The Application Process
This page breaks down the Law School application process into these major components:
This page contains a lot of information so please keep scrolling down until you find what you are looking.
- How to Decide Where to Apply
- How To Start your application to Law School - via a Prezi Presentation
- Ideal Law School Application Timeline
- The LSAT
- Preparing for the LSAT
- The Personal Statement
- The Diversity Statement
- The Addendum
- The Credential Assembly Service
- The Candidate Referral Service
- Letters of Recommendation
- Resume
- Transcript
- The Dean's Letter
This page contains a lot of information so please keep scrolling down until you find what you are looking.
How to Decide Where to Apply
Once you have started your investigation, please keep in mind a few things when you are looking into potential Law Schools:
A good way to go about framing your potential schools is to incorporate your LSAT score and GPA to recent incoming classes to form three distinct lists:
These are two trusted online resources for investigating potential schools:
For a more exhaustive and complete list, please visit the Law School Admission Council's article Law School Features to Consider.
- Admission Statistics: It would be to your advantage to view potential schools’ incoming class profiles to get a greater sense of what the previous LSAT scores and GPAs look like. Once you examine their scores, you will be able to see how your numbers compare to theirs; yet, data alone shouldn’t be sole factor when selecting potential schools. All schools desire applicants with other convincing achievements or qualities, even if their individual LSAT score or GPA isn’t quite aligned with the average. A guarantee is that schools want students who showcase great ability for success, which is not entirely captured from an LSAT score or GPA.
A good way to go about framing your potential schools is to incorporate your LSAT score and GPA to recent incoming classes to form three distinct lists:
- Dream schools that could be out of reach but not impossible.
- Competitive schools where, regardless, the application process will be challenging.
- Secure schools where you believe you are likely to be accepted.
These are two trusted online resources for investigating potential schools:
- Use the online Find the Best Law School tool to do a side-by-side comparison of law schools' acceptance rates, LSAT and GPA scores, tuition, and more.
- The Boston College On-line Law School Locator is another tool that lists the 25th to 75th percentile LSAT scores and GPA ranges of first year classes at accredited law schools, entering in the fall of 2008.
For a more exhaustive and complete list, please visit the Law School Admission Council's article Law School Features to Consider.
How to Start Your Application
Are you ready to apply to Law School?
Here are some steps to help you stay on track during the application process and focus in on getting accepted to multiple Law Schools.
Please click on the image or the following link to watch a Prezi Presentation on Applying to Law School.*
*Please note that users on mobile devices will need to download the free Prezi app to view the presentation. The app is available via the App Store but, sadly, not on Google Play. We apologize for the inconvenience*
Here are some steps to help you stay on track during the application process and focus in on getting accepted to multiple Law Schools.
Please click on the image or the following link to watch a Prezi Presentation on Applying to Law School.*
*Please note that users on mobile devices will need to download the free Prezi app to view the presentation. The app is available via the App Store but, sadly, not on Google Play. We apologize for the inconvenience*
Ideal Law School Application Timeline
Junior Year
- Continue exploring the legal field
- Begin investigating potential Law Schools
- Attend the Chicago Law School Fair
- Watch this Law School Application video by the University of California - Berkeley. For more helpful videos like this one, check out their website: https://career.berkeley.edu/MM/Workshops.stm
- Familiarize yourself with lsac.org, the website of the Law School Admission Council. Make an LSAC account.
- Seek out Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Information, which can be found at the Law School Admission Council Website (http://www.lsac.org/jd/applying-to-law-school/overview)
- Register for the June LSAT the summer before Senior Year
- Register with The Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
- Benjamin Franklin once said "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Give yourself sufficient studying time for the June LSAT. For personal advice on how much time is sufficient please get in contact either Professor Evan McKenzie or Advisor Adekemi Faleti-Dosunmu. Both advisors will assist you in your preparation for both the LSAT and your upcoming Law School applications.
- Review your unofficial transcripts online at https://my.uic.edu/common/ for any grade discrepancies.
- Begin inquiring for letters of recommendation from professors, faculty members, coaches, employers, etc...
- Take the June LSAT
- Receive your LSAT Score - normally anywhere between 3-5 weeks after test date.
- Assess Law School choices in light of LSAT score - please consult the Law School Admission Council's article Assess Yourself Realistically.
- Explore your choices and further your investigation by requesting information from your list of schools.
- If necessary, register for the October LSAT.
- At this time, begin exploring outside scholarships as well as school specific scholarships.
- Continue your inquiry for letters of recommendation. Often times, it is best to frequently check on their statuses and set a soft deadline for your recommenders so that you have all the letters before you absolutely need them.
- By now, you should begin your personal statement, and diversity statement and/or addendum. As much as you can, get others to read and comment on your writing. The more revisions you do, the better polished your writing will be.
- Collect all letters of recommendation
- Submit your request for an official transcript online at https://my.uic.edu/common/. If you need help, please follow the steps listed below under "Transcripts".
- Finalize your personal statement, diversity statement and your addendum, if necessary.
- If necessary, take the October LSAT.
- Continue your search for both school specific and outside scholarships
- If necessary, request the Dean's Letter - sometimes known as Dean's Appraisal
- Complete and send applications as soon as possible. The earlier you submit your application, the better chance you have at Law Schools accepting you. Aim to have all applications submitted by Thanksgiving.
- As a safety measure, ensure that your application was received, either through e-mail or phone, by all the schools in which you applied.
- Complete and submit all financial aid materials.
- Make sure you have met all scholarship deadlines.
- Evaluate your offers and decide where you will be attending in the Fall.
- Send thank you letters to those who wrote you letters and let them know of what your plans are.
The LSAT
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day, standardized test that is an integral part of the law school admission process. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants. The LSAT is scored on a scale of 120 (none right) to 180 (perfect score). The average score of everyone taking the test in recent years has been around a 151. Aiming to score at least a 160 will make you a much more competitive applicant.
The LSAT is distributed by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), a nonprofit corporation that provides unique, state-of-the-art products and services to ease the admission process for law schools and their applicants worldwide. The Law School Admission Council is responsible for conducting the LSAT four times a year. The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the five sections contribute to the test taker’s score. The unscored section is typically used to pre-test new test questions or to pre-equate new test forms. The placement of this section will vary. A 35-minute writing sample is administered at the end of the test. LSAC does not score the writing sample, but copies of the writing sample are sent to all law schools to which you apply.
The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.
The test is administered four times a year - always the second Monday in June, the very end of September or the very beginning of October, the first Saturday in December, and in early February.
The June and September/October exams are usually the suggested dates for first time takers to be competitive in the admissions cycle.
The December exam will still give you plenty of time to get your applications in by regular admission deadlines, but is too late for Early Admissions deadlines.
The February exam is usually considered too late to apply to most competitive schools.
Please visit the Law School Admissions Council website to register for the LSAT or to obtain more information regarding the test.
The LSAT is distributed by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), a nonprofit corporation that provides unique, state-of-the-art products and services to ease the admission process for law schools and their applicants worldwide. The Law School Admission Council is responsible for conducting the LSAT four times a year. The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the five sections contribute to the test taker’s score. The unscored section is typically used to pre-test new test questions or to pre-equate new test forms. The placement of this section will vary. A 35-minute writing sample is administered at the end of the test. LSAC does not score the writing sample, but copies of the writing sample are sent to all law schools to which you apply.
The LSAT is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.
The test is administered four times a year - always the second Monday in June, the very end of September or the very beginning of October, the first Saturday in December, and in early February.
The June and September/October exams are usually the suggested dates for first time takers to be competitive in the admissions cycle.
The December exam will still give you plenty of time to get your applications in by regular admission deadlines, but is too late for Early Admissions deadlines.
The February exam is usually considered too late to apply to most competitive schools.
Please visit the Law School Admissions Council website to register for the LSAT or to obtain more information regarding the test.
Preparing for the LSAT
The LSAT is not a test that any one major or academic field can best prepare you for - just like no major or academic field can best prepare you for Law School. That said, the LSAT must be studied like it's own separate class.
There are numerous resources on-line, practice books available in local bookstores, and commercial prep companies that can assist you. The important thing to remember is that the LSAT is a skills test and not a core subject-based test. Therefore, unlike cramming for an exam in a particular subject, you should be devoting an adequate amount of time to studying for this exam by practicing the typical problems that appear on this exam. Many successful applicants devote up to three months to properly prepare for the LSAT and they have started thinking about the test years before, preparing by taking courses such as Logic and by taking practice tests early.
The truth is that everyone learns differently and, more importantly, everyone learns at different speeds. Therefore, we highly encourage law school applicants to be honest with their learning needs - whether independent studying will be enough, or if they will need to pay for one-on-one tutoring or an LSAT preparation course. Although independent studying might seem ideal - since the only thing it costs is your time - one should reconsider their commitment to doing well on the LSAT. Those that do
Suggested UIC Courses:
Philosophy 102 - Introductory Logic: 3 hours. Sentential logic: representation of English using truth-functional connectives, decision methods, natural deduction techniques. Introduction to predicate logic: representation of English using quantifiers. Natural World - No Lab course.
Free LSAT Preparation Materials:
Other Chicago LSAT Preparation Options:
There are numerous resources on-line, practice books available in local bookstores, and commercial prep companies that can assist you. The important thing to remember is that the LSAT is a skills test and not a core subject-based test. Therefore, unlike cramming for an exam in a particular subject, you should be devoting an adequate amount of time to studying for this exam by practicing the typical problems that appear on this exam. Many successful applicants devote up to three months to properly prepare for the LSAT and they have started thinking about the test years before, preparing by taking courses such as Logic and by taking practice tests early.
The truth is that everyone learns differently and, more importantly, everyone learns at different speeds. Therefore, we highly encourage law school applicants to be honest with their learning needs - whether independent studying will be enough, or if they will need to pay for one-on-one tutoring or an LSAT preparation course. Although independent studying might seem ideal - since the only thing it costs is your time - one should reconsider their commitment to doing well on the LSAT. Those that do
Suggested UIC Courses:
Philosophy 102 - Introductory Logic: 3 hours. Sentential logic: representation of English using truth-functional connectives, decision methods, natural deduction techniques. Introduction to predicate logic: representation of English using quantifiers. Natural World - No Lab course.
Free LSAT Preparation Materials:
- The Law School Admissions Council offers a very straightforward introduction into LSAT preparation with some free sample material and videos that breakdown each section of the LSAT, which can can be viewed here.
- USNews.com's 7 tips for LSAT Success and their comprehensive Law School advice.
- TopLawSchools.com's advice on conquering the LSAT.
- A beautiful breakdown of the LSAT, provided by the Career Center of the University of California - Berkeley.
Other Chicago LSAT Preparation Options:
The Personal Statement
"It is not a PERSONAL statement; it is a PROFESSIONAL statement."
The Pre-Law Society at UIC strongly supports the quote above from Dean Bette L. Bottoms', of the University of Illinois at Chicago, regarding the personal statement. For more advice from Dean Bottoms, please check out her article Applying to Graduate School: Writing a Compelling Personal Statement.
Furthermore, the importance of the personal statement cannot be overstated. Yes, one's GPA and LSAT score are both prime quantitative examples that demonstrate one's ability to succeed in Law School; however, the personal statement is one's opportunity to showcase who you are and your ability to communicate.
For more advice on writing your personal statement, please check out the following on-campus resources:
Additionally, please check out these online resources for more advice on crafting your personal statement:
Furthermore, the importance of the personal statement cannot be overstated. Yes, one's GPA and LSAT score are both prime quantitative examples that demonstrate one's ability to succeed in Law School; however, the personal statement is one's opportunity to showcase who you are and your ability to communicate.
For more advice on writing your personal statement, please check out the following on-campus resources:
- The Writing Center - Located on the first floor of Grant Hall, the Writing Center provides free one-on-one tutoring to all UIC students (including graduate and professional students). To schedule an appointment, please do so either online or via phone at 312-413-2206.
- The Academic Center for Excellence - Located inside the Student Services Building (across the street from the UIC Pavilion), the Academic Center for Excellence works one-on-one with students to address academic concerns and to aid students in planning a course of action. To make an appointment for academic coaching, call 312-413-0031. Also, check out their advice on writing a personal statement.
- Undergraduate Success Center - Located inside Stevenson Hall, the UIC Undergraduate Success Center provides supportive, holistic advising guiding students in the development of their academic, career, and life goals. They partner with advisors, professors, counselors, and staff across campus to help students progress and achieve to their highest potential.
Additionally, please check out these online resources for more advice on crafting your personal statement:
The Diversity Statement
What is a diversity statement? In short, it's an optional essay that highlights the individual diversity that you will bring to your potential Law School.
Diversity is not solely defined by racial or ethnic background; on the contrary, diversity encompasses all things that make you, well, you! Everything and anything that has played a role in shaping who you are today is something that qualifies as diversity.
For more information regarding the Diversity Statement, please refer to these guides down below:
Brigham Young University's advice - https://ppa.byu.edu/sites/ppa.byu.edu/files/prelaw/handouts/applying_to_law_school/Diversity%20Statement.pdf
New York University's advice - http://prelaw.cas.nyu.edu/docs/CP/2746/LawSchoolDiversityStatementQuickGuidelines.pdf
Pre-Law Guru - writing samples & video
Diversity is not solely defined by racial or ethnic background; on the contrary, diversity encompasses all things that make you, well, you! Everything and anything that has played a role in shaping who you are today is something that qualifies as diversity.
For more information regarding the Diversity Statement, please refer to these guides down below:
Brigham Young University's advice - https://ppa.byu.edu/sites/ppa.byu.edu/files/prelaw/handouts/applying_to_law_school/Diversity%20Statement.pdf
New York University's advice - http://prelaw.cas.nyu.edu/docs/CP/2746/LawSchoolDiversityStatementQuickGuidelines.pdf
Pre-Law Guru - writing samples & video
The Addendum
What is an Addendum? In short, it's an optional note that explains why something in your application does not properly reflect the type or person or student you truly are.
Here is a brief overview of an Addendum in the context of the Law School application process - courtesy of Brigham Young University:
"An addendum is a brief note to the admissions committee explaining why there is some type of discrepancy in
your application. For example, perhaps you struggled in school your freshman year resulting in a poor GPA;
however, upon returning from your mission your school performance greatly improved."
According to New York University, here are some reasons why you would want to include an Addendum, in addition to your personal statement and diversity statement:
Lastly, please check out TopLawSchools.com for advice on how to write an Addendum, as they also include concise examples.
Here is a brief overview of an Addendum in the context of the Law School application process - courtesy of Brigham Young University:
"An addendum is a brief note to the admissions committee explaining why there is some type of discrepancy in
your application. For example, perhaps you struggled in school your freshman year resulting in a poor GPA;
however, upon returning from your mission your school performance greatly improved."
According to New York University, here are some reasons why you would want to include an Addendum, in addition to your personal statement and diversity statement:
- A long gap in your college attendance or resume.
- Academic misconduct, disciplinary action in college, or a criminal record.
- An LSAT score that does not accurately reflect your law school potential (only if you are able to demonstrate prior
academic excellence despite low standardized test scores). For example, if you scored a 1000 on your SAT, but were able to graduate with a GPA of 3.9, the SAT was obviously a poor predictor of your college performance, and there would be reason to believe that the LSAT might be a poor predictor of your law school performance. In such a case, you should include an official copy of your SAT or ACT score, along with an addendum, discussing prior poor standardized test scores and excellent academic performance.
- An exceptionally poor grade or withdrawal in a particular course, or a markedly poor semester of grades on an otherwise solid transcript, or an overall GPA that is not indicative of your true abilities. This could be due to a particular semester or year in which your grades were much lower than usual. Also, if you believe that your overall GPA was not as high as it could have been due to financial circumstances, such as the necessity of your full-time employment throughout your college career, an addendum could be useful.
Lastly, please check out TopLawSchools.com for advice on how to write an Addendum, as they also include concise examples.
The Credential Assembly Service
According to the Law School Admission Council website, the Credential Assembly Service, or CAS, "simplifies the admission process for law school applicants by allowing you to submit all of the necessary documentation one time, regardless of the number of schools to which you apply. American Bar Association-approved law schools and many other law schools require the use of CAS for JD applicants."
In short, CAS is designed to help streamline all the documents that Law School applicants submit to the Law School Admission Council. Documents, such as your official academic transcripts, letters of recommendations and evaluations, will all be available to American bar Association-approved law schools.
Please note that the CAS has replaced what used to the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) Report.
Again, according to the Law School Admission Council website, this is the purpose of CAS:
"We summarize your undergraduate work and combine all of your documents with your LSAT score and writing sample to create a report that we send to the law schools to which you apply. Most applicants use the electronic applications included as part of CAS to apply to law schools. When law schools receive your completed application, they will request your law school report from LSAC."
All quotes used here can be found the Law School Admission Council website on the Credential Assembly Service page. We highly encourage you all to visit this page to fully understand the role the CAS plays in your Law School application process.
In short, CAS is designed to help streamline all the documents that Law School applicants submit to the Law School Admission Council. Documents, such as your official academic transcripts, letters of recommendations and evaluations, will all be available to American bar Association-approved law schools.
Please note that the CAS has replaced what used to the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) Report.
Again, according to the Law School Admission Council website, this is the purpose of CAS:
"We summarize your undergraduate work and combine all of your documents with your LSAT score and writing sample to create a report that we send to the law schools to which you apply. Most applicants use the electronic applications included as part of CAS to apply to law schools. When law schools receive your completed application, they will request your law school report from LSAC."
All quotes used here can be found the Law School Admission Council website on the Credential Assembly Service page. We highly encourage you all to visit this page to fully understand the role the CAS plays in your Law School application process.
The Candidate Referral Service
The Candidate Referral Service can help the right law school to find you - an absolutely free service from the Law School Admission Council. This service helps schools find potential applicants based on certain factors and characteristics. Registering for this service can help applicants find schools that they may not have previously considered.
Click here to register for the Candidate Referral Service today.
Click here to register for the Candidate Referral Service today.
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation play a huge part in your application. They, like your personal statement, help fill in the gaps left by your LSAT score and GPA. Strong letters are usually from professors from upper-level courses in which your professor will be able to speak strongly on your academic ability. The best letters come from accomplished professors who you have taken multiple classes with so that the professor is familiar with your academic body of work.
For a more detailed look at who you should ask for letters, as well as how you should go about obtaining them, please visit the Pre-Law page of the University of Indiana.
For a more detailed look at who you should ask for letters, as well as how you should go about obtaining them, please visit the Pre-Law page of the University of Indiana.
Resumé
One's resumé is an insight to their professional development. Therefore, the importance of the content and design are essential to communicating to Law Schools that you are ready for the upcoming challenge of being a J.D. Candidate. In essence, your resume should be a professional view of the type of person you are through the types of activities, honors, or awards you have accumulated and participated in over time.
Please take a look at some examples, presented by Harvard Law School: http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/toolkit/resumes/1lbeforeafter.pdf
For more personal advice and suggestions, we encourage all UIC students to visit the UIC Office of Career Services. You can also contact them directly to make an appointment at [email protected], over the phone at (312) 996-2300, or in person Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Please take a look at some examples, presented by Harvard Law School: http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/toolkit/resumes/1lbeforeafter.pdf
For more personal advice and suggestions, we encourage all UIC students to visit the UIC Office of Career Services. You can also contact them directly to make an appointment at [email protected], over the phone at (312) 996-2300, or in person Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Dean's Letter
The Dean's Letter - sometimes known as the Dean's Appraisal or College Certificate - provides information on the conferral of the degree and disciplinary records, and must be completed by an official at the institution with access to your educational records. Each institution is different in how the form is processed, but usually the Dean of Students' office completes it. The Dean's Letter is not a letter of recommendation, so the person that completes the form need not know you.
For UIC students, please refer to the following link for more information on how to obtain the Dean's Letter: http://www.las.uic.edu/students/current-undergraduate/student-affairs/pre-professional-advising/uic-law/certification
For UIC students, please refer to the following link for more information on how to obtain the Dean's Letter: http://www.las.uic.edu/students/current-undergraduate/student-affairs/pre-professional-advising/uic-law/certification
Transcripts
Each Law School will require an official transcript from your degree-granting institution. For UIC students, you can order your official transcript online at https://my.uic.edu/common/.
Here are the steps to view your UNOFFICIAL transcript online:
Here are the steps to obtain your OFFICIAL transcript online:
For more information on how to obtain your official transcript, please refer to this webpage provided by UIC: http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/current_students/transcripts.html#writing.
Here are the steps to view your UNOFFICIAL transcript online:
- Go to https://my.uic.edu/common/.
- Once logged in, click on the "Academics" tab.
- Next, look for the "Student Self Service Login - Registration and Records Menu" link.
- Afterwards, click on the "Records & Registration" tab.
- Finally, once you click on the "Student Records & Transcript" link, click on "View Academic History" to view your unofficial transcript.
Here are the steps to obtain your OFFICIAL transcript online:
- Repeat steps 1-4, as listed above.
- Click on the "Student Records & Transcript" link.
- Finally, click on "Official Transcript" to start the process for obtaining your official transcript.
For more information on how to obtain your official transcript, please refer to this webpage provided by UIC: http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/current_students/transcripts.html#writing.