Warren Norred

How Do Law Schools Notify You Of Acceptance?

• Marvin Harvey
• 21.12.2022
• 0
• 25

Published October 2006, last updated June 2010 The University of Florida Pre-Law handbook discusses the anticipation all students feel while waiting to hear back on decisions from the admissions committees. “Once your applications are in and your file is completed, they can go to committee and you can be considered for admission.

All of your hard work is done and now comes the easy part – the waiting and waiting and waiting. For some students the wait may not be that long. If your application is very strong, you may find out you have been accepted to a law school before the Thanksgiving break depending upon how early your application was sent in.

On the other hand, if you are not competitive for certain schools, you may find out you have not been accepted fairly quickly. The positive spin to this is that you may still have time to apply to another school you were holding back on. Most students, however, will be placed in that middle category where the law schools want to get a look at every eligible application before they make their final determination about the make-up of the class.” The Difficulties of Deciding Johns Hopkins University states that “Choosing where to go to law school can be even more difficult than deciding where to apply.

1. Many students feel that the hardest part of the admissions process is selecting a school to attend once acceptances have been received.”I recommend that you personally visit every law school that you are seriously considering.
2. For example, I was thinking of attending the University of Chicago Law School due to its excellent focus upon law and economics, but my visit there showed me that it was not a good fit for me.

The gray, dreary weather of Chicago coupled with the atmosphere of the school made me realize that I wanted to stay in sunny California and focus on U.C. Berkeley’s Boalt Hall and Stanford Law School. One should make their decision based on a multitude of factors and visiting the law schools you are applying to, allows you to make those decisions based on first-hand experience as opposed to something you have only read about.

1. Law School Admission Deadlines Each acceptance letter from a law school has an expiration date (deadline), by which you must notify the law school whether you accept or reject its offer of admission.
2. Under early decision plans, this deadline cannot be before April 1.
3. The deadline dates force you, ready or not, to make a decision.

Some Rules of the Law School Admission Game Once you are quite certain that you will not be attending one or more law schools to which you applied and to which your application was not rejected, send a letter to these law schools informing them that you will be attending law school elsewhere.

• Do not feel that accepting admission to a law school is an irrevocable decision.
• Law schools expect that some applicants who accept admission will later decline admission; in fact, law schools even encourage this practice by accepting wait-listed applicants up until early August.
• Note that your accepting and then rejecting a law school will probably make two people happy: you and the person who takes your seat at the law school you accepted, but later rejected.

The ideal law school admission procedure would have each applicant going to the law school that he/she finds most appealing and each law school enrolling the applicants who are most appealing to it. The present practice of allowing applicants to change their mind after April 1 and allowing law schools to send letters of acceptance after April 1 brings the law school application procedure closer to this ideal.

• Every time you have to make a decision about accepting a law school admission offer, have a strict ranking (no ties) of the law schools to which you have applied and to which you have not been rejected.
• To get this ranking, look over the reasons why you applied to this law school and then reassess these reasons again to help you rank them again.

Note that this ranking should be based upon your personal criteria, not just off of law school rankings, which are often flawed in methodology. You should personally visit every law school that you are seriously considering. We recommend that you pay a seat deposit to reserve your spot while waiting to hear back from your top choice.

This seat deposit is credited to the first-year tuition and will likely be lost if you do not attend. Our feeling is that this is a small price to pay for getting into the most desirable school that accepts you. What To Do With Law Schools that Wait-List You The Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools states, “If you have strong qualifications, but you do not quite meet the competition of those currently being admitted at a particular law school, you may be placed on a waiting list for possible admission at a later date.

The law school will send you a letter notifying you of its final decision as early as April or as late as July or even August. Many schools rank students who are on the waiting list. Some law schools will tell you your rank. If a law school doesn’t tell you, you might ask the admission office how many students have been placed on the waiting list.” New College of South Florida suggests that candidates wait-listed at a law school that interests them should “contact the admissions office and speak with a member of the professional staff to find out exactly what this means.

Ask the following questions if they are not answered in the letter “: How long is the wait-list? What percentage of students on the wait-list are ultimately admitted? Are wait-list students ranked? If so, ask where you are ranked? When are final decisions regarding the wait-list made? Then, partition the law schools that wait-listed you into two categories: The ones that are less appealing than one or more law schools that accepted you.

Write these less appealing law schools a letter indicating that you will be attending another law school. The ones that are more appealing than all of the law schools that accepted you. Notify these more appealing law schools that you are still interested in attending.

• Also keep in touch with these law schools, making sure to continue to express your interest in attending.
• Make sure to send good news (such as excellent first-semester senior year grades or a new award) when received and with verification (e.g.
• A transcript).
• Make sure to send bad news only on demand.
• If you lose interest in one or more of these law schools, write these law schools a letter indicating that you will be attending another law school.

Wait listed applicants may be notified as late as early August, so be prepared to act on short notice. Next Section: What To Do if All of Your Law School Applications are Rejected and Transferring

How does NYU Law notify acceptance?

Decisions and Timing – As soon as a decision is finalized, we will inform you of:

admission to the program; denial of admission; or the option to join a wait list.

Decisions are not finalized in any particular order; they are released throughout the cycle. Choose your program for more information about timing: Full-time LLM Program Decisions begin to be released in January and continue to be sent through June. Many foreign-trained lawyers hear by April, and typically all by May.

1. Most applicants with a US JD receive decisions by May, latest early June.
2. If you applied to our scholarship programs, we’ll inform you of a decision after you’ve learned of your admission to the program and before we ask you to respond to our offer.
3. If your application or any required materials arrive late to LSAC, you may not receive a decision regarding admission or scholarships until all others have been finalized.

Part-time Programs We will inform you of a decision as soon as possible and no later than two weeks before the start of the semester. Often times, it is well before then. JSD Program You’ll receive a decision no later than the end of April, if complete materials arrived on time.

How does Georgetown law notify you of acceptance?

Check Application Status Our automatic status check feature allows you to determine whether we have received all parts of your application. You may notice that the current status date will change over time, even if the status does not. These changes are not associated with the Committee’s decision.

How does Stanford law notify applicants of decision?

1 Aloha y’all! We created this spreadsheet for the UH Manoa Pre-Law Advising Center. Corrections, welcome. – UH Law Admissions, [email protected] University of Hawai’i at Manoa | William S. Richardson School of Law http://www.law.hawaii.edu/admissions Check out our other spreadsheets! Accelerated Admissions and Degree Programs: http://ow.ly/cq90E Application Fee Waivers: http://ow.ly/6OuFM Deadlines & Dean’s Letter Requirements: http://ow.ly/7jZdY Decisions, Decisions: http://ow.ly/7uvsY Establishing Residency: http://ow.ly/c4SB9 Summer Pre-Law Programs: http://ow.ly/ceEjy 2 Applicants: Please contact individual law schools for the most accurate information.

3 Law SchoolHow Regular Decisions Are CommunicatedWhen Regular Decisions Will Be CommunicatedURLDate Accessed 4 Akron School of Law”All decisions are communicated via email. ” http://www.uakron.edu/law/admissions/application-process.dot “Applicants may be admitted as early as October and as late as August prior to the fall semester in which they wish to begin law studies.

Decisions will be made on a continuous basis as files are completed throughout the year. Only completed files will be sent to the admissions committee for decision. In most cases, a file is considered complete when the application form, personal statement, and law school report are received.” http://www.uakron.edu/law/admissions/faq.dot http://www.uakron.edu/law/admissions/faq.dot4/13/2020 5 Albany Law SchoolContact the Office of Admissions for information.

Contact the Office of Admissions for information. http://www.albanylaw.edu/admissions/apply/Pages/default.aspx4/13/2020 6 American University Washington College of Law”Decision notifications are sent via e-mail from [email protected]. Admitted students receive their official admissions offer via U.S.

mail. You may also check the status of your application at any time by clicking this Check Your Status link.” https://www.wcl.american.edu/school/admissions/jd/apply/first-year/faq/”General rolling admissions applicants may receive a decision any time between late September and late March.

• Early Decision applicants should refer to the notification dates listed here.
• Decisions are made on a regular basis, but not all applicants who applied early in the process receive the first decisions.
• Our Committee on Admissions may hold your file until we have a sense of that year’s applicant pool.
• Applicants who apply late in the admissions cycle (April – July) typically receive a decision within 2-4 weeks of the date their application is completed.” https://www.wcl.american.edu/school/admissions/jd/apply/first-year/faq/https://www.wcl.american.edu/school/admissions/jd/apply/first-year/faq/4/13/2020 7 Appalachian School of Law”The first seat deposit, $200, is due within two weeks of receiving your admissions packet.

” Please contact Law School for more information.”ASL invites applications, conducts reviews and renders decisions throughout the academic year for the following fall.” Please contact Law School for informationhttp://www.asl.edu/?s=admissions+decisions4/13/2020 8 Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law”Decisions are typically communicated via email and you are encouraged to monitor your junk email folder.” https://law.asu.edu/admissions/apply/jd “The admissions committee aims to return decisions within 15 business days from the date the application is marked complete.

However, the admissions decision timeframe may increase as we approach the priority application deadline of March 1st.” https://law.asu.edu/admissions/apply/jd https://www.law.asu.edu/admissions/apply/jd4/13/2020 9 Arizona Summit Law School (formerly Phoenix School of Law)”Specific deposit amounts and deadlines are included in your acceptance letter.” https://www.azsummitlaw.edu/admissions-how-apply-admissions-timeline.html “Generally, it can take three to four weeks for the members to review your file and make recommendations for your decision.” https://www.azsummitlaw.edu/admissions-how-apply-admissions-timeline.html https://www.azsummitlaw.edu/admissions/how-apply/admissions-timeline4/13/2020 10 Ave Maria School of Law”Mid-December: Ave Maria School of Law sends out the first round of admission decision letters.” http://www.avemarialaw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ImportantDates.pdf “Mid-December: Ave Maria School of Law sends out the first round of admission decision letters.” http://www.avemarialaw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ImportantDates.pdf http://www.avemarialaw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ImportantDates.pdf4/13/2020 11 Barry University, Dwayne O.

Andreas School of Law”Applicants are notified in writing of all decisions pertinent to their applications taken by the Admissions Committee” http://www.barry.edu/law/future-students/admissions/admissions-requirements.html “The Committee meets frequently, so decisions are made promptly after receipt of all required admissions documents.” http://www.barry.edu/law/future-students/admissions/admissions-requirements.html http://www.barry.edu/law/future-students/admissions/admissions-requirements.html4/13/2020 12 Baylor University Law School”Your online status checker will indicate whether or not a decision has been made.

1. You will receive your admissions decision via the mail.” https://www.baylor.edu/law/index.php?id=931894 “The Admissions Committee makes decisions on a rolling basis.
2. We try to make decisions as quickly as possible.
3. If it has been more than 6 weeks since your file was completed, please feel free to contact a member of the admissions team.

” https://www.baylor.edu/law/index.php?id=931894 https://www.baylor.edu/law/index.php?id=9318944/13/2020 13 Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law — Yeshiva University”Offers of admission are sent to applicants via regular U.S. mail. All other decisions are sent via e-mail.” https://cardozo.yu.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/jd-application-status-check “Due to the careful assessment of each individual application, the Admissions Committee is unable to guarantee that a decision will be made on an application within a particular time frame.” https://cardozo.yu.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/jd-application-status-check http://www.cardozo.yu.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/jd-application-status-check4/13/2020 14 Boalt Hall – University of California, Berkeley”Once your file is complete, you will receive an email to confirm that your application is under review and instructions on how to access an online status checker to monitor your application’s progree and disposition.” https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions/jd/applying-for-jd-degree/review-process-and-timeline/ “Decision notifications are sent to applicants as decisions are made.

For the majority of applicants, this is usually by mid-March. An admitted applicant has several weeks to respond to the offer, but in no case is an applicant required to respond before April 1. ” https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions/jd/applying-for-jd-degree/review-process-and-timeline/ http://www.law.berkeley.edu/46.htm4/13/2020 15 Boston College Law SchoolAll candidates of the J.D.

program will receive email notification of an application status update. All decisions are sent electronically. In addition, candidates who receive an offer of admission will receive a formal welcome packet in the mail. Candidate evaluations and decisions occurs on a rolling bases.

1. Decisions are released weekly beginning November 1.
2. A decision is generally reached within two to four weeks after a file is placed into review status.http://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/law/admission-aid/jd-program/apply.html 4/13/2020 16 Boston University School of LawPlease contact the Law School for more information”The Admissions Committee makes every effort to notify applicants of a decision in a timely fashion.

However, since no two applications are exactly the same, there is no guaranteed timeline for you to receive a decision. Please be assured that the Admissions Committee reviews each application in its entirety.” http://www.bu.edu/law/admissions/jd-admissions/faq/ http://www.bu.edu/law/prospective/apply/jd/application/4/13/2020 17 Brigham Young University J.

Reuben Clark Law SchoolNot Found”Applicants Meeting Priority Deadline Notified of Decision- April 6, 2018″ http://www.law2.byu.edu/site/admissions/important-dates http://www.law2.byu.edu/site/admissions/important-dates4/13/2020 18 Brooklyn Law SchoolNot Found”Applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis beginning in the fall.

The Admissions Office continues to review applications as they become complete and until the class is full, or until the start of classes in August.” https://www.brooklaw.edu/en/Admissions/Apply/Flexible-JD https://www.brooklaw.edu/en/Admissions/Apply/Flexible-JD4/13/2020 19 California Western School of Law”All decisions are disseminated electronically.” https://www.cwsl.edu/admissions-and-financial-aid/jd-admissions/apply/admissions-policies#decisions “Applicant files are reviewed on a rolling basis; therefore, decisions are made when the file is complete.Review begins in late December for the fall class and mid September for the spring class.” https://www.cwsl.edu/admissions-and-financial-aid/jd-admissions/apply/admissions-policies#decisions https://www.cwsl.edu/admissions-and-financial-aid/jd-admissions/apply/admissions-policies4/13/2020 20 Campbell University, Norman Adrian Wiggins School of LawNot Found”Campbell Law will notify early-decision candidates about their status no later than December 15.

Some early-decision candidates may be held for review in the regular cycle. Candidates who are held for consideration in the regular cycle will no longer be bound by the terms of the early-decision agreement.” https://law.campbell.edu/apply/ http://law.campbell.edu/page.cfm?id=201&n=instructions4/13/2020 21 Capital University Law School”Once we’ve made a decision on your file, you will be through the mail.” (transcribed from video)”And this entire process takes about 4 weeks before you receive a decision from us.” (transcribed from video)http://law.capital.edu/Virtual_Open_House_Part_11/4/13/2020 22 Case Western Reserve University School of LawNot Found”Beginning in January, we take action on your applications.

We have a rolling admissions policy; that is, as decisions are made, you are notified. We make most admission decisions between January 1 and May 1, at which time we may establish a waiting list. As vacancies occur up to the date of registration, we draw the best-qualified candidates from the waiting list.” https://case.edu/law/admissions/jd-admissions/apply-jd-program https://case.edu/law/admissions/jd-admissions/apply-jd-program4/13/2020 23 Catholic University of America Columbus School of LawNot Found”All applicants who have completed application files by December 1st will receive a decision before the New Year.” https://www.law.edu/admissions/overview/faqs.html https://www.law.edu/admissions/overview/faqs.html4/13/2020 24 Chapman University School of Law”.has been mailed.” https://www.chapman.edu/law/admission/check-status.aspx “Applicants will usually receive a decision, within eight to ten weeks after the file is complete and has been reviewed by the Admission Committee.

The review of applications typically begins in December for the fall entering class and continues until the class is full.” https://www.chapman.edu/law/admission/admissions-policies.aspx http://www.chapman.edu/law/admission/admissions-policies.aspx 4/13/2020 25 Charleston School of LawNot FoundNot Foundhttps://charlestonlaw.edu/prospective-students/how-to-apply/4/15/2020 26 Charlotte School of Law”The Charlotte School of Law (CSL) completed its last day of instruction on August 10, 2017 and closed on August 11, 2017.

If you need information from CSL, please use the list and links below. Thank you.” http://www.charlottelaw.edu/404.html “The Charlotte School of Law (CSL) completed its last day of instruction on August 10, 2017 and closed on August 11, 2017. If you need information from CSL, please use the list and links below.

Thank you.” http://www.charlottelaw.edu/404.html http://www.charlottelaw.edu/404.html4/15/2020 27 Chicago-Kent College of Law “Admissions decisions are announced in writing only and will be released both online through ASO and by email beginning November 1.” https://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/admissions/jd-program-admissions/apply-to-chicago-kent/first-year-application-procedure/notification “Decisions on completed applications may be made in as short a period as two weeks or as long a period as several months.

The period of time varies according to the total number of applications received, when in the admissions cycle the file is completed, and the time required to review an applicant’s qualifications and evaluate them on their own merit and in comparison to the rest of the applicant pool.” https://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/admissions/jd-program-admissions/apply-to-chicago-kent/first-year-application-procedure/notification https://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/admissions/jd-program-admissions/apply-to-chicago-kent/first-year-application-procedure/notification4/15/2020 28 City University of New York School of Law at Queens CollegeNot Found”Application decisions may be made on or before July 15; this timeline may be subject to change at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.” http://www.law.cuny.edu/admissions/forms.html http://www.law.cuny.edu/admissions/forms/4/15/2020 29 Cleveland State University Cleveland – Marshall College of LawNot FoundNot Foundhttps://www.law.csuohio.edu/applytoday/howtoapply4/15/2020 30 Columbia University Law SchoolNot Found”As a general matter, applications are evaluated on a rolling basis in the order in which they are completed.

Typically, the Admissions Committee begins rendering Regular decisions in late January and continues to release decisions through the end of April. Early Decision candidates are generally notified of their decisions in December.” https://www.law.columbia.edu/admissions/jd/faq https://www.law.columbia.edu/admissions/jd/faq4/15/2020 31 Concordia University School of LawNot Found”Once we receive your completed application, we do our best to make a decision as quickly as possible – usually within two weeks.” http://online.pubhtml5.com/shdn/rtnu/#p=23 http://online.pubhtml5.com/shdn/rtnu/#p=234/15/2020 32 Cornell University Law School”The online status checker allows you to check your status at any time during the application process.” http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/admissions/faq/admission_and_preparation.cfm “Regular decision notifications will be released by mid April.” http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/admissions/faq/admission_and_preparation.cfm http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/admissions/faq/admission_and_preparation.cfm4/15/2020 33 Creighton University School of LawNot Found”The Admissions Committee will begin considering applications in October and notify you as soon as a decision is made.

The Committee may defer making a final decision until later in the admissions process, placing you on the Hold List or Alternate List. Filing your application early does not guarantee an early decision.” https://law.creighton.edu/future-students/apply http://law.creighton.edu/future-students/apply https://law.creighton.edu/sites/law.creighton.edu/files/media/2018_paper_application.pdf4/15/2020 34 Delaware Law School, Widener University”Check your application status at any time throughout the application process.

Because our process is paperless, and in an effort to be environmentally conscious, we no longer mail decision letters.”Not Foundhttp://delawarelaw.widener.edu/prospective-students/jd-program/application-status-check/ 4/15/2020 35 DePaul College of Law”You will receive email notification of the Committee’s decision within 3-4 weeks.

” https://law.depaul.edu/admission/jd-admission/Pages/check-status.aspx “”You will receive email notification of the Committee’s decision within 3-4 weeks. ” https://law.depaul.edu/admission/jd-admission/Pages/check-status.aspx http://law.depaul.edu/admission/jd-admission/Pages/check-status.aspx4/15/2020 36 Drake University Law School”After Drake Law School has received your application from LSAC, you will receive an email with a username and password to access the status of your application online.” http://www.drake.edu/law/future/apply/application/ Not Foundhttp://www.law.drake.edu/admissions/?pageID=applicationInstructions4/15/2020 37 Drexel University Thomas R.

1. Line School of LawNot Found”We use a “modified rolling admissions” process and usually begin receiving applications in October.
2. However, the admissions committee does not usually begin the file review process until the end of our travel season in December.
3. While some decisions may roll out earlier, most of our admissions decisions will be made when the bulk of the applications are received.” http://drexel.edu/law/admissions/faqs/ https://drexel.edu/law/admissions/faqs/4/15/2020 38 Duke University School of LawNot Found”If you apply by our February 15 deadline, you should receive a decision by the end of April.

Beyond that, it’s hard to give a specific estimate. We use a rolling admissions process, reviewing applications as they are received and sending decisions when we have made them (rather than waiting until one notification date as many colleges do). We encourage early applications, and some of these applicants may receive early decisions.

However, it takes us some time to get a full sense of the applicant pool each year, and some early applications may be reviewed once and held for further consideration later in the cycle.” http://law.duke.edu/admis/faq#decision http://law.duke.edu/admis/faq#decision4/15/2020 39 Duquesne University School of LawNot Found”Decisions can take 6-8 weeks from the time an application becomes complete.

” https://www.law.duq.edu/admissions/application-process https://www.law.duq.edu/admissions/application-process4/15/2020 40 Elon University School of LawNot found “Applicants whose credentials fall squarely within the school’s ranges for admission or denial of admission will likely receive a decision within two to six weeks after their application is completed.

1. Applicants whose credentials do not fall squarely within these ranges, but whose applications are competitive for admission, may be held for further review.
2. The Admissions Committee makes every effort to announce its decision on completed applications within a reasonable time.” https://www.elon.edu/e/law/admissions/how-to-apply/regular-decision.html http://www.elon.edu/e-web/law/admissions/regulardecision.xhtml4/15/2020 41 Emory University School of Law”Decision letters are mailed out as they are made.

We do not give decisions over the phone.” http://law.emory.edu/admission/juris-doctor/jd-admission-faqs.html “Most decision letters will be sent by April 1st.” http://law.emory.edu/admission/juris-doctor/jd-admission-faqs.html http://law.emory.edu/admission/juris-doctor/jd-admission-faqs.html4/15/2020 42 Faulkner University Thomas Goode Jones School of LawNot FoundNot foundhttps://law.faulkner.edu/admissions/application-process/4/15/2020 43 Florida A&M University College of LawNot Found”Application files will not reviewed until the file is complete.

Admissions decisions will be made on a rolling basis after all required materials have been received.” http://law.famu.edu/prospective-student/viewbook-publication/#fb0=35 https://law.famu.edu/students/prospective-students/viewbook-publication/#fb0=354/15/2020 44 Florida Coastal School of Law”Students can check their applications status online through the admissions process.

The Admissions Committee does not release information about the reason for their decision.” https://www.fcsl.edu/admissions-apply-now.html “Florida Coastal School of Law enrolls on a rolling admissions basis.” https://www.fcsl.edu/admissions-apply-now.html https://www.fcsl.edu/admissions-apply-now.html4/15/2020 45 Florida International University LawNot Found”Completed applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning September 10, 2019.” https://law.fiu.edu/admissions/jd/ https://law.fiu.edu/lawadmit/apply/4/15/2020 46 Florida State University College of LawNot Found”Decisions are made on a rolling basis and priority consideration is given to the strongest applications submitted by the priority deadline of March 15, 2020.

Applications completed after March 15, 2020 but by the final deadline of July 31, 2020 may not receive a timely decision.” https://law.fsu.edu/admissions-financial-aid/admissions/jd-procedures https://law.fsu.edu/admissions-financial-aid/admissions/jd-procedures4/15/2020 47 Fordham University School of LawNot Found”Once an application becomes complete, an applicant will receive a decision approximately 6-8 weeks after the completion date.” http://www.fordham.edu/info/21182/evaluation_and_decision_making https://www.fordham.edu/info/21182/evaluation_and_decision_making4/15/2020 48 University of New Hampshire School of Law”You may check your status online, and we will notify you via e-mail during the process; please keep our e-mail ([email protected]) in your address book, and apprise us of any changes in your contact information.””Your application will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee within approximately 4-6 weeks after completion (receipt of application, recommendations, transcript, essays, resume, certification, application fee, and LSAT score).”https://law.unh.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/how-apply4/15/2020 49 George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law SchoolNot found”We will make decisions on a rolling basis beginning in late December and continuing into May, June and July – until we complete the admissions process.many applicants will not receive a final decision until well after the April 1 application deadline.” https://www.law.gmu.edu/admissions/jd/how_apply_jd/faq#Does_Scalia_Law_have_rolling_admissions_16 http://www.law.gmu.edu/admissions/jd/how_apply_jd/faq#Does_George_Mason_have_rolling_admissions_164/15/2020 50 George Washington University Law SchoolNot Found”The Law School tried to get decisions for the regular admissions process out as quickly as possible.

Applicants should expect to receive a decisions from the Law School within eight weeks of the date on which their files are complete.” https://www.law.gwu.edu/admissions-faq “Regular admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis between November and May.

” https://www.law.gwu.edu/jd-application-process https://www.law.gwu.edu/admissions-faq4/15/2020 51 Georgetown Law Center”.in your acceptance letter the division to which you have been admitted.” https://www.law.georgetown.edu/admissions-financial-aid/jd-admissions/full-time-program/faqs/Admissions-Process.cfm “Candidates will be notified as soon as decisions are reached, usually eight to twelve weeks after your file is complete with all supporting documentation.

However, it depends upon the volume of applications received. If your file is complete by March 1st, every attempt will be made to send a decision by mid April.” http://www.law.georgetown.edu/admissions-financial-aid/jd-admissions/full-time-program//faqs/Admissions-Process.cfm http://www.law.georgetown.edu/admissions-financial-aid/jd-admissions/full-time-part-time-program/faqs/Admissions-Process.cfm 4/15/2020 52 Georgia State University Colege of Law”We will notify you by email once your application has been received.

This message will include your login credentials to monitor your status via the Applicant Status Online system.” http://law.gsu.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/first-year-applicants/ Not Foundhttp://law.gsu.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/first-year-applicants/4/15/2020 53 Golden Gate University School of Law”Final admissions decisions will be available for applicants via the online status checker.” http://law.ggu.edu/admissions/application-requirements “A decision is typically rendered four to six weeks after an application has been forwarded to the Committee.” http://law.ggu.edu/admissions/application-requirements http://law.ggu.edu/admissions/application-requirements4/15/2020 54 Gonzaga University School of Law”When a final decisions has been made, the status checker will say “Decisions Mailed.” Gonzaga Law will not give out final decisions via the status checker, phone, e-mail, or any method other than direct mail.” https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-law/admission/frequently-asked-questions “Review time can vary greatly depending on the time of year and on the application.

Typically, it can take anywhere between 6 and 8 weeks but this is not a guarantee.” https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-law/admission/frequently-asked-questions https://www.law.gonzaga.edu/prospective/faq/4/15/2020 55 Mitchell Hamline School of Law”The Office of Admissions will inform every applicant via email when his or her application has been received and provide a login to check the status of an application to see whether it is complete” https://mitchellhamline.edu/admission/faq/ “The Admissions Committee will typically render a decisions on an apllication four to six weeks from when it becomes complete.” https://mitchellhamline.edu/admission/faq/ https://mitchellhamline.edu/admission/faq/4/15/2020 56 Harvard University Law School”Admissions decisions are provided through the status checker as well and applicants will be emailed when electronic decisions become available.

Http://hls.harvard.edu/dept/jdadmissions/apply-to-harvard-law-school/the-application-process/admissions-faq/?redir=1#faq-3-2 “Decisions are made on a rolling basis, which means you can expect a decision anytime between December and May.” http://hls.harvard.edu/dept/jdadmissions/apply-to-harvard-law-school/the-application-process/admissions-faq/?redir=1#faq-3-2 http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/jd/apply/the-application-process/jdfaq.html4/15/2020 57 Hofstra University, School of Law”Hofstra Law releases application decisions in two forms, formal and electronic.

Applicants may elect to view the decision of their application via the online status checkers, accessible through our web site. In addition to the online status checker, the Office of Enrollment Management will send a formal letter to the applicant’s permanent address on file.” http://law.hofstra.edu/_site_support/files/pdf/admissions/jdprogram/howtoapply/JD_Application_Procedures.pdf “Regular applications are also considered on a rolling basis and candidates should be notified within 6 to 8 weeks from the completion (not submission) of the application.” http://law.hofstra.edu/_site_support/files/pdf/admissions/jdprogram/howtoapply/JD_Application_Procedures.pdf https://law.hofstra.edu/jdprogram/admissions/howtoapply/index.html4/15/2020 58 Howard University School of Law”Howard Law endeavors to provide each applicant with written or electronic notification that his or her file is complete.

Once that notification is sent, an applicant can anticipate a decision or update (i.e., an ADMIT, DENY or WAITLIST) approximately eight weeks from that date.” http://law.howard.edu/content/faqs-frequently-asked-questions “Howard Law endeavors to provide each applicant with written or electronic notification that his or her file is complete.

Once that notification is sent, an applicant can anticipate a decision or update (i.e., an ADMIT, DENY or WAITLIST) approximately eight weeks from that date.” http://law.howard.edu/content/faqs-frequently-asked-questions http://law.howard.edu/content/faqs-frequently-asked-questions4/15/2020 59 Indiana University, Bloomington School of Law – Maurer School of LawNot found “With our rolling admissions policy, we accept applications from September 1st through early August.

1. The admissions committee extends most offers of admission between December and April.
2. In the past, we have accepted applicants as late as July or August.
3. Some applicants may be placed on a wait list.
4. Decisions to admit an applicants from the wait list can be made at any time, even as late as July or August.” http://www.law.indiana.edu/admission/jd-apply/questions-and-answers.shtml https://www.law.indiana.edu/admission/jd-apply/questions-and-answers.shtml4/15/2020 60 Indiana University Robert H.

McKinney School of Law”Most correspondence between the Office of Admissions and applicants is done via email. There may also be some telephone calls and mail.” https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/admissions/jd/faq.html “Early Decision Program applicants are notified of a decision by the end of December.

• All other applications are reviewed starting in October.
• If applications are complete by March 1, applicants will have decisions by the beginning of May.
• Applications completed after March 1 will receive decisions as soon as we receive decisions from the admissions committee, which is usually a 4 week turnaround time from completion to decision.” https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/admissions/jd/faq.html http://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/admissions/jd/faq.html4/15/2020 61 Inter American University of Puerto Rico, School of LawPlease contact the Law School for more informationPlease contact the Law School for more informationhttp://www.derecho.inter.edu/futuros-estudiantes/admisiones/4/23/2020 62 John Marshall Law SchoolNot Found”The John Marshall Law School operates on a rolling admission policy.

The Office of Admission continues to review applications until the entering class is full. Applications submitted after the deadline will only be considered if space is available.” https://www.jmls.edu/admission/jd/ http://www.jmls.edu/admission/jd/4/23/2020 63 John Marshall Law School – Atlanta”Applicants are notified of a decision via email.

• Under no circumstances will a decision be given over the phone.
• However, applicants are able to see their most up-to-date status online, including any correspondence that has been mailed or emailed.” http://www.johnmarshall.edu/ajmls-students/frequently-asked-questions/ “Once the Admissions Committee begins meeting, all J.D.

applications are considered in the order they are completed. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so the sooner your application is received and completed, the sooner you can be considered by the committee.” http://www.johnmarshall.edu/ajmls-students/frequently-asked-questions/ http://www.johnmarshall.edu/futurestudent/admissions-aid/faqs/4/23/2020 64 Lewis and Clark College Northwestern School of Law”We will keep you informed throughout the process and will notify you of the final decision on your application.” http://law.lclark.edu/offices/admissions/apply/admissions_timeline/ “Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so the sooner your application is received and completed, the sooner you can be considered by the committee.” http://law.lclark.edu/offices/admissions/apply/admissions_timeline/ http://law.lclark.edu/offices/admissions/apply/admissions_timeline/4/23/2020 65 Liberty University School of Law”Monitor your application’s progress with the Applicant Status Online (ASO) checker.

You will receive your username and password for the ASO checker by email. If you do not receive these, or if you need assistance with your account, please notify the Office of Admissions.” https://www.liberty.edu/law/admissions/ “After your file is complete, you will receive a decision regarding admission in approximately 2-3 weeks.

If you do not receive an email notification within four weeks of your application completion date, please contact us.” https://www.liberty.edu/law/admissions/ https://www.liberty.edu/law/admissions/4/23/2020 66 Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law CenterNot found.”Yes, we offer rolling admissions.

We begin mailing decisions in late fall.” https://www.law.lsu.edu/admissions/faq/ http://www1.law.lsu.edu/admissions/faq/4/23/2020 67 Loyola Law School – Los AngelesNot found.”The Early Decision program is a binding program that allows candidates to apply early and receive a decision from the Admissions Committee by December 31, 2019.” https://www.lls.edu/admissionsaid/degreeprograms/jdprograms/apply/jdprogram/earlydecisionprogram/ https://www.lls.edu/admissionsaid/degreeprograms/jdprograms/apply/jdprogram/4/23/2020 68 Loyola University – New Orleans College of LawNot Found”A decision will be rendered 2-3 weeks after your file has been completed, unless additional information or evaluation is required by the Admissions Committee.” http://law.loyno.edu/sites/law.loyno.edu/files/FAQs%20-%20Rev%2010-3.pdf http://law.loyno.edu/admission-requirements4/23/2020 69 Loyola University-Chicago School of Law”All admission decisions will be sent by email.” https://www.luc.edu/law/academics/degreeprograms/jurisdoctor/full-timejd/ “Once you submit an application, you can check the status of your application online.”.”The Admission Committee begins reviewing applications in late December.

We release the first round of decisions in early January and then on a rolling basis, based on file completion date.” https://www.luc.edu/law/academics/degreeprograms/jurisdoctor/full-timejd/ https://www.luc.edu/law/academics/degreeprograms/jurisdoctor/full-timejd/4/23/2020 70 Marquette University Law School”Please know that all decisions are mailed via USPS; decisions are not relayed via ASO.” https://law.marquette.edu/prospective-students/apply-online-first-year-students “ASO will reflect for you the approximate timing for the review of your application.

• Https://law.marquette.edu/prospective-students/apply-online-first-year-students http://law.marquette.edu/prospective-students/apply-online-first-year-students4/23/2020 71 Mercer University, Walter F.
• George School of LawNot Found”Acceptance and scholarship decisions begin in December.
• Http://law.mercer.edu/admissions/apply/ http://www.law.mercer.edu/admissions/apply4/23/2020 72 Michigan State University College of Law”MSU Law provides updates on your application via the application status checker.

Once a final decision has been made on your file, you will receive an email.” http://www.law.msu.edu/admissions/faqs.html “Applications for admission are reviewed on a “rolling admissions” basis beginning in early October and continuing through late spring.

Applications generally are reviewed according to the date they are complete with all supporting materials. Admission is only granted for fall start.” http://www.law.msu.edu/admissions/faqs.html http://www.law.msu.edu/admissions/timeline.html4/23/2020 73 Mississippi College School of Law”.your acceptance letter” http://law.mc.edu/admissions/admissions-deposit/ Not foundhttps://law.mc.edu/admissions/apply4/23/2020 74 New England Law | Boston”Completed applications for the fall are reviewed on a rolling basis, beginning in December.

Most applicants can expect a decision within four to eight weeks of submission of their completed application.” https://www.nesl.edu/admissions-aid/admission-requirements Not foundhttps://www.nesl.edu/admissions-aid/admission-requirements4/23/2020 75 New York Law School “In addition, all decisions will be communicated through our online status checker.” http://www.nyls.edu/admissions/j-d-applicants/how-to-apply/ “Applicants who submit applications after the April 1, 2020 priority consideration deadline will be actively considered for admission and merit scholarship as space allows.” http://www.nyls.edu/admissions/j-d-applicants/important_dates/ http://www.nyls.edu/admissions/j-d-applicants/important_dates/4/23/2020 76 New York University School of Law”The Office of Admissions does not release any information except to the applicant and does not give admission decisions by e-mail, telephone, or fax.” http://www.law.nyu.edu/jdadmissions/applicants/admissionsinformationandinstructions “There is no way to predict an exact date on which a candidate will receive a decision.” http://www.law.nyu.edu/jdadmissions/applicants/admissionsinformationandinstructions http://www.law.nyu.edu/jdadmissions/applicants/admissionsinformationandinstructions4/23/2020 77 North Carolina Central University School of Law”The School of Law communicates with applicants primarily by mail and email.

” http://law.nccu.edu/admissions/ “Final decisions generally take up to six weeks after a file is complete.” http://law.nccu.edu/admissions/acceptance-process/ http://law.nccu.edu/admissions/acceptance-process/4/23/2020 78 Northeastern University School of LawJD Applicants will receive an email notification when their admissions decision has become available on the application status checker.

https://www.northeastern.edu/law/admission/jd/faqs/index.html#APP2 Apply Early Decision by December 1, receive a decision by the end of December. Apply Early Action by December 1, receive a decision by mid-February Apply by March 1, receive a decision by mid-April.

Https://www.northeastern.edu/law/admission/jd/faqs/index.html#APP2 https://www.northeastern.edu/law/admission/jd/faqs/index.html4/23/2020 79 Northern Illinois University College of Law”All decisions will be automatically updated via the online status checker. Additionally, you will be mailed a copy of your decision letter.” http://www.niu.edu/law/admission/application/faq.shtml#notification “Once complete, your file is first reviewed by the Director of Admission & Financial Aid and then it normally goes to the Admissions Committee.

The review process can take anywhere from four to six weeks.” http://www.niu.edu/law/admission/application/faq.shtml#notification http://www.niu.edu/law/admission/application/faq.shtml#how_long_for_a_decision4/28/2020 80 Northern Kentucky University Salmon P.

1. Chase College of Law”The Office of Admissions sent you an email when you submitted your application online via LSAC.
2. The email sender would be chaseadm[email protected] and you may need to check your SPAM/junk folder.
3. The email contains your login credentials to check your application status.” https://chaselaw.nku.edu/prospective/juris-doctor/jd-application.html Not Foundhttps://chaselaw.nku.edu/prospective/juris-doctor/jd-application.html4/28/2020 81 Northwestern University School of Law”Once a decision on your application has been made, you will receive an e-mail notification.

At that point, you can login below to download your decision letter. You can also update your current address through the Decision Letter Delivery System.” https://www.law.northwestern.edu/admissions/status/ Not Foundhttps://www.law.northwestern.edu/admissions/status/4/28/2020 82 Notre Dame Law SchoolNot Found”Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in late-October.

The Admissions Committee typically issues the first decision letters beginning in early-December.” http://law.nd.edu/admissions/information/ http://law.nd.edu/admissions/information/4/28/2020 83 Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law CenterNot FoundNot Foundhttps://www.law.nova.edu/admission/fulltime-jd-applicants.html4/28/2020 84 Ohio Northern University-Claude W.

Pettit College of LawNot found “We make every effort to be in contact with all applicants within 3-5 weeks of applying, but this is not necessarily a final decision. We typically begin applicant review December 1st.” http://law.onu.edu/admissions_frequently_asked_questions http://law.onu.edu/admissions_frequently_asked_questions4/28/2020 85 Oklahoma City University School of Law”Admitted students are formally notified by U.S.

Mail, which will include a form to reserve your seat in the class and accept any awarded scholarship.” https://law.okcu.edu/admissions/admissions-basics/faqs/ “Admissions decisions are typically made within two to four weeks after we receive an applicant’s completed file.” https://law.okcu.edu/admissions/admissions-basics/faqs/ https://law.okcu.edu/admissions/admissions-basics/faqs/4/28/2020 86 Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of LawNot Found”Applications will be considered after the deadlines on a Rolling Admissions basis.” http://www.law.pace.edu/how-apply http://www.law.pace.edu/how-apply4/28/2020 87 Pacific McGeorge School of LawNot Found”Applicants are advised to apply early as admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis and seats are limited.

Decisions may be rendered anywhere between six to 10 weeks from the date an application is complete. ” http://www.mcgeorge.edu/Future_Students/JD_Programs/FAQ.htm http://www.mcgeorge.edu/Future_Students/JD_Programs/FAQ.htm4/28/2020 88 Pepperdine University School of Law”You will be notified of your decision via email.” https://law.pepperdine.edu/admissions/juris-doctor/faq.htm “We admit students on a rolling basis, with most decisions made between December and June.” https://law.pepperdine.edu/admissions/juris-doctor/faq.htm https://law.pepperdine.edu/admissions/juris-doctor/faq.htm4/30/2020 89 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law — Puerto Rico”The Admissions Office has a mail notification system designed to keep the applicant informed of the progress of their application.” https://derecho.pucpr.edu/requisitos-de-admision/ Not Foundhttps://derecho.pucpr.edu/4/30/2020 90 Quinnipiac University School of LawNot FoundNot Foundhttps://www.qu.edu/schools/law/admissions.html 4/30/2020 91 Regent University School of Law”Applicants will receive a letter of decision” https://www.regent.edu/law/about/#tab-faq “Typically, the admissions office begins reviewing applications for fall admission in late December.

1. The committee admits on a “rolling” basis.
2. Once the committee convenes, applicants should receive a letter of decision within approximately three weeks from the time the file is complete.” https://www.regent.edu/law/about/#tab-faq http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/admissions/faq.cfm#adminreview4/30/2020 92 Roger Williams”Applicants are notified promptly by U.S.

Mail when a decision has been reached.” https://law.rwu.edu/admission/apply-jd/first-year-jd-applicant “The Admissions Committee releases decisions from December through July of each year. Most decisions are mailed in March and April, or, for applications submitted late in the process, 6 – 8 weeks after file completion.

” https://law.rwu.edu/admission/apply-jd/first-year-jd-applicant https://law.rwu.edu/admission/apply-jd/first-year-jd-applicant4/30/2020 93 Rutgers University, Camden School of LawNot Found”Applications are initially reviewed in the order in which they are completed. Some applications receive an immediate decision; others are held for further review later in the cycle.” https://law.rutgers.edu/admissions https://law.rutgers.edu/admissions4/30/2020 94 Rutgers University, Newark School of LawNot Found”Applications are initially reviewed in the order in which they are completed.

Some applications receive an immediate decision; others are held for further review later in the cycle.” https://law.rutgers.edu/admissions https://law.rutgers.edu/admissions4/30/2020 95 Saint Louis University School of LawNot Found”The School of Law reviews applications on a rolling basis.

We begin to review completed applications in late November and the first round of decisions will be made in December. Because we admit students on a rolling basis, the earlier in the process that you apply, the more spots are available in the fall class. ” http://law.slu.edu/admissions/jd-program/admissions-faqs http://law.slu.edu/admissions/jd-program/admissions-faqs5/18/2020 96 Samford University Cumberland School of Law​ Notification of the committee’s decision will be mailed and emailed to the applicant.”Applications can be submitted between September 1 and June 1.

Since admission decisions are made on a rolling basis, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their application, recommendations and all supplemental documents by the priority deadline, as this will expedite the review of their application and give them greater opportunity to be considered for scholarship assistance” ​ “Typically, once an application is complete, an applicant will receive a decision in approximately one month.” https://www.samford.edu/cumberlandlaw/apply http://www.samford.edu/cumberlandlaw/apply5/18/2020 97 Santa Clara University School of LawNot FoundNot Foundhttp://law.scu.edu/admissions#application-process5/18/2020 98 Seattle University School of Law”All decision letters, with the exception of offers of admission, will be sent via e-mail.

How fast do law schools notify you of acceptance?

The Admissions Process for Early Applicants – If you submit your law school application soon after admissions open in August or September, it will be evaluated based on admissions officers’ forecasts about how your application compares to their expectations for the cycle.

They will consider the competitiveness of your profile and how you might add balance to the class they are aiming to assemble. For example, law schools don’t want to accept too many applicants with the same background, interests or work experience, Typically, applicants will hear back within six weeks or so, although the most competitive law schools can take longer to reach a decision.

Some law schools expedite the process for applicants who apply early decision, since they have made a binding commitment to attend if offered admission. That can give them a leg up in the process. If admissions officers can’t come to a clear decision about your candidacy, they may hold your application for later consideration or place you on a waitlist,

• These are not the same thing, but both mean that admissions officers want to see more of their applicant pool before making a final decision.
• Some of this can come down to luck.
• Maybe a law school is concerned about admitting too many candidates with a similar profile.
• More cynically, admissions officers might worry you will decline their offer in favor of other schools.

Waitlisting you can be a low-risk way for them to gauge the persistence of your interest. Like airlines or concert venues that anticipate no-shows by selling more seats than they can accommodate, law schools typically accept more applicants than they can take, to account for applicants who decline admission due to competing offers or other reasons.

Can I get into NYU Law with a 166 LSAT?

How does your LSAT score compare? – Although NYU Law School practices holistic admissions, numbers are still paramount in the application review process at all top law schools (check out our post here for more information on this topic). As a disclaimer, our comparison guides are estimates at best.

1. Since we’re not admissions officers at NYU, we can’t give you your exact odds of success – we can only advise you based on what we know of top law school admissions.
2. Eep in mind that NYU values a high GPA in addition to high LSAT scores.
3. The law school’s 75th percentile for GPA is 3.9.
4. Its 50th percentile is 3.8, and its 25th percentile is 3.6.

Given how competitive NYU admissions are, you’ll want to supplement a high LSAT score with a strong academic record.175+: A score in this range will be well above NYU’s 75th percentile, making you a competitive candidate for both admission and scholarships.

Clean up your other application materials until they shine to maximize your odds of earning a full- or partial-tuition scholarship! 174-172: With a score that surpasses NYU’s 75th percentile, you still have a great shot at acceptance and scholarships. As long as you can pair your score with a solid GPA, you should be in the running for at least a partial scholarship.171-170: You’ll be in a good place with a score in this range, since you’ll be at or just below NYU’s 75th percentile.169-167: Your score will be at or just below NYU’s median.

While your LSAT score likely won’t earn much in the way of scholarships, you’ll still have the advantage of a strong test score over much of the candidate pool.166-164: Your score starts getting less competitive in this range, since 75% of NYU admits have higher test scores.

Take all of the opportunities you can to get edits and feedback on your other application materials (like your personal statement and resume) to help round out your candidacy.163-160: Because you’re now solidly under NYU’s 25th percentile range, you’ll need a very strong LSAT score to support your application file.

Think about what traits and experiences you bring that can make you stand out in light of your test score.159 and below: If you’re set on attending NYU, we recommend you retake the LSAT. A score in the 150s range (even in the high 150s) will be difficult to overcome, even with a compelling application story.

Catherine supports Magoosh’s future grad school students by unlocking tricks of the test prep and application trade. She specializes in the LSAT, but also brings her experience in test prep and higher ed admissions to Magoosh students. Catherine spends her free time checking out local farmer’s markets, reading food and lifestyle blogs, and watching Bravo. She is forever in search of the best Mexican and Italian food in any given city. View all posts

How long do law schools take to reply?

In rare cases, some applicants may receive an answer within a few weeks, but the process typically takes 2–4 months. If your application is placed on hold or if you are placed on a wait list then it may take several additional months to receive a final decision.

Can I get into Georgetown with a 165 LSAT?

What LSAT Score Do You Need to Get Into Georgetown Law? What LSAT and GPA numbers will give you a good chance of admission to Georgetown Law? Georgetown University Law Center, more commonly known as Georgetown Law, has a solid place among the very best law schools in the country. To have great chances at Georgetown University Law Center, you will want an LSAT score around the 167+ range and an undergraduate GPA in the 3.7+ range. These LSAT and GPA numbers for Georgetown Law School class entering in 2020 can help give you an idea of what you need to get in: For the 2020 entering class, the median GPA was 3.78 and the median LSAT was 168.

The 25th percentile LSAT Score at Georgetown Law is 164The Median LSAT Score at Georgetown Law is 168The 75th percentile LSAT Score at Georgetown Law is 169

GPA to get into Georgetown Law

The 25th percentile undergrad GPA at Georgetown Law is 3.55The Median undergrad GPA at Georgetown Law is 3.78The 75th percentile undergrad GPA at Georgetown Law is 3.88

However, a low GPA or LSAT score won’t necessarily eliminate your chances of admission to Georgetown Law. According to their : The Admissions Committee takes into consideration a number of factors in evaluating whether a candidate would be suitable for admission.

• These factors include whether the person is likely to succeed at Georgetown, would benefit from a legal education here, and could contribute to the Georgetown legal community.
• In making such determinations, the Committee focuses on a number of criteria and does not use numerical cut-offs.
• In addition to examining the applicant’s LSAT score(s) and academic record, the Committee also considers the personal statement, letters of recommendations/evaluations, choice of major, nature and difficulty of course selection, extracurricular activities, graduate work, contributions to the community and professional experience.

Turning in your application as early as you can give you a better shot at being admitted to Georgetown Law. In the past cycle, Georgetown Law began accepting applications starting on September 15. Georgetown Law also has a binding early admission program for those applicants who know they wish to take advantage of Georgetown’s excellent program.

What LSAT score do I need for Columbia?

LSAT: There is no minimum LSAT score in the consideration process for admission to Columbia Law School.

Do all law schools email decisions?

Waiting game: What to do after submitting your application After working diligently throughout undergrad to earn high grades, forming relationships with professors for letters of recommendation, writing all of your application essays and preparing for months to take the LSAT, you’ve finally submitted your application(s)! Now what? The waiting game begins.

Before turning off your brain completely: a) confirm that each school received all the required documents and that your application is ready for review, b) double check that the letters of recommendation were properly submitted together with all of your transcripts, c) make certain you received an “application complete” e-mail from the law school or other documentation to verify your “complete” status before moving on to other things.

2. Take a well-deserved break. Admissions offices break for the holidays and you should too! While you wait for a decision, the best possible use of your time may be to spend it with family and friends. Go to the movies, volunteer, read a great book, or just binge Netflix all day.

• Do anything that is engaging and that will distract you from the application process.
• If you submit your applications mid-semester, this might mean only taking an afternoon off because you still have work and/or school.
• Nevertheless, you should reward yourself for all of your hard work leading up to this moment! 3.

Utilize the online status checker, but do not overdo it. Most (but not all) law schools will send an e-mail with a link to an online status checker. This allows you to monitor the progress of your application as it moves from “complete” to “in review,” and finally, when a decision has been made.

This tool can be a blessing or a curse. It can be wonderful because it allows you to see that your application is not just sitting idle. For many, it may also be the first place that you see a final decision on your application. The online status checker might update hours or days before your official paperwork is received via e-mail or through the mail.

However, you must refrain from compulsively checking the website. For many, the status checker leads to more unnecessary stress and anxiety when there is no apparent progress. This does not mean your application is not actively being reviewed. To help minimize stress, you can set up a calendar reminder every Friday to only check your status then, or (once you know your application is complete) simply ignore this tool altogether.

Whatever you do, don’t waste your day repeatedly hitting ‘refresh.’ 4. Do not compare yourself to others. Try not to read too much into other students’ decisions. It can be difficult not to compare yourself to others who receive decisions before you, but that does not mean you will not be admitted! Schools generally will admit their strongest candidates first, meaning those that were above their 50th or 75th percentile for GPA and LSAT from the previous year (or for this year’s target).

Even if you are not included in the initial wave of admissions, rest assured that this does not mean you will not also be admitted. At the same time, remember to be sensitive about sharing your good news with others who may still be waiting on their decisions.5.

1. Focus on classes so you can submit additional grades.
2. Although it is incredibly exciting to think about your future law school dreams hanging in the balance, you still have work to do right now.
3. Remember that law schools will be interested in reviewing your final transcripts.
4. Throw your nervous energy into studying for exams and making sure you will be exactly what a law school is seeking in a future student.

Remember, if you are waitlisted or have not received a decision by January, you can send in your fall semester transcript for additional consideration to help boost your chances of admission. A high fall semester GPA might be just what you need to receive an admissions letter.6.

1. Respect the timelines given.
2. Respect the timelines the admissions office gives you.
3. If they inform you it requires 6–8 weeks to return a decision, do not start emailing their office in week two inquiring about your status.
4. The admissions staff is incredibly busy this time of year processing and reviewing all the applications submitted.

Rest assured, they did not forget about your application and you will get a decision back as soon as they are able to make one.7. Schedule a school visit. Be proactive about researching schools. Scheduling a visit is one of the best ways to determine if a school is right for you.

• Most schools offer a tour, a meeting with an admissions counselor, and the opportunity to sit in on a 1L class.
• Now that this is not a back door way of securing an interview for yourself and you should not treat it as such.
• The visit is intended to be insightful and beneficial to your decision-making process (not theirs).

Overall, waiting to hear back from law schools can be a very long and stressful process. There are things that you can and should be doing to put your mind at ease and help make your final decision on which law school to attend when you receive your admission letters.

• Rachel Margiewicz is the director of Pre-Law Services with JD Advising, a law school and bar exam preparation company offering services ranging from LSAT tutoring and application assistance to bar exam tutoring, courses, and seminars.
• She is a licensed attorney who spent five years working in law school admissions, successfully coaching applicants through the admissions process.

You can follow Ms. Margiewicz and the JD Advising team on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Additional resources, including daily blog posts, are available at, : Waiting game: What to do after submitting your application

How does Harvard Law notify applicants?

Admissions FAQs: Regular J.D. Applicants – Harvard Law School The following questions and answers primarily apply to regular J.D. applicants. Please see our for additional application advice.

When does Harvard Law School begin accepting applications? When is the deadline to apply? The application for regular J.D. applicants typically opens in September of each year. The application typically closes in mid-February. You can find precise dates and deadlines for the current cycle, Are application fee waivers available? If you are applying to HLS with an LSAT score and if payment of the application fee would pose a financial hardship, we recommend (but do not require) that you first apply for a fee waiver through the Law School Admissions Council. Fee waivers from LSAC cover multiple application fees and some LSAC services, and an LSAC fee waiver may be the best way for you to reduce application related expenses. If LSAC has granted you a LSAT/LSAC Credential Assembly Service Fee waiver and you apply to HLS, your application fee will be waived. If you are applying to HLS with a GRE score or are interested in requesting an application fee waiver directly from HLS, you may complete the HLS Fee Waiver Request Form. The process typically opens in early September and closes in February. To view the form, and relevant dates, please visit this, HLS application fees are waived by HLS on the basis of financial need as demonstrated by information on the HLS form. No application for admission will be considered before the application fee has been paid or a fee waiver has been granted. Must I register with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service? Yes. All applicants to the regular J.D. program, whether taking the LSAT or GRE, must also register for and have all undergraduate and graduate transcripts sent to LSAC. When we receive and process your application, HLS will request your CAS report, and Law Services will send it directly to HLS. The CAS report includes any LSAT scores as well as copies of your academic transcripts, LSAT writing sample, and a summary of your undergraduate grades. Applicants who received their bachelor’s degrees outside the United States, Puerto Rico, or Canada may not be eligible for LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service. Please refer to to determine your eligibility. If you are not eligible for LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service, you must have your official university transcripts sent directly to LSAC. Candidates must also identify themselves as a foreign-educated applicant when registering for the LSAT. Are there “cut-off” GPAs or standardized test scores below which applications are not considered? No. There are no “cut-off” GPAs or standardized test scores below which an application will not be considered in its entirety. We have no computational methods for making admission decisions, no mechanical shortcuts, no substitutes for careful assessment and good judgment. Can you hold my application until my new LSAT and/or GRE score comes in? We are not able to hold a decision on your application for any additional test scores. Applications will be considered complete once we have received at least one score from the exam(s) indicated in your HLS application, and we have processed your complete CAS report along with all requisite materials. If your completed application has been submitted and remains under consideration, you are welcome to send additional materials (including test scores). They will be added to your file and included in the review process. However, additional test scores cannot be considered once a final decision has been rendered on an application. How do I find out whether a document has been received or if my application is complete? Given the number of applications we receive and the limited time we have available to process, authenticate, and review each of them, it is not possible for us to reply to individual inquiries asking us to verify receipt of application materials or confirm the status of your application. You will receive individual emails when your application is received and when it is complete. Can you delete or change files I sent in my application? No. When you complete your application and hit “submit”, the information contained in your application may not be altered or deleted in any way by you as an applicant or by us as an admissions team. We do understand mistakes happen. You are more than welcome to add and submit additional files to support your application through your status checker. For example, if you uploaded the wrong personal statement, you can add the file you intended to send in your application via your status checker. Can I find out my status via email or over the phone? No. When decisions are rendered, applicants are notified through their status checker and by an email notification. If you are a current applicant, please refer to the “Application Received” or “Application Complete” emails for details. Will Harvard review my application even if some of the supporting documents are submitted after the deadline? Yes. The deadline applies only to the submission of the application form itself. It does not apply to letters of recommendation, transcripts, standardized scores, or other addenda. While your application has been submitted and is still under consideration, you may submit additional materials. We highly encourage applicants to submit all relevant materials in a timely manner. Do you accept application materials by email? No. All required application materials must be electronically submitted through LSAC. Applicants who receive new grades after CAS reports have been sent to us should submit updated transcripts to LSAC. Information such as updated resumes, promotions at work, a change in an expected degree date, new employment status, or other amendments to the information in your file are welcome via your online status checker. Please use your best judgment in uploading any additional materials, taking into account the frequency and nature of your past updates. How many letters of recommendation does Harvard require? Whom should I ask to write my recommendations? Two letters of recommendation are required of all applicants to the J.D. Program. In the event that you would like to submit an additional letter, LSAC does provide space for a third recommendation. All recommendation letters must be submitted electronically through LSAC. We strongly recommend that at least one letter come from a professor, advisor, or other educational contact who can address your academic and scholarly abilities. However, applicants who have been out of school for several years and struggle to find an academic recommender may submit letters from employers or others who have worked closely with them. If you have utilized all three upload spaces in your application via LSAC, your recommender may email a recommendation letter to us directly at, Kindly ensure your recommender includes your full name and LSAC number on the header. How should I approach my personal statement? The personal statement is intended as an opportunity to give the Admissions Committee a better sense of who you are as a person and as a potential student and graduate of Harvard Law School. In many instances, applicants have used the personal statement to provide more context on how their experiences and strengths could make them valuable contributors to the Harvard and legal communities, to illuminate their intellectual background and interests, or to clarify or elaborate on other information in their application. Because applicants and their experiences differ, you are the best person to determine the content of your statement. What length should my personal statement be? Please limit your personal statement to two pages using a minimum of 11-point font, 1-inch margins, and double spacing. What is the optional statement? While the personal statement is a required component of the application, the optional statement, as the name suggests, is not. The Admissions Committee makes every effort to understand your achievements in the context of your background and to build a diverse student body. To that end, you may choose to submit an optional statement to elaborate on how you could contribute to the Harvard Law School community. What length should my optional statement be? We ask that you limit your optional statement to one page, double spaced, using a font size that is comfortable to read (not less than 11 point). If an optional statement runs over one page, it will be read. However, we ask that you use your best judgment to determine whether or not your optional statement should exceed the one-page allotment. Are all applications read? Yes, front to back. Each application is guaranteed a thorough review by multiple members of the Admissions Committee. What if I applied to HLS in a previous year? We retain application records for three academic years after the original year of your submission. Should an applicant choose to reapply within that time frame, our office will fully consider any previous applications alongside the current one. Your file will contain everything you’ve previously submitted within the past three years. Applicants who wish to reapply will have to submit a new application, an updated resume, a new personal statement, any new or updated transcripts, and any new test scores. New letters of recommendation are not necessary but welcome, nonetheless. If there are no new GRE scores to report, reapplicants will not need to resubmit scores that were included in their original application. LSAC automatically reports new LSAT scores. Please rest assured that the Admissions Committee does not view multiple applications negatively. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis for all applications. In the past, we have admitted a number of applicants who have applied more than once. How many times may I re-apply to the J.D. program? Applicants may apply for admission to Harvard Law School through the regular J.D. application no more than three times. Applications submitted via the Junior Deferral Program (JDP) and the J.D. Transfer pathways do not count towards this cap. Ineligible candidates who submit an application will not be considered for admission and will not receive an application fee reimbursement. What if I have a disciplinary record? It is always best to answer questions concerning your disciplinary record fully and openly, and to provide the requisite accompanying explanation. Withholding information that, in the future, may be reported by your schools, places of employment, or other establishments can adversely affect evaluation if not included in your application. Please be advised that disciplinary records are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are not necessarily viewed as inherently negative. Does Harvard Law School interview applicants? Yes. Evaluative interviews are available by invitation only. All interviews are conducted via an online platform. If you are selected to interview, you will be notified by email with more information. What is your deferral policy? At Harvard Law School, we expect that all applicants fully intend to enroll in the J.D. program in the fall of the year in which they apply. We also understand that individual circumstances related to enrollment can change after submitting an application. We typically reserve deferrals for students who have specific academic or professional plans for a limited time period. Deferrals are in most cases limited to one or two years, though we have the ability to grant longer deferrals or extensions, for serious illness, visa delays, and extenuating personal circumstances. We customarily approve deferral requests for military reasons, whether in the case of active deployment or involuntary extensions of military service. Admitted applicants will receive more detailed information about the procedures for applying for a deferral. Deferral requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. College juniors interested in applying to HLS with the intention of deferring an offer for admission for two years after completing an undergraduate degree may apply to the,

Which standardized test scores can I submit along with my application? Harvard Law School accepts either the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). We do not have a preference for either exam. Similarly, a candidate is not considered more committed by taking both exams or disadvantaged by taking the same exam multiple times. Individuals considering either test should explore several factors, including whether they intend to apply to other law schools that may only accept the LSAT, timing and geographic location, and any other plans they may have for graduate study. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) reports all LSAT scores from the past five years. Similarly, applicants who choose to submit a GRE General Test score (instead of, or in addition to, the LSAT) are required to report all valid test scores from the previous five-year period. Applicants who apply with an active LSAT test score may elect to submit valid GRE General Test scores as well, but are not required to do so. If you have concerns about sharing every test result from the last five years, then please consider attaching an addendum to your application elaborating on your circumstances. We will still require all test scores from the last five years, but the Admissions Committee will review those scores along with your addendum. Why are the last five years of test scores required? The Law School Admission Council automatically reports all LSAT test scores from the last five years. To provide consistent levels of information across both the LSAT and GRE, HLS requires all test results from the past five years from applicants who elect to submit the GRE. How long are my test scores valid? The Law School Admission Council reports all LSAT scores from the past five years. GRE scores are valid for up to five years from the test date. Will you accept the LSAT-Flex and the GRE at Home? Yes. You are welcome to take and submit either the or the, We will accept either of these at-home, online administrations and will give them the same holistic consideration we do to the in-person LSAT or GRE. Your application will not be considered less competitive if you apply with the LSAT-Flex or the GRE General Test at Home. How should I submit my LSAT and/or GRE score(s) to HLS? Candidates must apply to the regular J.D. program via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and must participate in the (CAS). When we receive and process your application, HLS will request your CAS report, which includes your LSAT score(s), academic transcripts, LSAT writing sample(s), and letters of recommendation. Applicants who elect to take the GRE (instead of or in addition to the LSAT) must instruct the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send HLS all GRE test scores from the preceding five-year period. Applicants who have taken the GRE can log into their ETS account and select Harvard Law School as a recipient of GRE results using the school code: 2135. Why did you begin accepting the GRE in addition to the LSAT? Accepting the GRE is part of a wider strategy at Harvard Law School to expand access to legal education for students in the United States and internationally. According to the policies established in the American Bar Association (ABA) Interpretation 503-1, acceptance of the GRE is consistent with the rules that govern the data that accredited law schools must collect from students seeking admission. The GRE is offered frequently throughout the year and in numerous locations around the world, which may make it more easily accessible than the LSAT for some applicants. While applicants need only take either the LSAT or the GRE, HLS does require all those test results from the past five years. How important are test scores in the admissions process? Admission decisions are based on the Admissions Committee’s experienced judgment applied to individual cases, and many aspects are considered. Quantitative factors, while informative, are not dispositive in our selection process. The LSAT and GRE are both designed to measure some of the acquired skills that are important to successful graduate school study. Within broad limits, both exams provide a reasonable assessment of these skills. Standing alone, however, the LSAT and/or GRE provide only a partial measure of an individual’s promise for legal study. In the context of the broader range of information contained in a complete application for admission, the LSAT and/or GRE is helpful in assessing individual promise and in making meaningful comparisons among those who apply for admission. Please note, we have no computational methods for making admission decisions, no mechanical shortcuts, and no substitutes for careful assessment and good judgment applied to individual cases. We try to assess intangible qualities— concern for the welfare of others, energy, ambition, sound judgment, and high ideals. We have also found merit in allowing several strong factors to offset another factor on which an applicant may perform only modestly in comparison with other applicants. As a result, we emphasize that there are no “cut-off” GPAs or standardized test scores below which an application will not be considered in its entirety. While applicants need only take either the LSAT or the GRE, HLS does require all those test results from the past five years. When should I take either the LSAT or GRE? We strongly recommend that you sit for your standardized test well in advance of the application deadline. To be considered for fall enrollment, you must take either the LSAT or GRE no later than the February administrations of these tests. The LSAT is administered multiple times per year. Please visit the for more information. The GRE is administered year-round. Please visit the for more information. Please note, we are not able to hold a decision on your application for any additional test scores. Applications will be considered complete once we have received at least one score from the exam(s) indicated in your HLS application, and we have processed your complete CAS report with all requisite materials. Your application will only be eligible for review once it is deemed complete. If your completed application has been submitted and remains under consideration, you are welcome to send additional materials (including test scores). They will be added to your file and included in the review process. However, additional test scores cannot be considered once a final decision has been rendered on an application. Should I retake the LSAT or GRE? You need only take the LSAT or GRE once, however, if you take multiple tests, the Admissions Committee will consider all LSAT and/or GRE scores presented as part of your application. Please note, while the GRE is composed of multiple sections, no one section will be weighted more heavily than the others. Similarly, each test score is reviewed individually; we do not “super-score”, average, or consider the highest composite score exclusively. We consider any information an applicant provides about their scores. If you feel that one or more of your scores is not representative of your capabilities, you may address your concerns in an addendum attached to your application. If you have already submitted your application, you may submit an addendum via your status checker with your name and LSAC number. This will be automatically added to your file – therefore, there is no need to email the office. While applicants need only take either the LSAT or the GRE, HLS does require all those test results from the past five years. What are the median test scores of this year’s first-year class?

There are no “cut-off” standardized test scores below which an application will not be considered in its entirety.You can find information on the LSAT scores represented in this year’s first-year class on our,You can find additional information on this year’s first-year class in our most recent,

Is there a fee waiver process for either the LSAT or the GRE? LSAC offers fee waivers for the LSAT and Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Please find more information, ETS offers a limited number of GRE Fee Reduction Certificates. Please find more information, Will HLS report my LSAT score to the American Bar Association (ABA) if I take both the LSAT and the GRE? Yes. If you take the LSAT, then we will report the LSAT score to the ABA.

How do I apply to the Harvard Law School J.D. program? To apply to Harvard Law School through the regular J.D. process, you must first create an account with the, In addition to creating an account with LSAC, we encourage you to review the, What is the first-year class profile? Find the for the most recent entering class. When is the application deadline for the J.D. program? The application deadline for Fall Term 2023 enrollment is February 20, 2023. You can find information on the regular J.D. application timeline, When can I expect a decision? The J.D. Admissions Office will begin releasing decisions for those applying for Fall Term 2023 enrollment in January 2023. We aim to notify all applicants of their admission decision by early April. What are the eligibility requirements for applying to the Harvard Law School J.D. program? Regular J.D. applicants are eligible to apply if they will have a bachelor’s degree by August of the year they intend to enroll at HLS. The J.D. degree requires three years of full-time study beginning in the fall semester of each year exclusively. Please note, HLS does not offer a J.D. degree through part-time or summer programs. What is tuition at Harvard Law School? Is financial aid available? Please refer to the to review an estimate of total cost, including living expenses, and tuition for the current academic year. Financial aid at Harvard Law School is exclusively need-based; there are no merit scholarships available. All students, including domestic and international students, who demonstrate financial need according to a combination of federal and institutional guidelines receive adequate financial assistance to complete their course of study. For more information about financial aid, visit the HLS Office website. The is one of the most generous loan forgiveness programs in the nation. This program helps relieve the burden of repayment of educational loans for J.D. graduates in lower income employment options. Qualifying jobs include all full-time jobs in non-profits, government, or academia, as well as law-related jobs in the private sector. When should I apply for financial aid? You cannot begin to apply for financial aid at HLS until you receive an offer of admission. For a broad overview of the entire financial aid application process, please review the section of the Student Financial Services website. What is the best “pre-law” curriculum? How does one prepare for law school? Harvard Law School considers applications from all undergraduate majors. There are no fixed requirements with respect to the content of pre-legal education. The nature of a candidate’s college work, as well as the quality of academic performance, are reviewed in the selection process. However, in preparing for law school, a broad college education is usually preferable to one that is narrowly specialized. The Admissions Committee looks for a showing of thorough learning in a field of your choice, such as history, economics, government, philosophy, mathematics, science, literature or the classics (and many others), rather than a concentration in courses given primarily as vocational training. Is an applicant with a STEM background viewed differently than an applicant with a humanities or social sciences foundation? Harvard Law School encourages applications from every academic discipline. Lawyers with experience in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields are currently involved in some of the most important legal and regulatory questions of our time and will continue to be similarly engaged. If you have a STEM background, you may wish to work in the field for a few years to garner practical experience in the sciences before studying the legal aspects that regulate such work. Does Harvard Law School offer concurrent or joint degree programs? Harvard Law School offers with the Harvard Business School (J.D./M.B.A.), the Harvard School of Public Health (J.D./M.P.H), the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (J.D./ M.P.P. or M.P.A./I.D.), the Harvard Graduate School of Design (J.D./M.U.P.), and the Cambridge University Faculty of Law (J.D./LL.M). The Law School also offers coordinated programs with the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (J.D./Ph.D. and J.D./M.A.) in many fields. For questions regarding joint degree programs, please contact April Pettit, Assistant Director of Academic Affairs, at, For those interested in combining a legal education with advanced training in a field in which a joint degree is not offered, we offer a number of opportunities with other graduate schools. Click for more information on our various multidisciplinary programs, including cross-registering across Harvard University and study abroad options.

Can I visit the Law School? On-campus information session attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a guided HLS campus tour after a brief presentation and question and answer session. For a full schedule, please visit our page. Those who visit outside these events are welcomed to tour the campus grounds, but note that HLS buildings are accessible only to Harvard ID Card holders. Are campus tours offered? As of Fall 2022, we have resumed offering opportunities for visitors to attend on-campus events. Please visit our page to learn more about upcoming events. We understand most applicants won’t be able to visit campus before submitting an application. You can view a virtual tour on our, How will the Admissions Committee review coursework that has been impacted by school closures, transitions to online course formats, and optional or compelled grading changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic? We understand that many institutions across the globe had to make difficult decisions while adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Harvard Law School J.D. Admissions Committee wholeheartedly respects the decisions of institutions and students as we all navigate this situation. We remain committed to taking a holistic, flexible approach to evaluating each application. This is applied to all applicants and to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. You do not need to explain any changes to your coursework or grades due to the pandemic. If you would feel more at ease by submitting a brief addendum explaining any changes, you are more than welcome to do so. I have experienced a professional or academic disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Will this impact my chance for admission? Many people had to put their academic, professional, and personal plans on hold due to the COVID-91 pandemic. We understand this and realize that it might impact professional and academic opportunities, and other things relevant to your application. If your professional or academic plans have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it will not impact your chance for admission. If you would feel more at ease by explaining your situation to us, you can upload a brief addendum to your application. Pauses, changes, and gaps in internships, research, service fellowships, and employment related to the COVID-19 pandemic will not impact your chance for admission to Harvard Law School. Will you waive the test requirement? Per, an accredited law school must utilize a “valid and reliable test” in the admissions process. Therefore, a standardized test score (either LSAT or GRE) is a required component of the application.

: Admissions FAQs: Regular J.D. Applicants – Harvard Law School

Do colleges send all acceptance letters on the same day?

6 Tips While Waiting for College Acceptance Letters – It is that time of year again: college admissions offices have started sending out both their acceptance and rejection letters. Your student’s stressful application process is finally going to come to fruition this month.

Today many letters of acceptance are sent through email. This means that students may receive their college acceptance letters or rejection letters at any time of day, even potentially at school. One year a student received 3 of their rejection emails while at school. Students should be aware and supportive of their peers during this time of year. Parents should prepare their students to receive this information at school. If accepted, students need to know that other students may be receiving rejection notices at the same time. If a student receives a rejection email, they should have a plan for how they will handle it when surrounded by their peers. Not all colleges send their letters at the same time. One year, the University of Washington in Seattle sent out a large number of acceptance letters, then a week later they sent out a second group of letters. For those students that did not receive their letters until the second bundle, that previous week was incredibly stressful. Students falsely assumed that they did not get into the UW because their letters were in the second batch. Families need to be sensitive to those students who may have to wait a little longer for an answer. Parents, think about what you post on Facebook. As you are posting your child’s acceptance letter, other students could be getting their rejection letter. This is an exciting and sometimes difficult time in student’s lives. When it comes to posting, be thoughtful about what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. Parents, let your students open their own letters and emails. I know it can be tempting to just take a peek at the letters but this is your student’s experience. Parents, let your student have a few minutes to process. Make sure that your reaction is one of support, not judgement. If you get upset over a rejection, it will not help your child. It will just make them worry that they let you down. Stay neutral and supportive. Be Positive! At the end of the day, there is not just one college that can make your student happy. If they did not get into their favorite college, they may find that their second or third choice is actually a better fit for them.

Ultimately, the best advice is to just be supportive no matter what happens with your student’s college acceptance letters. You and your child are not the first nor will you be the last to go through this process. I am always happy to help advise you and your child on how to proceed with their college career.

Do law schools call or email acceptance?

Waiting game: What to do after submitting your application After working diligently throughout undergrad to earn high grades, forming relationships with professors for letters of recommendation, writing all of your application essays and preparing for months to take the LSAT, you’ve finally submitted your application(s)! Now what? The waiting game begins.

Before turning off your brain completely: a) confirm that each school received all the required documents and that your application is ready for review, b) double check that the letters of recommendation were properly submitted together with all of your transcripts, c) make certain you received an “application complete” e-mail from the law school or other documentation to verify your “complete” status before moving on to other things.

2. Take a well-deserved break. Admissions offices break for the holidays and you should too! While you wait for a decision, the best possible use of your time may be to spend it with family and friends. Go to the movies, volunteer, read a great book, or just binge Netflix all day.

1. Do anything that is engaging and that will distract you from the application process.
2. If you submit your applications mid-semester, this might mean only taking an afternoon off because you still have work and/or school.
3. Nevertheless, you should reward yourself for all of your hard work leading up to this moment! 3.

Utilize the online status checker, but do not overdo it. Most (but not all) law schools will send an e-mail with a link to an online status checker. This allows you to monitor the progress of your application as it moves from “complete” to “in review,” and finally, when a decision has been made.

This tool can be a blessing or a curse. It can be wonderful because it allows you to see that your application is not just sitting idle. For many, it may also be the first place that you see a final decision on your application. The online status checker might update hours or days before your official paperwork is received via e-mail or through the mail.

However, you must refrain from compulsively checking the website. For many, the status checker leads to more unnecessary stress and anxiety when there is no apparent progress. This does not mean your application is not actively being reviewed. To help minimize stress, you can set up a calendar reminder every Friday to only check your status then, or (once you know your application is complete) simply ignore this tool altogether.

Whatever you do, don’t waste your day repeatedly hitting ‘refresh.’ 4. Do not compare yourself to others. Try not to read too much into other students’ decisions. It can be difficult not to compare yourself to others who receive decisions before you, but that does not mean you will not be admitted! Schools generally will admit their strongest candidates first, meaning those that were above their 50th or 75th percentile for GPA and LSAT from the previous year (or for this year’s target).

Even if you are not included in the initial wave of admissions, rest assured that this does not mean you will not also be admitted. At the same time, remember to be sensitive about sharing your good news with others who may still be waiting on their decisions.5.

1. Focus on classes so you can submit additional grades.
2. Although it is incredibly exciting to think about your future law school dreams hanging in the balance, you still have work to do right now.
3. Remember that law schools will be interested in reviewing your final transcripts.
4. Throw your nervous energy into studying for exams and making sure you will be exactly what a law school is seeking in a future student.

Remember, if you are waitlisted or have not received a decision by January, you can send in your fall semester transcript for additional consideration to help boost your chances of admission. A high fall semester GPA might be just what you need to receive an admissions letter.6.

Respect the timelines given. Respect the timelines the admissions office gives you. If they inform you it requires 6–8 weeks to return a decision, do not start emailing their office in week two inquiring about your status. The admissions staff is incredibly busy this time of year processing and reviewing all the applications submitted.

Rest assured, they did not forget about your application and you will get a decision back as soon as they are able to make one.7. Schedule a school visit. Be proactive about researching schools. Scheduling a visit is one of the best ways to determine if a school is right for you.

1. Most schools offer a tour, a meeting with an admissions counselor, and the opportunity to sit in on a 1L class.
2. Now that this is not a back door way of securing an interview for yourself and you should not treat it as such.
3. The visit is intended to be insightful and beneficial to your decision-making process (not theirs).

Overall, waiting to hear back from law schools can be a very long and stressful process. There are things that you can and should be doing to put your mind at ease and help make your final decision on which law school to attend when you receive your admission letters.

Rachel Margiewicz is the director of Pre-Law Services with JD Advising, a law school and bar exam preparation company offering services ranging from LSAT tutoring and application assistance to bar exam tutoring, courses, and seminars. She is a licensed attorney who spent five years working in law school admissions, successfully coaching applicants through the admissions process.

You can follow Ms. Margiewicz and the JD Advising team on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Additional resources, including daily blog posts, are available at, : Waiting game: What to do after submitting your application