Although all components of a law school application are important, the most important one is the personal statement. To that end, this series explains some of the pivotal points you should keep in mind as you prepare to write your law school application personal statement. This is a 10-part series that will help get you from starting to finishing your personal statement. Personal Statement Timeline Let's start off with something most law school applicants don't even think about: the personal statement timeline.While students consider the personal statement one of the hardest parts of … [Read more...]
Money Talks: LSAT, GPA, Tuition, & Salary Data for the T100 Law Schools
Does a law degree from a prestigious university automatically mean a six figure salary? Does starting salary correlate strongly with tuition, or is rank a more important factor?Law school is expensive, no doubt about it, with tuition ranging from $27,000 to almost $69,000. Given that starting salaries in the private law practice sector range from $62,000 to a whopping $190,000, it can certainly be a smart investment in the long run though. As you’re putting together your list of dream schools, it’s not a bad idea to compare all of the data, and to that end, we’ve put together a chart with … [Read more...]
Canadian Law School Application Deadlines and Latest LSAT Score Allowed
Planning to attend law school in Canada? You may be thinking about which LSAT to take and wondering whether the January or February LSATs are too late. Schools in the US often accept scores from tests as late as July and application deadlines extend into the summer. But that is not the case in Canada.The majority of the 24 law schools in Canada list January as the latest LSAT they will accept. Application deadlines are generally in November and December, though at least one is as late as March 1st. Canadian Law School DeadlinesThings to NoteApplication Deadline. The deadline is … [Read more...]
Which Law Schools Offer Spring and Summer Starts?
January and February is deadline season, which means that many law school applicants are getting all their ducks in a row and submitting their apps, eyes aglow at the thought of starting law school in the fall. But what if you're not one of them? You don't want to start this fall, but you don't want to wait until next fall to start. You're still glowing with the thought of starting law school, but you'd like to start in the Spring or Summer next year.Fortunately for you, there are some law schools that offer spring and summer starts. Which ones are they?A few things to keep in mind, … [Read more...]
Supplemental Essays in Law School Admissions: Yes or No?
Many law schools invite applicants to submit supplemental essays when applying to law school. Surprisingly, the topics you are likely to be asked about do not vary tremendously, and generally boil down to the following. AddendaDiscuss weaknesses or significant trends in your undergraduate record. This is known as an "addendum" and should be submitted if necessary (whether the school asks for it or not). Address issues related to the "character and fitness" section of the application, such as an academic or disciplinary probation. An addendum should also be included if you have … [Read more...]
Top 100 Law School Application Deadlines and Latest Acceptable LSAT: 2021 Edition
The LSAT you take—or retake—can have a great impact on your admission chances. Some of you may be asking, “Is the January LSAT too late? Are the February or March LSATs too late?” We survey top law schools yearly with those exact questions to find out admissions deadlines and the latest LSAT each school will accept.Many of the top law schools are still requiring a January LSAT deadline. But, as you’ll see in the chart below, the February and March LSATs are definitely viable options for test-takers. A quarter of the schools still allow for a June or July test result, however, they admit … [Read more...]
Law School Transfer Statistics and What it Means for You
If you're nervous about your admissions chances, you might be considering your options for transferring. Something like: “If I don’t get accepted into my dream law school, can I just do well during my 1L and then transfer up?” In 2019, a total of 2,396 students transferred between law schools, so it isn’t uncommon. But as you can see in the chart below, most of the T14 schools admit very few, if any, transfer students. Georgetown is an outlier, so you might want to add that school to your target list if you’re considering a switch! Transferring is certainly an option if you perform extremely … [Read more...]
Quick Tips: Crafting a Top-Notch Personal Statement
Apart from your LSAT and undergraduate GPA, the personal statement is certainly the most important aspect of your law school application. It's the one part of your file that is solely you. It's your voice, your experiences, your story, told in your words. Every day, as we help students put together exceptional applications as part of our law school admissions consulting programs. Here are some tidbits of personal statement wisdom that we hope will help you create a top-notch, unforgettable, impactful essay.What to DoWhen you write your personal statement, one of your guiding … [Read more...]
Why Does It Take So Long for LSAT-Flex Scores to Come Out?
Once the LSAT-Flex is over, one of the most common complaints is that scores should come out more quickly. Since we live in an era where tests are electronic, it is a reasonable complaint. So, why does it take so long for LSAT scores to appear? Couldn’t they get them out a lot earlier? To best understand what happens once you finish the LSAT-Flex, let’s take a look at each phase of the process. Test Administration The first and most substantial delay actually comes before most students take the LSAT. Typically, we think of the LSAT as being given on a single day. However, that’s not the case … [Read more...]
How Do Law Schools View Multiple LSAT Scores?
One of the questions a lot of test-takers ask regards taking the LSAT more than once. "How will the law school I want to go to react to more than on LSAT score? Will it hurt my chances?" Having more than once score show up on your Score Report is a source of stress for many applicants. So, let's shed some light on the subject. First, Some Backstory In the past, when applicants had more than one score, schools used to average all of the scores when making admissions decisions. This also effected the report of admitted applicant scores that goes to the American Bar Association. Since the LSAT … [Read more...]
Are Law Schools Extending Their Application Deadlines?
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed the Law School application landscape. Students are taking the LSAT-Flex at home, school tours are virtual, fall classes may be online, everything is going digital. In an effort to help students navigate these weird times, some law schools are extending their application deadlines. Although some top law school application deadlines had passed pre-pandemic, many have implemented extensions or are making exceptions on a case-by-case basis. If your application has been negatively affected by the crisis (March LSAT-takers, for example), contact the … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 53: To Debt or Not to Debt? That is the Law School Question
Dave and Jon turn their focus away from the ongoing LSAT-Flex saga to tackle another pressing consideration looming over many applicants these days: how to navigate multiple acceptances and choose the school that’s right for you! In particular, they explore several applicants’ unique circumstances, from school rankings and prestige to estimated debt to ultimate career goals, and offer detailed advice on what they believe is the best decision for each person. … [Read more...]
4 Things to Do Before Starting Your Law School Applications
Most would-be law school applicants focus on what they'll have to do once they start the law school application process. But what they don't realize is that there is plenty they need to do before they even start the engine on the law-school-mobile.Here are four things that any law school applicant absolutely should do before they embark on their professional school journey: Determine Your "Why" Why do you want to go to law school? What about law are you passionate about? Do you know where you want your career to go after you graduate? It's not enough to apply just because your parents … [Read more...]
Does Submitting an Early Law School Application Improve Your Chances at Getting In?
Applying Early HypeThere's a lot of buzz about applying early. Everywhere you look online blasts the same mantra: "Apply as early as you can, apply today! Apply yesterday! If you don't all hope is lost." To be honest, having your applications ready to go on day one is not a bad idea. But, that's for reasons wholly unrelated to whether or not it improves your admissions chances.First of all, getting things done sooner rather than later gives you breathing room. Who knows what might happen a week from now that will prevent you from getting that application finished? If you have the time … [Read more...]