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Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is a service of LSAC, and serves as a kind of clearinghouse of information related to your application. CAS centralizes all your data, including your academic record, your LSAT score(s) and your letters of recommendation. In addition, access to online law school applications...
Letters of Recommendation and Evaluations
Law schools normally ask for a minimum of two letters of recommendation. The best recommendations come from instructors who know your academic work well, who can evaluate your intellectual capabilities and potential to study law, and who can give specific examples of your stellar qualities. Try to get at least...
Applying after taking time off
Applying to law school after you have been in the workforce may present some special issues. Among the most common questions for “returnees” involve letters of recommendation and the weight accorded a college GPA that may be years in the past. The second issue is the easier one to address:...
Application Components
To the left, you’ll find the primary categories of law school application components. Within each category, there are several articles and links to additional resources that will help you understand each application component, and ensure that you are able to put together the best package possible. To...
Fee waivers
LSAC will grant fee waivers to applicants with demonstrated financial need. Download a fee waiver packet from the LSAC website. The application must be submitted in a timely manner to be considered, usually four weeks before the test date. Fee waivers are available for the following services: two LSATs during...
University Discipline
Law school applications ask about both academic and non-academic sanctions. These questions are generally open-ended enough to include everything from a suspension for failure to maintain a minimum grade point average to an R.A.’s warning for violation of the bathroom policy. All end up on your disciplinary record...
Criminal records
All law school applications ask about your criminal record. One purpose of these questions is to fulfill the schools’ mandate to ensure that applicants for the Bar are of “good moral character”. Depending on the states in which you eventually apply for law school admission, your application materials may be...
Dean’s Certification or Letter
A handful of law schools still require a “Dean’s Certification” or “Dean’s Letter” as part of the application process. This is a letter from the undergraduate institution that details the applicant’s disciplinary record (if any) and, in some cases, confirms the applicant’s grade point average and...
Transcripts
Every law school requires that you forward your complete official undergraduate transcript to LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service. CAS will both forward your transcript(s) to the law schools you apply to, as well as recalculate your GPA based on certain uniform rules. This includes the transcript from...
Resarching law schools
Once you have decided what you want from a law school, then you can begin to narrow your search. Application fees range from $50 to $90. Being selective saves you time and money. (Please note, though, that fee waivers are often available for applications.) However, don’t put all your eggs in...