ADMISSIONS DECISIONS AND STRATEGIES

Accept, Deny, Wait-list or Hold

Law schools vary widely on their timetable for informing students of admissions decisions. However, most schools will notify students between December and May. Applicants are usually informed of their status by a letter and are either accepted, denied, or wait-listed. Some schools place students in a “hold” category, which means that the application will be reviewed again at a later date, usually before the wait-listed candidates are considered.

If you are placed on “hold” or wait-listed, you can do a number of things to increase your chances of a favorable decision:

·         Write a letter to the director of admissions informing him/her of your strong interest in the school. Be sure to also update them on any new accomplishments or activities of yours, such as an award, senior thesis, internship or leadership position.

·         Have an additional letter of recommendation sent from a faculty member or an employer. Be sure that your total number of recommendations does not exceed four.

·         If possible, visit the law school.

The Law School Admission Council does not allow law schools to request a deposit from students they accept until after April 1. After that date, schools will ask you to secure your seat by placing a deposit. It is likely that you will not have heard from all schools at this point, so you may consider contacting the law schools to request an extension of the deposit deadline. If it is not granted, it is wise to place a deposit at the school that interest you most , even if you have not heard from your top-choice school. In the event the top-choice school does not accept you, you have reserved a spot elsewhere. However, if you do get accepted to another school you’d rather attend, it is important that you notify the first school immediately so they may offer your seat to someone else. You may lose the deposit at the first law school.

Deferrals

If you are admitted in the regular cycle (not from a wait-list), many schools will consider requests for deferral. While the school reserves the right to deny a request, one-year deferrals are fairly common. Two-year deferrals are rarely considered. If you are thinking of deferring, be aware of the following:

·         Deferral request deadlines are usually early.

·         Once a deferral is granted, most schools require you to sign a contract stating that you have withdrawn all other law school applications, and will not apply anywhere else. Therefore, if you plan to defer, make your final decision about where you want to matriculate, the request a deferral from that school only.

Common reasons for denial/Reapplication

·         If your LSAT score is low, be sure to repeat the exam again no later than October of the new application cycle. Keep in mind, however, that most schools average your most recent scores with prior ones.

·         LSDAS does not take into account grades earned in classes after the Bachelor’s degree has been awarded, so taking additional courses will not help. If you applied as a senior, hopefully your GPA improved during your last college semester. If you are an alumnus/alumna, a very strong LSAT and some excellent work are essential to your application.

·         You must write a new personal statement when you reapply. Be sure to put effort and energy into your essay.

·         It is not necessary to get all new letters of recommendation during the second application cycle.

·         Be realistic when choosing the law schools to apply to. Select more schools that typically accept students with your qualifications.