□ Continue to study for the LSAT and take it in June if you feel prepared.
□ Register and pay for the LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) at least four to six weeks before you plan to submit you first law school application.
□ Begin to write your law school admission (personal) statement. Remember, you need to format each statement according to the individual school’s specifications so review each school’s website to determine what that law school wants to see in the personal statement. Some schools also recommend or require a diversity statement. Talk with a pre-law advisor about the purpose of an addendum if there is something about your academic record that you would like to explain.
□ Prepare your resume for law schools. Visit the Career Connection Center if you need assistance with your resume.
□ Even though it is your personal statement, have several others read your statement and give you feedback. Pre-law advisors in the Academic Advising Center/Farrior Hall and specialists in the University Writing Studio in 2215 Turlington Hall on campus are available for such assistance.
□ Begin to research financial aid options for law schools. The LSAC’s “Financing Law School” is a good place to start. While there are some scholarships available for highly competitive applicants, most law students utilize student loans or personal resources to finance law school so it is important to look at cost factors when researching individual law schools. Other useful financial aid resources can be found at: https://studentaid.gov/, http://www.finaid.org/ and www.accessgroup.org.
Fourth Year Students
□ Attend additional pre-law workshops offered on campus related to the application process, writing personal statements, mock admission panels etc. These will be announced via the pre-law listserv and on the pre-law website.
□ Meet with a pre-law advisor again to discuss your law school questions and to help your develop a good application strategy based on your GPA and June LSAT scores.
□ Attend the Graduate & Professional Schools Day event, sponsored by the Career Connection Center, early in the Fall semester to meet with law school admissions representatives on campus in addition to the LSAC Law School Forum.
□ Request that official transcripts be sent to LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) from the registrar’s office of each institution you have attended.
□ Confirm with recommenders who you have previously asked to write letters of recommendation and provide them with copies of your resume, personal statement and CAS recommender form. (You will have provided CAS their names and contact information on your CAS account.) Don’t forget to send thank-you notes to your recommenders!
□ Finalize your personal statement for each school to which you are applying.
□ Apply to your target law school(s) as soon as their applications are available. Apply as early as possible (October is a great time), since law schools have a rolling admissions process and your application may be more competitive if you apply early. (Once the law schools receive your completed applications, they will contact the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) to have your law school report sent which will include your transcripts and letters of recommendation.)
□ Register for and take the October LSAT if you didn’t take it in June or if you plan to retake the LSAT to improve your score. (You may want to consult with a pre-law advisor before making your final decision on whether or not to retake the LSAT.)
□ Continue to research financial aid options. Complete the FAFSA for federal aid as soon as possible after January 1 of the year you plan to start law school.
□ Make decisions regarding law schools to which you are accepted and/or other career options.