How to Apply to Law School

Before you sign up to take the LSAT (or GRE) or start researching schools, consider your professional aspirations and what you intend to do with your law degree. Law school is both a financial and time commitment, but is also extremely rewarding. Is this the next best step for your academic journey? If it is, and you are confident that attending law school is necessary for your career goals, then you are ready to get started.

First and foremost, familiarize yourself with LSAC.org. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is the gatekeeper of all things law school, including the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and applying to law school. LSAC provides resources for prospective law school applicants as well as information about law schools you may be interested in. They host several recruitment events called Law School Forums where 100+ law schools participate to meet with prospective applicants.

Now it’s time to hit the books! Studying for the LSAT or the GRE should be your next priority. While the LSAT is still the standard-bearer for law school applications, the GRE is slowly becoming more popular. (Over 60 law schools now accept the GRE.) The LSAT is offered a limited number of times a year while the GRE is offered year-round. But whichever you choose, make sure you have enough time to be familiar with the material and then practice, practice, practice. It is not wise to rush studying or to go into either test unprepared. While most schools will take your highest score (if you take more than one), they will still see the record of all the scores you have received and consider them all. There is no “better” test between the LSAT or GRE, but it depends on which one suits your situation. Read our blog on deciding between the LSAT or GRE for more information.

Once you have registered for your test, it’s time to gather all the required documents and information for your application.

Be sure to read all law school application instructions very carefully. Every school has its own process and some may differ so it’s good to have all your documents gathered. All schools will need transcripts from every higher education institution you attended, including transcripts from community college credits. They will also require at least one letter of recommendation. The earlier you request transcripts and your letter(s) of recommendation, the better. Since you are relying on factors beyond your control, it is best to give plenty of time to the registrar office or your recommender to get those documents in. It also doesn’t hurt to email the admissions offices and request a fee waiver for their application. LSAC imposes its own fees when applying to schools and those typically will not be waived.

Once you have applied, you can check your status via your LSAC.org Account and through an online status checker that is sent to you once you submit your application. There you will find your most up-to-date status while you wait for a decision on your application. Check out this helpful infographic provided by LSAC for a more streamlined look at the application process.

By now you should be well on your way to applying for law school! Feel free to reach out to the Office of Admissions with any additional questions about the LSAT, GRE or the law school application process in general.