Application & Checklist

• Select a major in a field that both interests you and allows you to excel academically, because your undergraduate GPA is a key factor in law school admissions. It does not have to be law-related because law schools don't require a specific major for admission.
• Take law related courses to gain a better understanding of the law and legal issues in our society.
• Begin to form relationships with professors so that they will know your work well enough to write letters of recommendations or evaluations in the future.
• Expand your education by seeking summer jobs or internships in fields of interest.
• Learn about careers in law online and conduct informational interviews with Davidson alumni who are in the legal field through DavidsonConnect and LinkedIn.
• Become involved in extracurricular activities that interest you. They don't have to be law-related - pursue opportunities that are meaningful to you.  If interested in law-specific experiences, Pre-Law Society, Mock Trial Association and Moot Court are good places to start.
• Meet with the prelaw advisor to discuss your law school interests and proposed application timeline. 
• Attend the Greater Charlotte Law School Fair, taking place each fall semester on Davidson’s campus. Ask law school admissions representatives for suggestions regarding your undergraduate path to law school. 

• Begin researching law schools and become familiar with their programs and application process, and determine which ones are a good fit for you.
• Register with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), the portal for submitting your law school applications.
• Plan your spring semester accordingly to allow enough time to prepare for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Research test prep options. 
• Attend the Greater Charlotte Law School fair, talking with law school admissions representatives about their programs, culture and other specific topics to help determine schools of interest.  
• Meet with a prelaw advisor to discuss your LSAT prep and admissions strategy.
• Learn about the LSAC Fee Waiver Program. You may be eligible for fee waivers that will eliminate or reduce costs associated with the law school application process (LSAT registration, law school application fees, etc.).  

• Prepare for the LSAT. Plan to complete the LSAT by end of summer at the latest. 
• Ask professors who know you best if they would consider writing a strong letter of recommendation for you when you apply in the fall semester. 
• Solidify summer plans that could include an internship (legal field or other), research, study abroad or other high impact experiences.
• Reach out to Davidson alums, who are currently in law school or have graduated and are working in law, to learn about their application experiences. DavidsonConnect and LinkedIn are fantastic resources. The prelaw advisor can also recommend alums. 

• Register for LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which centralizes all of your applications. There is a fee for this service.
• Decide on competitive, safety and long-shot reach schools to which you will apply and create a calendar of application dates and deadlines.
• Brainstorm ideas for your personal statement(s). Plan to review and rewrite multiple drafts before submitting. 
• If possible, visit the law schools that interest you.
• Learn about financing law school.  

(August – October is Application Period)

• Meet with a pre-law adviser to review the admissions process and discuss the law schools you have selected.
• Revise your personal statements and seek feedback from faculty and the pre-law advisers.
• Reach out to faculty who agreed to write letters of recommendation (or ask professors if you’ve not yet done so). Submit their contact information in the letters of recommendation section in your CAS account, prompting a form to be sent to them. Allow sufficient time for your letter writers - approach them early in the fall semester.
• Submit the LSAC Transcript Request Form to the Davidson registrar.
• Submit applications as timely as possible. Applications open in September through October and are reviewed on a rolling basis. Plan to submit applications by the end of October at the latest. 
• Attend the Greater Charlotte Law School Fair, speaking with admission representatives of schools to which you’ve applied or plan to apply. Meet with others not on your list - you may be surprised! 
• Visit schools - virtually or in person. Check admission websites to learn about virtual webinars being offered, as well as the opportunity to schedule 1:1 time with an admissions representative. 
• Research options for financing law school.

(December – June is Acceptance Period)

• Visit schools to which you’ve been admitted to help evaluate your options. 
• Send a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) to schools at which you’re waitlisted, if you want to still be considered for admission. 
• Update schools at which you’re waitlisted with new information (fall semester grades, updated GPA, resume that highlights new leadership role or internship, etc.). 
• Be aware of scholarship application deadlines - they are often earlier than admission decision deadlines. 
• Pay attention to seat deposit deadlines. 
• Decline offers of admission from schools you no longer want to consider.