Law School Application Process
- Get good grades
- Take classes that encourage you to develop good writing skills
- Take classes that develop strong reading skills
- Take classes that help you develop skills for your chosen major
- Get good grades. If you plan on attending law school immediately after graduation then the grades from your junior year will be the most recent grades that law school admissions committees see
- Pick up a copy of the LSAT application packet. It is available in Robinson A201 or A207
- Prepare to
request letters of recommendation from faculty members. Most law schools
require two recommendation letters. Make sure you have had a couple of
classes with the people you want to write letters for you:
- Make sure that you request letters from your letter writers early
- Provide them with the information they will need to write letters that demonstrate for the law school acceptance committee how well they know and love you
- Give them copies, if you have them, of good papers you wrote for them
Summer between Junior and Senior Years:
- Register for LSAT and LSDAS
- Take the practice test provided in the LSAT/LSDAS packet
- Develop a list of ten schools in which your GPA and LSAT scores will fit. Pick one or two dream schools and one or two safety schools
- Prepare to take the LSAT test in June or October. Do NOT plan on taking the test more than once. Plan to take it once and plan to do your very best. Doing your very best may be facilitated by taking a commercially available preparation course or the preparation course offered by George Mason University
- Take the October LSAT if you did not take the Summer test
- Request applications from law schools. You can use the postcards in the LSAT/LSDAS packet or use the internet
- Begin working on your personal statement
- Make final arrangements for faculty recommendation letters
- Request the George Mason University registrar send official transcripts to LSDAS
- Obtain financial aid applications from the financial aid officer
- Complete and mail application materials to law schools before winter break
- In late January it might be helpful to double-check with law schools to insure that they have received all your materials
- Upon admittance, send law schools a deposit to hold your place in the entering class
- Inform your advisors, recommenders, and pre-law advising of your status and decisions
