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Four-Year Plan

Student Timeline

Freshman and Sophomore Years

Maintain a strong GPA. Limit course withdrawals. Attend a required Pre-Law Orientation. Avoid disciplinary actions and criminal misconduct charges.
Junior Year (Fall Semester) Begin planning and preparing to apply to Law School. Attend a Pre-Law Orientation if you have not already done so. Meet with the Pre-Law advisor.
Junior Year (Spring Semester) Create your LSAC account and plan your application timeline. Plan when you will take the LSAT (June, October or December) and register accordingly. Popular test sites fill up quickly, so register early!
Senior Year (September) Create and pay for Credential Assembly Service account at www.lsac.org to compile your application materials. Continue studying for LSAT. Ask people for letters of recommendation. For June LSAT takers, evaluate your score and adjust your list of schools as needed.
Senior Year (October)

Take LSAT if registered for October date. Follow up on letters of recommendation to ensure they have been sent. Meet with the Pre-Law Advisor as needed. Submit personal statements and essays for review.

Fill out your FAFSA form as an independent filer. Make sure to add your parents income information in order to qualify for need-based financial aid: hyperlink "FAFSA" with link [https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa]
Senior Year (November)

For October LSAT takers, evaluate your LSAT score and adjust your list of schools as needed. Finalize and submit your applications. Follow up to ensure that transcripts and recommendations are on file with LSCAS.

Follow up to ensure that transcripts and recommendations are on file with LSCAS. I've never heard this abbreviation. It could be accurate. But I'd assume LSAC.
Senior Year (December) Take LSAT if registered for December date. Remember rolling admissions! Have applications in by December 1. Investigate scholarship awards and financial aid before money runs out at schools. Forget about everything over your break!
Senior Year (Jan - Feb) For December LSAT takers, evaluate your LSAT score and adjust lists of schools as needed. Follow up on LSAC’s “file status” to ensure that your application file is complete.
Senior Year (March) Be patient. Admissions offers will start arriving. Weigh admissions / financial aid offers.
Senior Year (April - May) Decide which school to attend and submit deposit to hold your position. If you are on the waitlist for your first-choice school, pay deposit to hold seat at your second-choice. Order final transcript for your chosen law school. Graduate. Relax.

Look at the Law School Application Process for more detailed information.

Freshman and Sophomore Years

  • There is no required pre-law major for law school, so pick one that interests you on which you can build a career should you decide not to pursue law school.
  • Maintain a strong GPA through your undergraduate years and develop a well-rounded curriculum with depth and breadth. Law schools will review your full transcript at a course level detail and evaluate it for rigor.
  • Limit course withdrawals. You cannot withdraw from a class in law school, so excessive withdrawals may create a bad impression with law schools.
  • Get to know your professors! Go to office hours or speak to them during and after class. You will need them to write letters of recommendations.
  • Attend a required Pre-Law Orientation with the Pre-Law Director to learn more about law school and the LSAT.
  • Get Involved – participate in extracurricular and public service activities.
  • Research law schools and legal careers to determine best fit for you.
  • Sit in on a first-year law school class to get a taste of the Socratic method.
  • Avoid disciplinary and criminal misconduct charges (even speeding tickets) – Character and Fitness is an application question!

Junior Year

Fall Semester

  • Planning and preparation for the application process should begin in the fall semester of the junior year. You should attend a required pre-law orientation with the Pre-Law Advisor, if you have not done so before.
  • Begin researching law schools to determine the best “personal fit” on basis of location, cost, clinical programs, faculty, student body, career services, and other factors of importance to YOU. Be realistic but not pessimistic. Select up to 12 schools based on these factors of importance.
  • Attend the Law School Fair to gather information about law schools and to get to know the law school reps. They will be advocating for you when it is admissions decision time at the law school!
  • Attend pre-law workshops to learn more about the application process, picking the right school and paying for law school.
  • Identify two (2) to three (3) recommenders you anticipate using for letters of recommendation.

Spring Semester

  • Create your LSAC account and plan your application timeline. Register for the LSAT if you plan to take in June. Remember, popular test sites fill up quickly, so register early!
  • Continue researching law schools for your best fit. Identify their “tag line” or emphasis for purposes of tailoring the personal statement to the particular school.
  • Meet with the Pre-Law Advisor to discuss plans for the LSAT and the application process.
  • Continue to identify and seek out recommenders.
  • Review potential prompt questions for personal statement.
  • June
  • Take the LSAT. Remember – a good night’s sleep is the best preparation!
  • Continue researching schools.
  • Formulate ideas for personal statement.
  • July – August
  • Evaluate your LSAT score and GPA in refining your list of schools.
  • Begin drafting personal statement UNLESS you will be taking the LSAT for the first time in the fall. ALWAYS check first with the Pre-Law Advisor to ensure that your topic is appropriate and persuasive!
  • Enter recommender information into CAS to initiate the CAS process for recommenders to upload Letter of Recommendation.
  • Request transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended per LSAC.

Senior Year

September

  • Pay for Credential Assembly Service account at www.lsac.org for compilation of application materials.
  • Continue studying for LSAT if taking in Fall. Take the LSAT if registered for September date.
  • If available online, review and commence completing application materials from chosen law schools. [NOTE: Be aware of and complete additional essays as required by schools.] IF, however, you are taking the LSAT for the first time in the fall, wait until after the LSAT to finish applications and other application materials.
  • Make an appointment with the Pre-Law Advisor to discuss any specific questions or obstacles.
  • Mark your calendar to attend the Law School Fair and speak with recruiters.

October

  • Continue preparing applications and personal statements.
  • Follow up on letters of recommendation to ensure they have been sent.
  • Meet with Pre-Law Advisor as needed, and submit personal statements and essays for review.
  • Attend the Law School Fair and connect with the law school reps reviewing your file!

November

  • Evaluate LSAT score if taken in October - adjust list of schools as needed.
  • Finalize and submit law school applications.
  • Follow up to ensure that transcripts and recommendations are on file with LSCAS.

January - February

  • Evaluate your LSAT score and adjust school list if needed.
  • Follow up on LSAC’s “file status” to ensure that your application file is complete.

March

  • Admissions offers will be forthcoming – wait patiently.
  • Weigh admissions / financial aid offers.
  • Meet with Pre-Law Director to discuss any school selection, deferment, waitlist, and scholarship negotiation issues.

April - May

  • Decide on which school to attend and submit deposit to hold your position. If you are on the waitlist for your first-choice school, pay deposit to hold seat at your second-choice.
  • Order final transcript as needed to the law school chosen.