Law School Applications: Five Important Tips

As the pool of applicants to law schools grows in both numbers of applicants and in the quality of applicants, the importance of submitting an application that truly maximizes your credentials and strengths becomes essential. Knowing the application process inside and out will help you in this endeavor, so be sure to do your homework and always read application instructions very carefully. As you begin to gather your materials, consider the following five tips:

1. The first tip is pretty basic. Your undergraduate grade point average and your LSAT scores will demonstrate your academic potential and your ability to succeed as a law student, so there’s no way around it; you need good scores. Unlike some other graduate programs, no amount of extra-curricular activities will substitute for strong scores in these areas. Spend the extra time and/or money to prepare for the LSATs and re-take the test it if you aren’t completely satisfied with your initial scores.

2. If certain areas of your application are lacking such as your grade point average, you can use your personal statement to put these things in perspective. Were you recovering from a serious illness? Were you working full time? Did you have any specific academic problems? Were you raising four children while going to school? Use the personal statement to frame things to your advantage if possible, but always be honest in doing so.

3. Make sure that your personal statement is in fact, personal. Your statement should be an expression of you and should describe experiences, defining moments, insights, and problems that you may have encountered in your lifetime. Remember, it’s your chance to make your application stand out from a huge pile of qualified applicants, so make it unique.

4. Research the programs to which you are applying and be specific regarding how your personal attributes will fit perfectly with the idiosyncrasies of that particular school. Remember, admissions committees are looking for students who will fit in well and thrive in their academic environment. By describing how your past experiences and future goals makes you the perfect fit for their program will help convince the admission committee that you should be granted admission.

5. Your letter of reference is a very important part of your application. Be sure to request letters of recommendation from professors or employers who know you well and can speak to your personal strengths, abilities, as well as your potential as a law student. Be sure that letters also comment on personal attributes such as your character, work ethic, and social skills. Never submit a letter from someone who doesn’t know you well, as such a letter will not be able to adequately convince an admissions committee that you are a good candidate.

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