How To Get Into Law School

The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is another important component of the law school admissions process that is worth mentioning, even though it’s not technically a requirement for all law schools.

Law School Requirements

We assume you’re trying to understand law school requirements because you’re considering obtaining your J.D.

We’ve got all the answers you need. Whether it’s knowing how to apply to law school, understanding the law school requirements, or determining whether you’re a competitive applicant, this guide will walk you through what you need to know.

But before diving into the details of the law school admissions process, you may want to know upfront what exactly law schools are looking for in their applicants. Here are the basic pre-requirements for most law school applications:

• A bachelor’s degree
• LSAT scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement/statement of purpose
• Completed application

But that’s not all. In this post, we’ll go beyond the basics and answer some of the most common questions about law school requirements.

So, whether you’re an ambitious college student or a professional looking to take the next step in your career, this guide will give you all the information you need to make an informed decision about your future.

Let’s get started!

• Law school pre-reqs: What do you need to get into law school?
• Is the LSAT required for law school?
• What GPA do you need to get into law school?
• Best majors for law school applicants
• Law school application deadlines
• How hard is it to get into law school?
• Should I go to law school?
• Final thoughts on law school requirements

Law school pre-reqs: What do you need to get into law school?

The first step in deciding whether law school is right for you is to determine if you meet the pre-requirements. So, what do you need to get into law school?

Bachelor’s Degree

To apply to law school, you’ll generally want to have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university (note: some law schools will accept an associate’s degree, but this may make application harder / limit your options). While no specific major is required to attend law school, some programs may prefer applicants with degrees in political science, philosophy, or history. However, law schools value diverse educational backgrounds, so applicants from a range of academic disciplines are encouraged to apply.

LSAT Scores

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a law school admissions test required for most law schools in the United States. The LSAT measures critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and reading comprehension skills, which are essential for success in law school. It consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions and one unscored writing section.

The LSAT is administered several times a year, and most law schools require applicants to take the test no later than the December before the application deadline.

Some law schools have also started accepting scores from the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) instead of LSAT scores.

Which one should you take? It depends. And we’ll discuss what to consider before deciding which is best for you later in this post.

Letters of Recommendation

Most law schools require applicants to submit at least two letters of recommendation. These letters should come from individuals who can speak to your academic abilities, work ethic, and character.

Professors, employers, or other professionals who know you well and can attest to your strengths and potential as a law student are ideal recommenders. Choosing recommenders who can provide detailed and thoughtful letters is also essential, so be sure to give them ample time to prepare.

Law School Personal Statement

A personal statement is a critical part of your law school application that allows you to showcase your unique qualities and explain why you are a good fit for the program. It is an opportunity to share your background, experiences, and goals and demonstrate your writing skills.

Your law school personal statement should be well-written, concise, and thoughtful and should provide insight into your motivation for pursuing a law degree. Check out this personal statement guide for examples and in-depth analysis.

Completed Application

A completed application typically includes all of the above items (a bachelor’s degree, LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement) as well as other materials such as transcripts, a resume, and application fees.

It is essential to carefully review each law school’s specific requirements and deadlines to ensure that you submit a complete and competitive application.

Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Registration

The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is another important component of the law school admissions process that is worth mentioning, even though it’s not technically a requirement for all law schools.

CAS is a service provided by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) that allows you to centralize and organize your application materials, including your transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other important documents.

When you register for CAS, you can submit your materials once and have them sent to all of the law schools you apply to. This can save you a lot of time and effort when it’s time to submit your law school applications.

Keep in mind that some law schools (typically those approved by the American Bar Association) require CAS registration as part of their application process, while others may not. Be sure to research the requirements of the schools you are interested in to determine whether CAS registration is necessary.

How to Get Into Law School: The Ultimate Guide

Everything you need to know to get into law school, including how your GPA, LSAT score, personal statement, and letters of recommendation impact your admissions to America’s top law schools

Part 1: Introduction to law school admissions

Part 2: Your numbers and the law school application process

Part 3: Crafting a law school application narrative

Part 4: Law school letters of recommendation

Part 5: Strategies for applying to law school

Part 6: Frequently asked questions

Final Thoughts

Part 1: Introduction to law school admissions

There is so much to piece together as you contemplate your law school applications. Between essays, letters of recommendations, LSAT scores, GPA, school rankings, and scholarships, the process can feel overwhelming before you’ve even begun. On top of everything, competition to get into law school is increasingly fierce.

The number of people taking the LSAT increased by 40 percent between 2014 and 2021. At the top 14 law schools (known as “the T-14”), the average median LSAT scores rose dramatically during the 2021 application cycle, with the number of top-scoring applicants (those with scores between 175–180) more than doubling compared to the previous year. Law school admission is difficult enough with LSAT prep, writing standout personal statements, and securing great letters of recommendation—add to that increased competition and it becomes nerve-wracking.

You are amongst the thousands of applicants each year applying for a chance to study at our nation’s top law schools. These schools can provide you with unmatched intellectual rigor, and amazing job opportunities upon graduation.

Though it may seem onerous and never-ending, getting into an incredible program is an achievable task. The most important thing is to take this process one step at a time.

Law schools look for strong writers with exceptional analytical thinking and communication skills. Whether you’ve studied art history, biology, political science, or philosophy, chances are you have the skills law school admissions officers are looking for.

With that being said, let’s make sure you are well positioned to succeed by optimizing your chance for success in the admissions process. Assuming your numbers (i.e., your GPA and LSAT score) are fixed, we can still accent and highlight your story and skillset.

Before you start studying, worrying, and dizzying yourself with the numbers, read this guide in detail. Map out your plan of attack before heading into battle. This blueprint will help bring about ease as you study, and plan for your future school and career.

There are three main metrics to the law school application that will be examined below:

Part 2: Your numbers and the law school application process

Let’s jump right into the nitty-gritty of the application process and how your numbers (i.e., your GPA and LSAT score) will factor in.

Step 1: Which law schools should you apply to?

Deciding which schools, and how many, to apply to is perhaps the most enthralling and challenging part of the application cycle. Putting your list together will help give you concrete goals as you craft your applications and study for the LSAT. Don’t worry about overreaching at this phase. You will have plenty of time to refine and edit your list moving forward as other parts of your application come together. For now, let’s develop an initial comprehensive list of schools that fit your interests.

As you are creating your list of schools, it is important to take into consideration a few factors:

1. School ranking

The legal profession thrives off of prestige: law firms like to flaunt their fancy degrees to clients, and public interest positions are very competitive and are often only available to the best students at top schools. To that end, rankings almost entirely consume the law school admissions cycle.

The T-14 is typically defined as the top 14 law schools according to the U.S. News & World Report rankings, all of which are highly competitive and well-connected in the legal profession. Despite some shuffling in order, the same schools (e.g., Harvard, Stanford, Columbia) have largely occupied the T-14 list since the start of the U.S. News rankings (which is partially why some top law schools have refused to participate).

2017 was the first year in recent history that saw a slight shift in the list: Georgetown fell to 15th, giving the University of Texas at Austin a boost into this elite club of schools. Georgetown was once again displaced in the 2022 rankings, this time by UCLA, and continues to sit at #15 for the 2023 rankings. Nevertheless, T-14 law schools are known for their ability to place graduates at nationally ranked firms, clerkships, and fellowship opportunities. They are also renowned for their rigor and career assurance.

Although your law school’s ranking will not be the only indicator of your professional success, it will provide a boost when building your network. You not only want to attend a high-ranking school, but to thrive in one as well. Keep this in mind as you delve into your list.

The T-14 offers flexibility upon graduation at a national level. These options, however, are not foreclosed upon non-T-14 students. In fact, T-30 schools (e.g., USC, Boston University, Notre Dame) offer some of the same prestige within their respective regions. T-30 schools can guarantee access to their region’s top law firms, public interest positions, and powerful alumni networks. This is especially true for top performers at T-30 schools, who are often just as competitive as students coming out of the T-14.

Outside of the T-30, job opportunities are more limited and massive loan packages make law school financially risky.

• Ask yourself: Which of the T-14 is within reach? (Don’t worry, we will cover how to evaluate reaches and targets below!)
• Ask yourself: Which of the T-30 most excites you?

2. Location

A school’s location often opens doors. Therefore, think about the types of internship opportunities available in the school’s region, and the networks you can develop during your time as a law student.

A school like George Washington (GW), for example, may be ranked 25th in the U.S. News rankings (as of March 2022) but places its graduates at some of the most coveted D.C. positions. This is in large part because GW’s staff has intimate connections to various government and firm positions and can place students at these institutions through externships and internships.

• Ask yourself: What type of law practice do I want to have? What cities function as a hub for the types of networks I want to build?

3. Clinical programs and course offering

It goes without saying that certain programs and clinical experiences are the stepping stones to a robust career after law school. For example, NYU is known as a hotbed for public interest lawyering. The plethora of clinical experiences available at both NYU and neighboring organizations, the types of research afforded, and faculty expertise make NYU worth considering for those aiming for a career in public interest law.

Another example of a unique program is Northeastern’s Externship schedule, allowing its students to pursue full-time internships during the academic year, providing students with a rich professional resume well before graduation.

• Ask yourself: What types of legal questions do I find to be intellectually stimulating?
• Ask yourself: What type of learning environment do I need to excel?

4. Loans

Naturally, loans and the financial cost of law school, are a huge deterrent to law school applicants. The fear you may have of being strapped with debt, never being able to pay it back on time, compounding interest, and lack of financial freedom is in many ways justified. However, law school finances can be manageable, and in fact, can be a lucrative source of professional and financial stability in the long run. To make this decision thoughtfully, there are a few things to think about as you piece together your list as it pertains to loans.

Firstly, if you decide to amass significant loans, and are not comfortable with the financial constraints, you may want to seriously consider spending, at least some of your career, in corporate and private practice. A significant number of law school students are incentivized to work for corporate law firms upon graduation in order to pay back loans and gain substantive experience. These firms make law school’s price tag more manageable.

Secondly, if corporate work is not of interest, several law schools support those in public interest roles by subsidizing their loans. For example, Stanford, Harvard, and Yale have all pledged to fully subsidize loans and have committed to paying your loans fully if you remain in public interest positions for a certain number of years.

Additionally, some law schools provide full financial scholarships. Schools like NYU, the University of Chicago, and UC Berkeley have coveted and prestigious scholarships to mitigate some financial anxieties.

Finally, another important consideration is the Public Interest Loan Forgiveness program, and similar school-run programs for public interest lawyers. These programs forgive one’s Direct Loans (i.e., the federal loan program that provides low-interest loans to post-secondary students and their parents) so long as you work for the federal government and other pre-approved non-governmental agencies, and make 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan.

• Ask yourself: What type of salary am I expecting from my professional area of interest? What type of financial freedom do I want to have?

Putting it all together

Once you’ve considered all these factors, and any personal considerations (e.g., family financial limitations, geographical commitments, spousal support), write down your list. The list should include at least 3–5 reaches, 7–10 schools whose median scores are on par with your own, and 2 schools with an almost guaranteed likelihood of admission.

Naturally, you may be wondering what qualifies as a reach, a school that is within reach, and otherwise. There is no precise method by which to measure and predict one’s chances at admission, but you can use certain trends to help.

• Reach: If your LSAT score is 4 or more points lower than the school’s average LSAT score and/or your GPA is .3 or more points lower than a school’s average GPA, then that school is likely to be a reach.
• Target: Schools with roughly (nor more than 1 or 2 points on the LSAT and .1 average GPA) the same LSAT and GPA averages as your own scores are most likely to be great matches.
• Safety: If your LSAT score is 4 or more points higher than the school’s average LSAT score and/or GPA is .3 or more points higher than a school’s average GPA, then that school is likely to be a reach.

In addition, Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) has an amazing predictor tool that allows you to get a sense of your chances. Moreover, we discuss the types of schools you should aim for based on your GPA/LSAT combo in the Step 3 section below.

There are three factors to consider when deciding how many schools to apply to:

1. Cost: Each application will cost between $60 and $100 dollars.
2. Timing: Top-tier schools will expect personalized essays and holistic applications that will take significant amounts of time to perfect. While all applications are submitted through the LSAC website, each school will require individual submissions, with unique essay questions.
3. Location: You want to apply to schools that can provide either the national reach you may want, or the particular regional focus you have committed to. Depending on your goal, this will naturally narrow down your school list.

When taking these factors into consideration, your total number of schools will likely not exceed 20.

Finally, it is important to note that while your hard metrics (LSAT and GPA) are critical predictors in the application process, soft metrics (work experience, essays, and accomplishments) can be just as impactful in predicting your chances. If you do not have significant work experience, then your quantitative numbers will almost single-handedly predict your chances.

Step 2: When to apply?

Once you commit to applying and piece together a list of schools, the second step of the process is to craft a timeline. There are no fixed timelines for law school applications as the cycle is rolling. A rolling application cycle means that an admissions office will begin to admit students before the application due date, and will continue to administer admissions to applicants in waves. Therefore, an earlier submission will likely increase your acceptance rate as your application will be reviewed before all the spots are filled.

Most law schools will begin to accept applications between the 1st and 15th of September. Applications are then accepted until February 1st at the earliest and into the summer at the latest. The closing date varies drastically for every law school, but top law schools have deadlines in early February.

Select schools have begun to offer applicants the chance to be admitted through a binding, early decision application cycle. As of March 2022, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Berkeley do not offer their applicants this option, but it may be one to consider for other reach schools.

Applying early will signal your zeal and commitment to the law school admissions committee. This is also a phenomenal option for applicants who want an extra boost at their dream schools (discussed above). Before making the decision to apply early decision, consider scholarship options and financial aid packages. Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law, for example, offers $120,000 in merit scholarships to applicants admitted through its early decision program.

If there are no schools to which you are ready to fully commit, consider the normal rolling application cycle. Rolling applications can be submitted any time during the cycle, but most applicants apply in one of the following three time periods:

• Period 1 (early): September–November
• Period 2 (on-time): December–January 15th
• Period 3 (late): January 16th–March

Applicants who start a cycle having already taken the LSAT will likely submit their application between September and early November as a way to maximize their chances of acceptance. Applicants with a fall LSAT will submit an application as soon as their scores are in, whether that is early December or early January. Finally, applicants with a February test date will submit their application much later in the process.

Ideally, you should have outlined a set of essays, identified your recommenders, and have already taken the LSAT or, at the very least, be scheduled to take it no later than December. The earlier you get your application in, the higher your chances are for success.

While an application submitted during Period 1 is ideal, it is not necessary—far from it. Your application’s quality should be your main concern. If you can significantly improve on an application through essays, or a higher LSAT score, do not hesitate to apply in Period 2. Increasing your LSAT score by more than three points will be worth the wait.

(Note: Test takers who take the LSAT twice only increase their score by 2.8 points on average.)

Applying in Period 3 is not encouraged. At this point, the admissions committee has already admitted a majority of its class, which will put you at a serious disadvantage because fewer seats will be left.

Your application period will almost solely depend on when you take your LSAT. Currently, LSAC is offering 10 test dates per year. It is highly recommended that you take the LSAT by June at the latest, so as to be fully prepared with a comfortable score at the start of the upcoming cycle.

With that said, retaking the test in late summer or fall may be a necessity. If you are taking the test for the first time, or taking it again, after September 1, you have to ensure that the rest of your application package is also receiving attention. Devote at least three hours a week to editing your resume, crafting essays, and reaching out to recommenders.

Step 3: What scores do I need?

The LSAT is the most heavily weighted component of your application. Before we delve into the specifics of the LSAT, let’s cover the growing hype around taking the GRE instead of the LSAT. Some schools are now accepting the GRE in place of the LSAT, including T-14 schools like Yale, Harvard, and Columbia. This begs the question: Should you still take the LSAT?

The GRE was offered to encourage more applicants to apply to law school (such as students applying to other types of graduate programs alongside law schools or those who have already completed another graduate degree), and it tests a completely different set of skills. Specifically, whereas the LSAT tests reasoning and analytical skills, the GRE tests reasoning skills and your knowledge of substantive subject areas, such as math. The LSAT is offered a limited number of times a year, whereas the GRE is offered throughout the year.

It has yet to be determined how law schools will evaluate the GRE. Moreover, a minority of law schools have agreed to accept the test, whereas the LSAT is universal. As such, taking the LSAT is highly recommended to ensure that you can apply to any school and to maximize admission odds. It is still too early to fully understand how the GRE will come into play, how it will impact your chances, and whether it puts you at a disadvantage when compared to your peers. For that reason, taking the LSAT is strongly encouraged.

Take the LSAT as soon as possible, realizing that it will likely require three months of rigorous study, given that it is a very difficult test. If at all possible, devote at least a month of full-time studying without any interruptions. While studying, remember that the LSAT is repetitive and will rarely, if ever, deviate from its standard material. In addition to studying the methods and paying close attention to the types of questions asked, you must get used to the pattern and format of the test.

It is critical to take as many practice tests as are available in order to master the tenor and pace of the test. Give yourself time to take all available practice tests. Highly recommended programs include PowerScore and Testmasters.

It is virtually impossible to determine what GPA/LSAT combo will land you a spot at your dream school—the possibilities are endless. With that said, below is a very loose guide for the types of scores and schools one should aim for, keeping in mind that your mileage will vary depending on where you fall within the score bands below: