Frequently Asked Questions

Here are eleven commonly asked pre-law advising questions. Click on each question for an answer from Georgetown University's Pre-Law Advisor.

1. Should I go to law school?
2. What major should I choose and which classes should I take if I want to go to law school?
3. How can I make myself a strong candidate for law school?
4. Should I go to law school right after I graduate from Georgetown, or is it best to wait a few years?
5. How many applications should I file?
6. How do I decide where to apply?
7. What time of year should I apply?
8. When should I take the LSAT, how many times should I take it, and how should I prepare?
9. What are LSAC and LSDAS?
10. How do I write a law school personal statement?
11. How many recommendations do I need and who should write them?

1. Should I go to law school?
   Too many law school applicants rush into the application process without stopping to ask the most important question -- should you go to law school? Do not go to law school simply because you have the grades to get into a good school. Do not go to law school because your parents are pressuring you to do so. Do not go to law school because you don't know what else to do after graduation. You should go to law school only if you have: 1) gained a realistic sense of what to expect from law school and from a legal career and 2) considered and ruled out other fields. How do you get there? Stopping by the Career Education Center front desk to schedule a pre-law advising appointment is an excellent first step. Your Pre-Law Advisor can tell you what to expect from law school and can tell you how to learn more about the many different types of legal careers. You should also consider making an appointment with a Career Counselor or Employment Advisor who can help you to explore other career possibilities.
   
   
2. What major should I choose and which classes should I take if I want to go to law school?
   There is no preferred course of study or major that will increase your chances of getting into law school. That truthful answer often frustrates students who are looking for a clear roadmap that will lead to a legal degree. But it also frees students to study what they enjoy. If you are interested in your courses you are more likely to obtain high grades and challenge yourself by taking rigorous courses, writing a thesis, or working on interesting research projects. Law schools want intellectually curious students. So, study what you love, and along the way look for opportunities to hone your critical thinking skills, writing skills, analytical skills, and oral communication skills.
   
   
3. How can I make myself a strong candidate for law school?
   Law schools will be most interested in your grades and your LSAT score. But admissions committees will be comparing you to many other applicants who will have those same grades and scores. Thus, they must also consider other factors such as your work experiences, your extracurricular activities, and your unique background. You should not feel compelled to join every club. Instead, opt for one or two outside interests, become deeply involved in those areas and take on leadership roles. Law schools desire applicants who demonstrate sustained commitment. It does not matter if that commitment is to a particular cause, to a sport, to the school newspaper, or to an instrument. Internships, including jobs in a legal field, are valuable because they allow you to explore career options, but they do not necessarily increase your chances of being admitted to law school. Working as a paralegal before attending law school will allow you to observe law firm life but will not make it easier for you to get into law school.
   
   
4. Should I go to law school right after I graduate from Georgetown, or is it best to wait a few years?
   Law schools do not require you to wait a few years before applying, but many applicants feel more confident about their decision to attend law school if they have spent a few years in the work force. Law schools often look favorably on work experience. How should you fill the interim between college and law school? Consider what you would do if law school were not an option, and spend a few years exploring that field. Do not worry if it is unrelated to law. That will not matter to the law schools. In fact, spending time in a non-legal environment can give you a different perspective and may make you more attractive to law schools. Alternatively, if you do not have a realistic sense of how lawyers spend their time, it may make sense to look for a job in the legal field. Meet with your Pre-Law Advisor to discuss your options.
   
   
5. How many applications should I file?
   Ten law school applications are the average for Georgetown students. You should include some schools that are considered "reach" schools, some schools that you reasonably expect to admit you, and some schools that are true "safeties". Your Pre-Law Advisor can help you to identify schools in each category. More applications might be necessary for those who have a low LSAT score and a low GPA, or for those who have a great disparity between their LSAT score and their GPA.
   
   
6. How do I decide where to apply?
   When selecting a law school, location is one of the most important factors to consider. As a general rule, those who attend the most selective law schools will be able to find employment in many areas after graduation. But graduates from most law schools work near their schools, especially during the first few years after graduation. Along with location, you should consider each school's academic strengths. Some schools have excellent reputations for particular legal fields, such as environmental law, international law, or intellectual property. The diversity of the student body, clinical offerings, costs and scholarship opportunities, and facilities are also important considerations. And obviously, you need to consider your chances of being admitted to the schools that interest you. Your Pre-Law Advisor can help you to identify possible schools and assist you in creating a final list.
   
   
7. What time of year should I apply?
   Applications should be submitted in the fall of the year prior to when you plan to attend law school. Many schools invite students to submit "early decision" applications, which require you to attend the school if accepted, and "early action" applications, which are not binding. Those deadlines run from mid-October through November. But all applicants should aim to complete their files before December. Law schools use a rolling admission system. As a result, the process often becomes more competitive if you apply later in the application season. Many law schools will continue to accept applications as late as January or February, but you should not wait for those deadlines. Click here for a helpful timeline of the application process.
   
   
8. When should I take the LSAT, how many times should I take it, and how should I prepare?
   The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is offered four times a year, in February, June, September or October, and December. If practical, you should take the test by the June prior to when you plan to apply to schools. We recommend that schedule because it allows you to devote more time to your applications during the fall and enables you to take the September/October test if you decide that a second test is necessary. With a September/October score you can still meet the "early decision" and "early action" deadlines at most schools. Although we encourage you to take the test early, it is never advisable to take the LSAT unless you are adequately prepared.
   
   Some students find private LSAT tutors and courses helpful, but such courses are expensive and are not a necessity. Georgetown does not recommend a particular course, but your Pre-Law Advisor can provide you with information about area courses and other LSAT study resources.
   
   
9. What are LSAC and LSDAS?
   
   The Law School Admissions Counsel, LSAC, writes and administers the LSAT. The LSAC website provides a wealth of information about the test and the application process. LSDAS is the Law School Data Assembly Service and is affiliated with LSAC. LSDAS acts as a clearing house for information that will be included in a report submitted with your applications. Before applying to law schools, you must register with LSDAS. (You are not automatically registered with LSDAS when you register for the LSAT.) When you register with LSDAS you must state how many reports you will need and pay the corresponding fee. You do not need to tell LSDAS which schools will need your report, and you can add additional reports at any time. Your LSDAS report will include your LSAT score, a copy of your LSAT essay, and copies of your official transcripts, which you are required to submit to LSDAS. In addition, if you opt to use the LSDAS recommendation service, your recommendation letters will also be part of your file. It is important that you monitor your LSDAS report to ensure that it is complete and accurate. When you submit an application to a law school, that school will contact LSDAS and obtain a copy of your official LSDAS report.
   
   The Law School Admissions Counsel, LSAC, writes and administers the LSAT.  The LSAC Web site, provides a wealth of information about the test and the application process.  LSDAS is the Law School Data Assembly Service and is affiliated with LSAC.  LSDAS acts as a clearing house for information that will be included in a report submitted with your applications.  Before applying to law schools, you must register with LSDAS.  (You are not automatically registered with LSDAS when you register for the LSAT.)  When you register with LSDAS you must state how many reports you will need and pay the corresponding fee.  You do not need to tell LSDAS which schools will need your report, and you can add additional reports at any time.  Your LSDAS report will include your LSAT score, a copy of your LSAT essay, and copies of your official transcripts, which you are required to submit to LSDAS.  In addition, if you opt to use the LSDAS recommendation service, your recommendation letters will also be part of your file.  It is important that you monitor your LSDAS report to ensure that it is complete and accurate.  When you submit an application to a law school, that school will contact LSDAS and obtain a copy of your official LSDAS report.  
   
   
10. How do I write a law school personal statement?
    It is imperative that you read and follow the personal statement directions of each school; they will likely vary.  Some schools ask you to address why you want to attend law school.  Others pose an open ended question, giving you freedom to address any topic of your choice.  If a school does not ask you to discuss why you want to be a lawyer, you should not feel compelled to address that subject.  No matter what topic you select, your statement should demonstrate that you have some of the attributes that make for a successful law school student -- leadership, analytical ability, determination, preciseness, integrity, intellectual curiosity, etc.  Personal statements usually run about two double spaced pages.  Your Pre-Law Advisor can help you to choose a topic and can critique your statement.  Georgetown University's Writing Center also reviews law school personal statements.  Click here for additional tips. 
    
    In addition to a personal statement, many law schools invite applicants to submit optional essays that address diversity issues. If you are member of a minority group and a school to which you are applying allows for such an essay, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of that opportunity.
    
    
11. How many recommendations do I need and who should write them?
    You should, of course, follow the specific requirements of each school to which you are applying.  But as a general rule, most schools request two to three recommendations.  Unless a school tells you otherwise, you can simplify the recommendation process by using the LSDAS recommendation service.  When you use that service, those writing your recommendations must complete a form (available on the LSDAS website) and attach it to their letters.  Then, they send just one copy of the letter to LSDAS.  LSDAS will send copies of your recommendations to your law schools.
    
    Unless you have been out of school and working for a number of years, law schools will be most interested in academic recommendations --letters from professors who know you well and who can comment on your writing and research skills and on your class participation.  Recommendations from work supervisors, coaches, or advisors are also useful.  Give your recommenders plenty of time to meet deadlines, offer them an updated copy of your resume, and provide them with stamped, addressed envelopes.