essay. Also, you probably would be wise to avoid citing legal television shows as the reason you became interested in law school.

Another topic to avoid is the "Too Clever by Half Essays": Some people get overly creative. They write their essay from the perspective of their cat, or as a poem, or something along those lines. These essays can be very good, but you have to be very good to write an essay like this. Such an approach can easily backfire. If you think you can pull it off, go ahead, but I wouldn't recommend it. Also, do not submit it until you have run it by me or some other seasoned person who will give you an honest opinion about it.

In 2003, Janet Hein, Assistant Dean of Admissions at the University of Dayton School of Law, surveyed her admissions colleagues to find out, among other things, some of their pet peeves regarding personal statements. These included:

1. Do not base your personal statement on a quote from Emerson, Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson, or anyone else for that matter. It's an over-used device.
2. Be sure to respond to the specific questions asked by the school. Generic personal statements are less effective and less competitive.
3. Be sure the personal statement is well thought-out and executed. It should be an example of the applicant's best work.
4. Applicants who apply on-line should take the time to send in a hard copy of their personal statements. Many on-line statements arrive with garbled text and formatting problems that make them very difficult to read.

Writing Style

Whatever topic you pick, you should avoid telling the reader about yourself in a direct, conclusory manner. ("I am ambitious," "I am interested in helping the poor," "I have prepared all my life for law school," "I worked very hard at my internship," etc.) The problem with this approach is not so much that you are tooting your own horn—that's what personal statements are about, after all. Instead, the problem is that such essays are BORING. Moreover, lots of students write this way, so you won't distinguish yourself very much if you do, too.

A much better approach is to tell your story and let your reader draw his/her own conclusions. In the example above, my Berkeley football player never once said that he was "driven" or "determined." But if you read his essay, it screamed it in his examples. The reader was left with the clear impression that he was driven and determined, and that he would succeed. In short, you are better off letting your reader come to the conclusion—and the conclusion should be obvious by the time he/she reaches the end of your personal statement.

Hint: It is hard to avoid saying "I am" or "I plan" or "I did X, Y, Z," particularly when you get to the end of your essay and have to explain in conclusion why you want to go to law school. You can use constructions like these, but don't overuse them.

Since your essay is only about two pages long, you would be wise to limit it to one overriding theme. Do not try to say too much, or to cover too many aspects of your life. One theme, or two perhaps, is plenty. Do not try to overwhelm your reader by mentioning all of the significant things you've done in your life. Often, less is more. Remember, it is the quality, not the quantity, that counts.

Do not rehash your resume in your personal statement. The personal statement is a reflection of your personality and accomplishments, not a list of your qualities and activities. You can and should include a resume in your application listing the details of your honors, employment history, and the like.

Structure, Grammar, Other Issues

Your essay should adhere to all standard rules regarding good essays: it should have an introduction and conclusion; it should be easy to follow; it should not contain grammatical or spelling errors, etc. You would be wise to avoid complex sentence constructions and highly stylized writing unless you can do these things well. Proofread your statement several times, and then give it to someone else to proofread, too.

Do not use your personal statement to explain problems with your application. If you have things that you feel you need to explain (a low GPA at your first college, an arrest, a bad LSAT score because you had the flu, etc.), do this by typing up a separate statement. (Usually a short paragraph will do.) The exception would be if you chose this particular problem as the subject of your personal statement. (This is rare, but sometimes necessary. For example, I had another Berkeley student who was arrested for possessing a handgun on campus. He agreed to a plea bargain. Obviously he had some explaining to do, and he did so in his personal statement. He was admitted to a fine law school and now practices admiralty law.)

Final Thoughts on Personal Statements

At many schools, the representatives on the admissions committee read every single personal statement. Sometimes the pile of applications is split up among committee members; sometimes a single person reads every file. Regardless of how it is done, you can bet that the admissions committee members are staying up late at night, for many, many nights, reading hundreds of personal statements. Knowing this, you should be kind to your reader: like I said above, use standard fonts and margins, keep it clean and short, and above all make it interesting! You want to be the file in the big pile that wakes up a committee member at 2:00 a.m. because your personal statement is so touching, fascinating, well-written, convincing, or whatever other positive adjective you can use to describe it.

Law School Recommendation Letters

Most deans of admissions read each recommendation with three questions in mind: 1) How well does the writer know the applicant and the applicant's academic record? 2) What does the writer have to say about the applicant's abilities and characteristics which are important for success in law school and the profession? 3) In the final analysis, how enthusiastic is the writer's support for the candidate's admission to this particular law school? The answers to these questions are obviously interrelated, but for the purposes of this memorandum, it may be helpful to deal with them individually.

Most letters of recommendation will partially describe how well the writer knows the applicant. They usually contain brief descriptions of the size and number of courses in which the writer has worked with the student. Often absent, however, is a description of the kinds of formats in which the writer has seen the student perform. For example, did the student write a short answer examination at the end of the course or were there a number of papers to complete? Did the writer see the student respond in class on a regular basis? How much informal contact was there with the student outside of class? Most readers generally assume that the larger the class and the larger the institution, the less familiar a reference will be with the applicant. This assumption is frequently incorrect but an admissions committee will not realize it unless that is made clear. Writers will often say, "Mary's academic record speaks for itself." This, unfortunately, is not true unless one is familiar with the particular academic program. In short, all applicants with 3.8 grade point averages are not judged as being equal. Some students will have taken more challenging courses than others. Some faculty are more demanding than others. A particular admissions committee may not be aware of which courses are graduate level courses or which are part of an honors program. All applicants are asked to supply academic references with copies of their full transcript so that those who write may comment, to the extent they can, on the quality of the overall academic record.

There may be little to distinguish between the abilities and characteristics which law schools look for in comparison with those characteristics which other graduate academic programs seek. Legal education and the legal profession, however, do emphasize some skills over others and the following comments may help writers who are not familiar with these distinctions.

Language is the lawyer's working tool and the best law students are those who have the ability to write and speak with precision, fluency and economy.

Not only must the student be able to communicate his or her own thoughts clearly, but he or she must have the ability to read and listen carefully with an eye and ear for fine points and subtle distinctions.

Legal education demands well developed analytical skills and the ability to juggle multiple variables. Legal reasoning at one time or another involves deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, and reasoning by analogy. The best students can think independently, have the ability to cut through to the essentials, and can distinguish the relevant from the extraneous. Contrary to what many believe about the law, there are few clear and distinct legal rules. A tolerance for this ambiguity and the ability to recognize exceptions and qualifications which may modify general rules are characteristics of successful law students. In short, a reference should consider whether an applicant is likely to be stimulated or frustrated by questions where there are no "correct" answers.

The nature of legal education--large classes, competitive pressure, and substantial amounts of material to be mastered--may make some personality traits more important in law school than in other academic programs. Students will often learn as much from their classmates as from the faculty. Thus, interaction among students is an important feature of legal education and those who enjoy engaging in discussion in and outside of class are more likely to flourish in this atmosphere. The student who is intellectually alive and curious is more likely to sustain academic progress where there is little reinforcement between examinations. A student must be diligent and well organized to handle large quantities of material. A well developed sense of humor and a mature attitude are particularly helpful in adjusting to the pressures which many students will experience in law school.

Perhaps the most difficult task in reading a recommendation is interpreting the significance of such statements as "excellent," "outstanding," "highest recommendation," and "recommended without qualification." Such terms may indicate meaningful distinctions among applicants supported by the same writer, but a law school may not be familiar with the way in which a particular reference ranks applicants. This uncertainty can be compounded where an admissions committee receives a standard letter which is submitted to a number of different law schools. Is the degree of support directed to the most selective or the least selective of the schools to which the applicant has applied? Occasionally a committee member will know the faculty member writing a recommendation. In those situations it is generally easier to evaluate the degree of enthusiasm for a particular applicant. It is far more often the case, however, that the most significant contact with an institution will be familiarity with its graduates who have attended the law school in recent years. Thus, a comparison of an applicant with other graduates the Committee knows from the same institute may provide a more accurate assessment of the applicant's potential for success than the objective factors of the Law School Admission Test score and the undergraduate grade point average. In weighing the overall assessment made by a reference it is also helpful to know how confident the writer is of his or her own judgement about a particular applicant.

As law school admission committees are occasionally reminded by those who submit recommendations, the task of ultimately selecting the most promising students for a law school is the school's and not theirs. Helpful letters, however, can make this task easier.

Related Content:

• How to write a letter of recommendation for law school admissions
• Free Sample Letter of Recommendation for Law School Admissions

Law School Application Timetable

Junior Year
Make this your best year academically. Your acceptance to law school will depend to a great extent on your academic record. If you hope to go on immediately to law school after graduation, your junior year grades will be the most recently completed and thus reported.

Usually it is not a good idea to take the LSAT prior to June, but start reviewing old copies of the test and exploring the option of enrolling in a commercial test preparation course. Sample tests are available in the LSAT registration packets (available in the academic advising office, Ley Student Center) or in LSAT prep books (such as Barron's).

Do not write to law schools for catalogs and application forms until you return to school in August. Their printing deadlines for current year materials are late summer.

Continue to explore and learn about the legal profession by:

• reading articles, pamphlets, and books.
• talking with and observing lawyers.
• taking part in the law-related activities on campus.
• Start investigating law schools. Think about where you want to spend three years of intensive study. There are a number of variables to consider: location, size, prestige, cost, special programs, student body, chances of admission, etc. Again, reading and talking with others can help. Take advantage of the prelaw programs and the Houston Law Forum, which bring law school representatives to town. Visit prospective law schools during your travels.
• Give some thought to recommendations. Most law schools request two faculty letters. The most persuasive letters are often written by faculty who know you well and for whom you have done your best work. Consider taking another course from such professors.
• Now is the time to correct any remaining weakness(es) in your academic skills. If you are a slow reader, have a weak vocabulary, or possess mediocre writing skills, you might explore courses in a community college in your home town during the summer or you might take an additional English course.

Summer Between Junior and Senior Years

• Pick up an LSAT/LSDAS Registration Packet in the academic advising office. Read the packet thoroughly to make sure you understand all phases of the application process. This is the single most important step.
• Register for the LSAT and LSDAS.
• Read the Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools, if you have not already. Begin to develop a list of 10 to 15 law schools which, given your GPA and LSAT scores, offer a reasonable chance of your gaining admission. A few should be longshots, but most should be in the "more likely" range. It's also nice to have one or two "safe" schools. Most applicants wind up sending applications to 6 to 10 schools.
• Prepare for and take the LSAT. The advantage of taking the June test is that you will know your score before August and can better select an appropriate range of law schools. You will also have time to register for and retake the test in the fall if your performance is not up to par. If the June test is not convenient, plan to take the October test. The june test also allows for early application deadlines.
• Develop a system for keeping track of all the registration and application details. Duplicate all forms, applications, and correspondence for your own records.
  

Senior Year

• First request applications from law schools using the postcards in the LSAT/LSDAS packet.
  
• Make an appointment with the prelaw advisor to discuss your plans.
  
• Pull together ideas for a personal statement or essay. Begin drafting and revising.
  
• Conclude arrangements for your letters of recommendation.
  
• Use the transcript matching forms in your LSAT/LSDAS packet to request that the registrar send your transcript to LSDAS.
  
• Obtain financial aid applications (available from the financial aid office) if you intend to apply for financial aid.
  
• Investigate other financial aid possibilities.
  
• If you are uncertain about the strength of your credentials or the advisability of retaking the LSAT, make an appointment with the prelaw advisor.
  
• Finalize and send your applications (with the Law School Matching Forms in the LSAT/LSDAS Packet) to law schools before Thanksgiving, if possible.
  
• Double check everything. By mid-January, make sure the law schools received your applications, your LSDAS reports, and all letters of recommendation.
  
• Wait and hope.
  
• Once admitted, send a deposit to reserve your space in the entering class.
  
• After hearing from all law schools, but before graduation, let the prelaw advisor know your results and decision.
  
• Let your recommenders know of your application results.
  
• Arrange with the registrar for a final copy of your transcript to be sent to the law school you will attend.

Related: Law School Financial Aid Timeline and Checklist

Law School Exam

The Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT, is designed to assess skills considered necessary for success in law school. It does not measure your familiarity with certain subject material, but rather your ability to understand and analyze new information, organize your findings, and draw logical inferences from them.

When should I take the LSAT?

The LSAT is offered four times a year: June, September/October, December, and February. Do not take the LSAT until you have prepared for it! Your best strategy is to get prepared and take it only once.

The best times to take the LSAT are in June after your Junior year and in October of your Senior year. The June exam leaves you time for a retake in October if necessary. However, when you retake the LSAT most law schools will average your old and new scores together. It is a better strategy to spend enough time getting prepared the first time, then to take it before you are ready and plan to do a retake. The October exam date leaves plenty of time for preparation over the summer, and your scores will be reported well before admission decisions are made. The December date is too late for some law schools - especially if you are hoping for early admissions. The February date is entirely too late, unless you are trying to get a head start on the next year.

How do I sign up for the LSAT?

LSAT Test Dates - official site.

2004 test dates:
Monday, June 9, 2003
Saturday, October 2, 2004
Monday, October 4, 2004 (Saturday Sabbath Observers only)
Saturday, December 4, 2004
Monday, December 6, 2004 (Saturday Sabbath Observers only)

Register online for the LSAT at lsac.org.

Law School Admissions Essay

1. Letters of Recommendation – Virtually all law schools will require you to submit letters of recommendation. Check the requirements of the law schools you are applying to for specific requirements. If you are currently in an undergraduate program, letters from professors are strongly recommended. That means you should begin to get to know your professors as soon as possible. The better you know your professors, the more personal a letter they will be able to write on your behalf. Ask questions in class, visit them during office hours, and take advantage of any opportunity to work with them in small group settings. Other possible letter writers include: Lawyers and Judges, Politicians, Employers and Supervisors. It is not advisable to ask a prominent person whom you do not know well to write your letter. It is much better to get a strong endorsement from a professor who is familiar with you and your work rather than a form letter from a senator who gets dozens of requests every year. If you have been out of college for a number of years, check the admissions materials to see what is recommended as a substitute for college professors. It is not a disadvantage to be older (especially if you have work experience).

2. Transcripts – Grade Point Average (GPA) is an important factor in law school admission. Remember that it is not the only factor. A student with a 4.0 GPA and nothing else may not be as attractive to admissions committees as a person with a low GPA, a strong LSAT score, strong letters of recommendation, extra curricular activities, work experience, public service experience, and other factors that make a well rounded candidate. You will have an opportunity to explain a low GPA in the personal statement if there are other factors that contributed to it.

3. Personal Statement – This portion of the application package is arguably the most important section. If you have competitive scores and GPA, this is your opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest of the applicants and allow the admissions staff to get to know you on a more personal level. Likewise, if your GPA and scores are not as high as you would like them to be, this is an opportunity to sell yourself as a potential student and explain factors that may have contributed to the situation (a death in the family, prolonged illness, crime victim, English not first language, etc.). As with everything else, you should check your admission information for specific instructions on how to approach the personal statement. Some schools may want you to answer specific questions, and others may not give any instruction. Most schools want to know why you are choosing law as a career, and why their particular law school fits your needs. In any case it is a good idea to get help writing your statement. Make sure you are using proper grammar and spelling. Have other people who know you well read the statement and critique it. There are books available to help you write an effective personal statement, although you should be careful following a canned outline to still make it a “personal” statement.

Law School Admissions GPA

1. Grade Point Average – GPA is one of the key portions of the application package so you should do all that you can to improve your GPA as early as possible. If you plan to enter law school the Fall after you graduate from college, you will have to apply during your Senior year which means your Senior year grades will not be on the transcript that the law school evaluates. Do not be discouraged if you have a low GPA. Admissions committees will look favorably on significant improvement shown from year to year even if the overall GPA is relatively low. You may also draw attention, in your personal statement, to specific areas of improvement, or areas in which you have excelled. If grades are entered on your transcript after your application package is mailed, be sure to have the registrar send off an up to date (official) copy of your transcript for the admission committee to add to your application file.

2. Academic Load – Law schools do not require you to take certain classes as an undergraduate. You are free to pursue any academic major before you apply to law school. The most common undergraduate degrees of law students are: Political Science, History, English, and Philosophy. These majors share the common element of requiring students to read a lot of information and write papers frequently. The more your chosen major challenges you to improve your reading and writing skills, the better prepared you will be for law school. That being said, there are plenty of students in law school who have studied Engineering, American Indian Studies, Journalism, Drama, Psychology, and other fields which may seem unrelated to law.

Any classes that make you read, write and analyze material will be helpful in law school. Although they may be helpful, do not feel that you need to take undergraduate classes concerning law subjects (many political science programs offer constitutional law for example) in order to improve your chances of being admitted. Remember that the admissions committee will see your full transcript, not just your GPA. If you only take “fluff” classes to boost your GPA, it will be apparent on your record.

3. Extra Curricular – No law school requires you to participate in extra curricular activities. However, it certainly doesn’t hurt, and it may just be the thing that sets you apart from the rest of the applicant pool. It doesn’t really matter what you participate in: student government, Indian student association, community/public service, pre-law, mock trial, speech, business club, drama, etc. You will especially want to point out any leadership experiences you have had with those groups.