Frequently asked questions by graduating seniors

1. Should I include an addenda with my law school application? What should I include?
2. What is the LSAC CD-ROM and where can I get it?
3. Must I tell law schools about my past legal and academic indiscretions?
4. As a minority prelaw student do I need any additional information?
5. How do I get a disability accommodation on the LSAT?
6. Where can I find the statement on good admission practices?
7. How can I find out which schools I am likely to be accepted by?
8. How do I handle being waitlisted?
9. What do I do if I didn't get in?
10. How should I go about obtaining letters of recommendation?
11. What is the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) letter service?
12. What is the Dean's Certification form?
 
 
1. Should I include an addenda with my law school application? What should I include?
You are not judged by the length of your list of undertakings, but by what you did, how dedicated you were, and what you learned from your endeavors. Do not pad your resume! That being said, if you have interesting extracurricular activities and/or work experiences you can include them in your personal statement or in an addenda.

You need an extracurricular activity of some sort. Maybe two. You can accomplish this easily by volunteering somewhere anywhere. Show that you care about someone besides yourself. Work for a food bank, a battered women's shelter, the Humane Society, Big Brothers/Sisters.

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2. What is the LSAC CD-ROM and where can I get it? 
The LSAC CD-ROM is an interactive guide to law schools which allows students to gather a great deal of information on law schools and help beginning the application process.

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3. Must I tell law schools about my past legal and academic indiscretions?
If the application asks you for information, you have to give it. Usually the applications will ask you to report incidents of cheating, academic fraud, arrests, convictions, etc. You must not hide this information. You need to present it accurately. Usually a paragraph or two will do, typed up separately and submitted with your application materials. If the incident was major , you might wish to devote your personal statement to it.

Try not to worry about this "black mark." Law schools do not expect you to be perfect. A minor incident or two should not affect you too severely. A high percentage of applicants have some sort of alcohol violation on their records. Law schools tend to overlook minor infractions. However, if you have multiple infractions, ones that show a pattern of bad behavior, you may have a lot of explaining to do. Also, you will need to pass a moral character review before you are admitted to practice law. If you have questions regarding your eligibility, many states will do a "pre screening." 

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4. As a minority pre-law student do I need any additional information? 
There are many sources of information on advising pre-law minorities in the NAPLA PreLaw Advising Manual. LSAC has also produced materials on this topic. If you wish more information on the PreLaw Manual please contact Frank Homer or Jeanne Dillion. 

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5. How do I get a disability accommodation on the LSAT?
The LSAC, and the LSAT test it administers, must meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you are a disabled test taker, you should insist upon all of your legal rights under the ADA and other applicable legislation.

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6. Where can I find the statement on good admission practices? 
You may find the statement of good admission practice in the Official Guide to Law Schools published by LSAC. A summary of the LSAC's Statement on Good Admission and Financial Aid Practices can be obtained by clicking here.

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7. How can I find out which schools I am likely to be accepted by?
Law Services also provides access to materials such as the Official Guide to US Law Schools which contains admission profiles to most US law schools (upper tier schools i.e. Yale and Columbia do not provide profiles.)  You may purchase this book for $19.50 from Law Services.  Also, the Boston College Online Law School Locator has a matrix by median GPA and median LSAT score as reported by law schools.  You just click on the category in which your scores fit, to view schools which fall within your range.

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8. How do I handle being waitlisted?
If you've applied to law schools this past fall and you are on the wait list at one or more schools, make sure they continue to hear from you. We advise you to write a letter addressed to the Admissions Committee stating your continued interest in their school. If you have new grades to provide, then by all means do so; have the Registrar send an official copy of your transcript to LSDAS and they will update your report and forward it to your schools. You might mention in your letter that a report with new grades is on its way. Also, mention any new extracurricular experiences, jobs, or related coursework since you mailed in that application several months ago. Lastly, IF the school is your first choice, then mention it in your letter--all schools like to hear that they're your first choice, the Harvards just as much as the third-tier schools. After you've sent them this letter, there isn't a whole lot left to do but wait. Calling the school to check on your wait list status more than once can be viewed as pestering, and we don't advise it (once is fine). While you may feel like you have to do something more than just sending a letter, believe me – when schools go to the wait list to pull a name and send another acceptance, the applicants who have expressed continued interest have a great advantage over the ones who haven't been in touch since Thanksgiving.

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9. What do I do if I didn't get in?
If it was an extremely competitive year for the law school application process, with a record high number of applicants. If you were not accepted, there are resources and other options available to you. First, take advantage of the prelaw resources at Career Services. Meet with an advisor to assess your situation and to develop your plan for the future. We will be glad to look over your application and school choices, and identify possible ways to strengthen your application if you choose to reapply. Stop by Hill Hall 316 for prelaw advice from the advisor. Also, you might want to consider getting experience in the legal field for a few years after graduation before you reapply. Career Services can offer you help in finding a job as a paralegal, legal assistant, or other law-related employment. Be aware that there are plenty of options and future opportunities available to you even if you do not attend law school next year.

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10. How should I go about obtaining letters of recommendation?
You should plan to get at least two academic references from professors, and the third letter should be from either a professor or another source (employer, advisor, clergy, etc.).  You should ask them, "would you be comfortable writing me a strong letter of recommendation?"  Hopefully the answer is honest--if they say no, do not be offended but ask someone else.  The actual content of the letter is much more important than the status of the letter-writer to the law school admissions committee.  Be sure to give your recommender a copy of your transcript, a resume, and your personal statement, along with the cover sheet from the LSDAS Letter of Recommendation service.

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11. What is the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) letter service?
The letter of recommendation service is offered as a convenience to LSDAS subscribers, recommendation letter writers, and the LSDAS-participating law schools. The LSDAS fee includes up to three letters of recommendation to be received and processed by LSAC. The service is designed for general letters; some schools accepting letters through LSDAS may prefer that letters be sent directly to them, particularly letters attesting to a candidate's specific qualifications to study at their school. Please consult law school application materials regarding letter instructions. Please review the LSAC web site for more information.

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12. What is the Dean's Certification form and who fills it out?
Dean’s Certification forms which ask questions about the student’s disciplinary record should be brought to the Dean of Students office in Decker Hall. Although these forms often ask questions about rank of the student or other academic topics, these questions are usually answered “N/A” at a large public institution.  In fact, the Registrar’s office does not rank a student until after he or she has graduated.

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