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Law School Application Process Overview:
 

                                          A Step-by Step Guide

If you are considering applying to law school, you should know that you're not alone. Since Fall 2001,  the number of law school applicants has been on the rise: up 3.6 percent in 2001, up 17.6 percent in 2002, up  9.5 in 2003, and up 1.1 percent in 2004. While the number of admitted applicants also rose from 2001 to 2003, in 2004, the number of admitted applicants actually declined by 1.6 percent. (Complete stats are available on the LSAC website.)
All told, 100,600 individual applied to ABA-accredited law schools for 2004, 55,900 of them were accepted, and 45,400 eventually matriculated. What should these numbers mean to you? Getting into law school is no easy task and getting into a top law school is an even tougher one.

Even so, this is no reason to tuck your tail between your legs and surrender to the stats. It is, rather, a reason to develop the most strategic approach possible and attack the application process full-force. The following overview—when used in conjunction with the Princeton Review's other law school timelines and checklists—can guide you step-by-step through the relatively straightforward components of the law school application process.

Timing is Everything
Recognize this central truth of law school applications from the get-go, and you will automatically place yourself at an advantage over your more procrastinatory peers. While law schools often list their application due dates as occurring some time between January and March, most schools employ a rolling admissions process that heavily favors those people who submit their applications as early as possible. We encourage you to disregard the due dates listed on law school websites and aim to submit all of your applications by late November or early December—if not earlier.

This means, ideally, giving yourself about a year to complete all of the necessary steps, starting in January (though this is a best-case scenario, and you won't be doomed if it takes you a little longer to get your act together).

The LSAT
If you start thinking about the LSAT in January, you'll thank yourself later. The sooner you take the test, the more time you'll have to devote to other facets of the application process, and the sooner you'll have a sense of the law schools in your range. Take a practice test in January and calculate your diagnostic score; in February, start thinking about a prep course (in-person, online, or independently with a book-we strongly recommend the first two options), and sign up for whatever suits your fancy; in March, obtain an Official LSAT Registration Book, which will provide test dates, registration deadlines, and all the other logistical information you'll need to know for the big day (also check out the LSAT section of the LSAC website).

Unlike the GRE, the LSAT is only offered four times each year (usually February, June, October and December) and the deadline for registering is usually about a month in advance. We suggest signing up as early as possible to guarantee getting your first-choice test location. If you can sign up in April to take the test in June, you're right on schedule; if you need to hold off and take it in October, you'll still be okay. You can take the LSAT more than once, but avoid multiple takes if you can, since most schools will average your scores instead of considering the highest.

Related Links
The Law School Application Process
The Admissions Index
Application Game Plans
Law School Application Checklist

The LSDAS
The Law School Data Assembly Service is provided by the LSAC and is required by most ABA-approved law schools. For a fee, the service will assemble a report containing your transcript, LSAT scores, and letters of recommendation. You should aim to register for the LSDAS around July so that you can complete your file as soon as possible (again, find the required forms at www.lsac.org or ask your pre-law advising office for registration information). After you apply to the law schools of your choice, they will contact LSDAS directly and request a copy of your report.

Transcripts and Recommendations
August is a good time to contact your undergraduate institution(s) to ask that your transcript be sent to LSDAS. As for recommendations, it's probably best to wait until September, after the fall semester has started and professors are getting back in the swing of things. The number of recommendations required will vary from school to school, but it helps to have two professors in mind who knew you well enough to offer solid predictions (and positive impressions) for your future performance. The more you can communicate with your recommenders, the better: Give them a clear sense of what you're hoping to get out of law school and the kinds of programs you're looking into. If you complete your personal statement before they've submitted their recs, send it along—this will give them a clearer sense of your direction and communicate your commitment to the field. They might even be able to offer helpful editorial criticisms.

Shopping Around
While you navigate the seas of the LSAT and LSDAS bureaucracies, you should start thinking about  where you'd like to end up. Your LSAT scores, once received, will give you a sense of your possibilities—check out school stats to find out where your GPA and test scores will fit comfortably within the application pool. Most people apply to somewhere between six and ten schools (you won't need to go crazy if you pick a range of safeties, realistic choices, and dream schools). After you've settled on a favorite few—around August—request applications (even if you will ultimately be applying online) and start setting up file folders in which to organize the information you receive and print out from their websites. This is a good time to touch base with your pre-law advisor to make sure you're on track with your selection of schools.

The Application and Personal Statement
Start working on your applications and personal statements around September. While your applications will be relatively straightforward to complete, your personal statement provides a chance to stand out from the crowd and will most definitely benefit from careful ruminations and multiple revisions. Ask some people who know you well—and have good critical eyes—to look over your personal statement, to make sure that it communicates your character and a clear sense of purpose. Admissions officers will appreciate a clear indication of what attracted you to law and what field interests you particularly.

Odds and Ends
If you've followed this outline and completed your materials in early fall, November and December will be the time to tie up loose ends and—gasp!—submit your applications. Breathe a sigh of relief and—most importantly—don't let yourself get psyched out by daunting law school admissions statistics. If you've done your homework and applied to a realistic set of schools, the next few agonizing months will be the first of your legal life.