During your first year of college, you may already be aware you want to attend law school. Meeting with a pre-law advisor is a great way to ensure you are on the right path. Maintaining good grades is crucial to success in the admissions process. Also, look for ways to become involved through experiences like research, service, leadership in an organization, or volunteer work.
As you transition from your second year to your junior year, you will want to begin collecting information on the various law schools in the United States and start looking at different regions of the country where you would like to live. Also, continue developing relationships with faculty members. These faculty members will become very important to you as they will eventually serve as recommenders for you when you begin the application process. Begin your preparation for the LSAT exam.
During your senior year, you will begin the law school application process. Applying to law school takes a considerable amount of time and dedication, so please plan accordingly.
Below are some suggestions on how to best organize your time during this process beginning with your junior year. Be sure to invest in a daily planner so you can stay organized during the application process. You will need to keep track of schools you have applied to and/or plan to apply to, materials you have sent to LSAC and independently to individual Law Schools, and application deadlines.
Junior Year
Fall
- According to LSAC, “the most effective letters of recommendation are written by professors or work supervisors who know you well enough to describe your academic, personal, or professional achievements and potential with candor, detail, and objectivity. Letters that compare you to your academic peers are often the most useful.”
- We highly recommend attending the Law School Fair to meet with Law School representatives from across the country. The Law School Fair takes place during the Fall semester.
- Gain experience in the field; look at internship opportunities.
- Begin researching schools using the Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools (pre-law advisors in Advising Services can assist you in researching specific law schools). The Official Guide to US Law Schools is also a good source of information.
- Prepare for the LSAT and take a full-length practice test. LSAC‘s LawHub site offers free full-length practice exams.
Spring
- Register for the June LSAT. If you haven’t begun to study, then register for the October LSAT.
- STUDY for the LSAT! Take practice tests from start to finish; be sure to time yourself.
- Consider who you will ask for your letters of recommendation.
Summer
- Take the June LSAT, or register for the October LSAT if you haven’t prepared.
- Start working on your resume. Contact the Center for Career Development for assistance with your resume.
- Think about your personal statement. Brainstorm ideas and develop your essay from there. See the Personal Statement link on this website for ideas.
- Register for Law School Credential Assembly Service (CAS).
- Send your transcripts to CAS.
- Start narrowing down your law school search. If you think it will be helpful, sign up for LSAC’s Candidate Referral Service (CRS). This service “gives you the opportunity to be discovered by law schools you may not have considered. It helps law schools recruit you based on specific characteristics such as undergraduate GPA, LSAT score, or geographical location.”
Senior Year
Fall
- Finish writing your personal statement.
- Update your resume.
- Ask faculty for letters of recommendation. Be sure to provide your recommender an updated resume and a draft of your Personal Statement.
- Complete your CAS report.
- Take the October LSAT, if you didn’t take one in June or you want to attempt to increase your score.
- Ensure your applications have been completed before you submit them.
- While most Law Schools have rolling admissions, we generally recommend that students begin submitting completed applications in mid to late October.
- Follow up with law schools to confirm your applications are complete.
- Fill out applications for financial aid.
Spring
- Send an updated transcript with fall grades to LSAC.