When To Apply To Law School For Fall 2019?

When To Apply To Law School For Fall 2019
LL.M. Application Deadlines for Fall 2019 – US Law Schools LLM GUIDE, Aug 14, 2018 Below is a list of application deadlines for LL.M. programs starting in the fall of 2019 offered by law schools in the United States. The schools were chosen based on the most-visited university programs on LLM GUIDE and other top programs.

Some law schools have different deadlines for domestic and international students, so make sure you apply by the correct deadline.
Applications at some schools are already open, and some open their applications cycles in September.
The deadlines for some LL.M.
Programs is as early as November or December 2018.

Some law schools have not announced their LL.M. application deadlines yet; we’ll update this list as more add their deadlines. Unless otherwise stated, the deadlines below are for full-time LL.M. programs beginning in the fall of 2019. New York University (NYU) School of Law

Foreign Credential Applicants: December 20, 2018 Deadline, LL.M. in Legal Theory (applications with domestic education credentials): February 1, 2019 Deadlines, LL.M. in Taxation (applications with domestic education credentials): February 1, 2019 (priority scholarship deadline); April 1, 2019 (final) Deadline, part-time LL.M. programs: June 3, 2019

UC Berkeley School of Law

Application deadline, LL.M hybrid option: November 15, 2018 Application deadline, LL.M. traditional and/or professional track: January 10, 2019

USC Law School

Fall 2019 LL.M. Application Deadline: March 1, 2019 (applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the final deadline on May 1, 2019) Spring 2019 LL.M. in ADR (Part-time only) Application Deadline: October 1, 2018 (applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the final deadline on November 1, 2018)

Georgetown University Law Center

Application deadlines, LL.M. (foreign-trained attorneys): November 8, 2018 (early action), February 8, 2019 (regular action) Application deadlines, LL.M. (US-trained attorneys): January 4, 2019 (early action) Other application deadlines: Scholarship deadline: February 8, 2019; Deadline for stand-alone certificates and online programs: April 1, 2019

Columbia Law School

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadline: December 18, 2018

Harvard Law School

The final deadline for the 2019 LL.M. program is December 1, 2018

UCLA School of Law

LL.M. deadline: February 15, 2019

Stanford Law School

Application deadline, LL.M.: December 1, 2018 (November 14, 2018 for those applying to the Knight-Hennessey Scholars Program)

Boston University School of Law

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadlines not yet available

UPenn (Penn Law)

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadlines: November 15, 2018 (early notification) or December 17, 2018

George Washington (GW Law)

Deadline, 2019 LL.M.: March 15, 2019 (although applications will continue to be accepted on a space-available basis until June 1, 2019)

Northwestern University School of Law

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadlines not yet available

UC Irvine

Application deadline, fall 2019 LL.M. intake: June 30, 2019

University of Miami School of Law

Foreign-trained law graduates: most LL.M. programs will accept applications on a rolling basis until the beginning of August Deadline for US Law Graduates: May 1, 2019 (Fall Admission)

Cornell Law School

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadline: December 15, 2018 Cornell Tech LL.M. application deadlines: Round 1: October 26, 2018; Round 2: December 5, 2018; Round 3: January 18, 2019; Round 4: March 8, 2019: Final deadline: April 30, 2019

Fordham University School of Law

LL.M. application deadline: March 1, 2019 (applications open on September 15, 2018)

Duke Law School

LL.M. application deadline: January 20, 2019 (although candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible; applications open on September 1, 2018)

University of Chicago Law School

Fall 2019 LL.M. applications priority deadline: December 15, 2018 (documents such as application, personal statement, and resume must be submitted by this date). Priority application completion deadline is January 15, 2019

American University – Washington College of Law

Fall intake priority deadline: March 1, 2019

University of Washington, Seattle (UW Law School)

Deadline, international students: February 15, 2019 Deadline, US students: May 1, 2019

University of Hawaii at Manoa – William S. Richardson School of Law

Applications for the 2019 fall intake are considered on a rolling basis, from October 1, 2018 to May 1, 2019

UC Davis School of Law

Application deadline, LL.M.:January 10, 2019 (encouraged); applications accepted until mid-August

Yale Law School

Application deadline, LL.M.: December 1, 2018

Cardozo School of Law

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadlines not yet announced

University of Maryland Law School

LL.M. application deadline, fall 2019: April 1, 2019

University Virginia School of Law

LL.M. application deadline: February 1, 2019

Vanderbilt University Law School

LL.M. application deadline: April 30, 2019

UC Hastings

Priority deadline, scholarships and financial aid consideration: March 1, 2019

Florida International University (FIU)

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadlines not yet available

Michigan Law

LL.M. application deadline: January 31, 2019

Brooklyn Law School

Application deadlines: December 1, 2018 (early action); no deadline for regular review; applications are reviewed as they become complete

Penn State Law (University Park)

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadlines not yet available

Ohio State University – Moritz College of Law

Fall 2019 deadline: April 15, 2019

University of Arizona – Rogers College of Law

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadline: March 1, 2019

Albany Law School

2019 LL.M. application deadline: June 1, 2019

Northeastern University

LL.M. candidates are encouraged to apply by May 1, 2019

Tulane Law School

Application deadline, LL.M.: May 1, 2019 Application deadline, SJD: April 1, 2019

University of Houston Law Center

Fall intake deadlines: Applicants with a non-US law degree: April 15, 2019 (regular decision), June 1, 2019 (late decision); applicants with a US law degree: June 1, 2019 (regular decision), August 1, 2019 (late decision)

Loyola Law School Los Angeles

Priority application deadline is March 1, 2019.

George Mason University

Deadline for international students who need to apply for a student visa: May 1, 2019 Deadline for students who do not need a visa: July 1, 2019

University of Texas School of Law (UT)

LL.M. application deadline: March 1, 2019 (for priority consideration)

Tufts University – Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Deadlines: November 15, 2018 (early notification); January 10, 2019 (regular); March 1, 2019 (late deadline)

University of San Francisco – School of Law (USF)

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadlines not yet available

University of Minnesota Law School

Fall 2019 LL.M. application deadline: April 15, 2019

Pepperdine University School of Law

Applications accepted on a rolling basis for most LL.M. programs

Emory University School of Law

LL.M. application deadline, fall 2019: June 30, 2019

University of Florida (UF)

LL.M. application deadline, fall 2019: June 15, 2019

Pace Law School

No official deadline for LL.M. program; candidates are urged to apply as early as possible

Chapman University – Fowler School of Law

Rolling applications: June 30, 2019 is the priority deadline

Golden Gate University

Fall application deadline: April 1, 2019 (priority deadline)

Boston College Law School

Rolling applications: April 15, 2019 is LL.M. application deadline

University of Oregon School of Law

Rolling admissions: Applicants are encouraged to apply by March 15, 2019 for the fall intake (or November 1, 2018 for spring intake)

University of Connecticut School of Law (UConn Law)

Fall 2019 LL.M. deadline for non-US residents: June 15, 2019 Deadline for US residents; July 15, 2019

University of Notre Dame Law School (NDLS)

Early decision application deadline: January 1, 2019 Regular Decision applications due: March 15, 2019.

Saint Louis University (SLU) School of Law

LL.M. applications are accepted until March each year, but the school recommends students apply by mid-December

Indiana University – Robert H. McKinney School of Law

Rolling admissions accepted

Louisiana State University (LSU) – Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Fall 2019 applications due: March 31, 2019

Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law

Applications for LL.M. beginning Fall 2019 due: April 15, 2019

University of Pittsburgh School of Law

No fixed deadline, but it is recommended to apply by March 31, 2019

Wake Forest University (WFU) School of Law

Admissions accepted on a rolling basis for LL.M. beginning Fall 2019

Syracuse University College of Law

LL.M. beginning Fall 2019: the school recommends LL.M. candidates submit application materials by the June 1, 2019 for priority consideration

Indiana University Maurer School of Law – Bloomington

No fixed deadline, but recommended final date for applications: March 1, 2019 In order to be considered for scholarships, apply by: February 1, 2019

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) – William S. Boyd School of Law

Applications accepted on a rolling basis

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What is the best month to apply to law school?

Stage 1: Applying early (September–November) – Applying early when law school applications open in September is always the best time to apply because it can be crucial to your outcome to be among the first people who submit their applications. Why? As most law schools operate on a rolling admission cycle, law schools fill their classes and accept students as they receive applications.

It’s not like the regular college application process where there’s a set time frame for reading apps and admitting students.
The rolling nature of the application cycle also means that it’s actually easier to get into law school in September than it is in February.
You can be the exact same student: same essays, same LSAT score, same GPA.

If you apply in September, you might get in with scholarship money, but if you apply in February, you might get denied. Yes, it can be that drastic of a difference. Related: How to Know if Law School Is Right for You

When should I take the LSAT for fall 2023?

Fall and Winter of Junior Year – Continue to emphasize a focused course of study and seriously evaluate a career in law. Sometime during the late fall or early winter of your junior year, take one or two LSAT practice exams. Take them timed under simulated test conditions and score them.

See how you do.
Assess where your score falls and where you want it to be.
Gather as much information as you can about the LSAT.
By early in the second semester, develop a plan of preparing for the test.
Familiarize yourself as fully as possible with the various types of questions.
Plan on taking the LSAT no later than the Summer of your Junior year or Fall of senior year, one year prior to your expected entry into law school.

A Summer test is preferable because you will receive the results early enough to be in the first wave of applicants. Some schools practice rolling admissions, meaning that the earlier you apply, the better your chances of admission. A Summer test also gives you an opportunity to retake the test in the Fall if your score is lower than you expected.

Summer tests are also administered at a time when you will not be concerned with classes. A Fall test can be beneficial because you can prepare over the summer without school conflicts. Continue to develop relationships and gain experiences with faculty and other personnel that will help strengthen your application through committees, internships, clubs, etc.

Prepare a one-page resume of your accomplishments both for the use of faculty letter writers and for inclusion with your law school applications. Begin working on your personal statement. Start work on obtaining recommendations. Always personally ask the people you would like to write a recommendation for you.

It is very helpful to provide them with written information about yourself, including a resume, copies of papers you wrote for their courses, a copy of your personal statement (if available).
Make sure they understand that they are writing one generic letter that can be sent to every law school to which you are applying.

It is not necessary for them to produce copies of the same letter individually addressed to the schools to which you are applying, as this will not enhance your application and could delay the mailing of your recommendations. Send a “thank you” note a few weeks later to express your gratitude and serve as a reminder.

Is March too late for LSAT?

You’ll see in the chart below that the March LSAT is definitely a viable option for test takers. In fact, a quarter of the schools still allow for a June or July test result. However, they admit that your application will not be reviewed until scores are in.

What is the lowest LSAT score accepted by law schools?

Key take-aways –

Can you get into law school with a low LSAT score? Yes! But you need to do some work.
My LSAT is low, should I still apply to law school? If you can get above a 140, it is still worth applying. If you can’t break 140, you will probably not get into a law school that will make the cost worth it.
How do I get into law school with a low LSAT score? 6 ways to boost your chances of admission:
1. Retake the LSAT – the lowest acceptable LSAT score is 140.
2. Take the GRE – but only if you’ll do better percentile wise than the LSAT.
3. Have a high GPA – you can get into law school with a low LSAT but high GPA.
4. Present persuasive letters of recommendation – ones that show you can handle the rigorous academic environment of law school.
5. Write an addendum explaining your low LSAT score – but only if you have a valid reason
6. Write a Winning Personal Statement – one that shows you can think and write like a lawyer.

Is applying to law school in October too late?

People have finally gotten the memo that you need to apply to law school earlier, but where does that leave you if you have a lower LSAT score? If you are worried about taking the August or September LSAT, let’s talk about where that puts you in the law school application process.

Would you rather listen to this blog post? Listen to our recent podcast episode, Is the September LSAT Too Late?, on Spotify or your favorite streaming service.
First off, let me just say that it is completely fine to take the August or September LSAT if you need to.
You need to prioritize taking the LSAT when you’re ready for the LSAT.

If taking it in August or September means your score is going to go up, then that is a no-brainer. It is absolutely true that law school operates on a rolling admissions cycle. Because of that, you do need to try to apply as early as possible. What I want to stress is that any time you apply between September 1 and Halloween, it’s basically all the same.

Why? For one, not every law school actually opens their application on September 1. There are legitimate law schools whose applications don’t even open until October 1. Some schools won’t even read applications starting in September even if they are submitted, so up to Halloween is pretty negligible. If you’re taking the LSAT in September, your scores will come out in October, which means you can still absolutely apply before Halloween or even the first week of November.

Avoiding a scarcity mindset This conversation is completely nuanced, which is important to remember. You’re going to be a lawyer, and as a lawyer there is no black and white. Everything is in the gray. The best lawerly answer is: “Its depends.” You need to approach the law school application process with some of that nuance.

If you are a student applying truly underneath the medians, you want to try to get your application in as early as possible.
If you’re a person applying way above the medians, you can apply by October or November.
What is the most important is making sure that you are not rushing any part of your application.

You still have time to properly plan, and you want to prepare properly. You want to perfect your planning, and you cannot operate when you’re operating from a space of lack or rush. When you have a scarcity mindset, then you don’t do things well. Sometimes people rush because they legitimately do not have enough time, but some people feel rushed because of an artificial sense of stress.

The latter is lot of what I see in applicants right now. We have an artificial sense of stress because you feel like you don’t have enough time, but in reality there are four months between now and Halloween. That is enough time for you to work on everything in a relaxed and organized process. Some people do need more than three or four months, especially to study for the LSAT.

Law school admissions timeline advice

If you haven’t taken a diagnostic exam, today is a really good day to do that. This is the time, and then you have time to come up with a study plan. Taking this time to study is going to increase your scholarship and merit aid. You don’t want to rush that for no reason.

Recognizing the costs and benefits of waiting You always have to do a cost-benefit analysis. What are the harms of waiting a month to submit your application? Next, what are the benefits of me waiting one more month? The harm of waiting one month from September to October could be a little harm, but not much.

The potential benefits of you having more time to get your score up and your essays together is huge. In this instance, there is way more benefit in waiting one more month than there is harm. As a lawyer, I’m always trying to mitigate risk. This is a risk I would be willing to take, because the benefits are so much better and potentially so much higher than the harm.

If you’re having this discussion about waiting from January to March, there is big harm there. The potential benefit may be pretty low, especially if you don’t have an active plan to change your study habits or workshop your application materials. In this instance, I would advise against applying in March and make look at the next cycle instead.

What can I do right now? If you’re planning to delay until October so you can take the September LSAT, you should take advantage of the time that you have now. One place to start is looking at LSAT prep. If you’re not using prep, that is a place you should definitely start.

Some of you need lessons from a tutor, class, or other resources, and you want to take this time to invest in yourself.
I usually tell students to plan for September, because that way if you’re not ready you can push to October.
If you plan for October, then you’re pushing to November.
It’s better to have a backup plan that makes you feel good.

You will probably end up registering for two different LSAT exams at the same time. You will not get your September LSAT score before the October registration deadline, meaning you will have to register for both if you want that backup to be an option.

Waiting to apply until October may also mean more time to workshop your essays, which is time you should absolutely take advantage of as well. Overall, if waiting until October means a stronger overall application, it is worth the wait. Final Thoughts In conclusion, you want to make sure that you are taking the LSAT exam when you are ready.

If your ready is in September, that’s perfectly fine for you to still apply early. If your ready is in February, let’s talk about applying next cycle instead. Remember that you are not alone throughout this process. We are always here to answer your questions, and we even have a Facebook group with over 600 members for you to share your experiences and get the support you need.

If you need guidance throughout this cycle, we have a variety of services at every price point to help you on your law school application journey! If you’re interested in more comprehensive support, we have personalized one-on-one consulting and our 12-week Law School Application Boot Camps ! We offer Kickstart Essay Plans, and you can also look at individual draft reviews on that page.

You can also submit a question to be answered on our weekly Break Into Law School™ Podcast, streaming on whatever your favorite podcast service is. As always, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] with any of your questions! Best of luck this application season!

Which month is the LSAT The easiest?

Easiest LSAT Curve One of the most common questions I get from you guys new to the LSAT is: “Which LSAT’s month is the easiest/hardest?”Anyone who knows anything will tell you, “They’re all the same. No month’s LSAT is particularly easy or difficult.”You then ask, “But what about the curve?” Answer: “” If you’re especially savvy, you won’t be satisfied with that.

You’ll look at my and, Using that data, you’ll find that the December exam consistently has the easiest “curve,” and the June exam consistently has the hardest. In this blog post, I do two things:1. include my analysis of the raw score conversion charts, which supports the claim that December exams consistently have the easiest “curve” and June exams consistently have the hardest “curve.”2.

include my lengthy email conversation with the blog reader who brought this to my attention. I should mention right off the bat that the differences we’re talking about are only a point or two out of 180. Additionally, I still think that the June exam is the best for admissions purposes (see and,) However, the differences covered in this blog post are consistent for the past 8 years (and in some cases, beyond that).

Analyzing the Past 8 Years (aka how do you know I’m not making this up?)

First, I did a month-by-month comparison of the raw score conversion charts for the past 8 years of exams: PrepTest 37=June 2002 through PrepTest 59=Dec 2009 (present). I analyzed the June, September/October, and December exams on 5 data points.The following is the average number of questions you could answer incorrectly (by month) and still achieve scaled scores of 160, 165, 170, 172, and 180, respectively, over the past 8 years: In case you can’t see the image, here’s that data in text form:Jun: 24.125, 16.5, 10, 8, 1.5S/O: 24.875, 16.5, 10.25, 8.25, 1.75 Dec: 26.25, 18.125, 11.375, 9.25, 2 (I didn’t examine any data points between 173 and 179 because each exam lacked at least one of these scores.

In other words, there were too many cases where there was no raw score that converted to one of those scores out of 180.)In all cases for averaged raw score conversions over this period (for these data points), one could answer a greater number of questions incorrectly on the December exam than on either the June or the Sept/Oct exams, yet still achieve the same score out of 180.In 4 out of 5 cases, the Sep/Oct exam was slightly “easier” than June, as well.

In the other case, they were perfectly tied.To put it another way, in 4 out of 5 cases, the June exam required the most correct answers to achieve a particular scaled score. In the other case, it was perfectly tied with Sep/Oct. How Big Is This Trend? Does It Also Hold For The 8 Years Before That? To determine this, I also analyzed PrepTest 11=June 1994 through PrepTest 36=December 2001 by month: June, September/October, and December on 2 data points, just to see if the general trend held true in the 8 years prior to June 02:The following is the average number of questions you could answer incorrectly over that period (by month) and still achieve scaled scores of 160 and 170, respectively: In case you can’t see the image, here’s that data in text form:Jun: 27.875, 12S/O: 29.125, 12.875 Dec: 27.625, 14.125 These findings are somewhat surprising, given what I found for June 02-December 09 (above).

However, my most surprising finding for this period: it was actually a bit easier to get a 160 in September/October than in either June or December, a trend that certainly hasn’t held true in the past 8 years.
How Do February LSAT Conversions Compare To Those of Other Months?
I didn’t compare the February exam data with current exam data because it currently takes more questions correct to get a particular scaled score (out of 180) across the board than it did in the past ().

After all this analysis of June, Sep/Oct, and Dec, I started wondering how February exams compare. Unfortunately, no February LSATs have been released since 2000, so our sample size is both older and smaller than it otherwise would have been.However, I did what I could.

I looked specifically at the conversion charts for nearly every exam from February 1994 – December 2000.7 February exams were released over this period. (I excluded the entire year of 1998 because that year’s February exam was not released.)The following is the average number of questions you could answer incorrectly over that period (by month) and still achieve scaled scores of 160 and 170, respectively: In case you can’t see the image, here’s that data in text form:Feb: 27.166, 12.333Jun: 27.833, 11.833S/O: 29.5, 12.833 Dec: 27.667, 14.166 At the 160 data point, the Feb exam was the most difficult (required the most questions correct to get a 160).

At the 170 data point, it was the second most difficult.Of course, as we know from looking at the entire 8-year period from 1994-2001 period (previous section), what was true of the 160 data point was not true of the present day.We have no way of knowing whether Feb exams have continued to be relatively difficult, of course, since they’re no longer released.

However, it’s still something to keep in mind.
The following email exchange includes some off-the-cuff hypothesizing about the reasons that December exams consistently allow one to have a greater number of incorrect answers, yet still achieve the same scaled score.
The data above also raises questions about why June exams consistently require one to have a fewer number of incorrect answers to achieve the same scaled score.)Unfortunately, we have more questions than answers as to “why.”Is it because the December tests are consistently harder and June tests are consistently easier?Looking at the exams, it doesn’t seem that way.

Without a large sample size, it’s difficult to say. All we can say is that difficulty of particular exams and questions is, to a certain extent, subjective.Additionally, one would think LSAC aims to make each exam of equal difficulty to avoid too much variation in the raw score conversion charts.

After all, LSAC wants to maintain the equivalency of scores from different exams.Is it because the December/June pools of LSAT-takers are “different” in some way? Maybe.Is it because LSAC abducted Elvis? Maybe.Any hypothesis about it is just that – a guess.
As, statistics isn’t my thing – it’s much easier for me to take averages, as I did above, than to tell you the reason the numbers appear as they do – that’s a whole different ball game.

I’ve asked LSAC to shed some light on these questions. Here’s part of LSAC’s response:”The differences you describe are very small and represent the type of minor fluctuation we expect to observe.” I still think the differences are important enough to warrant this blog post.

My emails with the blog reader (Christopher) who brought this to my attention: Christopher: I read your posts about the LSAT “curve” (that’s not really a curve) and then looked at the raw score conversion charts – it seems to me from quick analysis that the December LSAT consistently seems to be “easier.” Easier is a relative term I suppose, but let’s say we look only at the upper end of the scores – ie.170-180.

It’s hard to get an exact comparison since there are so many blanks in the upper ranges from year to year but it seems that consistently in a given year with the December test, you can afford to get more questions incorrect to achieve the same scaled score,

Me:
Christopher:
Me :
Christopher :
Photo by /

For the last 8 years, at least, the data supports what you suggested.It would certainly be worthwhile to take in December if one’s primary goal were to safely achieve high scores – less punishment for bubbling errors, or for any errors at all, of course.

I would expect someone scoring at that level wouldn’t have significant time issues, though.There are considerations that, generally speaking, might lead one to avoid December, though. An admissions-related consideration is that Dec is rather late in the cycle to apply to a T14 school, especially for T5 schools.

Of course, a 175-180 would more than eliminate any drawback of applying that late. However, if something goes wrong in December, you’re basically out of luck for that cycle (for many top schools).(You could always take in December and apply in the following fall, but most people don’t plan that far ahead, and most aren’t willing to wait that long.)At the same time, though, if you’re capable of getting 175-180 in Dec, you can probably also get it in Feb, June, or Sept/Oct.

At the same time, better safe than sorry, though.All the points you mention are definitely true if you have other concerns than just scoring high – i.e. admissions/timing concerns. My question was more just specifically if your intent was to try and get as high a score as possible (and timing was less of an issue).Thinking more about this – I wonder if it’s due to the fact that more people take the test in December but the ratio of high scorers to low scorers doesn’t scale equivalently at the same rate.i.e.

if the ratios were the same, and when the number of test takers doubled it was as if everyone grew a twin with the exact same scoring ability, then it would make no difference which month you took the test in.However, conversely (and what the data would seem to suggest, although you wouldn’t be able to prove it) – maybe when twice as many people take the test in December, there’s a disproportionately increased number of “average test-takers”, but less (as a percentage of the total) “high-scoring” test takers.

Therefore if you were a “high scorer” it would be in your benefit to take December because there are a smaller percentage of people who are at your ability or better.This latter thought is just a hypothesis – not sure how valid it is given that I did a quick glance at scores in the ranges around 130 and it still seems that “Dec” is easier.If you look at the, you’ll find that the September/October exam is the most popular, by far.I hypothesize that there are fewer strong test-takers in the December pool because it’s late in the cycle.

Perhaps a lot of the weaker test-takers who take, or planned to take, the September/October exam retake it in December. Generally, the stronger test-takers from Sept/Oct wouldn’t need to retake because they did fine.I’m inclined to agree with your hypothesis about December test-takers.

I think it’s a combination of what you mentioned + the fact that (for college kids) Sept allows for summer prep whereas Dec doesn’t.
Also, Dec runs into the problem of conflicting with exam study.Additionally, under our current tough economic conditions, I would guess a lot of people may not think about going to law/grad school until they realize that finding a job is harder than it seems.

For May graduates they may not realize this until the summer winds down and the end of the year approaches and suddenly they find themselves in a position where they want to take the LSAT, GMAT etc. “just to leave their options” open. Once again though, unfortunately there’s really no way to prove this, though.

Which LSAT month is the hardest?

Which LSAT Is the Hardest? When To Apply To Law School For Fall 2019 Which LSAT is the hardest? I get this question, as well as its cousin — which LSAT is the easiest? — pretty frequently. The short answer to both of these questions is: There’s no such thing. Womp womp. Did you click on this post hoping to figure out how to game the system? The very unfortunate reality is that there’s no substitute for hard work, long nights, tears of frustration (and sometimes joy!), and gnashing of teeth when it comes to taking the LSAT.

And think about it, if there were a hard LSAT, nobody would take that one. If there were an easy LSAT everyone would take that one. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) — the group of psychometricians (emphasis on “psycho”) who make the LSAT — goes to great lengths to make sure that an LSAT score means the same thing regardless of which test you take.

One way they do this is by administering experimental sections. By gauging how test takers do in the heat of battle, they can craft and tweak questions to be of a particular difficulty in a pretty targeted manner. But wait, you say, the test is curved! So, even if the difficulty of questions doesn’t change, you just have to figure out which of the four administrations each year has the highest concentration of dummies, and take that one! It is this reasoning that leads most students to this particular set of answers to the questions asked at the top of this post: The hardest exam is October because lots of people study over the summer and get good and ready, and so competition is fierce.

The February exam is the easiest because it’s full of people who aren’t really serious about law school and people who tanked the October and December exams.
WRONG! It may be that there are relevant differences between the testing populations, but the makers of the LSAT do a super curve — sometimes called normalization or equalization — where they compare your performance not just to those who take the same exam as you, but to all the test takers in all the different exams over the past three years.

The whole point of the LSAT is to provide law schools an objective yardstick by which they can measure different applicants. Two students might have the same GPA but come from radically different schools and have majored in radically different subjects.

Is John’s 3.9 and BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Tuscaloosa better or worse than Jane’s 3.9 and BA in Communications from NYU? I dunno.
Neither do the admissions committees at various schools.
But Jane’s 170 on the February LSAT is better than John’s 160 in October.
LSAT scores correlate better with first year law school grades than does GPA.

At the end of the day, making the LSAT is a business. If it was easy to game the LSAT, there wouldn’t be any LSAT. : Which LSAT Is the Hardest?

Is 2 months studying for the LSAT enough?

Model LSAT 2-Month Study Plan – To make the most out of your 2-month LSAT study plan, consider the following:

Two months is the optimal LSAT prep schedule for many students. While you can make great score improvements with one intense month of study, practice, and review, most expert LSAT faculty will recommend a longer schedule if one is possible for you. While three months will be great for some students who have very busy schedules, it can be hard to sustain your focus for that length of time. So, two months hits the sweet spot for many individual preppers. Once you’ve taken a full-length practice test under timed conditions, compare your score to your goal score. Then, factor in the amount of time you’ll have to study. Are you looking for an LSAT score improvement of, say, 10 or even 15 points? Are you working or going to school during your prep? Do you have other family obligations? Use your answers to those questions to tailor the following schedule to your personal needs. If it turns out that a 2-month plan isn’t the right fit, Please check out Kaplan’s model 1- and 3-month study plans. For more insight, chat or call a Kaplan LSAT expert about your study plans.
Adapt the model to meet your needs. No model study schedule will be exactly right for you. Apply the principles illustrated here to your own calendar, and then keep the times you’ve allocated to LSAT study and practice free from other obligations and interruptions. Depending on your work, school, and family schedule, you’ll need to shift the assignments listed here to fit your life. Throughout the model plan, you’ll find notes to help you make those adjustments to get most of your study and practice time. After the model, there is an important section with additional tips on how to personalize your LSAT study and practice.
- Keep in mind that while the chapters listed in the study plan below are specific to the Kaplan LSAT Prep Plus 2020-2021 book, you can likely find coinciding chapters in whatever LSAT book you have. If you don’t have the Kaplan book, take some time before you begin studying to customize your study plan by identifying readings for each assignment and writing them down.

When To Apply To Law School For Fall 2019 LSAT Study Schedule: Week 1

Can I get into law school with a 155 LSAT?

A score of 155 on the LSAT is a classic ‘in-between’ score. While the score is not too low, it will also not put you in the cream of LSAT test takers. An LSAT score of 155 can at best be classified as an average score which will put you in the hunt for a decent law school. The LSAT is scored on a scale of 120-180.

Can I get into law school with a 145 LSAT score?

Can you get into law school with a low LSAT? – Below are 5 important things you should consider before making any decisions:

The LSAT matters. The LSAT and GPA are tools – with statistical significance – that law schools use to predict whether an applicant will be successful in their first year of law school and if a potential student is likely to pass the bar exam. Don’t discount the importance of the LSAT score – law school admissions committees count on it.
How low is too low? Quite frankly, if your LSAT score is below 147, it will be difficult to be admitted to an accredited law school, not impossible but very difficult. Your GPA will have to do some heavy lifting. If your LSAT score is 150 or above, your chances increase if you choose prospective law schools wisely, Anything over 160 combined with a solid GPA, and you are a candidate who will have more opportunities.
Should I take the LSAT again? Some schools will accept future LSATs but will hold your application until it’s complete with the new score. It can be well worth retaking the LSAT if you think that you will score significantly (more than 3 points) higher. On the other hand, if you don’t think you will score higher, delaying your application can hurt your chances. Think of it this way: you want to apply when you have your strongest application. If that means improving your LSAT score, applying a bit later may reap rewards.
Don’t repeat your mistakes. If you didn’t do well on this LSAT, change your strategy. Don’t study on your own from a book, if that’s what you did before. Get a tutor or take a different class. Take timed practice tests. The LSAT requires preparation, and you need to discover the study approach that’s going to get you your best score. Practice, practice, practice.
Make the rest of the application strong. Law school admissions is a competitive process. Many candidates will fall within a school’s median LSAT and GPA range. Give a law school positive reasons to admit you; don’t just mitigate or remove possible negatives. The best way to distinguish yourself is with a compelling personal statement, Law is a writing profession, so the personal statement counts for quite a lot. Explain to the committee why you are applying to law school and why you will be a great member of their community in a clear and concise narrative. Read: 5 Things to Consider When Justifying Your LSAT Score or Grades >>

Most important of all – don’t despair! If your LSAT is holding your application back, you can study for it and improve your score. Even further, you can ensure that your written materials reflect the best story of yourself as an applicant. For a list of LSAT scores by schools, check out the Law School Selectivity Index,

Is 2 weeks enough to study for LSAT?

Tip #2: Aim for 250 to 300 hours of LSAT preparation – For most students, a three-month period of preparation (of approximately 20 hours per week) is a great goal. This is, of course, an estimate; most students are not all students. To find out how much LSAT prep time you’re likely to need, we recommend taking a to get a baseline score.

Students scoring close to their goal scores may need less than that three-month period. Those scoring more than ten points from their goals are likely to need additional prep time. Practical considerations, such as work and personal commitments, will come into play here, as will your own unique needs and learning style.

Nonetheless, 250 to 300 hours of LSAT preparation over a period of a few months is a good benchmark. Most students who dedicate significantly less time won’t maximize their LSAT scores. While you may ultimately need more than three months to prepare if you don’t get the score increases you need within that time frame, it’s best not to start too long before your planned test date.

IS 152 in LSAT a good score?

Guide to Your LSAT Scores Your LSAT score is the most important factor for admission to law school. The highest LSAT score is a 180. The average LSAT score is about a 152. A “good” LSAT score depends on the law schools you are considering. Compare your LSAT scores to the score ranges for admitted students at on your list. Read on to learn more about LSAT scoring. When To Apply To Law School For Fall 2019

What is the average LSAT score for first-time takers?

What’s the average LSAT score for first-time takers? – The LSAC found that first-time test takers typically scored a 151, while second-time test takers scored a 151.7. Mean LSAT scores were highest for second-time test takers, while third-time test takers had the lowest score. This is important to consider if you have already taken the LSAT and are thinking about retaking it.

What state has the easiest bar exam?

Bar Passage Rate v. Scaled Minimum Scores – Here we look at the scores required versus the rate to pass the bar exam. Some bars have a super low scaled score, so we can measure that and say Alabama, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, and North Dakota tie as the easiest.

They both have the same meager minimum passing score on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE.). Other bar takers say that the South Dakota bar is still the easiest due to its 2013 93% bar passage rate. Overall, past scores are not an intelligent way to judge, as the UBE has changed a lot of scores.

Based on the passage rate, Oklahoma is the most accessible bar to pass. However, using test scores, Alabama, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, and North Dakota are neck and neck on the UBE easy scale.

Is October too late for LSAT?

How do I choose the best LSAT date? – The most important factor, by far, is study time. Studying for the LSAT is, for most people, a two-to-six month, twenty-hours-per-week process. So when choosing an LSAT, think about the LSAT prep time leading up to your test date.

Will you have the time during those months to dedicate about twenty hours of weekly study time? Blueprint has different LSAT prep options for any LSAT study schedule, but you should always be honest with yourself and your personal schedule.
The second most important factor should be whether the LSAT will allow you to apply early in the law school admissions cycle,

Law schools use rolling admissions, which means the admissions committee starts offering acceptance letters as soon as they start receiving applications. Ideally, you want to get your applications submitted early in that cycle, before too many acceptance letters are sent out.

You should aim to have your applications submitted by November in the year before you’d start your first year at law school (so October or November if you plan on starting law school next fall).
Obviously, taking an LSAT after November would prevent you from meeting this goal.
And you definitely shouldn’t try to game the system by choosing an LSAT you’ve been told is usually “easier” than other LSATs.

First of all, no one — other than the malicious logicians who make this LSAT test — knows how hard or easy an exam’s questions will be ahead of time. Second, LSATs are curved, so test takers who take an LSAT with “easier” questions have to answer more questions correctly to earn the same score as test takers who took an LSAT with “harder” questions.

Is it okay to apply to law school in November?

2. In General, Earlier is Better – If you’re not planning to apply early decision, the general window within which you can submit a law school application runs from September until spring or summer. Some schools have their final deadline in February while others extend it out until July.

In general, it’s better to submit an application early.
Most schools process applications on a rolling basis, so if you submit earlier when more seats (and more financial aid) is available, you may have a better chance of admission.
In most cases, you should aim to submit your application before Christmas.

Check out this Law School Application Timeline to make sure that your planning ahead pays off.

Is it OK to take LSAT in October?

June LSAT vs. October LSAT – Assuming you are applying for NEXT fall admission, there are some advantages and disadvantages for these popular test dates.


	June Test	October Test
Pros	Gives you time to (including prep) in October, if you’re not happy with your scores the first time. Is the only afternoon test date—the others begin at 8:30am. If you are truly not a morning person, consider the June test so that you perform your best.	Gives you the summer to prep, which could be helpful if you are a student taking classes full-time. You can still retake the test in December, if necessary.
Cons	For college students, a June test means prep during your spring semester when you may be busy with projects, papers, and (eventually) finals.	Your applications will be submitted later than if you had taken the June test, though still within the September-November window.

How rare is a perfect LSAT?

Can I get admitted into law school without a perfect LSAT score? – Of course! Each year, students without a perfect score. Though previous years are not necessarily indicative of your application cycle, check out each law school’s website for statistics on their admitted students.

Is it hard to get a 170 on the LSAT?

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is, “How hard is the LSAT?” Most students have heard the test is difficult, but unless they’ve taken an LSAT already, they don’t have a good idea of whether the test really is hard, or whether it’s just like any other college test.

So let’s take a look at some numbers and see what the real story is here.
First, we have to understand the scores that are produced by the test, because those scores help us measure difficulty.
Our LSAT Scoring Scale discussion explains how the 120 to 180 scoring scale works, and the key discussion points relate to how many questions you can miss to achieve certain scores, as well as what percentile is represented by each score.

Let’s start by looking at the number of people who score a 180, which is a perfect score. In theory, the easier the test, the higher the number of perfect scores. Think about what would happen if you gave a very basic, first grade level spelling test to a group of college-educated adults, a test that included words like “cat” and “dog.” That should be pretty easy (right?), and you’d expect a large number of perfect scores! On the other hand, if you gave an advanced calculus test to fourth graders, it would be pretty amazing (inhuman, almost) to see even one perfect score.

Again, the easier the test relative to the test takers, the more perfect scores you should see.
With the LSAT, the percentile for a 180 is 99.97%.
Thus, in numerical terms, if you have a 180, then in a room of 10,000 people you have one of the three highest scores.
With roughly 100,000 LSATs administered in the past year, that would suggest that about 30 people received a perfect score.

When only 30 people achieve this score out of 100,000 test takers, the inference is that this is a very, very difficult exam! Achieving a 180 is also interesting in that to do so does not require perfection. That is, you don’t have to answer all of the questions correctly in order to receive a 180.

This page contains a brief overview of scoring scales for the LSATs from June 2005 to the present, and it shows that to get a 180, you can typically miss around 2 to 3 questions per test.
So, to produce a 3-in-10,000 score, you don’t even have to be perfect; you can miss a few questions and still make it happen.

Next, let’s focus on a score of 170, which is a highly desirable LSAT score, and one that almost every LSAT taker would be thrilled to receive. A 170 represents a percentile of 97.4%, meaning that test takers with a score of 170 have a score higher than 97.4% of all LSAT takers.

So, that’s pretty good! But what does it take to achieve that score? On the most recent LSAT, you would have to answer at least 89 out of 101 questions to receive a 170.
In other words, you can miss 12 questions, and still be above 97.4% of testers (alternate view: you can miss 11.88% of the questions but still be in the top 2.5% of scores).

Considered alone, this suggests you have some latitude in missing LSAT questions, and that missing a few questions still allows you to achieve a very high score. That by itself is a sign of the difficulty of the test, but to bring the point home a bit more, let’s compare it to a grading scale that most people are familiar with: the scales used in college.

At most colleges, if you were to get 89 out of 100 on a test, you’d be looking at a B+, or perhaps a B.
That’s certainly a solid grade, but it isn’t one that is considered outstanding or highly desirable.
But, on the LSAT, getting 89 right results in a score that is considered highly desirable, and this too indicates that the LSAT is, in general, a very difficult test.

The final piece of evidence regarding test difficulty relates to the guessing policy enforced by LSAC. Unlike many other standardized tests, there is no guessing penalty on the LSAT, and you are strongly encouraged to guess on the questions that you cannot finish.

There is no penalty for missing a question, but if you guess correctly, you receive full credit. Think about that for a second, because what it suggests is that this test is so hard that the test makers don’t even care if you guess; they don’t think it will materially change your score! Their view is that even someone who performs extremely well on the questions they do answer will still not be able to blindly guess their way to a very different score.

The conclusion in all of this is that yes indeed, the LSAT is a very hard test. From any objective measure, it’s a challenge to score well on this exam. But there is good news here because in difficulty lies opportunity! The LSAT is a learnable test, and you can improve your performance by studying and preparing properly.

How hard is it to get a 180 on the LSAT?

NOTE: The information below refers to the in-person LSAT which, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been suspended indefinitely. In its place, LSAC now administers the virtual LSAT-Flex, an online version of the LSAT that prospective law students take at home.

Each test taker is paired with a remote proctor who monitors the test-taking environment before and during the test. Because of proctoring issues and other considerations, the LSAT-Flex is significantly shorter than the in-person LSAT. Rather than four 35-minute sections, the LSAT-Flex includes only three 35-minute sections, one each of Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games).

There is no second Logical Reasoning section, nor an experimental section. Another important change is that, unlike the in-person LSAT, the LSAT-Flex is offered over multiple days of test week at many different times. At this time, it is unclear how long the LSAT-Flex will be administered in place of the in-person LSAT.

This in part because of the unpredictability of the COVID-19 crisis and in part because LSAC may or may not continue administrating the LSAT-Flex for the foreseeable future, regardless of what happens with the pandemic. If you are preparing to take the LSAT-Flex, click here for a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions.

Getting an LSAT score of 180 or a “perfect score” is extremely rare. According to data published by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), from 2006-2009 of all LSATs administered, approximately 144,000 per year, only 0.1% received a 180. The advantage for the student who earns a 180 LSAT score is that he or she is more likely to be accepted into a top-tier law school.

Yale Law School reports that for its class of 2014, the LSAT score range was 154-180, with over 75% of enrolled students receiving an LSAT score of 177 or above. However, most law schools report that in making admissions decisions, while LSAT scores are weighed heavily, the admissions committee carefully considers the entire application package.

LSAT scores range from 120-180. The “raw” LSAT score is based on the number of questions answered correctly. Each LSAT will typically have 100 to 103 questions, with each question being worth 1 point. Only four of the five multiple-choice sections count toward the LSAT test score (the fifth is experimental, for data-gathering purposes), and the essay section is not scored.

There is no deduction for blank or incorrect answers.
The raw LSAT score is between 0 and 100 to 103.
LSAT raw scores are converted to an LSAT scaled score that ranges from 120 to 180.
Students who receive a LSAT scaled score of 180 have a raw score of between 99 and 103.
Students who achieve high LSAT scores tend to have four things in common.

They spend a massive amount of time preparing, they understand the LSAT question types, they are accustomed to taking the full-length, timed LSAT, and they took an LSAT prep course. While some who achieved a 180 on the LSAT spent 60-70 hours a week for 2 months preparing, there is no magic number of study hours needed to ensure a high LSAT score.

However, it is necessary to make sure that you have at least 8-12 weeks to prepare and that you are able to design a study schedule that allows sufficient time to regularly work on LSAT preparation. Students who achieve high LSAT scores tend to be intimately familiar with the question types, as well as the commonalities of correct answers and incorrect answers.

The LSAT is a very consistent, predictable exam. Students who take practice exams and who carefully work to understand explanations to difficult questions soon understand what a correct answer typically looks like. This does not happen overnight. It takes hours and hours of answering practice questions, reading the correct answers and understanding the incorrect answers, and for this reason, the best action if you can afford it is to enroll in an LSAT prep course (more on this below).

Many companies also offer a free practice exam so you can gauge your personal starting point and how much improvement you’ll need.
Taking full-length, timed practice tests helps prepare students both mentally and physically for test day.
The LSAT takes about 4 to 5 long, mentally-taxing hours.
No matter how well you understand the LSAT questions, if your mind becomes worn out during the last hour of the exam, your score will reflect that.

Taking full-length, timed practice tests once a week, and then more often in the four weeks before the test, will help avoid this problem. Use the remaining study time to complete practice questions and timed practice sections. This method helps students to become familiar with the level of energy it takes to complete the LSAT and gives you the opportunity to spend concentrated periods of time reviewing mistakes and working question types you find challenging.

Students with very high LSAT scores almost universally take an LSAT prep course. While there are plenty of LSAT prep books available, taking a course is an effective way to help students understand LSAT questions. Also, many prep courses, in addition to classroom instruction, provide loads of materials such as workbooks with hundreds of practice questions as well as access to every LSAT released.

The classes are expensive, but those who scored in the top LSAT score percentiles will argue that the prep class was worth the fee. Ultimately, there is no magic LSAT score predictor and each student who receives a 180 LSAT score will tell a differently story about his or her road to success.

When should you begin applying to law school?

In an ideal world, you would start your law school admissions process about two years before you intend to enroll, giving yourself ample time to research and apply to schools. So if you wanted to enter law school the fall after you graduate from college, you’d start planning around the fall of your junior year.

Is applying to law school in April too late?

When To Apply To Law School For Fall 2019 Hey Blueprint! I know deadlines for many law schools have already passed for this admissions cycle. Can I take the April LSAT and still apply to law school and start this fall? We get this question often. The law school admissions timeline can be a little hard to understand.

The general rule of thumb: “the early bird gets the worm.” It’s always better to apply earlier to law school than later.
Most law schools (even those with application deadlines) have rolling admissions, where seats in the incoming class are assigned as soon as they start receiving applications.
The later you apply, the fewer seats are available.

Remember, your application is not complete unless you submit a valid LSAT score—whether it be the April LSAT or from an earlier LSAT test date, April LSAT scores are released towards the end of the month, which means your law school application won’t be complete until then.

We don’t recommend applying to schools that had January or early-February application deadlines with April LSAT scores because they will have probably already filled their seats by the end of April.
Some schools don’t even accept new applications after their deadline; always check with your schools to verify their policies.

So what can you do if you want to apply to law school with your April LSAT scores? I want to start law school this fall. If you’re committed to applying this cycle and starting law school in a few months, you have some options! While the T20 schools have application deadlines in the winter, there are many law schools with deadlines in the spring and summer.

Law School	Deadline
University of Minnesota Law School	6/1/21
University of Florida Levin College of Law	7/15/21
Arizona State O’Connor College of Law	8/1/21
University of Iowa College of Law	5/1/21
University of Georgia School of Law	6/1/21
University of Colorado Law School	5/1/21
Florida State University College of Law	7/31/21

While you wait for your scores to come back, make sure you gather the other components of your law school application. Write your personal statement, get your letters of recommendation, organize your resume, fill out the CAS, etc. Get yourself ready so that the only thing missing from your application is your April LSAT score.

I don’t need to start law school this fall.
If you don’t want or need to start law school this fall, you’re actually in a great position.
You can take the April LSAT and then apply next cycle for admittance in the fall.
In fact, you might even be able to apply early next cycle if you get your application in order this summer.

Taking the April LSAT can be quite advantageous. It’s early enough to be able to retake the LSAT if you want to without feeling rushed. You’ll also benefit from getting that “pesky” standardized testing requirement out of the way so you can focus on summer internships or other resume-boosting extracurriculars.

The April LSAT gives you time to enjoy life, work on becoming a more well-rounded applicant, and unsubscribe from /LSAT subreddit! Is it too late to prep for the April LSAT? By now, if we convinced you to take the April LSAT, you’re probably wondering if two months is enough time to prep for the LSAT.

That answer is going to be different for everyone. Yes, you do have enough time to prep for the April LSAT if you start now. We have instructor-led classes for the April LSAT starting in a few days! However, if you know the next two months are going to be jam-packed with school or work projects, you need to ask yourself if you will be able to make the time to prep.

Our Self-Paced Course is perfect for students who want to prep around their schedule, but you will need to stay disciplined and carve out the time.
Remember, the best LSAT to take is the one that gives you enough time to prepare for it.
In conclusion, aspiring lawyer, you can apply to law schools after the April LSAT, but you need to be strategic about where you’re applying.

If the school you’re applying to accepts the April LSAT or has a deadline later in the year, then you will be OK! However, if your school’s deadline will have long since passed by the time you receive your LSAT score, then you might want to wait until the next cycle to apply.

Is it easier to get into law school in the spring?

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.

Is applying in January for law school too late?

Welcome to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q&A, a feature that provides law school admissions advice to readers who send in inquiries. If you have a question about law school admissions, email us for a chance to be featured in a future post. I would like to know if it’s OK for me to submit law school applications before the February and early March deadlines without taking the LSAT until March or April 2022? This will be my first time taking the LSAT.

AT The answer to this question depends on a crucial distinction: Is it more important to you to get into a more selective law school or to start any J.D.
Program in the fall? For most nationally ranked law schools, the January LSAT date will be the latest date accepted in order to apply to start law school in the fall.

If your application shows a pending LSAT date, law schools will put your application on hold until the score comes in. Scores typically arrive three weeks after your test date, so scores for February or March LSAT test dates will not arrive until after most application deadlines have passed.

Even if a law school with a later deadline allows you to take the February or March LSAT, there are reasons to be wary. Since law schools have rolling admission, your odds of getting in decrease significantly by late winter. Most law schools tend to fill up their classes by then, so you risk wasting your application fees.

Even if this is disappointing news, it would be worth waiting to apply early in the following fall, shortly after applications open in August and September. That way, the odds will be in your favor, and you will have the time needed to implement a multimonth LSAT study plan.

If you want to start planning, the Law School Admission Council recently announced dates for LSAT administrations through June 2023. The LSAT is currently offered nine times per year in the U.S. Typically, I advise applicants to aim to take their first LSAT by June or August. That way, they have some leeway in case the test doesn’t go as well as they expect.

After all, there is no penalty for retaking the LSAT, Law schools consider your highest LSAT score, so it would be unwise to put all your eggs in one basket by planning to take the LSAT only once instead of leaving yourself a potential back-up date or two.

On the other hand, many part-time, hybrid and online J.D.
Programs have more availability in spring, since their academic calendars and admission deadlines are more flexible and meant to accommodate mid-career applicants.
Likewise, lower-ranked or unranked law schools are more likely to still have seats in their class available in spring.

Although admission is still rolling at these schools, standards are less competitive and deadlines tend to be later. With lower median LSAT scores, it is less important to leave room to take the LSAT multiple times, However, such programs are not always worth the cost, particularly if tuition is high or scholarships are only offered with strings attached,