Application Requirements for Top Law Schools (2020–2021)
We've taken these requirements word for word from each school's application on LSAC. You'll find even more requirements in this Coda doc.
Contents
- 1 Yale University
- 2 Stanford University
- 3 Harvard University
- 4 Columbia University
- 4 University of Chicago
- 6 New York University
- 7 University of Pennsylvania
- 8 University of Virginia
- 9 Northwestern University
- 9 University of California—Berkeley
- 9 University of Michigan
- 12 Duke University
- 13 Cornell University
- 14 Georgetown University
- 15 University of California—Los Angeles
- 16 University of Texas at Austin
- 17 Washington University in St. Louis
- 18 University of Southern California
- 18 Vanderbilt University
- 20 Boston University
- 21 University of Minnesota
- 22 University of Notre Dame
- 23 George Washington University
- 24 Arizona State University
- 24 Emory University
- 24 University of Florida (Levin)
- 27 Fordham University
- 27 University of California—Irvine
- 27 University of Iowa
- 27 University of North Carolina
- 31 Boston College
- 31 University of Alabama
- 31 University of Georgia
- 31 University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
- 31 Washington and Lee University
- 31 William & Mary Law School
- 37 Brigham Young University
- 38 Indiana University - Bloomington
- 38 Ohio State University
- 38 University of California—Davis
- 38 University of Wisconsin
- 42 George Mason University
- 42 University of Washington
- 42 Wake Forest University
- 45 University of Utah
- 46 University of Colorado—Boulder
- 47 Pepperdine University
- 47 University of Arizona
- 47 University of Maryland
- 50 Baylor University
- 50 Florida State University
- 50 University of Connecticut
1 Yale University
L50: 173 | G50: 3.94 | Deadline: 2/15/2021
GRE medians:
Verbal: 166 | Quant: 164 | Writing: 5.5
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please submit a personal statement that helps us learn about the personal, professional, and/or academic qualities you would bring to the Law School community. Applicants often submit the personal statement they have prepared for other law school applications.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
250-Word Essay
In no more than 250 words, write about an idea or issue from your academic, extracurricular, or professional work that is of particular interest to you. The idea or issue you choose does not have to be law-related; this is simply another opportunity for faculty readers to learn more about how you would engage in the Law School community.
[This is required.]
Addenda
This section is optional.
You may use this attachment slot to include optional addenda to your application if any are necessary for a full representation of your candidacy, for example: a diversity statement, or explanations related to test scores or transcripts. It is not necessary to include any, and many applicants do not include addenda.
Yale Law School welcomes, but does not require, a diversity statement, which many applicants submit to help us learn more about them and how they would contribute to our community. Other applicants choose not to include diversity statements, especially if they have otherwise covered key aspects of their backgrounds and experiences in their applications. One way to decide whether to include a diversity statement is to consider those aspects of your identity that are core to who you are, and make sure they are represented in your application.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Notable Short-Answer Questions
\11. Assistance
- Did you receive any assistance in preparing this application?
- If your answer to Question 11.1 is yes, please specify from whom you received assistance (e.g., prelaw advisor, admissions consultant, family member), the nature of the assistance (e.g., proofreading, generating essay ideas), and whether or not you paid for this assistance. (maximum characters 1000)
- Did you take an LSAT or GRE preparation course or work with a tutor?
- If your answer to Question 11.3 is yes, please specify (e.g., Kaplan, PowerScore, Princeton Review). (maximum characters 600)
College Activities [Required]
Please answer a, b, and c separately from the included résumé and in any format you choose. Please note that we anticipate duplication between this section and your résumé and that the purpose of this section is to present your activities in a manner and order that is helpful to our review of your application. This section should be brief, and, in general, applicants should be able to provide this information in no more than 1–2 pages.
(a) Please list your activities during your terms off during your undergraduate education (including summers). Please list these in order of relative importance to you. For each activity, please:
- provide a brief description;
- state the approximate start and end date;
- estimate your time commitment; and
- note whether it was paid or unpaid.
(b) Please list those activities you participated in during the terms while you were also taking classes as part of your undergraduate education. Please list these in order of relative importance to you. For each activity, please:
- provide a brief description;
- state the approximate start and end date;
- estimate your time commitment; and
- note whether it was paid or unpaid.
(c) Please list any other activities during your undergraduate education (in or out of school) that you consider relevant (if not otherwise described above).
[Note: it's okay if these activities overlap with your résumé entries. You'll still be organizing them differently than you do on the résumé.]
Post-college Activities [Optional]
This section is optional.
If it has been more than three months since you attended college, describe what you have been doing in any format you choose. You should include graduate or professional education, paid or unpaid employment, as well as any other activities that you consider relevant. Please answer this question separately from any information provided in your résumé. Please note that we anticipate duplication between this section and your résumé and that the purpose of this section is to present your post-college activities in a manner and order that is helpful to our review of your application. This section should be brief, and, in general, applicants should be able to provide this information in no more than one page, unless they have extensive post-graduate or professional experience.
For each activity (aside from additional education), please:
- provide a brief description;
- state the approximate start and end date;
- estimate your time commitment; and
- note whether it was paid or unpaid.
C&F Questions
Please note that your answers to the following questions and any information included in your Character and Fitness attachment may become part of the character and fitness review of the bar in the states in which you intend to practice. In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
If your answer to either of the following Character and Fitness questions is yes, include an attachment describing the circumstances.
- Have you ever been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a felony or misdemeanor, or are there any criminal charges pending against you?
- At any educational institution you have attended, have you ever been the subject of any disciplinary action or proceeding for misconduct or deficient scholarship, or are there any charges pending against you?
Résumé Instructions
Please submit a résumé. You must answer the College and Post-college Activities questions separately from this included résumé. Generally, résumés should be 1–2 pages in length. .
2 Stanford University
L50: 171 | G50: 3.89 | Deadline: 2/15/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please attach a statement of about two pages describing important or unusual aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Diversity Essay
Although admission to Stanford Law School is based primarily upon superior academic achievement and potential to contribute to the legal profession, the Admissions Committee also considers the diversity (broadly defined) of an entering class as important to the school's educational mission. If you would like the committee to consider how your background, life and work experiences, advanced studies, extracurricular or community activities, culture, socio-economic status, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expressions, or other factors would contribute to the diversity of the entering class (and hence to your classmates' law school educational experience), you may describe these factors and their relevance in a separate diversity essay.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Optional Short Essays
If you think these optional short essays could help us get a better sense of who you are, we encourage you to consider submitting your responses to no more than two of the following questions. Note that there is a 100 to 250-word limit for each question.
- Would you rather be given a gift of a trip to the moon or $10,000 to travel the Earth?
- You're given the opportunity to teach a one-day class to your fellow students at Stanford Law School. Based on your particular skills and talents, what would you teach?
- The library in the town where you grew up has been destroyed. Choose three books to contribute to rebuilding the library's collection.
- Music has a way of setting tone and mood for any occasion. With this in mind, pick three songs or musical works to be playing in the background as the Admissions Committee reviews your materials.
[We strongly encourage you to respond to one of these essays; responding to two won't necessarily put you in a better position than responding to one. If you choose the last prompt, don't just name three songs—explain why they're important to you and why the admissions committee should listen to them!]
Optional Addenda
If you wish to provide additional and relevant information that is not explained in the required application materials, please attach a brief statement.
[You could use this for an LSAT, GPA, or gap-in-employment addendum.]
C&F Questions
*If your answer to any of these questions below is "Yes," please attach an explanatory statement with your electronic application. Prior to matriculation, you will be required to submit documentation from each school attended attesting to your good standing.
- Have you ever at any college or university been in other than good standing because of academic deficiencies, been sanctioned for misconduct, or been the subject of disciplinary proceedings?
- Have you ever been convicted of, or is any charge now pending against you for any crime other than a traffic violation?
- Have you ever been subject to discipline by a professional organization?
Résumé Instructions
Please attach a one-to-two page résumé describing your academic, extracurricular, and professional activities.
3 Harvard University
L50: 173 | G50: 3.88 | Deadline: 3/1/2021
GRE medians:
Verbal: 167 | Quant: 163 | Writing: 5
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
The personal statement provides an opportunity for you to present yourself, your background, your ideas, and your qualifications to the Admissions Committee.
Please limit your statement to two pages using a minimum of 11-point font, 1-inch margins, and double spacing.
The personal statement is intended as an opportunity to give the Admissions Committee a better sense of who you are as a person and as a potential student and graduate of Harvard Law School. In many instances, applicants have used the personal statement to provide more context on how their experiences and strengths could make them valuable contributors to the Harvard and legal communities, to illuminate their intellectual background and interests, or to clarify or elaborate on other information in their application. Because applicants and their experiences differ, you are the best person to determine the content of your statement.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Statement
The Admissions Committee makes every effort to understand your achievements in the context of your background and to build a diverse student body. If applicable, you may choose to submit an optional additional statement to elaborate on how you could contribute to the Harvard Law School community.
Please limit your optional statement to one page using a minimum of 11-point font, 1-inch margins, and double spacing.
If an optional statement runs over one page, it will be read. However, we ask that you use your best judgment to determine whether or not your optional statement should exceed the one-page expectation.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Addenda
We encourage you to provide any relevant information that may be helpful to us in making an informed decision on your application. Examples of information that may be relevant to individual cases include: unusual circumstances that may have affected academic performance, a description or documentation of a physical or learning disability, or a history of educational or sociological disadvantage. If a close relative has attended HLS, you may submit this information in this section.
If you have an addendum, please attach it here.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Notable Short-Answer Questions
Have you produced a significant piece of writing under the direct supervision of a faculty member or employer? Examples include but are not limited to: a thesis, a peer-reviewed and/or published article, or a white paper. If yes, please briefly describe the piece of work and the nature of the supervision. (maximum characters 300)
C&F Questions
PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS.
If you answer “yes” to any of the questions below, you must provide details in the space provided.
- At any educational institution, have you ever been found responsible for behavioral misconduct that resulted in anything more than a verbal reprimand or are any such charges pending?
- At any educational institution, have you ever been found responsible for academic misconduct or are any such charges pending?
- In a professional setting, have you been subject to disciplinary sanctions, or are any charges pending?
- Have you ever been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, any felony or misdemeanor, other than:
- an arrest or other detention that did not result in a conviction, or in which a conviction was vacated;
- a first conviction for any of the following misdemeanors: drunkenness, simple assault, speeding, minor traffic violations, affray or disturbance of the peace; or
- any misdemeanor conviction that occurred more than five years before your application for admission, unless you were also sentenced to imprisonment, or were convicted of any additional offense within the five year period.
Note that you are not required to answer “yes” to this question, or provide an explanation, if the criminal adjudication or conviction has been expunged, sealed, annulled, pardoned, destroyed, erased, impounded, or otherwise ordered by a court to be kept confidential.
- Are you currently deferring enrollment at a law school that requires a commitment not to apply elsewhere?
- Have you ever attended a law school?
- If you answered yes to any of the above questions, please explain here. [in the text box below]. (maximum characters 500)
Résumé Instructions
We require a resume as part of the application. Please limit your resume to one or two pages. Please visit the HLS J.D. Admissions website for sample résumés (http://hls.harvard.edu/dept/jdadmissions/apply-to-harvard-law-school/the-application-process/application-components/).
4 Columbia University
L50: 172 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 2/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2020
GRE medians:
Verbal: 166 | Quant: 162 | Writing: 5
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Candidates to Columbia Law School are required to submit a personal statement supplementing required application materials. We are curious about your interests, goals, and aspirations and how the J.D. program at Columbia can help you achieve these. You are encouraged to think about the contributions you hope to make to both the Columbia community and the legal profession while considering your personal, intellectual, and professional background and any relevant information that you may not have otherwise conveyed through your other application materials. Please note that the personal statement should be double-spaced and approximately two pages in length. This statement should be attached electronically.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay and why you’re interested in Columbia in particular.]
Supplementary Statement
Optional: Candidates may add brief supplementary statements they believe will enable the Admissions Committee to make a fully informed decision on the application. The Committee especially welcomes addenda that allow it to understand the contribution the applicant's background (e.g., socioeconomic status, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation) would add to the Columbia Law School community. Should you have multiple addenda, please combine (on separate pages, if necessary) these into one document and upload here.
[This is an open-ended prompt. You could respond with a brief diversity statement, LSAT addendum, GPA addendum, or something else.]
Notable Short-Answer App Questions
"Fun Facts" Question
- Optional In the space below, feel free to share any "fun facts" about yourself (hobbies, interests, special talents, and accomplishments, etc.) that the Admissions Committee may not be able to glean otherwise from your application. Please note that whether you choose to answer the question or not, there will be no impact on your admissions decision. (maximum characters 1000)
C&F Questions
If you answer "Yes" to questions 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, or 8.6 in the "Character and Fitness" section, you must attach a detailed, complete, and truthful written explanation in the "Attachments" section of the application. Please answer honestly, irrespective of any advice you may have received to the contrary. Should you have questions about whether or not to report an infraction, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions for clarification. If you answer "Yes" to question 8.1 and/or 8.2, please have the dean or administrative officer in charge of student records forward a detailed explanation of the incident to the Columbia Law School Office of Admissions at deanscerts@law.columbia.edu. Please read the application instructions for additional information.
[Note: we've included Columbia's questions about previous law school enrollment and education, though they don't come from the "Character and Fitness" Section.]
Question 5.3
Did you leave the law school under less than good standing?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 5.3, you must attach a written explanation here if the space available under 5.4 is not sufficient.
Question 5.5
Has your education in college, university, or professional school been interrupted for one term or more for any reason?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 5.5, you must attach a written explanation here.
Question 7.2
Were you [previously] offered admission [to Columbia Law School]? If "yes," you must provide an explanation regarding your decision not to matriculate in the "Attachments" section of the application.
Question 7.5
Are you deferring matriculation at a law school that requires you to abstain from applying to other law schools? If you answer "Yes," you must attach an explanation and have a Dean or administrative officer forward a statement expressly granting you permission to apply to Columbia Law School.
Question 8.1
Have you ever been on academic probation or subjected to disciplinary action for scholastic or other reasons by any college, university, graduate school, or professional school you have attended? This should include matters that have been expunged. In addition to attaching a written explanation in the "Attachments" section of the application, kindly have the Dean or administrative officer in charge of student records forward a detailed explanation of the incident.
Question 8.2
Are there any disciplinary charges pending or expected to be brought against you? In addition to attaching a written explanation in the "Attachments" section of the application, kindly have the Dean or administrative officer in charge of student records forward a detailed explanation of the incident.
Question 8.3
Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been cited, arrested, charged with, indicted, convicted or tried for, or pleaded guilty to, the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, except minor parking violations, or been the subject of any juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding? This should include matters that may have been expunged from the records or subject to a diversionary program. Please note that you should have available and be prepared to submit or exhibit copies of police and court records regarding any matter you disclose in reply to this question. If you answered "Yes," you must attach a detailed, complete, and truthful explanation, including a statement of the charge(s), the disposition thereof and the underlying facts. Please answer honestly, irrespective of any advice you may have received to the contrary.
Question 8.4
Are there any criminal charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 8.4, you must attach a detailed, complete, and truthful written explanation. Please answer honestly, irrespective of any advice you may have received to the contrary.
Question 8.5
Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action or discharge by a professional organization, e.g., an employer, certifying agency, or accreditation board?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 8.5, you must attach a detailed, complete, and truthful written explanation. Please answer honestly, irrespective of any advice you may have received to the contrary.
Question 8.6
Will you be enrolled in an undergraduate program on or after August 1, 2021?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 8.6, you must attach a detailed, complete, and truthful written explanation. Please answer honestly, irrespective of any advice you may have received to the contrary.
Résumé Instructions
In addition to answering the preceding questions, please also submit a copy of your résumé via electronic attachment.
4 University of Chicago
L50: 171 | G50: 3.89 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 12/1/2020
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please use the personal statement to introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee and to help the Committee get to know you on a personal level. It should demonstrate your potential contribution to the Law School community beyond simply academics and should demonstrate your ability to communicate your thoughts effectively. The Admissions Committee generally finds that a statement that focuses on a unique personal attribute or experience is usually the most informative (as opposed to a restatement of your qualifications or résumé).
While there is no page or word limit on the personal statement, please note that the Admissions Committee values an applicant's ability to communicate thoughts in a clear and concise manner. The Admissions Committee typically finds that 2-4 pages is a sufficient length for most personal statements.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Addendum 1
Please use the additional addendum options to provide any additional information that you believe is important to the Admissions Committee's evaluation of your application. For example, you may use an addendum to discuss how your background or experiences will enhance the diversity of the University of Chicago Law community, a disparity in multiple LSAT scores, any weaknesses or significant trends in your undergraduate record, a gap in education or work, or any other questions or issues that you believe may arise as the Committee is reviewing your record. Please note that it is not necessary to attach an addendum. Please do so only if you think it is necessary to the review of your file.
Optional Addendum 2
Please use the additional addendum options to provide any additional information that you believe is important to the Admissions Committee's evaluation of your application. For example, you may use an addendum to discuss how your background or experiences will enhance the diversity of the University of Chicago Law community, a disparity in multiple LSAT scores, any weaknesses or significant trends in your undergraduate record, a gap in education or work, or any other questions or issues that you believe may arise as the Committee is reviewing your record. Please note that it is not necessary to attach an addendum. Please do so only if you think it is necessary to the review of your file.
[Chicago's application has two slots for addenda: Optional Addendum 1 and Optional Addendum 2. You could attach a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, addendum about a gap in employment, or something else.]
Notable Short-Answer App Questions
- ACADEMIC INTEREST
10.1 Please identify any areas of academic interest (e.g., Constitutional Law, International Law, Public Interest Law, Law and Economics) that you would like to learn more about at the Law School. (maximum characters 100)
10.2 Please identify any experiential learning opportunities (e.g. Innovation Clinic, Abrams Environmental Clinic, International Immersion Program) that interest you or that you would like to learn more about at the Law School. (maximum characters 100)
10.3 Please identify any student organizations or extra curricular activities (e.g. Hinton Moot Court, First Generation Professionals, student-edited journals) that interest you or that you would like to learn more about at the Law School. (maximum characters 100)
Doctoroff Statement
If you answered "yes" to the Doctoroff Program question: "If you are admitted to the Law School, do you want to be considered for the Doctoroff Business Leadership Program", please attach a statement of interest describing in 250 words or less why you want to participate in the Doctoroff Program and how earning the Doctoroff Program Certificate will help you achieve your career goals.
C&F Questions
Note about Character and Fitness: An affirmative response to any portion of the Character and Fitness questions will not automatically disqualify a candidate from admission. State Bar Associations may request a copy of your application, materials, and record, including answers to the Character and Fitness questions in this application, in determining your admission to the bar. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Character and Fitness Q1
In connection with your enrollment at any college, university, or other institution of higher education, have you ever been placed on academic probation or found to be guilty of or responsible or accountable for any misconduct, including but not limited to any matter for which you were suspended, dismissed, expelled, banned, restricted, placed on probation, or subject to any other probation, sanction, or penalty? If so, please provide all material facts and an explanation of the circumstances. Please title your explanation: Character and Fitness 1. NOTE: Misconduct includes but is not limited to academic and non-academic matters. You must also disclose disciplinary matters that are pending at the time of your application.
Character and Fitness Q2
Have you ever been charged with or convicted of any crime or offense other than a minor traffic violation? This includes any charges, complaints, or citations that were filed against you as a juvenile or as an adult, formal or informal, pending or closed, dismissed, expunged, sealed, or subject to a diversionary program, and includes any charges, complaints, or citations that you reasonably expect to be brought against you. If so, please provide all material facts and an explanation of the circumstances. Please title your explanation: Character and Fitness 2.
Character and Fitness Q3
Have you been discharged or dismissed from the armed forces, other than by honorable discharge, or sentenced in a court-martial proceeding? If so, please provide all material facts and an explanation of the circumstances. Please title your explanation: Character and Fitness 3.
Prompt from attachments page: If you answered "yes," please attach a complete and detailed description of the circumstances.
Résumé Instructions
Please submit a résumé describing your educational history, extracurricular and community activities, academic honors and experiences, and any full- or part-time work experience. Indicate the number of hours per week spent on each activity or job and please include approximate dates for each activity. Make sure your résumé is current at the time of submitting your application. If your education or work has been interrupted for more than a normal vacation period, please describe your activities during that time in your résumé or in a separate addendum.
6 New York University
L50: 170 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 2/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2020
GRE medians:
Verbal: 165 | Quant: 163 | Writing: 5
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please clearly identify your personal statement and include your name and LSAC Account Number on all attachments.
[From Instructions section:] You may wish to complete or clarify your responses to items on the application form, bring to our attention additional information you feel should be considered, describe important or unusual aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in your application, or tell us what led you to apply to the NYU School of Law.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Underrepresented Group
Please attach a brief statement describing aspects of your identity, as indicated in section 7 (Underrepresented Group), that are relevant to your application.
Please clearly label all attachments and include your name and LSAC Account Number.
[From Section 7, Underrepresented Group:]
- Optional: New York University School of Law seeks to enroll a student body from a broad spectrum of society, including members of groups underrepresented in the profession as well as persons who have experienced socioeconomic and/or educational disadvantage. Please indicate here any such groups in which you would include yourself. Also attach a brief statement describing aspects of this identity that are relevant to your application. You may do so by uploading the statement in the attachment section of the application. [Please include your name and LSAC account number on all electronic attachments.]
[This prompt calls for a diversity statement about being a member of an underrepresented or disadvantaged group.]
Optional Additional Information
The Committee on Admissions encourages you to provide any information that may be helpful to us in reaching a thoughtful decision on your application. While the choice as to whether and what information to submit to the Committee is entirely yours, any information you provide will be used to give you full credit for your accomplishments, to help the Committee reach an informed decision on your application, and to aid the Committee in selecting a diverse student body.
Information that has been helpful in the past includes, but is not limited to, descriptions or documentation of disabilities, a history of standardized test results, unusual circumstances which may have affected academic performance, or personal/family history of educational or socioeconomic disadvantage. This list is not all-inclusive, but we offer it for you to think about as you consider whether such information might be relevant in your case, and to assure you that including it is quite appropriate.
You may attach a brief statement including any such information. Please clearly label all attachments and include your name and LSAC Account Number.
Application materials and all supporting documents submitted in connection with an application for admitted students who enroll at NYU School of Law become part of the student's law school records and are subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
[This is an open-ended prompt that could include a disability diversity statement, a standardized test addendum, a GPA addendum, or an economic disadvantage diversity statement.]
Scholarship Essays
AnBryce Essay
As an applicant for the AnBryce Scholarship, you should complete your JD application by January 1, and you should have a complete CAS report ready to be requested by our office no later than January 1. You also must submit an additional essay (500-750 words) with the JD application. The essay should address how you have embodied the attributes of an AnBryce Scholar in overcoming personal obstacles, how your legal education will enable you to promote the ideals underlying the program in your career, and the circumstances surrounding any challenges you have in encountered in your life that qualify you to receive this scholarship.
For more information about the AnBryce Scholarship Program, please visit: http://www.law.nyu.edu/financialaid/jdscholarships/anbryce
ASPIRE Essay
The ASPIRE Scholarship provides full-tuition scholarships for students who are dedicated to state, local, or federal government service and passionate about national security, cybersecurity, and information security (no previous technical background is necessary). For more information, please visit: https://www.law.nyu.edu/financialaid/jdscholarhips/ASPIRE-scholarship.
As an applicant for the ASPIRE Scholarship, you should complete your JD application by January 1, and you should have a complete CAS report ready to be requested by our office no later than January 1. You are required to submit, as an addendum to the JD application, a statement (no more than 500 words) that describes your interest in cybersecurity and in public service. You are also required to submit at least two references that may be contacted during the interview process.
Furman Academic Essay
As an applicant for the Furman Academic Scholars Program, you should complete your JD application by January 15, and you should have a complete CAS report ready to be requested by our office no later than January 15. You are also required to submit an additional essay (approximately 500 words) with the JD application that describes why you wish to pursue a career in legal academia and gives some sense of the field of legal scholarship you hope to pursue. In addition, you should explain why NYU School of Law is the right place for you to pursue your legal studies. Selections are based on the strength of a candidate's record and recommendations. At the conclusion of the selection process, some applicants will be asked to interview with faculty, students, and committee members.
For more information about the Furman Academic Scholars Program, please visit: http://www.law.nyu.edu/furmanprogram/furmanacademicscholarsprogram
Public Policy Essay
As an applicant for the Furman Public Policy Scholarship, you should complete your JD application by January 1, and you should have a complete CAS report ready to be requested by our office no later than January 1. You are required to submit with the JD application an additional essay (no more than 500 words) that describes your interest in public policy, and what specific public policy areas you wish to pursue with your law school training. You are also required to submit a recommendation letter that speaks to your interest or experience in public policy.
For more information about the Furman Public Policy Scholarship, please visit: http://www.law.nyu.edu/financialaid/jdscholarships/furmanpublicpolicyscholarship
Latinx Rights Essay
As an applicant for the Latinx Rights Scholars Program, you should complete your JD application by January 1, and you should have a complete CAS report ready to be requested by our office no later than January 1. You are also required to submit an additional essay (no more than 500 words) with the JD application that addresses your interest in serving the needs of Latinx communities.
For more information about the Latinx Rights Scholars Program, please visit:http://www.law.nyu.edu/financialaid/jdscholarships/latinx-rights-scholarship.
Law and Business Essay
As an applicant for the Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business and/or the Nordlicht Family Scholarship, you should complete your JD application by January 1, and you should have a complete CAS report ready to be requested by our office no later than January 1. Please indicate your specific scholarship interest(s) in your essay. You are also required to submit an additional essay (no more than 500 words) with the JD application. The essay should address your interest in the area of law and business or law and social entrepreneurship.
If you are applying for the Nordlicht Family Scholarship which supports social entrepreneurship through legal studies, your essay should address your interest in pursuing a career in social entrepreneurship. The Nordlicht Family Scholarship is limited to applicants with financial need as determined by the Law School financial aid application process. If you do not qualify for need-based financial aid, your Nordlicht Family Scholarship application will be considered for the Jacobson Leadership Scholarship.
For more information about the Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business, please visit: http://www.law.nyu.edu/leadershipprogram and http://www.law.nyu.edu/centers/grunin-social-entrepreneurship.
Root-Tilden-Kern Essay
As an applicant for the Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship, you should complete your JD application by January 1, and you should have a complete CAS report ready to be requested by our office no later than January 1.
Applicants to the Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship automatically are considered for the Lindemann Family Public Service Scholarship; Jacobson Public Service Scholarship for Women, Children and Families; Filomen M. D'Agostino Scholarship for Women or Children's Rights; and Filomen M. D'Agostino Scholarship in Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, and Criminal Justice. Applicants who wish to be considered for the Sinsheimer Service Scholarship must indicate their interest in the scholarship on their application.
All Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship applicants must submit a short public service essay not to exceed 750 words. Discuss your public service commitment and goals, and the factors that have most significantly influenced them, or any other aspects you consider relevant to your qualification for the scholarship(s). If your personal statement directly addresses your public service commitment, you may choose not to submit a separate essay and instead indicate on the personal statement that you would like it also to serve as your public service essay. At least one letter of recommendation must address your public service commitment.
For more information about the Root-Tilden-Kern Program, please visit: http://www.law.nyu.edu/financialaid/jdscholarships/rootscholarship.
C&F Questions
Please answer the following questions. You must answer these questions fully and truthfully regardless of any contrary advice that you may have received from others. If you are unsure whether a particular event must be revealed in answer to any of these questions, please contact the Office of Admissions.
Answering “yes” to any of the questions below does not preclude admission to the Law School. NYU Law strives to ensure that students in its incoming class bring with them a diversity of experience. All individuals, including those with previous criminal convictions and other prior involvement in the criminal justice system, are encouraged to apply.
Please note: In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Applicants who expect to practice in New York State also are encouraged to review Are You Fit to Be a Lawyer, published by the New York State Lawyer Assistance Trust. For more detailed information about the impact of past criminal convictions on the job search and bar passage, please visit our website.
*If you answer yes to questions 4 and/or 5, you are required to ask the dean or administrative office in charge of student records at the school at which the incident occurred to provide an explanation. The explanation should be submitted directly to NYU School of Law, via email at law.moreinfo@nyu.edu.
- Has your undergraduate or graduate course of study been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason?
- Have you ever enrolled in a J.D., LL.B., or other first law degree program?
- Are you currently deferring enrollment at a law school that requires a commitment not to apply elsewhere?
- Have you ever been placed on academic probation or been required to withdraw from any school for academic reasons?
- Have you ever been subject to academic or any other disciplinary sanctions, or are charges pending at any academic institution? This should include matters that have been expunged or dismissed.
- Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been charged with or convicted of any crime, or charged with or found to have committed any offense (whether or not defined as a crime), or are any such charges pending? This should include matters that have been expunged or dismissed.
- If you have ever served on full-time military active duty, was your discharge under conditions other than honorable?
Résumé Instructions
A resume is required to complete your application. Please attach your resume in this section.
7 University of Pennsylvania
L50: 170 | G50: 3.89 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 1/7/2021
GRE medians:
Verbal: 162 | Quant: 161 | Writing: 5
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
The Admissions Committee requires that every applicant submit an original example of written expression. The purpose of this personal statement is to provide you with as flexible an opportunity as possible to submit information that you deem important to your candidacy. You may wish to describe aspects of your background and interests--intellectual, personal or professional--and how you will uniquely contribute to the Penn Carey Law community and/or the legal profession. Please limit your statement to two pages, double spaced and label it as "Personal Statement" with your name and LSAC account number on each page.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider explaining why you’re going to law school and why you’re interested in Penn in particular by the end of the essay.]
Optional Essays
If you wish, you may write an additional essay on any of the following topics. These optional essays allow you an opportunity to provide the admissions committee with additional relevant information that you were not able to include in your personal statement. Please include the essay with your application by electronically attaching it to your application before submission through LSAC. You may answer more than one essay topic if you so choose. Include your name and LSAC account number on each page. Please limit any optional essay to one page, double spaced and title it appropriately.
- Describe how your background or experiences will enhance the diversity of the Penn Law community (e.g., based on your culture, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ideology, age, socioeconomic status, academic background, employment, or personal experience).
[This is a diversity statement prompt.]
- These are the core strengths that make Penn Carey Law the best place to receive a rigorous and engaging legal education: genuine integration with associated disciplines; transformative, forward-looking faculty scholarship; highly-regarded experiential learning through urban clinics and our pro bono pledge; innovative, hands-on global engagement; and a manifest commitment to professional development and collegiality. These qualities define Penn Carey Law. What defines you? How do your goals and values match Penn Carey Law’s core strengths?
- Describe a time when, as a member of a team, you particularly excelled or were especially frustrated. What was your role within that team? What was the outcome?
- If you do not think that your academic record or standardized test scores accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, please tell us why.
[This is a standard call for a GPA or LSAT addendum.]
[Our advice: write the core-strengths or team-member essay; only include the diversity statement and addendum if they will add value to your application.]
Additional Information
Please upload any additional explanations needed for the Application Questions.
[Use this section if you can't fit a character and fitness explanation into the text box.]
C&F Questions
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you must provide an explanatory statement. If you do not, the processing and review of your application will be delayed. We caution you to err on the side of full disclosure. If you need additional space for your explanation, you may upload it in the Character and Fitness section in Attachments.
- Has your academic experience ever been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason? (This does not include the time period between high school and college or between college and law school, etc.)
- Study Interrupted Explanation: (maximum characters 500)[A text box follows]
- Have you ever been issued academic or disciplinary warnings, placed on academic or disciplinary probation, suspended, dropped, expelled, or been required to withdraw from any post-secondary education you have attended, or are any such proceedings now pending against you? (This should include matters that have been expunged.)
- Academic and Disciplinary Action Explanation: (maximum characters 500) [A text box follows]
- Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been arrested, charged, cited or convicted of a crime (including misdemeanors), or cited for an infraction (including moving violations), or is any charge now pending against you? (This should include matters that have been expunged or subject to a diversionary program.)
- Crime Explanation: (maximum characters 500)[A text box follows]
- Have you ever been or are you currently enrolled in another law school?
- Prior Law School Matriculation Explanation: (maximum characters 500) [A text box follows]
Résumé Instructions
Please submit a résumé or CV as an electronic attachment with your application. In addition to your professional experiences, please include any academic and/or non-academic honors you have received as well as any extracurricular and/or community activities in college and since graduation. Please account for all time periods.
8 University of Virginia
L50: 170 | G50: 3.90 | Deadline: 3/3/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Your personal statement should provide information, in your own words, you believe relevant to the admissions decision not elicited elsewhere in the application. The statement is your opportunity to tell us about yourself; it may address your intellectual interests, significant accomplishments or obstacles overcome, personal or professional goals, educational achievements, or any way in which your perspective or experiences will add to the richness of the educational environment at the Law School. Please upload your personal statement to your e-application via LSAC.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Addenda
Should you wish to address topics (or other aspects of yourself or your application) that are not addressed elsewhere in your application, this section can be used to attach as many topics as you wish. If multiple topics are addressed, we prefer that you separate topics and upload each separately, and as descriptively labeled as possible.
[This is an open-ended prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, standardized test addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others. Note that last cycle, many successful students sent an unsolicited "Why UVA" essay.]
Activities & Interests
The University of Virginia School of Law and our graduates have a well-known and long-standing reputation for collegiality, involvement, and collaboration. Therefore, because we would like to know how you may have displayed these qualities, please list your significant extracurricular, extra-professional, community and/or other activities in the order of importance to you. Please provide a brief description of each activity, and specify your involvement, length of involvement, special projects, and responsibilities. required (maximum characters 2000)
Score Reports
This section is optional.
If you would like UVA Law to consider GRE General Test scores, GMAT scores, or both, please attach copies of all such score reports here. These score reports should show the test scores attained as well as the corresponding percentile rank of those scores. While PDFs of your score reports are helpful aids to our Admissions Committee members, they are not a substitute for the official score reports sent directly to UVA Law by ETS and/or GMAC. You must also direct ETS and/or GMAC to send official score reports directly to UVA Law.
C&F Questions
If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," attach an addendum explaining the circumstances. After submitting this application, you have an ongoing obligation to notify immediately the Office of Admissions of new or additional information pertaining to these questions.
ABA STANDARD 504 STATEMENT: In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
As you provide responses to the questions set forth in this section, please do so carefully and be mindful that in the future, when you seek admission to one or more state bars, you will be required to respond to similar conduct questions. For this reason, please pay careful attention to provide detailed, complete and accurate responses both on this application, as well as in response to similar questions that are posed to you in the future. Failure to provide complete, accurate and consistent responses, or to omit information that is requested, can cause serious problems for you when you are seeking bar admission.
- Have you ever been subject to verbal or written discipline (informal or formal, and of any type, such as but not limited to warning, reprimand, suspension, dismissal, and/or detrimental impact to any benefit/privilege) for scholastic or other reasons in any of the colleges, universities, graduate or professional schools you have attended (including organizations you have participated in at these institutions), or by any employer?
- Have you ever been cited for, charged with, taken into custody for, arrested for, indicted for, tried for, pled guilty to, or convicted of, the violation of any law, excluding minor traffic or parking violations? Note: incidents involving alcohol or drug possession, driving while intoxicated or impaired, damage to property, injury to person(s), driving without insurance, leaving the scene of an accident, driving on a suspended license, and/or reckless driving are NOT considered minor offenses for the purposes of this section and should be disclosed here. This question does NOT require you to disclose information concerning any arrest or criminal charge that has been expunged at the time you submit this application. This question does NOT require you to disclose incidents that were the subject of a juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding.
- Are there any charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
- Are you aware of any charges, discipline and/or accusations pending or expected to be brought against you of any kind that would satisfy any of the foregoing character & fitness-related questions?
Résumé Instructions
Attach a current and professional resume.
9 Northwestern University
L50: 169 | G50: 3.85 | Deadline: 2/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/16/2020
GRE medians:
Verbal: 161 | Quant: 160 | Writing: 4.5
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Include a typed personal statement (recommended length: one to three pages, double-spaced). Please look upon this essay as an opportunity to introduce yourself to members of the Admissions Committee. In doing so, keep in mind that the committee evaluates applicants in many areas beyond test scores. We encourage you to discuss personal and professional goals that are important to you and to include information about your achievements. Feel free to comment further about your education, background, community involvement, and strengths and weaknesses in certain courses or activities. Please type your name and LSAC account number on the top of each page. The statement should be electronically attached.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider describing your personal and professional goals.]
Optional Essay
The following question provides you with an additional opportunity to give the Admissions Committee relevant information that you were not able to include in your personal statement. While you are not required to answer it, if you choose to do so, please limit your response to two typed pages or less. The optional essay should be electronically attached. You can only attach one document to this section.
- Optional Essay: The students at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law come from many different backgrounds. Please describe any aspects of your background that you feel would allow you to contribute uniquely to the school and/or your classmates.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Addendum
If you have any additional information you would like to share with the Admissions Committee, you can electronically attach your addendum here.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt.]
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been suspended, expelled, placed on probation, or otherwise disciplined by any college or university for academic or other reasons?(If yes, explain on a separate sheet or electronic attachment.)
- Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been cited, arrested, taken into custody, charged with, indicted, convicted or tried for, or pleaded guilty to, the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, except minor parking or traffic violations, or been the subject of any juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding? (If yes, explain on a separate sheet or electronic attachment.)
Please note that although a matter may have been expunged from the records by an order of a court, it nevertheless should be disclosed in the answer to this question. Also, you should have available and be prepared to submit or exhibit copies of police and court records regarding any matter you disclose in reply to this question.
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Information about the requirements for admission to the bars of various states is available from the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610, website www.abanet.org.
Résumé Instructions
Please submit a copy of your current résumé. The résumé should be electronically attached.
9 University of California—Berkeley
L50: 168 | G50: 3.81 | Deadline: 2/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2020
LORs: 0 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please provide more information about yourself in a written personal statement. The subject matter of the essay is up to you, but keep in mind that the reader will be seeking a sense of you as a person and as a potential student and graduate of Berkeley Law.
Berkeley Law seeks to enroll a class with varied backgrounds and interests. If you wish, you may discuss how your interests, background, life experiences, and perspectives would contribute to the diversity of the entering class. If applicable, you may also describe any disadvantages that may have adversely affected your past performance or that you have successfully overcome, including linguistic barriers or a personal or family history of cultural, educational, or socioeconomic disadvantage.
Your personal statement should be limited to four double-spaced pages. The thoughts and words contained therein must be your own and no one else should assist in its creation beyond basic proofreading and critiquing. Please include your name and LSAC account number on each page of the statement.
[This is an open-ended prompt, but consider discussing your diversity factors if you can weave them in. Berkeley also offers a diversity statement.]
Diversity Statement
This section is optional.
How will you (your perspective, experience, Voice) contribute diversity in our classrooms and community? Feel free to address any factors or attributes you consider important and relevant. In the past, applicants have included information about characteristics such as: race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socio-economic background, first generation college or professional school student, student parent, re-entry student, geographic diversity, ideological diversity, and others. (350 word maximum)
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Why Berkeley Law
This section is optional.
Tell us more about your interest in Berkeley Law. What makes our school a good fit for you in terms of academic interests, programmatic offerings, and learning environment? (350 word maximum)
[We recommend that you write this essay.]
Prior Law School
This section is optional.
If you have ever been or are currently registered at another law school, please attach an addendum explaining the circumstances.
Standardized Tests
This section is optional.
If you do not believe that your standardized test score(s) or academic record accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, then you may tell us why and share what you believe indicates your potential. (250 word maximum). You may attach a copy of your SAT or ACT score report(s) to this essay, and we reserve the right to request score reports to verify statements made in this optional essay.
Addenda
This section is optional.
You may attach any other supplemental materials or addenda to your application here.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Scholarship Essays
The Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholarship (BLOS) and the Graduate Diversity Program (GDP) both require an additional essay. You should submit the essay(s) below.
[The rest of this information comes from Berkeley's web page.]
THE BERKELEY LAW OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP
The Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholarship (BLOS) is a 3 year, full tuition scholarship for first generation college graduates. In order to apply, you must:
- Identify as a first generation college graduate
- Submit a complete admissions application by December 15, 2020
- Have taken the LSAT no later than November 2020
- Write a 1-2 page BLOS essay with your application materials
As a premier public law school, meaningful access to a high-quality legal education is central to our core mission and values. We believe that we have a responsibility to promote access for students who are the first in their families to graduate from college and to pursue a professional degree. A first generation college student is someone whose parents did not earn a college degree or the equivalent. The Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholarship is a symbol of our commitment to both excellence and access.
Furthermore, we believe that first generation individuals bring an important perspective, shaped by their personal experiences, to any setting—from the classroom to the board room. We also recognize these individuals have the potential to become law students who have a high degree of leadership potential and a strong personal commitment to making a positive impact on society. The Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholarship provides students with an outstanding, affordable educational opportunity. [More information can be found here:
Graduate Diversity Program
[Via https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions/jd/financial-aid/types-of-aid/scholarships/entering-student-scholarships/graduate-diversity-program-gdp/]
Berkeley Law offers the Graduate Diversity Program scholarship to outstanding entering J.D. students who contribute to the level of diversity within their discipline or the graduate community at large. Recipients may have shown academic achievement despite challenges such as social, economic or educational obstacles.
Applicants to Berkeley Law’s J.D. program will have the opportunity to self-identify that they would like to be considered for the GDP scholarship. An essay discussing why you are a strong candidate for this scholarship must be included with your admissions application.
[From Instructions section of application:]
With the exception of the Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholarship (BLOS), completed applications must be received by February 15. Applicants to BLOS must submit a complete application no later than December 15. If all application materials are received by December 15, with the exception of November LSAT test score, your application still will be considered for a BLOS.
The BLOS and Graduate Diversity Program (GDP) scholarship both require submission of additional essays, which can either be uploaded in the attachments section of online application, or emailed to admissions@law.berkeley.edu. The essay prompt for each award is listed in the scholarship section of the application.
Please review the Scholarship information carefully for additional information and requirements that pertain to each award. All admitted students will be considered for scholarships in general.
C&F Questions
If you answer "Yes" to any of the questions below, we require that you attach an addendum explaining the circumstances. Note that an affirmative answer to any of these questions does not necessarily preclude or even prejudice admission to Berkeley Law. Your answer will be reviewed on an individual basis in relation to all aspects of your experience, academic achievement, and potential.
If your answer to any of the following questions becomes affirmative after you submit your application, you are required to notify the Admissions Office in writing. Failure to disclose and/or notify us will result in the revocation of your offer of admission.
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
- Have you ever been convicted of any offense, excluding minor traffic and parking violations, or is any such charge now pending against you?
- Have you ever been subjected to a dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic sanction by any college, university, or professional school?
- Have you ever been subject to discipline by a professional organization?
Résumé Instructions
You are encouraged to include a résumé of any length. If necessary, you may also provide an addendum that focuses on any particular aspect(s) of your application that you wish to highlight. Please provide the following information on a separate attachment or provide a résumé which includes this information:
- List academic and non-academic honors and awards received, including fellowships, prizes, and memberships in honor societies.
- List your extracurricular activities since entering undergraduate school, the hours per week devoted to such activities, and the dates of the activities.
- List your positions of employment since high school (either full- or part-time), the number of hours per week devoted to each position, and the dates of employment.
- List your care of dependents (children and adults) while in undergraduate, graduate, or professional school, the number of hours per week devoted to dependent care, and the dates of such care.
9 University of Michigan
L50: 169 | G50: 3.76 | Deadline: 2/28/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2020
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
As you prepare to write your personal statement, please keep the following in mind. First, we do not have a fixed checklist of particular attributes we seek in our students, and you will have the best insights into what is most important for us to know about you. Second, there is no set convention for communicating the information you choose to share. A successful essay might involve writing directly about expansive themes such as your goals or philosophy or background or identity, or very differently, might be a vignette that reveals something significant about you. In other words, think broadly about what you might wish to convey and how you might best convey it.
There is no formula for a successful personal statement, and different individuals will find different topics to be well-suited to them. Applicants have, for example, elaborated on their significant life experiences; meaningful intellectual interests and extracurricular activities; factors inspiring them to obtain a legal education or to pursue particular career goals; significant obstacles met and overcome; special talents or skills; issues of sexual or gender identity; particular political, philosophical, or religious beliefs; socioeconomic challenges; atypical backgrounds, educational paths, employment histories, or prior careers; or experiences and perspectives relating to disadvantage, disability, or discrimination. Any of these subjects, and many more, could be an appropriate basis for communicating important information about yourself that will aid us in reaching a thoughtful decision. The length of your personal statement is up to you.
While the form and content of your personal statement are up to you, for ease of reading, please use double-spacing and at least an 11-point font.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Supplemental Essays
This section is optional
The University of Michigan Law School has long understood that enrolling students with a broad range of perspectives and experiences generates a vibrant culture of comprehensive debate and discussion, and we view our student body as one of our richest resources. The wide-ranging and challenging conversations of our diverse student body, inside and outside the classroom, enrich the quality of our community’s intellectual life and enhance the quality of the legal education here.
Essay submissions are an extremely helpful tool for evaluating your potential contributions to our community. As you prepare to write any optional essays, please keep the following in mind. First, we do not have a fixed checklist of particular attributes we seek in our students, and you will have the best insights into what is most important for us to know about you. Second, there is no set convention for communicating the information you choose to share. A successful essay might involve writing directly about expansive themes such as your goals or philosophy or background or identity, or very differently, might be a vignette that reveals something significant about you. In other words, think broadly about what you might wish to convey and how you might best convey it.
While the form and content of your essays are up to you, for ease of reading, please use double-spacing and at least an 11-point font.
Supplemental essays allow you an opportunity to provide us with relevant information that you were not able to include elsewhere in your application materials. If you wish, write one or two essays (but no more) on the following topics. Each essay should be about one page (and no more than two). For ease of reading, please use double-spacing and at least an 11-point font.
Essay One
Say more about your interest in the University of Michigan Law School. What do you believe Michigan has to offer to you and you to Michigan? [This is a "why Michigan" essay.]
Essay Two
Describe your current hopes for your career after completing law school. How will your education, experience, and development so far support those plans?
Essay Three
If you do not think that your academic record or standardized test scores accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, please tell us why. [This is a GPA or LSAT addendum prompt.]
Essay Four
Describe a failure or setback in your life. How did you overcome it? What, if anything, would you do differently if confronted with this situation again?
Essay Five
Describe an experience that speaks to the problems and possibilities of diversity in an educational or work setting. [This is an opportunity for an applicant without any diversity factors to write about diversity.]
Essay Six
What do you think are the skills and values of a good lawyer? Which do you already possess? Which do you hope to develop?
Essay Seven
How might your perspectives and experiences enrich the quality and breadth of the intellectual life of our community or enhance the legal profession? [This is a diversity statement prompt with a generous definition of diversity.]
Essay Eight
Describe your educational experiences so far. What kinds of learning environments, teaching methods, student cultures, and/or evaluation processes lead you to thrive, or contrariwise, thwart your success?
[We strongly encourage you to respond to at least one of these essays; responding to two won't necessarily put you in a better position than responding to one.]
Addendum
If there is any information in your application you wish to clarify—for example, your undergraduate record or gaps in employment—you may submit that information here. You may submit as many addenda as you need.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit anything you couldn’t cover in the supplemental essays.]
C&F Questions
- Conduct
While answering the two questions below, when in doubt, err on the side of full disclosure, as the failure to fully answer any question may result in exclusion from law school or denial of the opportunity to take a state bar examination. (Please note: In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners- http://www.ncbex.org/#maincontent.) If, following your completion of this application but prior to matriculation, matters arise that would require you to answer yes to either question, supplement your application with complete details. Note that an affirmative answer to either question does not necessarily preclude or even prejudice admission. Your answer will be reviewed on an individual basis in relation to all aspects of your experience, academic achievement, and potential. You must submit a supplementary statement with any affirmative responses; provide complete details, including dates and resolution.
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action for academic or other reasons in any of the colleges, universities, graduate or professional schools you have attended, or are such charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
- Have you ever been convicted of a crime (following a jury or bench trial, a guilty plea, or a nolo contendere plea), or charged with a criminal offense that was later dismissed as a result of a plea bargain or alternative sentencing arrangement, or are such criminal charges pending or expected to be brought against you? Include misdemeanors and criminal infractions, as well as any interaction with a law enforcement agency that resulted in payment of a fine or order of community service. Do not include minor traffic violations or civil infractions or citations for which jail time was not a potential penalty.
Résumé Instructions
Please provide a résumé showing: (A) full-time or significant part-time employment, paid or unpaid, beginning with your most recent, including the name and location of your employer, your job title, and the dates you held the position, along with any other information you think will be useful; (B) significant extracurricular/non-work-related activities; (C) academic and non-academic honors and awards received, including fellowships, prizes, and memberships in honor societies; and (D) hobbies or special areas of interest or academic pursuits. If you are not presently enrolled in an educational institution, we would find it particularly helpful to know what you are doing now; whether you are working, volunteering, traveling, seeking employment, or anything else, please be sure to tell us your current and planned activities prior to enrolling in law school.
12 Duke University
L50: 169 | G50: 3.80 | Deadline: 2/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 1/8/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
You must submit a personal statement with the application. The statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include (1) what you think have been your significant personal experiences beyond what may be reflected in your academic transcripts and on your résumé, and (2) your personal and career ambitions. If your personal statement does not directly address your interest in attending law school and practicing law, we strongly encourage you to write Optional Essay 1. There is no required length or page limit.
The personal statement, optional essays, and all other writing samples must be your own work. This means that the ideas and expressions originated with you, and you wrote all drafts and the final product. It does not preclude asking family members, friends, pre-law advisors, and others for proofreading assistance or general feedback.
[Describe (1) significant personal experiences and (2) personal and career ambitions.]
Optional Essay 1 and Optional Essay 2
You are invited to supplement your personal statement with either or both optional essays. The topics are helpful in forming a full picture of our applicants so we encourage you to provide any relevant information either in your personal statement or in the optional essays (it is not necessary to duplicate information in both places). There is no required length or page limit.
Optional Essay 1: You may submit an essay providing additional information about why you have chosen to apply to law school in general and Duke in particular. We are interested in the factors that have prompted your interest in a legal career and the ways in which you think Duke can further that interest. [This is a "why law" and "why Duke" essay.]
Optional Essay 2: Our admission process is guided by the view that a student body that reflects the broad diversity of society contributes to the implementation of the Law School’s mission, improves the learning process, and enriches the educational experience for all students. In reviewing applications, we consider, as one factor among many, how an applicant may contribute to the diversity of the Law School based on the candidate’s experiences, achievements, background, and perspectives. This approach ensures the best and most relevant possible legal training and serves the legal profession by training lawyers to effectively serve an increasingly diverse society. You are invited to submit an essay that describes your particular life experiences with an emphasis on how the perspectives that you have acquired would contribute to Duke Law School’s intellectual community and enhance the diversity of the student body. Examples of topics include (but are not limited to): an experience of prejudice, bias, economic disadvantage, personal adversity, or other social hardship (perhaps stemming from one’s religious affiliation, disability, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity); experience as a first-generation college student; significant employment history (such as in business, military or law enforcement, or public service); experience as an immigrant or refugee; graduate study; or impressive leadership achievement (including college or community service). [This is a diversity statement prompt.]
The personal statement, optional essays, and all other writing samples must be your own work. This means that the ideas and expressions originated with you, and you wrote all drafts and the final product. It does not preclude asking family members, friends, pre-law advisors, and others for proofreading assistance or general feedback.
[Our advice: write the “Why Duke” statement; only write out the optional diversity statement or addendum if they will add value to your application.]
Miscellaneous Addendum
This section is optional.
You are welcome to use this attachment to submit an addendum or additional information not included elsewhere in your application.
The personal statement, optional essays, and all other writing samples must be your own work. This means that the ideas and expressions originated with you, and you wrote all drafts and the final product. It does not preclude asking family members, friends, pre-law advisors, and others for proofreading assistance or general feedback.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
JD/LLM or JD/LLMLE
This section is optional.
Applying to the JD/LLM or JD/LLMLE dual degree program does not require a separate statement of purpose; however, we encourage you to address your interest in international and comparative law or law and entrepreneurship, either in your personal statement or in this attachment. There is no required length or page limit.
The personal statement, optional essays, and all other writing samples must be your own work. This means that the ideas and expressions originated with you, and you wrote all drafts and the final product. It does not preclude asking family members, friends, pre-law advisors, and others for proofreading assistance or general feedback.
C&F Questions
Duke Law requires that you reveal knowledge of all disciplinary charges, and any arrests, criminal charges, or criminal convictions (except arrests, criminal charges or criminal convictions that have been expunged from your record). When in doubt, you should err on the side of full disclosure as subsequent discovery of a failure to fully and accurately answer these questions may have serious consequences. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer "Yes" to any of the questions in this section during the pendency of your application. If you are admitted, the obligation to report conduct applicable to the questions in this section continues until your first day of class at Duke Law School.
- Have you ever been placed on academic probation or received a warning at any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school for poor academic performance, underenrollment, or other reasons related to satisfactory academic progress?
- Have you ever been warned, dropped, suspended, placed on disciplinary probation, disciplined, expelled, requested or advised to resign from any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school?
- Have you ever (i) been arrested, charged or cited for a crime or (ii) been convicted of any offense other than a minor traffic violation? You are not required to report any matter that has been expunged by a court of law.
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Résumé Instructions
You must submit a current résumé with the application. Please provide complete information and include your significant work experience, educational history, college and community activities, honors and awards you have received, any prior Duke affiliation, and dates for all items listed. There is no required length or page limit.
13 Cornell University
L50: 168 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: January 8
GRE medians:
Verbal: 162 | Quant: 163 | Writing: 5
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
The personal statement is your opportunity to discuss anything that you believe will be relevant to your admission to Cornell Law School. Attach your personal statement here (required).
[This prompt is open-ended, but note that Cornell asks you to limit your PS to two pages in the Instructions section.]
Diversity Statement
This section is optional.
In making admissions decisions we give consideration, among other things, to diversity factors (including but not limited to racial or ethnic group identification; cultural, linguistic or economic group identification; sexual orientation; or other factors), obstacles that you have overcome, and/or discrimination that you have experienced. If you choose to submit a diversity statement (in addition to the required personal statement), discuss any or all of these issues to the extent they apply to you.
[This prompt suggests that you write about traditional diversity (race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, etc.).]
Addenda
This section is optional.
If there is anything additional you believe would be helpful to us when reviewing your application, you may include it here. If you are providing multiple addenda, provide a separate description header for each statement.
Study Interrupted
This section is optional.
Has your attendance in college, university, graduate school, or professional school been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason?
Prior Law School
This section is optional.
If you attended another law school and did not leave in good standing, explain the details of your departure.
[Cornell has an open-ended prompt that could a standardized test addendum or a GPA addendum.]
Notable Short-Answer App Questions
- Interest in Cornell (required)
Why have you chosen to apply to Cornell Law School? This section does not preclude you from submitting a separate Why Cornell Law statement.required (maximum characters 600)
- Influenced to Apply (required)
Who, if anyone, has influenced your decision to apply to Cornell Law School?required (maximum characters 200)
Joint-Degree Essays
JD/LLM: Attach a statement describing your interest in the JD/LLM degree program.
JD/Master en Droit: Attach a statement describing your French language background.
C&F Questions
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, submit an explanatory statement in the attachments section.
- Have you ever been the subject of disciplinary proceedings or been warned, placed on probation, dropped, expelled, been asked, advised, or permitted to withdraw, suspended for academic, nonacademic, or any other reasons, by any college, university, graduate school or professional school you have attended, or are any such proceedings pending? If yes, describe the incident(s) below.
- Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been cited, ticketed, arrested, taken into custody, charged with, indicted, convicted or tried for, or pleaded guilty to, the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, or been the subject of any juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding? Traffic violations that occurred more than ten years before the filing of this application need not be reported, with the exception of alcohol or drug-related traffic violations, which must be reported in all cases irrespective of when they occurred. Do not report parking violations. If yes, describe the incident(s) below.
Although a conviction may have been expunged from the records by an order of a court, it nevertheless should be disclosed in the answer to this question. For example, if you were charged with shoplifting, only received a fine, and the charge was expunged, you must disclose; or, if you were charged with, but not convicted of, possession of an illegal substance, you must disclose; or if you received a traffic violation as a minor for possession of alcohol, you must disclose. Also, you should have available and be prepared to submit or exhibit copies of police and court records regarding any matter you disclose in reply to this question.
Note: In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Résumé Instructions
In a résumé, provide the following (required):
a) Education
b) Work experience, including full-time, part-time, summer
c) Scholastic honors you have received
d) Extracurricular and community activities while in college and/or since graduation
14 Georgetown University
L50: 168 | G50: 3.78 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 2/1/2021
GRE medians:
Verbal: 165 | Quant: 158 | Writing: 5
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
You may write your personal statement on any subject of importance that you feel will assist the Admissions Committee in their decision. Please double-space.
[From Instructions:] There is no minimum/maximum length requirement.
[This prompt is open-ended, but Dean Cornblatt has recommended in info sessions that applicants include a couple of sentences about why they want to go to Georgetown if they don’t send a “Why Georgetown” as an optional addendum.]
Optional Statement
Georgetown prides itself on actively recruiting students from diverse backgrounds. We encourage you to attach a brief statement to help the Admissions Committee understand the contribution your personal background would make to our community.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Optional Response
In the Office of Admissions, we take great pride in dispelling the myth that the admissions process is strictly a numbers game. While numbers are important, the Admissions Committee would like to give you the opportunity to express yourself, and us the opportunity to get to know you, in another way. Please feel free to choose ONE of the following 5 optional responses.
When we say optional, we really do mean optional. The Committee will in NO way hold it against you if you choose not to answer any of these questions.
250 words maximum
- Give us your top ten list.
- What would you tell your 14 year old self?
- What unpopular opinion do you have, and why?
- Tell us about a time in the last five years when you stood up for yourself.
- Prepare a one-minute video that says something about you. Upload it to an easily accessible website and provide us the URL. (If you are using YouTube, we strongly suggest that you make your video unlisted so it will not appear in any of YouTube’s public spaces.) What you do or say is entirely up to you. Please note that we are unable to watch videos that come in any form other than a URL link.
[We strongly encourage you to respond to one of these essays. If you choose the top-ten list, don't just list ten things. Explain why!]
Optional Addendum
Please attach any addendums you would like included in the review of your application here.
[You could use this for an LSAT, GPA, or gap-in-employment addendum.]
Programs for Admitted Students
[This isn’t on the application.]
GLOBAL LAW SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Entering First-Year J.D. Students (Full-Time only)
March 1st Deadline
Global Law Scholars are selected based upon prior academic record, articulated goals — both personal and professional — as they relate to the study of transnational law and legal practice, and demonstrated proficiency in a second language. For additional information, please visit https://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/transnational-programs/global-law-scholars-program/
NOTE: The Global Law Scholars Committee begins to consider applicants for the program on or around March 1st and only individuals who have been admitted to the Law Center by that date are eligible for selection at that time. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applying early is encouraged. The required application form and the Foreign Language Evaluation Form are available at https://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/transnational-programs/global-law-scholars-program/prospective-students/how-to-apply/. If you plan on using the paper application forms instead of the online application, they should be submitted to the address listed on the forms.
BLUME PUBLIC INTEREST SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Entering First-Year J.D. Students (Full-Time and Part-Time eligible)
March 1st Deadline
The Blume Public Interest Scholars program provides financial, professional and academic support to law students dedicated to practicing law in the public interest. In addition to scholarship assistance, the program offers summer stipends through the Office of Public Interest and Community Service (OPICS). Blume Scholars are matched with faculty advisors and attorney mentors who practice in their field of interest. Blume Scholars are selected based upon prior experience, career goals, and academic record — both personal and professional — as they relate to the study and practice of public interest law.
NOTE: The Blume Public Interest Scholars Committee will consider applicants for the program on or around March 1, and only individuals who have been admitted to the Law Center by that date are eligible for selection at that time. There is no general Blume Public Interest Scholars application. Rather, admitted applicants with extensive public service experience and a demonstrated commitment to pursuing a public interest legal career will be invited to submit a brief application.
TECHNOLOGY LAW & POLICY SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Entering First-Year J.D. Students (Full-Time and Part-Time eligible)
March 1st Deadline
The Technology Law & Policy Scholars program gives students the opportunity to engage in rigorous academic work, to develop their technological skills, and to deepen their understanding of policy debates related to new and emerging technologies. Technology Law Scholars are selected based upon prior academic record, experience and articulated goals — both personal and professional — as they relate to the study of technology law.
NOTE: The Technology Law Scholars Committee will consider applicants for the program on or around March 1, and only individuals who have been admitted to the Law Center by that date are eligible for selection at that time. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis. Applying early is encouraged. The required application form is available at http://www.georgetowntech.org/scholars.
BUSINESS LAW SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Entering First-Year J.D. Students (Full-Time and Part-Time eligible)
March 1st Deadline
The Business Law Scholars program is designed to teach law students the fundamentals of business, management, and organization and aims to give them the business skills needed to practice law in the 21st century. Business Law Scholars are selected based upon prior academic record, experience and articulated goals — both personal and professional — as they relate to the study of business law.
NOTE: The Business Law Scholars Committee will consider applicants for the program on or around March 1, and only individuals who have been admitted to the Law Center by that date are eligible for selection at that time. The required application form is available at https://www.law.georgetown.edu/experiential-learning/business-law-scholars/.
JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMS
Applicants for our joint degree programs should refer to the website for more information: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/admissions-aid/jd-admissions/joint-degree-programs/.
C&F Questions
If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," please explain fully and submit as an attachment or email directly to the Office of Admissions at lawadmis@georgetown.edu. Your application is incomplete until receipt of applicable explanations.
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
- Have you ever been the subject of any disciplinary action taken by any college or university?
- Have you ever been placed on academic probation?
- Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense, or is any charge now pending against you for any crime other than a traffic violation?
- Have you ever been separated from a branch of the armed forces of the United States under conditions other than favorable?
- Has your college, university, graduate, or professional school course of study been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason?
Résumé Instructions
Please attach your résumé describing schools attended, dates of attendance, and degree(s) awarded; work experience; extracurricular/community activities, including nature and length of involvement; and scholastic honors, including academic awards, scholarships, or fellowships.
15 University of California—Los Angeles
L50: 169 | G50: 3.79 | Deadline: 2/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 2/1/2021
GRE medians:
Verbal: 164 | Quant: 158 | Writing: 5
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please upload a separate essay not to exceed two double-spaced typed pages, and no less than 11-point font. In this essay, you may discuss any matters relevant to your ability to succeed in law school and the practice of law and any attributes, experiences, or interests that would enable you to make a distinctive contribution to the law school and/or the legal profession.
Note: Your application will not be transmitted to UCLA Law without an attached personal statement.
[This prompt is somewhat open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school or why you think you'll succeed by the end of the essay.]
Disadvantage Addendum
Please describe any disadvantages you have overcome. UCLA School of Law will take into account economic, physical or other hardships that have been overcome when making some admissions decisions.
Disability Statement
If you wish, you may upload supplemental information concerning your disability.
[Our advice: don't send UCLA a diversity statement unless you can answer one of these questions.]
Programmatic Contribution
If you believe you can make a distinctive contribution to a specific UCLA School of Law Specialization, Academic Program, Joint Degree, Law Review/Journal, or research in a particular subject area (as described at the website: http://www.law.ucla.edu/, please identify one such specific area and explain your prior academic training, work, or extracurricular activities that enable you to make that distinctive contribution.
[We recommend that you write this essay.]
Optional Statement
If there is additional information you would like to include in your application, please attach an addendum.
[You could use this for an LSAT, GPA, or gap-in-employment addendum.]
Notable Short-Answer App Questions
Programmatic Contribution
- If you believe you can make a distinctive contribution to a specific UCLA School of Law Specialization, Academic Program, Joint Degree, Law Review/Journal, or research in a particular subject area (as described on the website: www.law.ucla.edu), please identify one such specific area in the box below. (maximum characters 100)
- Explain your prior academic training, work, or extracurricular activities that enable you to make that distinctive contribution. If you need additional space, please go to the "Attachment" tab, click on "Programmatic Contribution," and upload an addendum. (maximum characters 999)
Distinguished Scholars
[Via Instructions:] The UCLA Law Distinguished Scholars Program is a binding early-decision program providing full tuition for three years to exceptionally qualified students ready to commit to UCLA Law. The deadline to apply to this program is November 16, 2020. Applicants must also take the LSAT or GRE no later than October 31, 2020 and must sign and submit the Distinguished Scholars Program Agreement included in the application. For more information, please visit: https://law.ucla.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/apply-now/full-tuition-programs#distinguished.
Achievement Fellowship
[Via Instructions:] The UCLA Law Achievement Fellowship is a non-binding program that provides full tuition for three years to high-achieving students who have also overcome significant obstacles in life, such as socio-economic disadvantage, disability, being the first in their family to attend college, attending under-resourced schools, or other major hardships or challenges. The deadline to apply to this program is January 4, 2021. Applicants must also take the LSAT or the GRE no later than November 30, 2020. To apply, applicants are required to include an additional one page essay (by uploading it to their application) describing in detail the obstacles they have overcome in life and why they are a strong candidate for the program. For more information, please visit: https://law.ucla.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/apply-now/full-tuition-programs#achievement.
Public Interest Essay
In order to apply to the Epstein Program, you must submit a brief supplemental Public Interest Essay not to exceed 1500 words. Your Public Interest Essay should discuss your vision for your future as a public interest lawyer. How do you hope your public interest career will develop? How do you expect to achieve your public interest goals? Your vision can be grounded in personal, academic, or professional background and experience; past public interest work; your philosophy of social justice and social change; or whatever else inspires you.
Your application will not be transmitted to UCLA Law without an attached Public Interest Essay.
GRE Score
Applicants that elect to submit GRE exam scores must complete the GRE Score Form found under the "Forms" tab and submit it with the application.
After completing the form, save it to your computer and attach it to your application by following the steps below.
Note: Your application will not be transmitted to UCLA Law without the attached form.
Joint-Degree Statement
Applicants to approved joint-degree programs must contact the appropriate graduate school or department to obtain its application and must meet that department's deadline. For more information on joint degree programs, click here (https://law.ucla.edu/admissions/apply/joint-degree-programs/).
All J.D./Ph.D. in Philosophy applicants are advised to take the LSAT or GRE by November 30, 2020 and apply by January 10, 2021.
If you checked the box for the J.D./Ph.D. in Philosophy in the Joint-Degree Programs question, please provide a brief statement (not to exceed two double-spaced typed pages, and no less than 11-point font) concerning your interest in law and philosophy and in the joint-degree program.
C&F Questions
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
An affirmative answer to any of the following questions will not necessarily preclude or prejudice your admission to UCLA School of Law.
- Are there any misdemeanor, felony, or other criminal charges pending against you? NOTE: You must promptly inform the Admissions Office in writing if any misdemeanor, felony, or other criminal charges are brought against you between your submission of this application and your registration at UCLA School of Law. In addition, should you enroll at UCLA School of Law, you must promptly inform the Dean of Students in writing if any misdemeanor, felony, or other criminal charges are brought against you during your time as a student through graduation.
- Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony (or the equivalent in a juvenile court)? This includes sealed convictions and all convictions where you entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. You need not report traffic violations unless conviction for the violation(s) would constitute a misdemeanor or a felony. NOTE: You must promptly inform the Admissions Office in writing if any such conviction occurs between your submission of this application and your registration at UCLA School of Law. In addition, should you enroll at UCLA School of Law, you must promptly inform the Dean of Students in writing if any conviction occurs during your time as a student through graduation..
- Have you ever been subject to a warning, dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic sanction by any college, university, professional school, or professional association?
NOTE: You must promptly inform the Admissions Office in writing if any such warning, dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic sanction occurs between your submission of this application and your registration at UCLA School of Law. In addition, should you enroll at UCLA School of Law, you must promptly inform the Dean of Students in writing if any such warning, dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic sanction occurs during your time as a student through graduation.
- Has your college, university, or professional school attendance been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason?
- If you have previously applied to UCLA School of Law, indicate the most recent month and year.
- If you have previously been admitted to UCLA School of Law, indicate the most recent month and year.
- If you have previously registered at UCLA School of Law, indicate the most recent month and year.
Résumé Instructions
Please provide a current résumé.
Note: Your application will not be transmitted to UCLA Law without an attached résumé.
16 University of Texas at Austin
L50: 168 | G50: 3.76 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/1/2020
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
The personal statement is your opportunity to tell the Admissions Committee more about your interests, as well as the important experiences and aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent from your résumé and academic record. Your personal statement demonstrates to the Admissions Committee not only how you write - a skill fundamental to success in the legal profession - but also how you think and how you have reflected upon and derived meaning from your life experiences. Although there is no specific topic or question for the personal statement, your narrative should at some point address your decision to pursue a legal education.
Your personal statement may not exceed two (2) double-spaced pages with a minimum 11-point font size and 1-inch margins.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay.]
Personal Background
Statement of Economic, Social, and/or Personal Background: Texas Law is interested in specifically learning about an applicant’s economic, social, and/or personal background that may not be apparent in the rest of the application or shared in the applicant’s personal statement. The committee recognizes that ordinary predictive measures for academic success might be of less value if prior performance has been partly the result of other contributing factors. An applicant may choose to describe the challenges as a first-generation college graduate; an applicant's struggle with a serious physical or mental disability; an applicant's encounter with discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or national origin; or an applicant's limited educational opportunities due to geographical or other restrictions; or whatever the applicant believes is appropriate and relevant. The committee believes factors such as these may contribute to an applicant's academic potential and how they will enhance the richness and diversity of the learning environment.
Your statement may not exceed one (1) double-spaced page with a minimum 11-point font size and 1-inch margins.
[This prompt suggests that you write about traditional diversity factors (race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, etc.).]
Undergrad Performance
f your academic performance for one or more semesters was markedly different from that of other semesters, please explain. Please make any other comments about your college transcript(s) or your preparation for college that you believe will help the Admissions Committee in evaluating your application.
Your statement may not exceed one (1) double-spaced page with a minimum 11-point font size and 1-inch margins.
Test Performance
Candidates sometimes seek to establish that their academic potential is inaccurately reflected by standardized tests or that one LSAT or GRE score is more representative than another. If you believe this to be true in your case, please explain.
Your statement may not exceed one (1) double-spaced page with a minimum 11-point font size and 1-inch margins.
[We would advise against responding to the test performance question unless you (1) have a large gap between your test scores or (2) can show that your undergraduate grades were better than your SAT or ACT scores might have predicted.]
C&F Questions
Please read carefully. In addition to the bar examination, there are character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Because of the high ethical standards to which lawyers are held, the failure to disclose an act or event such as the ones described below is often more significant, and leads to more serious consequences, than the act or event itself. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Admissions Office of any changes to your answers, may result in revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the Law School, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission.
Although an affirmative answer to either question below does not necessarily preclude or even prejudice admission to The University of Texas School of Law, persons who have been convicted of offenses other than minor traffic violations may have difficulty in gaining admission to the Bar. The Texas Board of Law Examiners and state bar organizations often require that you include your law school application as part of your application for admission to the Bar.
Character and Fitness Q1
Have you ever been arrested and convicted of an offense, placed on probation, or granted deferred adjudication or any type of pretrial diversion, or are there any charges pending against you? If you answer "yes," please explain fully on a separate sheet, and upload the attachment.
You must report:
- any such offenses involving alcohol or drugs.
- any failure to appear conviction resulting from an offense.
- any conviction for failure to maintain financial responsibility (legally required auto insurance).
While an applicant does not need to disclose information about a juvenile or criminal record that has been sealed or expunged, it is up to each applicant to ensure that their offense is in fact expunged and/or sealed under the relevant state law. If an applicant fails to disclose information that is not in fact expunged or sealed, the applicant may be subject to disciplinary action by the University.
Please note: according to Rule IV(d) of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar of Texas, an individual “who has been convicted of a felony in Texas or placed on probation for a felony with or without an adjudication of guilt in Texas, or who has been convicted or placed on probation with or without an adjudication of guilt in another jurisdiction for a crime which would be a felony in Texas” shall not be permitted to file a Declaration of Intention to Study Law or application to the Texas Bar for a period of five years after the completion of the sentence and/or period of probation. The rules and further information are available through the Texas Board of Law Examiners.
Character and Fitness Q2
Have you ever been dropped, suspended, warned, placed on academic or disciplinary probation, disciplined, expelled, requested or advised to resign from any postsecondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school? If you answer “yes”, please explain fully on a separate sheet, and upload the attachment.
[From Attachments Section]:
Dishonorable Separation
Have you ever been separated from any branch of the US armed forces under less than honorable conditions? If you answer "yes", please explain fully on a separate sheet, and upload the attachment.
Résumé Instructions
Please provide a résumé detailing any significant vocational, avocational, extracurricular, or community activities; graduate work or degree; honors and awards; any service in the Armed Forces; job descriptions and major areas of responsibility, along with location (city and state) and dates of employment; publications, or otherinformation that you believe the Admissions Committee should consider in evaluating your application.
Your résumé may not exceed three (3)pages.
17 Washington University in St. Louis
L50: 169 | G50: 3.88 | Deadline: 8/13/2021
LORs: 0 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
A personal statement, approximately one to three pages in length, is not required during application submission and may be sent as an email attachment directly to the Washington University School of Law Admissions Office at applylaw@wustl.edu. Successful applicants have written about significant experiences and sources of personal motivation.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Other
Please attach any additional addendums.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, gap in employment addendum, diversity statement, or "why X" essay, among others.]
Diversity
- Please list any diversity characteristics that you would like to provide (cultural, sexual and/or gender minorities, disabilities, age, religion, immigrants, socio-economic, etc.). Applicants may also attached an optional Diversity Statement to their application as an addendum. (maximum characters 300)[Text box follows]
- Do you identify with a sexual and/or gender minority?We request this information as part of our commitment to diversity in both our law school and the legal field generally. We collect statistics to enable us to further that commitment and to better serve this community and our applicants/students as individuals. Your response will in no way negatively impact your application.
- Are you a first-generation college student?
- Are you a military or veteran spouse, dependent child, veteran caregiver, surviving family member, or ROTC cadet of the U.S. Armed Forces?
C&F Questions
The following questions must be answered. If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," please provide an explanation (as an electronic attachment).
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction.
- Have you ever been denied admission to a law school on grounds of fraud, immorality, or improper or dishonorable conduct?
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action for scholastic, judicial/code violation, or any other reason by any college, university, graduate or professional school, or trade or professional organization?
- Have any disciplinary charges ever been brought, are currently pending, or are expected to be brought against you by any college, university, graduate or professional school, or trade or professional organization?
- Have you ever been charged with and/or convicted of a criminal offense, including any matters that may have been expunged, or received anything other than an honorable discharge from the military?
5.Have you been a party to any noncriminal legal proceeding, including but not limited to any civil, administrative, family court, or domestic abuse proceeding, or any arbitration?
- Were you ever investigated for misconduct, suspended, formally reprimanded, disciplined, fired, asked to resign, or allowed to resign in lieu of discipline or discharged by an employer?
Résumé Instructions
A résumé is not required during application submission and may be sent as an email attachment directly to the Washington University School of Law Admissions Office at applylaw@wustl.edu.
18 University of Southern California
L50: 167 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: 4/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 2/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
You are required to submit a personal statement. Your statement should be between 2-3 pages, double-spaced, and at least 12 point font.
Of the qualitative or "soft" factors of the application, the personal statement is of critical importance to the admissions committee. This is your primary opportunity to discuss who you are beyond the quantifiable components of your application. While there is no prompt and we encourage you to approach the personal statement with an open-mind, we are particularly interested in how your background (academic and otherwise) has led to your decision to study law. Please note, the personal statement is not the place to repeat items on your resume.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay.]
Diversity Statement
If you answered "yes" to the diversity statement question, please include your statement as an attachment. Please limit your statement to 1-2 pages, double-spaced, and at least 12 point font.
[Here's the diversity statement question the prompt refers to:]
- Additional Information
[Questions 1–5 in this section are omitted.]
An applicant who believes that his or her background or experience can contribute to USC Gould's goal of diversity and educational enrichment—and who wishes to have this considered in the admissions process—should provide written detailed information about his or her background or experience as part of the application. Providing such information is voluntary.
USC Gould is firmly committed to a policy against discrimination based upon ethnicity, national origin, disability, race, religion, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, or age. The primary goal of the admissions process is to enroll students who demonstrate outstanding academic and professional promise and whose background and experience will enhance the diversity of the student body or the profession, or will enrich USC Gould's educational environment. USC Gould's admissions process is guided by the view that a student body that reflects the broad and rich diversity of our society provides a superior educational environment for all law students.
An applicant will be regarded as potentially contributing to student diversity if his or her background or experience would not ordinarily be well-represented in the student body or the profession. Examples of applicants' backgrounds or experiences, which may be considered for diversity purposes, include (but are not limited to) the following: an applicant who has struggled against prejudice, economic disadvantage, family or personal adversity, or other social hardships (perhaps as a result of disability, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation); an applicant who has lived in a foreign country or who spoke a language other than English at home; an applicant who possesses unusual career goals, employment history (perhaps military or law enforcement experience), or educational background (including graduate study); or an applicant who demonstrates unusual extracurricular achievement (including school or community service).
- If you believe the above applies to your situation, please indicate whether you will submit a diversity statement (via the Attachments section) with your application.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Rothman Statement
Submit your statement here for application to the Frank Rothman Scholars Program. This application is a requirement to be considered for the program and should be different than your Personal Statement. Finalists will be selected for an initial round of interviews and notified in late February.
The program honors the late Frank Rothman '51, one of the nation's most respected sports and entertainment lawyers.
The benefits of being a Rothman Scholar are quite extraordinary:
- Full-tuition scholarship guaranteed for 3 years (estimated at $200,000+)
- $4,000 stipend each year for 3 years
- Paid 1L summer fellowship at one of the top law firms in the world - Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Los Angeles
Frank Rothman was known for his influence in the halls of corporate America and across the entertainment and sports industries. He infused his practice of law with a spirit of always doing the very best he was capable of. One Frank Rothman Scholar is selected each year to continue that legacy. The successful applicant will be selected based upon strong academic indicators including LSAT score, undergraduate cumulative GPA across a rigorous course selection, and writing ability. In addition, past recipients successfully conveyed the ideals of Frank Rothman via extra-curricular accomplishments such as running a successful business, inventing useful devices, engaging in cutting edge medical research, and publishing books and articles. Many Frank Rothman Scholars have gone on to become successful lawyers, and business entrepreneurs. To learn more about the Rothman Scholars Program, please visit http://gould.usc.edu/academics/degrees/jd/financial-aid/rothman/.
PROMPT: In one to two pages, please share what you know about who Frank Rothman was, what his accomplishments were, and how that resonates and/or is relevant to you, as well your goals and your aspirations. Be specific. to you, as well your goals and your aspirations. Be specific.
Public Interest Statement
Submit your statement here for application to the Public Interest Scholars Program. The application is a requirement to be considered for the program. Scholars will be notified of selection beginning in March or April.
This program honors the commitment of both USC Gould and our students dedicated to working and serving the public interest.
The benefits of being a Public Interest Scholar include:
- Access to public interest certificate mentoring opportunities
- Guaranteed public interest based summer employment after 1L summer
- Guaranteed summer grant for 1L summer employment
- Opportunity to secure a PILF summer grant for 2L summer employment
- Opportunity to serve as a future mentor to subsequent groups of Public Interest Scholars
Public Interest Scholars are selected on the basis of merit and demonstrated commitment to public interest work. Selection criteria include strong academic indicators (standardized test score and undergraduate cumulative gpa) and significant achievements in the fields of public interest or government service. The committee will give priority to applicants with a history of full-time non-profit or public interest focused work. Public Interest Scholars will be required to complete a minimum of 25 hours of pro bono service each year and participate in programming including nonprofit career fairs. For more information, please visit the Public Interest Scholars page: http://gould.usc.edu/academics/degrees/jd/financial-aid/public-interest/. This statement should be unique from your Personal and Diversity Statements.
PROMPT: In one to two pages, please highlight your public interest or government service background and your commitment to a career in public service.
CA Pathways Certificate
If your community college provided you with a certificate of completion of the CCPLS program and you’d like to share a copy with the Admissions Committee, please upload it here as a pdf. This is optional.
C&F Questions
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction.
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you are required to submit an explanatory statement below. If you need additional space, please submit your explanatory statement via the Attachments section of the electronic application and indicate that in the box below.
- Have you ever been dropped, suspended, warned, placed on academic or disciplinary probation, disciplined, expelled, or requested or advised to resign from any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school?
[From the Attachments section] Academic Action Addendum: If you answered "yes" to the academic action question (Conduct Information #1) and you need more space than provided for your explanation, please include your explanation here.
- Have you ever been convicted of the violation of a misdemeanor or felony, or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a violation of a misdemeanor or felony, whether or not the charges were dismissed, the court entered a judgement of conviction, or the court imposed a sentence?
[From the Attachments section] Conviction Addendum: If you answered "yes" to the conviction statement question (Conduct Information #2) and you need more space than provided for your explanation, please include your explanation here.
- Are there any charges pending against you?
[From the Attachments section] Charges Pending Addendum: If you answered "yes" to the charges pending question (Conduct Information #3) and you need more space than provided for your explanation, please include your explanation here.
- Have you ever been or are you currently registered at another law school either foreign or domestic?
[From the Attachments section] Prior Matric Addendum: If you answered "yes" to the prior law school matriculation question (Conduct Information #4) and you need more space than provided for your explanation, please include your explanation here.
Additionally, if your matriculation was at a U.S. law school, you are required to submit a letter of standing from your previous law school explaining the circumstances of your prior matriculation. This should be sent directly to USC Gould School of Law Office of Admissions. If any grades were issued, you must also submit a transcript. The transcript may be sent via LSAC with your CAS report.
If your matriculation was at a foreign law school, you are not required to submit a letter of standing, however your transcript is required as part of your CAS report.
Résumé Instructions
You are required to submit a résumé. Please indicate hours per week for each activity where applicable. Please limit your résumé to no more than two pages, but one is preferred.
18 Vanderbilt University
L50: 167 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 4/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/1/2020
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please present yourself to the Admissions Committee by writing a personal statement. You may write about your background, experiences, interest in law, aspirations, or any topic that you feel will help readers of your application get a sense of you as a person and prospective law student. Please limit your statement to two pages.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Diversity (welcome)
This attachment is optional and welcome.
In addition to listing diversity characteristics on the application form, we welcome diversity statements that describe any aspect of your background or experience that you would like to provide.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Other
This attachment is optional and user-defined.
You are welcome to use this attachment to provide any other information that you would like to make available to readers of your application
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Prior Law Schools
If you answered "yes" to the question "Have you ever attended any law school?," please have a letter of good standing from all law schools attended mailed to the Vanderbilt Law School Admissions Office, and list below all law schools attended and dates enrolled. (maximum characters 150)
Post-App Scholarships and Interviews
[Not on application]
January 10 is deadline for Law Scholars Merit Awards (full-tuition scholarship). We will consider applications submitted after that date when possible.
[You can see the Law Scholars Merit Awards here: https://law.vanderbilt.edu/prospective-students/costs-financial-aid/scholarship-programs/major-merit-scholarship-programs.php. You can't see the instructions for these essays until after you apply to Vanderbilt. They are available through the Vanderbilt portal.]
Admission Interview with a VLS Alum
We’d like to know you better as a prospective student and for you to learn more about Vanderbilt. That’s why we offer admission interviews with VLS alumni as part of the application process, and why VLS alumni conduct interviews nationwide and in several foreign locations.
To request an alumni interview, you must make your request below and submit this application by November 15.
All interviews will be conducted virtually by the preferred means of the interviewer (Zoom, Skype, phone, etc.) These interview requests are not date specific; after submitting your application you will be contacted by a VLS alumni interviewer to schedule your interview at a mutually agreeable time. Although there will be no-in person interviews this cycle, we will attempt to match you with an interviewer in your area. If we are unable to, we will notify you of other options.
Please note that we receive more interview requests than we can accommodate and cannot grant all requests in a timely fashion. If we are unable to match you with an interviewer, you will be notified of other options. You are not penalized if we cannot accommodate your request.
Please do not request an alumni interview if you have applied Early Decision to another law school.
C&F Questions
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
You must answer the following questions fully and truthfully regardless of any contrary advice that you may have received from others. If you answer "yes" to any of the questions below, please explain in the text box. If you are unsure whether a particular incident should be disclosed, you should contact the Admissions Office.
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action for scholastic or other reasons at any academic institution? This should include matters that have been expunged or dismissed.
- Have you ever, either as an adult or minor, been charged with or convicted of any crime, or charged with or found to have committed any offense (whether or not defined as a crime), or received anything other than an honorable discharge from the military? This should include matters that have been expunged or dismissed.
- Are any charges pending or expected which would require you to answer "yes" to either question above?
Résumé Instructions
This attachment is optional and encouraged.
In addition to your employment responses on the application form, we encourage you to submit a résumé.
20 Boston University
L50: 167 | G50: 3.80 | Deadline: 4/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 1/6/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please include a statement that explains the significant personal, social, or academic experiences that have contributed to your decision to study law. There is no required length, however most personal statements are approximately two pages long. Please double-space your personal statement.
[This is prompt is somewhat open-ended, but you should focus on why you want to go to law school.]
Optional Essay
In addition to your personal statement, you may wish to provide another essay. This essay is your opportunity to discuss any aspect of your background or life experience that you believe will enhance your ability to contribute to the diverse BU classroom experience and community. BU Law values and recognizes the importance of diversity. BU Law continues its long-standing tradition of providing opportunities for persons of all backgrounds and providing the excellent training to which a diverse classroom is indispensable.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Other Addenda
Please use this attachment to upload any other information you would like considered by the Admissions Committee.
[From Instructions section:] Addenda or Supplemental Statements (if applicable). This includes information on Character and Fitness, statements regarding previous law school attendance, statements explaining gaps in employment, or any other information you think would be useful to the Admissions Committee.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, gap in employment addendum, or "why X" essay, among others.]
Public Interest Essay
Our competitive Public Interest Scholarship program provides a full tuition scholarship for three years to a select number of our students who have demonstrated their desire to pursue a career in public interest law. Applications for the Public Interest Scholarship must be completed no later than January 15, 2021. For more details about the requirements and benefits of the Public Interest Scholarship, please visit: http://www.bu.edu/law/admissions/financial-aid/scholarships/public-interest-scholarships/
Public Interest Essay
If you wish to apply for the Public Interest Scholarship, please attach an essay (2 page maximum) describing your public interest career goals and focus. The selection committee will have access to your personal statement and the rest of your application for admission, so you should use the scholarship essay as an opportunity to provide additional evidence of your commitment to public service. Do not repeat your personal statement. The committee aims to award the scholarship to applicants who will become leaders in the BU Law public interest community, and who will pursue public interest career paths. This commitment can be demonstrated through prior public service work experience (not necessarily legal in nature), engagement in public service during your undergraduate education, and post-graduate service and volunteer work.
JD/MD Application
If you wish to apply for the dual JD/MD program, please attach a brief statement to that effect. Please include the year in which you intend to start the JD program and whether you have already been accepted to Boston University School of Medicine. If you are currently enrolled in the School of Medicine, please indicate what year you began medical school.
C&F Questions
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Answer the following questions “yes” or “no” (use “no” if not applicable). If your answer is “yes,” provide an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the event in the space provided.
[Note: Answering "yes" will cause a text box to drop down/appear for explanations]
Character and Fitness I
- Has there ever been an interruption of one or more terms in your education for any reason?
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action or proceedings for academic misconduct, or subject to any action for academic insufficiency, at any college or university you have attended? * You should answer yes to this question even if no record of disciplinary action exists.
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action or proceedings for personal misconduct at any college or university you have attended? * You should answer yes to this question even if no record of disciplinary action exists..
Character and Fitness II
- Have you ever been convicted, without such conviction being vacated, of a misdemeanor for which the sentence was imprisonment?
- Have you ever been convicted, without such conviction being vacated, of a felony?
- Have you been convicted of any misdemeanor within the past five years?*
- *Other than a first conviction for drunkenness, simple assault, speeding, minor traffic violations, affray, or disturbance of the peace.
Character and Fitness III
- Have you ever been separated from any branch of the armed forces of the United States, the Peace Corps, Teach for America, or any other service organization under conditions other than honorable? If yes, please include an explanation along with copies of all relevant discharge documents electronically (please provide an explanation in the box below and upload relevant documents in the Military Discharge attachment section)..
Military Discharge (attachment section)
If you have been separated from any branch of the armed forces of the United States, the Peace Corps, Teach for America, or any other service organization under conditions other than honorable please include copies of all relevant discharge documents.
Résumé Instructions
A current résumé is required of all applicants. Your résumé should reflect all full-time and part-time employment, both paid and unpaid, and all extracurricular activities and honors. Please format your résumé in reverse chronological order, with the most recent employment at the top. Please do not include high school activities or awards in your résumé. Please include your current activities, whether you are currently employed or unemployed. A gap of three months or more in the timeline of your résumé should be explained with an addendum. There is no required length for the résumé.
21 University of Minnesota
L50: 165 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: 6/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 12/31/2020
LORs: 1 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
A personal statement is required and should be two pages, double-spaced. Through this statement, applicants have the opportunity to introduce themselves to the Admissions Committee and articulate significant achievements, professional goals, and reasons for pursuing a law degree. It is also helpful to the Admissions Committee to discuss your interest in the University of Minnesota Law School specifically.
Strong writing skills are paramount to being a successful attorney. Therefore, the personal statement (as well as any other essays included in the application) may be used to evaluate writing skills, judgment, passions, and analytical abilities.
[This prompt is somewhat open-ended, but you should explain why you're applying to law school in general and to this school in particular.]
Supplemental Statements
Applicants may attach additional statements to highlight diversity perspectives, explain absences or breaks in education, or present other matters that may be of importance to the Admissions Committee. Each additional statement should be no more that one-page, double spaced.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, gap in employment addendum, diversity statement, or "why X" essay, among others.]
C&F Questions
When applying for a license to practice law, prospective attorneys must submit full and complete disclosures of past criminal or academic misconduct to state bar authorities, even if they did not result in formal sanction or conviction, or if records have been lost, sealed, or expunged. Bar authorities will also request a copy of this law school application and will compare it to disclosures made on the bar application; failure to fully and consistently disclose may impact bar authority’s character and fitness assessment.
Applicants to the University of Minnesota are also subject to a continuing obligation to report any criminal or academic misconduct, whether it took place before or after submission of this application. Carefully review the Law School’s Character & Fitness Disclosure Policy, at: www.law.umn.edu/current-students/rules-policies/administrative-policies before completing this section. If you are unsure, err on the side of full disclosure.
If you answer “Yes” in either section below, attach a narrative Supplemental Statement which provides details for all incidents being disclosed (see Attachments).
- Have you ever in your entire life been charged with, or arrested for, the violation of any law? This includes moving violations (traffic tickets), misdemeanors, felonies, and administrative charges. You must disclose the requested information even if the charges were dismissed or you were acquitted, the conviction was stayed or vacated, the record was sealed or expunged, or you were told at the time that you would not need to disclose in the future.
- Have you ever been investigated, warned, placed on probation, disciplined, dropped, suspended, or expelled from a post-secondary college, university, graduate school, professional school, or law school for academic or non-academic reasons?
Résumé Instructions
Please attach a detailed résumé containing the following:
a. Work history during college and since college graduation.
b. Extracurricular activities and community service, including the extent of your involvement.
c. Other relevant information, including academic honors and prizes, hobbies, and other special interests, abilities, or accomplishments.
22 University of Notre Dame
L50: 167 | G50: 3.75 | Deadline: 3/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 2/15/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
The Admissions Committee gives considerable emphasis in its evaluation to the personal statement. The statement should provide the Admissions Committee with insights about the applicant and the applicant's interest in pursuing a legal education. The most effective personal statements also typically provide further insight into the writer's personality, background, professional interests, or matters that are not fully present in other parts of the application.
The personal statement must be the applicant's original work in their own words. It should be no more than two double-spaced pages. The personal statement must be included with the application at the time of submission. The personal statement's header must include the student's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "NDLS Personal Statement."
For further information regarding formatting preferences of the Admissions Committee, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions page here.(https://law.nd.edu/admissions/apply/j-d-frequently-asked-questions/).
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay.]
"Why NDLS" Statement
Applicants may use this optional statement as an opportunity to express a specific interest in Notre Dame Law School. Applicants may wish to address how their background, experiences, personal character, and/or career aspirations align with the legal education that NDLS provides and how the Law School can assist them with both their professional and personal formation.
The "Why Notre Dame Law School?" statement must be the applicant's own work in their own words. It should be no more than two double-spaced pages. If an applicant plans on providing this statement, it must be included with their application at the time of submission. The statement's header must include the applicant's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "Why NDLS Statement."
For further information regarding formatting preferences of the Admissions Committee, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions page here.(https://law.nd.edu/admissions/apply/j-d-frequently-asked-questions/).
DKL Statement
The mission of Notre Dame Law School is to educate a "Different Kind of Lawyer" - one who see the law as more than just a profession, but as a service to others. Students are encouraged to explore not only the moral and ethical dimensions of the law but also their unique roles in furthering the cause of justice.
This mission was most recently exemplified in Dean G. Marcus Cole's open letter (https://law.nd.edu/news-events/news/dean-g-marcus-cole-i-am-george-floyd-except-i-can-breathe-and-i-can-do-something/) to the Notre Dame Law Community in June 2020. Dean Cole concludes his letter by asking what each of us can do to improve our commitment to justice and offered the following:
One thing that each and every one of us can do is to end the cycle of hate by ending the separation that leads to it.... Each of us needs to get to know people who differ from us. We must all make a conscious decision and effort to expand our circles.
Given the mission of Notre Dame Law School, Dean Cole's open letter, and his call to action, please provide a response to one or both of the following:
1) What is the unique voice you will lend to the class? How will you expand your classmates' circles and improve their education because of your presence in the class?
2) What do you hope to achieve either in law school or through your professional work that will further the cause of justice?
The "Different Kind of Lawyer" statement must be the applicant's own work in their own words. It should be no more than two double-spaced pages. If an applicant plans on providing this statement, it must be included with their application at the time of submission. The statement's header must include the applicant's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "DKL Statement."
For further information regarding formatting preferences of the Admissions Committee, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions page here (https://law.nd.edu/admissions/apply/j-d-frequently-asked-questions/).
[We encourage you to apply to both of these statements.]
Addenda
If the applicant believes the Admissions Committee would benefit from additional information about their candidacy that is not specifically and/or fully expressed elsewhere in the application, the applicant is welcome to provide further notes via the Addenda. Examples of information typically provided in this section of the application include academic or LSAT/GRE explanations, further information regarding specific items on an applicant's resume or about the applicant's background, explanations of grading policies from the Spring 2020 semester, and eligibility for various veterans educational benefits such as the Yellow Ribbon program.
Applicants should double-space the Addenda. The Addenda' s header must include the applicant's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "Addenda."
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or gap in employment addendum, among others.]
Yellow Ribbon Program and Veterans Educational Benefits
Notre Dame Law School is a proud participant in the Post 9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program. Veterans must be 100% Post 9/11-eligible in order to qualify. The Law School will contribute funds that - when combined with matching dollars from the Veterans Administration and support from the Post 9/11 GI Bill - will equal the cost of tuition and mandatory fees.
The Admissions and Scholarship committees encourage relevant applicants to identify their eligibility and status for military and/or veterans educational benefits in both the Military Service and Addenda sections of the application. The Office of Admissions may reach out to candidates for further information as needed.
Applicants may find more information on required documents and procedures regarding military and/or veterans educational benefits on the University Registrar's website dedicated to Veterans Affairs (https://registrar.nd.edu/students/veteran_affairs.php).
Applicants may find more information regarding the University's support of active duty military, veterans, and military dependants on the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs website (https://omva.nd.edu/).
C&F Questions
Please check "Yes" or "No" for each question. If you answer "Yes" to either question, you must submit a full explanation of circumstances involved and resolution of the situation(s) for each question so answered as an electronic attachment. Please double-space your explanation and label the attachment with your name, LSAC account number, and use the title "Character and Fitness" in the header.
You have a continued requirement to report any updates to your Character and Fitness information through the application process as well as post-enrollment at Notre Dame Law School:
1) If you apply and - prior to admission or enrollment at NDLS - later engage in an action that would have led you to answer "Yes" to either of the Character and Fitness questions, you must immediately update the Office of Admissions regarding the incident. Please send updates to bulletin@nd.edu, subject line "Character and Fitness Update."
2) If you apply and - after admission and enrollment at NDLS - later engage in an action that would have led you to answer "Yes" to either of the Character and Fitness questions, you must immediately update Jenny Fox, the Law School Registrar, regarding the incident. Please send updates to jenniferfox@nd.edu, subject line "Character and Fitness Update."
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Character and Fitness 1
Have you ever been formally accused of or been suspended, dismissed, expelled, asked to withdraw, disciplined, or placed on probation for any academic, scholastic, disciplinary, or other misconduct by any school, college, or university?
Character and Fitness 2
Have you ever been arrested, charged with, or convicted of a misdemeanor, felony, or other crime? This includes charges that are pending, or to which you have plead "guilty" or "no contest."
Résumé Instructions
An applicant's resume should highlight their educational, professional, leadership, and service experiences. The applicant may also wish to highlight honors, awards, or special skills. There is no page limit for the resume but one to two pages is typical.
For further information regarding the resume preferences of the Admissions Committee, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions page here. (https://law.nd.edu/admissions/apply/j-d-frequently-asked-questions/).
23 George Washington University
L50: 166 | G50: 3.76 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 2/1/2021
LORs: 1 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
All applicants are required to submit a personal statement (two pages, double-spaced), which should include any additional information you think might be of assistance to the Admissions Committee in considering your application. This statement must be written on separate pages and must accompany this application. Please use an electronic attachment.
[From Instructions section:] All applicants are required to submit a free topic personal statement (two pages, double-spaced). Applicants may also submit an optional statement (of 300 words or less) discussing characteristics and accomplishments they believe will contribute positively to the GW Law community and to the legal profession. If you wish to include an explanatory addendum with your application, you may attach it along with your personal or optional statement; it must be clearly titled as an addendum.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Statement
Applicants may, but are not required to, submit an optional statement of 300 words or less discussing characteristics and accomplishments they believe will contribute positively to the GW Law School community and to the legal profession.
[We recommend that you write this essay.]
Addendum
If you wish to include an explanatory addendum with your application, you may attach it along with your personal or optional statement; it must be clearly titled as an addendum.
[This comes from the Instructions section of the application.]
Binding Presidential Merit Scholarship Program (Full Tuition)
The Binding Presidential Merit Scholarship Program is designed for applicants who have researched their law school choices and are certain that GW Law is their top choice. Unlike the Binding Early Decision Program, applicants admitted through the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship.
The admissions process is rolling; applying early in the admissions cycle is strongly encouraged. Part-time students are welcome to apply through the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program.
As part of the Presidential Merit Scholarship application, applicants must agree that, upon admission to GW Law, they will:
- Commit to attend George Washington University Law School and pay a non-refundable seat-deposit for fall 2021 enrollment.
- Within five business days of admission to George Washington University Law School, withdraw all applications pending at other law schools and not initiate applications to any other law schools for fall 2021 admission.
Applicants who apply through the Presidential Merit Scholarship Program but are not admitted with a full-tuition scholarship automatically will be considered for admission in the regular admission process. If admitted under the regular process, applicants are no longer bound to attend GW Law.
The application deadline is February 1.
C&F Questions
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
If you respond "yes" to any part of the questions in this section, please attach a detailed response(s) on a separate page.
If you have any doubt concerning how to answer any of the following questions, feel free to contact the Associate Dean for Admissions at (202) 994-7230. Any discussion with the Associate Dean will be confidential and will not impact the decision of the Admissions Committee.
Character and Fitness Q1
Has any college, university, graduate school, or professional school you attended ever brought a disciplinary action against you (including honor code charges), issued you a warning or reprimand, placed you on academic or social probation, suspended you, or asked you to withdraw? You need not disclose any matter that has been expunged or removed from your permanent record or file.
Character and Fitness Q2
Have you ever been convicted of or pled guilty or no contest to a criminal charge (felony, misdemeanor, or other), including any charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but not including minor traffic charges? You need not disclose any charge or conviction that has been expunged or sealed by order of a court, a copy of which order you have in your possession.
Character and Fitness Q3
Are there any criminal charges (felony, misdemeanor, or other) pending against you?
Character and Fitness Q4
Has your college or university, graduate, or professional school course of study been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason?
Character and Fitness Q5
If you have ever served in the military and were discharged, was your discharge under conditions other than honorable?
Résumé Instructions
Please include a copy of your résumé.
24 Arizona State University
L50: 165 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: 8/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: March 1, 2021
LORs: 0 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Attach a personal statement of no more than two double-spaced, typed pages with a font size no smaller than 11 point. The admissions committee seeks a dynamic group of individuals that will provide an engaging learning environment. The personal statement should give the committee a better picture of who you are beyond your academic achievements and resume. It should be compelling, show off your writing skills, and include some discussion of why you want to go to law school. It is also an opportunity to highlight specific reasons for your interest in ASU Law.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay, and why you’re interested in ASU in particular.]
Diversity Statement
Please explain how you would bring a diverse perspective to ASU Law. (no more than one double-spaced, typed page and font size no smaller than 11 point).
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Optional Addendum 1-Undergraduate Performance
If your college transcripts reveal that your grades for one or more semesters were markedly different from those in the other semesters, please explain. You may also wish to address significant breaks in your academic career or multiple moves among colleges. Please make any other comments about your college transcripts or your preparation for college that you believe will help the admissions committee in evaluating your application. (maximum one double-spaced, typed page and font size no smaller than 11 point)
Optional Addendum 2-Standardized Test Performance
If you took the LSAT more than one time and received significantly different scores, you may wish to provide an explanation for that difference. Candidates sometimes seek to establish that their academic potential is not accurately reflected by scores on standardized tests or that one LSAT score is more representative than another. If you claim this to be true in your case, please explain, and, if applicable, submit appropriate documentation (e.g., ACT or SAT scores). (maximum one double-spaced, typed page and font size no smaller than 11 point)
Optional Addendum 3-Other
If there is any other information you would like to provide to the admissions committee, please attach here. (maximum one double-spaced, typed page and font size no smaller than 11 point)
[The last addendum prompt might be used to describe a gap in employment, to talk about a disability, or to write anything else you didn't cover.]
IndianLaw Leadership Statement
Please note: Statement is only required for those applicants applying to the Indian Law Leadership Program. All other applicants may skip this section.
Please submit (no more than 2 pages, double spaced and font size no smaller than 11 point) statement discussing any of your leadership experience in and ties to Indian Country and your future goals.
C&F Questions
PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
Because of the high ethical standards to which lawyers are held, the failure to disclose an act or event such as the ones described below is often more significant, and leads to more serious consequences, than the act or event itself. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Admissions Office of any changes to your answers, may result in revocation of admission, revocation of a law degree, or disciplinary action by the College of Law, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission. Although an affirmative answer to any or all of questions 1 through 8 does not necessarily preclude or even prejudice admission to the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, persons who have been convicted of offenses other than minor traffic violations may have difficulty gaining admission to the bar. In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. State Bar Organizations and Boards of Law Examiners often require that you include your law school application as part of your application for admission to the bar. Accordingly, your answers to these questions will often be part of your record.
If you answer "yes" to any of the questions in this section, you must include a separate statement or electronic attachment providing a complete description of your actions and full details of the charges and sanctions against you. For example, to be complete, the statement must include a description of all charges or adjudications, including the level of degree and whether it is a felony or misdemeanor. You also must include the date(s) of the matter(s), the status or final disposition of the charge(s), (with the type of plea if any, such as, not guilty, no contest, Alford, or guilty) including your current status with the disciplinary or criminal authorities (for example, the status of your probation or parole), and the name and address of the authority in possession of those records. You must also include any charges that have been expunged, sealed, or set aside, even if told you do not need to by a judge or attorney. If you participated in a deferment program for any criminal activity you will also need to include that information.
Additionally, please provide your personal account of the events that led to the charges or discipline.
- Have you been subject to sanction or discipline by any academic institution for any reason?
- Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, convicted of, pled guilty, or pled no contest to a crime other than a minor traffic violation? (A violation that includes the use of drugs or alcohol is not considered a minor violation.)YesNo
- If you answered "yes" to question #2 above, were any of the instances felonies?
- Are any actions arising from allegations of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, cheating, or any form of behavioral misconduct or criminal charges other than a minor traffic violation (as described in question #2) currently pending against you?
- If you answered "yes" to question #4 above, were any of the instances felonies?
- Have you ever been separated from any branch of the US armed forces or foreign military under less than honorable conditions?(If you have never enrolled or served in any branch of the armed forces, please check "no.")YesNo
- Have you previously matriculated in a JD program at any US law school?
- Have you ever been subject to sanction or discipline by any professional or commercial licensing organization, such as but not limited to, license revocation, suspension, or censure? (i.e. real estate, commercial pilot license, etc.)
Résumé Instructions
Attach a descriptive resume of no more than two typed pages and font size no smaller than 11 point. Please include details about your educational background, work history, military service, leadership roles, honor societies, scholarships, extracurricular activities, public/community service, honors and awards, publications, foreign language proficiencies, and any other significant achievements and involvements. As to work history, include a complete and chronological list of positions (including organization name, dates of employment, and hours worked).
24 Emory University
L50: 166 | G50: 3.80 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: March 1, 2021
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
You may choose to write about any topic(s) you believe would be most helpful to the Admission Committee. The Personal Statement should not exceed two pages (typed, double-spaced). Applicants will disadvantage themselves by disregarding this limit.
Lawyers are professional writers. In our experience, virtually all employers are looking for graduates with superior legal writing skills. Emory devotes substantial resources to teaching legal writing, and all students receive significant individualized attention. Students who come to law school with solid writing skills are in the best position to take advantage of this training. Accordingly, in making admission decisions, Emory looks carefully at writing ability as evidenced by the personal statement.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
N/A—see "Other Information" prompt.
Other Information
If there is additional information you wish to share with the Admission Committee that could not be addressed in other sections of your application, please attach it here. This attachment is entirely optional, and we do not encourage unnecessary addenda.
(Emory Law considers your highest LSAT score. It is unnecessary to submit an explanation about your scores.)
[The addenda prompt is open-ended.]
C&F Questions
Academic Conduct
Have you ever been subject to any academic disciplinary action while in college, or any educational setting since high school, regardless of the outcome of the action? This includes academic probation, warning, reprimand, suspension, expulsion or dismissal, or any type of academic discipline.
If you answered "Yes" to the Academic Conduct question in the Character and Fitness section, please submit an addendum titled “Academic Conduct” to explain the situation. Please see the instructions to this application for additional guidance on this question. When in doubt, please disclose.
Social Conduct
Have you ever been accused of, reprimanded for, detained for, or charged with any criminal offense or school conduct violation, regardless of the outcome? This includes any criminal accusations, including traffic offenses, except for parking violations. This also includes any reprimands or social actions while in college, or any educational setting since high school (such as noise violations).
Please disclose even if any charges were dismissed, or if you were acquitted or allowed to plead nolo contendere, or if the conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated, or if the record was sealed or expunged. You must disclose regardless of whether you have been told you need not disclose any such instance.
If you answered "Yes" to the Social Conduct question in the Character and Fitness section, please submit an addendum titled "Social Conduct" to explain the situation. Please see the instructions to this application for additional guidance on this question. When in doubt, please disclose.
[From Instructions section:] GUIDANCE ON BAR CHARACTER AND FITNESS REQUIREMENTS
The Character and Fitness questions on Emory Law’s application sometimes provide a bit of anxiety for applicants. This guide is intended to ensure your answers are complete and accurate, which will greatly assist you when you apply to be a licensed lawyer in your chosen state after graduation from law school.
When you apply for Bar licensure to practice law, you will undergo a rigorous character evaluation from the Bar Admission’s Character and Fitness Committee in the state(s) in which you wish to practice. As part of the Bar application, many states ask you to submit a copy of your law school application. The committee will compare your answers to its questions with those provided in your school application.
If your answers are inconsistent, the Bar Committee will initiate a more intensive review of your file. For example, it may contact your law school to question whether you would have been admitted in light of this new information. You may suffer sanctions and revocation of law school admission for failing to disclose.
The Bar Committee may schedule an in-person hearing to ask you why you failed to disclose information earlier. In some instances, the committee may delay your certification of fitness, which in turn may prevent you from becoming a lawyer as soon as you may like.
Each state’s character and fitness questions are unique to that jurisdiction. Emory Law’s questions capture as much information as possible to assist you when you apply to be a licensed lawyer in your chosen state(s) and when you undergo the evaluation by the state’s Bar Admission Character and Fitness Committee.
Below is specific guidance on the character and fitness questions found on Emory Law’s application for admission. Three principles govern you while completing this part of the application:
- When in doubt, disclose.
- You have a continuing obligation to ensure that these responses are correct (and amend, if and when necessary), until graduation from Emory Law.
- If you have any questions, please email us at jdadmission@emory.edu.
We understand that our character and fitness questions may be more rigorous than other schools to which you apply. As with all aspects of the Emory Law experience, your integrity, honesty, and character in answering these questions completely is fundamental to the community we strive to maintain.
- Guidance on Academic Misconduct Question:
Have you ever been subject to any academic disciplinary action while in college or any educational setting since high school, regardless of the outcome of the action? This includes academic probation, warning, reprimand, suspension, expulsion, dismissal, or any type of academic discipline.
This question concerns any sort of academic misconduct or allegations of misconduct with which you may have been involved. Regardless of the resolution, you must disclose. Examples of academic misconduct include—but are not limited to—accusations of using Internet research inappropriately in a class assignment, allegations of inappropriate collaborations on a take-home exam, accusations of misbehavior during an assignment or exam, academic probation, academic suspension, expulsion, or any other academic irregularities.
You must disclose these allegations regardless of what an adjudicator, dean of students, professor or anyone else told you. We understand that at some schools allegations and sanctions may be removed from your file after a certain time. However, you still must disclose that they did occur. If you were found responsible/guilty, describe any sanctions levied against you (failing grade, grade reduction, community service, expulsion, etc.)
- When in doubt, disclose.
- If you have any questions, please contact us at jdadmission@emory.edu.
Sample Scenario: During his freshman year, Alex attended orientation at State University. During the program, he had to write an essay about the school's history. He and a friend worked together on their papers and shared research. The orientation coordinator discovered similarities in the papers and initiated academic proceedings against them. The dean of students met with Alex, verbally reprimanded him and sent Alex on his way. The dean said he would not make a notation on Alex’s file and that this event would be between them unless Alex repeated the offense. Alex graduated four years later with a 3.9 GPA with no further issues.
Alex should report this incident to Emory Law.
- Guidance on Social Misconduct Question:
Have you ever been accused of, reprimanded for, detained for, or charged with any criminal offense or school conduct violation, regardless of the outcome? This includes any criminal accusations, including traffic offenses, except for parking violations. This also includes any reprimands or social actions while in college or any educational setting since high school (such as noise violations). If yes, submit an addendum titled Social Conduct to explain the situation, including the background and circumstances as well as the outcome and resolution. Disclose even if any charges were dismissed, or if you were acquitted or allowed to plead nolo contendere, or if the conviction was reversed, set aside or vacated, or if the record was sealed or expunged.
This question should be viewed in two parts.
First, have you ever been accused of or sanctioned for any criminal conduct, regardless of when it occurred? This includes allegations of juvenile criminal conduct. It does not matter if the situation was sent to a diversion program or any other alternative resolution forum, was dismissed before court, was removed from your record after community service was performed, was expunged or otherwise removed from your record. You must disclose the allegations. In addition, if you were punished, you must also explain the sanctions, including whether they were probation, incarceration, community service, curfew, or other punishment.
We understand that at the time of the allegations and dispute resolution, a judge, lawyer, adviser, or someone else may have told you the matter would be removed from your record or that your record would be sealed. You still must disclose the incident. The underlying point of this question is to disclose any interaction you have had with the criminal system, regardless of the outcome.
Emory Law requires that you submit information on traffic tickets as well. A simple recitation of the ticket, approximate date, background on the situation and resolution—including any fines or other sanctions—will suffice.
The second part of this question relates to social conduct allegations or violations. This deals with incidents that occurred while in college or other post-secondary education such as noise violations, alcohol citations, disruptive behavior, or other incidents that violated your school’s conduct policy. Even if the allegation, violation, citation, or other reprimand was removed from your record, and regardless of whether someone told you otherwise, you must disclose it to Emory Law.
Sample Scenario 1: Georgette shoplifted from a store when she was 13 years old. As part of the county’s juvenile justice program, she was sent to an alternative juvenile court where a jury of high school peers sentenced her to write a letter of apology. All records of the incident were destroyed, and the incident never appeared on Georgette’s criminal record. Moreover, the supervising attorney coordinating the juvenile court specifically told Georgette she would never need to tell anyone about this incident.
Emory Law requires Georgette disclose this incident.
Sample Scenario 2: During orientation, Sam was cited for playing his radio too loudly in the dorm. The floor RA told Sam never to do it again and required Sam write an e-mail of apology.
Sam should disclose this incident.
Résumé Instructions
Please describe your pertinent employment history, extracurricular, and community service activities, including any leadership positions held. A one or two page résumé is the preferred format for submitting this information. A summary titled "Activities" is also acceptable.
24 University of Florida (Levin)
L50: 165 | G50: 3.84 | Deadline: 7/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 3/15/2021
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Essay
Please upload your Personal Statement here.
At UF Law, we seek to enroll a class with varied backgrounds and academic disciplines and skills. Such diversity contributes to the learning environment of the law school, and historically has produced graduates who are leaders in every area of law and who serve all segments of society. To better assess such qualities, we require each applicant to submit a Personal Statement.
The Personal Statement should be no more than approximately four double-spaced pages in a font no smaller than 12 pt.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
If you wish to upload a Diversity and Inclusion Statement, you may do so here.
The Levin College of Law values and seeks a diverse student body to achieve its mission of excellence in education, research and service. Diversity encompasses life experiences, socioeconomic background, ethnicity and race, gender and other attributes, and provides multi-cultural learning opportunities that prepare students for success in an increasingly diverse society.
Candidates may submit a statement describing the diverse life experience, attributes, and skills that they possess, including relevant specific experiences. Candidates should also address how such skills and experiences would advance diversity, and foster an inclusive environment at the Levin College of Law. The statement should focus on unique interests, abilities, and personal experience (including, but not limited, to information about socioeconomic background, first-generation status, gender, ethnicity and race and other attributes).
The Diversity and Inclusion Statement should be no more than two double-spaced pages with 12-point font. Text from the Personal Statement should not be repeated in this statement.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Why UF Law?
If you wish to upload a Why UF Law essay, you may do so here.
You are welcome to submit a short, optional essay describing your specific interest in the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Whether you are directly connected to UF, UF Law and/or the state of Florida, or if you have equally strong connections that are less obvious, we would love to know why you have chosen to apply. Most candidates can communicate these interests in one or two short paragraphs.
[We strongly encourage you to write this essay.]
Other Addend/Explanation
If you wish to upload another Addendum or Explanation, you may do so here.
[From Instructions section:] Candidates who wish to discuss any unique situations may upload a one-page addendum with the application. This document might include, but need not be limited to, information about poor grade progression, history of standardized testing, linguistic barriers, or a personal or family history of educational or socioeconomic disadvantage.
Please upload any addenda, including required Character and Fitness explanations/documentation, via the LSAC online application. See "Attachments" tab and select the appropriate addendum title.
The following should not be included with your application: additional writing samples, newspaper/magazine articles, photographs, etc.
ACT or SAT score
Needed only if applying through the Gator Scholars option. Attach a copy of your official ACT or SAT results here.
Your ACT composite score or SAT mathematics and critical reading total score must be at or above the 85th percentile for the administration of the exam that you took.
C&F Questions
Before responding to questions 1-5, please review the "Character and Fitness" (C&F) and "Need for Full Disclosure" section of the Admissions Instructions on the College of Law website.
Candidates answering Yes to any C&F question must provide a written account of the incident(s) and corresponding official documentation from the college/university or court regarding the final disposition of each occurrence. Your application will not be considered complete until the Admissions Office has received these items.
The Levin College of Law strongly prefers that your explanation and all official documents be combined in one attachment to this application. Official documents that cannot be submitted as an attachment may be submitted to the Levin College of Law via email (admissions@law.ufl.edu), mail (UF Law, Office of Admissions, PO Box 117622, Gainesville, FL 32611), or fax (352-392-4087).
Official documents must clearly identify the agency that is providing the disposition of the incident. Official documents obtained from an online source must include a web address (URL).
After submitting the application, candidates are obligated to immediately notify the Levin College of Law of any changes in data (including character & fitness) that occur either prior to a decision or matriculation, and provide related explanations and documentation when applicable.
Please note that, based on the incident(s) disclosed, the University Admissions office may also request additional information including relevant court documents. It is the responsibility of the candidate to provide all documentation for each Yes response.
If your records have been expunged pursuant to applicable law, you are not required to answer Yes to question 3, 4 or 5 with respect to that particular charge. It is your responsibility to know whether your records have been expunged. You should be aware that a state Board of Bar Examiners investigation into your fitness to practice law can extend beyond the scope of this question (as well as questions 1 and 2), and you might be required to disclose expunged records as well as any convictions or charges that you are required to disclose in answering these questions. If you are unsure whether to answer Yes, we strongly recommend answering Yes and fully disclosing all incidents. By doing so, you can avoid risk of disciplinary action and/or revocation of an admission offer. For a summary of the states’ bar admission requirements, please refer to the National Conference of Bar Examiners (www.ncbex.org).
- Have you ever been charged with or subject to disciplinary action at any institution of higher education?
- Have you ever been subject to academic probation(s), including warnings, suspension(s), and/or dismissal at any institution of higher education?
- Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of, or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to, a crime or traffic violation (other than a traffic violation resulting in a fine of $200 or less that did not result in revocation or suspension of your driver's license)?
- Are there any criminal charges pending against you?
- Are you currently on probation or parole, in a deferred prosecution program, required to perform community service obligations, or required to pay restitution or a fine in any criminal matter?
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Résumé Instructions
Please upload your résumé here.
Applicants are required to submit a professional résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) which should include specific, factual information about items such as education, honors and awards, extracurricular or community activities, publications, work history, military service, and/or foreign language proficiencies. Time frames should be clearly defined and descriptions should be detailed.
27 Fordham University
L50: 164 | G50: 3.64 | Deadline: 3/15/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Every year we receive many applications with similar academic credentials. In order to get a better sense of our applicants, we require a "personal statement" on a topic of your choosing. This allows you to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively and concisely through your writing ability. Sharing this information provides another opportunity for us to get to know you beyond your academic record. Your personal statement should not exceed two pages, double spaced.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Statement
In addition to your personal statement, you may include any background or experiences that you believe contribute to the diversity of our class. Some examples may include, but are not limited to, any unique skills and experiences including language fluency, professional accomplishments, talents, hardships overcome, educational or socioeconomic disadvantages, descriptions of any disabilities, or any other aspects that have not already been addressed in your application.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Optional Statement 2
In addition to your personal statement and optional statement, you may include any additional information you would like to share with us.
[This is an open-ended prompt. You could respond with a brief diversity statement, LSAT addendum, GPA addendum, or something else.]
Activities
You may submit an addendum detailing your activities.
Scholastic Honors
You may submit an addendum listing your scholastic honors and achievements.
C&F Questions
The American Bar Association (ABA Standard 504) advises applicants that there are character, fitness and other qualifications for admissions to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction.
Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction.
Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. For more information, contact the American Bar Association, 750 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611 or at (312) 988-5000 or at www.abanet.org.
If you answer yes to any of the questions below, please provide a detailed explanation as an electronic attachment.
- Have you ever been placed on probation, dropped, suspended, expelled, or otherwise been subjected to discipline by any institution of learning above elementary school level for conduct which might reflect upon your character?
- Please explain the circumstances. Note: If you need more space to provide a detailed account you may include an electronic attachment. (maximum characters 500) number of characters left is displayed after the field
500 characters left
- Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been cited, ticketed, arrested, taken into custody, charged with, indicted, convicted or tried for, or pleaded guilty to, the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, or been the subject of any juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding? Traffic violations that occurred more than ten years before the filing of this application need not be reported, except alcohol - or drug - related traffic violations, which must be reported in all cases, irrespective of when they occurred. Do not report parking violations. Note: Although a conviction may have been expunged from the records by order of a court, it nevertheless should be disclosed in the answer to this question.
- Please explain the circumstances. Note: If you need more space to provide a detailed account you may include an electronic attachment.(maximum characters 500)number of characters left is displayed after the field
- Have you ever been a complainant, party or witness to or otherwise involved in any civil or criminal action, proceeding or investigation?
- Please explain the circumstances. Note: If you need more space to provide a detailed account you may include an electronic attachment.
Résumé Instructions
This should illustrate your chronological work history. While one page is preferred, you may submit a resume that is longer but please utilize discretion when determining your resume length.
27 University of California—Irvine
L50: 166 | G50: 3.61 | Deadline: 3/17/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2020
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is your opportunity to tell us how your unique life experiences could contribute to our law school community. We do not have a checklist of attributes; we would like for you to tell us what you believe is different and most important for us to know. For example, did a significant life experience, intellectual interest, extracurricular activity, or particular person prompt you to do something that changed or enriched your life? Have you met and overcome a significant obstacle or challenge? Have you taken action in response to political, philosophical, or personal concerns? If you served in the military, how did that experience affect you? Are there atypical paths that you have taken in terms of your education, work life or family life? Have your sexual identity, a disability, discrimination, or socioeconomic factors impacted you? This is your moment to provide information that will help us know you personally.
When drafting your personal statement you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. personal statement, Why UCI Law essay, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by the word limit.
Please write a minimum of 350 words and a maximum of 750 words.
[From Instructions section:] Please do not send revisions to either required or optional statements after you have submitted your application.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Statement
We know that you may want to provide some additional information for the Admissions Committee to consider when reviewing your application. You may attach an optional statement, if desired. You are not required to provide the information below.
When responding to the an optional statement prompt, you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. personal statement, Why UCI Law essay, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by the word limit. If responding to more than one optional statement prompt; please begin each optional statement on a new page.
- Optional Statement on Diversity: UCI Law is committed to inclusive excellence, celebrates all aspects of diversity, and strives for equity and inclusion. How do you define inclusive excellence and what experiences do you bring to contribute to this inclusive community?
- Optional Statement on Your Academic Record: If you believe that your academic record does not accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, tell us about this.
- Optional Statement about Your Standardized Tests: If you believe that your results from standardized tests (LSAT, GRE, or SAT/ACT) do not accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, tell us about this.
Please write a maximum of 750 words among one, two, or all three optional statements.
[The Optional Statement on Diversity is very inviting, and you should feel free to write it whether or not you have any traditional diversity factors. You shouldn’t feel pressure to write it, though. It would be better to focus your energy on a killer “Why UCI.”
The second two prompts are, respectively, calls for GPA or LSAT addenda.]
Interest in UC Irvine
We know that you have many options when applying to law school. Tell us why you are interested in the School of Law at the University of California, Irvine. What do you believe we have to offer you? What will you bring to the School of Law? How would your experiences and perspectives enhance and enrich the quality and breadth of our law school community?
When drafting this statement you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. personal statement, Why UCI Law essay, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by the word limit.
Please write a minimum of 350 words and a maximum of 750 words.
[This essay is mandatory.]
C&F Questions
Conduct Information
If you answered "Yes" to any of the questions located in the Conduct Information section, please upload a Conduct Information Statement explaining the circumstances. Include date(s), locations, and disposition(s). Please note that an affirmative answer to any or all of the Conduct Information questions does not necessarily preclude or prejudice admission to the School of Law. Applications are reviewed holistically and take rehabilitation into consideration. Please use this Conduct Information Statement to explain the conduct issues and any rehabilitation measures undertaken. You should follow the rule that full disclosure is the best option. Failure to provide full, accurate information may result in the denial of an opportunity to take a state bar examination.
When preparing this statement, you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, that it is a conduct information statement and which conduct information question in the top header of each page. If you answered affirmatively to more than one conduct information question, please begin any new response on a new page. There is no word or page limit.
- Have you ever been convicted of, or is any charge now pending against you, for any crime other than a traffic violation?
- Have you ever been dismissed, suspended, placed on probation or disciplined by any college, university, graduate, or professional school, or is any such charge pending against you, or expected to be brought against you?
- Have you ever been subject to discipline by a professional organization or discharged from employment for conduct-related issues?
The American Bar Association (ABA) requires that applicants for admission to law schools be advised to obtain information regarding the requirements for admission to the Bar in the state(s) in which the applicant intends to practice. In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the Bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Résumé Instructions
Please submit your current résumé. It should include the following information:
- Academic and non-academic honors, awards, including scholarships, fellowships, prizes, publications, memberships in honor societies
- Your extracurricular activities since you entered undergraduate school, the number of hours you spent on those activities, and the dates of those activities. If you have been out of undergraduate or graduate school more than two years, include any community activities in which you have participated.
- Your employment after graduating from high school (either full-time or part-time), the number of hours, and the dates of employment.
- Hobbies or special areas of interest or academic pursuits; interesting travels; other skills or talents.
27 University of Iowa
L50: 161 | G50: 3.64 | Deadline: 5/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Attach a personal statement (limited to two or three pages) that addresses the following questions. This is your opportunity to tell us what you really want us to know and remember about you.
Why do you want to study law?
Why do you want to study at The University of Iowa College of Law?
What has been your most significant accomplishment?
How would you contribute to our law school community and the legal profession?
Describe any life experiences that would indicate unusual drive, determination, motivation, or leadership characteristics.
[From Instruction section:] The personal statement is required for all applicants. The personal statement should be limited to two to three pages.
[We recommend that you take these instructions literally, though you don't have to answer them one at a time.]
Attended Law School
If you have ever attended another law school, please explain fully in an attachment.
Educational Development
(Your response to this item is optional. If you choose to reply, please do so in a separate electronic attachment.) If you feel that any circumstances have played a substantial role in your educational development and if you would like the Admissions Committee to weigh the factors involved, please describe your situation and tell us why these circumstances should be considered. Examples of circumstances that could merit consideration are significant economic, social, physical, or cultural factors in your background or any of the following:
a) You have a history of outperforming standardized tests. Indicate the scores you received on the ACT, SAT, or any other standardized test taken before entering college or graduating (see instructions).
b) Your undergraduate grade-point average does not reflect your academic ability. Specify the conditions that interfered with your performance.
c) Describe the importance of race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation in your life and educational development.
Supplemental Information
- Have you ever attended another law school? (If your answer is "yes," please explain fully on a separate attachment.)
C&F Questions
Armed Services
- Have you ever served in the armed services of the United States? (If yes, then proceed to the following two questions.)
- Have you ever been subject to court martial or subject to Article 15 proceeding (non-judicial punishment)?
- Was your discharge other than honorable?
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, in a separate statement supplementary to your personal statement, describe the circumstances of your court martial and/or discharge in an electronic attachment (including the jurisdiction and approximate date and time of the underlying incidents). Please submit any relevant documentation, including your discharge papers.
Character and Fitness 1
- Have you ever (either as an adult or juvenile) been cited or arrested for, charged with, or convicted of any violation of the law? (You must disclose each instance, even if you were granted any type of pretrial diversion, even if filed charges were dismissed; even if such charges resulted in a deferred adjudication; even if you were acquitted of such charges; or even if such charges resulted in a conviction that was reversed, set aside, vacated, or expunged. You need not, however, disclose speeding or parking violations.)
If you answer "yes" to any of the Character and Fitness questions, in an electronic attachment, describe each instance and/or circumstance. Please attach any relevant documentation.
Character and Fitness 2
- Have you ever been disciplined in any way by any educational institution for any reason, whether academic or non-academic? This includes, but is not limited to, letters of reprimand, warning notices or findings of misconduct.
If you answer "yes" to any of the Character and Fitness questions, in an electronic attachment, describe each instance and/or circumstance. Please attach any relevant documentation.
Résumé Instructions
Submit an attachment on a separate sheet of paper that lists the following information (where applicable). A résumé is acceptable.
a) scholastic honors;
b) significant extracurricular activities and community service since entering college (including the number of hours per week devoted to each activity and dates of participation)
c) jobs you have held since entering college (including the number of hours per week devoted to each job and dates of employment).
[From Instruction section:] A description of any employment, academic, or research experience should be included in a one- to two-page résumé.
27 University of North Carolina
L50: 163 | G50: 3.68 | Deadline: 5/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
These personal statement questions allow you the opportunity to present yourself as an actual person and not just the sum of numbers or what you are able to write on a résumé. The answers to these questions allow the Admissions Committee to gain insight into who you are as an individual applicant and thus add more breadth to the experiences and viewpoints of our incoming classes. It is this breadth of viewpoints that greatly enhances the educational environment of the first-year classes and ultimately that of the UNC School of Law. Your answers should speak to any personal experiences, characteristics, and life circumstances that have informed or shaped your perspectives.
All applicants are required to answer Topic One and Topic Two. Topics Three and Four are optional. Topics One and Two may be answered as a single 3-4 page response, or as individual responses within the same document. In either event, the maximum number of pages for answering the two questions is four pages. Attach the document to “Statement Topic 1 and 2”.
Topics Three and Four are optional but must be answered individually within the same document. Either attach the document to “Topic 3 and 4 (optional),” or include in the same document with topics One and Two. The maximum number of pages for the answers to these two questions is four (two pages each).
All essays should be double-spaced and no less than 10 point type. No additional addenda are permitted within personal statements.
Topic One
The legal profession plays a vital role in the pursuit of justice and in sustaining the institutions of society, including governments, private corporations and organizations, nonprofit organizations, families and individuals. Please write a statement discussing why you want to become a member of the legal profession and why you think you are prepared for the ethical, professional, and time demands of the profession.
Topic Two
What is your reason for choosing the University of North Carolina School of Law? How does the institution meet your educational and/or your professional goals?
These personal statement questions allow you the opportunity to present yourself as an actual person and not just the sum of numbers or what you are able to write on a résumé. The answers to these questions allow the Admissions Committee to gain insight into who you are as an individual applicant and thus add more breadth to the experiences and viewpoints of our incoming classes. It is this breadth of viewpoints that greatly enhances the educational environment of the first-year classes and ultimately that of the UNC School of Law. Your answers should speak to any personal experiences, characteristics, and life circumstances that have informed or shaped your perspectives.
Topics Three and Four are optional but must be answered individually within the same document. Attach the document to “Topic 3 and 4 (optional).”
All essays should be double-spaced and no less than 10 point type. No additional addenda is permitted within personal statements.
Topic Three
The University of North Carolina School of Law seeks to enroll a wide variety of students (including individuals from groups underrepresented in the legal profession as well as those who have experienced economic, social, or educational disadvantages because of their personal circumstances or characteristics). We find that a breadth of experiences and viewpoints enriches the educational environment for everyone. Please write a statement discussing what you might contribute to the diversity of experiences and viewpoints of the student body.
Topic Four
The School of Law is committed to a full evaluation of your credentials. Please set forth any circumstances you believe may have negatively affected your cumulative undergraduate grade-point average, your performance on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and/or your participation in service or extracurricular activities.
[Topic 1 and 2 are required. Topic 3 broadly interprets diversity, Topic 4 is like a GPA/LSAT addendum or further explanation of service/extracurricular activities.]
Interruption of Education
If you had an interruption of six months or more in your education, please explain here. (maximum characters 1000)
Good standing
If you are not in good standing with a previously attended law school, please explain here. Please include the exact dates of attendance and separation in your explanation. (maximum characters 1000)
C&F Questions
- is an acknowledgment
- Have you ever been expelled, dismissed, suspended, placed on probation, or otherwise subject to any disciplinary sanction by any high school, college, university, graduate or professional school? (This includes information listed in your academic records as "FOR INFORMATION ONLY.") If yes, please include an attachment explaining the circumstances.
- Have you ever received a citation for, been arrested for, charged with, convicted of, or pled guilty, no contest, nolo contendere, entered an Alford plea, or otherwise accepted responsibility for a crime, or have you received a deferred prosecution or prayer for judgment continued, for any criminal charge other than a minor traffic violation (parking or an original charge speeding under 10 mph)? This would include any charges of driving under the influence or any other drug or alcohol-related offenses. (Records that have been sealed or expunged need not be disclosed.) If yes, please include an attachment explaining the circumstances.
- Are there any criminal charges pending against you or are you presently under investigation for a crime of any kind? (This includes any charges of driving under the influence or other drug or alcohol-related charges.) If yes, please include an attachment explaining the circumstances.
- Have you ever been involuntarily separated from a job, internship, externship, or as a volunteer for a nonprofit organization, as a result of an accusation that involved dishonesty or moral turpitude? If yes, please include an attachment explaining the circumstances.
- Have you ever been sued for a non-criminal act that was alleged to have been intentional? If yes, please include an attachment explaining the circumstances.
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action by a professional association or state licensing board, or had a professional license suspended or revoked? If yes, please include an attachment explaining the circumstances.
- Do you have any adverse financial history, including but not limited to, bankruptcy, foreclosure, or loan default?
- Please address any other incident involving questions of your character that are not covered by the above questions. You should not include responses from the questions above in this space. Please include those responses in an addendum.required (maximum characters 500)
If you answered YES to any of the questions in the Character and Fitness section, please include a statement providing dates and a complete explanation and description of the circumstances and resolution of each incident.
Résumé Instructions
Please include a résumé of your academic, employment, community service, leadership and professional activities, accomplishments and awards. Your resume can be up to three pages in length. Please make sure you use larger than 10 point type when creating the resume.
31 Boston College
L50: 164 | G50: 3.69 | Deadline: 3/31/2021
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Upload a personal statement that demonstrates your capacity for the study of law.
Many applicants submit a personal statement about a major life experience that has shaped their world view, overcoming a difficult challenge, or unique personal traits that they would bring to the BC Law community. In crafting your personal statement, you may wish to consider one of the aforementioned topics, or you may choose a topic of your own.
Your personal statement should not exceed three pages (double-spaced) with a minimum of one-inch margins and 10-point font size.
Optional Statement
You may upload an optional statement, regarding any economic, cultural, social, or other factors that you wish for us to consider when reviewing your application.
You are not required to submit an optional statement. Your optional statement should not exceed two pages (double-spaced) with a minimum of one-inch margins and 10-point font size.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Addendum (optional)
If you believe that your LSAT score(s) and/or GPA are not reflective of your ability and potential to succeed in law school, you may upload an optional addendum detailing relevant facts and circumstances.
You are not required to submit an addendum. Your addendum should not exceed one page (double-spaced) with a minimum of one-inch margins and 10-point font size.
[You could use this for an LSAT, GPA, or gap-in-employment addendum.]
Public Service Scholarship - Leadership Experience
This attachment is only required for applicants applying for the Public Service Scholarship.
Describe your past and current work in public service, including both volunteer and paid activities. Please focus your answer on specific leadership experience(s) you gained from this work and/or the meaningful impact of the work on others/communities. Please do not use this answer to simply review all the public sector experiences listed on the resume you have submitted as part of this application.
Your response should not exceed two pages (double-spaced) with a minimum of one-inch margins and 12-point font size.
Public Service Scholarship - Career Plans
This attachment is only required for applicants applying for the Public Service Scholarship.
What are your career plans as they pertain to your intention to practice law in public service, including any specific career path you intend to pursue and what steps have you taken to learn about the career paths you are interested in (e.g., work experience, volunteer experience, conversations with practitioners in the field, etc.)?
Your response should not exceed two pages (double-spaced) with a minimum of one-inch margins and 12-point font size.
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been compelled to curtail or discontinue your study or your work for a substantial period?
- Have you ever been placed on academic warning, academic probation, or conduct probation; or been dismissed or disciplined, or been the subject of any unresolved conduct or disciplinary complaint by or at any college, graduate or professional school, or professional licensing agency?
- Have you ever been convicted of a felony (or its equivalent in the applicable jurisdiction) that has not been vacated?*
- Within the past five years, have you been convicted of, or released from incarceration for, a misdemeanor (or its equivalent in the applicable jurisdiction), other than for a first offense for drunkenness, simple assault, speeding, a minor traffic violation, affray, or disturbance of the peace?*
- An applicant with a sealed record on file with the commissioner of probation may answer "no record" with respect to an inquiry herein relative to convictions. (Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 276, Section 100A)
- In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
NOTICE TO APPLICANT: The Board of Bar Examiners, both in Massachusetts and other jurisdictions, may require additional information pertaining to criminal/disciplinary history and legal proceedings that educational institutions in Massachusetts are not permitted to seek under state law. Examples of character and fitness questions from three jurisdictions are provided below.
The Massachusetts Petition for Admission by Examination - First Time includes the following three questions:
- Have you ever been charged with or been the subject of any investigation for a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic charge?
- Have you ever been a party on either side in a civil action or proceeding involving a claim of fraud, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, professional malpractice or other wrongful conduct?
- Have you been a party in any other legal or administrative proceedings?
The Application for Admission to Practice as an Attorney and Counselor-at-Law in the State of New York includes the following question:
- Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been cited, ticketed, arrested, taken into custody, charged with, indicted, convicted or tried for, or pleaded guilty to, the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, or been the subject of any juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding? Traffic violations that occurred more than ten years before the filing of this application need not be reported, except alcohol- or drug-related traffic violations, which must be reported in all cases, irrespective of when they occurred. Do not report parking violations.
The Texas Bar Exam Application for Out-of-State Law Students includes the following three questions:
- Have you ever been convicted of an offense, placed on probation, or granted deferred adjudication or any type of pretrial diversion? You must report any such offenses involving alcohol or drugs. You must report any failure to appear conviction resulting from any offense. You must report any conviction for failure to maintain financial responsibility (legally required auto insurance). You may exclude only Class C misdemeanor traffic violations.
- Have you, within the last 10 years, been arrested, cited or ticketed for, or charged with any violation of the law? You must report any such offenses involving alcohol or drugs. You must report any failure to appear charge or warrant resulting from any such offense. You must report any failure to maintain financial responsibility (legally required auto insurance) arrest, citation, ticket or charge. You may exclude only Class C misdemeanor traffic violations.
- Are you currently the target or subject of a grand jury or other governmental agency investigation?
Résumé Instructions
Upload your current résumé or curriculum vitae.
31 University of Alabama
L50: 164 | G50: 3.94 | Deadline: 8/1/2021
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Provide a personal statement that includes any information that you wish the Admissions Committee to consider when evaluating your application. This statement also might describe your interest in attending law school at The University of Alabama. (Approximately two pages.)
[From Instructions section:] The School of Law is especially interested in learning about you and how you will contribute to your class and the law school community. Your essay should not speak in generalities, and it should not simply repeat your résumé. You should describe events or character traits that are not obvious from the other information in your application. Your essay might address adversities you have faced and how you overcame them, an experience or person that impacted your life, or specific goals for your legal career.
[This prompt is somewhat open-ended, but you should explain why you're applying to law school in general and to this school in particular.]
Addendum No. 1
Please attach an addendum if you feel it is important for the Admissions Committee to consider other information.
Addendum No. 2
Please attach an addendum if you feel it is important for the Admissions Committee to consider other information.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, gap in employment addendum, diversity statement, or "why X" essay, among others.]
C&F Questions
- [Note: this is an acknowledgement]
Interests of the University and the School of Law. The University of Alabama has vital interests in the safety of its campus and the fitness of its students to be members of the University community. The School of Law shares these interests, and, as a professional school, it has a heightened concern for the behavior, honesty and integrity of its students. Therefore, the School of Law may deny admission to, or revoke admission of, any applicant whom it deems to be detrimental to these interests. To assist in that consideration, the School of Law requires applicants to provide certain information about their disciplinary or criminal history. A criminal or disciplinary history is not an automatic bar to admission. Any admission decision relating to a criminal or disciplinary disclosure is made on a case-by-case basis considering the entirety of the file.
Qualifications for Bar Admission. In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners at https://www.ncbex.org. A J.D. degree from the University of Alabama School of Law, an ABA-accredited law school, satisfies the degree requirement needed to practice law in any U.S. jurisdiction. However, the bar of each jurisdiction may impose other requirements to practice law, such as character and fitness qualifications and/or specific coursework. Admission to the School of Law does not guarantee that an applicant will satisfy the character and fitness review of a state bar.
Conduct Questions. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, please attach an additional statement providing complete details, including the dates, circumstances, and resolution. Please also include any information describing how you believe you can positively contribute to the campus community despite any prior issue(s) disclosed below (e.g. evidence of rehabilitation, community service, etc.).
In answering the questions below, “convicted” means a judge or jury has found you guilty of the crime(s) charged against you in a court of law, following a trial or guilty plea. If your conviction has been sealed, expunged, or overturned, you do not have to disclose the conviction associated with that situation.
Code of Conduct 2
Have you ever been placed on probation, suspended, dismissed, removed, or expelled from any college, university, or other postsecondary institution or are you currently the subject of any pending or expected disciplinary action by any academic institution?
Code of Conduct 3
Have you ever been convicted of any felony?
Code of Conduct 4
Have you ever been convicted of an offense involving physical harm to another person or animal (whether a felony or not)?
Code of Conduct 5
Have you ever been convicted of a sexual offense (whether a felony or not)?
Code of Conduct 6
Have you ever been convicted of stalking or have you ever received a restraining order, protective order or similar directive to avoid or to limit contact with a group or individual?
Code of Conduct 7
Are you currently the subject of pending charges or an indictment for any of the offenses listed above in questions 3-6?
Appeal. The School of Law will notify an applicant if he or she is denied admission based solely on the conduct questions 3-7 above. In that particular case, the applicant may appeal the denial by providing a written statement of appeal to the School of Law within seven calendar days from when the denial was received. The appeal statement should be directed to the Associate Dean of Admissions at the School of Law.
Résumé Instructions
Please submit a résumé that includes at least your last three positions of full-time employment, including summer employment. The résumé also may include your scholastic, extracurricular, and community activities and honors.
31 University of Georgia
L50: 165 | G50: 3.78 | Deadline: 6/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 12/1/2020
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Provide a personal statement as an electronic attachment. You may write about anything you deem relevant to your application for admission to the University of Georgia School of Law. Transfer and visiting applicants should state the reason(s) for desiring to attend the University of Georgia School of Law.
[This prompt is somewhat open-ended, but you should describe whey you're applying to this law school in particular by the end.]
Diversity Statement
The School of Law believes the overall educational environment of the law school may be enhanced by life experiences or personal characteristics that significantly add to the academic, cultural, ethnic, geographic, racial, or socioeconomic diversity of the student population. You are invited to explain how your life experiences or personal characteristics would significantly add to the diversity of the student population and enhance the educational climate of the law school. This may also include discussion of your status as a first-generation college graduate or veteran. (OPTIONAL)
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Supplementary Statement
Law is a field of study that offers students a wide range of career options. If you have an idea of what you would like to do with your law degree after graduation, please feel free to share with the Office of Admissions. Likewise, please share if you have a specific area of legal interest including any specific desire to participate in experiential learning programs or clinics offered at the School of Law. It is not required that an incoming student have a clear career path in mind but this information will assist the School of Law in matching students with alumni/alumnae in our mentor program.
[If you explain why you want to attend this school in your PS, it's okay not to answer this question.]
Additional Information
If there is any additional information you wish to call to the attention of the Admissions Committee, please do so in this attachment.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
UGA Scholars Applicant
This admissions process is only open to applicants who have received or will receive their undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia or who are seeking a graduate degree from the University of Georgia. Qualified University of Georgia undergraduates may apply to the University of Georgia School of Law without the previously required LSAT score. Qualified applicants must possess a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.50 and must have scored at or above the 85th percentile nationally at the time the test was administered on either:
(1) the SAT or ACT if seeking a J.D. degree at the School of Law; or
(2) the GRE or GMAT if seeking a dual degree at the School of Law.
Based on ABA requirements, the School of Law is only able to enroll a certain percentage of the class as part of the UGA Scholars process. Once the School of Law admits this set percentage, the UGA Scholars process will be closed. The UGA Scholars process application deadline is October 1, 2020. All application components, including letters of recommendation and the LSAC Law School Report, must be received by the Office of Admissions by October 1, 2020. Applicants with an LSAT score cannot be admitted through the UGA Scholars process. Applicants with an LSAT score will be considered through the Standard Admissions Process.
Applicants must submit an application to the School of Law through www.lsac.org. UGA Scholars applicants should follow the same application completion instructions for standard admissions found online at: http://www.law.uga.edu/entering-students. In the Additional Tests section of the application, applicants should enter the following information:
- Please indicate the test (SAT, ACT, GMAT or GRE) and enter your score
- Please indicate the month and year when you took the SAT, ACT, GMAT or GRE test
After you submit your application on www.lsac.org, please send an email to Brandi Saunders, Law Admissions Enrollment Management Specialist, at bsaundrs@uga.edu stating you have applied through the UGA Scholars process.
Admission is not guaranteed based on meeting the required credentials alone. Each application receives a holistic review. The Office of Admissions will release decisions on UGA Scholars applications after the October 1st deadline. The deposit deadline for UGA Scholars admitted students is January 31, 2021.
Applicants who intend to apply to law schools other than the University of Georgia School of Law or apply through the Early Decision or Standard Admission Process will need to take the LSAT to be considered for admission. Candidates should also be aware that School of Law students matriculating under the UGA Scholars process will not be eligible to transfer to another law school after the 1L year without an LSAT score. The UGA Scholars program is designed for UGA undergraduate students who have considered their law school options carefully and are confident that the University of Georgia School of Law is their top choice.
3+3 Applicant
This admissions process is only open to applicants who are currently enrolled as undergraduate students at the University of Georgia in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, the School for Public and International Affairs, the Grady College of Journalism, and the Terry College of Business. Qualified University of Georgia undergraduates may apply to the University of Georgia School of Law during the Spring Semester of their 3rd or Junior Year of Undergraduate Study, and begin Juris Doctor course work full time during their 4th or Senior year of Undergraduate Study if admitted.
The 3+3 Admissions Process application deadline is June 1, 2021. All application components, including letters of recommendation and the LSAC Law School Report, must be received by the Office of Admissions by June 30, 2021. Applicants with the required credentials who intend to apply to the University of Georgia School of Law through the 3+3 Admissions must take the LSAT no later than April 2020 to be considered for this process, and they must provide documentation from their undergraduate advisor that they have completed or will complete all of their major requirements by the end of their 3rd or Junior Year of Undergraduate Study.
Applicants must submit an application to the School of Law through www.lsac.org. 3+3 Admissions Process applicants should follow the same application completion instructions for standard admissions found online at: http://www.law.uga.edu/entering-students.
After you submit your application on www.lsac.org, please send an email to Brandi Saunders, Law Admissions Enrollment Management Specialist, at bsaundrs@uga.edu stating you have applied to the University of Georgia School of Law through the 3+3 Admissions Process.
Admission is not guaranteed based on meeting the required credentials alone. Each application receives a holistic review. The University of Georgia School of Law will release decisions on 3+3 Admissions Process applicants on a rolling basis. Students who are not granted admission through the 3+3 Admissions Process are still eligible to apply the following year or after graduation.
C&F Questions
Acad Disciplinary Action
- Have you ever been dropped, suspended, warned, placed on scholastic or disciplinary probation, expelled or requested to resign from any college, university, or law school, otherwise subjected to discipline by any such institution, or requested or advised by any such institution to discontinue your studies therein?
Have you ever been formally charged with cheating, lying, or otherwise taking unfair advantage of fellow students at any college, university, or law school you attended or are presently attending?
Regardless of whether the record has been expunged, cancelled or annulled, or whether no record was made, have you ever been subject to proceedings before a school honor court or council (or any similar body)?
If the answer to Character & Fitness question #1 is "Yes," please give complete details in an attachment. If you have been suspended or expelled from a university, please provide all official documents related to this expulsion.
Please be aware that there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to each state's bar. Applicants are encouraged to determine what the requirements are in the state(s) in which they intend to practice.
Your explanation and all supporting court documentation should be included in this attachment.
Criminal Violations
- Excluding only parking violations, have you ever been detained, arrested, formally accused, cited, or prosecuted for the violation of any law? You must disclose each instance, even if the charges were dismissed; you were acquitted; you pled nolo contendere; adjudication was withheld; your conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated; or the record was sealed or expunged.
If the answer to Character & Fitness Question #2 is "Yes," please give complete details in an attachment.
Please be aware that there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to each state's bar. Applicants are encouraged to determine what the requirements are in the state(s) in which they intend to practice.
Your explanation and all supporting court documentation should be included in this attachment.
Military Discharge
- Have you ever been discharged from the armed forces other than honorably or are charges pending, which could result in such an outcome? (Check "No" if you have never been in the armed forces.)
If the answer to Character & Fitness Question #3 is "Yes," please give complete details in an attachment.
Please be aware that there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to each state's bar. Applicants are encouraged to determine what the requirements are in the state(s) in which they intend to practice.
Your explanation and all supporting court documentation should be included in this attachment.
Professional Discipline
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary sanctions while holding a professional license or are charges pending, which could result in such an outcome? (Check "No" if you have never held a professional license.)
If the answer to Character & Fitness Question #4 is "Yes," please give complete details in an attachment.
Please be aware that there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to each state's bar. Applicants are encouraged to determine what the requirements are in the state(s) in which they intend to practice.
Your explanation and all supporting documentation should be included in this attachment.
Résumé Instructions
Submit a resume detailing your education, employment, skills, honors, awards, leadership positions, and accomplishments. Upload document as an attachment to the application form.
31 University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
L50: 162 | G50: 3.64 | Deadline: 3/15/2021
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Include a typed personal statement of 2 to 3 pages, double-spaced. There is no formula for a successful personal statement, and different applicants will have different approaches and topics for their essays. At Illinois Law, we look beyond test scores and grades to find the applicants that are best suited for success. We encourage you to discuss significant life experiences; meaningful extracurricular activities; why you have chosen to pursue a career in the law; significant obstacles met and overcome; particular political, philosophical, or religious beliefs; prior careers; or experiences relating to disadvantage, disability, or discrimination. Any of these subjects, and countless others, could be appropriate for your personal statement and will assist the committee in selecting the best individuals to study at Illinois Law.
Supplemental Statement
If you have additional documents for your application file, attach them here.
C&F Questions
If you answered "yes" to question 5 of the Character and Fitness section, attach your supplementary statement here.
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary proceedings or actions for academic or other reasons in any of the colleges and universities, graduate, or professional schools you have attended, or are such charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
- Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offense, either as a juvenile or as an adult, or is there now pending against you any indictment, criminal information, or criminal complaint? This includes matters that have been expunged or sealed.
- Have you ever served in the military?
- If you did serve in the military, did you receive less than an honorable discharge (other than discharge based solely on sexual orientation)? If your response is "no," a supplementary statement is not required. If your response is "yes," attach your explanation in the Supplementary Statement Attachment.
- Did you answer "yes" to any of questions 1, 2, or 4 in this Character & Fitness Section?
Résumé Instructions
Please identify:
(A) positions of full-time or significant part-time employment, paid or unpaid, including the name and location of your employer, your job title, and the dates you held the position, along with any other information you think will be useful;
(B) significant extracurricular/non-work-related activities;
(C) academic and non-academic honors and awards received, including fellowships, prizes, and memberships in honor societies; and
(D) hobbies or special areas of interest or academic pursuits.
31 Washington and Lee University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.63 | Deadline: 7/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 12/1/2020
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
You must electronically attach a personal statement with your application. Your personal statement should give the Admissions Committee a sense of the person behind the objective credentials presented in your application and supporting documents and should not be a restatement of your résumé in narrative form. Your statement should be no longer than 3 pages of double-spaced, Times Roman 12-point text. We regularly receive outstanding personal statements that fill only a single page; a lengthy statement is not required.
[This is an open-ended prompt.]
Diversity Statement
We seek to enroll students representing a wide spectrum of society, including members of groups under-represented in the legal profession. You may electronically attach a short statement discussing how your diversity is relevant to your application. Choosing not to submit this optional essay will have not negatively effect your application.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Ethical Dilemma
You may electronically attach a 500-word double-spaced essay discussing the manner in which you dealt with an ethical dilemma. Failure to submit this optional essay will have no negative effect on your application.
[We recommend that you write this essay.]
Informational Addenda
Explanatory or informational addenda in addition to those required by this application may be submitted, but must be included as attachments when you submit your application. Subsequent submissions of additional information for inclusion in your application file are strictly limited to (a) any required document or answer omitted from your original submission; (b) disclosure of any new information as required by the ongoing duty to disclose set forth in this application (Section 15, Certification 1); and (c) additional letters of recommendation.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
C&F Questions
Each incident or circumstance that requires an affirmative answer of any of the following Character and Fitness questions must be described in detail in an attachment.
- [This is an acknowledgement]
Disclosure pertaining to a speeding ticket or other moving violation under Question 2 must include the date of the incident; the violation with which you were charged; any reduction in the charge (whether at a court hearing, as a result of attendance at an instructional class, or by other means); and the fine or other penalty imposed.
Disclosure pertaining to an arrest, prosecution, or charge under Question 2 or an agreement or arrangement under Question 3 must include (1) a detailed description of the incident, event, and/or circumstances leading to such arrest, prosecution or charge, (2) the original charge(s), and (3) the ultimate disposition of the matter.
- Have you ever been cited, ticketed, taken into custody, arrested, or prosecuted for, or charged with, any violation of law other than (a) citations for parking violations and (b) arrests, charges, prosecutions, or convictions that have been officially expunged in accordance with applicable statutory provisions?
- Have you ever entered into a plea agreement or any arrangement to avoid prosecution other than agreements or arrangements specifically involving arrests, charges, prosecutions, or convictions that have been officially expunged in accordance with applicable statutory provisions?
- Are you now the subject of a criminal or administrative investigation?
- Have you ever been the subject of or a party to a civil or administrative proceeding?
- Have you ever been reprimanded, suspended, expelled, placed on probation, or been the subject of any other disciplinary action by any college or university, or were you required or permitted to withdraw in order to avoid academic or disciplinary action?
- Have you ever been found to have committed any honor violation?
- Are you now the subject of an honor investigation, or are allegations of an honor violation pending against you?
- Have you ever been denied admission to any profession or had any type of license revoked?
- Do you know of any other matter that might adversely affect your admission to law school or to the bar of any state?
- I understand that failure to provide complete and accurate information as required by this application, and as required by my continuing duty to provide accurate and complete disclosures, may result in one or more of the following: denial of admission, revocation of an offer of admission, rescission of an offer of admission, action under the Washington and Lee University Honor System, dismissal from the School of Law, and may otherwise jeopardize my application for admission to the bar and my ability to practice law. I acknowledge that, because of the high ethical standards to which lawyers are held, the failure to make a disclosure or the failure to make a full and complete disclosure as required by this application may be considered more significant and could lead to more serious consequences than those that may result from proper disclosure.
Résumé Instructions
You are encouraged to attach a résumé detailing any scholastic honors, extracurricular activities, work experience, or other significant accomplishments or activities you believe are relevant to the consideration and evaluation of your candidacy. Though not required, a résumé is helpful as we seek to gain a deeper sense of an applicant and his/her credentials.
31 William & Mary Law School
L50: 163 | G50: 3.60 | Deadline: 3/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
William & Mary Law School evaluates applicants in many areas beyond test scores and academic transcripts.
Please attach a brief personal statement that identifies factors such as activities or accomplishments, personal or cultural background, career goals, or special talents that you believe would contribute to the Law School community and would support your application to William & Mary Law School.
From William and Mary’s web page: Personal Statement: Submit a personal statement of no more than two pages, double spaced, 12 pt font, examining why the J.D. degree is essential to your future.
[Explain what you would contribute to the law school community and why you need a JD.]
Optional Addenda
Applicants may attach optional addenda with whatever additional information they wish to have considered as part of their application for admission.
Factors Influencing GPA
- Were there any personal, cultural or economic factors that, in your opinion, adversely affected your academic performance?
- If yes, please explain here: (maximum characters 1000)
Application for Virginia In-State Tuition Privileges
Applicants claiming entitlement to Virginia in-state educational privileges must complete the Application for Virginia In-State Tuition Privileges.
- Download the Domicile Form.
- After completing the Domicile Form, attach it to your application. If you need to supply additional information, please attach additional documents to the application.
- Alternatively, you may send the completed domicile application and supporting documents via email to domicile@wm.edu, via fax to 757.221.2151, or mail to:
Office of the University Registrar
William & Mary
PO Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Applicants who are active duty military personnel or honorably discharged veterans are eligible for in-state tuition privileges once they have moved to Virginia. Upon moving here, applicants should submit the Domicile Form and their military orders showing permanent duty station (active duty) or their discharge papers (veterans) to the Domicile Office at domicile@wm.edu.
C&F Questions
Applicants may attach an optional addendum if there was not enough space provided to explain their yes answers to any Character & Fitness question.
Earning a law degree does not guarantee you the right to practice law. Becoming licensed to practice requires you to meet the character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar of the state in which you intend to practice. We encourage you to determine what those specific requirements are in each state where you intend to apply for a license. A good resource to begin with is The Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, published annually and available at www.ncbex.org.
Most states will either request a copy of your law school application directly from the law school or require you to provide a copy as part of your application to sit for the state bar examination. Accordingly, it is very important that you disclose ALL information that may, in any way, reflect on your character and fitness to practice law, including but not limited to, disciplinary and criminal proceedings. You must disclose each instance even though the charges may have been dismissed or reduced, you were acquitted, adjudication was withheld, a conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE ANY EXPUNGED OR SEALED RECORDS. You must disclose both the original charge or citation and the ultimate disposition, including any reduced charges or lesser included offenses. If you have any question as to whether a given incident should be disclosed, you should opt for full disclosure.
- Have you ever been suspended, warned, placed on academic or any other type of probation, expelled, disciplined, excluded, or requested or advised to withdraw by ANY post-secondary school, college, university, or other similar institution?
- If yes, provide all documentation pertinent to the incident and provide a complete explanation: (maximum characters 3000)
- Are there any academic or employment related disciplinary charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
- If yes, provide all documentation pertinent to the incident and provide a complete explanation: (maximum characters 3000)
- Are there any criminal proceedings pending or expected to be brought against you?
- YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE ANY EXPUNGED OR SEALED RECORDS. You must provide official copies of both the original charge or citation and a complete and accurate explanation of the incident. (maximum characters 3000)
- Have you EVER IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE been arrested, charged, convicted, warned, taken into custody for the violation of a law, court order, or for any offense, including, without limitation, all traffic offenses (e.g. DUI/DWI/OWI offenses, speeding, improper equipment, expired registration or inspection tags, failure to maintain proof of insurance, failure to wear a seat belt, etc.), or formally accused of, charged with, or indicted for such violations? You may NOT omit offenses that were dropped, dismissed or reduced. But you may omit (i) offenses that were either expunged or sealed and (ii) parking violations. Even if you perceive a matter to have been minor or to have happened a long time ago, you MUST disclose the information.
- If yes, you MUST disclose and fully and accurately describe each instance even though the charges may have been dismissed or reduced, you were acquitted, adjudication was withheld, a conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE ANY EXPUNGED OR SEALED RECORDS. You must provide us with official copies of both the original charge or citation and the ultimate disposition, including any reduced charges or lesser included offenses. (maximum characters 3000)
Résumé Instructions
Attach a résumé with your application, including your work experience, educational history, extracurricular/community activities, and any awards or honors received.
37 Brigham Young University
L50: 166 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 6/30/2021 | Final ED deadline: 3/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Instructions to the applicant: A personal statement is required of each applicant. This should include additional information that is not reflected in other parts of your application, including the résumé or academic records. The purpose of the statement is to provide insight into personal traits and experiences that have affected your life and to allow the Committee to learn more about you. Motivations for attending law school, unique perspectives and ideas, and significant life experiences are all excellent topics for consideration. Please limit statements to two (2) typed (12-point font), double-spaced pages with conventional margins.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Addenda
Please attach additional information to be considered, only if necessary.
[Addenda – Candidates must provide an addendum of no more than one (1) page explaining any character and fitness issues as defined in the application. Candidates may also provide an additional one (1) page addendum addressing other gaps or weaknesses in the application.]
Ecclesiastical Endorsement
Ecclesiastical Endorsement (EE) – Applicants must obtain an EE before their applications are considered complete. An EE is obtained by interviewing with two different religious leaders. To start this process go to endorse.byu.edu. This process verifies that candidates understand the BYU Honor Code and have committed to abide by it during law school. **Please note: all admitted students will be required to complete a new EE prior to enrollment each subsequent year of law school.
- LDS candidates must obtain an EE from:
* Your current Bishop; AND
* Your current Stake President
- Non-LDS candidates must obtain an EE from
* A clergy member of your own faith OR the LDS Bishop over the area where you live; AND
* The nondenominational BYU Chaplain
- For further information regarding EEs for non-LDS candidates please visit: https://policy.byu.edu/view/index.php?p=26&s=s315
- Feel free to contact Law Admissions at (801) 422-7871, if you have questions about obtaining an EE.
Scholarship Consideration
BYU Law does not require a separate scholarship application. All candidates are considered for general merit scholarships (up to full tuition for three years) after the priority deadline. In addition to general merit scholarships, BYU Law offers a number of full scholarships plus cash stipends to a few exceptionally qualified students. Competition for these scholarships will be by invitation only to candidates with high academic credentials and test scores who complete their application by December 28, 2020.
C&F Questions
If you answered "Yes" to any of the Character & Fitness questions, you must submit an electronic attachment no more than 2 pages double spaced, with conventional margins, and font, that explains the extent of your involvement or alleged involvement and the final disposition of the situation. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer "Yes" to any of the questions in this section from the date of your application to your matriculation.
- Academic Probation: Have you ever been on academic probation for any reason at any post-secondary school, college, university, or professional school?
- Academic Sanctions/Suspension/Dismissal: Have you ever been sanctioned by, suspended by, dismissed by, or required or advised to withdraw from any post-secondary school, college, university, or professional school for academic reasons?
- Honor Code: Have you ever been reported to, sanctioned by, suspended by, dismissed by, placed on probation by, or required or advised to withdraw from any post-secondary school, college, university, or professional school for a violation, or reported violation, of an honor code/ethical code/or student conduct code?
- Nonacademic Sanctions: Have you ever been censured for misconduct by, placed on disciplinary probation by, dismissed for nonacademic reasons by, or required or advised to withdraw for nonacademic reasons by any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or place of employment? Are disciplinary charges now pending or expected to be brought against you at any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or place of employment?
- Criminal Sanctions: Are there any criminal charges now pending or expected to be brought against you? Have you ever been arrested, cited, or convicted of any felony, misdemeanor, or other violation, excluding minor traffic offenses, or had a warrant issued for failure to appear, even for minor traffic offenses? Include charges to which you may have pleaded guilty or no contest or for which you have been placed on probation or granted deferred adjudication, even if the incident occurred when you were a juvenile and/or the record is/has been sealed. Although a conviction may have been expunged from your record by an order of the court, it nevertheless should be disclosed in answer to this question.
- Has there ever been an attempt, whether successful or not, to revoke your driver's license based on an offense involving drugs and/or alcohol?
- Are you currently or have you ever been involved in any civil litigation, including domestic disputes?
Résumé Instructions
Please attach your résumé to your application. The resume should be no more than one (1) page with conventional formatting and font size. The resume may include, awards, honors, publications (with citation information), service opportunities, athletic involvement, significant work experience, clubs, extracurricular activities, leadership positions, or any other relevant information.
38 Indiana University - Bloomington
L50: 162 | G50: 3.78 | Deadline: 7/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 10/15/2020
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please submit a 2-3 page personal statement that provides insight about you, describes your motivation to attend law school, and/or highlights your interest in Indiana University Maurer School of Law. A compelling statement will be clearly written, well-organized, and highlight the special strengths and experiences you would bring to our law school and the legal profession. These may include, but are not limited to, demonstrated evidence of leadership, creativity, commitment to justice, service to others, cross-cultural competency, and significant work or volunteer experience.
The personal statement must be a maximum of 3 pages, double-spaced, using 12-pt font with 1-inch margins.
[This personal statement prompt is somewhat open-ended, but Maurer wants to know why you're applying to law school and maybe why you're applying to Maurer in particular.]
N/A—see "Other Addendum" prompt.
Other Addenda
If you wish to submit additional information that you believe will provide further insight into your candidacy please attach this information here.
[From Instructions section:] If you believe that the admissions committee would benefit from an explanation about part of your application, you should submit an addendum. Addenda will usually explain problems with, or unusual aspects to, your application. Typical reasons for submitting an addendum include, but are not limited to, the following: a poor semester of grades, an unusually low grade on a particular course, an unusual gap in college attendance, or an LSAT or GPA that isn’t indicative of your true abilities. You may also submit an addendum describing any significant adversity you have experienced which may have limited your educational opportunities or negatively impacted your academic performance.
Please note that if you answered 'Yes' to any question under the Character and Fitness section of this application, you must submit an addendum to explain each incident.
[This is an open-ended prompt. You could respond with a brief diversity statement, LSAT addendum, GPA addendum, or something else.]
Letter of Good Standing
If you have attended another law school as a J.D. candidate, you must submit a letter of good standing from your previous law school. Failure to produce a letter of good attending will disqualify you from consideration.
C&F Questions
Suspension
- Have you ever been suspended, expelled, placed on probation, or otherwise disciplined (including being requested or advised to resign to avoid discipline) by any college or university (including a residence hall system) for any academic, legal, ethical, or other reasons?
If you answered YES to Question #1 of the Character and Fitness (Suspension), please use an electronic attachment to explain. Please be detailed and specific with your explanation. Resolve uncertainty by consultation with a member of our Admissions Office.
Crime
- As a juvenile or adult, have you ever been arrested, charged with or convicted of a crime that has not been expunged or sealed by a court? Please note that expungement and dismissal are distinct and all offenses that have been dismissed in your favor must be disclosed.
If you answered YES to Question #2 of the Character and Fitness (Crime), please use an electronic attachment to explain. Please be detailed and specific with your explanation. Resolve uncertainty by consultation with a member of our Admissions Office.
Traffic Violations
- Have you ever been charged with any traffic violations or infractions (omitting parking violations)?
If you answered YES to Question #3 of the Character and Fitness (Traffic Violations), please use an electronic attachment to explain. Please be detailed and specific with your explanation. Resolve uncertainty by consultation with a member of our Admissions Office.
Morals
- Within the meaning of the general phrase "good moral character," are there any other incidents that might challenge your character, honesty, and integrity?
If you answered YES to Question #4 of the Character and Fitness (Morals), please use an electronic attachment to explain. Please be detailed and specific with your explanation. Resolve uncertainty by consultation with a member of our Admissions Office.
- If I am admitted and then matriculate, I will have a continuing obligation, to disclose promptly any incidents that occur during my time as a law student that might reflect adversely on my good character and fitness to practice law. [This is an acknowledgement.]
Résumé Instructions
Please submit a current resume which outlines your professional and volunteer experience, academic accomplishments, and other pertinent aspects of your background you wish to share with the admissions committee.
38 Ohio State University
L50: 161 | G50: 3.79 | Deadline: 7/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/20/2020
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please submit a personal statement of two to three typewritten, double spaced pages that use at least 10pt font. You may choose to write about any topic(s) that you believe would be most helpful to the Admissions Committee as they review your application for admission. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following: your motivation for the study of law and entrance into the legal profession; professional goals you have established for yourself; leadership goals you have established for yourself; particular challenges and obstacles you have confronted and which you believe are relevant to your past academic performance and/or to your potential for success in law school.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end or conclude with a lesson that will help you succeed.]
Diversity Statement
The Moritz College of Law is committed to enrolling highly motivated individuals with strong academic potential who bring to the College a broad range of personal backgrounds and intellectual experiences. The College seeks to assemble a class that is both academically qualified and broadly diverse. The Admissions Committee may consider diversity of thought, background, and experience in making admissions decisions. Examples of diversity factors that the Committee may consider include: age, disability, race, ethnicity, international status, geographic region, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, work experience, cross-cultural experience, cultural competency, current or past military service, exceptional or unique talents, socio-economic background, first generation citizen, first generation college student, and a commitment to public service. By its very nature, a standard cannot be articulated to embrace all of the positive manifestations of diversity that applicant files may reflect. And the examples above are intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive.
In an attachment, up to two pages, you may provide any information about yourself you believe will assist the College in enrolling a diverse class.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Supplemental Addendum
This section is optional.
Please attach any supplemental information you feel would be helpful in the admissions process. Common supplemental addenda include, but are not limited to, explanations for unsatisfactory grades and/or LSAT scores, interruptions in education, or an explanation of a learning disability.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Leadership Statement
Each year, the Moritz College of Law awards Leadership Scholarships to students who demonstrate strong leadership potential. The scholarships are based on leadership qualities, professional and personal life accomplishments, past academic achievement, and commitment to making a difference in communities and organizations. Applications for this award are not required, though applicants are encouraged to submit an essay (not to exceed two pages) that speaks to their leadership abilities.
Public Service Statement
The Moritz College of Law has a strong history of preparing students for careers in the public interest and in public service. Many of our students have, prior to entering law school, already devoted a significant amount of time, resources, and talent to work in the public interest or public service. These scholarships may be awarded to students with a demonstrated record of engagement in public interest and public service activities. Examples include, but are certainly not limited to, members of the military, Peace Corp, AmeriCorps, Teach for America and a wide range of other programs or activities
C&F Questions
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! In order to practice law in the United States, a student must pass a state bar examination in the state or states in which he or she wishes to practice law. The bar examination evaluates an applicant’s knowledge of specified areas of substantive law, as well as the individual’s character and fitness to be a member of that state’s Bar. Approval of an applicant’s character and fitness is one of the most important components of the admissions process to the Bar, whether in Ohio or elsewhere. For example, no one may take the Ohio bar examination without first receiving character and fitness approval. Each applicant to law school is strongly encouraged, prior to matriculation to law school, to determine the specific character and fitness requirements of each state in which the applicant intends to practice. Applicants may determine the specific requirements in the state or states in which he or she intends to practice by consulting with the website of the National Conference of Bar Examiners at http://www.ncbex.org/.
After a law student applies to take a bar examination, the respective bar examiners have the law school provide an evaluation of that student's character and fitness to practice law. An essential part of assessing a student's character and fitness to practice law must be completed when an applicant is considered for admission. The following questions have been narrowly tailored to reflect only those issues that need early consideration. If you answer any of these questions affirmatively, you must provide an explanation, which needs to include essential information (e.g., the date, the specific nature of the charge, the COMPLETE version of the facts that lead to the charge, and the disposition) in your own words. Simply providing court documents does not satisfy this requirement. See Attachments section.
Central to determining one's character and fitness to practice law is the act of voluntary disclosure. If the school learns that your answer to one or more of these questions was not accurate, your acceptance may be revoked or, if you are already enrolled, you may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. You need to disclose details of the result of any criminal charges. Even if the charges were dismissed, adjudication was withheld, a conviction was reversed, a conviction was set aside, a conviction was vacated, a conviction was expunged, or the record sealed, you must provide disclosure. Contrary advice by legal counsel does not exempt you from this requirement. The charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, and reckless driving must be disclosed as criminal charges.
Your answers to these questions are confidential and are limited to a determination of your character and fitness to practice law. You are under a continuing obligation to notify the Office of Admissions of any changes in your answers to these questions up until the time of your enrollment. Once enrolled, you are under a continuing obligation to notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of any changes in your answers to these questions:
- Were you ever on academic or disciplinary probation; have you ever been charged with, penalized for, or adjudicated guilty of a violation of a college or university honor code; or have you ever been suspended or dismissed from any educational institution?
- Are there any academic or disciplinary charges from any educational institution pending against you?
- Except for minor traffic and parking violations, have you been formally charged, cited, fined, posted bail, subject to a restraining order, or ordered to do community service for the violation of any law? This means the original charge and not the negotiated or plea bargained charge. This also includes juvenile, expunged, or dropped charges.
- Are there any criminal charges pending against you?
- Have you ever been the subject of a court martial hearing, dishonorably discharged from military service, or administratively separated from military service with other than an honorable discharge?
- Have you ever been involuntarily separated from a job as a result of an accusation that involved dishonesty?
- Have you ever been sued for a non-criminal act that was alleged to have been intentional?
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action by a professional association or State Licensing Board, or had a professional license suspended or revoked?
- Did you answer yes to one or more of the character and fitness questions? PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
If you answered affirmatively to any question in the Character and Fitness section, you must provide a COMPLETE explanation, which needs to include essential information (e.g., the date, the specific nature of the charge, the facts of the incident(s) that led to the charge(s), disposition, etc.) in your own words. Simply providing court documents does not satisfy this requirement. Additional information may be requested by the Admission Committee.
Résumé Instructions
The Moritz College of Law requires each applicant to submit a résumé as part of the application process. Résumé should include present and past employment history, provide information regarding volunteer, service, and/or extracurricular activities (including sports) with which you have been involved in, and list any honors and/or awards you have received. If you have hobbies you enjoy, please feel free to include them. The resume can be a maximum of three pages long and we encourage more detail than less.
38 University of California—Davis
L50: 163 | G50: 3.72 | Deadline: 3/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/1/2020
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
- Each applicant is required to submit a personal statement with the admission application.
- The personal statement should not exceed four pages, double-spaced. Each page of the statement should include the applicant's full name. Any optional additional statements the applicant chooses to provide should be included in the four-page maximum. We do not include required addenda or the resume in the four-page maxiumum.
- Applicants should write a statement that adds further dimension to the LSAT (or GRE) / GPA predictors.
- There are other factors that bear on the applicant's suitability for the study and practice of law. These will also be considered and include the following:
1. Achievements despite social, economic, or physical disadvantage, including specific experience of discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race, ethnicity, immigrant status, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age. Consideration shall be given to individuals who, despite having suffered disadvantages economically or in terms of their social environment or due to specific experience of discrimination, have nonetheless demonstrated sufficient character and determination in overcoming obstacles to warrant confidence that they can pursue a course of study to successful completion.
2. Unusual accomplishments, abilities, or skills (including skills in languages other than English) relevant to the study of law and not falling under other listed criteria.
3. Extra-curricular activities during undergraduate studies.
4. Community activities and employment experience during and after undergraduate studies.
5. Advanced degrees or other advanced studies.
6. Other objective evidence of growth and maturity and of commitment to law study.
Because it promotes learning, one important goal of the admissions process is a student body with a considerable diversity of backgrounds, interests, and skills. Experience or background that enables an applicant to bring a unique perspective to the study of law or contribute to serving the diverse populations of California may be taken into account.
[This prompt rolls a personal statement, diversity statement, and non-required addendum into one. If you include DS or addenda material, you can incorporate it into your main essay or give it a separate header and include it in the same attachment.]
Financial Aid Information
- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is REQUIRED for need-based aid and federal loans.
- March 2, 2021, is the priority deadline and must be met by all applicants even if you have not yet received your admission decision.
- Late submission may preclude an applicant from consideration for the maximum amount of gift aid.
- In addition to the FAFSA, the financial aid office may request supplemental information or forms prior to the commencement of courses.
- For detailed information on how to apply for aid, please visit our website (https://law.ucdavis.edu/financial-aid/prospective/applying-for-aid.html).
Scholarships
- Scholarship consideration takes place during the initial evaluation of the application for admission. All applicants are automatically considered for merit aid based on information supplied in their application. Aid awards are sent separate from the admission decision.
- A few scholarships have donor-specific criteria that may be addressed in the personal statement if applicable: personal experience in the foster care system (as a recipient of services, not as an employee or volunteer); family farm or other agriculture background (immediate family only); academic background in mathematics or the physical sciences.
- The Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship (MLK) requires submission of an application. That application is posted at the Financial Aid website. Consideration for the MLK scholarship is based on demonstrated commitment to public interest. Deadline for submission of the MLK scholarship application is March 30, 2021. Two recipients are selected each year.
C&F Questions
Legal Sanction Addendum
- Have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor offense (or the equivalent in juvenile court)? NOTE: Conviction includes a plea of guilty or nolo contendere (no contest), or a verdict or finding of guilt, regardless of the sentence imposed by the court.
You MUST report all offenses, including those for which the record has been expunged, and any traffic violations that resulted in a misdemeanor or felony conviction, including Failure to Appear, Driving without a License, Driving with a Suspend License, and Reckless Driving (or their equivalent).
You do NOT need to include parking or traffic violations that do not involve the use of intoxicants, or any arrest not resulting in a conviction, unless the charge is still pending.
- Are you awaiting final adjudication of any investigation or arrest?
- Have you ever been granted immunity in lieu of criminal prosecution?
[From the attachments section] If you have ever been convicted, charged, or have a pending charge of a felony or misdemeanor, you must provide a statement explaining the circumstances.
Acad. Sanction Addendum
- Have you ever been subjected to dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic sanctions by any college, university, or professional school?
[From the attachments section] If you have ever been subjected to dismissal, suspension, probation, or other serious disciplinary or academic sanctions by any college, university, or professional school, you must provide a statement explaining the circumstances.
Job Termination Addendum
- Have you ever been involuntarily dismissed or terminated from employment?
[From the attachments section] If you have ever been involuntarily dismissed or terminated from employment, you must provide a statement explaining the circumstances.
Educ. Break Explanation
If you indicated that your education was interrupted for one term or more, you must provide a statement explaining the circumstances. If you have left a graduate or professional degree program prior to completion and it is not addressed in your personal statement, it should be addressed here.
Résumé Instructions
A one to two page resume is required.
38 University of Wisconsin
L50: 163 | G50: 3.61 | Deadline: 5/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2020
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please include a double-spaced, two to three page personal statement. A carefully prepared personal statement telling us about yourself and reflecting our admissions criteria, which are described on our website, is very helpful to the Admissions Committee. Include any special factors, problems, plans, explanations, or additional information that you think might help the Law School in acting on your application.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay, and why you’re interested in Univ. of Wisconsin in particular.]
Addendum (optional)
Once you submit your application materials, they cannot be changed or returned. If there is something we haven't asked about in the application that you want to highlight, you may include two to three paragraphs as an attachment marked "addendum."
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
C&F Questions
College/University Misconduct
With respect to college, university, professional school, or law school activities, has an honor court, council, or similar body ever formally accused you of misconduct; OR dismissed, dropped, suspended, expelled, disciplined, or placed you on academic or social probation?
Please include instances where you were asked to withdraw or allowed to withdraw to avoid any of the above actions.
If your response to the Character and Fitness Question College/University Misconduct is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)
Criminal/Civil/Military Infractions
Have you ever been cited, arrested, charged, convicted or sentenced for any criminal, civil, or ordinance violation, at the federal, state, or local level? This includes, for example, any adult, juvenile, or military violations, as well as any forfeitures.
You must answer whether or not the matter was resolved in a conviction, a dismissal, or was resolved at the same or a different level of seriousness as the original violation. You must also answer even if a finding of guilt or sentence was suspended or withheld, or the record was expunged or sealed.
You must include all citations and tickets, including traffic tickets, speeding tickets, and moving violations. Only parking violations may be omitted.
If your response to the Character and Fitness Question Criminal/Civil/Military Infractions is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)
Impaired Driving
Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to a violation that involved driving under the influence of alcohol or driving under the influence of drugs?
If your response to the Character and Fitness Question Impaired Driving is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)
Pending Issues
Are any such issues currently pending, which relate to incidents described previously? Pending issues include, for example, any incident for which you are on probation or under supervision.
If your response to the Character and Fitness Question Pending Issues is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)
Résumé Instructions
Please provide us with a current résumé.
42 George Mason University
L50: 164 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: 4/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 1/15/2021
LORs: 1 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Your application requires submission of a personal statement not to exceed two pages, double-spaced. This is the opportunity for the you to provide the Admissions Committee with insights into yourself as an individual, over and above what is reflected in the other parts of the application. With the exception of basic proofreading, no others may assist in the creation of the personal statement.
[From Instructions section:] The application requires submission of a personal statement not to exceed two pages, double-spaced. The thoughts and words of the personal statement must be uniquely those of the applicant. With the exception of basic proofreading, no other(s) may assist in the creation of the personal statement.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Diversity Statement
Scalia Law fosters an environment that encourages meaningful and robust discourse among students and faculty, both in and outside the classroom. We believe that viewpoint diversity, as well as cultural, racial, religious, ethnic, and gender diversity is critical to a rich and excellent legal education. We value the variety of backgrounds and experiences that each student brings to Scalia Law. We are committed to increasing representation in a way that clearly reflects our pluralistic society. In working toward greater representation, we embrace the same charge we give our students: Learn. Challenge. Lead.
If applicable, you may submit an optional statement to elaborate on how you could contribute to Scalia Law's environment.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Mason Statement
Your application requires submission of an additional statement not to exceed two pages, double-spaced, that discusses your interest in Scalia Law. You must submit your Mason statement as an electronic document uploaded to your LSAC electronic application.
[The Mason Statement is required; the rest are optional.]
Addenda
Please attach any addendum to your application that you would like considered by the Admissions Committee.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Scalia Law Scholars Program
The Scalia Law Scholars Program is a binding early decision option and students admitted through it will receive a full tuition scholarship. This program is designed for applicants who are confident that Scalia Law is their top choice and who have demonstrated exceptional academic and leadership qualities. Applicants to the Scalia Law Scholars Program must submit a separate essay describing their interest in and eligibility for the Scalia Law Scholars Program, as well as a signed Scalia Law Scholars Program Agreement.
The application deadline for the Scalia Law Scholars Program is January 15. Some applicants who are not admitted through the Scalia Law Scholars Program may be considered in the regular admission process. Other Scalia Law Scholars Program applicants may be informed that their application for admission has been denied and will not be evaluated again. Both full-time and part-time applicants are eligible to apply for the Scalia Law Scholars Program.
If you are applying through the Scalia Law Scholars Program, please submit an essay describing your interest in and eligibility for the Scalia Law Scholars Program.
Need-Based Statement
Applicants who would like to be considered for the Maureen McCarthy Need-Based Scholarship should attach a scholarship statement describing their financial hardship. Upon admission, applicants will receive an additional application to complete by a later date. Applicants may still apply for the Federal Direct Loan Program through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) without the need for an additional need-based scholarship application or statement.
[From the Attachments section] Applicants to the Maureen McCarthy Scalia Need-Based Scholarship must attach a scholarship statement describing their financial hardships.
In-State Tuition Form
If you are applying for Virginia in-state tuition privileges, please attach a completed copy of the Application for Virginia In-State Tuition Rates (https://fap.lsac.org/standards/PDFView.aspx). Please also include a copy of your Virginia driver's license.
GRE Score
If you are applying with a GRE score, please attach copies of your score reports here. While PDFs of your score reports are helpful aids to our Admissions Committee, you will still need to send official score reports directly to Scalia Law by ETS.
Mason2Mason - ACT/SAT
The Mason2Mason Program allows a limited number of George Mason University's undergraduate students to apply to Scalia Law without the requirement of an LSAT score or GRE score.
If you are applying under the Mason2Mason Program, please attach a copy of your ACT or SAT score report here. While PDFs of your score report are helpful aids to our Admissions Committee, you will still need to send an official score report to Scalia Law.
C&F Questions
- is an acknowledgment
- Have you ever been dismissed from; placed on academic warning, academic probation, or conduct probation at; or subjected to any academic or conduct disciplinary action in any of the colleges, universities, or graduate or professional schools you have attended?
- Have you ever been charged with, convicted of, and/or pleaded guilty or no contest to any violation of the criminal laws (misdemeanors and felonies) including expungement?
- Are there any criminal charges, felony, misdemeanor or other, pending against you which, if you were convicted, would require you to answer "yes" to the previous question? Answer yes even if directed by an attorney not to disclose.
- Have you ever been cited for any traffic infractions (including traffic camera infractions), regardless of disposition? Do not include parking tickets.
Résumé Instructions
You must include an up to date resumé. There are no format or content requirements, however, it should be a professional resumé. Scalia Law does not have a page limit for the resumé and so you should use their best judgement to decide the proper length.
42 University of Washington
L50: 162 | G50: 3.68 | Deadline: 3/15/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2020
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
UW Mission Statement
The University of Washington School of Law aspires to be the best public law school in the nation and one of the world’s most respected centers for interdisciplinary legal studies. We strive to be leaders by shaping and defending just and sustainable laws and policies through our scholarly discovery, our ethical advocacy, our inspired teaching, and our generous public service.
Personal Statement
At the University of Washington School of Law, the primary goal of the admissions process is to enroll students who demonstrate outstanding academic, professional, and leadership promise; are committed to generous public service and ethical advocacy; and who have background and experiences that will enhance the diversity of the student body, thereby enriching the law school educational environment. As such, applicants are invited to write a personal statement that describes their potential contributions to our vibrant community.
Please limit your response to 700 words.
Applicants may include the following factors in their personal statement or the optional supplemental statement: perseverance against substantial obstacles; socio or economic disadvantage; family or personal adversity; social hardships; disability; prejudice or discrimination; leadership potential; studying or living abroad; foreign language skills; special talents; unique life experiences; or geographic diversity.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider explaining why you’re going to law school and why you’re interested in University of Washington in particular by the end of the essay.]
(Optional) Supplemental Statement
Applicants may supplement their personal statement by including a response to one (1) of the following optional questions:
- Why are you interested in pursuing your legal education at the University of Washington?
- What life events or experiences have had the greatest influence in shaping your character and why?
- If you were asked to create a non-profit organization, what would be the organization, its mission, and its purpose?
Please limit your response to 500 words.
Addendum
Applicants may include an addendum explaining any reason(s) for grade point average trends and/or LSAT score discrepancies. Please limit any addendum attachments to one (1) page.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
William H. Gates Public Service Law Scholarship
Application deadline for the Gates Public Service Law Scholarship, which includes both the J.D. application and the Gates Public Service Law Scholarship application. Please note that you must have an LSAT score on file in order to proceed with the selection process.The last LSAT accepted for consideration for the Gates Scholarship is the January 2021 administration.
For full instructions, go to: https://www.law.uw.edu/careers/gates/scholarship/apply
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been dropped, suspended, warned, placed on academic or scholastic probation, placed on disciplinary probation, expelled, requested to withdraw, or allowed to withdraw in lieu of discipline from any college or university, or otherwise subjected to discipline by any such institution or requested or advised by any such institution to discontinue your studies there?
*Note: If the answer to the question is yes, please provide a full explanation under Attachments.
[From the Attachments Section] If you answered "yes" to question (1) regarding Character and Fitness, please explain fully on a separate electronic attachment. Note: For criminal matters, the entry of an expungement or sealing order does not relieve you of the duty to disclose the matter. You may indicate the existence of such an order in your explanation. It is the applicant's duty to notify the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid immediately of any and all circumstances and events that may occur from the date the application is submitted to the first day of enrollment that may change the initial response to either of the questions.
- Have you ever been cited for, arrested for, charged with, or convicted for any violation of any law including any cases resolved in juvenile court, whether expunged or not, or is any such charge now pending against you?
*Note: If the answer to the question is yes, please provide a full explanation under Attachments.
[From the Attachments Section] If you answered "yes" to question (2) regarding Character and Fitness, please explain fully on a separate electronic attachment. Note: For criminal matters, the entry of an expungement or sealing order does not relieve you of the duty to disclose the matter. You may indicate the existence of such an order in your explanation. It is the applicant's duty to notify the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid immediately of any and all circumstances and events that may occur from the date the application is submitted to the first day of enrollment that may change the initial response to either of the questions.
Résumé Instructions
Please provide a résumé detailing any significant vocational, non-vocational, extracurricular or community activities, volunteer work, honors, awards, any service in the Armed Forces, job descriptions and major areas of responsibility, along with dates of employment (mm/yyyy) and the number of hours per week devoted to such activities, publications, or other information that you believe the University of Washington School of Law should consider in evaluating your application. Also please include details as to any foreign language proficiencies you possess, including the level of ability with regard to speaking, comprehension, reading, and writing.
Your résumé may not exceed three (3) typewritten pages.
42 Wake Forest University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.73 | Deadline: 3/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/1/2020
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please write a brief essay discussing anything you would like the Admissions Committee to consider as we make our decision on your application. This essay might include information such as qualities/experiences that set you apart from other applicants, significant events that have affected your life, your reasons for desiring to study law, etc. You may attach a separate addendum explaining unusual LSAT scores or grades.
[From Instruction section:] The personal statement is used to appraise both your motivation for attending law school and your writing ability.
Applicants are also invited to submit one or more of the following optional statements:
- Diversity Statement: Regarding how your perspective might diversify and/or enrich the class.
- Leadership Statement: Highlighting any leadership experience you believe may be relevant to your application.
- Why Wake: An explanation of Why Wake Forest Law is among your top choices for law school.
The personal statement and any optional statements submitted as a part of the application should be formatted (12 pt. font, Times New Roman, double-spaced) and should include the applicant name or LSAC number in the header. Optional statements should be no longer than two pages.
Please note that due to the volume of applications received, it is unlikely the Admissions Committee would be able to thoughtfully review an honors thesis or research paper submitted with your application.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Optional Diversity Statement
Wake Forest Law School strives to admit an entering class of individuals with a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. How might your own background and/or experience add to the diversity of our student body?
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Optional Why Wake? Essay
If there are any particular factors that have compelled you to apply to Wake Forest University School of Law, please share those here. These may include academic, programmatic, or personal considerations. Often, this information can provide the Admissions Committee valuable perspective on your candidacy for admission.
Optional Leadership Essay
Wake Forest's motto Pro Humanitate (For Humanity) calls the university to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and character to lead in a complex, and often unjust, world. Please describe a time when you have demonstrated leadership in the service of humanity and/or how you envision using your legal education in the service of humanity.
Education Attachment
If your college, university, graduate, or professional school course has been interrupted for one term or more for any reason, please attach a complete explanation.
[This essay is optional.]
Miscellaneous
You may submit any addendum you feel necessary.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or "why X" essay, among others.]
C&F Questions
Academic Fitness
Please read through the questions below carefully. If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, please answer the question(s) affirmatively and include an addendum which provides a complete explanation. Addendums should include all situational details, relevant dates, and other information, such as any relevant outcome details.
- Has any school, college, or university ever issued you a disciplinary or scholastic warning/probation?
- Has any school, college, or university ever suspended or expelled you from a program or class?
- Has any school, college, or university ever requested that you resign or discontinue studies?
- Has any school, college, or university ever charged you with a violation of the honor code of that institution?
If your answer to any part of the Academic Character and Fitness question is "yes," please attach a complete explanation.
You have a continuing duty to disclose any offenses under this section after submitting this application and through your graduation from this law school. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the law school or other appropriate disciplinary action.
Character and Fitness
Please read through the questions below carefully. If you can answer "yes" to any of the following questions, please answer the question(s) affirmatively and include an addendum which provides a complete explanation. Addendums should include all situational details, relevant dates, and other information, such as details of the final disposition.
- Have you ever been arrested, given a written warning, or taken into custody, or accused, formally or informally, of the violation of a law for an offense other than traffic violations?
- Speeding tickets and minor traffic offenses need not be disclosed.
- Have you been charged with or convicted of DWI/DUI; or driving under the influence of drugs?
- Have you been a named party to any legal action, including, but not limited to civil, equitable, family law, probate, guardianship, or special proceedings?
- Have you ever been requested to appear before any investigatory agency or prosecuting attorney for any reason?
If your answer to any part of the Character and Fitness criminal question is "yes," please attach a complete explanation.
If you answered "yes" to charges or conviction of a crime, you must include the charges filed, date, and disposition (fine, penalty, court costs, etc.). Please note that your file cannot be processed without this information.
You have a continuing duty to disclose any offenses under this section after submitting this application and through your graduation from this law school. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the law school or other appropriate disciplinary action.
Résumé Instructions
Please attach your current résumé. You may include any extracurricular or volunteer work you feel is important.
[From Instructions section:] Your résumé should include all work experience, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work prior to law school.
45 University of Utah
L50: 161 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: 3/10/2021 | Final ED deadline: 10/20/2020
LORs: 1 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Candidates are required to submit a personal statement. The personal statement is also viewed as a document demonstrating your writing ability; therefore, the personal statement must be written by you. The Admission Committee's goal is to assemble an intellectually stimulating community of students composed of individuals who have diverse backgrounds and perspectives. In addition to outstanding academic ability, we seek students who demonstrate qualities such as leadership, maturity, organization, knowledge of other languages and cultures, sincere commitment to community service, a history of overcoming disadvantage, extraordinary accomplishment, or success in a previous career. The subject matter of your personal statement is up to you, and although there are no length requirements, most statements average two to three typed, double-spaced pages. The personal statement should let the Admission Committee know more about you as a person, and should address the above qualities if that information is not presented in other areas of your application. Issues addressed in your personal statement may include what background, experiences, and events (positive or negative) have affected you. You may address what perspectives and experiences you will bring to classroom discussions and the law school community or what your motivations are for seeking a legal education.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider explaining why you’re going to law school and why you’re interested in University of Utah in particular by the end of the essay.]
Diversity Statement
If you chose to provide information relevant to our diversity policy, please submit a statement describing the ways in which you will contribute to the life and diversity of the college, if not discussed in your personal statement. You may provide additional or more specific information than what is requested in the Personal Background and Demographics sections of the application form in your Diversity statement. Information will not adversely affect consideration of your admission and will be maintained in confidence.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Leadership Positions
If you have held a leadership or executive position(s) in your professional, civic, academic, or volunteer service experience, describe the position/title, your responsibilities, and skills necessary for carrying out responsibilities.
DD214
If discharged from the military, provide a copy of DD214.
[We recommend you write the Leadership Positions essay if it is relevant to your experiences]
Addendum
If you would like any additional information not included in your Personal Statement, Résumé, Leadership Positions, Diversity or Misconduct.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
The S.J. Quinney College of Law provides a high-quality education at a cost well below that of most peer schools, both in terms of tuition and cost of living. The typical first-year student can meet the cost of law school with a financial aid package that may include federal student loans, a college scholarship, and a small amount of personal savings or a family contribution. First-year students are encouraged not to work during the academic year. Many advanced law students may borrow less than first-year students because when they have summer and/or part-time compensated employment. The University of Utah requires students wishing to be considered for financial aid to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). By submitting the FAFSA, a need-analysis is conducted, including determining the amount a student can be expected to contribute to their educational costs. Even if you have not received an admission decision, you should complete and submit a FAFSA by February 1. Information about the FAFSA and Federal Student Loan Programs can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
College of Law Merit Scholarships
The S.J. Quinney College of Law offers privately funded merit-on-entrance scholarships to selected first-year students. All accepted candidates (including international applicants) are considered on the basis of their admission applications; recipients are notified by the S.J. Quinney College of Law beginning in January for the regular admission process. There are also some merit-based scholarships, fellowships, and stipend programs available to second- and third-year students. More information on these scholarship and award programs can be found at www.law.utah.edu/awards/.
S.J. Quinney College of Law Need-Based Scholarships
These private-source scholarships are awarded by the S.J. Quinney College of Law. A FAFSA and a supplemental application form (mailed to applicants offered admission) are required. Only U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents are eligible for College of Law Need-Based Scholarships. Need-based scholarships generally range from $500 to $4,500.
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been enrolled at any other law school?
- Have you ever been convicted of a crime or are charges pending against you? A conviction includes a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, a plea in abeyance if it is in its period of probation, or a verdict or finding of guilt regardless of whether a sentence was imposed, or if the conviction has been expunged from your records. All drug- and alcohol-related offenses must be reported. Other than drug- and alcohol-related offenses, you are not required to report misdemeanor juvenile offenses, Juvenile felonies must be reported. You are not required to report minor traffic offenses.
- Have you ever been dropped, suspended, warned, placed on academic or disciplinary probation, disciplined, expelled, or requested or advised to withdraw from any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school?
- Have you ever been disciplined in connection with any misconduct matter related to any educational, personal, professional, military, business, or employment behavior or activity? Being disciplined includes, but is not limited to, being sanctioned, placed on probation, suspended, dismissed, resigning in lieu of termination, surrendering a professional license, or having a civil judgment obtained against you.
Criminal Explanation
If the answer is "yes" to the criminal issues question, under the Character and Fitness Section, you must provide a detailed explanatory statement in an electronic attachment. The statement must give full details, including the date(s), facts, location, and disposition of the matter.
Academic Explanation
If the answer is "yes" to the academic issues question, under the Character and Fitness Section, you must provide a detailed explanatory statement in an electronic attachment. The statement must give full details, including the date(s), facts, location, and disposition of the matter.
Misconduct Explanation
If the answer is "yes" to the general misconduct question, under the Character and Fitness Section, you must provide a detailed explanatory statement in an electronic attachment. The statement must give full details, including the date(s), facts, location, and disposition of the matter.
Résumé Instructions
Candidates are required to submit a résumé that includes your employment history and/or activities for the previous five years, including dates, employer or affiliation, activity or title, and location. Also, include a brief description of your involvement with public service organizations or activities, and list academic honors and memberships in scholastic societies.
46 University of Colorado—Boulder
L50: 163 | G50: 3.65 | Deadline: 4/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
At Colorado Law, we seek students who advance our core values of character, diversity, leadership, and commitment to service, and will contribute to our mission to be an outstanding public law school that provides students with a state-of-the-art legal education and prepares them to serve wisely and with professionalism; advances the development of knowledge through scholarship, testing of new ideas, and challenges to the status quo; and serves as a vehicle and catalyst for meaningful public service – all of which deliver high value to our students and have positive impacts, both locally and globally, on the legal profession and society.
Please write a personal statement explaining how you can contribute to the values of Colorado Law. You may also discuss any other factors that you think may assist the Admission Committee's evaluation of your application, such as: background information; experiences, talents or special interests; adversities you have overcome; and your reasons for applying to law school. The personal statement is an opportunity for us to get to know you. Be authentic and share information about yourself that is not available in other components of your application (without restating your resume). We’re also looking for evidence that you can communicate effectively. Be sure to write clearly and concisely, taking extra care to avoid misspellings, grammar issues, and other errors.
Your essay must be in your own words, double-spaced, and should not exceed 1,000 words.
Please attach your essay(s) electronically to your application.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider explaining why you’re going to law school and why you’re interested in Univ. of Colorado - Boulder in particular by the end of the essay.]
Optional Statement
In considering applicants for scholarship awards, Colorado Law considers not only academic merit, but also economic need and obstacles, personal background, and a wide variety of individual qualities, so you may submit an optional statement on any one or more of the following: (a) aspects of your upbringing, life experiences, work or service experiences, or education that you believe set you apart from most law school applicants; (b) economic disadvantage or other obstacles you have overcome in pursuing your education or career thus far and in applying to law school; and (c) how your diversity (diversity can be broadly defined as racial/ethnic, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, veteran status, or other forms of diversity) will add to our community.
Your optional essay must be in your own words, double-spaced, and not exceed 500 words.
Please attach your essay(s) electronically to your application.
[We strongly encourage you to respond to this essay]
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been warned for any disciplinary or academic reason, placed on disciplinary or academic probation, suspended, requested or advised to discontinue your studies, dropped, expelled or requested to resign, or otherwise subjected to discipline by any school, college, university, law school, or other post-secondary institution? Include, for example, any warnings or discipline for violation of school or dormitory policies related to alcohol or controlled substances.
- Have you ever been accused of a violation of an honor code or student conduct code?
- Have you ever been investigated, arrested, cited for, charged with, or convicted of any alcohol or drug-related offenses? Include any traffic or other violations that involved alcohol or drugs, as well as any minor in possession or open container charges.
Include all matters that have been dismissed for any reason, subject to a diversion or a deferred prosecution program, or otherwise set aside. You do not need to disclose any incident (including a juvenile one) that ended in the sealing or expungement of the incident by a court. Expungement or sealing of a record is different than a dismissal as it is conducted by a court and results in a court order.
- Have you ever been, in the last five years, investigated, arrested, cited for, charged with, or convicted for any traffic violation? Exclude violations disclosed in the previous question and any parking tickets.
Include all matters that have been dismissed for any reason, subject to a diversion or a deferred prosecution program, or otherwise set aside. You do not need to disclose any incident (including a juvenile one) that ended in the sealing or expungement of the incident by a court. Expungement or sealing of a record is different than a dismissal as it is conducted by a court and results in a court order.
- Have you ever been investigated, arrested, cited for, charged with, convicted, imprisoned, or placed on probation or parole for any offense against the law? Exclude violations disclosed in the previous two questions.
Include all matters that have been dismissed for any reason, subject to a diversion or a deferred prosecution program, or otherwise set aside. You do not need to disclose any incident (including a juvenile one) that ended in the sealing or expungement of the incident by a court. Expungement or sealing of a record is different than a dismissal as it is conducted by a court and results in a court order.
Résumé Instructions
Please attach a current résumé. Please show volunteer activities as well as work experience. It is also helpful to include the number of hours per week that you participated in an activity, club, or job. You do not need to include any high school activities or sports unless they are particularly relevant to your current goals.
47 Pepperdine University
L50: 162 | G50: 3.68 | Deadline: 2/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please include a brief personal statement indicating your reasons for wanting to study law, why you chose to apply to Pepperdine Caruso Law, significant extracurricular activities, and any further information which you feel should be considered by the Admissions Committee.
Pepperdine maintains a strong commitment to diversity stemming from its Christian heritage and seeks to admit students from a variety of academic, cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is through the inclusion of others from diverse points of view and experiences that one often begins to see dimensions of truth previously unseen. In your personal statement, you may choose to reflect on your life experiences with an emphasis on how the perspectives you have acquired would contribute to the diversity of Pepperdine Caruso Law.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay, and why you’re interested in Pepperdine in particular. They want diversity statements to be included as part of the personal statement.]
Optional Statement
Pepperdine Caruso Law’s rich political, racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural, and religious diversity forms a strong and connected community among our faculty, students, and staff. Led by our faith-based values, we believe that each person's voice and convictions enhance our community.
In light of this, you may choose by responding to the prompt below to provide the Admissions Committee additional information about yourself and the contributions you would make to our community. This is an optional portion of the application; you are in no way disadvantaged should you choose not to submit a one or two page written statement.
Pepperdine Caruso Law strives to be a deeply diverse community that is committed to its Christian mission and welcoming to students from all faiths and backgrounds as it prepares students for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. Caruso Law's mission encourages adherence to the highest moral and ethical standards. Our complete mission and vision can be found here. Please share how you would contribute to this unique community.
[This essay is optional ]
Addendum
OPTIONAL - Please use this space if you need to add supplemental information not already disclosed elsewhere in your application. Diversity statements should be included as part of the personal statement (see instructions).
[This addendum prompt could be used for a GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Faculty Scholars Award
Full-tuition plus a $7,000 living stipend
Criteria: Minimum GPA 3.65 and LSAT in the 87th percentile.
A separate application is required. Please submit a completed Faculty Scholars application with your Eapp.http://law.pepperdine.edu/admissions/content/faculty_scholars_application-2017.pdf
Dean's Merit Scholarship
The scholarship amount ranges from quarter to full tuition.
Criteria: Minimum GPA 3.3 and LSAT in the 85th percentile.
All applicants are automatically considered.
Caruso Scholars Award
One-quarter to full tuition
Criteria: to expand access to exceptionally talented students will help increase the breadth, depth, and diversity of our student body.
All applicants are automatically considered.
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
The scholarship amount ranges from quarter to full tuition.
Criteria: This scholarship is aimed at increasing the breadth, depth, and diversity of our student body.
All applicants are automatically considered.
C&F Questions
- Has academic or disciplinary action been taken against you at any college, university, or law school you have attended?
- Have you been charged, cited, prosecuted, or convicted of any crime for an offense other than a misdemeanor or minor traffic violation? Include any instance of drunk driving whether a felony, misdemeanor, or minor traffic violation. You need not report any arrest, conviction or other proceeding in which the record has been ordered or is required to be sealed, dismissed, obliterated, or otherwise expunged.
- Have you ever been a party to or are you presently a party to any civil action or administrative proceeding? (This does not include divorce or dissolution.)
- Do you know of any matter which might otherwise adversely affect your admission to this school or the Bar?
If you answer "YES" to any of the four questions, attach a statement or an electronic attachment giving details and return it with this application.
Résumé Instructions
Please attach a résumé including record of employment, scholastic honors, extracurricular activities, and community involvement.
47 University of Arizona
L50: 163 | G50: 3.56 | Deadline: 7/15/2020
GRE medians:
Verbal: 159 | Quant: 158 | Writing: 4.5
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law is particularly interested in students who will add to the intellectual climate and diverse perspectives of the student body. We therefore require that you include a personal statement (as an electronic attachment) describing any special characteristics, background, or experiences that will help us achieve our goal of a dynamic learning community.
[From the instructions] The personal statement should be a typed, concise, and well-drafted document of approximately two to four double-spaced pages. It must be your written work, and it should demonstrate your writing ability and highlight your unique characteristics, which may include: educational, professional, life, or travel experiences; significant or extracurricular activities; talents and special interests; involvement in community affairs or public service; colleges attended, course of study, grade trends, and graduate work; personal challenges; socioeconomic background; and any personal experiences that have influenced your life or given you direction.
Supporting Information
Please attach documents providing information that you cannot include elsewhere only in the event that you deem it of critical importance in the evaluation of your admission materials.
C&F Questions
If you responded affirmatively to any of the Character & Fitness questions, please attach an electronic attachment explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident(s), date(s) involved, and sentence(s) imposed.
- Have you ever been subject to suspension, dismissal, probation or other disciplinary or academic sanction by any college, university, professional school or professional association? (If yes, you must attach an addendum explaining)
- Have you ever been charged with, pled guilty or no contest to, and/or convicted of a misdemeanor or felony (or the equivalent in a military proceeding or juvenile court), or is any such charge currently pending? Please do not include traffic violations, unless they constitute a misdemeanor, felony or involve the use of alcohol or drugs. (If yes, you must attach an addendum fully explaining)
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary sanction by your employer, including dismissal? (If yes, you must attach an addendum explaining)
- Do you have any adverse financial history, including but not limited to, bankruptcy, foreclosure, or loan default? (If y es, you must attach an addendum explaining)
Résumé Instructions
In addition to academic promise, we assess many qualities, characteristics and experiences in the admissions decision. Your resume is one of the best ways to convey to the admissions committee the range of your work and volunteer experiences, level of expertise and responsibility, and skills and interests.
47 University of Maryland
L50: 160 | G50: 3.66 | Deadline: 8/1/2021 | Final ED deadline: 12/1/2020
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Applicants are required to submit a personal statement. We recommend that you use the personal statement to present to the Admissions Committee information and perspectives regarding your background, experience, special circumstances, and interests that you believe will help the Committee understand your unique story. In addition, the statement should address why you are interested in obtaining a law degree and, more specifically, in attending the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. The personal statement should be no longer than 750 words, double-spaced.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay, and why you’re interested in Univ. of Maryland in particular.]
Diversity Statement
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is committed to promoting diversity in legal education and in the profession as a whole. Toward that end, the Admissions Committee invites applicants to submit a statement explaining how they would contribute meaningfully to the diversity of the law school. For example, your statement may address how characteristics such as, but not limited to, your geographic origin, age, culture and language, or your experience overcoming barriers presented by race, social status, economics or disability demonstrate your capacity to make a special contribution to our law school community. Please limit the length of the statement to 250 words. (Optional Diversity Statement)
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Prior Law School
If you have ever attended or enrolled in a law school in the past, please submit a statement providing the name of the school and indicating your purpose for attending (i.e., seeking a degree or auditing a course). If enrolled in a degree program, please explain the reason for leaving your law school.
Additional Documents
Please upload any additional documents that you would like to include in your application.
[These are optional/if applicable]
3+3 DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM
This program is designed for students enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), who will have completed 90 credit hours (at least 30 credits at UMCP, including all University of Maryland general education requirements) by the time they would enroll in law school. These students are eligible to receive the Bachelor’s degree from UMCP after completion of 30 credits, or one year, at Maryland Carey Law. Students admitted under this program are eligible to receive the JD degree after successful completion of all graduation requirements at Maryland Carey Law. Learn more about the 3+3 Dual Degree Program ».
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been terminated, suspended, laid off, discharged or permitted to resign in lieu of termination from any employment? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Have you ever been discharged from the military under conditions other than honorable? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Have you ever been charged, disciplined, placed on probation, suspended, expelled, or asked to withdraw as a result of a disciplinary or academic violation of any kind by any school, college, or university, whether formally or informally. This includes, but is not limited to, any instances in which you were charged but the charges were ultimately dropped or where you simply received a written warning. (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Have you ever been charged with a violation of any honor code, ethical code, code of conduct, or code or rules governing academic and/or personal behavior while a student at any school, college, or university? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- With regard to the two questions immediately preceding this one, is there any situation involving a disciplinary or academic violation on your part that is currently pending? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Has it ever been determined that you filed false honor code charges or false complaints against fellow students, faculty or staff, or other members of your school, college or university community? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant
For purposes of the next two questions, you should include offenses that resulted in purged, sealed, obliterated, dismissed, expunged, or destroyed records, regardless of whether you have been told that you need not disclose any such event. This includes traffic offenses of all kinds, with the exception of the occasional parking ticket. This information will also be requested by state bar authorities in many states. If you are not sure about the nature or the ultimate disposition of a particular charge, you are advised to make full disclosure, as a subsequent finding that you failed to disclose relevant information could have disqualifying consequences. The failure to disclose an act or event is often more significant, and can lead to more serious consequences, than the act of event itself. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Office of Admissions of any changes to your answers, may result in revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the Law School, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission to the bar.
- Have you ever been arrested or charged, formally or informally, and without regard to the result, with a violation of any law? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Are any charges pending or expected to be brought against you for the violation of any law? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Are you in default on any financial obligation for any student loans or to any college or university? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Has your driver's license ever been suspended or revoked? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Are you currently deferring enrollment at a law school that requires a commitment not to apply elsewhere? (If yes, please attach an explanation of the circumstances, including relevant details.)
- Have you ever attended a law school? If yes, provide the name of the school and reason for leaving in a separate statement.
Discharged from E/V/AF
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Military
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Disciplinary Action 1
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Disciplinary Action 2
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Disciplinary Action 3
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Disciplinary Action 4
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Criminal Background 1
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Criminal Background 2
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Financial Obligations
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
License
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Deferred Enrollment
If you answered "yes" in the Character and Fitness Section of the application, please submit a statement explaining the circumstances in full.
Your answer should include the date and location (city, town and state) of each incident, a description of the incident, and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding – and the resolution of – each event. The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law reserves the right to request additional information from you, including further explanation concerning the incidents in question, court records, documents, or any other relevant information.
Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the application, admission, and enrollment process to inform the Admissions Office of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate.
The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions in this section may delay your application decision and/or result in disciplinary action from the law school.
Résumé Instructions
Submit a résumé or curriculum vitae detailing your education, employment, skills, honors, awards and accomplishments.
50 Baylor University
L50: 160 | G50: 3.63 | Deadline: 3/19/2021 | Final ED deadline: 11/13/2020
LORs: 1 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
We encourage all applicants to electronically attach a Personal Statement, which should be approximately two to three pages in length. The Personal Statement must be a product of your own work. It should be prepared without the assistance of other persons or professional writing services. This is your opportunity to persuade the Admissions Committee that you should be admitted to Baylor Law School. Through your Personal Statement, the Admissions Committee will try to get a sense of you as a person and will evaluate your writing ability. Any number of factors could be helpful to the Admissions Committee, including your motivation to study law; evidence of academic achievement, leadership, and responsibility; community involvement; educational, social, and economic background; and any special skills that you possess, such as bilingual language skills or advocacy skills. We are particularly interested in any aspect of your background that would allow you to distinctively add to the diversity and enrichment of the law school environment. The Admissions Committee places considerable importance on the Personal Statement. Include your name and LSAC account number on each page of your Personal Statement.
[From Instructions section:] Each applicant must electronically attach a personal statement, which should be approximately two to three pages in length, double-spaced, and in 12-point font.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider explaining why you’re going to law school and why you’re interested in Baylor in particular by the end of the essay.]
Optional Addendum
You may submit an addendum that discusses aspects of your academic background, LSAT performance, or life experiences that you believe will enhance your application for admission. Your addendum should not exceed two pages in length, double-space, and it should not be used as an extension of your personal statement.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Scholarships
https://www.baylor.edu/law/index.php?id=931900
Financial Aid Step-by-Step
https://www.baylor.edu/law/doc.php/269347.pdf
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been disciplined in any way for any matter by any college, university, law school, or other institution of higher learning, or by any professor, administrator, employee, or entity representing any college, university, law school, or other institution of higher learning; or have you been allowed to withdraw from such an institution to avoid such discipline, whether or not the record of such action was retained in your file? Discipline includes, without limitation, a letter or other written notice of reprimand or warning, suspension, expulsion, adjustment of grade, assignment of community service, any form of probation, or any other adverse action. Entity includes, without limitation, residential facilities or other facilities owned or managed by or in any way affiliated with a college, university, law school, or other institution of higher learning.
- Have you ever been accused within any academic setting of cheating, plagiarism, or any other academic dishonesty?
Instructions for the question below: You may exclude minor traffic violations. You must, however, report any traffic or other offenses involving alcohol, drugs, or a controlled substance, or any offenses in which there was an attempt, successful or not, to suspend or revoke your driver's license. List and provide a detailed explanation of each instance, including its ultimate disposition. You must disclose each instance, even if no charges were filed, even if you were granted any type of pretrial diversion, even if filed charges were dismissed (with or without prejudice), even if such charges resulted in a deferred adjudication, even if you were acquitted of such charges, or even if such charges resulted in a conviction that was reversed, set aside, vacated, or expunged. Administrative license suspensions must also be disclosed. You must also disclose any matters involving a failure to appear or answer any citation or warrant, whether for a traffic violation or otherwise. Disclosure is required even if you have been informed by any source that you do not have to disclose any such instance and even if a search of your public records made by you or on your behalf did not disclose an instance that has in fact occurred.
- Have you ever, either as an adult or juvenile, been ticketed for, arrested for, charged with, or convicted of any violation of the law?
- If you have ever served in the Armed Forces (federal or state), were any administrative or disciplinary proceedings commenced against you, or did you receive a less-than-honorable discharge? List and explain each instance including its ultimate disposition and all details. (If you have never served in the Armed Forces, you may leave this question blank.)
- Have you ever been a part of a civil proceeding in which: (1) you were alleged to have committed fraud or any type of misrepresentation; (2) you were alleged to have engaged in grossly negligent or reckless conduct; (3) you were the subject of a proceeding to enact guardianship or commitment based upon incompetency, mental illness, or substance abuse; or (4) you were alleged to have engaged in any act of violence against person(s) or to have engaged in the willful destruction of property? If any of these instances have occurred, this question should be answered "yes", regardless of the outcome of the proceeding. List and provide a detailed explanation for each instance, including its ultimate disposition.
- Have you ever been terminated, suspended, disciplined, or permitted to resign in lieu of termination from a job?
- Have you ever been suspended, placed on probation or warning, or otherwise disciplined by any professional organization or state agency charged with reviewing professional conduct, or are any charges or proceedings pending or completed?
- Are you currently the target or subject of actual or potential grand jury proceedings?
C&F prompt covering the following topics: Since you responded "yes" to a character and fitness question, you must provide a detailed explanation including a description of the final outcome of each incident.
- Academic or Disciplinary
- Academic Dishonesty
- Armed Forces History
- Criminal History
- Grand Jury Proceedings
- Job Termination
- Misrepresentation
- Professional Organization
Prior Law School History
Since you left a law school in less than good standing, you need to provide a detailed description of why you left that school and the cause the departure.
Résumé Instructions
A résumé is required. It is not limited to one page or to professional activities and should highlight volunteer activities and special skills as well.
50 Florida State University
L50: 161 | G50: 3.72 | Deadline: 7/31/2021 | Final ED deadline: 12/15/2020
LORs: 0 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Each year, the Admissions Committee receives applications from many more qualified individuals than the law school is able to admit. In making admissions decisions among applicants with comparable LSAT scores and GPAs, the Committee considers a number of other factors. These include: interesting or demanding work or service experience; leadership potential; rigorousness of undergraduate course of study; graduate study; economic need requiring significant employment during college; social or cultural disadvantages; and extraordinary family or personal responsibilities. Your personal statement should discuss any of these factors that you would like the Committee to consider. The statement should be two to three pages in length, typed and double-spaced.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider explaining why you’re going to law school and why you’re interested in FSU in particular by the end of the essay.]
Diversity Statement
If you wish to supplement your application with a diversity statement, you may do so with an attachment to your application through LSAC. The statement should not exceed two typed pages, double spaced, using a 12-point font.
[This prompt does not interpret diversity either broadly or narrowly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Academic Addendum (optional)
You may include an academic addendum, explaining any circumstances that you believe may have negatively affected your undergraduate GPA or performance on the LSAT.
Florida Resident Affidavit Instructions
You selected YES on your application to the question regarding whether or not you consider yourself a Florida resident for tuition purposes according to Florida Statute 1009.21. As such, you are required to complete a Florida Residency Affidavit and upload the completed and signed form as well as legible copies of two acceptable official documents supporting your Florida residency to the application.
Complete the Florida Residency Affidavit, make copies of your required documents, and upload everything as ONE attachment. If you are unable to attach all documents to your application as one attachment, they may be submitted by email to admissions@law.fsu.edu or by fax to 850-644-7284. Please make sure you include your LSAC Account Number on each document copy if not uploaded with your application through LSAC.
Click here to download the Florida Residency Affidavit.
The most commonly used documents are a Florida driver's license, Florida voter registration card and a Florida vehicle registration.
Click here for a complete list of acceptable official documents found in Florida Statute 1009.21.
Non-Florida Resident Affidavit Instructions
You selected NO on your application to the question regarding whether or not you consider yourself a Florida resident for tuition purposes according to Florida Statute 1009.21. As such, you are required to complete a Non-Florida Residency Affidavit and upload the completed and signed form to the application.
Click here to download the Non-Florida Residency Affidavit.
Proof of FL Residency
If you answered YES to the Florida Resident question, in addition to the Residency Affidavit, you must submit copies of the residency documents as proof of Florida residency for tuition purposes.
The most common documents for proof of residency are the Florida Driver's License, Florida Voter Registration and Florida Vehicle Registration. Upload scanned copies of your residency documents here with your application.
If you answered NO to the Florida Resident question, you only need to submit the Non-Florida Resident Affidavit.
GRE Score or Registration
If you are applying with an existing reportable GRE score, you must include a copy of your unofficial GRE score report with your application through LSAC.
If you are applying and have not yet taken the GRE test at the time of application, you must include a copy of your GRE test registration with your application.
The official GRE score report must be sent from ETS directly to Florida State University, designating LAW as the department. It can take four to six weeks for the university to process your score report into the system. The College of Law will not be able to access your score report until it has been added to the university system.
C&F Questions
Misconduct Explanation I
Educational Institution Discipline Duty to Disclose: Have you ever been accused of a violation of an honor code or student conduct code, warned, placed on academic, scholastic or disciplinary probation, suspended, requested or advised to discontinue your studies, dropped, expelled, or requested to resign or otherwise subjected to discipline by any college, law school or other post-secondary institution?
If your answer to this question is YES, please read the following carefully. You MUST include by electronic attachment to this application a full statement of relevant facts for each incident. In addition to your written account of the incident(s), you MUST furnish the College of Law with copies of all official documents explaining the final disposition of the proceedings.
If your answer changes from a NO to a YES after you have submitted your application, you are obligated to notify the Admissions Office of the change and include a written statement and official documentation regarding the incident as part of your application.
Misconduct Explanation II
Educational Institution Discipline Duty to Disclose: Regardless of whether the record has been cancelled or annulled, or whether no record was made, have you ever been accused of cheating, plagiarism, or other academic dishonesty at any school you attended?
If your answer to this question is YES, please read the following carefully. You MUST include by electronic attachment to this application a full statement of relevant facts for each incident. In addition to your written account of the incident(s), you MUST furnish the College of Law with copies of all official documents explaining the final disposition of the proceedings.
If your answer changes from a NO to a YES after you have submitted your application, you are obligated to notify the Admissions Office of the change and include a written statement and official documentation regarding the incident as part of your application.
Violation Explanation I
Violation of Law Duty to Disclose: Have you ever been arrested, detained or restrained, given a notice to appear or taken into custody for the violation of a law or ordinance? You should disclose each instance even though the charges may have been dismissed, you were acquitted, adjudication was withheld, or a conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated. However, if your records were expunged pursuant to applicable law, you are not required to answer yes to this question.
If your answer to this question is YES, please read the following carefully. You MUST include by electronic attachment to this application a full statement of relevant facts for each incident. In addition to your written account of the incident(s), you MUST furnish the College of Law with copies of all official documents explaining the final disposition of the proceedings.
If your answer changes from a NO to a YES after you have submitted your application, you are obligated to notify the Admissions Office of the change and include the written statement and official documentation regarding the incident as part of your application.
Violation Explanation II
Violation of Law Duty to Disclose: Have you ever been arrested, detained or restrained, taken into custody or accused of driving while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving with an unlawful blood alcohol level or charged with vehicular manslaughter or vehicular homicide? You should disclose each instance even though the charges may have been dismissed, you were acquitted, adjudication was withheld, or a conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated. However, if your records were expunged pursuant to applicable law, you are not required to answer yes to this question.
If your answer to this question is YES, please read the following carefully. You MUST include by electronic attachment to this application a full statement of relevant facts for each incident. In addition to your written account of the incident(s), you MUST furnish the College of Law with copies of all official documents explaining the final disposition of the proceedings.
If your answer changes from a NO to a YES after you have submitted your application, you are obligated to notify the Admissions Office of the change and include the written statement and official documentation regarding the incident as part of your application.
Violation Explanation III
Violation of Law Duty to Disclose: Have you ever been charged with a traffic violation that resulted in a fine of $200 or more, charged with a traffic violation that resulted in time spent in jail, or had your driver license or your driving privileges revoked or suspended? You should disclose each instance even though the charges may have been dismissed, you were acquitted, adjudication was withheld, or a conviction was reversed, set aside, or vacated. However, if your records were expunged pursuant to applicable law, you are not required to answer yes to this question.
If your answer to this question is YES, please read the following carefully. You MUST include by electronic attachment to this application a full statement of relevant facts for each incident. In addition to your written account of the incident(s), you MUST furnish the College of Law with copies of all official documents explaining the final disposition of the proceedings.
If your answer changes from a NO to a YES after you have submitted your application, you are obligated to notify the Admissions Office of the change and include the written statement and official documentation regarding the incident as part of your application.
Because of the high ethical standards to which lawyers are held, the failure to disclose any act or event responsive to the question above is often more significant, and often leads to more serious consequences, than the act or event itself. If you are unsure whether to answer YES, we strongly recommend answering YES and fully disclosing all incidents. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Admissions Office of any changes to your answers, may result in revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the law school, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission.
Résumé Instructions
A detailed résumé should accompany the application and must be submitted as an attachment.
50 University of Connecticut
L50: 158 | G50: 3.53 | Deadline: 4/30/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please submit a personal statement on a topic of your choice. The Admissions Committee is interested in gaining insight into your passions, character, intellectual abilities, and writing skills. Although the topic is open ended, your ability to write clearly, concisely and persuasively is important. Please note the Committee prefers essays to be submitted in 12 point font, double spaced, and no more than two pages in length.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay, and why you’re interested in UConn in particular.]
Optional Essay
You may include an optional essay or addendum which discusses additional information not included in your personal statement. This statement should provide further explanation or details which may not be readily apparent in other sections of your application. Please note the Committee prefers essays to be submitted in 12 point font, double spaced, and no more than two pages in length.
[This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a diversity statement, GPA addendum, LSAT addendum, or work or study break addendum, among others.]
Residency Affidavit
Please attach the completed Residency Affidavit Form.
[From the instructions]
- You must submit the required Residency Affidavit, regardless of your state of permanent residency.
- To access the Residency Affidavit, please click here.
- Please complete all questions on this statutorily-required form.
- Once completed please save the document in one of the following supported formats: DOC, HTM, HTML, TXT, WP, WPD, RTF, WPS, WPT, DOCX, PDF. Once saved, please upload the document via the Attachments section (Residency Affidavit Form).
C&F Questions
- Have you ever been expelled, dropped, suspended, warned, placed on scholastic or disciplinary probation or been the subject of or party to any disciplinary proceeding by any college, university or law school? If yes, please attach all required documentation (see Attachments section). Please see Instructions for further information.
If you answered "Yes" to Character and Fitness Question 1 (Academic Probation) attach a separate essay explaining the circumstances for each positive response. Please put your name and LSAC ID number on each page and the question number(s) to which you are responding. Each applicant is strongly encouraged to secure information regarding character and fitness requirements from the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice. Many state bar examining committees require copies of your law school applications; should your responses to us be different than your response to the bar examiners, it may result in a character and fitness hearing. See Instructions for more information.
- Has your higher education, employment or business activity been interrupted for six months or more for any reason? This includes being involuntarily separated from a job, internship, externship or volunteer position for a nonprofit organization as a result of an accusation of dishonesty. If yes, please fully explain and attach all required documentation (see Attachments section). Please see Instructions for further information.
If you answered "Yes" to Character and Fitness Question 2 (Interruption) attach a separate essay explaining the circumstances for each positive response. Please put your name and LSAC ID number on each page and the question number(s) to which you are responding. Each applicant is strongly encouraged to secure information regarding character and fitness requirements from the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice. Many state bar examining committees require copies of your law school applications; should your responses to us be different than your response to the bar examiners, it may result in a character and fitness hearing. See Instructions for more information.
- Have you ever held a professional license that has been subject to disciplinary action, probation, suspension or revocation? If yes, please attach an essay fully explaining the circumstances. You must also attach documentation showing reinstatement of any license that has been subject to disciplinary action.
If you answered "Yes" to Character and Fitness Question 3 (Professional License) attach a separate essay explaining the circumstances for each positive response. Please put your name and LSAC ID number on each page and the question number(s) to which you are responding. Each applicant is strongly encouraged to secure information regarding character and fitness requirements from the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice. Many state bar examining committees require copies of your law school applications; should your responses to us be different than your response to the bar examiners, it may result in a character and fitness hearing. See Instructions for more information.
- Have you ever been arrested, charged and/or convicted of any criminal offense(s) in any criminal proceeding in any jurisdiction, including a General or Special Court Martial? This includes matters that may have been expunged or otherwise removed from your record through completion of court ordered or approved programs. If yes, enclose a copy of all court and/or police records confirming the disposition of the case, along with an essay fully explaining the circumstances (see Attachments section). Your file will remain incomplete until we receive the required documentation.
If you answered "Yes" to Character and Fitness Question 4 (Convicted) attach a separate essay explaining the circumstances for each positive response. Please put your name and LSAC ID number on each page and the question number(s) to which you are responding. Each applicant is strongly encouraged to secure information regarding character and fitness requirements from the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice. Many state bar examining committees require copies of your law school applications; should your responses to us be different than your response to the bar examiners, it may result in a character and fitness hearing. See Instructions for more information.
- Are any such charges pending? If yes, enclose a copy of all court and/or police records confirming the disposition of the case, along with an essay fully explaining the circumstances (see Attachments section). Should any charges be filed against you after you submit this application but before enrollment at the Law School, you must immediately report the charges to the Admissions Office in writing. Your file will remain incomplete until we receive the required documentation.
If you answered "Yes" to Character and Fitness Question 5 (Pending Charges) attach a separate essay explaining the circumstances for each positive response. Please put your name and LSAC ID number on each page and the question number(s) to which you are responding. Each applicant is strongly encouraged to secure information regarding character and fitness requirements from the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice. Many state bar examining committees require copies of your law school applications; should your responses to us be different than your response to the bar examiners, it may result in a character and fitness hearing. See Instructions for more information.
- Have you ever been a defendant in any civil proceeding in which allegations of fraud, misrepresentation or other improper conduct were made against you? If yes, please fully explain and attach all required documentation (see Attachments section). Please see Instructions for further information.
If you answered "Yes" to Character and Fitness Question 6 (Civil Charges) attach a separate essay explaining the circumstances for each positive response. Please put your name and LSAC ID number on each page and the question number(s) to which you are responding. Each applicant is strongly encouraged to secure information regarding character and fitness requirements from the jurisdiction in which they intend to practice. Many state bar examining committees require copies of your law school applications; should your responses to us be different than your response to the bar examiners, it may result in a character and fitness hearing. See Instructions for more information.
Résumé Instructions
You must attach a résumé.
- All applicants must attach a résumé. Please make sure that all entries are current up to the date of submission. Please include military service and summer employment.
- In addition to the résumé, please list every college and university, graduate and professional school attended, however brief and regardless of whether or not credit was received. Include the dates of attendance, major, degree and date degree was awarded. Include any enrollment, however brief, at any law school, whether or not credit was received.
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