Applying to law school is a time-consuming process, and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the many tasks you need to complete throughout this time. However, it’s essential that you stay informed of application deadlines and other vital application information so that you can submit your applications on time and ensure you are a competitive candidate for placement at your chosen law school. Our guide aims to help you understand this information so that you are fully prepared for law school application deadlines as they approach.
Law School Application Deadlines
Law school application deadlines are vital to pay attention to, as you want to be sure that you turn your application and any test scores in on time. Missing law school application deadlines may mean that you miss your chance at scholarships or that you aren’t able to apply to a specific school after all, which would be incredibly unfortunate if your application has already been completed.
In most cases, law school applications open between September and October. Deadlines for early decision applications start occurring between November and December, and regular decision deadlines typically occur between February and April. Some law schools may have varying timelines, and some may accept applications outside of their given deadlines, so it’s important to check with the law schools you are interested in directly in order to obtain specific deadline dates.
Hard Versus Soft Deadlines
When applying to law schools, it’s important to keep in mind the concept of hard versus soft deadlines. In general, hard deadlines are final application deadlines for regular or early decision applications. However, there may be soft deadlines that you are interested in meeting for your chosen law schools, such as certain scholarship or financial aid deadlines.
As you research which law schools you wish to apply to and start taking note of deadlines, make sure you understand which deadlines are hard and which are soft so that you can submit your application on time and be considered for placement at the school and financial aid or scholarships accordingly.
How Can I Get My Law School Application Ready on Time?
Ensuring that your law school application is ready on time might seem confusing at first, especially considering all of the steps that you need to complete. We’ve collected some tips below to help you stay organized and aware of when your law school applications are due.
- Take note of each law school’s early decision and regular decision deadline, depending on which application cycle you wish to apply to.
- Research specific scholarship and financial aid deadlines and ensure you are aware of these if they differ from your chosen law schools’ application deadlines.
- As you start applying to law schools, make sure you leave enough time to complete essays, prepare for and take the Law School Admission Test, and complete any other specific application requirements.
- Make a list of items you need to complete for each law school application and check them off as you go, as this will help you keep organized and stop you from becoming overwhelmed by all of the steps in your law school application process.
Remember to always check directly with the admissions offices of your chosen law schools for more information about specific deadlines, scholarships, and financial aid, or any other important law school application questions.
How Important Is the LSAT to My Application?
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is very important to your applications, and many individuals ensure they have several months to study for and take this test before they begin their law school application cycle. It takes on average one to three months to accurately prepare for the LSAT, though you may find yourself needing a longer or shorter time based on how often you study and your strengths with this test.
If you find that you need assistance improving your LSAT score or preparing for this exam, you should reach out to a dedicated LSAT tutor. An LSAT tutor will help you understand your specific strengths and weaknesses on this test and provide you with guidance to raise your score into your desired score range.
Almost every law school in the United States requires LSAT scores as part of your admission application, and, as a general rule, the higher your LSAT score is, the more competitive your application is, especially when combined with a decent GPA and stellar application materials, such as personal essays.
Meeting Law School Application Deadlines
Meeting law school application deadlines often seems like an overwhelming task, especially if you are applying to many different law schools. However, keeping note of when specific law school applications are due, any financial aid or scholarship deadlines and deadlines for LSAT scores or other application materials is essential if you want to ensure your application is received on time.
We recommend making notes of the law school application deadlines you need to meet and dedicating several months to preparing your LSAT scores and applications to make your application as competitive as possible, ensuring your law school dreams become a reality.
