FAQ’s

While there is no required major for entrance in to law school, there are many skills, abilities and values you can develop during your undergraduate years to help you succeed. They are:

• Analytic and problem-solving skills
• Critical reading abilities
• Writing skills
• Oral communication and listening abilities
• General research skills
• Task organization and management skills
• Serving others and promoting justice
• Knowledge about current legal issues Also, refer to the Your JHU Years section of this site.

Although a law-related work experience or internship is not a requirement for law school admission, such “field experience” offers students an opportunity to test their interest in law. This type of position may involve real responsibility in a legal environment: interviewing clients and gathering salient facts, legal research, writing memoranda, counseling, and negotiation. Employment in a job not law-related may play a role in an admissions committee’s decision if such work shows significant entrepreneurial ability or involves situations where employers have given the applicant real responsibility in a company’s operations. If a student has found it necessary to work in order to pay for college tuition or expenses, it is important to bring it to the attention of the admissions committee. Demonstrating maturity in accepting responsibility for college expenses and learning to balance employment and academic commitments can have a positive impact on an admissions officer. As for extracurricular activities, law schools neither require nor are impressed by long lists of them. However, admissions committees are looking for significant leadership ability and activity, and a commitment to something other than a high undergraduate GPA. Whatever the activity, it needs to indicate meaningful community involvement, leadership, and responsibility in order to have a significant impact on the admissions process. Note of caution: We wish to warn pre-law students not to make choices concerning courses or majors, work or internship experiences, and extracurricular activities from the standpoint of impressing law school admissions committees. There is a disparity among law schools about the comparative weight put on a candidate’s academic and extracurricular accomplishments. Remember: Do what you feel comfortable and happy about doing. If you are interested in what you are doing, you will be successful!

If you are truly interested in studying law, there are several law schools nationally where competition for admission is not as great. This does not mean that the programs at these schools are easier, simply that they have different admissions philosophies that allow more subjective evaluations of your ability to be successful. Although GPA is important, other factors such as the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score, letters of recommendation, personal statement and extracurricular activities complete the picture. Law schools do not make decisions based on GPA alone.

You should apply to law school the fall before the September in which you want to matriculate. Stated application deadlines are rolling and usually fall between January 1 and May 1. However, it is advisable to get your application completed and in by the first week in November. Earlier applicants have the advantage of receiving an early and the best look for admission purposes, as well as consideration for scholarship and grant opportunities. The portion of the Third Year & Fourth Year under the ‘Advising” section can give you more information about what steps you should be taking for the application process.

In mid-spring, most applicants have received their acceptance letters from various law schools and now must choose which law school to attend. This can be a very difficult decision for most people, but an extremely important one. Like any important life decision, there are many considerations to think about when selecting the right law school. It is important for students to understand that they are not just choosing a law school, they are choosing their home for the next three or four years. A student will want to select a law school where they will be comfortable and able to pursue a career in law successfully. Listed below are several questions that students may want to ask law schools before they decide where to matriculate and the follow-up questions and answers to pursue.

It is best to take some time off from school and work. Law school can remain an option in another year, after you gain some experience. Sort out your personal strengths and interests and investigate professional opportunities for yourself. Work experience will make you far more competitive in the lawyer job market once you graduate from law school as well. Some students further investigate law by becoming a paralegal. There are paralegal educational programs, but there are also law firms which hire bachelor degree candidates for a one or two year period and train them as paralegals. Ultimately, whatever you choose to do will add perspective to who you are and, if you can articulate it well in writing, strengthen you as a candidate for admission.You also may want to reevaluate the law schools to which you applied. You may have set your original expectations far too high and in reapplying you may need to set more realistic admission goals. If you are truly interested in studying the law, there is a law school for you that will give you the skills necessary to pass a state bar exam.Some students consider graduate programs to improve their competitiveness for admission to law school. The degree is another characteristic about you to be weighed in the admission process. One last option is to attend a less competitive law school your first year and look to transfer for the second and third year. This plan is generally only a good one for students who truly excel in their first year of law school, and who still want to move to a different program.

Throughout the course of your undergraduate study you should be developing good bonds with faculty members, supervisors, etc. These will be the people you will approach to ask for recommendation letters to law school. On the Forms page, you can access the Letters of Recommendations Guidelines & Forms for Word Document: you and the Word Document: recommender . It is strongly suggested that you waive your right to see your recommendation letters because law schools will then think the letters are an honest assessment of your skills and abilities as determined by the recommender. Visit the Letters of Recommendation section of this website for more complete information.

You are! You need to submit the Transcript Request Form to the Registrar’s Office at every secondary school attended. The Registrar(s) Office will then forward your transcript(s) to the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). No one other than yourself can order your transcript. Please visit LSAC for more information on ordering transcripts

Even though some competition among students is natural in law school, law school student bodies vary in internal competition levels. Some are more supportive and congenial than others and offer mentoring and tutoring programs to incoming students as they make the transition to law school.

There are many law schools which focus on certain practice areas or specialties. Some law schools have specialty programs in public health law, environmental law, international law, etc. Also, a growing trend among law schools are joint degree programs with international law schools, providing the JD equivalent in another country. Some specialize in writing programs and trial advocacy.

Clinical and externship experiences are offered at most law schools after the first year of study. Clinic programs vary per school. Externship opportunities are usually available with a wide variety of government offices and agencies; courts; and non-profit organizations.

Most law schools award merit based scholarships every year to incoming students including full-tuition awards, as well as to returning students based upon their academic performance in their first year of study. Generally, federal financial aid is also available to both full-time and part-time students including work study funds for those students interested in working at the Law School. Many law schools also offer a loan repayment program options to assist recent graduates, who are pursuing a career in public interest, with partial repayment of their federal loan debt. Be sure to check with individual law schools to determine specific award and available program information.

Obtaining the answer to this question will not only indicate bar passage rates for law school graduates but, perhaps more importantly, where the majority of graduates end up working. For example, Yale Law School (CT) publishes statistics for their graduates’ passage of the New York State Bar Exam, as does the University of Pennsylvania Law School (PA) and Georgetown University Law Center (DC).There is no official ranking of law schools and prospective students should consider several factors in making their choice such as:

• Size and make up of enrollment/student body
• Faculty
• Library and other physical facilities
• Curriculum
• Location
• Special programs and academic activities
• Support programs
• Student organizations
• Career services and employment opportunities

The PDF Document: Statistics section also has more information on and individual law school-specific information to help in your decision.