Applying to law school can feel like a labyrinthine process, we know. So we thought, as a bit of public service, we’d simplify this process as best as we can. Check out this step-by-step guide on how to apply to law school along with a deluge of links to additional resources on how to optimize your law school applications.
How to Apply to Law School
Phase 1: Before You Even Apply
Step 1: Go to College. Get the Best GPA You Can.
Earning a J.D. degree is a postgraduate endeavor, of course. So, you’ll need an undergraduate degree to matriculate into law school. You’re probably, at the very least, already in the process of earning that as a pre-law student.
Your major matters far less than many believe. However, your GPA will matter quite a bit. It’s a major factor law school admissions committees use in constructing your academic index.
Your LSAT score will eventually be the centerpiece of your law school application. At many law schools, a great LSAT score can rescue a less-than-stellar GPA, but an amazing GPA can occasionally carry you into 1L.
Once your official transcripts have been submitted, LSAC (Law School Admission Council) calculates your GPA by aggregating all of your coursework grades before receiving your bachelor’s degree. That’s why if you are currently in undergrad, you want to ensure you are getting the best grades possible.
Step 2: Understand the Law School Admissions Process
Once you’ve checked off basic law school entry requirements, the next thing you need to do is understand how to apply to law school.
The law school application process varies for each individual. Some apply during their senior year of college, while others may have prior jobs before realizing they want to go to law school.
The Law School Admission Council processes law school applications and administers the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). Who would’ve thought?
If we had to sum up the process in a nutshell, here’s how to apply to law school:
- Create your LSAC account.
- Take the LSAT.
- Create your CAS account on the LSAC site.
- Send your official transcripts to LSAC.
- Get letters of recommendation from past professors, mentors, etc.
- Write a law school personal statement and any supplemental essays as needed.
- Create a law school resume.
- Pay application fees and submit your entire application through LSAC.
Simple, right?
Step 3: Take the LSAT
Make a Plan To Take The LSAT
This is the hurdle most pre-laws fear the most when applying to law school. Almost every law school application requires you to include a score from a standardized test. Some law schools have begun to accept the GRE or GMAT. However, LSAT is the one standardized test approved by all ABA-accredited law schools.
But which LSAT should you take? The LSAT is offered several times a year, giving you several options to choose from. No single exam is any “harder” or “easier” than any other, so that shouldn’t be part of your decision-making.
Another consideration is your law school application timeline. Given that law schools have rolling admissions, the sooner you apply, the better. You’ll need a valid LSAT score to submit your application. So, ideally, you’ll take your LSAT before November of your application year.
Our advice: choose an LSAT date that allows you to dedicate about twenty hours of weekly study time during the two-to-four-month span before your exam.
Study for the LSAT
Most people use some sort of LSAT prep to prepare for the LSAT. It’s not the kind of test that most can show up randomly and crush. An LSAT course will allow you to learn valuable test-taking strategies and gain a deeper understanding of the exam’s format and content, in addition to getting enough practice. However, LSAT prep isn’t one-size-fits-all.
You may want to take a class with a live instructor. Or, you might need to complete the flexibility of a Self-Paced Course. You might have big score goals achievable through a private LSAT tutor or specialized class. Blueprint LSAT Student Advisors can help you find the LSAT prep option that makes the most sense for you.
Don’t underestimate your LSAT prep. Your LSAT score is by far the most significant metric that law schools use during the application process. Don’t rush the process!
Consider sitting in on some free classes to meet instructors and get a feel for the content. You can also get started for free with a diagnostic practice test.
Remember, It’s Ok To Retake the LSAT
What if your LSAT doesn’t go well and you have to retake it? No problem. Most law schools will just look at your highest score. You’ll need to develop a new LSAT retake strategy, but you’ll be ok!
Step 4: Research Law Schools
Of course, you’ll need to know which law schools you want to apply to before you apply to them. Do your research and build a school list. Don’t just rely on the U.S. News & World Report rankings. You can use other, output-based rankings or just look at the raw data yourself.
Remember, you’re going to law school to pass the bar and get a job. Consider schools in your price range and preferred locations that are also known for helping their grads find success in the legal world.
Include in your law school list a healthy balance of safety, reach, and target schools. Apply to schools in all three categories. And, if you qualify, make sure to check if these law schools offer fee waivers to reduce application costs.
Phase 2: Putting Together Your Law School Applications
Step 1: Sign Up for the Credential Assembly Service
You can do this when you sign up for your LSAT. This service—abbreviated to CAS—will distribute your grades, LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and everything else to all the law schools you apply to. The CAS subscription fee is $207, plus $45 for every CAS report you send per law school.
Step 2: Start Getting Your Letters of Recommendation Together
Aside from your LSAT score, you’ll need to get your application materials together before your law school application deadline. Start with the letters of recommendation, since those require the assistance of people who may lack your sense of urgency on the matter of your law school application.
Most schools require two letters of recommendation, but you can include an optional third. If you’ve graduated within the last five years, at least two of your recommenders should be professors or people who can otherwise speak to your academic prowess. If you’ve been out of school for five or more years, your recommenders can be people from your work field.
Step 3: Write Your Personal Statement
No one likes to write about themselves, but everyone applying to law school has to do it. Fortunately, the prompts law schools use are so open-ended that the same personal statement—with some revisions and additions—can be used for every application.
Start early. Work through some inevitably terrible drafts. Get a lot of people to lend their editorial perspective. And remember, it should be a narrative that communicates what’s unique about you and why you’re interested in a legal education and career.
It can, but certainly doesn’t have to be, a tale of overcoming adversity. Don’t be falsely modest or a braggart. And definitely don’t just write a laundry list of accomplishments that many other applicants likely have as well.
Step 4: Update the Old Résumé
This, by the way, will be the laundry list of your accomplishments. It is not, however, the same resume you use to apply for jobs. Get tips on what to include in your résumé here and how to format it here.
Step 5: Write Supplemental Essays, if Applicable
Most law schools allow you to include an addendum to your application. You can use it to address any weaknesses in your application, such as a semester of anomalously low grades, a low LSAT score, or a gap in your work history. (Provided, of course, there is a reasonable explanation.)
Addendums are truly optional. You should only write one if you do have a story to tell.
Step 6: Secure Your Transcripts from Your Undergraduate Institution
Make sure your official transcripts are uploaded to your CAS.
Step 7: Review Your Applications and Then Submit Them
No more worrying about how to apply to law school. You’re done! Next comes the scary part.
Phase 3: Getting Into Law School
Wait for Responses
This is the scary part. But, remember, you did it! You had a mountain of stuff to compile for your law school applications. You got through that, and now you’re on the other side. You’ll eventually be put through the 1L ringer, so try to enjoy these next few months. Travel, see friends, cultivate interests, etc.
Negotiate Your Offers
Once you start getting accepted to law schools, you can start negotiating with them to obtain better financial aid and law school scholarships. Many schools have built-in processes to negotiate such offers. So follow those rules, be realistic, and be polite and respectful in all communications. But don’t be a pushover. You finally have some leverage. Use it.
Figure Out How to Finance Law School
OK, this is also the scary part. But there are many options for getting financial aid in law school for you to consider.
Did you stick with us until the end? Great! Understanding how to apply to law school is one of the most fundamental steps in this lengthy process. This allows you to plan the rest of your application, including your LSAT plan, essays, and letters of recommendation.
If it feels a little overwhelming, don’t worry. The process can take over a few months of your life. It’s ok to ask for help. Blueprint Law School Admission Consultants have helped students navigate the law school admissions process and get into their dream law schools. Schedule a free consult to see if admissions advising is right for you!
