J.D. REGULAR DECISION APPLICATION PROCESS
To be considered for admission to the J.D. program, applicants must have completed their bachelor's degree or be in the final year of a bachelor's degree program. The bachelor's degree must be awarded by an accredited U.S. college or university, or be an equivalent degree from a recognized non-U.S. institution. Applicants must have taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or an alternative test (GRE, GMAT, JD-Next) within the past five years unless they are applying through the limited test-optional process (see below).
Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. Therefore, applicants are urged to submit all required documents before the March 1 deadline. The Admissions Committee will begin reviewing completed files in late October, and decisions typically take eight to ten weeks. Factors considered in the admissions process include: undergraduate record; writing ability as demonstrated in the personal statement; any graduate work completed; extracurricular and professional experience as reflected in the resume; and letters of recommendation.
Consistent with the goal of creating an intellectually stimulating, well-rounded, and professionally promising environment, GW Law is keenly focused on applicant potential in the application process, including evidence of leadership; ability to thrive in GW Law?s robust, dynamic environment with an expansive academic and experiential curriculum; resilience; work experience; and/or perseverance.
Please note: This application asks about race and ethnicity due to U.S. Department of Education and American Bar Association reporting requirements. Providing information related to race and/or ethnicity is not required and will not be visible during the decision-making process.
J.D. ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
Application: All applicants are required to submit the application electronically through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
Application Fee: Waived for the Fall 2027 admissions cycle.
Credential Assembly Service: All applicants, including international applicants, must register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Applicants must send all undergraduate and graduate transcripts to CAS, which will provide comprehensive reports that include an applicant's academic record, LSAT score(s), and LSAT writing sample(s).
LSAT: Information concerning the LSAT, including test dates, may be obtained from LSAC. Please note that students generally must register for the LSAT at least six weeks before the test date. Applicants must take the LSAT no later than February 2027.
Alternative Tests: Applicants who wish to sit for the GRE, GMAT, or JD-Next rather than the LSAT are welcome to do so. An alternative test will be assessed only when an applicant has not taken and does not plan to take the LSAT. In cases where an applicant has taken both the LSAT and an alternative test, only the LSAT will be considered for admission. Applicants who apply with an alternative test score and subsequently register for the LSAT must notify the Admissions Office immediately. Failure to do so will nullify the admission decision.
Personal Statement: All applicants are required to submit a free topic personal statement (two pages, double-spaced).
Résumé
One Letter of Recommendation (applicants may submit up to three)
Optional Statement: Applicants are welcome to submit an optional statement that covers any subject not discussed elsewhere in their application (one page, double-spaced).
Addendum: An applicant who wishes to provide context for an element of their academic history that otherwise would not be apparent to the Admissions Committee may do so by attaching an addendum to their application. An addendum may be included in the same document containing the personal and/or optional identity statement. This section must be clearly titled as an addendum. An applicant should exercise good judgment about whether an addendum is necessary.
Test-Optional Admissions Process: GW Law has a long tradition of enrolling students with a range of experiences. In recognition of the exceptional promise of select candidates, we have established a limited test-optional admission process. The requirement to submit a test score is waived for applicants who have significant experience through either: 1) full-time, professional employment of at least four years by the point of enrollment (August 15, 2027); 2) military service; 3) patent bar passage; 4) doctoral (Ph.D.) programs; 5) social entrepreneurship; or 6) enrollment in GW Law's international LLM program.
Test-optional candidates must not have a reportable LSAT score. Applicants who apply through the test-optional process and subsequently register for the LSAT, GRE, GMAT, and/or JD-Next must notify the Admissions Office immediately. Failure to do so will nullify the admission decision.
Seat Deposits: Applicants admitted to GW Law through the regular admissions process must make three non-refundable seat deposits totaling $2,250 to accept a seat in our incoming class. These seat deposits will be credited towards tuition for Fall 2027.
Please note: An applicant's personal statement, optional statement, addenda, and any and all other submissions must be original and may not be copied or provided in whole or in part from another source, including artificial intelligence software. An applicant is required to sign a certification statement upon submitting their application, attesting to their adherence to this policy.
The George Washington University Law School
Admissions Office, 700 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052
admissions@law.gwu.edu
