The Pros and Cons of Applying Early Decision: Law School Edition

• While admission through the ED process is not necessarily easier, ED applicants are the first group of files reviewed by the admissions committee. At this early stage in the admission cycle, no seats in the class have been filled and the pool of merit scholarship funds remains full.
• Fact: The UB School of Law’s selectivity rate (percentage of those admitted) for ED candidates is typically very comparable to the selectivity rate for regular decision candidates.
  

•  The ED applicant pool is smaller than the regular decision pool. While the committee seeks candidates who are academically prepared for law school, at this point in the admission cycle, applicants are not in competition with the greater applicant pool for limited remaining seats and scholarship dollars.

•  ED applicants receive their admissions decisions earlier than regular applicants. This may reduce the stress and uncertainty of waiting for months.
• Tip: Keep in mind that ED applicants can still get waitlisted or deferred to the regular decision pool. ED candidates who find themselves on the waitlist are no longer committed to enrolling if admitted later in the admissions cycle. 

•  Applying ED shows that you are particularly interested in the law school, which can positively influence the admissions committee’s decision.

• Our ED process is binding, meaning should you be admitted through the ED process, you are required to accept the offer of admission and withdraw any pending applications with other law schools. Therefore, you should only apply ED to one school—your top choice. If you have a shortlist of schools you’re interested in and want to compare potential offers, then applying ED may not be suitable for you.
• Caution: Backing out of an ED offer is highly discouraged and can have serious repercussions.

•  ED applicants may have less time and leverage in negotiating merit scholarship packages since they are committed to attending if accepted and required to submit a tuition deposit much earlier in the admissions cycle.
• Tip: Every law school is different. Inquire with your top school about merit scholarship awards for ED candidates.

• UB’s ED application deadline is November 15. If you have concerns about any aspect of your application (e.g., personal statement, LSAT score, recommendation letters, GPA), you should give yourself as much time as necessary to put forth the strongest possible application. This means that applying Regular Decision, later in the cycle, may be a better option if it provides you the time necessary to strengthen your application.
• Tip: Don’t rush the process! Take time to prepare a strong application. If this means bypassing the ED process to strengthen certain components of your application, you will ultimately be putting yourself in a better position for admission.
  

•  Some Early Decision applicants may be deferred to the regular decision pool, which means they are no better off than if they had applied regular decision.
• Candidates denied admission through the ED process cannot resubmit a Regular Decision application during the same admission cycle.

Deciding whether to apply ED to law school is a personal choice that depends on your individual circumstances and priorities. While ED can offer advantages such as reduced competition and early notification, it also comes with significant commitments and potential drawbacks. Carefully weigh the pros and cons and consider your readiness and preferences before making this important decision. Remember, the goal is to put forth the strongest application possible, whether through Early Decision or Regular Decision.

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