Berkeley / Boalt
Application Period: September 1 – February 1

Boston College
Application Period: Mid-September – March 1

Boston University
Binding Early Decision Deadlines: December 1
Application Period: September 15 – March 1

Chicago
Early Decision Deadline: December 1
Application Period: September 1 – February 1

Columbia
Early Decision Deadline: November 15
Application Period: September 1 – February 15

Cornell
Early Action Deadline: November 1
Application Period: September 1 – February 1

Duke
Early Decision Deadline: November 4 (Round I) and January 7 (Round II)
Application Period: September – February 15

Emory
Application Period: September – March 1.

Fordham
Early Decision Deadline: October 15
Application Period: September 1 – March 1

George Washington
Early Decision Deadline: December 15
Application Period: October 1 – March 31

Georgetown
Early Decision Deadline: March 1
Application Period: October 1 – March 1

Harvard
Application Period: September 15 – February 1

Illinois
Early Decision Period: October 31
Application Period: September 15 – March 1

Iowa
Application Period: September 1 – March 1

Michigan
Early Decision Deadline: November 15
Application Period: September 1 – February 15.

Minnesota
Early Action Deadline: November 15
Application Period: September 1 – April 1

New York University
Early Decision Deadline: November 15
Application Period: September – February 15

Northwestern
Early Decision Deadline: December 1
Application Period: September 1 – February 15

Notre Dame
Early Decision Deadline: November 1
Application Period: October 1 – February 15

Stanford
Application Period: September 1 – February 1

UCLA
Early Decision Deadline: November 15
Application Period: September – February 1

University of Pennsylvania
Early Decision Deadline: November 15
Application Period: September 1 – March 1

USC / Gould
Application Period: September 1 – February 1

U Texas-Austin
Early Decision Deadline: November 1
Application Period: September – February 1

U Virginia
Application Period: September 1 – March 1

University of Washington
Application Period: October 1 – February 15

Vanderbilt
Application Period: September 10 – March 15.

Washington and Lee
Application Period: September 1 – March 1

Washington University in St. Louis
Application Period: late September – March 1 (recommended deadline; applications accepted after this date on space-available basis)

William and Mary
Application Period: September 1 – March 1

Yale
Application Period: September 15 – February 15

In general, it’s best to submit your application materials as early as possible.  Applicants who can complete and submit quality applications early on in the process demonstrate their organizational skills, a characteristic valued by law school admissions committees.  In addition, candidates who apply early demonstrate their serious commitment to law school, as opposed to those who apply at the last minute and therefore may appear as though they are applying on a whim.  Applying early may also be helpful for the following types of candidates:

1. “Cookie cutter” candidates. Applying early can be beneficial for candidates who need help standing out from the rest of the pack.  If you come from a common academic background (pre-law, political science) or professional field (paralegal), applying early may give you an advantage.  Based on the rolling admissions process, your application will be reviewed and considered earlier in the process, making you stand out positively amongst applicants with similar backgrounds who submit their materials closer to the deadline.

2. Candidates with complicated messages. Other law school candidates who may benefit from applying early in the process are those with complicated backgrounds or messages, as admissions committee members generally have more time and energy while reviewing applications earlier in the process.  For example, if you need to explain a non-traditional academic or professional history, or atypical career goals, applying early will give the admissions committee time to digest the uniqueness of your candidacy.  In addition, applicants who have to explain past academic, legal, or professional troubles may want to apply early so the admissions committee can dedicate its energy to understanding the reasons behind your actions and how you have grown since then.

We hope this information was helpful for people pondering the advantageous timing of their law school application submission.  Stay tuned for another Admissions Tip later this week regarding the merits of applying later in the application process.

Though most schools have not announced their deadlines for the 2010-2011 application season, it’s important to keep in mind that applicants can usually begin applying as early as October 1st.  While Regular Decision deadlines typically occur anywhere in February, most candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible in the admissions season, as most admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.

We therefore encourage law school applicants to consider adopting a “June-to-June” plan in which to structure their application work:

June: take the LSAT
July – August: contact recommenders; brainstorm personal statement; put together resume; finalize school list
September: write and refine personal statement, diversity statement, why school x statement
Early October – November: apply to schools
June: receive admissions decision

This timeline also includes budgeting time before June to prep for the LSAT as well as research the schools to which you want to apply.  In addition, although we hope this is not the case, if you are waitlisted you will need to spend some time in the subsequent spring and summer taking charge of your waitlist communication and ensuring that you position your candidacy in the most positive light.

This “June-to-June” plan is especially ideal for rising seniors, as most of the work occurs in the summer months and thus fall semester courses and other school commitments will not be overwhelmed by application work.

Good luck to everyone who is planning to apply to law school this fall!

The official test dates and locations can be found on the LSAC website. Below is a list of the LSAT test dates for the 2011-2012 application season:

Monday, June 6th, 2011
Saturday, October 1st, 2011
Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Saturday, December 3rd, 2011
Monday, December 5th, 2011
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
Monday, February 13th, 2012

After June, the majority of applicants are expected to attend the Saturday test days, as the Monday and Tuesday tests are generally reserved for Sabbath observers.  All scheduled LSAT tests will begin at 8:30 a.m. – the exception being the June 6th test, which will begin a 12:30 p.m.

Generally, it is recommended that applicants take the LSAT before the February test dates, as many of the top schools, including Harvard, Stanford and NYU, require that candidates take the LSAT no later than the December proceeding the year they hope to matriculate. If this is the case at your target schools, you may want to consider signing up for the September test to ensure that you have a fallback date in the event that you do not perform up to your expectations the first time around.

Once you’ve decided on a test date, it will be time to start preparing – it’s never too early to begin taking practice exams and reading through review books. Doing so will help you get a sense of your current weaknesses, allowing you to devote adequate time addressing them before you sit for the exam. To find sample questions or to purchase practice tests, you may want to visit the LSAC website.

We wish you the best of luck as you begin preparing for this important element of the application process!

January 7: Duke ED (Round II)
January 15: U. Washington
February 1: Berkeley, Chicago, Cornell, Fordham, Harvard, NYU, Stanford, UCA, USC / Gould, U Texas-Austin
February 15: Columbia, Duke, Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame, University of Pennsylvania, Yale
March 1: Boston College, Boston University, Emory, Illinois, Iowa, Georgetown, U. Virginia, Washington and Lee, Washington U. in St. Louis
March 15: Vanderbilt
March 31: George Washington
April 1: Minnesota

While it’s usually best to apply as early as possible, sometimes there is no option but to apply closer to the deadline.  However, because many leading law programs grant admission on a rolling basis, the closer it is to the deadline, the more seats in the incoming class have already been given away.

To maximize your chances of a close to deadline acceptance, demonstrating your interest in the school and submitting thoughtful and error-free written materials will be crucial. Just as applying early is generally taken as a sign of interest in a given program, applicants submitting their materials closer to the deadline need to work extra hard to convince the adcom that they are genuinely interested in the school and are not simply applying as an afterthought because interview invitations didn’t come through from other schools. Demonstrating that you would make a valuable contribution to the community and providing evidence that you have taken steps to engage current students and alumni will work to your advantage.

As always, we’d like to recommend the in-depth Clear Admit Law Guides to those applicants who are targeting the later deadlines and just beginning to investigate certain programs, or are preparing for interviews at their target schools.

Though most schools have not announced their deadlines for the 2010-2011 application season, it’s important to keep in mind that applicants can usually begin applying as early as October 1st.  While Regular Decision deadlines typically occur anywhere in February, most candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible in the admissions season, as most admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.

We therefore encourage law school applicants to consider adopting a “June-to-June” plan in which to structure their application work:

June: take the LSAT
July – August: contact recommenders; brainstorm personal statement; put together resume; finalize school list
September: write and refine personal statement, diversity statement, why school x statement
Early October – November: apply to schools
June: receive admissions decision

This timeline also includes budgeting time before June to prep for the LSAT as well as research the schools to which you want to apply.  In addition, although we hope this is not the case, if you are waitlisted you will need to spend some time in the subsequent spring and summer taking charge of your waitlist communication and ensuring that you position your candidacy in the most positive light.

This “June-to-June” plan is especially ideal for rising seniors, as most of the work occurs in the summer months and thus fall semester courses and other school commitments will not be overwhelmed by application work.

Good luck to everyone who is planning to apply to law school this fall!

February 15: Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Michigan, Northwestern, University of Pennsylvania, Yale
March 1: Boston College, Boston University, Emory, Fordham, Iowa, University of Virginia, Washington and Lee, William and Mary
March 15: Illinois, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt
March 31: George Washington
April 1: Minnesota
April 15: Washington University in St. Louis (recommended deadline is March 1)

While it’s usually best to apply as early as possible, sometimes there is no option but to apply closer to the deadline.  However, because many leading law programs grant admission on a rolling basis, the closer it is to the deadline, the more seats in the incoming class have already been given away.

To maximize your chances of a close to deadline acceptance, demonstrating your interest in the school and submitting thoughtful and error-free written materials will be crucial. Just as applying early is generally taken as a sign of interest in a given program, applicants submitting their materials closer to the deadline need to work extra hard to convince the adcom that they are genuinely interested in the school and are not simply applying as an afterthought because interview invitations didn’t come through from other schools. Demonstrating that you would make a valuable contribution to the community and providing evidence that you have taken steps to engage current students and alumni will work to your advantage.

As always, we’d like to recommend the in-depth Clear Admit Law Guides to those applicants who are targeting the later deadlines and just beginning to investigate certain programs, or are preparing for interviews at their target schools.

Applicants who would like to demonstrate their commitment to attending the program may choose to apply under the Early Decision option by submitting an early decision agreement to the Office of Admissions. Once admitted to the University of Virginia Law School as an Early Decision applicant, the candidate must withdraw all other law school applications and may not initiate any new applications for admission. Applicants who choose to go this route will be notified of the school’s decision regarding their candidacy no later than 15 days after the application is complete, the early decision agreement has been received and the applicant’s residency status has been determined.

Various LL.M. programs offer their students different opportunities in terms of areas of specialization, location and class size. Stanford, for instance, asks students to pursue one of two specializations:  Corporate Governance & Practice or Law, Science and Technology. Stanford’s LL.M class is relatively small with an average of 30 total students, 15 in each of these two groups. Stanford’s program is designed exclusively for students who have earned a primary law degree outside of the U.S. Meanwhile, the Harvard LL.M. program, representing a large class of 150 students in a given year, is currently in the process of developing a series of concentrations for its students to pursue, but aims to allow for as much flexibility in its curriculum as possible. Students from foreign nations and with J.D. degrees from accredited U.S. law schools are eligible for admission. The Cambridge LL.M. program, unlike either Stanford or Harvard, is even willing to admit a candidate without a law degree on occasion.

For individuals in the law community seeking a career in academia, now is the time to begin preparing an LL.M. application. In the past, we’ve discussed the upcoming admissions review periods for prospective J.D. candidates. Students pursuing alternative law degrees, such as an LL.M., however, are generally asked to submit applications sooner than those candidates applying for J.D. programs.  Many law school admissions offices are set to begin receiving LL.M. applications by August or September, similar to the time when the J.D. review process begins, but set then set their deadlines for sometime in November or December.  This means the window for LL.M. applicants to gather application materials and apply for financial aid is smaller than that provided for J.D. candidates.

Here’s a glimpse at a few of the already announced LL.M. deadlines:

Yale: November 16, 2009

Harvard: December 1, 2009

Cambridge: December 1, 2009

Chicago: December 15, 2009

Altogether the LL.M. deadlines at other programs, such as NYU, Columbia and Stanford have not yet been updated for the 2009-2010 admissions process, given their previous deadline histories, candidates can be confident that the dates will be set for sometime in November or early December.

The official test dates and locations can be found on the LSAC website. Below is a list of the LSAT test dates for the 2009-2010 application season:

Monday, June 8, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010

The majority of applicants are expected to attend the Saturday test days, as the Monday and Tuesday tests are generally reserved for Sabbath observers.  All scheduled LSAT tests will begin at 8:30 a.m. – the exception being the June 8th test, which will begin a 12:30 p.m.

Generally, it is recommended that applicants take the LSAT before the February test dates, as many of the top schools, including Harvard, Stanford and NYU, require that candidates take the LSAT no later than the December proceeding the year they hope to matriculate. If this is at the case at your target schools, you may want to consider signing up for the September test to ensure that you have a fallback date in the event that you do not perform up to your expectations the first time around.

Once you’ve decided on a test date, it will be time to start preparing – it’s never too early to begin taking practice exams and reading through review books. Doing so will help you get a sense of your current weaknesses, allowing you to devote adequate time addressing them before you sit for the exam. To find sample questions or to purchase practice tests, you may want to visit the LSAC website.

We wish you the best of luck as you begin preparing for this important element of the application process!