Law Application Process

While not particularly complicated, the process of applying to law school can be very time-consuming. The following sections will help guide you through the process. Keep in mind, however, that the information contained here is very general. To develop a plan that fits best with your individual circumstances, timeline considerations, and goals, we strongly recommend that you schedule an appointment with a pre-law advisor as soon as possible so you can develop a planned that is tailored specifically to you.

General Timeline for Applying to Law School

Generally, preparation for the law school application process should begin about a year and a half prior to your intended start date in law school, with a recommended application date between the start of September to the end of October for a given cycle. However, as early as possible, you should visit LSAC.org to familiarize yourself with the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and CAS (Credential Assembly Service).

Once you are ready to prepare for the application process, you will need to follow a timeline similar to the one described below. Keep in mind that the following is a general timeline, and that the LSAT is administered various times throughout the year.

If you need assistance in developing a timeline, or if you have any special circumstances that may impact your application process, please go to our appointment site to schedule a phone appointment with one of your pre-law advisors, Yessica Vazquez Arroyo or Miguel Moran-Lanier.

Winter quarter 

  • Begin drafting your personal statement. The process of writing a personal statement for law school tends to be more difficult than people expect. It is important to start writing early and have your drafts reviewed by our pre-law advisors. We recommend you schedule an appointment with a pre-law advisor on or after the third week of the quarter so we can help you get started. 

  • Keep in mind that there is a lot of missinformation online and that, even good information without the appropriate context, can be misleading.

  • See the personal statement information below before getting started and make sure to schedule a review of your personal statement as early as possible during the drafting stage, do not wait for review until it is fully polished.

    • While taking courses during the winter and spring quarters prior to taking the test in the summer, very light review is recommended to become familiar with the concepts; your time and energy should be devoted to your coursework during the academic year to earn the highest possible GPA
    • It is wise to begin this process early. Many students find that writing the personal statement is more difficult and time-intensive than they expected.

  • Begin the first stage of your LSAT prep. For this foundational learning stage, 1 of 2, we recommend an average of three hours per week through the end of of the spring quarter. See a pre-law advisor for more detail and an amended prep timeline taking into account your individual circumstances.

  • Decide how you will prepare for the LSAT over the summer, the second, immersive drilling stage.
    • If you intend to prepare on your own, avail yourself of any books and other materials you will need. If you intend to enroll in an LSAT preparation course, begin researching companies, cost, deadlines, and summer scheduling.

April 1st 

  • Start requesting letters of recommendation.
    • This is not too early, considering many professors may be away during summer.
  • Start drafting your resume
  • Continue review of your personal statement with your pre-law advisors.

Summer

  • LSAT preparation - second of two stages: Intensive, immersive summer prep
    •  The summer is absolutely the best time for immersive prep so as not interfere with your academic program and getting the highest possible GPA - During the academic program, you cannot devote 100% of your study time to both your GPA and immersive prep.
    • We recommend 8-10 weeks (prior to an August, September, or October test), 25-30 hours per week.
    • We suggest that the ideal time to prepare and take the test is in a summer a year prior to your application, and have the summer before your application as backup, should you need to take it again--we do not recommend immersive prep outside of the summer.
    • We do not recommend taking courses anywhere while preparing intensely in the summer.
    • During your preparation period, try to completely eliminate, or reduce, your other commitments as well.
       
  • Follow up with your professors regarding your letters of recommendation.
     
  • Finalize your resume and personal statement.

Mid August / Early September / Early October

  • Take the LSAT.
    • Your score will be posted two to three weeks after your test date.

By the end of October

  • Submit all of your law school applications through the CAS as early as possible, as soon as your LSAT score is available.
    • Keep in mind that the CAS mostly applies to ABA-accredited law schools.
    • Contact each school directly for any additional application instructions.

Late Fall through Spring

  • During this time period, you can expect to receive law school admission decisions for the following fall.
    • The timing of admissions decisions varies. While some students receive quick decisions, others may be waitlisted and learn of their final admissions decisions in the spring. Occasionally, a student will not receive a decision until the summer.

Applying Through the LSAC

The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) manages the online application process for law schools. This means that, when applying to most law schools, you will submit your applications and other required documents through LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) rather than submitting directly to each school. In addition to CAS, LSAC offers a wealth of information about law school in general, including the dates of upcoming recruitment events and tips for finding the ‘right’ law school.

The CAS Process

Generally, as part of the application process through the LSAC, students will:

  • Create a CAS account
  • Make a reservation to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
  • Submit a personal statement
  • Submit letters of recommendation
  • Submit a resume
  • Submit other optional documentation as needed

The LSAC resources below provide detailed information regarding the application process, deadlines, fees, and other important considerations:

LSAC (Law School Admissions Council) main page

CAS (Credential Assembly Service)

LSAT (Law School Admissions Test)

Personal Statements

Most law schools require the submission of a personal statement along with your application materials. While writing a personal statement may seem like a straightforward task, many students find that this exercise is more difficult than they previously estimated. Before you begin writing your personal statement, review the tips and considerations listed in the panels below—and, most importantly, begin the writing process as early as possible.

“Personal Statement” vs. “Statement of Purpose”

Some general references providing advice for admission to graduate or professional programs may use the terms personal statement and statement of purpose interchangeably, but these are very different statements. A true personal statement is just that: an essay that is personal and explores any aspect of the writer’s life or experiences. A statement of purpose, however, usually conveys the writer’s specific purposes for pursuing a particular field, program, school, etc.

Generally, law schools will ask you to submit a personal statement. An added complexity is that some law schools also will include specific prompts to guide your writing. Depending on a school’s prompts, you may end up writing a hybrid statement—part personal statement, part statement of purpose. The key is to read each school’s instructions carefully to make sure that your statement is tailored to its specifications--either an open-prompt personal statement or one with a specific prompt. If you are unsure about what to write, do not guess or attempt to weave each school’s prompt into a single document. Short of an in-person interview—which is rare—this is your only way for an admissions officer to get to know you. Schedule an appointment with advisor before you get started and throughout the writing process.

Tips

Following the tips below, to get you started, can help to ensure that your personal statement is clear, substantive, and engaging:

  • Depth over Breadth – Your personal statement should not exceed the specified page limit, so you will be unable to condense your entire biography. Instead, highlight and develop the most important ideas.
  • Specific Examples over General Statements – Specific examples will make your personal statement more interesting, memorable, and clear.
  • Clear Points over General Points – Ask questions about what you are writing—who, what, why, where, etc.—and try to answer them as you craft sentences.
  • Substance over Style – Avoid using the “hooks” or devices recommended in how-to books. Law school admissions committees are likely to have seen them before. Instead, aim for a clear and well-written statement that focuses on you rather than gimmicks.
  • Personal Significance over “Marketing” – Instead of guessing about what you think law schools most want to know, discuss the ideas and experiences that are most significant to you.

Letters of Recommendation

Most ABA-accredited law schools and many non-ABA accredited law schools require a letter of recommendation (LOR) as part of the law school application process. In more recent years, expectations for LORs have changed. Nowadays, law schools tend to ask for a minimum of 2 letters from academic sources. An academic source is anyone that has supervised you in an academic setting (e.g, a professor, lecturer, TA, research supervisor). Beyond that, additional recommendation letters can come from other sources (e.g. employers, supervisors, or anyone else that has clear oversite over your work and knows you well)

If you have any specific questions about LORs or evaluations, please consult your UCSB pre-law advisor.

Choosing a recommender:

In general, a recommender is someone with whom you have spent a considerable amount of time in an academic or professional setting. This person should be able to provide meaningful information about you, specifically regarding your:

  • Character
  • Work ethic
  • Analytic abilities
  • Level of professionalism
  • Unique personal attributes
  • Skills and strengths

Dean's Certifications

Some law schools, as well as many other graduate schools, will ask for some form of academic and disciplinary clearance. Depending on the school, this statement could have several possible titles, which may include: “Dean’s Certification,” “Disciplinary Clearance,” “Statement of Undergraduate Dean,” or something similar.

The information requested in these forms varies slightly, but most have the two basic elements to address: your undergraduate disciplinary record and any history of academic probation.  

Check each law school’s website to find out what type of statement is needed, if at all, when it is due, and how it should be submitted—whether by form or written letter. Please note: these forms or letters are not part of your law school application process through the LSAC and are filed with law schools directly, for those that ask for one.

Submiting a standard Dean's Certification/Disciplinary Clearance request (no record of academic probation):

The Office of Student Contact (located in the 2nd floor of SRB) maintains all disciplinary records. To submit a standard Dean's Certification request for graduate schools, including law school, please email your form for a given school with your portion completed to StudentConduct@sa.ucsb.edu.

For students that have been on academic probation at any point while at UCSB:

A very small number of law schools may request a letter from UCSB addressing your academic probation status at any point during your studies at UCSB. These law schools include Cardozo, Columbia, Duke, NYU, Stanford and USC, among very few others. If you have been specifically asked by one of these law school to submit a letter addressing your academic probation while at UCSB, please email your request to moran-m@ucsb.edu and one of our pre-law advisors will check in with you to let you know we are processing your request.

The law schools that request a statement addressing your probation status while at UCSB do not provide a form for this process. When you email your request to us, please make sure to include the name and address of the law school/s and include your LSAC ID number.