Scared of missing the deadlines for your law school? Fret not; this law school application timeline is the only thing you need to follow!

The Only Law School Application Timeline You Need to Follow

Law-School-Application-Timeline

It’s sooooper important to get the nitty gritty details right while applying to a law school. For that, you must certainly put in your heart and soul while planning for Law School Application Timeline.

Need help with staying organized so that you don’t miss out on the important details? We gotchya!

If you want to know how you can come up with a master plan and schedule things accordingly, you’ve landed at just the right place. The best approach to not feeling overwhelmed and burdened is to take things one-step-at-a-time ad set your deadlines or targets accordingly.

We understand how your mind must be caught up with hundred different questions, from registering for the LSAT to keeping a track of the individual deadlines of each university, it can be really hard and very natural to feel like you’re drowning and constantly juggling.

To make it a smooth journey for you, we’ve made a monthly guide so that you can take one step at a time and reach your milestones.

Feb, March, and April: Research, Research, and Research!

If you’re still in two minds, this may be the perfect time to weigh down the pros and cons and see whether you want to go to a law school.

Do this in early Feb so that you can save yourself from any second guesses later on.

Once you have a clearer sense of direction, in March and April, make a list of the law schools to which you want to apply, and add the pros and cons of each.

Here are some points that you should particularly look out for:

  • What is the application deadline for each university?
  • What are the requirements?
  • What’s the fee structure like, and if it’s well within your budget?
  • Does the university offer any kind of financial aid or scholarships?
  • What are the eligibility criteria?
  • Do I require any other documents?
  • What state do I want to go to?

This preliminary research will set the tone for your journey, so make sure that you do your research religiously.

May: Gear Up for the LSAT

Ideally, you should start preparing for the LSAT in May to avoid any last-minute panic. The sooner you start, the better your practice will be. Make sure that you sort it all out for your LSAT no later than May. Here are a couple of things that you should do:

  • Look for LSAT tutors if you think you’ll need extra help
  • Check out all the online resources that can be helpful for you to practice from
  • Make sure that register for the LSAT at your earliest, that’s because the seats end up getting filled quite quickly and you really wouldn’t want any delays.

June: Create an Account on LSAC

In the first half of June, create an LSAC account and make sure that you register with the CAS. A lot of law schools require you to send your transcripts and other educational documents through CAS, so it’ll save your time later on.  

June-August: Time to take the LSAT

You really need to have your LSAT score to get a final response from the Law school regarding your application. For that, you should ideally give the LSAT between June to August. Not only will it save you from the hassle later on, but it will also give you enough time for a second chance. What if you don’t get the desired score on your first attempt? So, taking it earlier will make sure that you have sufficient time for a retake.

Keep in mind that it usually takes three weeks for the scores to come out, so take the test at your earliest to avoid any delays with your applications.

Yep, you can submit the applications without your LSAT score too, but the university will certainly not give out its verdict until it receives your LSAT score.

August – Hmm, Work on those Educational Documents

This is an ideal time for you to make sure that you have every document you might need.

Reach out to your professors and ask them for a recommendation. A pro-tip: Make sure that you make a document of all your achievements and any other thing that you’d want your instructor to highlight.

Moreover, work on your resume, and don’t forget to add all your experiences to it. This resume or your profile will speak for you and explain why the law school should give you a seat. So make sure that you make it powerful, and impactful. It’s surely like making a first impression on the admission committee.

September – THE Personal Statements

These are the most important part of your application. Make sure that you give yourself enough time to brainstorm ideas and write a personal statement. Of course, you won’t be able to do them all in one go.

You’ll have to pull multiple all-nighters with your warm cup of French vanilla and keep revisiting the drafts of your personal statement until you have the final version.

Oh, and if you still haven’t received the recommendation letters from your professors, now may be a good time to send them a reminder.

You can surely make a general draft, but don’t send the same letter to all the universities. It’s super important to customize them before sending them to each law school that you’re applying to. Keep in mind that some of the universities have prompts, essay questions, or specific pointers that they do want you to cover in your personal essays. Don’t forget to check them out on the university websites, and make sure that your personal statement essay reflects those pointers.

Another factor that you need to keep in mind is the word count requirement of each university.

Pro-tip: Get feedback from your instructors or seniors on the personal statements for law school. That’ll surely help you polish your drafts and perhaps add details that you may have missed earlier.

October – It’s the Final Countdown

Yep, the most anticipated time is here. You should start filling out the applications to your law school. If you want an early decision on your applications, most of the law schools have Nov 1st as the deadline, so make sure that you finish the applications in October only.

Of course, if you follow the Law School Application Timeline
, and keep working step by step, you’ll have all the documents with you so filling out the applications won’t take longer.

Oh, and DON’T forget to proofread and cross-check the application before hitting the submit button. The last thing you’d want is to see that, oh, there’s a typo with any important information, or you ended up uploading the wrong document.

November - Apply to the Rest of the Schools

If you’re applying to more than one law school, and aren’t necessarily targeting the early admissions round, then you can take the month of November to fill out the rest of the law school applications.

Now give yourself a pat on the back because applying to law schools in itself is quite challenging and demanding. We’d say it calls for a treat, so perhaps go, treat yourself for all the hard work you’ve done and the efforts you have put in to send all the applications.

December – Prepare for the Interviews

Around this time, you may start receiving interview invites if you had sent out applications in the earlier round. So, make sure that you do thorough research on how to ace the interviews.

Do a mock interview, and here are some quick questions that you might want to practice:

  • Your short term and long-term plans
  • Why do you think you’re a good fit
  • Your motivations and why do you want to go to a law school
  • About yourself (yeah that damn question every single time!)
  • Why have you chosen the XYZ law school
  • What qualities do you have that can possibly make you a good lawyer
  • Your background and extra curriculars
  • What makes YOU different from others

Just remember to stay confident so that it leaves the impression that you’re a dedicated student with a clear sense of direction. Even if you haven’t figured out your goals yet, just tell them that you’re exploring, rather than sounding confused.

Oh, and keep yourself prepared for any unexpected question to be thrown your way!

January – April – It’s Time to Make Decisions

Between these four months, you’ll start receiving interview calls or an update on your applications. So, brace yourself, champ!

If you’ve applied to multiple law schools, take out this time to make a priority list of the school you definitely want to attend. That’ll make it easier for you to decide if you get a response from multiple law schools.

Oh, and just a quick reminder, if you do not get an admission into your dream law school, just remember that the rejection doesn’t define you. You’re a lot more worthy than the decision. Of course, it’s only natural to feel heartbroken and disappointed, but hey, don’t let that consume you.

Take your time to feel sad, then get back up and figure out your next best step. Do you wanna work on improving your LSAT score, if that’s the reason behind rejection, or do you have a second option in mind and want to accept the offer to that law school?

Some Quick Tips for You!

Here are just a couple of tips that will help you out:
  • Apply to the law schools in the first round of the application cycle, that is, during the fall or early winter
  • Keep in mind that a lot of law schools have admissions on a rolling basis, so the sooner you apply, the more chances you have of getting admission.
  • Plan the date for your LSAT at least six months prior, and start preparing at least 3-4 months before.
  • If you don’t apply in the early rounds, make sure that your calendar is free between Feb to March and that you don’t have anything else on your plate. That’s because most of the law schools have deadlines in these months for the regular decisions, so you must be able to commit to it fully.
  • You can also take some time out in the early months of March-May to participate in the extracurriculars to add them to your application. These are super important to give you an edge as a candidate and make you stand out. After all, the competition is fierce, and you should leave no stone unturned.
  • Use the summer months to take up some online courses, internships, or volunteer opportunities.
  • Law School Application Timeline

The Bottom Line

Don’t forget to add all these bullet points on your calendar, or set reminders for yourself! If you follow this guide, you’ll surely have a hassle-free and, of course, stress-free journey!

Once you finalize your law school and accept the offer, just know that you’re in the right direction or Hiring Law School Admissions Consultant!

Remember, slow and steady wins the race!

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