Pre-law

• Informational Interviewing-networking conversations with lawyers
• Job Shadowing-short-term observation at a law office or agency
• Volunteering-informal service commitment, typically to non-profit; does not need to be law-specific.
• Co-op/Internships-longer-term, formal placement in law firm, government agency or non-profit; paid or unpaid

1st and 2nd Years: Explore

• Take interesting and meaningful classes, and explore interests, law-related and otherwise
• Get involved, on-or off-campus
• Connect with the pre-law advisor and attend events
• Start talking to lawyers and being building relationships with professors and other mentors
• Look into the PlusJD program and follow instructions to apply if interested

3rd and 4th Years: Clarify and Prepare

• Investigate interesting legal career paths and specializations 
• Network with attorneys and seek hands-on experience
• Attend a law school fair or forum, and begin researching different programs
• Begin preparing for LSAT or GRE

5th Year and/or Beyond: Apply

• Take the LSAT or GRE- late enough to allow for adequate preparation; early enough to allow for a retake (if needed)
• Prepare application materials and secure recommendations
• Finalize list of schools, covering suitable range
• submit  application by the end of November

All applications are submitted through LSAC and below is the general application timing and cycle:

Applications open beginning September 1, cycle runs through Spring (deadlines January-August)

• Most schools review and extend offers on a rolling basis, as soon as applications are received.
• Applicants should plan to apply by the end of November
• Some schools will have a cut-off LSAT administration

Many schools have Early Decision and priority deadlines:

• Early Decision is binding and may preclude the applicant from consideration for merit-based aid
• Priority/early action-typically non-binding, may promise a decision by certain date

Decisions and offers anytime from September through August

• Typical decisions: admission (with or without funding), waitlist, denial
• Most admissions offers are busy with recruitment until after Thanksgiving
• Bulk of decisions are typically in winter/spring, prior to first deposit deadlines (April-May)

If you apply by:

October- you’re early

December- you’re on time

Anything after – you’re late

There is no one right way to prepare for the LSAT, and you have various options to consider. 

• If you learn well through self-study, taking practice tests on LSAC LawHub is a great option. 
• If you believe you’d do better with guided study, there are good commercial preparation courses available. There’s also an excellent option for guided study that’s 100% free: Official LSAT Prep by Khan Academy.  

*Research shows that taking more full practice tests is the most effective way to prepare for the LSAT.

• Because every test taker is different, there is no single timeline that will be appropriate for everyone. In a lot of ways, the more pertinent issue isn’t the “timeline” but rather the “workload.” 

Test preparation involves looking at a lot of LSAT questions to develop familiarity with the test and to hone one’s reasoning and reading skills. If you have a schedule that allows you to take on a large test-prep “workload,” you might be able to dramatically improve your score in as little as a month. But others may need significantly longer. 4-6 months is often recommended for those taking the LSAT for the first time, but you should look closely at your own circumstances when deciding when to begin studying for the LSAT.

The LSAT is a test of skills — specifically critical thinking skills as applied in the areas of reading and reasoning. The LSAT is designed to measure these skills precisely because they are skills that are essential for success in law school, and preparing for the LSAT helps to strengthen those very skills. So the good news is that preparing for the LSAT will benefit you not only on test day, but also in law school and beyond.

• Send to LSAC in the summer before applying.
• LSAC will process the transcript and produce a GPA that will be used in the application process.  Note that sometimes the LSAC GPA differs from the school’s GPA due to the conversion process.  You can read more about this in the Transcript Summarization section on the LSAC website. 

• Can be two pages
• Should focus on all things done during college
• Descriptions should focus on skill sets gained 
• Legal experience is not required

• Essentially answers who you are and why you are choosing a career in law.  
• There isn’t one way to approach the law school essay.  The most important thing to remember is to be authentic (and please don’t read other people’s essays as this will make it harder!) 
• Ideas:
  • Describe something interesting about you that isn’t demonstrated in other aspects of your application.
  • Describe a personal challenge or hardship you’ve had to overcome and how it shaped you
  • Describe your proudest achievement
  • Describe the moment or circumstance that made you decide to pursue a career in law (it’s not necessarily a moment in time for everyone, so don’t stress about this)

• This essay gives you the opportunity to talk about elements of your identity that can really add value.
  • Diversity of thought, geography, faith, ethnicity, gender, backgrounds, and interest.
• It should be different than the personal statement

• Although called “optional,” it’s still important to submit if you are taking the time to apply.  
• Additional essays that provide more information about you, your desire to go to law school, and what you can bring to the law school environment. 

• This allows you to explain any weaknesses in your application such as low grades, multiple LSAT scores, leave(s) of absence from school.  
• Be clear and concise.  Explain what happened, only giving the facts. 

• This portion of the application requires the applicant to reveal negative past behavior (may include criminal record, academic misconduct, disciplinary actions, or civil proceedings/lawsuits). 
• When in doubt, disclose!
• Be honest and provide important details.  
• Take responsibility for your actions; don’t make excuses. 
• Law schools are not looking for people who have never made a mistake; they are looking for people who can understand why and how they made the mistake.

• Most law school applications require 2-3 letters of recommendation.  In order to ensure that your recommenders are able to write strong letters with thoughtful detail, it’s important to start building these relationships with your professors as soon as possible.  Make sure you are participating in class discussions, attend office hours (come prepared with questions!), find ways to engage with your professors one on one through opportunities such as a research project or independent study, etc.   
• Give your professors at least 2 months to write the letter.  

Resource: How to Request a Grad School Recommendation Letter | 5 Easy Steps (northeastern.edu)

An outstanding record of achievement and involvement:

• Course of study that is rigorous, meaningful, and that helps to develop essential skills: critical reading, writing, and research.
• Strong academic performance and test scores (LSAT and GRE)
• Involvement in extracurricular activities that are interesting and impactful:
  • Opportunities to gain leadership experience
  • Not necessarily law-related; quality over quantity
• Great recommendations from professor and professional mentors.

No… law schools do not require that applicants have previous legal experience.

….but it can be helpful to:

• Network in a field where you might work
• Experience the actual work of a law firm, government agency, or non profit
• Decide, before attending law school, whether law is the right path

• Yes, and you wouldn’t be alone! 
  • Roughly two-thirds of law school applicants take at least one year between graduation and law school.
• But, make sure you have a plan!
  • Secure letters of recommendation before leaving school
  • Take the LSAT before or soon after graduation, when still thinking like a student
  • Structure your time in a meaningful way.