How to apply to law school

Law is one of the world’s oldest academic fields, offering diverse specializations and career opportunities. People pursue and study law for several reasons—to learn about the judicial system, defend people in court, make a difference in the world through the knowledge of the law, or just to have the qualification.

Whatever the reason, applying to law school is often the first step in your journey to a career in law. We know applying to law school can be a time-intensive and stressful process. To make it easier, we’ve outlined the key steps necessary to apply to law school. 

How to apply to law school

Regardless of which law school you are applying to, all have at least a few core prerequisites and steps you must take during the application process.

1. Obtain an undergraduate degree

Before applying to law school, you must either be on track to or have already achieved an undergraduate education. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college is typically the minimum educational requirement expected of applicants. Some schools may accept an associate degree instead.

No specific undergraduate degree or discipline is required to apply. Whether you have a degree in political science, linguistics, music, or any other unrelated field of study—you are eligible to apply for law school. However, be sure to find out what the minimum undergraduate GPA requirement is for the law schools you want to apply to make sure you are eligible.

2. Take the required pre-entrance exam

Depending on your law school of choice, you’ll likely need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) prior to applying. The LSAT assesses a candidate’s proficiency and knowledge in reading, comprehension, critical thinking, reasoning, and more. While this test is compulsory for applying to many law schools, some do not require it. For example, regular J.D. applicants to The Colleges of Law are not required to take the LSAT or any other standardized test. Special student applicants must, on the other hand, submit both LSAT and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test scores.

3. Obtain letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation are often required when applying to law school. These recommendations from your professors, advisers, or supervisors will help the law school better understand your character and better determine your admission status.

Letters of recommendation are often compulsory application requirements at most law schools. Make sure you get these letters from people you are on good terms with and who will speak highly of you.

4. Write a personal statement

The personal statement is a crucial component of applying to law school. It is your opportunity to sell yourself to the law school and express the reasons why they should admit you.

A personal statement is also your chance to show off your writing skills, so ensure your statement is free of errors and well-written.

5. Register for Credential Assembly Service (CAS)

Some law schools require a report from the Credential Assembly Service, or CAS—a service responsible for assembling your transcript, letters of recommendation, and LSAT scores to send to law schools. The CAS will send your report to your school of choice upon request.

6. Search for and apply to law schools

After preparing all the necessary materials, you are ready to apply. You can begin to search for law schools with acceptance benchmarks that match your test scores, preferred location, or program area.

It’s also important to consider every school’s tuition costs to make sure you are applying to a school you can afford.  

You may also want to choose a school that is accredited. While it is not required for aspiring lawyers in California to have received a degree from an American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited institution, ABA accreditation ensures that the school you’re applying to meets the outlined educational standards and enables you to sit for bar examinations in any state. ABA-accredited schools can be particularly useful to those who may consider moving or expanding their practice beyond the state to another state.

The Colleges of Law is accredited by the State Bar of California’s Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE). The CBE may accredit law schools that haven’t received ABA accreditation. Graduates of California Accredited Law Schools (CALS) are eligible to sit for the bar exam in California and to become a licensed attorney in the state.

Read more about the differences between ABA and Cal Bar accreditation here.

Read more about The Colleges of Law’s admissions requirements.

At The Colleges of Law, we offer J.D. and master’s-level law programs built for future leaders in the legal field. Take the next step toward your career in law and visit our program pages here or fill out the form below to learn more.