When Are Law School Admissions Deadlines?

Before enrolling in law school, be sure to research schools thoroughly. Be sure that all application deadlines, LSAT requirements and transcript submission policies are met.

Most schools consider your GPA an integral component in making their admission decisions, so if your GPA has dropped significantly over a particular semester, admissions committees will pay attention.

Fall

If you plan on starting law school this fall, applying by late August or early September will give you the best opportunity of being accepted to multiple schools simultaneously and will allow admissions committees more time to review it prior to its submission deadlines. Plus, early application increases your chance of securing merit scholarships!

If your school uses the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), all applications should be submitted by October 1. This includes the LSAC application, letters of recommendation, official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended and any additional documentation requested by your target law schools. In addition, filing your FAFSA is important.

Most law schools start reviewing applications as soon as they’re made available in the fall, giving applicants more chances of securing admission into their top choice school. Therefore, to increase your odds, apply early during this process.

Some ABA-approved law schools offer spring or summer starts. If this option appeals to you, keep in mind that it could limit your academic and professional opportunities after graduation and may require selecting programs only available at certain locations or with specific start dates; before making your decision solely based on convenience.

By the time applications open in the spring, most of the best law schools will already have accepted students – meaning your chances of admission into one are likely slim unless you pursue an early decision program.

But it’s still not too late to submit an application in the spring; most schools accept applications up until they are completely full. Now is an ideal time to develop and refine your personal statement as well as any essays or materials required by schools you are targeting; taking or retaking the LSAT can give an indication of how well you’re progressing – this gives an accurate idea of whether further prep may be needed.

Winter

Starting in September, many schools start accepting second-round law school applications through rolling admission processes, which gives applicants an edge when starting applications early. It’s crucial to start as soon as possible in order to guarantee acceptance into law school on time – the first step should be creating a list of schools which meet your criteria, then collecting application materials (letters of recommendation and official transcripts), submitting them through CAS and taking the LSAT again if necessary.

At the beginning of February, many law schools will have filled their classes and will begin reviewing applications from those still considering applying. It’s still not too late to apply at this point; however, competition for spots will likely increase considerably.

The third and final round of law school admissions typically occurs from April through June. At this time, most schools give serious consideration to admitted students who have yet to enroll as well as wait-listed candidates.

Maintain a steady pace when applying to various schools, taking your time with each application and double-checking to ensure you present yourself in the best light possible. Rushing can be tempting when applying to multiple institutions at once; take your time reviewing each application so that you submit the best version of yourself possible to each institution you apply to.

Once accepted into law school, be sure to attend any open houses or orientation events held for newly admitted students. Also submit an enrollment deposit before filling out and submitting the FAFSA (Federal Application for Financial Aid).

As you wait for admissions decisions to come in, continue working hard on your application materials and ensuring LSAC has everything it needs (such as updated fall semester grades and transcripts as well as LSAT scores). In the meantime, start considering housing options if necessary as well as planning out your future career goals. Don’t forget scholarship applications either if necessary! Finally don’t forget any summer employment or volunteer opportunities available that might arise!

Spring

Law school admissions season typically runs from the end of February or beginning of March and applicants have until then to submit any supplementary materials like letters of recommendation and transcripts from fall semester courses to LSAC (for schools which require this). It also is an ideal time for sending in updated grades if required by their chosen schools.

Many top-ranked schools rely on spring admissions applications as their final opportunity to admit students for next year’s entering class. It has often happened that top schools fill their classes completely in April; no additional spots may remain. It seems likely this year as well.

As soon as you have compiled your list of preferred law schools, review it. If possible, attend admitted student open houses and orientation events so you can get acquainted with both campus and faculty. Consider applying early decision if available – early decision typically involves making a binding commitment to attend once accepted, thus significantly shortening your application timeline.

Once you have narrowed down your list of schools and decided to apply, begin crafting your personal statement. It should clearly communicate why and which law schools best suit you as well as whether letters of recommendation from professors.

Preparing to enroll in law school requires taking various prerequisite courses, from US law introductory classes and foreign law to fulfill the ABA credit requirements for full-time JD programs. International students needing an F-1 visa should plan ahead to ensure it can be obtained before enrolling. Finally, make sure all your enrollment requirements – such as sending transcripts and immunization records – have been fulfilled as soon as possible so as to start their legal education immediately.

Summer

Typically, the application cycle for law school begins during your junior year of college or earlier if possible. This gives you ample time to take and raise your LSAT scores multiple times as well as research schools, submit applications, interview and choose your program of interest.

Once applications open in the fall, admissions committees will review them on a rolling basis until classes fill or law school begins. Early decision program applicants have an increased chance of getting into their desired school by applying early.

In addition to your LSAC CAS report and two faculty evaluations, the admissions committee will assess your English language proficiency within the context of your law school career goals. Applicants who cannot demonstrate adequate English language skills may request a waiver but will first need to attend a telephone screening with the English Language Center before this can happen.

After reviewing your application, the admissions committee will notify you of their decision. If accepted, you will receive a financial aid award letter and be able to select a seat. If conditionally admitted, however, an ELC Graduate Bridge Program must first be completed prior to enrolling at Kline School of Law.

In the meantime, request that all undergrad and graduate schools you attended send their transcripts directly to LSAC’s CAS. This service will compile your LSAT score, transcripts, letters of recommendation, diversity statement into one package that can then be sent directly to each law school you apply to – an essential step many ABA-accredited schools require, making the application process far more streamlined.