Application Components
The law school application process requires advanced planning. Students are encouraged to consult with Maureen Walz in the Gateway Career Center to discuss and develop their best application strategies. Appointments can be made via your Handshake account or by calling 610.330.5115.
Applications to law schools are typically available starting in September with deadlines set in mid-March. To be most competitive, students are encouraged to apply as early in the process as possible. Typically, this requires that a student prepare for and take the LSAT in either the summer after their junior year or early fall in their senior year. Review the list of LSAT dates here.
Law School Admissions Council
Students apply to law schools online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), a non-profit organization providing the following list of services:
- Law School Admission Test
- Credential Assembly Service (electronic applications, transcript processing, and letters of recommendation)
- Candidate Referral Service
- Law School Forums
- Diversity in Law School
- Test Preparation Publications and
- Law School Guides
LSAC provides application checklist here. Applicants will create an LSAC account in order to register to take the LSAT and (several months before applying to law schools) will register with the Credential Assembly Service. This service receives information from applicants and, once complete, distributes it to law schools listed by the applicant. A complete law school application includes the electronic application completed by the applicant with all relevant attachments (i.e. personal statement, resume, and any addenda) combined with a complete CAS file sent directly to the law school by LSAC (transcript(s), letters of recommendation, and LSAT score or scores).
Electronic applications have been made more efficient by flowing more information from one electronic application to the next, saving you from filling in the same questions on each application. Law schools will display their names and logos on each form so you are clear about the information required by that school. A completion bar is offered so that you will know which application sections have been completed and which remain to be completed.
Refer to JD Help and FAQs if you have any difficulty.