Law School Application Tips

Listed below are reasons students have chosen to apply to law school. It could help you make your own decisions about law school applications. 

When to apply

When you apply to law school is a personal decision. The only wrong time is after the deadline. Schools differ in their application review schedules. And, some schools have Junior Deferral Programs. Your best bet is to explore the different options to figure out which program fits you best. Check out this article by Harvard Law’s Assistant Dean of Admissions for some thoughts on early applications.

Where to apply

Students interested in applying to law school are encouraged to first determine which factors are most important to them. Then create your own ranked list. Do not rely solely on  published rankings such as those released by US News or World Reports. ABA 509 Report is a great resource for learning about law schools.

What You need to Apply

LSAT/GRE Score

  • When admissions reviews your application, they look at many factors. While your standardized test score is important, it is only one of the factors considered
  • Admissions treats LSAT Flex the same as the standard, live test 
  • The GRE is increasingly accepted by law schools. For example, in Yale’s incoming 2020 class, the number of students who opted for the GRE roughly equaled those who chose the LSAT.
  • When considering whether to retake the LSAT test, the rule of thumb is that you should be confident you can improve your score by 3-5 points.
  • Generally you can find median scores for each Law School on their website

Resume 

  • A Law School resume can be longer than 1 page, but you should still show good judgment in what you include. 
  • You do not need to include every granular detail. High school experience is not relevant, unless it is truly exceptional
  • Your resume should not be exclusively items you deem “law oriented.” It is also important to demonstrate your work ethic and character. A wide variety of experiences can do this, such as on-campus part-time jobs.

Letter of Recommendation

  • When considering who to ask for a letter of recommendation, the content of the letter is much more important than who wrote it. Ask people who will strongly explain your capabilities.
  • Be specific with your recommender about the skills and experiences you would like them to highlight.
  • Ask for the recommendation letter while you are still in college and your interaction with the writer is still fresh and recent.
  • Please see CPD’s How to Ask for A Reference/Letter of Recommendation guide.

Addendum

  • If you choose to include an addendum, it should be a concise document that explains a significant event that impacts your application, such as an illness, technical issue or an LSAT discrepancy. 
  • Show good judgment in what story you are trying to tell; avoid frivolity. Provide an explanation. Do not frame it as an excuse.
  • In the section that asks about legal or disciplinary action, disclose everything. Holding anything back can cause problems. 

In addition to the tips provided here, set up an appointment with a CPD Career Coach. We can help you identify alumni for additional advice and support. Other good people to talk to are professors and staff in related departments and centers on campus (e.g., Government Department, Rockefeller Center, and Dickey Center).

Most Important Factors as Ranked by Applicants (Source: Spivey Consulting 2019)Chart, bubble chart Description automatically generated