Pre-Law Checklist FAQs 

Common Questions

I want to go to law school but I don’t know where to start! What should I do?
We’re excited that you are considering a degree in law. Whether you have been dreaming of this since you were little or have recently been considering, there is no wrong place to start. Here are some potential places to start understanding what it’s like to go to law school and become a lawyer:

• Meet with a career advisor to learn more about careers options with a law degree. 
• Reach out to a lawyer for an informational interview to learn more about how they started their career and any tips they may have. 
• Attend a workshop with a pre-law advisor to learn more about if law school is right for you. 

Check out our resources page to learn more about what lawyers do and what types of law are there. You can also read more on NALP What Do Lawyers Do page. 

What’s the best major to graduate with for Law School?
You may be surprised to learn this, but there is no “right” major for law school. The important thing to remember is to select a major that is something you are interested in and aligns with your skills. We also recommend taking classes that involve a heavy mix of reading and writing as these will help you understand the lift that law school classes require. 

Should I take a gap year or more before entering Law School?
Many students choose to wait a couple of years after graduating from college to attend law school. Often, work experience and service/volunteer experience are viewed favorably by law schools. If you are in doubt about whether going to law school if a good fit for you, considering taking the time off. During that time, you can work within your discipline, work in the legal field to determine if you want to practice law, or even volunteer with an organization you are passionate about. 

LSAT Preparation

What is the LSAT?
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the standardized test required for admission to law school. The LSAT is a test of ability rather than knowledge so it is impossible to memorize the information required to perform well on the exam. Practice is essential for success. To learn more about the sections, structures, and test dates, please visit our LSAT Resource page. 

Is there an alternative to the LSAT?
At this time, there are a handful of law schools that accept GRE General Test scores for admission to their JD programs. These schools may also consider GRE scores when offering scholarships to admitted students. Please review this list of law schools to see if your schools of interest accept the GRE. 

What is a good score on the LSAT?
The range of  scores for the LSAT is from 120 to 180. Focus on getting a good LSAT score that gets you into your school of choice and may help you get some scholarship money. It can also be helpful to find out the median scores of students that are admitted your schools of interest. To determine the LSAT scores that students are admitted with, visit ABA Standard 509 Reports. All schools report their 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile scores. Remember, while your LSAT score is extremely important, it is not the only factor in admissions. A good initial goal is the median LSAT score for your schools of interest. 

How do I prepare for the LSAT?
Students can either choose to self-study or complete preparation courses. If you are choosing to self-study, you will need to have strong time management skills and the ability to learn from reading and practicing. Check out the University of Oregon Library to see what preparation books are available or review books before deciding which book to invest in. 

For online preparation courses, including free options, please visit our resources page under ‘LSAT Study Resources’. 

Applying to Law School

What is the application timeline?
Most law schools operate on a rolling admissions basis. Applications open in early fall (late August through early October) and begin making admission offers after. All applications for law school are submitted through LSAC. Students should either apply to law school in the fall (by end of October or early November) of the year before they want to start law school. 

In competitive admissions cycles, applying earlier matters more. Since it is difficult to predict competitive cycles, applying earlier in the cycle (late September to late October) is recommended when possible. For a sample timeline, please utilize our sample PDF worksheets. 

What materials will I need to apply to Law School? 
For most law school applications, the process is done online through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS). CAS functions as the admissions portal specifically for law schools, similar to the Common Application for undergraduate admissions. 

The materials that you will need to apply for law school may include: 

• An updated Resume or CV
• A Personal Statement
• Letters of Recommendation 
• Academic Transcripts 
• LSAT Score
• Other School Specific Essays/Statements
• Character and Fitness Questions 
• Addenda (if applicable) 
• Optional Essays (such as a Diversity Statement) 

What is a personal statement?
Your personal statement is a critical component of your law school applications. Your personal statement is often the only “interview” you get for most law schools. Your personal statement will help the admissions committee determine the strength of your writing skills and whether you will be a positive addition to their law school community. While most schools have an open personal statement to write about a topic of your choice, others may require you to write about why you want to go to law school, why you have selected that particular school, or how you will contribute to the legal field. 

The process can require deep reflection and digging into the stories that demonstrate who you have become from various life experiences. We encourage you to think about a couple of personal statement topics and spend 15 minutes freewriting on each topic. Review each of these topics after freewriting and once you find the topic you’d like to write about, develop an outline.

Understand that a personal statement may require multiple revisions. It’s a great idea to have someone review your paper, whether its a professor, a pre-law advisor, or a tutor with the writing center.  

What about letters of recommendation?
For letters of recommendation, most schools will require at least two and may allow for an optional third as well. At least one of your recommenders should be an instructor who is familiar with your academic work. Other recommenders can include work or internship supervisors, coaches, or advisors. For more information about letters of recommendation, including a timeline, please visit our Applying to Law School page. 

How do I obtain my academic transcripts? 
Please visit the Office of the Registrar to learn more about requesting transcripts for LSAC. 

What is the Character and Fitness section?
The Character and Fitness section of your application will ask you to disclose any past misconduct that falls into two general categories: academic and criminal. For more information about how to fill this section out, please visit our Applying to Law School page. 

Selecting a Law School

How do I decide where to apply to law school?
Choosing where to apply to law school can be a daunting task. With almost 200 law schools accredited in the United States by the American Bar Association (ABA), there are many considerations to factor in. Here are some key questions to ask yourself when deciding where to apply:

• Where do you want to live while attending law school?
• Does the law school offer an expertise at the law school that interests you? 
• Where do you want to practice law after graduation? 
• What is the bar passage rate?
• What is the total cost of tuition, including tuition and living expenses? 

These questions and more can be found on our Applying to Law School page to assist you with deciding where to apply. 

I’ve been offered admission to law school! How do I decide?
Congratulations on your admission! Now that you’ve received admission offers, you may want to connect with individuals from the law school who can share their experiences and insights. 

Another important piece of information to consider is your financial aid package. Understanding your financial aid package will help you understand the total cost you will be paying for law school, including living expenses.

We recommend that once you receive acceptances, you should visit your finalists to meet with admissions, career services, take a tour, and more. For ideas on questions to ask your schools of interest, please visit NALP’s What Questions Should I Ask?