Law School App Checklist: 5 Things To Do in the Summer After Your Junior Year
Note: This checklist is for rising seniors who plan to attend law school straight out of college. If you're planning on taking a gap year, see our checklist for rising juniors.
Congratulations on making it to your senior year! You've got a great year ahead of you - hopefully, you're looking forward to living somewhere that isn't a dorm and enjoying your last year not having to wake up at 8 am every morning.
With law school applications right around the corner, here are the three things you need to be doing to make the most of your 3 months without schoolwork, so you can make the most of your applications and your last year at school:
Pick a target date to submit your application. Most law school applications open in September or October and close anywhere from February through June of the following year. For example, if you want to start law school in the Fall of 2022, most applications will run from September 2021 through the Spring of 2022. Regardless of when applications close, your goal should always be to apply as early as possible. Because law school applications are rolling, your chances of getting in are much higher earlier in the cycle. A good rule of thumb is to try to get your application in before Thanksgiving.
Register for an LSAT and start studying. If you haven't taken an LSAT yet, this needs to be your top priority. If it's June and you haven't started studying yet, the next available test date is August - taking the test in August is still possible, but will take a concerted effort to put your best foot forward. You'll likely need to spend at least 15-20 hours/week studying over the course of the summer to be ready. Keep in mind that it takes about 3 weeks for you to get your score, so the last test you should take if you're trying to apply by Thanksgiving would be in October.
Ask for recommendations. You'll need at least 2-3 recommendation letters, with all or all but one being academic recommendations from professors. These can sometimes take a while, since most professors will want you to send them a short letter containing more information about yourself, and will then take up to 2 months themselves writing the letter. Try to ask in April or May at the latest.
Start working on your personal statement and an addendum (if you have one). Most law schools will want your personal statement to be 2 pages long, double spaced. It's an important part of your application, as it tells law schools your story as an applicant. While not as important as your LSAT score, it will still require a lot of time and editing on your end. People can take up to 4 months writing their personal statements, so start as early as possible.
Request an official copy of your transcripts from your school registrar. This process varies by school, but your registrar will have to send the LSAC a copy of your transcripts in order to complete your application. This shouldn't take too long (most registrars can get it out in a couple of weeks), but make sure you start early in case there are any issues with your transcript that could delay the process.
It may seem like a lot of work, but if you can just break this checklist up into smaller, more manageable steps and work through them one by one, you'll have a great application put together in no time. If you're wondering how to implement this checklist or just overwhelmed and looking for some more personalized help, please feel free to schedule a free strategy call with one of our coaches.