Around this time last year, I was deciding to apply to law school. It seemed overwhelming; I didn't know where to start. I wrote up a schedule for those of you who are in the same position. It starts the year you apply to law school and ends the year you will be starting law school.
Remember: Don't Panic!
Late winter / early spring
So you're thinking about law school. Now would be a good time to read books, blogs, and articles; talk to all sorts of lawyers; and think about your career options.
Are you sure you want to be a lawyer? If you're an undergraduate, consider working for a year or two before applying to law school. Think about going abroad or doing a community service program. If you want to explore another field, now would be a good time. If you want to make lots of money, maybe an MBA is better for you.
(Optional: start a blog! It's a fun way to chronicle your experience, and you can get some good advice from other bloggers. You also get people to be excited for you when you get in, and commiserate with you when you don't.)
Recommended reading:
- Princeton Review site
- JD2B (has lots of links to resources and law bloggers)
- Letter to a Young Law Student
- Jeremy's advice - scroll down to the "General Law School Advice" section
- Blawg Wisdom
March
Sign up for LSDAS.
Apply for the June LSAT and do some preliminary studying. You want the test to be second nature by the time you have to take it for real. Plan to take it only once and rock it the first time.
Buy at least two of the 10 Actual, Official Test books from LSAC (also available on Amazon). Do not buy used practice test books. If they've been written in, they're useless.
Take two or three practice tests over this month, timed or not. See how you do. Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
April
Strengthen your LSAT skills. Is one section giving you problems? (If it's logic games, I highly recommend the PowerScore Logic Games Bible.) Is a certain type of question tripping you up? Work on your weaknesses.
Pick a general LSAT book and read it. You'll get some good tips on how to take the test. If you're cheap like me, check your local library -- it probably has a few LSAT books, or will let you request one.
Take one timed practice test every weekend. If your book learnin' is going well, your scores should be going up. If you've hit a plateau that you're not satisfied with, consider getting help: get a study buddy or take a class.
May
Home stretch. Remember, how you do on your LSAT will directly affect where you get accepted to law school. Take lots and lots of practice tests. Try to mimic test conditions.
Who's going to write your recommendations for law school? If you don't have anyone to ask, you still have time to cultivate a relationship. This is easier if you're currently in school. If you're out of school, drop a line to one or two of your professors now. Let them know you'll be applying to law school and need a recommendation, and you'd be happy to chat about your goals. (In person, if possible.) Don't be afraid to kiss a little ass. You're asking for a favor.
June
The LSAT! By now it should be like breathing. Relax. Bring some snacks and a bottle of water.
At some point before the test, head over to your test site. Make sure you know where to go, how long it will take to get there, and what the parking or public transportation is like. If you can, sit in one of the rooms and take a practice test.
After the test: Take a break! Don't think about law school for a week or two. Don't stress out and read all the message boards. And don't worry if you keep having the urge to do logic games. It will fade.
July
Time to figure out which schools you're applying to. Rankings are important, but also try to talk to students from different schools. Read law student blogs. If there are any practice areas you're interested in, figure out which schools are strong in those areas.
If you didn't take the June LSAT, sign up for the October one and start studying.
You might want to check out a pre-law book like Law School Confidential. Don't let these books freak you out, but do use them to get an idea of what law school might be like and what careers might await you afterwards.
August
Give your recommenders a heads up. Ask if they'd be willing to write you a recommendation and tell them you'll be following up with information in September.
If you did well on the LSAT, you'll be getting application fee waivers from law schools. Hang on to all of them just in case.
September
Start working on your personal statement. Write a resume too. Submit it along with your application, even if you don't have much work experience.
Early in the month, send a packet of information to your recommenders. Include: the list of schools you're applying to; some guidelines for what law school admissions committees look for; any envelopes or forms they'll need; a draft of your personal statement or a short letter about why you want to go to law school; anything you want them to emphasize in the letter; and a deadline in early to mid-October. Try to make their job as easy as possible.
Applications will be available by the end of the month. As soon as they are available, get your previous schools to send transcripts to LSAC and dean's confirmation letters to the law schools you're applying to. That way you'll have plenty of time to resolve any problems.
October
Finish up your personal statement and fill out those applications. (You can do most of them online with LSAC.) Get your applications in by the end of the month.
Check your status on LSAC. Did they receive all your recommendations and transcripts?
November and December
If you're applying for any scholarships, write the essays, get the recommendations, or do whatever you need to do. Some deadlines are in mid-December. For scholarships through law schools, the deadlines are usually later.
By mid-December, the schools you applied to should have notified you that your applications were complete. If not, call or email to check up; you've already waited over a month, so something might be wrong. If the school has an online status checker, use it.
You might start getting decisions from law schools already.
January and February
Make sure you have your FAFSA PIN set up, even if you're not ready to fill out the financial aid forms yet.
Do your taxes. Break the news to your parents that you'll need their financial information too.
Fill out the financial aid forms: FAFSA; Profile or Need Access; individual school forms. Send copies of your taxes and your parents' taxes to the schools that require them. Try to get this done as early as you can; the forms are generally due by March 1.
If you sent in your applications in October, you should have heard from all the schools you applied to by the end of February.
March and April
Were you waitlisted? Send a letter to the admissions committee telling them why you want to go to their school. If you have any extra information, like a new accomplishment or recommendation, send that along too. You'll be ahead of the people who shrugged and assumed they wouldn't get in.
Write each of your recommenders a thank-you note. If you haven't been in touch with them through the application process, don't forget to mention where you got in and where you're going.
Visit schools and make a decision! You'll probably need to make a deposit by mid-April. If you're applying to a school with a housing lottery, pay attention to the deadlines and decide if you want to live on campus.
Update: Check out the comments for more advice from recent law school applicants.
