An Overview of the Law School Application Process

What the Law School Application Process Entails

A successful application to law school will require several components:

• The application form (specific to each school);
• Letters of recommendation (how many and from whom dependent on each law school's requirements);
• Score from Law School Admission Test (LSAT);
• Essay from LSAT;
• Transcripts from schools previously attended;
• Fee for application (varies depending on school; most are in the $50-100 range and are nonrefundable).

What to Expect While Applying to Law School

The process of applying to law school can be a stressful one, an exciting one, or -- most likely -- a little bit of both. Obtaining and providing similar sets of information over and over can become drudgery, so you should start out by making sure you're applying to the right number of law schools. Most experts suggest applying to 6 to 10 schools, representing a mix of "easy," "medium," and "hard" schools, as judged by the applicant's test scores and grade point average (GPA) as compared to the school's median numbers.

Remember that you'll need to track every application package you send out, and keep up with each school's process. So if you apply to ten schools, you'll need to keep track of ten separate processes and sets of deadlines.

It's important to take care of yourself during the application process. Stress -- whether from tracking applications, taking the LSAT, or even making the decision to go to school in the first place, with its accompanying changes in lifestyle and, in all probability, location -- can detrimentally affect your health, which could in turn have a devastating effect on your application, should an illness hit on a "mission-critical" day. How would you like to suffer through the LSAT with a raging head cold?

Avoid stress-induced illnesses with a common sense approach:

• Proper diet, including sufficient vegetables and fruits, and a daily multivitamin;
• Sufficient sleep (recommended 7-8 hours each night);
• Regular exercise;
• Meditation, yoga, tai chi, or some other mind-body practice to reduce mental stress.

The Steps to a Successful Law School Application

A successful law school application depends on your control of the process from the beginning. Start with "the end in mind": know where you want to practice law, and how. Keeping that ultimate goal in mind, make your decisions based on the criteria that matter to you and that further your career goals.

1. Begin by selecting your law school.
   You can start by reviewing profiles of law schools here, or visiting law school websites (a good collection of links can be found here).


2. Request the materials from your targeted law schools.
   Make note of all important dates, tasks, and deadlines.


3. Ask people you know for referral letters.
   This task can be stressful for some. Start early enough in the process to allow the people you're asking for letters sufficient time to get the letter written, without imposing on their busy schedules. If you're having trouble thinking of appropriate referral sources, consider former teachers, employers, and/or your parents' friends, as well as your friends' parents For more information on referral letters, read Letters of Reference 101.


4. Register to take the LSAT.
   The test is generally offered four times a year at many locations around the world. Choose your date carefully; however, you can sign up to retake the test assuming space is available at your location of preference on the subsequent date. You will need to submit to the LSAC the law schools to which you would like your testing results sent.


5. Prepare for the LSAT.
   Select a good resource (book or preparation course) that gives you sufficient mock testing opportunities to get comfortable with the LSAT's format. You may also want to explore the free resources available at the LSAC website.


6. Fill out application materials.
   Make several copies of each application form, in the event that you make an error on one and need to start over. You will also want to make a copy of the finished application prior to mailing it to the law school.


7. Take the LSAT.
   If the testing site is more than 30 miles away, consider traveling the day prior to the test and getting a hotel room. This will help you get a full night's sleep and arrive at the testing site refreshed and energized.


8. Review your test scores; if necessary, retake the exam.
   If your LSAT scores are not sufficiently high for your targeted schools, you can retake the test. Just remember that the retaken test is final, unless you take the test a third time (in which case, the third set of results are final). In other words, if you end up doing worse on the retest, you cannot ask the LSAC to let your first set of scores "stand."


9. Wait for the good news.
   This can be the single most stressful time in the entire process. Try to stay busy. Keep your spirits up by reassuring yourself that your genuine, heartfelt goals will be met, regardless of what the outcome might be. Use the time wisely by engaging in recommended reading (most law schools have a freely available list of suggested titles for incoming students), preparing mentally to become a student again in a much more intensive atmosphere, or even shadowing a friendly local lawyer for some invaluable experience.


10. Whatever the results, celebrate!
    You're on your way to becoming a practicing lawyer, and that's worthy of note.

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