Law school applications will be released on September 1st. That date should motivate you to create a timeline to follow throughout the application cycle. Some key points:
1. You don’t have to apply the minute applications are available. That’s not what it means to take advantage of rolling admissions. Law school admission officers spend most of September traveling to recruiting events, they aren’t moving through applications quite yet.
2. I consider anything submitted before Thanksgiving to be taking advantage of rolling admissions.
3. Early Decision and Early Notification Deadlines are usually around 11/1 and 11/15, so that goes to show you that law schools consider applications submitted in October to be early in the profess.
4. If you are sticking with an LSAT score you already have, aim to apply to law school by early to mid-October. That gives you 6-7 weeks to really concentrate on your application materials and make sure they are the best they can be.
5. If you are taking the October LSAT, aim to submit applications in the first two weeks of November. Work on things a bit now, but give the LSAT priority until October 1. Then spend October solidifying your materials. Just make sure your transcripts and LORs are underway in September in case any hiccups arise.
6. If you cancel the October LSAT or don’t feel ready for it, December is a perfectly fine option. I repeat, the December LSAT is NOT the end of the world. Just spend time now getting your application materials together so that you can submit applications in early January. (No one is reviewing them over winter break, so no reason to rush to submit them by the end of the year).
7. When to hire a law school admission consultant? If you already have your LSAT score, now is the time to look for the right law school admission coach for you. If you know you are applying to law school for Fall 2012 no matter what your upcoming LSAT score is, then start comparing consultants now and make your decision since the best admission consultants can only take on so many clients per cycle. If you are not sure you will be applying because you’re waiting to see your LSAT score, then it’s fine to wait until then to hire a consultant but just be ready to really get a lot of work done in month after getting your LSAT score. Read this for more about hiring a law school admission consultant and what a law school admission consultant can (and can’t) do.
8. Check out the great price for unlimited consulting on my website – available only until September 15th!
3 Responses
Is it advisable to submit applications prior to my October LSAT retake?
No, you wouldn’t know (1) where to apply or (2) how to explain your second LSAT score. Plus, you need to use your time now preparing for the October LSAT, not getting your applications together.
Hey Ann,
Sorry to post on this thread, but it was the only one slightly relevant to my topic. I was planning on graduating in May, but I have decided to take one summer class in June because of financial aid purposes. I will graduate in August, but I am not sure if schools will allow me to attend in the fall if I graduate in August. Some people have told me that I should be fine, but I just want to hear it from a credited source. I still have the option of graduating in May, but it would cost me a lot more (oddly). Thank you for the help!