Law school applicants must request and submit to LSAC official academic transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended as part of their application materials.
You are here
Pre-Law Advising Navigation
Pre-Law Advising
Apply
Law school admissions is a rolling admissions process, which means that your candidacy will benefit from applications that are completed and submitted early.
Most law school applications will open nationally in early September and, in order to benefit from the rolling admissions process, November 1 is our recommended target date for application completion and submission.
Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)
LSAC is the centralized organization through which all applicants manage their application logistics to ABA-accredited law schools, including LSAT registration, the Credentials Assembly Service (CAS), and fee-waiver programs.
- Academic Transcripts
-
Resume
Law schools will expect applicants to submit a comprehensive resume as part of your application materials. In addition to professional experience, you should include extracurricular activities, leadership, research experience, community service activities, athletics, and honors/awards. As a result, most law schools will accept a longer 1-2 page resume with their respective applications.
-
Personal Statement
Law school personal statements provide Admissions Committees with the opportunity to get to know as a candidate, and as a person, in addition to your transcript, resume, and letters of recommendation. They also represent a means by which to ensure that your written communication skills are effective, compelling, and clear.
Effective personal statements should:
- Address the broader prompt of 'Tell me about yourself' rather than the narrower question of 'Why do you want to go to law school?'
- Focus on strengths and positive personality traits
- Create a cohesive, thoughtful, and personal narrative
- Utilize illustrative anecdotes and highlight learning and growth experiences
- Take at least 3-4 revisions to draft, refine, and finalize for both content and grammar/spelling
-
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation must be submitted through the LSAC Credentials Assembly Service (CAS), the subscription of which is valid for five years. Access to the Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Service is included in your CAS subscription.
Most law schools require at least two letters of recommendation, but many will accept up to three or four. Most law school applicants submit at least two academic letters of recommendation from professors who have either taught you in class and/or supervised your Senior Thesis work. Additional letters of recommendation from supervisors (e.g., summer internships, full-time professional experience, community service activities), other advisors, or coaches are also commonly submitted alongside academic letters of recommendation.
Please make sure that your letters of recommendation are dated, signed, and submitted on letterhead by your recommenders and that they are uploaded to CAS confidentially.