Applying for Law School

Begin to apply to law schools only when you believe that you are ready to attend, and apply to a range of schools based on your LSAT and GPA. Take the time necessary to submit immaculate applications, and aim to have them in the mail by Thanksgiving. 

The two most important factors for admission to law school are your grades in college and LSAT scores. However, law school admissions committees consider a number of other aspects of your application as well, such as letters of recommendation, your personal statement, significant activities outside the classroom and meaningful work history. 

THE APPLICATION

The application is your chance to convince law schools that you deserve admission. Therefore, it should be meticulously prepared and well thought out.  Neatness matters; type all of the materials that you send to the school.

The application requests such generic personal information as name, address and social security number. However, it also will give you the opportunity to share in more detail your unique talents, life experiences and background. Your answers to these questions are important, as they allow you to sell yourself and show why you are someone who merits admission. The two most important parts of the application are the personal statement and the letters of recommendation.

WHEN TO APPLY

All law school applications should be completed and submitted by January 1 of the year in which you would like to begin law school. It will probably work in your favor to file your applications much earlier than January 1. We typically advise Hope College students who are applying to law school to aim to have their applications completed and submitted by Thanksgiving.

Most law schools have rolling admissions; that is, they evaluate applications and make admissions decisions as those applications are received. Hence, applying earlier may mean more seats are available and could increase your chances of acceptance to the school of your choice.

Filing your application early also gives you extra time to address any problems with your application packet. Remember, the most important thing is to have a high-quality and carefully prepared application, so start early.

WHERE TO APPLY

It is usually advisable to apply to a range of schools; they should include one or two dream schools for which it might be a stretch to get accepted, based on your LSAT scores and GPA. On the flip side, you should include one or two schools that are “sure things.” Finally, include schools where you want to attend and where you have a solid chance of being admitted, based on the GPAs and LSAT scores of their previous entering class. You can apply to as many or few schools as you choose. You do have to pay a fee for each application.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Most law schools will request two letters of recommendation. These are another way for the committee to obtain in-depth assessments of your capabilities, intellect and work habits apart from the objective admissions criteria. Strong academic letters from people who can speak to your strengths and your goals are preferable. The committee is primarily interested in your ability to succeed in the academic setting of law school, and your college professors’ opinions on this are important. Do not opt for a well-connected friend of the family or high-ranking figure unless they can speak with specificity and authority to your accomplishments and potential to succeed in law school. Remember, it is never too early to begin cultivating mentor-student relationships with a professor who might at a later date write a recommendation letter on your behalf.

The letters of recommendation are an important piece of the law school application, and need to be taken seriously.  Keep several things in mind with respect to soliciting letters of recommendation:

1. From whom should you request a recommendation? Choose someone who knows you well, in whose classes you have done well, and who can therefore be enthusiastic and sincere in writing a quality recommendation. Lukewarm letters do little to strengthen your application, and might even damage your chances for admission. Select someone who is in the best position to speak to your strengths. If you are unsure of how positive a professor might be, do not hesitate to ask. The rule of thumb is that the caliber of the letter is more important than the prestige of the writer.
2. Make an appointment with your prospective letter writer to talk about their letter. You shouldn't hesitate to ask directly (and tactfully) if the person is willing to give you a positive recommendation. Be sure to provide them with an unofficial transcript, your resume, personal statement and transcripts so he or she can accurately evaluate you. You also should remind the writer of the courses you took with them, the grades received and the outstanding work you did in the course. You also may wish to review with them points you would like them to cover in the letter. 
3. Be sure to give your letter writers plenty of time to prepare their letters. In part, this is simply a matter of professionalism and courtesy to busy faculty. Perhaps equally important, it may well increase your chances of getting a thorough and positive evaluation, demonstrating to the professor that you are well organized and respectful of his or her other obligations.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

The personal statement can be one of the more difficult elements of the law school application. It also can be quite important. It serves two primary purposes:

1. It allows the admissions committee to get some sense of your writing skills
2. It is how the admissions committee gets to know you as an individual, beyond mere test scores and GPA

The personal statement allows the committee to assess if you have the commitment, motivation and ability to thrive at legal studies. This is your best opportunity to set yourself apart and show what makes you unique from the thousands of other applicants.  

Take the time to create a high-quality representation of yourself. The statement should be clear and concise, no longer than two pages. Remember, most admissions committee members will read thousands of personal statements. Be to the point! Don’t ramble or repeat extraneous information; you want to leave a positive impression in the minds of the admissions committee. 

Make sure your statement is grammatically correct; it should be completely devoid of even the most minor spelling or usage mistakes. Revise, polish and refine the statement multiple times and solicit people who know you well to read it over, both for any possible errors and to get reactions to the content.

MSU College of Law: Crafting Your Law School Personal Statement webinar

LSDAS

Virtually all law schools require that you register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). The LSDAS is the organization that collects data related to your application and prepares it for easy use by law schools to which you are applying. LSDAS collects your transcripts and LSAT scores and helps law schools compare the credentials of all applicants. You must inform the LSDAS of those schools you intend on applying to so LSDAS can generate reports for these schools. Your LSDAS subscription only lasts a year, so make sure you register in the year you intend on going to law school.