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| 50 FAQs About Applying to Law School |
Here are 50 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about applying to law school. You will find answers to these questions, below, on this page. You can use the list of questions to link to answers on topics that are of interest to you, or you can scroll down the page to read the answers to all 50 FAQs. The topics are arranged in a logical order so that the list, when read in its entirety, tells a more complete story.
- Is it difficult to get into law school?
- Who makes the admissions decisions?
- How are admissions decisions made?
- What factors do law schools take into consideration?
- Do law schools have formal LSAT and GPA cutoffs?
- Does every applicant have a chance at every school?
- Why do law schools use GPAs and the LSAT scores?
- What about the quality of my undergraduate school?
- Are law schools interested in leadership ability?
- Are other indicators considered?
- Why are law schools interested in other indicators?
- Should I say that I want to "serve justice" or "save the world"?
- How do I demonstrate motivation?
- Is it necessary to be a "law" major?
- Does a "law" major have an advantage?
- How can I determine my chances of being accepted?
- Can other indicators offset a low GPA or a low LSAT score?
- What if I have a good LSAT score but a low GPA?
- What if I have a good GPA but a low LSAT score?
- What if I have a low GPA and a low LSAT score?
- How can I assess my non-numerical indicators?
- Is it important to attend an ABA-accredited law school?
- What about new schools that have not yet been accredited?
- What about state-accredited schools?
- Can I become a lawyer by clerking?
- Are any other factors taken into consideration?
- Do law schools give special consideration to minorities?
- Why do law schools have special procedures?
- What other characteristics might be important?
- What are the top law schools?
- Are there jobs for lawyers?
- Do graduates of top law schools have better job prospects?
- Should I go to school in the state where I want to practice?
- Do law schools offer specialties in certain fields?
- To how many law schools should I apply?
- When should I take the LSAT?
- Can I take the LSAT for practice?
- How do law schools treat multiple LSAT scores?
- Is it wise to take the test a second time?
- Do I have to say if I am applying for financial aid?
- What should be included in the personal statement?
- Is the personal statement really important?
- What if a school does not require a personal statement?
- Should I send other supporting information?
- Why do law schools ask for letters of recommendation?
- Should my recommendations come from judges and lawyers?
- What if I have been out of school for some time?
- What about a personal interview?
- What else can I do to maximize my chances?
- Where can I get more information?
Just the FAQs
| Q1 Is it difficult to get into law school? |
In a typical year, about 100,000 people start the law school application process, but there are fewer than 50,000 places for entering students in the law schools that are accredited by the American Bar Association. So the chance of getting into law school is less than one out of two. However, law school seats are not assigned by lottery, so the chance of getting into a certain law school depends on your qualifications, the level of competition for seats at that law school, the time you invest in preparing for the LSAT, and the effort you spend on your application.
If you want to know more about your chances for success at a particular law school? Consult the ABA Approved Law Schools: Statistical Information on American Bar Association Approved Law Schools . This book is filled with admissions data on every ABA-accredited law school, and it will give you a good idea of what your chances are at particular schools. The link will take you to our bookstore page where you can get more details about the book. The American Bar Association is the professional association for lawyers in the United States. The Law School Admission Council is the professional organization for legal educators and is the sponsor of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). It also has statistical data that can help you assess your chances of being admitted at a particular school. You can usually find a copy at most large book stores. Another useful reference tool is The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools. It's published by the Law School Admission Council and updated regularly.
| Q2 Who makes the admissions decisions? |
Each law school has an admissions committee of one or more people who are responsible for reviewing and acting on applications for admission. At some schools, the authority is given to a group of faculty members; at others, it is given to a dean or to professional admissions officers; at still others, students are included in the deliberations. Of course, there are many variations on these practices.
| Q3 How are admissions decisions made? |
The mechanics of the decision-making process vary from school to school. For example, at one school, applications are assigned an index that is calculated by mathematical formula to produce a weighted average of the GPA and the LSAT score. The dean of admissions, acting alone, has the authority to accept applications with very high indexes and to reject those with very low indexes. All other applications must be referred to the admissions committee as a whole for debate and a vote. At another school, applications are distributed for reading to committee members, who must then make a recommendation to the committee as a whole for debate and a vote. At a third school, the dean of admissions acts as the committee. The dean reads each application in its entirety before looking at the LSAT score. The LSAT score is then used to confirm or disconfirm the dean's impression of the applicant based on all other factors. Ultimately, however, even though the mechanics are interesting, they are not terribly important because you cannot control them. The best you can do is submit a well-prepared application and hope for the best. For more detailed information on the law school admissions process, you can consult Getting Into Law School Today.
| Q4 What factors do law schools take into consideration? |
Typically, a law school will say that its admissions committee takes into account "all relevant factors," including the applicant's GPA (undergraduate Grade Point Average) and LSAT score. However, you should distinguish between what might be called "factors" and what might be called "indicators." By far, the two most important factors in the admissions process are ability and motivation. On the one hand, the committee has to be convinced that you have sufficient intellectual ability to handle the curriculum; on the other hand, the committee needs to know that you are seriously committed to completing the curriculum. Intellectual talent without proper discipline or dedication is not likely to ensure successful completion of the curriculum. Similarly, great aspirations without intellectual ability will get a student nowhere. The LSAT score and GPA are indicators of these factors. The LSAT score is designed to measure intellectual ability; the GPA provides information about both intellectual ability and motivation. Thus, the two most important factors in the admissions process are ability and motivation, and the two most important indicators of those factors are the GPA and the LSAT score. The two most important factors are your GPA and your LSAT score.
| Q5 Do law schools have formal LSAT and GPA cutoffs? |
Although the LSAT score and the GPA are the two most important indicators, law schools are reluctant to say that they use a mechanical device, like a cutoff, to reject applications. And the school mentioned earlier that uses an index does so only to sort applications, not to make final decisions on them. Other schools, however, may specifically announce that applicants with numbers below certain minima are "not likely" to be accepted.
| Q6 Does every applicant have a chance at every school? |
Not necessarily. At most law schools, it is possible to find students whose LSAT score or GPA or both are markedly below the medians of the student body, but such students are the exceptions. For most applicants, the probability of acceptance is largely a function of the GPA and LSAT score. Furthermore, even though a school does not have a formal cutoff for applications, it may have a de facto cutoff. One school, for example, states that applicants with an LSAT score below the 90th percentile or a GPA below 3.0 are rarely accepted, though there are exceptions. This statement implies that there is an informal minimum LSAT score and an informal minimum GPA, and that applications with numbers below these minimums don't receive serious consideration. Be realistic, but don't underestimate your chances.
| Q7 Why do law schools use GPAs and the LSAT scores? |
The GPA plays an important part in the admissions process because virtually every applicant has one. The GPA is a readily available yardstick of intellectual ability and motivation by which most applicants can be compared. Law schools recognize, however, that grading practices vary from school to school, and that the variation can be significant. The LSAT was designed as another measure of ability, one that tests all applicants in a uniform way. Taken together, the GPA and the LSAT score are, statistically speaking, relatively accurate in predicting success in the first year of law school.
| Q8 What about the quality of my undergraduate school? |
Some admissions offices actually keep records on how students from different colleges and universities perform at the law school and use this information to judge the GPAs of applicants from schools for which they have records. Other admissions officers may make a subjective judgment about the quality of the GPA.
| Q9 Are law schools interested in leadership ability? |
To a certain extent, yes, because many lawyers wind up in positions of leadership. But you should not overestimate the importance of leadership ability as a factor in the admissions process. Law schools are primarily looking for evidence of academic ability and commitment.
| Q10 Are other indicators considered? |
Absolutely! Other indicators that might be considered relevant are graduate study, employment experience, extracurricular activities, community service work, family background, or interesting accomplishments of any kind, such as mastery of a second language, success in athletic competition, or musical talent.
| Q11 Why are law schools interested in other indicators? |
GPA and LSAT scores are not the only measures of ability. Law schools also want to know about other accomplishments. For example, an applicant who earned a mediocre GPA while working full time as an undergraduate might have as much academic promise as an applicant with a very high GPA who had the luxury of devoting every waking hour to studying. Also, schools recognize that the LSAT is not a perfect measure. An applicant with a low-to-average LSAT score may have demonstrated considerable ability in business or in a profession. Motivation is important too. A law student with perhaps less ability but a greater measure of motivation might very well outperform a law student with more raw talent but less motivation. For this reason, law schools take commitment and motivation into consideration.
| 12 Should I say that I want to "serve justice" or "save the world"? |
As a factor in the law school admissions process, motivation doesn't necessarily mean having a specific post-law school goal. To be sure, a few people enter law school with specific career objectives in mind, and these individuals often already have specialized training or experience (e.g., a social worker who wants to practice family law, or an engineer who wants to practice patent law). The great majority of first-year law students have no idea what position they will fill after graduation. It is not necessary to express some lofty aspiration such as the desire to serve justice. In fact, unless you can point to specific experiences to show that such a claim is sincere (e.g., a community organizer who wants to use a law degree for social change), expressions of noble purpose are likely to seem contrived and unconvincing. Don't talk the talk, if you don't walk the walk.
| Q13 How do I demonstrate motivation? |
Only a small percentage of candidates can demonstrate their motivation by showing that the study of law is the natural extension of the work they have been doing and leads to a particular type of practice. Most applicants indicate their motivation by previous success as a student or by success in a career. For such an applicant, a thoughtful explanation about the decision to become a lawyer may also show motivation.
| Q14 Is it necessary to be a "law" major? |
No. Law schools are interested in candidates who have studied a rigorous and broad-based liberal arts curriculum. It is not important whether an applicant's major was history, political science, economics, or chemistry, so long as the transcript shows a variety of challenging courses that would help to develop analytical skills and writing ability.
| Q15 Does a "law" major have an advantage? |
No. Undergraduate law courses teach about the law; they do not teach the practice of law. The law school curriculum is designed not just to familiarize students with important legal principles but also to teach them how to think like lawyers, that is, how to interpret legal principles and how to apply them in different situations. In fact, an undergraduate transcript that shows too many "criminal procedure" or "business law" courses may be viewed as weak. It may not exhibit the range of courses desired by the law school, and it may raise suspicion about the broadness and rigor of the undergraduate liberal arts curriculum.
| Q16 How can I determine my chances of being accepted? |
|
The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools is published by Law School Admission Services, the sponsor of the LSAT. The information it contains was prepared by the law schools, so it is "official." We strongly recommend that everyone applying to law school purchase a copy of this book. You can find it in bookstores, or you can order it on-line at a substantial discount from, Amazon Books. |
| Q17 Can other indicators offset a low GPA or a low LSAT score? |
In many cases, the answer is "yes," but the mitigating power of alternative indicators depends on the weakness of the GPA or LSAT score. For example, a law school admissions committee might be willing to forgive a business executive for a 2.9 GPA earned several years earlier but not for a 2.3 GPA. Or, in another example, a candidate who has earned a Ph.D. in economics might be forgiven for having an LSAT score in the 50th percentile but not in the 20th percentile.
| Q18 What if I have a good LSAT score but a low GPA? |
Law school admissions officers are aware that the GPA is an average or a summary of an applicant's college grades, and they are on the alert for anomalies or trends that would help them better to understand the significance of the average. For example, a single poor semester that depresses an otherwise respectable GPA may be forgiven, or a rising trend in grades from the first through the senior year might create a favorable impression.
| Q19 What if I have a good GPA but a low LSAT? |
If there is any reason for a poor LSAT score, you should make the admissions committee aware of it. If, for example, you took the LSAT when you were ill and did not do very well but later performed better, you should make sure the committee knows this. More generally, if you have a history of poor performances on standardized exams and yet have done very well in school, this too could be important and should be called to the committee's attention.
| Q20 What if I have a low GPA and a low LSAT score? |
In that case, you might want to consider very seriously the wisdom of investing money in an application fee for that school. Unless there is something extraordinary in the personal background to overcome those two disadvantages, you may simply be wasting money. The greater the difference between the median scores accepted and yours, the worse your chances are for acceptance.
| Q21 How can I assess my non-numerical indicators? |
The GPA and LSAT scores are the most important indicators in the law school admissions process. Other significant achievements are also important, but you have to interpret them not only in light of your own background but in light of the backgrounds of those against whom you will be competing. Most of the people who are successful in applying to law school not only have good LSAT scores and GPAs, they also have some additional dimension: extracurricular activities, employment experience, unusual personal history, special talent, or other achievements. This is the rule, not the exception. So as you measure your own numerical credentials against the standard published by a particular law school, keep in mind that most of the people who applied to that school had other significant achievements as well. Nevertheless, don't underestimate yourself. Be sure to include those factors that make you an individual.
| Q22 Is it important to attend an ABA-accredited law school? |
Each state and the District of Columbia regulate admission to the practice of law. One requirement for admission to the bar is a degree from an approved school. Most jurisdictions defer to the American Bar Association and accept degrees only from those schools that are accredited by its Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. In those jurisdictions, a degree from a school not on the list of accredited law schools will not qualify its holder to practice law.
| Q23 What about new schools that have not yet been accredited? |
A newly opened law school is not eligible to apply for full accreditation with the ABA. Instead, it can apply for provisional accreditation, which will mature into full accreditation if and when the school is fully operational and meets all ABA standards. At that time, its graduates, including those of earlier classes, receive the official ABA stamp of approval and are eligible to apply for admission to the bar in those jurisdictions that require degrees from ABA-accredited schools.
| Q24 What about state-accredited schools? |
A few states, notably California, accredit law schools that do not also have ABA accreditation and permit their graduates to apply for admission to the practice of law. Such schools offer an alternative route to the bar, but there are some serious drawbacks: first, the bar-pass rate of the graduates of state-accredited schools is not very encouraging; and second, jurisdictions that require a degree from an ABA-accredited law school do not recognize degrees from state-accredited schools.
| Q25 Can I become a lawyer by clerking? |
Not any longer. Although there may be an exception or two buried in the fine print of the regulations governing admission to the bar in some states, for all practical purposes the clerkship route to the bar has been eliminated. Of course, many law students do clerkships with lawyers, government agencies, and judges; but the clerkship is in addition to their formal studies--not a substitute for it.
| Q26 Are any other factors taken into consideration? |
Yes. Law schools want to assemble student bodies that include individuals from many different backgrounds, so diversity becomes a factor in admissions decisions. Given applicants with very similar indicators, those whose backgrounds suggest they are in a position to make a unique contribution to the law school stand a better chance of acceptance.
| Q27 Do law schools give special consideration to minorities? |
Yes. At some schools, special consideration may simply mean reading minority applications with heightened sensitivity; at other schools, formal procedures have been established for handling minority applications. At one school, for example, all applications are reviewed by at least one member of the admissions committee, and that reader must make a recommendation to the committee as a whole. Applications from individuals who claim an ethnic or minority group status are reviewed by two readers, each of whom must make an independent recommendation to the committee as a whole. As you probably are aware, however, courts have been asked to review the constitutionality of such procedures.
| Q28 Why do law schools have special procedures? |
These special procedures consider three facts: one, members of certain ethnic and minority groups have traditionally been underrepresented in law schools; two, the indicators of ability and motivation may be different for individuals who come from backgrounds that are not like those of members of the majority; and three, individuals who come from different backgrounds can make different contributions to the law school. Again, however, whether these justifications will survive scrutiny by the courts is an open issue.
| Q29 What other characteristics might be important? |
Virtually anything imaginable. At those law schools that receive many more applications from qualified candidates than there are positions available, the diversity factor takes on even more importance. Indeed, it is a source of pride for an admissions officer to be able to point to someone with an unusual background (e.g., a nightclub singer, a jet pilot, a forest ranger).
| Q30 What are the top law schools? |
There is no single authoritative ranking of law schools, and the American Bar Association specifically declines to attempt one. As you look at schools, you will probably want to consider several quantitative factors such as the the percent of applicants accepted, the median LSAT and GPA of the student body, or the average starting salary of graduates. Any list of the top 10 law schools would surely include the University of Chicago, Columbia, Harvard, New York University, Stanford, and Yale. In addition to those schools, you probably find the remaining positions in the top ten list filled by four of the following: University of California at Berkeley, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, the University of Michigan, Northwestern, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Virginia. A list of the top 25 would probably also include several if not all of the following: Boston College, UCLA, the University of California at Davis, Fordham University, George Washington, the University of Minnesota, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, William and Mary, and Vanderbilt.
| Q31 Are there jobs for lawyers? |
Yes. In fact, a lawyer is never really unemployed if you consider that as a member of the bar, a lawyer is licensed to do legal work and collect a fee for it. Seriously, the job market for lawyers seems to be cyclical. But if you really, really want to practice law, once you are admitted to the bar you are an attorney and will always have a job (even if you have to "hustle" to pay the bills).
| Q32 Do graduates of top law schools have better job prospects? |
In general, yes. The average starting salary of graduates of top law schools tends to be higher than those of other schools, but it is important to keep in mind that an average is just that. A person's standing in a graduating class is also a very important determinant of employment possibilities.
| Q33 Should I go to school in the state where I want to practice? |
Not necessarily. A degree from any ABA-accredited school is good in every jurisdiction, so it is not necessary to attend school in the state in which you plan to practice. There may, however, be some practical advantages to doing so. First, professors at some law schools may be more familiar with the law of the jurisdiction in which they teach than professors elsewhere, and this may translate into an advantage on the bar exam. Second, access to part-time and summer employment may in part depend on where a person lives while in school, and this may affect your finding full-time employment after graduation.
| Q34 Do law schools offer specialties in certain fields? |
Not really, or at least not in the same way that graduate programs are organized departmentally (e.g., history, philosophy, economics, and English). In fact, the first-year law school curriculum is remarkably uniform across the country. It almost always includes a mix of contracts, civil procedure, criminal law, property, torts, a seminar on legal research and writing, with perhaps an elective or two. And every law school offers standard upper-division courses such as taxation, constitutional law, accounting, business organizations, and so on. Some law schools offer additional courses in areas such as "entertainment law" or "sports law"; but those additional courses do not really create specialists. For most applicants, it would probably be a mistake to choose one school over another because it offers a "specialization." For more information about law school curriculum, you might want to consult Looking at Law School: A Student Guide from the Society of Law School Teachers . It is edited by Stephen Gillers, a professor at New York University (NYU) Law School, with a preface by former Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. It includes:
- Part One: Deciding to Go to Law School
- Part Two: The Law School Experience
- Part Three: First-year and Required Courses
- Part Four: Special Courses and Course Selection
You may not be able to find it in a bookstore, but you can order it on line from amazon.com.
| Q35 To how many law schools should I apply? |
To apply to every law school that seems interesting would be prohibitively expensive for most people. Instead, you must decide how many schools you can afford to apply to, say 10. For a candidate with average indicators, this means selecting a mix of schools that will maximize the chances of acceptance while offering the richest variety of options. The mix should include one or two "safe" schools at which acceptance appears to be certain. And it can include two or three "reach" school--perhaps top schools at which the chance of admission is less than 15 percent. The rest of the applications should go to schools where the chance for admission is solid. Of course, the application of this strategy will vary from candidate to candidate. For those with super indicators, even top schools are safe. For those with relatively low indicators, there are no safe schools.
| Q36 When should I take the LSAT? |
At least 15 months before you plan to enter law school. The LSAT is given four times each year: usually, in October, December, February, and June. Law schools begin accepting applications in October for the class that will enter the following year. So if you take the LSAT in February or June, you will have your score and be ready to file a completed application early in the application season. Plan ahead! Remember, you will also need time to prepare for the LSAT.
| Q37 Can I take the LSAT for practice? |
Yes, but don't! You can take the LSAT as many times as you care to, but multiple scores are reported to the law schools that you designate to receive your scores whether you want them reported or not. Obviously, you don't want a practice score reported along with a "real" score. You can easily find plenty of material for practice without registering to take an actual LSAT. Master the LSAT has a lot of practice material. The old Vaudeville joke goes: Q: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
A: Practice!So how do you get to law school? Practice!
| Q38 How do law schools treat multiple LSAT scores? |
Many use the average of the scores. Others may discount a low score if the candidate can explain that it is not a true measure of his or her ability. And some will discount a previous, lower score if a later score is significantly better.
| Q39 Is it wise to take the test a second time? |
As noted above, when a law school receives your LSAT report, it receives all of your recent scores. So the decision to retake the LSAT must be viewed in that light. Each year 20,000 or so candidates take a second LSAT. On average, the results are not very encouraging. Some candidates improve; some candidates lose ground; many candidates simply repeat their previous performance. Unless you have reason to believe that your score will improve (you were sick or exceptionally unnerved the first time), then it might be better to stick with the first score. Or if you were not adequately prepared the first time, then there is reason to believe that you will improve on a second attempt. Our advice is "Do once; do it right; and don't do it again." So be prepared the first time.
| Q40 Do I have to say if I am applying for financial aid? |
If the question is asked, then you should answer truthfully. In any event, most schools make it quite clear that the application process is "need blind," meaning that your need to apply for financial aid will not affect the admissions decision. Most students need some form of assistance to finance their legal education.
| Q41 What should be included in the personal statement? |
| For more information about the personal statement, read "Crafting Your Application" at this site. | Basically, the personal statement is your opportunity to add any information to your application that is not already covered in your responses to the questions on the standardized application form. And it is a golden opportunity! You can explain why you got that failing grade in Russian, or discuss what you accomplished as a member of the university senate, or describe your responsibilities in your position of employment. Do not, however, simply repeat what is already contained in your application form. Rather, present information that you believe will help the committee get to know you better. |
| Q42 Is the personal statement really important? |
From the standpoint of the applicant, the answer is an unqualified "yes." Not only does the personal statement offer you the opportunity to contribute something to the admissions process, it is the only such opportunity you have, so you will want to make the most of it. Also, law school admissions officers frequently stress that a thoughtful and well-written personal statement can greatly improve a candidate's chance for admission. As you write your personal statement, keep in mind the three factors that were discussed above: ability, motivation, and diversity. Select content for the personal statement that bears on one or more of these issues.
| Q43 What if a school does not require a personal statement? |
Send one anyway. It may be that some law schools do not require a personal statement simply because most of the personal statements they receive are neither thoughtful nor well written and so contribute nothing to the decision-making process. A good personal statement, even though not required, might very well make a favorable impression. And, in any event, no law school is going to reject you because you made the extra effort.
| Q44 Should I send other supporting information? |
Yes, but be selective. The introductory chapter to a thesis or a major term paper would provide an admissions officer with information about the author's analytical ability and writing skills. A videotape of a news program would provide an admissions committee with the opportunity to see firsthand the quality of the work done by a candidate who is a broadcast journalist. A photograph taken by an amateur photographer might catch the committee's fancy as it attempts to create a diverse student body. As you try to decide what you should include in the application, keep three important points in mind. One, any exhibit must bear on one of the three important factors: ability, motivation, or diversity. Two, do not overwhelm the committee by submitting a little of this and a little of that. Submitting a lot of extra material, no matter how impressive you think it is, will have a negative rather than a positive effect. Three, make it very clear that the additional material is just that, additional, and that the committee is welcome to review it if they wish--or to ignore and discard it. "Stunts" are risky. Sometimes they work; sometimes they don't work. One candidate submitted the application by inserting it into the arms of a full-size cardboard cutout of a human being with a photograph of her own face carefully trimmed to fit the cutout and a dialogue bubble saying "I'm a real person." It worked. Another submitted a collage of newspaper headlines reporting various injustices with a note attached saying "I want to fix this." It didn't work. Still another candidate pitched a tent in a public park opposite the law school and called the dean of admission on a cell phone to say "Look out your window; I'm here and I'm not leaving until you accept me." and waved to the dean. It worked. So go figure.
| Q45 Why do law schools ask for letters of recommendation? |
Law schools hope that letters of recommendation will provide them with information about applicants that will help them to make better decisions. A written evaluation of an applicant's ability and motivation gives an admissions committee another perspective.
| Q46 Should my recommendations come from judges and lawyers? |
Probably not. In fact, most law school applications specify that letters of recommendation should come from college professors. You should solicit a letter of recommendation from a judge or a lawyer only if the person knows your work well and can make a meaningful evaluation of your qualifications to study law--not just because you happen to know someone who is in the legal profession. A letter of evaluation from a prominent member of the profession is not wrong per se; it's just that a "Star Search" approach is probably not going to yield the best results.
| Q47 What if I have been out of school for some time? |
Law schools recognize that it will be difficult if not impossible for some applicants to secure academic recommendations. In such cases, letters from colleagues or employers may be substituted.
| Q48 What about a personal interview? |
At most law schools, evaluative interviews are not a part of the review process. Most schools feel that the written application, including the personal statement and letters of recommendation, provides an accurate picture of a candidate. Further, granting evaluative interviews might unfairly disadvantage candidates who cannot afford to travel to them. A few schools do use evaluative interviews. One school, for example, invites candidates whose applications are bordering on acceptance to meet with the admissions committee in order to help the committee reach final decisions on those applications. Of course, most schools will welcome a visit from an applicant who wants to learn more about the school, but that visit does not usually include an evaluative interview. One dean, who does grant interviews, explains that most don't make any difference. In a very few cases, the dean concludes that the applicant should be accepted (and probably would have been, anyway); in a few more cases, the dean decides that the candidate is just not right for the law school; and in the great majority of cases, the dean just sends the file on to the committee with no comment.
| Q49 What else can I do to maximize my chances of acceptance? |
One, as you prepare the application, keep firmly in mind the three factors discussed above: ability, motivation, and diversity. Your responses to the application questionnaire, the content of your personal statement, your choice of recommenders--in short, every aspect of the application--should be guided by those three criteria. Too many applicants go astray because they don't understand or have forgotten what factors are important in the admissions process. Two, present a professional image in every respect. All parts of the application should be typed (preferably using a word processor) and, if need be, clearly identified. Make sure that you read carefully all of the directions and abide by them. Finally, pay careful attention to detail and follow up on every procedure (e.g., proofread the application several times and call to make sure that letters of recommendation have been sent). Follow through. We know of an undergraduate who wrongly assumed that the cancelled check to the university in payment for the transmittal of a transcript to LSDAS meant that the transcript was actually sent only to receive a note from Harvard Law School to the effect "We wanted to accept you but can't because Law Services never received your grades and the deadline has passed." The story did have a happy ending because the student, acting in a most lawyerly manner, threatened to sue the Registrar and university unless a letter of apology was sent to Harvard Law School. Upon receipt of the letter and later the processed transcript from LSDAS, the student was accepted.
Q50 Where can I get more information?
For further information about the law school admissions process and for detailed instructions on how to get admitted to the law school of your choice, consult Getting Into Law School Today . You can probably find a copy at your school or local library or a nearby bookstore, or you can save yourself a trip and get it at a discount by ordering on line from amazon.com.
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