Law School Application Materials: A Closer Look

There are several components to your law school application. The most time-consuming of which will be the LSAT. The rest of your application will be mostly straightforward.

The LSAT is the standardized exam and key predeterminant for law school admission counselors to determine an applicant’s future success in law school. There is some debate as to whether the LSAT will still be required in the next few years, but for now it is sticking around. The LSAT is now offered virtually or in-person. It is up to you which method you take it in.

The LSAT consists of three scored sections and one unscored experimental section. Here’s a breakdown of each section:

• Logical Reasoning: This section contains 24-26 questions that test your ability to analyze arguments, identify flaws in reasoning, and draw logical conclusions. You’ll encounter various argument structures, including conditional reasoning, causal reasoning, and statistical reasoning.
• Reading Comprehension: This section contains 26-28 questions based on passages of varying lengths and complexities. You’ll need to understand the main ideas, supporting details, and underlying assumptions of the passages. You’ll also be asked to answer questions about the author’s purpose, tone, and style.
• Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games): This section, which is being removed starting with the August 2024 LSAT, involves solving complex logic puzzles with multiple variables and constraints. You’ll need to create diagrams and charts to organize the information and determine the correct answer choices.

Please note that the Analytical Reasoning section will be replaced with a second Logical Reasoning section starting in August 2024.

You can typically expect exam results around 3-4 weeks after your test date, so make sure to factor that into your application timeline. For a breakdown of all the LSAT sections and study tips, please see LSAC’s guide.

For a full list of prep resources, click this link.

Letters of recommendation are an extremely important part of your application. They are a chance for others to commend your accomplishments both in and out of the classroom. Typically, law schools ask for three (2 academic, 1 professional). For your professors, it is ideal to choose two who you have either:

• had multiple classes with
• have excelled academically with them
• or they are a professor in your major and therefore know a more accurate extent of your academic capabilities.

For a professional reference, this could be a supervisor at an internship, job, community service organization, advisor to a club, etc.

It is important that, when asking for rec letters, to give your writers enough time to fill them out. When making the initial ask, give an approximate deadline for when you would like them to complete the letter (at least a month in advance). You should also consider attaching a draft of your personal statement for them to read over and reference.

See this attachment here for an example on how to ask for rec letters.

Transcripts are quite straightforward; in that they are the academic summary of your time spent at your institution. You can request your transcripts via your myNOVA account. Our third-party vendor, National Student Clearinghouse, will then send your electronic transcripts to LSAC on your behalf. These will then be sent off to your schools.

It is important to note that Law schools require transcripts from the following institutions you have attended:

• Community colleges
• Undergraduate and graduate institutions
• Law, medical, or professional institutions
• Institutions attended for summer or evening courses
• Institutions attended even though a degree was never received
• Institutions from which you took college-level courses while in high school even though they were for high school credit
• Institutions that clearly sponsored your overseas study
• International transcripts, if applicable

If you have any questions about this, please visit the Law School Admission Council’s website on Requesting Transcripts.

The personal statement is, at its core, a 2-page double-spaced essay reflecting on a culminating/impactful experience you have gone through that has shifted your worldview or taught you a valuable lesson; and how this experience connects to your journey to law school. The personal statement is unique in that it can be more narrative in nature. However, there are certain beats that are important to touch on throughout the essay:

• Create a strong hook to get the reader’s attention
• Craft a thesis statement that serves as your summarizing sentence and provides a preview to what you will be discussing throughout the essay
• Develop a theme (What did you learn about X and how does it connect to Y?)
• Connect to law school

Overall, your personal statement should provide a window into a part of your life that admission counselors will not be able to glean just by reading your application. The topic that you choose can be quite personal, providing you feel comfortable sharing it.

If you would like someone to review your personal statement and provide feedback, please visit the following resources:

• The Writing Center (for grammatical minutiae and sentence structure)
• Pre-Law Advisor (for topic choice and overall flow)

Additionally, to get started, please use this Brainstorming Worksheet to begin constructing your outline.

Law school supplemental essays are additional essays that some (not all) law schools require applicants to submit beyond the standard personal statement. These essays typically focus on specific aspects of the applicant’s background, experiences, or goals that are relevant to the particular law school.  

Here are some common types of supplemental essays:

• Why X Law School? Essays: These essays ask applicants to explain why they are interested in attending a specific law school. They should highlight specific programs, faculty, or opportunities that appeal to the applicant.  
• Diversity Statements: These essays allow applicants to discuss their unique perspectives, experiences, or backgrounds that would contribute to the diversity of the law school community.  
• Academic Addendums: These essays are used to explain any academic weaknesses, such as low grades or a low LSAT score.  
• Character and Fitness Addendums: These essays are used to explain any disciplinary issues or criminal records.  

It is important to carefully review the specific requirements of each law school to determine which supplemental essays are required and to tailor your responses accordingly.