Applying to Law School

The Law School Admissions Council understands that the cost of applying to law school can be a significant burden for some individuals. To address this issue, LSAC has established the Fee Waiver Program to provide financial assistance to those who qualify. This program covers the costs of various LSAC services, such as the LSAT administration fee, the Credential Assembly Service, and LSAT preparatory materials. Additionally, many law schools will waive their application fees for applicants who have been granted an LSAC fee waiver. Institutions also offer need-based fee waivers through their own application process. Applicants must submit fee waiver requests at least six weeks before their desired LSAT administration date. 

Furthermore, some law schools offer merit-based fee waivers to students whose academic records, as reflected in the Candidate Referral System, indicate that they may be strong candidates for admission. While receiving a merit-based fee waiver may be a positive indication of potential success in the application process, it is not a guarantee of admission. Students must register for the Candidate Referral Service to be considered for this fee waiver. 

Most law school applications require the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). The CAS is a centralized platform for analyzing transcripts. Based on an applicant’s transcripts, CAS produces Law School Reports, which include standardized statistical information about the applicant’s academic record. Additionally, the CAS serves as a distribution center for letters of recommendation, allowing a recommender to write and send one letter to multiple schools. Once an applicant signs up for a CAS account and submits all transcripts and letters of recommendation, applicants can monitor the account through LSAC’s website. 

It is important to note that transcripts must be sent directly from every institution an applicant has attended (this includes dual-enrollment classes in high school but excludes AP or CLEP credit) to LSAC rather than by the applicant. This ensures the authenticity and credibility of the transcripts.  

Requesting transcripts before the application deadline is recommended to ensure LSAC receives them promptly. Furthermore, it is advisable to check the status of your transcripts on LSAC’s website to ensure they have been received and processed. 

Applicants can send a transcript request form from their LSAC account directly to UTD or have the transcript sent to: 

Law School Admission Council 
662 Penn Street 
PO BOX 2000-M 
Newtown, PA 18940-0993 

Law schools use letters of recommendation to assess a candidate’s academic skills, work habits, analytical ability and character. It is highly recommended that applicants who have been out of college for less than five years seek academic recommendations. The best recommenders have observed and evaluated an applicant’s work and taught in at least one upper-level class. Giving recommenders ample time to write their letters and providing them with sufficient information to write an effective letter is vital. Recommendations from alums, elected officials, or personal friends who are not academic or professional may not be as beneficial but can serve as supplementary letters if space allows. 

It is best to meet with a potential recommender and ask if they would feel comfortable writing a letter of recommendation. If they agree, provide a packet of information, including a personal statement, an unofficial transcript, a resume and a sample of work from their class. For non-academic recommenders, a similar packet can be provided, but with the classwork omitted. Professional recommendations can highlight analytical and problem-solving skills, work habits and character and display leadership and organizational skills. 

Once recommenders have agreed to write a letter, provide them with a specific timeframe in which they should send the letter (ideally at least two weeks before you apply), and then politely follow up as the deadline approaches. Once CAS or the law schools have received the letters, be sure to thank recommenders and inform them of the law schools to which you have been admitted. 

The personal statement is a significant component of the law school application, allowing an applicant to showcase individuality and personality to the admissions committee. Avoid simply rehashing a resume or reiterating information already present in the application. Instead, use the personal statement to demonstrate the unique contributions you will bring to the student body and illustrate the ability to convey thoughts in a clear, mature, and persuasive manner. 

To achieve this, it is essential to be genuine, personal, and specific in a personal statement. Avoid using vague generalizations such as wanting to “help people” or believing that you will “succeed in law school.” Instead, provide a specific example of your experiences and what you learned from them, highlighting your strengths and abilities. 

Applicants should not use personal statements to discuss poor grades or LSAT scores. Instead, use a grade or LSAT addendum to provide context for lower grades or scores and demonstrate why they may not accurately predict your success in law school. 

A resume is a key component of the law school application, serving as an essential tool to highlight an applicant’s accomplishments, experiences and skills to the admissions board. A law school resume differs from a professional resume. A law school resume should be tailored specifically to the reader, in this case, the admissions board of the school you are applying to. 

When creating a law school resume, remember that admissions committees already have access to coursework, GPA and LSAT scores through the Law School Report. Therefore, it is unnecessary to include this information in a resume. Avoid including objective statements, references or personal information such as age and marital status. 

Focus on detailing contributions and responsibilities in jobs or extracurricular activities, highlighting growth and progress, such as promotions or increased responsibilities. Consider including the number of hours per week spent on each activity, particularly employment, as it will demonstrate the ability to balance multiple responsibilities while maintaining an academic workload. Do not limit a law school resume to one page; use the space to highlight your achievements and experiences. 

Some law schools may require a copy of your undergraduate disciplinary record as part of the application process. To obtain this document, requests and forms for Dean’s Certifications should be directed to the Dean of Students Office at dos@utdallas.edu. Do not send requests to the undergraduate dean or assistant deans of various programs to avoid delays or confusion.