It’s September. What on earth should you be doing? Obviously, if you aren’t taking the LSAT in the future and you are keeping a past score, now is the time to get your Letters of Rec, personal statement, resume, addenda, applications, optional essays underway. If you haven’t started, what are you waiting for?
If you are taking the October LSAT,the next four weeks are all about that – put everything else to the side except perhaps requesting transcripts and letters of rec. Also, read this post about my top 3 LSAT tips to know if you’re going to be ready to take the test and this Countdown to the October LSAT post. If you’re not happy with your LSAT practice performance, read this post about Not Hitting Your Goal LSAT score.
If you are heading to a LSAC Forum or recruiting event at a law school, here’s a post with tips about what to ask the law school representatives when you see them. The most important thing is to keep their contact info so you haven’t someone to follow up with throughout the application cycle.
If you’re considering taking the December LSAT, that’s perfectly ok. Just read this post first so you undertand admission cycle timing. Just start working on your application materials now so you can really concentrate on the LSAT for most of October and November.
I hope everyone has a great Labor Day Weekend!
19 Responses
Hello, Ann! As always, thank you so much for all of the information here. While I have (and love) your book, this blog is definitely a terrific supplement, particularly as I cannot afford an admissions consultant.
I have two questions for you. First, what are your thoughts on early decision programs like BU’s? It offers a full tuition scholarship, based on maintaining a full time schedule and not any particular grades, for anyone admitted ED. I can’t find anything discussing it in further detail from the application/BU’s website, but it looks pretty interesting. I was just curious if you had anything that might be a con, really.
Second, what are your thoughts on including a topic in the PS that is very revealing about one’s past (a series of events), that would not be shown through any other part of the app? I thought it would be a good thing based on everything I’ve read, but a friend suggested that it may confuse the admissions committee and make me look unfocused since it isn’t directly related to what I hope to do. (I apologize immediately for that sentence structure!)
Thank you as always! I’m excited to actually ask you a question myself rather than just benefiting from others!
Liz, if you want to go to BU there is no con to this program! You just have to be sure that’s where you want to attend. It’s a fabulous deal!!!!
Revealing is good so long as there is a point to the story – just sharing a laundry list of things can look troublesome – it just depends on how you present your story. I’m so glad you wrote. Thanks for reading!
This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about LSAT. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!
Hi Ann – your thoughtful postings never fail to rescue me at times when I need your advice the most.. thank you so much for all that! Just one quick question.. I already asked my recommenders to write letter of rec for this application cycle and was originally planning on the LSAT this October 1st. But I might want to postpone it just so I can study more and get into better schools next year. I agree december’s a good idea, but I’d like to take a full advantage of rolling admissions/early actions and that’s why I’d rather wait another year. But I already graduated this June, and since I already asked my recommenders, I feel it might be a bit weird if I ask them to re-write for me next year. Is it OK if they submit it this year, and I use them for next year’s cycle? (or should I ask them to write instead next year before they submit to LSAC?) Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Just in case you are confused– I asked them few weeks ago, they said they’ll submit in October. But they haven’t written/submitted the recommendations yet — as far as I know. So it’ll be important to notify them as soon as possible in case your advice is that they shouldn’t write for me this year….
Hi Jen, go ahead and get those letters submitted. LSAC holds them for five years, and if those writers are professors it’s better for them to write the letters when they remember you as opposed to when you’ve been gone for a year. It can be hard to track professors down – you never know what can happen with moves, retirement, sabbaticals – just get the letters in.
And it’s fine to wait a year, but I’m telling you – people get into fabulous schools with December LSAT scores, especially in years (like this) when application numbers are down overall.
Hi Ann- sounds good. True.. Let me think about December LSAT, like you suggested. oh, and I never realized the numbers were down! 🙂 I’ll keep posted with your new postings, and as always, thank you so much for your expert insights!
Ann, I have read your book and found the information contained within enlightening. I have a question it didn’t answer though. My GPA is what would be defined as an “upward trend”. I have 53 credits from a school I last attended in 2002 (Missouri S&T) with an LSAC GPA of 2.1. My last semester there I had a 3.0. As I’ve resumed school I’ve earned 27 credit hours of 4.0 and believe I can continue this trend for the remaining 60 hours required to complete a business degree at KU. My LSAC GPA will max out at a 3.3 and will only be a 3.1 at the time of admission. My first LSAT practice exam was a 160 and I am pretty good with standardized test and believe I can boost it to around 170. Having said all this, I’m pretty sure I can get into KU law, but I’m wondering if I have a shot at a top-tier school. Any thoughts you have would certainly be appreciated. Thanks.
Mark, depending on what you mean by top tier (Top 50?) I think you could have a shot if your LSAT goes in the direction you anticipate.
Ann, I was actually hoping for Cornell or University of Pennsylvania. I’m sorry about the ambiguity. I’m just wondering if its a waste of money to apply to T-14 schools because of low grades ten years ago. My grades now are fantastic, but because of my poor performance a decade ago my chances might be nill. I was just wondering if my application would automatically go into the trash because of my LSAC GPA or if they would look at the last 90 credits of my transcript and realize that I am now a 4.0 student.
Hi Ann,
I LOVE your blog! Just reading it makes me feel so much better about the admissions process!
I have a question for you…I took the LSAT in February and cancelled my score and then took the June LSAT and got a 162. I have a 3.93 GPA and two strong recommendation letters lined up (One from a professor, one from the Congressman i worked for for over a year), Also, I dont know if this helps or not but I am Asian. (Technically not a URM but it might help on the diversity side?) My top choice is the University of Texas Law school.
Do you think I should 1) retake the LSAT in October and then apply early decision or 2) apply early decision and then retake the test in December and submit my score whenever it comes or 3) Apply not early decision with a December score?
I feel ready to take the LSAT again and have been consistently scoring a 167 average on my practice tests but i am apprehensive because I dont know how three scores would look especially if one isnt significantly higher. Is the risk of taking the test again worth the added gain to my application for UT or for similar schools?
What do you think is the best admissions strategy? Thank you in advance for all of your help!
Kat, So happy the blog is helpful to you! Thanks for your nice words.
IF you are scoring in the high 160s NOW, then taking the October LSAT is the only option that will allow you to apply ED. You cannot apply ED and take the December LSAT. Only wait until December if you have reason to believe your score would improve beyond a practice score of 167 (average) between now and then. But most people who study for the test for the better part of a year, as you have, are not great candidates for continuing to raise their scores – everybody plateaus somewhere!
Dear Ann,
I have read your book and would like to thank you for all of your insights and information in the book and on your blog. I have a quick question about the personal statement. I have written one about my coming out experience and have tried to add a paragraph tailoring it to specific law schools but it just seems artificial and interferes with the content and flow of the statement. Is it a big error to not tailor a personal statement to a particular school, particularly if the school does not ask for an additional “Why X Law School” essay? Thank you so much for your time!
Kris, I’m so glad the book is helpful! I love collecting 5 star reviews on Amazon if you’re willing. I also have another book coming out at the beginning of October, so keep an eye out for that.
It is ok to not tailor your PS if it feels forced. Show your interest in other ways, like by talking with reps at recruiting events, visiting schools, etc.
Hi Ann,
Thank you for all of the insight on the law school application process. I had a question about my particular situation: I am currently applying to University of Maryland law. My LSAT is below the median, (i received a 157 on the June LSAT) but my cummulative GPA is a 3.65, and is above the median, and I have two strong letters of recommendation. Should I even apply with such a low LSAT or should I retake my lsat and wait a year to reapply for UMD or even a higher ranked school? I would really appreciate any insight you may have!
Hi Sam. I’m so glad the blog is helpful. Try to apply and “work it” and see what happens!
Quite so.
Dear Ann,
Thank you very much for the blog here, it is really helpful to read some of the answers you have answered. Just want to get a reality check. A recent graduate from top 10 UK university with a degree of history. Final result was 2.2 (apparently, it is classified as GPA of 3.4). Am planning to take this upcoming december LSAT exam yet have the highest score of 152.
I have a couple of internships from major financial IB firm and public sector and a recommendation letter from local law firm I’ve worked as a summer intern. Held few positions back in university years. I know the result do not look favourable but is there any chance of me getting into T25 law school? In a scale of 1 to 10? one being the least favourable.
It will be amazing if you can answer above question.
Thank you.
John, I think you have 4 more weeks until the LSAT and every point you get will help you get closer to the goal…… I can’t rate chances without knowing a lot more about you but you can see the 25th percentile LSAT scores of schools ranked in the Top 25 and see how you will probably fare.