Although most law schools do not begin accepting applications until October, now is a good time to understand the process through which applicants submit their applications.
Unlike many other application processes, the law school application process is standardized and centralized. All documents and information are uploaded to what is known as the Credential Assembly Service. The service is run by Law School Admission Council, the same organization that creates and administers the LSAT.
Submitting all your materials to the service makes the law school admissions process easier in most respects, but there are a few important things to know about the process. Here are some things to keep in mind as you upload the four elements of your application.
[Consider the benefits and consequences of gap years between college and law school.]
— LSAT score report: Since LSAC runs the service, it not surprising that your LSAT score report will be submitted to schools through it. This is generally the simplest part of the process: All you have to do is take the test and LSAC does the rest.
You should, however, be sure to review your score report before submitting your applications. Make sure that any information on the score report is accurate and contact LSAC if you believe any of the information on the report is erroneous. Also make sure that you have addressed multiple scores, if necessary, in an addendum.
[Understand how law schools evaluate LSAT scores.]
— Transcripts and GPA: Uploading transcripts is something that can be done at any time, so it is best to get this part of the process taken care of early. If you are still in college when you apply, however, you should wait until your junior year grades have been submitted so that schools have a full record of your academic achievement. Uploading transcripts seems straightforward, but there are a few things to keep in mind when you begin this process.
First, make sure that you upload all transcripts from any undergraduate or graduate programs, including study abroad programs and transcripts for any credits you received from a school other than the school from which you graduated. T his is especially important for students who transferred during undergrad.
Second, do not rely on your school’s calculation of your GPA. The LSAC uses its own formula to determine undergraduate GPA and generally includes any transfer and study abroad credits. Many schools do not include transfer and study abroad credits in their internal GPA calculations, so don’t be surprised if your LSAC GPA is a bit different from the GPA your school calculates.
A few of my past clients have shared that they were surprised by this and wished that they had taken their study abroad classes a bit more seriously — although their few study abroad grades didn’t make a substantial impact on their GPA.
Finally, the service only accepts official transcripts, which usually need to be requested from the relevant school. Do not attempt to submit copies, PDFs or any other nonofficial transcript. Your school’s registrar’s office will be able to assist you in providing the service with official transcripts.
— Application materials: In addition to filling out the applications themselves, you will have to upload all your essays, such as personal statements, diversity statements, addenda, school-specific essays and so on.
If you customize your essays for each school you apply to — which I encourage you to do — be sure to properly label each document so that you are sure to send the proper essays to the proper schools.
Also make sure that each document you upload states your name and LSAC number (an “L” followed by eight digits) so that your application materials can be easily identified by admissions offices.
[Learn three ways for law school applicants to brainstorm a long list.]
— Letters of recommendation: The service allows applicants to submit letters of recommendation themselves or have recommenders submit them directly. Most recommenders prefer to submit the letters themselves, and you should do whatever your recommenders prefer.
LSAC has recently allowed applicants to submit “evaluations” in lieu of or in addition to letters of recommendation. In an evaluation, the evaluator is asked to rate the applicant across many different parameters, including intellectual skill, integrity and working with others.
Most schools prefer to receive traditional, prose letters of recommendation, especially from professors. Unless a school specifically requests an evaluation, I recommend submitting a traditional letter of recommendation.
Are you having any challenges using the service? Email me or tweet me.
More from U.S. News
Advice on Law School Admissions Offers, LSATs on Applications
3 Don’ts for New Law Students Planning to Transfer
3 Ways for Law School Applicants to Brainstorm a Long List
Navigate the 4 Parts of the LSAC Credential Assembly Service originally appeared on usnews.com