Law School
Do you enjoy analytical reasoning, research, critical thinking, problem solving, and written and oral communication? A variety of practice areas within the law utilize any or all of the above skills, and, in some ways, the law school admissions processes–and law school itself–assess an individual’s strengths in these areas. For admissions, the two most important factors are your LSAT score and college GPA. Since law schools do not offer interviews, they also consider your personal statement, letters of recommendation, and professional and extracurricular activities in order to get to know you better.
The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
The LSAT is offered four times each year: February, June, October (or, sometimes, late September) and December. In general, the best time to take the exam is in June of the year before you apply, as the timing would give you an opportunity to assess which law schools would be a realistic match for you to consider and would also provide you with plenty of time to decide whether you should retake the exam. Also, even though taking the exam in December is an option, you should be aware that there could be some disadvantages to completing your application so close to the deadline, since a number of schools have rolling admissions policies that, to some extent, favor early applications.
LSAT Preparation
The LSAT is not a knowledge test. Instead, it covers logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, reading comprehension, an unscored Experimental Section, and an essay, which won’t be scored but will be sent to the law schools.
To start learning about the test, review the preparation material and the sample LSAT, available on the website of the Law School Admissions Council, where you will also find other important information about the test and the application process.
Additionally, you should take past tests and prepare through LSAT prep books. Some applicants also choose to take a course for preparation.
Credential Assembly Service
You must register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) in order to apply applying to any ABA-approved law school in the United States. The role of the CAS is to compile your Academic Report and furnish them to law schools. The Report contains your LSAT score, a copy of the unscored written essay administered when you take the LSAT, letters of recommendation, and your transcript(s).