After shedding blood, sweat, and tears, you have written your essays, résumé, and addenda. The files are all titled things like “PS_REAL_FINAL_VERSION.docx” and “law_school_resume_ACTUAL_2.pdf” and you probably never want to look at them again.
Unfortunately, though, it’s now time to do the worst part. Fonts, spacing, margins, headers...cue the scary music. But don’t sweat it—with this handy formatting guide, you’ll be off to the races in no time.
Why Formatting Matters
We know it can be tempting to skip formatting. After all, you’re applying to law school, not design school. Doesn’t the content matter more?
Though your application’s substance is the most important part of what’s in it, presentation matters too. If language is the body of your application, think about formatting as the clothes. The outfit you wear sends an impression—same goes for your application. Just like you wouldn’t show up to a law school interview wearing a hat with a propeller on it, you shouldn’t submit a résumé written in Comic Sans.
To find out how important formatting really is, we surveyed a selection of 7Sage’s former admissions officers and asked them if, while reading files, they’d ever thought twice about an applicant because of bad formatting choices. The answer was, unanimously, yes.
Why? AOs shared that, to them, bad formatting can sometimes convey a lack of judgment. Conversely, they told us that a well-formatted document reflects professionalism, thoroughness, and attention to detail—key qualities in a successful law student and future lawyer.
Your law school application is one place where people will judge the book by its cover. But this doesn’t mean you should dip your résumé in perfume or print it on pink paper like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. Instead, read on for tried-and-true formatting tips that will help your applications stand out...for the right reasons.
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Across-the-Board Formatting Tips
Font
- Times New Roman, though unglamorous, is a must.
- Stick to a 12-point font across all of your documents. 11-point is usually acceptable as well, but check the requirements of each school on your list to make sure no one asks for 12.
- 11-point font is the minimum. Never make any text on your application smaller than 11-point font under any circumstances. Not 10.5, not 9, and certainly not 8 (we’ve seen too many people try this!).
- Make your font, and your font size, consistent across all of your documents—yes, even your résumé. This means that if your personal statement is written in a 12-point font, you should also put your Why X essay in a 12-point font, even if you have to edit it back down to under a page in length. You want to convey that you pay attention to the details. Inconsistent formatting will make it look like you cut corners.
- Stick to one-inch margins on all sides, including (and especially) on the résumé. Tip: one-inch margins are standard on most word processors, so if you’re concerned your margins are not the right size, try copying and pasting your text into a new document.
- You should double-space pretty much everything except your résumé, which you should single-space. But you should definitely double-space all of your essays unless the application specifically asks you to do otherwise. Though it may remind you of a college midterm, double-spaced text is much easier to read—and ease of reading is a priority.
- If your résumé looks a little cramped single-spaced, consider 1.15-spacing. A little-known spacing trick, 1.15-spacing looks way better than single-spacing, but doesn’t take up much more space.
Uploading to LSAC
- Before you upload a file to LSAC, convert it to .pdf. Though LSAC accepts .doc uploads, these tend to cause formatting errors down the line. Relatedly, if one attachment in your PDF preview looks a little weird—like the font has been compressed or skewed—it’s probably because you uploaded that document as a .doc instead of a .pdf.
- Before you convert a .doc to .pdf, make sure the file does not contain any comments or tracked changes. These markups can show up in the final application.
- Some schools may ask you to include an essay or addendum in a short-answer field on the application itself, rather than as a file upload. Be aware that the formatting may be tricky here, and the form may not allow you to insert things like line breaks.
- With all this in mind, here is the most important tip of all: be sure to review a PDF preview of each application before submitting it to make sure the formatting is to your liking.
How to Format Your Law School Résumé
Résumés are, hands down, the hardest document to format. Even applicants whose essay formatting is impeccable often send us résumés that make our eyes hurt to read.
1. Cramming too much in. A résumé that has the information jam-packed onto the page is unpleasant to read. And when something is unpleasant to read, people usually don’t struggle through it—they tend to just skip it. This is especially true when your reader has hundreds of other résumés to get through that don’t require a microscope.
2. Trying to look too fancy. If you’re using one of those colorful online résumé templates, toss it. Your résumé should not contain any of the following:
- A photograph of you. No matter how professional the headshot, an unsolicited photograph is pretty much always inappropriate in an admissions context.
- Graphics, logos, or decorative elements. Though I love some good old-fashioned clip-art, there’s a time and a place—and this isn’t it. The fact is, aesthetics are subjective. Even if a stylistic element looks good to you, it may not to an admissions officer. Plus, having a highly decorated résumé might make it look like you’re trying to overcompensate for lousy content.
- Colors—remember, you’re not Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, whose résumé was pink. Stick to black text on a white page.
- That line that goes across the page. You know the one I’m talking about—it appears after you type a few hyphens:
The truth is, nine times out of ten, this line looks silly, not professional. It’s awkward and often longer or shorter than your text block.
Beyond that, the weight might be off, or it might be gray when your text is black. It’s hard to get the spacing to look right, and most of the time, all that effort lands you with an overrated underline mark you could have just as well done without. A well-organized résumé should breathe on the page—you shouldn’t need artificial visual breaks to help you switch between sections.
How to write the word résumé
It's "résumé," not "resume." To get the little accent over the letter "e," simply hold the "e" key down until options appear.
Read below for the details on how to format every aspect of your résumé. Or, if you don't have time, download our handy résumé template.
Résumé Layout
At the start of your résumé, there should be a header block. This is different than the header for the other documents you’ll be submitting. It should be written as center-aligned body text and should look something like this:
First Name, Last Name
Address, cell phone number, email address, LSAC # (include the L!)
After the header, include a section describing your educational history. You’ll want to include the following info:
Some duplication with the main résumé in the “Activities” section is okay. You should list all of the clubs/organizations/etc. that you were a part of. Don’t include details here beyond dates—you’ll create entries for these further down. If you want, you can add line breaks between honors and activities, or you can make them a comma-separated list. Or, if you had very few activities or honors, you may choose to skip the “Activities” and "Honors" sections under education altogether. Likewise, the "Senior Thesis" and "Study Abroad" fields are optional.
Résumés should be made up of entries containing bullet points. You should include one entry per employer or organization. Here’s an example of what an entry should look like:
Employer Name, City, State Abbreviation
Your Role/Title (# hrs/week – optional) Month year–Month year
- Your first bullet point for each entry should give an overall sense of the job––what your duties were and what type of place you worked for. For example, “Assisted with day-to-day office administration for a business that sold lava lamps”
- Each bullet should start with a verb and provide a description of your duties, skills developed or used, and accomplishments. Split up bullets by general topic/theme
- You should have no more than four bullet points to an entry, even the entry for your current job or your coolest internship. Each bullet point should be no longer than two or three lines—even if the content is great, it’s hard to read that much dense text in one sitting
- For the purposes of a résumé, you should not put periods at the ends of bullet points
If you had multiple jobs within the same organization, you should list them in reverse chronological order within the same entry. List each job title as a subheading beneath the employer name. Here’s an example:
Employer Name, City, State Abbreviation
Your Role/Title (35 hours/week) August 2020–November 2021
- Bulleted descriptions of duties, skills developed or used, and accomplishments
- Give context. If you were promoted or given a raise more quickly than usual, you can say so. For instance, “Received $2,000 raise after only three months, compared to company average of a year”
Your Prior Title (20 hours/week) June 2018–August 2020
- Format like this if you have had multiple jobs or titles with the same employer
- This should be reverse chronological, meaning the most recent role goes at the top
- In this situation, you may use up to four bullet points per role rather than per entry
Margins and Spacing
Unlike your essays, your résumé should be single-spaced. Don’t mess with the margins in the document—use standard one-inch margins, probably your word processor’s default. I repeat: do not change the margins!
A law school résumé can typically be up to two pages in length. Even with one-inch margins, this should give you plenty of space. That being said, a few schools prefer a one-page résumé, so always double-check with the admissions office if you’re unsure.
If you’re over two pages and can’t get it shorter, you’re probably including too much detail. Remember, quality over quantity. If you were in a ton of activities in college, this might mean you have to omit entries for some of them.
You should include date ranges for each entry on your résumé. The date range should be listed across the page from your job title. Do not put the dates across from the name of your employer. Putting dates across from titles allows you to list multiple roles within the same company.
Unless the school asks you to do otherwise, indicate dates with both the month and the year, but don’t specify the day. For example: May 2020–June 2021, not May 3 2020–June 14 2021.
Always use an en dash (–) to connote a date range—not an em dash (—) or a hyphen (-).
If possible, always spell out the whole month name rather than abbreviating to something like “Jan” or “Feb.” It looks better and there’s usually space. If you must abbreviate for some reason, make sure to consistently abbreviate all month names in the document, even short ones like June (Jun) and July (Jul).
- Click just before the date that needs to be re-aligned. At this point, the date should be left-aligned and next to the rest of the text.
Click on this arrow until it is facing left. It may take a few clicks, but you want it to look like this:
Now, place your cursor before your date and hit “tab” once. It should automatically align to the right:
Repeat this procedure for each date on your résumé.
Listing hours per week is optional. Some schools request it and many don’t. If you are asked to list hours per week, you should include them in parentheses next to the role. You may include a range of hours per week if the amount varied. For instance:
Frisbee Land, New York, NY
We suggest that you create two versions of your résumé: one that lists hours per week (for schools that ask), and one that doesn’t (for every other school).
🆘 Need help fine-tuning the content of your résumé? Check out our full résumé lesson.
How to Format Your Law School Admissions Essays
An essay should be written in full sentences with paragraphs. You should indent the first line of every paragraph by half an inch. Don’t put extra spaces between paragraphs.
Essay Headers
Every document you submit with your applications should have a header. For prose documents like essays and addenda, this header should appear in the “header” field of the document you’re working in. For the résumé, your header should appear as body text—see the résumé section for more.
The header should consist of your name, your LSAC number, and the document label in that order. By “document label” I mean things like “Personal Statement” or “Diversity Statement” or “GPA Addendum.”
Always use title case, and always make sure you are labeling your document in the language the application uses—e.g., an application may ask you to label your Character and Fitness addendum as “C&F Question 5.6–Addendum.” This is not the space to give your essay a title, by the way. Never do that.
Click into the “header” field of your document, and then type your name. Then hit “tab.” Then type in your LSAC number (including the L). Hit tab again. Then type the document label, e.g., “Personal Statement.” Then select the whole thing and change the font to Times New Roman, 12-point (or 11-point, if that’s what you’ve decided to use—just make sure it’s the same size as the rest of the document). Here’s how it will look, more or less:
If your document is longer than one page, as your personal statement probably will be, you should include page numbers. The page numbers should be at the end of the header and should appear on each page of your essay on the upper right-hand corner.
At first, your page numbers may disrupt your header, or appear off-center.
If this happens to you, the first thing you should do is delete your existing header text. Then, double-click inside of the box with the page number.
Then, re-type your header info into this box before the page number, hitting the tab key between your name, LSAC number, and the document label. As you type, it’ll look something like this.
Once again, you’ll need to change the font to old reliable Times New Roman. After that, you’re good to go! Here’s an example of how this will look in action. Note that Microsoft Word will make the header gray and your word processor may not—regardless, this is no big deal.
A few more things to keep in mind:
- An essay only needs page numbers if it’s longer than one page.
- Make sure you put an L in front of your LSAC number in your headers.
- If you’re copying and pasting your header from one document to another to save time formatting, always double-check to make sure your document is labeled correctly.
How to Format Your Law School Addenda
If a school asks you to include an addendum as an attachment, you should format it the same way you format your essays: indent the first line of each paragraph, use a header, double-space it.
Unless a school asks you to do so, don’t try to combine multiple separate addenda on one page. For example, do not combine your GPA addendum with your character and fitness addendum.
In Closing
Formatting, though intimidating in concept, is really just a way to ensure that you make the best first impression you can with your application. There’s a lot that isn’t within your control about the admissions process, and it can sometimes feel mysterious and oblique. But formatting is something you can tackle.
All this being said, if you made a formatting error and you’ve already submitted your application, don’t let it keep you up at night. This is just one part of a large, complex puzzle. Your application has a lot more going for it than just its font.
These are the application requirements for last cycle. You’ll find the newer requirements here: Application Requirements for Top Law Schools (2022–2023).
Note: "L50" and "G50" refer to a school's latest LSAT and GPA median, respectively.
Contents
- 1 Yale University
- 2 Stanford University
- 3 University of Chicago
- 4 Columbia University
- 4 Harvard University
- 6 University of Pennsylvania
- 7 New York University
- 8 University of Virginia
- 9 University of California—Berkeley
- 10 University of Michigan
- 11 Duke University
- 12 Cornell University
- 13 Northwestern University
- 14 Georgetown University
- 15 University of California—Los Angeles
- 16 Washington University in St. Louis
- 17 Boston University
- 17 University of Texas at Austin
- 17 Vanderbilt University
- 20 University of Southern California
- 21 University of Florida (Levin)
- 21 University of Minnesota
- 23 Brigham Young University
- 23 University of North Carolina
- 25 George Washington University
- 25 University of Alabama
- 25 University of Notre Dame
- 28 University of Iowa
- 29 University of Georgia
- 30 Arizona State University
- 30 Emory University
- 30 George Mason University
- 30 Ohio State University
- 30 William & Mary Law School
- 35 University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
- 35 Washington and Lee University
- 37 Boston College
- 37 Fordham University
- 37 University of California—Davis
- 37 University of California—Irvine
- 37 University of Utah
- 37 Wake Forest University
- 43 Indiana University - Bloomington
- 43 University of Wisconsin
- 45 University of Arizona
- 46 Texas A&M University
- 47 Florida State University
- 47 University of Maryland
- 49 University of Colorado—Boulder
- 49 University of Washington
- 51 University of California (Hastings)
- 52 Pepperdine University
- 52 University of Richmond
- 52 Yeshiva University (Cardozo)
- 55 Tulane University
- 58 Baylor University
- 58 Southern Methodist University
- 58 University of Houston
- 63 Temple University
- 64 Pennsylvania State - Penn State Law
- 64 University of Connecticut
1 Yale University
L50: 174 | G50: 3.94 | Deadline: 2/15/2022
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.]
Diversity Statements & Addenda
This section is optional.
You may use this attachment slot to include a diversity statement and optional addenda to your application if any are necessary for a full representation of your candidacy.
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.
Separate from a diversity statement, you may include optional addenda, for example, explanations related to test scores or transcripts. It is not necessary to include any, and many applicants do not include addenda.
[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
- Assistance
We know that the law school application process requires significant effort. It is helpful for us to understand the application preparation resources that were available to you so that we can more fully understand the context in which you prepared your application.
- Did you receive any unpaid assistance in preparing this application?
- If your answer to Question 11.1 is yes, please indicate who assisted you (e.g., prelaw advisor, family member) and the nature of the assistance (e.g., proofreading, generating essay ideas). (maximum characters 1000)
- Did you pay for any assistance in preparing this application?
- If your answer to Question 11.3 is yes, please specify who assisted you and the nature of the assistance (e.g., proofreading, generating essay ideas). (maximum characters 1000)
- Did you take an LSAT or GRE preparation course or work with a tutor?
- If your answer to Question 11.5 is yes, please very briefly provide additional details. (maximum characters 1000)
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 significant duplication between this section and your résumé; 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) It is helpful for us to understand what you did during those terms when you were not in school during your undergraduate education (including summers and any other term(s) when you were not in school). This should include, for example, paid or unpaid employment or internships and study abroad. Please list these activities in order of relative importance to you.
- provide a brief description;
- state the approximate start and end date;
- estimate the hours per week you committed; 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. This should include, for example, extracurricular activities and paid or unpaid employment or internships. 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 the hours per week you committed; and
- note whether it was paid or unpaid.
(c) Please list and very briefly describe any other activities during your undergraduate education (in or out of school) that you consider relevant if not otherwise described above. This may include, for example, a significant thesis or capstone project; or significant personal or familial responsibilities.
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 significant duplication between this section and your résumé; 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
- Character & Fitness
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.
- Are there any felony or misdemeanor charges pending against you, or have you ever been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, a felony or misdemeanor? You may answer “no” if your record has been expunged or sealed, if your conviction has been vacated, or if you have been pardoned.
- At any educational institution you have attended, have you ever been found responsible for misconduct of any kind or deficient scholarship, or are there any charges pending?
C&F Criminal
If you answered yes to Character and Fitness question 12.1, please include an attachment describing the circumstances, and, if you wish, provide information that will help us understand the context of your behavior and the outcome of this experience for you and others. The Admissions Office understands that excellent applicants may have made mistakes, and answering “yes” does not disqualify you from consideration for admission to the Law School. Please note that the information included in your Character and Fitness attachment as well as answers to the Character and Fitness questions may become part of the character and fitness review of the bar in the state(s) in which you intend to practice. Admission to the practice of law depends not only on adequate academic performance in law school and successful completion of the bar examination, but also on satisfaction of the requirements of the particular jurisdiction as to proof of good character. These requirements differ from state to state, and applicants should inform themselves of the requirements of the jurisdictions in which they are interested.
C&F Academic
If you answered yes to Character and Fitness question 12.2, please include an attachment describing the circumstances.
Please note that the information included in your Character and Fitness attachment as well as answers to the Character and Fitness questions may become part of the character and fitness review of the bar in the state(s) in which you intend to practice. Admission to the practice of law depends not only on adequate academic performance in law school and successful completion of the bar examination, but also on satisfaction of the requirements of the particular jurisdiction as to proof of good character. These requirements differ from state to state, and applicants should inform themselves of the requirements of the jurisdictions in which they are interested.
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: 172 | G50: 3.91 | Deadline: 2/15/2022
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.
- You are given the chance to travel back in time. Think of your destination. Where, when, and why?
- 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 University of Chicago
L50: 172 | G50: 3.91 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 12/1/2021
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 up to three areas of academic interest, students organizations, or other topics you would like to learn more about at the University of Chicago 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: 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. 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. An affirmative response to any portion of the Character and Fitness questions will not automatically disqualify a candidate from admission.
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.
4 Columbia University
L50: 174 | G50: 3.84 | Deadline: 2/15/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2021
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 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, or 9.6 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 9.1 and/or 9.2, 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 6.3
Did you leave the law school under less than good standing?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 6.3, you must attach a written explanation here if the space available under 6.4 is not sufficient. sufficient.
Question 6.5
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 6.5, you must attach a written explanation here.
Question 8.2
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 8.4
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 9.1
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 9.2
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 9.3
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 9.4
Are there any criminal charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 9.4, 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 9.5
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 9.5, 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 9.6
Will you be enrolled in an undergraduate program on or after August 1, 2022?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 9.6, 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 Harvard University
L50: 174 | G50: 3.92 | Deadline: 3/1/2022
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. We expect applicants to use the full two pages in crafting their statement.
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. (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/).
6 University of Pennsylvania
L50: 171 | G50: 3.9 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 1/7/2022
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.
7 New York University
L50: 172 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: 2/15/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2021
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:] While the Committee on Admissions does not use interviews as part of the regular selection process, we would like to give you the opportunity to include more information about yourself than the application form conveys. Because people and their interests vary, we leave the content and length of your statement to your discretion. 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, documentation of overcoming adversity, a history of underperforming on standardized tests, 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 are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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 are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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 are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and no later than January 1.
The Furman Academic Scholarship Committee also requires the following:
• An additional essay (up to approximately 1000 words) with the JD application that describes why you wish to pursue a career in legal academia, gives some sense of the field of legal scholarship you hope to pursue, and includes a statement on diversity in academia. Potential topics of discussion for the latter point include how an applicant’s background, identities, or experiences have or will contribute to diversity in academia; or how to overcome specific challenges in fostering diverse academic communities. Finally, you should explain why NYU School of Law is the right place for you to pursue your legal studies.
• For this program in particular, we request that you ask individuals submitting recommendation letters on your behalf to include a few sentences about your suitability for the program.
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 are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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 are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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 are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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 are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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 officer 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.
8 University of Virginia
L50: 171 | G50: 3.91 | Deadline: 3/3/2022
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
12.1 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)
12.2 Please describe your interests and hobbies required (maximum characters 200)
12.3 Some applicants know where they want to begin their legal practice. If you have such specific geographic preferences, please identify them. (maximum characters 200)
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 University of California—Berkeley
L50: 169 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: 2/15/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2021
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, 2021
- Have taken the LSAT no later than November 2021
- 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. The Graduate Opportunity Program Master’s Fellowship is a recruitment award for applicants entering a terminal Master’s or professional degree program. Recipients must be U.S citizens, permanent residents, or AB 540-eligible. Applicants must submit a FAFSA or Dream Act application by March 2nd to be considered.
In partnership with the Graduate Division’s Graduate Opportunity Program (GOP) fellowship, recipients of the Graduate Diversity Program award receive gift-aid that covers full tuition, fees, and health insurance, plus a $10K stipend for the first year.
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. Contact admissions@law.berkeley.edu with questions about the application process.
[From Instructions section of application:]
The Scholarship application is an optional section intended to invite applicants to self-identify as possible candidates for certain, very specific awards, and to allow them to provide additional information in support of their candidacy. This application is not a complete list of scholarships available at Berkeley Law. Additional information about scholarships can be found on the Scholarships page of our website. If admitted, applicants will also be invited to complete the Supplemental Gift Aid application which may inform their eligibility for certain awards.
Deadlines: 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.
BLOS: BLOS requires submission of an additional essay, which can either be uploaded in the attachments section of online application, or emailed to admissions@law.berkeley.edu. The essay prompt for this 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 non-need based scholarships in general. To be considered for a need-based award, an admitted applicant must complete the Supplemental Gift Aid application.
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.
10 University of Michigan
L50: 171 | G50: 3.84 | Deadline: 2/28/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/5/2021
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. 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. Thus, 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 identity, such as gender, sex, race, or ethnicity; particular political, philosophical, or religious beliefs; socioeconomic challenges; atypical backgrounds, educational paths, employment histories, or prior careers; or experiences and perspectives relating to discrimination, disadvantage, or disability. 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. In other words, think broadly about what you might wish to convey and how you might best convey it.
While we do not impose a page or word limit for the personal statement, we value clear and concise writing; most personal statements are between two and four pages. 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
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 think writing on any of the topics below would help us get a better sense of who you are, we encourage you to consider submitting your responses to one or two (but no more) of the following topics. Each essay should be between one and two pages. For ease of reading, please use double-spacing and at least an 11-point font. Please be sure to include the number of the prompt you are addressing at the top of your essay.
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? How do you think getting your JD from Michigan might affect your future career and life?
Essay Two
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 Three
Describe an experience that speaks to the problems and possibilities of diversity in an educational or work setting. As a lawyer, what measures might you take to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Essay Four
Describe a quality or skill you have and discuss how you expect it will help you in your legal career.
Essay Five
Tell us about a group that you are or have been a part of and how you contribute(d) to it.
Essay Six
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?
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?
Essay Eight
Think of someone who knows you, but doesn't know you well (i.e., not a family member or a close friend). How would they describe you? Would their description be accurate? Why or why not?
Essay Nine
If you could have dinner with any prominent person, who would it be and why? What would you discuss?
[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.
11 Duke University
L50: 170 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 2/15/2022 | Final ED deadline: 1/7/2022
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, 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. 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.
12 Cornell University
L50: 171 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 1/8/2022
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
13 Northwestern University
L50: 171 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: 2/15/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2021
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.]
Career Interest and Goals
18.1 What are your career interest(s) immediately after law school? (maximum characters 500) [Text box follows]
18.2 What are your long-term career goals? (maximum characters 500) [Text box follows]
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.
14 Georgetown University
L50: 171 | G50: 3.85 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 2/1/2022
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 Law is proud of its strong community of 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
- What is something important that you have changed your mind about?
- What unpopular opinion do you have, and why?
- Tell us about a time in the last five years when you stood up for yourself.
- Share a Top Ten List with us.
- 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: 170 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 2/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2021
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.]
Challenges Addendum
Please share any information about adversity or challenge that you would like us to consider about your personal life experiences. This may include socio-economic challenges; educational challenges; health issues; disability; immigration status; surviving abuse; or complex family circumstances like an incarcerated parent, homelessness, living in foster care, or others. This is not an inclusive list, but simply an opportunity, if you wish, to share any additional aspects of your background that may give us a deeper sense of your strengths and who you are.
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, Institute or research in a particular subject area (as described on the website: 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 Addendum
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 15, 2021. Applicants must also take the LSAT or GRE no later than October 31, 2021 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 December 15, 2021. Applicants must also take the LSAT or the GRE no later than November 30, 2021. 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.
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.
All J.D./Ph.D. in Philosophy applicants are advised to take the LSAT or GRE by November 30, 2021 and apply by January 10, 2022.
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 Washington University in St. Louis
L50: 170 | G50: 3.93 | Deadline: 8/19/2022
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?
- 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.
17 Boston University
L50: 169 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: 4/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 1/5/2022
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. Applicants who have chosen to apply for the ASPIRE: Antiracist Scholarship may not apply for the Public Interest Scholarship.
ASPIRE Essay
If you wish to apply for the ASPIRE: Antiracist Scholarship, please attach a response to the two separate prompts:
- What does antiracism mean to you, and how have your life experiences shaped your commitment to antiracism? In your answer, in addition to professional experiences (if any) please draw from your lived experiences, whether as a member of an underrepresented or marginalized group, as an advocate, and/or as an ally. (Word limit: 350 words)
- How do you envision using your antiracist education and training in your legal career, whether it be in the private, governmental, or public interest sectors? (Word limit: 250 words)
Do not repeat your personal statement. The committee aims to award the scholarship to applicants who demonstrate a commitment to antiracism, social justice, and racial equity, with preference given to those underrepresented in the legal field. Applicants who have chosen to apply for the Public Interest Scholarship may not apply for the ASPIRE: Antiracist Scholarship.
BU Bound Contract
If you have chosen to apply via the BU Bound Binding Decision Program use this space to upload your BU Bound Binding Decision Contract (found in the forms section).
Dist. Scholar Contract
If you have chosen to apply via the Distinguished Scholar Binding Early Decision Program use this space to upload your Distinguished Scholar Binding Early Decision Contract (found in the forms section).
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
If the answer to any of the following questions is yes, please provide a detailed explanation, including a summary of the allegations and any sentence imposed. The Admissions Committee may require copies of court documents in addition to your explanation. NOTE: Bar examiners may require other information that we are not permitted to seek under Massachusetts statutes.
- 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.
17 University of Texas at Austin
L50: 169 | G50: 3.8 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/1/2021
GRE medians:
Verbal: 163 | Quant: 161 | Writing: 5
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
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
If 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, within the last 10 years, been arrested, cited or ticketed for, charged with any violation of the law; or, have you ever been convicted of an offense, placed on probation, or granted deferred adjudication or any type of pretrial diversion; or, are you currently the target or subject of a grand jury governmental agency investigation? If you answer "yes," please provide a full explanation that includes a narrative description, cause, and outcome of each reported event, 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).
You may exclude only Class C misdemeanor traffic violations. 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 provide a full explanation that includes a narrative description, cause, and outcome of each reported event, 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 Vanderbilt University
L50: 169 | G50: 3.89 | Deadline: 4/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/1/2021
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.
[Not on application]
Video Essay (ED Applicants Only)
All Binding Early Decision candidates must complete a Video Essay on their Application Portals. A Binding Early Decision application is not complete and will not be considered under Binding Early Decision without a Video Essay. The Video Essay is an opportunity for the Admissions Committee to get to know you better and learn more about your interest in the legal field. You will be asked to answer a question during a video recording through your applicant portal. Complete instructions are available on your applicant portal.
Vanderbilt Law Application Portal
When we receive your application from LSAC, we will notify you by email and provide instructions for activating your Vanderbilt Law Application Portal where you can view the status of your application and upload additional materials, including the required Video Essay. We will email you when there are updates to view on your application portal, including the decision on your application.
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 University of Southern California
L50: 168 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 4/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/22/2021
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 their 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 their 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 their 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.
21 University of Florida (Levin)
L50: 167 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: 7/1/2022 | 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 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
Character and Fitness
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 UF 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, court or agency regarding the final disposition of each occurrence. Your application will not be considered "complete" until the Admissions Office has received these items.
Official documents must clearly identify the entity that is providing the disposition of the incident. Official documents obtained from an online source must include a web address (URL).
If possible, please combine your explanation and all official documents 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, mail, or fax.
After submitting the application, candidates are obligated to immediately notify UF Law of any changes to character & fitness questions that occur prior to a decision or matriculation and must provide related explanations and documentation when applicable.
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 these questions (as well as questions 1 and 2), and you might be required to disclose expunged records. If you are unsure whether to answer Yes, we strongly recommend answering Yes and fully disclosing all incidents. By doing so, you may avoid risk of disciplinary action and/or revocation of an admission offer.
- 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. For a summary of the states’ bar admission requirements, please refer to the National Conference of Bar Examiners (http://www.ncbex.org/).
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.
21 University of Minnesota
L50: 166 | G50: 3.8 | Deadline: 6/1/2022 | 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.
23 Brigham Young University
L50: 167 | G50: 3.85 | Deadline: 6/30/2022 | Final ED deadline: 3/1/2022
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 https://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.
- Latter-Day Saint (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 School 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 School 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 January 2, 2022.
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.
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.
Please note: Failure to answer the questions below will leave your application in an incomplete status. The Admissions Committee will not admit anyone with an incomplete application.
You should respond fully and carefully to every question in this section. While an answer of "Yes" to any of these questions will not by itself result in a denial of admission, a false answer may result in revocation of your admission and sanctions by the bar of the state in which you seek to practice. When in doubt, always err on the side of full disclosure. If you have answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you must submit an addendum 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. Failure to report any new information may also result in revocation of your offer of admission and sanctions by the applicable bar.
- 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.
23 University of North Carolina
L50: 164 | G50: 3.73 | Deadline: 5/1/2022
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?
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
- 2Have 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 speeding? 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.
25 George Washington University
L50: 167 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | 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.]
J.D. BINDING PRESIDENTIAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS
In order 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 Graduate Record Examination (GRE) within the past five years.
Applicants who are certain that GW Law is the right school for them may apply through the Binding Presidential Merit Scholarship process. Outstanding applicants who are admitted through this program will be awarded a full-tuition scholarship. Applicants must fulfill all of the requirements for admission and electronically sign a binding agreement stating that, upon acceptance, they will:
- commit to attending George Washington University Law School;
- pay a non-refundable seat deposit in the amount of $1500 by March 15, 2022;
- withdraw all pending applications to other law schools; and
- not initiate any additional applications to other law schools.
Factors considered in the admission decision process include: the student's writing ability as demonstrated in the personal statement, undergraduate school attended and major, any graduate work completed, work and professional experience, extracurricular activities, and references. While there is no required minimum grade-point average or LSAT/GRE score, students admitted as Presidential Scholars typically meet or exceed GW Law's medians. Consistent with the goal of providing an educationally stimulating and diverse environment, GW Law actively seeks to recruit qualified members of all backgrounds.
Applicants who are not admitted through the Binding Presidential Merit Scholarship process are automatically reviewed for non-binding regular admission.
J.D. ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
- Application: All applicants are required to submit their applications electronically through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
- Application Fee: Waived for the Fall 2022 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 will include an applicant's academic work, LSAT score(s), and LSAT writing sample(s).
- LSAT: Information concerning the LSAT. including test dates, may be obtained from LSAC. The test is administered at various centers in the United States and abroad. Completed LSAT application forms must be received by LSAC at least one month prior to the date of the exam. All Binding Presidential applicants must take the LSAT by January 2022.
- GRE Pilot Program: Applicants who wish to sit for the GRE rather than the LSAT are permitted to do so through the GRE Pilot Program. The GRE 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 the GRE, only the LSAT will be considered for admission. Applicants who apply with a GRE score and subsequently register for the LSAT must notify the Admissions Office immediately. Failure to do so will nullify the admission decision. Information about the GRE may be obtained from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at https://www.ets.org/gre.
- One Letter of Recommendation or Evaluation (applicants may submit up to three)
- Résumé
- Written Statement(s): All applicants are required to submit a free topic personal statement (two pages, double-spaced). Applicants may also submit a free topic optional statement (of 300 words or less) in which they may wish to discuss characteristics and accomplishments they believe will contribute positively to the GW Law community and to the legal profession. Finally, an applicant may include an explanatory addendum with their application, attaching it in the same document as their personal statement; this section must be clearly titled as an addendum. An applicant should exercise good judgment about whether an addendum is necessary.
The Binding Presidential Merit Scholarship Application deadline is February 1, 2022; however, early submission is highly recommended.
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.
25 University of Alabama
L50: 165 | G50: 3.94 | Deadline: 8/1/2022
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 any resolution. If there are multiple reasons for you to answer YES to any of the following questions (e.g. multiple suspensions, multiple convictions, etc.) please identify and provide details for each of those situations. 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, reflection, 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, guilty plea, or no contest or nolo contendere 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 (by trespass warning or otherwise), 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.
25 University of Notre Dame
L50: 168 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: 9/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 2/1/2022
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 both a legal education and career. 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.
[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/).
Polking Statement
The Polking Family Fellowship aims to cultivate the next generation of leaders who understand that law and public policy are essential elements in building a sustainable culture of life. Recipients of this fellowship will receive a scholarship along with the opportunity to work closely with the deNicola Center for Ethics and Culture. Polking Fellows will be invited to attend and participate in special Center events, work with its visiting fellows, interact with speakers and guests of the Center, conduct scholarly research, and receive special career mentoring and summer internship opportunities.
To apply for this Fellowship, students must:
1) Submit a complete application to Notre Dame Law School by December 1, 2021.
2) Submit a separate statement outlining their specific interest in the Polking Family Fellowship.
The Polking Family Fellowship statement must be the applicant's original work in their own words. It should be no more than two double-spaced pages. The Polking Family Fellowship statement must be included with the application at the time of submission. The statement's header must include the student's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "Polking Statement."
[We encourage you to apply to both of these statements.]
Addendum
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 Addendum. 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 Addendum. The Addendum' s header must include the applicant's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "Addendum."
[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.]
Scholarship Information
All students who apply for and are granted admission to the JD program are automatically considered for both merit and need-based scholarship. No further documents are required for consideration, although the questions asked in this section may assist the Scholarship Committee in assigning specific funds to incoming students.
Considerations for merit scholarship largely center on the applicant's undergraduate academic work and standardized test scores. The majority of our scholarship budget is allocated to merit aid.
In order to maintain equity among all admitted students, scholarship awards are not negotiable.
Applicants are welcome to submit further information regarding their specific financial circumstances in the Addendum section of this application.
The NDLS Office of Admissions and Financial Aid maintains an external scholarship database. The Scholarship Committee encourages applicants to research available outside scholarships and to apply broadly.
The Scholarship Committee wishes to draw attention to three specific specialized scholarships that require further application procedures:
1) The Polking Family Fellowship aims to cultivate the next generation of leaders who understand that law and public policy are essential elements in building a sustainable culture of life. Polking Fellows will receive a scholarship and will be invited to work closely with the University's Center for Ethics and Culture. Further details are available here and students may apply by submitting an optional Polking Family Fellowship Statement to this application.
2) The Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity (ICLEO) is a program administered by the State of Indiana to assist minority, low-income, and educationally disadvantaged students in pursuing a legal career in the Hoosier State. Students who apply and are selected will attend the Summer Institute (which will be hosted at NDLS in 2022). Students who successfully complete the Summer Institute will receive $4,800 per semester to attend law school in Indiana. Further details and application instructions are available here.
3) The J.L. Weigand, Jr. Notre Dame Legal Education Trust (Weigand Trust) seeks to support students from Kansas who wish to pursue a career in the Jayhawk State. Selected students receive a full tuition and fees scholarship to attend NDLS. Students must reapply on an annual basis. Further details and application instructions are available here.
- I acknowledge the above information.
- Did you take out loans to finance your undergraduate studies and/or other post-baccalaureate studies?
2a. What is the current amount of student loan debt that you possess? This may include both Federal and private student loans.
- Did you ever receive a Federal Pell Grant while enrolled in undergraduate studies?
- Are you in the first generation of your family to receive a college degree?
- Are you in the first generation of your family either to be born in or immigrate to the United States?
- Are you (or do you plan to be) in the first generation of your family to receive a professional degree (e.g., a J.D., M.D., etc)?
- Were you raised in a single-parent/guardian household for a significant portion of your childhood?
- If you are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, in which state or territory was your childhood home?
- Are you married?
- Do you have any dependent children?
- Will you be receiving any substantial support from agencies, foundations, and/or other scholarship providers outside of Notre Dame Law School?
If your answer to this question changes after you apply and/or receive an offer of admission, please send updated information to bulletin@nd.edu, subject line "Updated outside funding information."
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/).
28 University of Iowa
L50: 163 | G50: 3.69 | Deadline: 5/1/2022
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
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.
- 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?
Character and Fitness 1
If you answer "yes" to any of the following Character and Fitness questions, in an electronic attachment, describe each instance and/or circumstance. In your statement, please explain the impact (if any) this experience has had on you, and, in particular, on your decision to pursue a legal degree. Contact the College of Law Admissions Office if you have any questions about your responses to this question or what should be included in your statement. Please attach any relevant documentation.
Applicants for admission to a State Bar will undergo an extensive evaluation to determine whether they have the character and fitness required for the practice of law. For this reason, both the College of Law and the American Bar Association (ABA) encourage all applicants to determine what those requirements are in the state(s) in which applicants intend to practice before they matriculate to law school. (ABA Standard 504(a).)
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 (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.
29 University of Georgia
L50: 166 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 6/1/2022 | 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
This section is optional.
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.
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Supplemental 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, 2021. All application components, including letters of recommendation and the LSAC Law School Report, must be received by the Office of Admissions by October 1, 2021. 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 or Binding Early Decision 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 November 30, 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, 2022. All application components, including letters of recommendation and the LSAC Law School Report, must be received by the Office of Admissions by June 30, 2022. 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.
30 Arizona State University
L50: 166 | G50: 3.85 | Deadline: 8/1/2022 | 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 or GRE 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 with a 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 9 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 in a criminal matter, the status of your probation or parole), and the name and address of the authority in possession of those records. You must answer "yes" whether or not it has 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 an investigation, sanction, or discipline by any academic institution for any reason?
- Are any actions arising from allegations of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, cheating, or any form of behavioral misconduct currently pending against you?
- 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.)
- If you answered "yes" to question #3 above, were any of the instances felonies?
- Are any actions arising from allegations of criminal charges other than a minor traffic violation (as described in question #3) currently pending against you?
- If you answered "yes" to question #5 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.")
- Have you previously matriculated in a JD program at any US law school?
If you answer "yes," please upload a statement under the Character & Fitness Stmt. section explaining the circumstances under which you left the other 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).
30 Emory University
L50: 167 | G50: 3.8 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 3/15/2022
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
- American Bar Association Character and Fitness 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.
Please note our fitness and character questions may differ from other schools to which you apply. Consider them carefully and answer each question honestly and completely. Failure to do so may result in the denial or revocation of your admission, suspension or dismissal after matriculation, withdrawal of certification of graduation, or revocation of your degree.
We understand that these fitness questions are both unique to the admission of law school, and in some instances, unique to Emory Law. We have provided additional guidance and explanation regarding these questions at end of the instructions to this admission application. We require that you review this guidance before you submit your application to provide a more complete understanding on the fitness requirements of Emory Law and to assist in answering any concerns you may have. The guidance is located in the instruction section of this application.
By initialing here, you certify that you 1) read the additional guidance in the instructions to this application; and 2) understand that you have a continuing obligation to ensure that these responses are correct (and amend, if and when necessary), until graduation from Emory Law.
INITIALS OF APPLICANT:
Academic Conduct
Please see the instructions to this application for additional guidance on the following question. When in doubt, please disclose.
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 yes, submit an addendum titled "Academic Conduct" to explain the situation.
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
Please see the instructions to this application for additional guidance on this question. When in doubt, please disclose.
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 yes, submit an addendum titled “Social Conduct” to explain the situation, including the background and circumstances of the situation as well as the outcome and resolution.
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.
30 George Mason University
L50: 164 | G50: 3.81 | Deadline: 3/1/2022 | 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
This section is optional.
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, socio-economic, 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
If you are applying through the Scalia Law Scholars Program, please attach a signed copy of the Scalia Law Scholars Program Agreement Form.
(https://www.law.gmu.edu/assets/files/admissions/Scalia-Law-Scholars-form.pdf)
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.
Maureen McCarthy Scalia Need-Based Scholarship.
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.
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://www.law.gmu.edu/assets/files/admissions/instate_form.pdf?ver=3.0). Please also include a copy of your Virginia driver's license. If we do not receive documentation, you will be classified as an out-of-state resident.
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
- 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 www.ncbex.org.
Scalia Law requires all applicants to answer questions pertaining to character and fitness. If an applicant answers yes to any of these questions, the applicant must provide an explanation that reflects on the time, place, and facts underlying the reported conduct. All applicants have an ongoing duty to disclose matters that arise after completing this application to the Admissions Office. All applicants who are admitted and matriculate at Scalia Law must disclose matters to the Associate Dean for Administration and Student Affairs and the Director of Bar Support. Omissions or failure to accurately disclose matters requested on this application may result in denial or delay of bar licensure. An applicant should err on the side of full disclosure.
I have read and understand the above information including my ongoing duty to disclose matters that arise after completing this application.
[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.
5.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.
30 Ohio State University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.79 | Deadline: 7/1/2022 | 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.
30 William & Mary Law School
L50: 164 | G50: 3.78 | Deadline: 3/1/2022
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: Your personal statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admission committee and should include why the J.D. degree is essential to your future. We recommend addressing any character and fitness or educational issues within the optional addenda below.
[Explain what you would contribute to the law school community and why you need a JD.]
Why W&M Law Statement
Required Essays: 2 page maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font. You will be required to submit two essays: a personal statement, and a Why W&M Law statement. Please attach both documents.
- Why W & M Law Statement: This statement is your opportunity to provide information on why you selected to apply to William & Mary Law School. How your background, goals, experiences, etc. will benefit our community and how the Law School can support your pursuit of a legal career.
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.
Your duty to disclose continues after you file this application and up through your graduation. This CONTINUING DUTY means you must TIMELY disclose matters that arise which would have required you to answer “yes” to one or more of the following questions. To make a timely disclosure after you file this application and before you enroll in law school, contact the Dean of Admissions. Once enrolled, contact the office of the Registrar to make such a 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. We recognize that in limited situations, records cannot be obtained. In the event that you are unable to obtain official documentat a detailed explanation of the charge/arrest is acceptable; however, the Board of Bar Examiners in the state in which you seek licensing may still require official documentation of the charge/arrest. (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.
35 University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
L50: 164 | G50: 3.66 | Deadline: 3/15/2022
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.
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.
When answering the questions below, if you are unsure whether an incident in your past requires an affirmative response, you are advised to contact the Office of Admissions at (217) 244-6415 to request clarification. Failure to respond candidly and completely to one of these questions is a serious matter in itself. Answering "yes" to any of the questions below will not automatically bar you from admission to the College of Law. If, following your completion of this application, matters arise that would require you to answer "yes" to any of the questions below, you are required to supplement your application with complete details. 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 providing complete details, including dates and resolution.
- 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.
35 Washington and Lee University
L50: 164 | G50: 3.61 | Deadline: 7/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 12/1/2021
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
- 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. Though Washington and Lee University is prohibited by Virginia statute from requiring disclosure of information concerning arrests or charges that have been officially expunged (See Virginia Code 19.2-392.4), state bar examiners may require that bar applicants disclose such information and closely compare disclosures on law school applications with disclosures on applications for bar admission. We therefore encourage full, voluntary disclosure.
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. Applicants are strongly encouraged to disclose any and all incidents.
- [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.
37 Boston College
L50: 165 | G50: 3.69 | Deadline: 3/1/2022
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 Candidates
This attachment is only required for applicants applying for the Public Service Scholarship.
Please share why you are applying to be a Public Service Scholar at BC Law, examples of your leadership and experience in public service beyond what is stated in your resume, your career plans after law school, if you know, and what steps you have taken to learn about different career paths available to you. 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.
37 Fordham University
L50: 166 | G50: 3.7 | Deadline: 3/15/2022 | Final ED deadline: 10/15/2020
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, using a standard 11 - 12 sized font.
[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, you must provide a detailed explanation. If you need more space than the application provides, you may submit 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
- 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.
37 University of California—Davis
L50: 165 | G50: 3.7 | Deadline: 3/15/2022 | 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. 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. We also invite applicants to review the School of Law's Mission Statement at https://law.ucdavis.edu/about/law-school-mission.html.
- The personal statement should not exceed four pages, double-spaced. Each page of the statement should include the applicant's full name. The combined length of any optional additional statements (e.g., a diversity statement) should not exceed four pages, double-spaced. 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:
- Achievements despite social, economic, or physical disadvantage, including specific experience of discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race, ethnicity, citizenship, sex gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, military service, 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.
- 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.
- Extra-curricular activities during undergraduate studies.
- Community activities and employment experience during and after undergraduate studies.
- Advanced degrees or other advanced studies.
- Other objective evidence of growth and maturity and of commitment to law study.
[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) (or California Dream Act Application if you are an eligible undocumented student) is REQUIRED for need-based aid (i.e., need-based grants and need-sensitive scholarships) and federal loans.
- March 2, 2022, 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 or Dream Act Application, the financial aid office may request supplemental information or forms before 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 eligible applicants are automatically considered for merit aid based on information supplied in their application. Aid awards are sent separately 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 backgrounds (immediate family only); academic background in mathematics or the physical sciences.
- The Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship (MLK) requires the submission of a scholarship application, available at https://law.ucdavis.edu/financial-aid/prospective/king-hall-scholarships.html. Consideration for the MLK scholarship is based on demonstrated commitment to the public interest. The deadline for submission of the MLK scholarship application is March 30, 2022. 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.
37 University of California—Irvine
L50: 167 | G50: 3.69 | Deadline: 3/15/2022 | 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
When responding to the following questions, please note that an affirmative answer to any or all of the questions within this section does not necessarily preclude or prejudice admission to the School of Law. Applications are reviewed holistically and take rehabilitation into consideration. Any affirmative responses trigger an obligation to submit a supplemental Conduct Information Statement with additional information explaining the conduct issues and rehabilitation measures. 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.
- 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.
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.
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.
37 University of Utah
L50: 163 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 3/10/2022 | Final ED deadline: 10/29/2020
LORs: 1 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Candidates are required to submit a personal statement of no more than (2) two pages in length, with one (1) inch margins, and a font size no smaller the 10-pt. The personal statement is 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 whose life experiences, backgrounds, and interests will enhance our educational community. This includes, but is not limited to, 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. 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 the background, experiences, and events (positive or negative) that have affected you. You may address the perspectives and experiences you will bring to classroom discussions and the law school community or your motivations 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.]
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The S.J. Quinney College of Law provides a high-quality education at a cost 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. The University of Utah Title IV school code: 003675.
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 late 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 https://sjquinney.utah.edu/financial-information-and-resources/financial-aid-and-scholarship-information/.
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
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 may result in revocation of admission, disciplinary action by the S.J. Quinney College of Law, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek 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.
If the answer is "yes" to any question, 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.
- 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 or deferred adjudication if it is in its period of probation, or a verdict or finding of guilt regardless of whether a sentence was imposed. All drug and/or and alcohol-related offenses must be reported. All convictions must be report even if expunged from your records. You are not required to report minor traffic offenses.
- Have you ever been convicted of a juvenile offense that was classified as felony, or equivalent to a felony? You are not required to report juvenile infractions or misdemeanor juvenile 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 - including campus housing?
- 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.
37 Wake Forest University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.68 | Deadline: 4/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2021
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.
43 Indiana University - Bloomington
L50: 164 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: 7/15/2022 | 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.
[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
Because of the high ethical standards of the legal profession, law school applicants need to be aware that "failure to disclose" an act or event that pertains to your character and honesty on this application may result in revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the Maurer School of Law or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which an applicant seeks admission. Under Indiana law, you do not have an obligation to disclose expunged offenses to the law school as part of your application for admission. However, you are strongly encouraged to do so. Many state bars, including Indiana, require disclosure of expunged and/or sealed records for assessing character and fitness for admission to the bar. As such, admission to law school and completion of JD requirements does not guarantee that you will be able to sit for or be admitted to the Indiana bar (or another state’s bar).
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 at http://www.ncbex.org. State Bar authorities investigating you in the future will expect that anything they find in their security clearance checks or through other inquiries will have been reported on this application. Therefore, please respond fully to the following questions. Resolve doubts by disclosing the information (see Attachments section).
By electronically transmitting this application, you acknowledge that, if you are admitted and then do matriculate, you will have a continuing obligation to disclose promptly any incidents that occur from application submission to enrollment as well as throughout your time as a law student that might reflect adversely on your good character and fitness to practice law. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission based on the misconduct of an applicant after he/she has been admitted.
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 you answered YES to any of the above questions, please use an electronic attachment to explain. Please be detailed and specific with your explanation describing the incident(s), including the location(s) and date(s) of the charge(s) or conviction(s), your status at the time of release, and the court deposition(s). In your own words, provide a description of the impact the incident(s) had on you. Resolve uncertainty by consulting 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.
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.
43 University of Wisconsin
L50: 164 | G50: 3.65 | Deadline: 4/1/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/29/2021
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
You must answer all character and fitness questions carefully, thoroughly, and honestly. Omission or falsification of information relevant to these questions may serve as grounds for rescinding your admission to the University of Wisconsin Law School. When you apply to be admitted to the bar, the state bar organization may conduct a background investigation on you and may also seek a copy of your law school record. Any discrepancies between the character and fitness information you provide on your Law School application and the information compiled for your bar application may impede your admission to the bar. Please note that satisfaction of Character and Fitness requirements for the University of Wisconsin Law School does not mean that Character and Fitness requirements for any state bar have been satisfied. 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/character-and-fitness/.
If you are unsure whether a matter should be disclosed, you should err on the side of full disclosure. Nondisclosure of a pertinent matter will cause difficulty. In most circumstances, the BBE will consider a thorough, detailed, and honest disclosure of an incident for which you take responsibility as a factor tending toward a finding of adequate "character and fitness." Prior contacts with the criminal or civil justice systems, including felony convictions, do not, in and of themselves, necessarily disqualify you from practicing law nor do they necessarily preclude you from admission to the University of Wisconsin Law School.
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.
45 University of Arizona
L50: 163 | G50: 3.66 | Deadline: 7/15/2022
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
An affirmative response to any of the following questions will not preclude your admission to the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law. If you respond affirmatively, you must attach an electronic statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident(s), date(s) involved, and sentence(s) imposed. You must inform the Admissions Office immediately if any events changing your answers to the questions below occur between your submission of this application and your enrollment at the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law.
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.
- 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)
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.
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.
46 Texas A&M University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.84 | Deadline: 5/31/2022
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Attach a personal statement of no more than two (2) double-spaced, typed pages. One of the goals of the Admissions Committee, at Texas A&M University School of Law, when making decisions is to admit a diverse student body that will contribute to a collaborative and progressive learning environment. Academic background and strength of performance, though important, are not the only criteria evaluated in the application process. For this reason, a personal statement, written by you, is required as part of the application. In this statement we seek information about you. Statements about law in general or law and society will not be useful. The statement should illustrate the life experiences and talents that make you unique. You are invited to write about significant obstacles that you have overcome and events in your life that influence your perspective.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay with specific, personal examples.]
Addendum
(OPTIONAL) Please attach document, no longer than one (1) double-spaced, typed page, pertaining to any area of the application for which you would like to provide clarification or additional explanation.
[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. However, it can only be one page, so be concise.]
C&F Questions
- Have you been subject to sanction, discipline, or academic action by any academic institution, administrator, professor, or by any entity representing any academic institution, 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? This 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 academic, disciplinary, or conduct-related probation, or any other adverse action.
(You must report any alleged or pending charges, violations, and/or sanctions.)
- Have you ever been arrested, cited or ticketed, charged with, convicted of, placed on deferred adjudication, or pled guilty or pled nolo contendere (no contest) to any violation or criminal offense other than a minor traffic violation? Note: You must report any failure to appear resulting from any offense, including a minor traffic offense, any failure to maintain financial responsibility (legally required auto insurance), and any attempt, whether successful or not, to suspend or revoke your driver's license.
(You must report any violation involving the use of drugs or alcohol, regardless of the severity of the incident.)
- Have you ever been disciplined or reprimanded by any profession or professional organization, had a publicly granted license denied, suspended, or revoked, or had other disciplinary action filed against you?
- Have you ever been a party to a bankruptcy (business or personal) or other civil proceeding in which you were alleged to have committed fraud or any type of misrepresentation, engaged in grossly negligent or reckless conduct, or engaged in the willful destruction of property?
- Have you ever been confined by any governmental authority because you were determined to be a danger to yourself or others? Note: You do not have to disclose any voluntarily, non-court ordered hospitalization.
- Have you ever been subject to administrative or disciplinary proceedings, dismissed, or other than honorably discharged from the armed forces?
(If you have never served in any branch of the armed forces, please check “no.”)
- is an acknowledgment
If you answered "yes" to any of the questions in the Character and Fitness section, you must include a separate statement with this application 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 whether it is a felony or misdemeanor and the level of degree (e.g., 1st degree felony, class A 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, such as, not guilty, no contest, Alford, guilty, probation, or deferred disposition, 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.
Résumé Instructions
Attach a descriptive resume. Please include details about:
- Your educational background, honor societies, scholarships, work history, military service, extracurricular activities, public/community service, honors and awards, publications, foreign language proficiencies, and any other significant achievements and involvements.
- Your work history. Be sure to include the name of the employer or organization, location, dates of employment, position held, general description of duties performed, and any employer recognized achievements.
47 Florida State University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.82 | Deadline: 7/31/2022 | 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.
47 University of Maryland
L50: 161 | G50: 3.7 | Deadline: 8/1/2022 | 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
Responding to Character and Fitness Questions in the Application
Please carefully read and respond to the 12 questions in the application that relate to your Character and Fitness for Admission to the Bar. The failure to provide honest and accurate answers to the questions posed below is very serious, often more significant than the act or event requiring disclosure. The questions we ask in this section track the questions that will be asked by many state bar admission authorities.
FAILURE TO DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER MAY RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY THE SCHOOL OF LAW AND COULD DELAY OR EVEN PREVENT YOUR ADMISSION TO THE BAR.
For any affirmative answer, please electronically attach a statement marked “Character and Fitness.” 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 Office of Admissions of any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate. Failure to provide truthful and complete 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 School of Law, and/or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission to the bar.
Upload attachment(s) when completing the application form.
- 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 details.)
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 or 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 School of Law, and/or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission to the bar.
- Excluding offenses committed as a juvenile, 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.
49 University of Colorado—Boulder
L50: 164 | G50: 3.61 | Deadline: 4/1/2022
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
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 the University of Colorado 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 personal statement 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
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.
You do not need to talk about information you included in your personal statement. This additional statement is an opportunity for you to share more information about yourself that doesn't appear elsewhere. This statement is optional.
Your optional statement must be in your own words, double-spaced, and not exceed 500 words.
Please attach your optional statement electronically to your application.
[We strongly encourage you to respond to this essay]
Addenda:
You may attach addenda as necessary to explain items in your application about which we may have questions.
All addenda must be in your own words and double-spaced.
Please attach addenda electronically to your application.
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.
49 University of Washington
L50: 164 | G50: 3.67 | Deadline: 3/15/2022 | Final ED deadline: 11/15/2021
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, ethical advocacy, inspired teaching, and 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.
51 University of California (Hastings)
L50: 160 | G50: 3.52 | Deadline: 6/15/2022
GRE medians:
Verbal: 159 | Quant: 154 | Writing: 4
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please submit an essay on any pertinent topic. While there is no word limit, your statement will be evaluated for clarity, content, and skill of presentation. It is to your advantage to convey information and views that are important to you, and that you believe should be weighed in considering your application for admission.
[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 UC (Hastings) in particular.]
Other Addenda
Other addenda can be attached here, if desired.
[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. ]
LEOP Addendum
I. LEOP QUESTIONS (Required)
On a separate electronic attachment, write out and answer all questions that are applicable to you. Questions not answered will be assumed not to pertain to you. This supplemental information will be used to evaluate your claim of significant adversity and to determine whether to offer admission. Your application to the LEOP program will not be considered without this information. If your claim of significant adversity does not meet LEOP admissions requirements, your application will automatically be considered for general admission by the Admissions Office.
- Describe the financial situation of your family from birth to college entry. Please include sources of income, income estimates, number of household wage earners, and number of dependents. Please describe any unusual expenses.
- Please describe the occupation(s) and the educational background(s) of the person(s) who raised you.
- Describe your early educational experiences through high school. Discuss the expectation level of and support for educational and career achievement in your family and community. What impact, if any, did it have on your education?
- Please list your source(s) of financial support in college by approximate percentage: Family: Employment: Loans: Grants/scholarships: Other assistance:
- Describe any paid or unpaid test preparation, academic support, or tutorial services you have used since elementary school.
- Identify and describe the community(ies) in which you resided from birth to age of college entry. Describe any bias you faced as a member of such community(ies) and explain what impact, if any, it had on your academic performance.
- Are you an immigrant or the child of immigrant parents? If yes, please include the country of origin, year of arrival in the U.S., and the reason for immigrating.
- If English is not your first language, how old were you when you first learned English? Was English the primary language spoken in your home?
- Have you had any learning or physical disability that may have adversely affected your academic performance? Please indicate what accommodations, if any, you were provided in high school and college. If possible, please include supporting documentation of your disability and/or accommodations.
II. LEOP STATEMENT (Optional)
Please submit a statement in which you identify and describe in detail the challenges and obstacles that you have faced and the impact they may have had on your academic preparation. The obstacles may be cultural, economic, educational, familial, geographic, linguistic, or social in nature. Include specific information on what you have done to meet and/or overcome these challenges that are not evidenced by your responses to the LEOP Supplemental questions above or in the general personal statement.
C&F Questions
You must answer all of the character questions in this section of the application. A "yes" answer does not disqualify you from admission, but an explanation must be provided for each "yes" answer. Additionally, if you answer "yes" to the last three questions in this section, you should consult the rules and regulations of the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State in which you wish to practice the law to determine if there is anything that may affect your eligibility for admission to the bar.
- Have you ever enrolled in a law program at any other ABA accredited institution?
- If you answered yes to a question #1, please note where and when, and explain why you left in the following text box. (maximum characters 1000)number of characters left is displayed after the field
- Have you ever been subject to dismissal, suspension, probation or other academic or disciplinary sanction, been found to have violated a conduct or honor code, or been warned by any college or university or professional school?
- If you answered "yes" to question #3, an explanation must be provided in the following text box. (maximum characters 1000)
- Have you ever been discharged, rejected during probation, or have you ever resigned under pressure or unfavorable circumstances from any employment? Do not include a layoff that was caused by the employer's financial situation.
- If you answered "yes" to question #5, an explanation must be provided in the following text box. (maximum characters 1000)
- Have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, or is any such charge now pending against you?
- For purposes of this question, a conviction includes a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or a verdict or finding of guilt, regardless of whether sentence is imposed by a court.
- Traffic violations which must be reported under this question include Failure to Appear, Driving Without a License, Driving with a Suspended License, and Reckless Driving, as well as all traffic violations that resulted in a misdemeanor or felony conviction.
- You need not answer “yes” because of an arrest that did not result in a conviction as long as the charges are no longer being adjudicated.
- You need not answer “yes” for any arrest or conviction that has been sealed, expunged, dismissed, or set aside.
- If you answered "yes" to question #7, an explanation must be provided in the following text box. (maximum characters 1000)
Résumé Instructions
Please provide a résumé which includes all significant employment, internships, memberships, and professional and volunteer activities during and after college. Include any honors, awards or other recognition (scholastic, collegiate, extracurricular, or community) you have received and the basis for your selection. Include dates of participation. Be sure to account for all significant blocks of time since the completion of your undergraduate degree, including your activities this year while applying to law school. Please limit to two pages.
52 Pepperdine University
L50: 164 | G50: 3.8 | Deadline: 2/1/2022
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 is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. Caruso Law’s dedication to our Christian mission drives a deep desire to embody and imbue in our students the highest standards of ethics and morality. We are proud to have a strong Christian faculty that also includes several professors from other faiths. We welcome students of all faiths, as well as students who are not part of any faith tradition. 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.
Dean's Merit Scholarship
One-quarter to full tuition
Criteria: Minimum GPA 3.3 and LSAT in the 89th percentile. All applicants immediately considered upon acceptance; no separate application required.
Caruso Scholars Award
One-quarter to full tuition
Criteria: Students with low-income and underserved students who will likely increase the breadth, depth, and diversity of our student body. All applicants immediately considered upon acceptance; no separate application required.
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
One-quarter to full tuition.
Criteria: Likelihood of increasing the breadth, depth, and diversity of our student body. All applicants immediately considered upon acceptance; no separate application required.
Caruso Excellence Scholarship
One-half to full tuition
Criteria: Students from underrepresented communities at any of the 106 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). All qualitifiying applicants are considered. Up to 5 students each year will receive a full tuition award.
President's Scholarship
Criteria: Active membership in Churches of Christ. A letter of recommendation must be submitted by a church elder or minister to the Office of Admissions.
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.
52 University of Richmond
L50: 162 | G50: 3.7 | Deadline: 6/1/2022
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
A short personal statement (approximately 1 - 3 double-spaced pages) is required. We encourage you to provide information about yourself not otherwise found in your application. For example, you may wish to highlight your background, personal or cultural factors, achievements, obstacles overcome, goals, or experiences that you believe would contribute to the diversity of the law school community.
[This prompt is open-ended and interprets diversity broadly.]
Interruption in Education
If you answered "yes" to the question "Has your education in college, university, or professional school been interrupted for one term or more for any reason?" and you need more room to answer the question, you may submit a supplemental electronic attachment explaining the interruption.
Addendum
If you would like to include an addendum to address diversity factors, a disability, or any specific concerns you may have to aid us in better understanding your file, you are welcome to use an addendum for that purpose.
[This first addendum is if applicable, the second could be used to submit a diversity addendum, LSAT/GPA addendum, etc.]
February 1, 2020 - Priority deadline for scholarship consideration
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.
[is an acknowledgment]
- Have you been placed on academic probation at any college or university?
- If yes, please list the dates of your probation:
- Are you currently/have you ever been subject to disciplinary action/charges at any college or university? If yes, in an attachment, please list the charges, describe the discipline and the circumstances (see Attachments section).
- Other than minor traffic violations, have you ever been arrested for any violation of the law? If yes, in an attachment, name the offense and the date, and describe the circumstances (see Attachments section). This would include arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or any other substance. Note: You must disclose the information requested in this question even if you received a deferred prosecution, a suspended imposition of sentence, the conviction was stayed or vacated, or the record (including but not limited to proceedings in juvenile court, family court, or any court of general jurisdiction) was expunged.
- Are there any criminal charges currently pending against you? If yes, in an attachment, please name the offense and describe the circumstances (see Attachments section).
- Are you now or have you ever been investigated or subject to discipline by any professional licensing board or body? If yes, please explain in an attachment (see Attachments section).
If you answered "yes" to any of the Character and Fitness questions, you must submit a supplemental electronic attachment that fully describes the date(s) and details of the disclosed act(s) or event(s).
Résumé Instructions
The résumé may be of any length and should provide chronological information about your academic background, work experiences, extracurricular or charitable activities, and accomplishments.
52 Yeshiva University (Cardozo)
L50: 164 | G50: 3.74 | Deadline: 4/1/2022
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please submit via electronic attachment a personal statement of no more than two typed, double-spaced pages in which you may bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee anything about yourself that you believe to be relevant to the admissions decision. Your statement should include any factors that you deem important to the Committee’s evaluation of your candidacy, including for instance, personal and family matters; educational background, talents and experiences; or reasons for applying to law school as they may relate to your personal or professional goals
[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 Cardozo in particular.]
Optional Essay
If you would like to add an additional statement or essay regarding any personal characteristics or any other factors (economic, social, physical, educational, or cultural) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider when reviewing your application, we invite you to share them in this Optional Essay.
[This is an opportunity to talk about non-traditional diversity factors, obstacles, and background.]
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 the answer to any of the questions in this Character and Fitness section is "yes," please submit a full descriptive statement. If you wish to provide additional information, you may do so via an electronic attachment. Answering "yes" to any of the questions below does not preclude admission to the Law School.
- Was your undergraduate or graduate study interrupted for one or more terms for any reason?
- If you answered "yes", please provide a thorough explanation in the text box below. (maximum characters 4000)
- Have you been placed on academic probation or been required to withdraw from any school for academic reasons?
- If you answered "yes", please provide a thorough explanation in the text box below. (maximum characters 4000)
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action for academic or other reasons at any of the colleges or graduate schools you have attended? This should include any or all disciplinary matters, including those relating to university housing, regardless of whether you have satisfied any sanctions applied. Also include all matters that have been sealed or expunged.
- If you answered "yes", please provide a thorough explanation in the text box below. (maximum characters 4000)
- Are there any disciplinary charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
- If you answered "yes", please provide a thorough explanation in the text box below. (maximum characters 4000)
- Either as an adult or juvenile, have you ever been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, a violation of any law other than a minor traffic violation such as a parking or speeding violation? (You should include convictions or pleas that were sealed, expunged and/or subject to a diversionary program.) 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.
- If you answered "yes", please provide a thorough explanation in the text box below. (maximum characters 4000)
- Are any such charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
- If you answered "yes", please provide a thorough explanation in the text box below. (maximum characters 4000)
- Have you ever been prohibited or suspended from practicing in any professional capacity due to or as a result of alleged misconduct on your part?
- If you answered "yes", please provide a thorough explanation in the text box below. (maximum characters 4000)
If the answer to any questions in the Character and Fitness Section is yes, and you wish to provide additional information beyond your detailed explanation above, you may submit more information via an electronic attachment.
Résumé Instructions
In addition to answering the questions in the Employment Section, please submit a copy of your résumé via an electronic attachment.
55 Tulane University
L50: 161 | G50: 3.6 | Deadline: 8/15/2022
LORs: 0 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please write an essay about yourself or about a significant experience you have had.
You should use this as an opportunity to provide information not provided elsewhere that you believe should be taken into account by the Committee on Admission. This essay should reflect solely your own work. Although neither a minimum nor a maximum, a suggested length is 2 to 3 double-spaced, typed, pages. Statements that are significantly shorter or longer than this guideline should demonstrate exceptional writing and editing skills.
Your essay should be used to provide information about yourself that you consider significant to our evaluation of your file. General essays about the justice system or your perceived character strengths are not particularly useful or helpful to your chances for admission, nor do we recommend that you simply repeat information provided elsewhere in your application.
We want to learn what makes you tick and why you are someone we should want to enroll at Tulane. We are interested in learning about those of your qualities that would be valuable to the legal profession, the law school classroom, and the community. You may wish to describe a significant experience in your life or to discuss your interest in or motivation for attending law school.
Avoid using your essay to explain problems with your academic, LSAT, or conduct record, but do ensure that these matters are addressed—preferably in the optional “GPA/LSAT Addendum”.We know that you can't tell your life story in 2-3 pages. Don't try to. A strong personal statement is one where we learn something about you, but also want to learn more. Share with us a complete story or experience, but avoid feeling like you must tell us all of your stories and experiences.
[This prompt is mostly open-ended but they really emphasize writing about an experience that is specifically significant to you.]
Diversity Statement
Tulane Law School is proud of its diverse student body. We strive to be one of the most diverse law schools in the country in terms of geography, ideology, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other qualities.
Students, faculty, and staff from broad backgrounds create an atmosphere at the Law School where every individual is welcomed, supported, and encouraged to succeed. If you wish to include an optional statement of how you would add diversity to our student body and you feel that have not sufficiently addressed this topic in your personal statement, please provide one.
This optional statement would also be the appropiate place to discuss any economic, cultural, social or educational factors that have presented obstacles that you have had to overcome (assuming that you wish the Committee on Admission to consider such factors in evaluating your application).
[This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.]
Interest in Tulane
Optional (but helpful for those seeing the most comprehensive consideration for admission and scholarship): Please tell us why you are currently interested in attending Tulane Law School.
You may use a few sentences, a few paragraphs, or (when well written) a few pages. While this question is optional, please understand that answering this question will improve your chances of admission and/or consideration for our highest scholarship awards, and failure to answer this question may be a factor in determining admission and scholarship eligibility.
- For some applicants, the answer to this question may have more to do with the city of New Orleans than Tulane Law itself. This is entirely acceptable. (We love our hometown!) Help us better understand your own future goals and how study in New Orleans might advance your personal educational objectives, career interests, passion for the law, etc.
- We understand that not all applicants know with absolute certainty if Tulane is the right fit for them when they apply. Maybe you've never been lucky enough to visit Tulane or New Orleans before. If this describes you, simply tell us why Tulane looks like a possible fit for you based on what you know so far. You may also let us know what programs you might be interested in learning about more in depth if you are offered admission. (This information is helpful for the admissions staff in connecting you with members of our community that will be of interest to you.)
[We strongly encourage you to respond to this essay.]
GPA/LSAT Addendum
You have the option to attach a supplemental statement, in addition to your Personal Statement, that describes any experiences or circumstances (including any physical and/or psychological difficulties) not mentioned elsewhere in this application that might have adversely affected any previous objective measures of academic performance. You may also address any factors that may have adversely affected standardized testing results. If you choose to discuss these circumstances, what would be most helpful to our Admissions Committee is understanding whether these circumstances prevail today and, if so, how would this affect your success in a law school program.
We ask that you do not simply reference/refer to information you may provide in other attachments to your application. Even if the nature of the explanation is related to circumstances provided in other attachments, write your response as if this were a stand-alone document.
[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. They would like this to be a stand-alone document.]
C&F Questions
- is an acknowledgment
- Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action (for scholastic or other reasons) in any of the colleges, universities, graduate or professional schools you have attended? This includes being dropped, suspended, warned, placed on academic or disciplinary probation, disciplined, expelled, or requested or advised to resign from any postsecondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school.
If your answer to either question concerning disciplinary action is yes, this attachment becomes mandatory. Please electronically attach a statement with an explanation of the reasons for, and circumstances surrounding, the disciplinary action(s), or any pending action. Be sure to provide the dates of the events you are disclosing, along with a full description of what took place.
- Have you ever been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, pled guilty or nolo contendere for a violation of any law? For purposes of questions 4 and 5, you should include offenses that resulted in purged, sealed, obliterated, dismissed, or destroyed records, regardless of whether you have been told that you need not disclose any such event, including traffic offenses. These 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.
- Have you ever been discharged from any employment or requested or permitted to resign in lieu of disciplinary action? Or, in connection with your employment, have you ever been subject to any formal or informal charges of improper behavior that had any part in your quitting, being permitted to resign, being discharged or resulting in a suspension, demotion or loss of pay? Or, in connection with work requiring licensure, have you ever been disciplined as a member of any licensed profession or occupation including, but not limited to, being suspended from practice, reprimanded, censured, disqualified, revoked, permitted to resign, admonished, sanctioned or removed, or have any complaints or charges, formal or informal, ever been made or filed or proceedings instituted against you in such capacity?
(You need not answer this question in the affirmative if a work discharge was not connected to disciplinary action or charges of improper behavior.)
If your answer to either question concerning violations of the law is yes, this attachment becomes mandatory. Please electronically attach a statement with a full explanation of the reasons for, and circumstances surrounding, your arrest or conviction, or any pending charges. Be sure to provide the dates of the events you are disclosing along with a full description of what took place.
- If you currently hold, or have ever held, a professional or occupational license of any kind, please list the license(s), dates held, and the jurisdiction or authority that issued the license. If you have not held such a license, please simply respond "N/A".required (maximum characters 250)
If your answer to the question concerning professional/work/employment discipline is "yes", this attachment becomes mandatory. Please electronically attach a statement with a full explanation of the reasons for, and circumstances surrounding, the circumstances that lead to your affirmative response to the question. Be sure to provide the dates of the events you are disclosing along with a full description of what took place.
Résumé Instructions
Please electronically attach your current résumé. Your résumé should include, at a minimum,
- all post-secondary educational institutions you attended
- all paid employment of any kind, post-secondary school
- all volunteer or internship placements
- special skills (i.e. language ability, professional certifications, professional licensure, etc.)
Be sure to provide dates for each entry, and if part-time, indicate average hours per-week.
Extracurricular activities (i.e. athletic teams, leadership in clubs/organizations) may appear on the resume, or they may be included in the separate "Extracurricular Activity" attachment. (This is completely up to you, but we offer this option so you can best organize and represent your accomplishments.
58 Baylor University
L50: 162 | G50: 3.64 | Deadline: 2/15/2022 | 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
Because of the high ethical standards governing lawyers, 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 full and truthful answers may result in denial of admission, withdrawal of admission, expulsion after matriculation, revocation of the law degree after graduation, other disciplinary action by the Law School, referral to appropriate legal education authorities and state bar examiners, and/or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission. Failure to answer a question and/or providing superficial explanations will result in your application file being considered incomplete. Full candor in the application process is required not only by Baylor Law but also by the state bar for the jurisdiction(s) in which you intend to practice. At the start of your studies, the state bar authorities will review your law school application answers for accuracy by means of a thorough background check. Additionally, your entire history will be checked again by the state bar authorities when you apply for admission to the bar, which you must do in order to practice 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.
Read the following questions very carefully. If the answer to any of the following questions is "yes," you must provide a detailed explanation in a separate Word document as an electronic attachment. Include your name and LSAC account number on each page. This explanation must be separate from any material provided as part of your personal statement.
- 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.
58 Southern Methodist University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.76 | Deadline: 3/1/2022
LORs: 0 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
Please provide a personal statement that highlights aspects of your background that you believe will be of interest to the Admissions Committee. There is no specific required topic or question to address. Write about something personal, relevant, and individual to you. This may include writing about a significant aspect of your background, a quality or trait that you believe defines you, a transformative experience, or the things that interest and motivate you. The Admissions Committee is particularly interested in aspects of your background that may not be evident from other parts of your application. This statement should be approximately 2-3 double-spaced pages.
[This prompt is open-ended.]
Why SMU?
Include a brief paragraph concerning your motivation for applying to SMU Dedman School of Law, including academic reputation, interest in a specific area of study, interest in Dallas, ties to the area or to SMU, and personal reasons such as family, spouse, or significant other moving to, or located in, the area. This statement should be 1 double-spaced page or less.
Optional Question
SMU Dedman School of Law is committed to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion are ingrained into everything we do. You are encouraged to submit an optional essay that reflects how you can add to or support that commitment. This statement should be approximately 2-3 double-spaced pages.
[We strongly encourage you to respond to the Why SMU? essay.]
Other Addenda
If you have other addenda you would like to submit, please attach them here..
[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.]
All applicants are considered for a Dean's Scholarship at the time they are considered for admission, and a separate application is not required to receive a scholarship from SMU. One or more students per entering class are awarded the prestigious Hutchison Scholarship. This scholarship covers the full cost of tution and fees and does not require a separate application. If you are awarded a scholarship, we will notify you with your admission decision or shortly after you have been admitted.
Because we believe a broad spectrum of viewpoints enhances our educational environment, we award additional scholarships to students whose experiences, accomplishments, or background suggest his or her perspective will enhance or diversify the learning atmosphere at SMU. To be considered for a scholarship based on your experiences, accomplishments, or background, you must complete the optional question on the application for admission.
In addition to the scholarships above that are funded and awarded by SMU, there are also several scholarships available to our admitted students that are funded by private organizations.
Sumners Scholarship
The Sumners Foundation Scholarship, funded and awarded by the Sumners Foundation, is a full tuition and fees scholarship plus a fixed stipend for living expenses and textbooks. Each year, the Sumners Foundation selects four to six outstanding students to receive these scholarships at SMU Dedman School of Law. If you are a resident of, or attended college in, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, or Texas, you may apply for a Sumners Scholarship. To apply for a Sumners Scholarship, you must complete a separate scholarship application. Important information and the application are available at https://www.smu.edu/Law/Admissions/Costs-and-Financial-Aid/Scholarships-and-Loans. Your scholarship application must be submitted by 5:00 P.M. on January 15. You must also have been admitted by January 15. To be admitted by January 15, you must have a complete application for admission on file no later than December 15.
Hughes Scholarship
The Sarah T. Hughes Scholarship, funded and awarded by the Dallas Bar Foundation, covers the full cost of tuition and fees of one or more outstanding students of color each year. To apply for the Sarah T. Hughes Scholarship, you must complete a separate scholarship application, available at https://www.smu.edu/Law/Admissions/Costs-and-Financial-Aid/Scholarships-and-Loans. Your scholarship application must be completed and submitted to the Dallas Bar Foundation by February 15. You must also have been admitted by February 15. To be admitted by February 15, you must have a complete application for admission on file no later than January 15.
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 a college, university, law school, or other institution of higher learning.)
If you answered yes to Question 1 under Section 8 Character and Fitness, you must attach an electronic attachment giving the dates, outcomes, and a narrative description of the event.
- Have you ever been arrested, cited or ticketed for, or charged with any violation of the law? You must report all offenses, including offenses involving alcohol or drugs. You may exclude Class C misdemeanor traffic violations, however you must report any failure to appear charge or warrant resulting from any offense, including Class C misdemeanors. An offense is not a minor traffic violation if it involved alcohol or drugs, or if there was an attempt, whether successful or not, to suspend or revoke your driver's license as a result of the violation.
If you answered yes to Question 2 under Section 8 Character and Fitness, you must attach an electronic attachment giving the dates, outcomes, and a narrative description of the event.
- Are you currently under indictment or have you ever been convicted of any offense, placed on probation or granted deferred adjudication or any type of pretrial diversion? You must report all offenses, including offenses involving alcohol or drugs. You may exclude Class C misdemeanor traffic violations, however you must report any failure to appear arrest or conviction for any offense, including Class C misdemeanors.
If you answered yes to Question 3 under Section 8 Character and Fitness, you must attach an electronic attachment giving the dates, outcomes, and a narrative description of the event.
- Have you ever been discharged or dismissed from the armed forces (other than honorably) or sentenced in a court-martial proceeding?
If you answered yes to Question 4 under Section 8 Character and Fitness, you must attach an electronic attachment giving the dates, outcomes, and a narrative description of the event.
Résumé Instructions
Please attach your resume. It may include employment experiences, extracurricular or community activities, internships, memberships, volunteer activities, and any honors, awards, or other recognition. (This should be approximately 1-2 pages.)
58 University of Houston
L50: 161 | G50: 3.64 | Deadline: 3/15/2022
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
A personal statement of no more than three pages, double-spaced, is extremely valuable in the selection process. Because we do not grant personal interviews, this is your opportunity to tell the Admissions Committee more about yourself. It is, in essence, your personal interview on paper. You may write your personal statement on any subject, but you should include a statement explaining your interest in attending the UH Law Center in either your personal statement or an optional statement. Use the electronic attachment to submit your statement.
Past statements have included such topics as:
- a discussion of special circumstances in your background (such as hardships overcome and unique experiences);
- a description of the personal strengths and/or leadership qualities you would bring to the UH Law Center and to the practice of law;
- a description of what you intend or hope to do professionally (if you choose to write on this topic, you may want to identify experiences or aspects of your record that indicate promise in the selected area);
- a description of why you want to attend the UH Law Center; and
- any subject of importance to you that you feel will assist us in assessing your strengths and abilities.
[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 UH Law Center in particular.]
Other Optional Statement
You may wish to explain or highlight elements in your application that are not readily apparent. You may write an optional statement regarding your diversity, disadvantaged background, socioeconomic status, grade trends, substantial discrepancy between your performance on standardized tests and your actual level of academic achievement, or any other information you believe is relevant to the Admissions Committee that has not been previously included in your personal statement. If you did not include it in your personal statement, you should also include a description of why you want to attend the UH Law Center.
[This is an open-ended prompt. You could respond with a brief diversity statement, LSAT addendum, GPA addendum, or something else.]
Prior Law School Enroll
If you have previously enrolled in any law school, please attach a statement which includes the name of the institution or institutions, dates of attendance, the number of credit hours earned, and an explanation of the reason(s) for not continuing your legal education there. We will also need an official copy of your transcript (sent through LSAC's Credential Assembly Service). If you are in good standing with the school, please provide a Letter of Good Standing.
Residency Statement
If there is any additional information that you believe UH Law Center should know in evaluating your eligibility to be classified as a Texas resident for tuition purposes, please attach a statement explaining those circumstances.
You can find additional information on residency at http://www.law.uh.edu/admissions/tx-residency-info.html.
Disability
If you wish to have your disability considered as a factor in the admission process, you must identify the disability and provide an explanation of why it is a factor. Information documenting the disability may be required.
[These are optional/if applicable]
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.
PLEASE THOROUGHLY READ THE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS BELOW. YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO ANSWER SIMILAR QUESTIONS DURING THE LICENSING PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES STATE AND FEDERAL BACKGROUND CHECKS.
You must answer "yes" or "no" to the questions below. 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 promptly inform the Office of Admissions of any changes to your answers due to an incident that occurs after you submit your application may result in revocation of admission, disciplinary action by the UH Law Center, or denial of permission to practice law by the state bar in which you seek admission.
Please note that these questions are very broad, and any exceptions should be construed very narrowly. When in doubt you should always err on the side of FULL DISCLOSURE.
If you answer yes to any of the questions, please include an electronic attachment explaining the circumstances. For questions 1, 2, and 3, please forward the official documentation showing the final disposition of the incident(s).
- 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 a college, university, law school, or other institution of higher learning.)
- 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 ten (10) years, been arrested, cited or ticketed for, or charged with any violation of the law? You must report any 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.
- Have you ever been confined by any governmental authority because you were found to be dangerous to yourself or others?
If you answered yes to any of the questions in the Character and Fitness section, please include an electronic attachment explaining all the relevant details as explained below. For questions 1-3, please forward the final disposition of the incident(s).
Please remember that all character and fitness questions should be construed broadly. When in doubt, err on the side of full disclosure. Please contact the Office of Admissions if you have questions. 713-743-2280 or lawadmissions@uh.edu.
Character and Fitness explanations should include the following information:
- Date (or approximate date) of Incident:
- Location/Jurisdiction of Incident (City/County/State/Country or Institution):
- Initial Charge:
- Final Charge (if different):
- Summary of circumstances leading up to the initial charge:
- Final Disposition/Sanction:
Résumé Instructions
Attach a résumé or a list of civic and extracurricular activities, honor societies, and work experience.
63 Temple University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.6 | Deadline: 3/1/2022
LORs: 0 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
A personal statement is required of all applicants. Please refer to section 7 of the instructions for more information on the personal statement.
[From Instructions section 7:]All applicants must submit a personal statement with the application. This is your opportunity to present yourself, your background, your experiences, and your ideas to the Admissions Committee. You may want to write about your intellectual interests, your career goals, your achievements, your family background, or your involvement in your community.
It is up to you to decide what you want to write about and how you want to express your thoughts. Keep in mind that the readers of your personal statement will be trying to get a sense of you as a person and as a prospective Temple Law School student. We encourage you to be as candid and thoughtful as possible. There is no specified length required for the personal statement, although on average, personal statements are two to three pages in length.
[This prompt is open-ended, but consider explaining why you’re going to law school and why you’re interested in Temple in particular by the end of the essay.]
Sp.A.C.E. Statement
A Sp.A.C.E. statement is optional. Please read the description of the Sp.A.C.E. program under Admission Evaluation Process in section 14 of the instructions for more information.
[From Instructions section 14:]
Temple is committed to admitting the very best applicants from our pool of talented individuals. We are proud of our history and of our traditions. We believe in diversity, for it enriches our lives and our ability to succeed as legal professionals. We share a vision of the law as a service profession and a vision of life as made meaningful through service. We understand the aspirations of individuals to find a better way through law. We are dedicated to excellence. The admissions process at Temple reflects these values.
Temple's admission process is very selective. The faculty Admissions Committee takes seriously its responsibility to carefully and individually evaluate each application. Our admission process is designed to look at the whole person. The faculty selects applicants who have outstanding performance records and exceptional aptitudes for the study of law. In doing so, the faculty recognizes that these criteria are not always reflected by grade point averages and LSAT scores alone.
Consistent with the ideals of Russell Conwell, the founder of Temple University, Temple Law School takes seriously its mission of offering opportunities to students who might otherwise be foreclosed from pursuing a high-quality legal education. The law school began as an evening program 125 years ago, providing students with jobs and families the chance to pursue a legal education.
More than 40 years ago, the faculty at Temple Law School established the Sp.A.C.E. program in order to give a contemporary voice to Temple's traditional mission. Sp.A.C.E. is a discretionary admissions process that avoids over-reliance on the LSAT or any other arbitrary and abstract measuring factor in the admissions process. At the discretion of the faculty admissions committee, any application may be considered under Sp.A.C.E. The faculty has identified the following characteristics as priorities in determining whether or not a particular applicant should be admitted under this discretionary admissions process: applicants who have overcome serious long-standing economic deprivation, or who come from working class families historically foreclosed from higher education; applicants who come from racial or ethnic minority groups; applicants whose families are recent immigrants to the United States; applicants who have demonstrated exceptional leadership ability in college, community or career activities, or who have evidenced a commitment to service through Peace Corps, VISTA, military, or other service work; applicants with academic honors, graduate or undergraduate degrees of unusual merit, or undergraduate grade point averages of 3.8 or higher and standardized test scores that do not reflect this academic strength; applicants who worked during college to finance their education or support their families; applicants who identify as gay, lesbian, or transgender; applicants with significant or unusual career achievement since graduation from college; applicants with serious physical disabilities; and applicants with other unique strengths and achievements.
If you feel one or more of these characteristics describe you or your background, we ask that you share with us in writing your unique personal history, highlighting for the committee your strengths and achievement. This information will assist the faculty Admissions Committee in fairly evaluating your candidacy. Information about your personal background and achievement can be included in your personal statement, or if you prefer, in an additional Sp.A.C.E. statement.
If you are admitted to Temple Law School, you will know that you were chosen because your skills, abilities, achievements, and potential are the credentials that earned you this opportunity.
[This is an opportunity to talk about non-traditional diversity factors, obstacles, and background.]
Employment Information
You may supplement the employment question with an additional page(s) or electronic attachment if necessary.
Academic Honors
In the event that an award is made after the submission of your application, you may update your application by submitting a brief statement.
Prior Law School
Please see "Applicants Who Have Previously Attended Law School" in section 13 of the instructions, and then explain the circumstances fully on a separate page or electronic attachment and include with your application.
[From Instructions section 13:] An applicant who has previously attended any law school as a matriculated student must indicate so in the appropriate place on the application form. The applicant must give the name of the school(s) and date(s) of attendance and, on a separate sheet or electronic attachment, explain the circumstances in detail. A letter verifying these circumstances must be sent directly to the admissions office from the dean or appropriate officer of the law school attended before the application can be reviewed.
Except upon a showing of extraordinary circumstances, admission will automatically be denied any candidate who has matriculated and taken examinations at a law school which is not a member of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS), or has matriculated at any law school and subsequently been dismissed, whether for academic or other reasons.
Applicants applying for transfer or visiting student status should complete the Transfer/Visiting Application.
General Information
Please feel free to include any additional information you feel would be helpful to the Admissions Committee.
[These are optional/if applicable, General Information can be used for a LSAT/GPA Addendum, etc.]
C&F Questions
-
- Have you ever been subject to a warning, dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic action by any college, university or professional school? If the answer is yes, please detail the exact nature of the action and the dates on a separate page or electronic attachment and enclose with your application. (See "Character and Fitness" in section 12 of the instructions for more information.)
- Have you ever been arrested, accused, charged, prosecuted, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a crime for an offense other than a minor traffic violation? If the answer is yes, please detail the exact nature of the offense and the dates on a separate page or electronic attachment and enclose with your application. This does NOT include summary (minor) motor vehicle violations for which you were give a citation/ticket. It does include all alcohol-related traffic citation (e.g. DUI, OWI) If you are unsure whether to answer yes, it is strongly recommended that you answer yes and provide a detailed explanation of the incident. (See "Character and Fitness" in section 12 of the instructions for more information.)
Résumé Instructions
Please feel free to attach a copy of your résumé.
64 Pennsylvania State - Penn State Law
L50: 162 | G50: 3.76 | Deadline: 3/31/2022 | Final ED deadline: 12/1/2021
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted | All instructions
Personal Statement
A personal statement is required to complete your application. The statement should address factors driving your decision to attend law school, factors that have been significant in your development and identity, experiences or circumstances that may distinguish you from other candidates, or any special achievements or accomplishments. Please limit your submission to two pages of double-spaced type.
[A brief second statement outlining your specific interest in Penn State Law is preferred, but not required. (This would be submitted under section "Specific Interest")]
Penn State Law and Penn State University value diversity. Applicants are invited but not required to submit a statement reflecting on how you will contribute to diversity, how you incorporate diversity into your everyday life, or how your life or decision to pursue legal education have been influenced by factors such as, but not limited to: age, physical or mental disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity/expression, military status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, work experience, or other factors.
This section is optional.
You may include an addendum on any topic of your choice. This may include any economic, cultural, or societal factors about which you wish to inform the admissions committee; your academic record or LSAT result(s); or other pertinent information that would provide the admissions committee with additional insight into your admission application.
EARLY DECISION INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES
The Early Decision Program is a binding early selection process and is designed for applicants who have thoroughly researched their law school choices and are certain that Penn State Law is their first choice. Although candidates may apply to other law schools, because Penn State Law’s Early Decision Program is binding, candidates may not apply to other Early Decision-type programs simultaneously. Further, if admitted via Early Decision, candidates must agree to 1) withdraw any pending law school applications; 2) not initiate any new applications to other law schools; 3) enroll in Penn State Law in the fall semester. Applicants who are admitted to Penn State Law via the Early Decision program and who do not follow these criteria may forfeit their offer of admission or financial aid awards or may be submitted to the LSAC Committee on Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admissions Process.
Once admitted via the Early Decision Program, candidates may not request to defer to the regular admissions process. To be considered for Early Decision selection, candidates must submit their completed applications by December 1, 2021. A complete application includes the required letters of recommendation, the CAS report, and any other required materials in the application instructions. Early Decision candidates that complete their applications by the December 1st deadline will receive notification of their decision by December 30th. Applications not completed by the December 1st deadline will be considered as part of the regular admissions process.
Early Decision applicants will receive a decision of Admit, Deny, or Defer. Any application that is deferred will be held over for review through the regular admission process. Deferred applicants are no longer bound by the Early Decision agreement, and may continue to be considered for admission to law schools where they had previously applied, or initiate additional law school applications (if they choose to do so). Denied applicants are not eligible to reapply through the regular admissions process. Students who are offered admission to Penn State Law will be required to pay a seat deposit of $750 by January 15, 2022, to preserve their seat in the class and any scholarships or grants.
Please note that successful applicants to the Early Decision program will be notified of merit scholarship awards at the time of admission, however, need-based financial aid awards will not be made until the late spring. Thus, those applicants for whom financial awards are tantamount may not be well-suited for this program. Penn State Law strongly encourages candidates to thoroughly research all of their law school options, including eligibility for merit- and need-based financial aid, prior to applying to the Early Decision Program.
Finally, although the Admissions Committee will consider a candidate’s submission of an application via the Early Decision Program as evidence of the applicant’s strong commitment to Penn State Law, Early Decision candidates are evaluated for admission to the law program using the same criteria applied to regular admission candidates. Early Decision candidates do, however, garner earlier consideration for merit-based scholarships and have the advantage of having an admissions decision before the end of the calendar year, allowing them to make plans well in advance of the start of the semester.
C&F Questions
Criminal Charges
If you responded “Yes” to Disclosure Question 1, “Are you currently or have you ever been arrested, charged, cited, accused, or prosecuted for any crime by a law enforcement agency, or have you ever been the subject of any investigation by a law enforcement agency, civil or administrative agency, professional organization, corporation, board, or any other agency? This does NOT include summary (minor) motor vehicle violations for which you received a citation (ticket)," you must provide a full explanation of the circumstances in this addendum.
Applicants should provide as much detail as possible about the circumstances in this addendum. Please include specific details like dates, all underlying facts, and resolution of charges. If the resolution of the charges occurs or will occur after you have submitted your application, you must submit documentation providing any and all details of the outcome to us at admissions@pennstatelaw.psu.edu and include your name and LSAC number.
No addendum is required if your records have been expunged or subject to limited access pursuant to Pennsylvania Act 56 of 2018 and you answered "No" to Disclosure Question 1.
Disciplinary Action
If you answered “Yes” to Disclosure question 2, “Have you ever been denied enrollment, dismissed, suspended, expelled, subject to any disciplinary action including disciplinary probation for plagiarism, cheating, dishonesty, fraud, or any other reason, or withdrawn in lieu of discipline from any academic institution or organization beyond high school, for any reason or is any such action pending or expected to be brought against you?” you must provide a full description of the circumstances in this addendum. You must disclose each incident regardless of whether you believe or were told that you need not disclose it. Failure to disclose an incident will be considered a character and fitness issue and may result in a denial of your application or revocation of admission.
Any and all details surrounding these circumstances must be disclosed. Please include specific details like dates, underlying facts, and resolution of charges. If the resolution of the charges occurs or will occur after you have submitted your application, you must submit documentation providing any and all details of the outcome to us at admissions@pennstatelaw.psu.edu and include your name and LSAC number.
Charges Pending
If you answered “Yes” to Disclosure question 3, “Do you expect to be or have you been notified or told that you will be charged, cited, accused or prosecuted for any crime by a law enforcement agency or do you have reason to believe or have you been notified that you are or will be the subject of any investigation by any law enforcement agency, civil or administrative agency, professional organization, corporation, board, or any other agency” you must provide a full explanation of the circumstances in this addendum.
You must disclose each criminal incident where you were or anticipate being arrested, charged, cited, accused or prosecuted for any crime, even if: the charges were dismissed; or you were acquitted or pardoned; or adjudication was withheld; or a conviction was reversed, set aside or vacated; or the record was sealed or expunged; or you entered some type of diversionary program, such as A.R.D. You must disclose each incident, regardless of whether you believe or were told that you need not disclose it. Your failure to disclose a criminal incident, even if an arrest, conviction, or sentence has been legally sealed or expunged from your record, will be considered a character and fitness issue and may result in a denial of your application or revocation of your admission. No addendum is required if your records have been expunged or subject to limited access pursuant to Pennsylvania Act 56 of 2018 and you answered "No" to Disclosure Question 1.
Any and all details surrounding these circumstances must be disclosed. Please include specific details like dates, underlying facts, and resolution of charges. If the resolution of the charges occurs or will occur after you have submitted your application, you must submit documentation providing any and all details of the outcome to us at admissions@pennstatelaw.psu.edu and include your name and LSAC number.
Professional Licensure
If you answered “Yes” to Disclosure question 4, “Have you ever been subject to any sanctions for or findings of professional misconduct by any agency, professional organization, corporation, board, or academic institution (including but not limited to disbarment by a state, federal, or other agency; any form of professional discipline or license restriction or surrender; an admission or determination that you have committed research or professional misconduct)?” you must provide a full explanation of the circumstances in this addendum.
Any and all details surrounding these circumstances must be disclosed. Please include specific details like dates, underlying facts, and resolution of charges. If the resolution of the charges occurs or will occur after you have submitted your application, you must submit documentation providing any and all details of the outcome to us at admissions@pennstatelaw.psu.edu and include your name and LSAC number.
Résumé Instructions
A current resume detailing your employment history, professional experiences, and extracurricular activities is required.
64 University of Connecticut
L50: 159 | G50: 3.54 | Deadline: 4/30/2022
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.
We've taken these requirements word for word from each school's application on LSAC, and we'll continue to update this page as new requirements become available.
For charts and some extra data, check out our companion Coda doc.
T14 Schools
- 1 Yale University
- 2 Stanford University
- 3 University of Chicago
- 4 Columbia University
- 4 Harvard University
- 6 University of Pennsylvania
- 7 New York University
- 8 University of Virginia
- 9 University of California—Berkeley
- 10 University of Michigan
- 11 Duke University
- 12 Cornell University
- 13 Northwestern University
T15–T30 Schools
- 14 Georgetown University
- 15 University of California—Los Angeles
- 16 Washington University in St. Louis
- 17 Boston University
- 17 Vanderbilt University
- 17 University of Texas at Austin
- 20 University of Southern California
- 21 University of Florida (Levin)
- 21 University of Minnesota
- 23 Brigham Young University
- 23 University of North Carolina
- 25 George Washington University
- 25 University of Notre Dame
- 25 University of Alabama
- 28 University of Iowa
- 29 University of Georgia
T31–T50 Schools
- 30 Emory University
- 30 Arizona State University
- 30 William & Mary Law School
- 30 George Mason University
- 30 Ohio State University
- 35 Washington and Lee University
- 35 University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
- 37 University of Utah
- 37 Wake Forest University
- 37 Fordham University
- 37 University of California—Irvine
- 37 Boston College
- 37 University of California—Davis
- 43 Indiana University - Bloomington
- 43 University of Wisconsin
- 45 University of Arizona
- 46 Texas A&M University
- 47 Florida State University
- 47 University of Maryland
- 49 University of Colorado—Boulder
- 49 University of Washington
T51–T70 Schools
- 51 University of California (Hastings)
- 52 Pepperdine University
- 52 University of Richmond
- 52 Yeshiva University (Cardozo)
- 55 Tulane University
- 56 Villanova University
- 56 University of Tennessee
- 58 Wayne State University
- 58 Baylor University
- 58 Southern Methodist University
- 58 Pennsylvania State - Dickinson Law
- 58 University of Houston
- 63 Temple University
- 64 University of San Diego
- 64 Pennsylvania State - Penn State Law
- 64 University of Connecticut
- 67 University of Kansas
- 67 University of Oregon
- 67 Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles
- 67 University of Missouri
- 67 University of Nevada—Las Vegas
- 67 University of Kentucky
T71–T90 Schools
- 73 American University
- 73 Northeastern University
- 73 Seton Hall University
- 73 Loyola University—Chicago
- 73 University of Miami
- 78 Drexel University
- 78 Case Western Reserve University
- 78 Georgia State University
- 78 University of Pittsburgh
- 78 University of Nebraska
- 78 University of Denver
- 84 St. John's University
- 84 University of South Carolina
- 86 Rutgers University (merged)
- 88 Lewis And Clark College
- 88 University of Cincinnati
- 88 University of Oklahoma
T90+ Schools
- 91 University of New Mexico
- 91 Michigan State University
- 94 Catholic University Of America
- 94 Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago-Kent College of Law)
- 94 University of Buffalo—SUNY
- 94 University of Louisville
- 98 Florida International University
- 98 Howard University
- 98 Brooklyn Law School
- 98 Saint Louis University
- 103 Syracuse University
- 105 Texas Tech University
- 105 Marquette University
- 105 Louisiana State University
- 105 DePaul University
- 105 Washburn University
- 105 University of New Hampshire
- 111 University of Mississippi
- 111 Drake University
- 114 University of Maine
- 114 University of Missouri—Kansas City
- 116 Seattle University
- 116 Gonzaga University
- 118 West Virginia University
- 118 University of Tulsa
- 118 Hofstra University
- 122 Suffolk University
- 122 Albany Law School Of Union University
- 122 University of Dayton
- 127 University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
- 127 Cleveland State University
- 129 Duquesne University
- 129 University of Wyoming
- 129 New York Law School
- 133 Loyola University—New Orleans
- 133 Belmont University
- 133 University of South Dakota
- 133 University of the Pacific (Mcgeorge)
- 139 Samford University
- 139 University of Detroit Mercy
- 139 Creighton University
- 142 Vermont Law School
- 142 University of Idaho
- 142 Regent University
- 142 University of Memphis
- 147–192 John Marshall Law School
- 147–192 St. Thomas University (Florida)
- 147–192 Texas Southern University
- 147–192 Touro College
- 147–192 Western New England University
- 147–192 Atlanta's John Marshall Law School
- 147–192 Northern Kentucky University
- 147–192 Western State College Of Law
- 147–192 Charleston School Of Law
- 147–192 University of North Dakota
- 147–192 Quinnipiac University
- 147–192 New England Law | Boston
- 147–192 Campbell University
- 147–192 California Western School Of Law
- 147–192 Northern Illinois University
- 147–192 Ohio Northern University
- 147–192 University of Toledo
- 147–192 Capital University
- 147–192 University of the District of Columbia
- 147–192 Southern Illinois University—Carbondale
- 147–192 Faulkner University
- 147–192 University of Akron
- 147–192 Widener-commonwealth
- 147–192 Roger Williams University
- 147–192 Nova Southeastern University
- 147–192 Widener University—Delaware
- 147–192 Elon University
- 147–192 University of San Francisco
- 147–192 Mississippi College
- Unranked University of Puerto Rico
Table of Contents
Filter the table with the text box, then click on a school to see its full requirements.
| Rank | School | Fee | Deadline | Medians |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00011 | Yale University | $85 | 02/15/23 | 175/3.94 |
| 00022 | Stanford University | $85 | 02/15/23 | 172/3.91 |
| 00033 | University of Chicago | $90 | 03/01/23 | 172/3.91 |
| 00044 | Columbia University | $85 | 02/15/23 | 173/3.87 |
| 00044 | Harvard University | $85 | 02/20/23 | 174/3.92 |
| 00066 | University of Pennsylvania | $80 | 03/01/23 | 172/3.90 |
| 00077 | New York University | $85 | 02/15/23 | 172/3.88 |
| 00088 | University of Virginia | $85 | 03/01/23 | 171/3.94 |
| 00099 | University of California—Berkeley | $75 | 02/15/23 | 170/3.83 |
| 001010 | University of Michigan | $75 | 02/28/23 | 171/3.83 |
| 001111 | Duke University | $80 | 02/15/23 | 170/3.85 |
| 001212 | Cornell University | $80 | 03/01/23 | 171/3.86 |
| 001313 | Northwestern University | $75 | 02/15/23 | 171/3.86 |
| 001414 | Georgetown University | $85 | 03/01/23 | 171/3.86 |
| 001515 | University of California—Los Angeles | $75 | 02/01/23 | 171/3.90 |
| 001616 | Washington University in St. Louis | $0 | 08/18/23 | 170/3.93 |
| 001717 | Boston University | $85 | 04/01/23 | 169/3.77 |
| 001717 | Vanderbilt University | $70 | 04/01/23 | 169/3.89 |
| 001717 | University of Texas at Austin | $70 | 03/01/23 | 169/3.80 |
| 002020 | University of Southern California | $75 | 04/01/23 | 168/3.87 |
| 002121 | University of Florida (Levin) | $0 | 07/15/23 | 169/3.90 |
| 002121 | University of Minnesota | $60 | 06/01/23 | 168/3.83 |
| 002323 | Brigham Young University | $0 | 05/02/23 | 168/3.92 |
| 002323 | University of North Carolina | $75 | 05/01/23 | 166/3.77 |
| 002525 | George Washington University | $0 | 03/01/23 | 167/3.83 |
| 002525 | University of Notre Dame | $75 | 03/15/23 | 168/3.81 |
| 002525 | University of Alabama | $40 | 08/01/23 | 165/3.94 |
| 002828 | University of Iowa | $0 | 05/01/23 | 163/3.69 |
| 002929 | University of Georgia | $50 | 06/01/23 | 168/3.87 |
| 003030 | Emory University | $85 | 03/15/23 | 168/3.80 |
| 003030 | Arizona State University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 167/3.85 |
| 003030 | William & Mary Law School | $85 | 03/01/23 | 165/3.75 |
| 003030 | George Mason University | $0 | 03/01/23 | 166/3.83 |
| 003030 | Ohio State University | $60 | 07/01/23 | 163/3.79 |
| 003535 | Washington and Lee University | $0 | 07/01/23 | 164/3.66 |
| 003535 | University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign | $0 | 03/15/23 | 164/3.66 |
| 003737 | University of Utah | $60 | 03/10/23 | 163/3.87 |
| 003737 | Wake Forest University | $75 | 03/01/23 | 165/3.72 |
| 003737 | Fordham University | $75 | 03/15/23 | 166/3.70 |
| 003737 | University of California—Irvine | $0 | 03/31/23 | 167/3.72 |
| 003737 | Boston College | $75 | 03/31/23 | 165/3.69 |
| 003737 | University of California—Davis | $0 | 03/16/23 | 165/3.70 |
| 004343 | Indiana University - Bloomington | $50 | 07/15/23 | 164/3.81 |
| 004343 | University of Wisconsin | $60 | 04/03/23 | 164/3.65 |
| 004545 | University of Arizona | $0 | 07/15/23 | 163/3.76 |
| 004646 | Texas A&M University | $0 | 05/31/23 | 164/3.93 |
| 004747 | Florida State University | $30 | 07/31/23 | 165/3.83 |
| 004747 | University of Maryland | $70 | 08/01/23 | 163/3.71 |
| 004949 | University of Colorado—Boulder | $65 | 04/01/23 | 164/3.72 |
| 004949 | University of Washington | $60 | 03/15/23 | 164/3.67 |
| 005151 | University of California (Hastings) | $0 | 06/01/23 | 160/3.59 |
| 005252 | Pepperdine University | $0 | 02/01/23 | 164/3.85 |
| 005252 | University of Richmond | $0 | 06/01/23 | 163/3.75 |
| 005252 | Yeshiva University (Cardozo) | $0 | 04/01/23 | 164/3.74 |
| 005555 | Tulane University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 161/3.60 |
| 005656 | Villanova University | $0 | 07/01/23 | 163/3.76 |
| 005656 | University of Tennessee | $0 | 08/09/23 | 160/3.76 |
| 005858 | Wayne State University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 161/3.75 |
| 005858 | Baylor University | $0 | 03/15/23 | 162/3.64 |
| 005858 | Southern Methodist University | $0 | 03/01/23 | 163/3.76 |
| 005858 | Pennsylvania State - Dickinson Law | $0 | 06/30/23 | 161/3.54 |
| 005858 | University of Houston | $0 | 03/15/23 | 161/3.70 |
| 006363 | Temple University | $65 | 03/01/23 | 163/3.60 |
| 006464 | University of San Diego | $0 | 06/01/23 | 161/3.74 |
| 006464 | Pennsylvania State - Penn State Law | $60 | 03/31/23 | 162/3.76 |
| 006464 | University of Connecticut | $60 | 04/30/23 | 159/3.54 |
| 006767 | University of Kansas | $55 | 03/01/23 | 158/3.74 |
| 006767 | University of Oregon | $0 | 08/01/23 | 159/3.54 |
| 006767 | Loyola Marymount University—Los Angeles | $0 | 05/15/23 | 161/3.64 |
| 006767 | University of Missouri | $60 | 03/15/23 | 160/3.70 |
| 006767 | University of Nevada—Las Vegas | $50 | 03/15/23 | 160/3.70 |
| 006767 | University of Kentucky | $50 | 04/15/23 | 157/3.62 |
| 007373 | American University | $0 | 03/01/23 | 162/3.62 |
| 007373 | Northeastern University | $0 | 03/01/23 | 163/3.70 |
| 007373 | Seton Hall University | $65 | 04/01/23 | 160/3.58 |
| 007373 | Loyola University—Chicago | $0 | 05/01/23 | 159/3.46 |
| 007373 | University of Miami | $60 | 07/31/23 | 161/3.69 |
| 007878 | Drexel University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 158/3.59 |
| 007878 | Case Western Reserve University | $0 | 04/01/23 | 160/3.61 |
| 007878 | Georgia State University | $0 | 06/01/23 | 160/3.55 |
| 007878 | University of Pittsburgh | $65 | 05/01/23 | 160/3.51 |
| 007878 | University of Nebraska | $50 | 03/01/23 | 158/3.64 |
| 007878 | University of Denver | $65 | 03/01/23 | 160/3.60 |
| 008484 | St. John's University | $0 | 03/15/23 | 162/3.66 |
| 008484 | University of South Carolina | $60 | 07/01/23 | 159/3.61 |
| 008686 | Rutgers University (merged) | $0 | 07/01/23 | 158/3.41 |
| 008888 | Lewis And Clark College | $50 | 03/15/23 | 162/3.54 |
| 008888 | University of Cincinnati | $0 | 07/15/23 | 158/3.73 |
| 008888 | University of Oklahoma | $50 | 03/15/23 | 158/3.59 |
| 009191 | University of New Mexico | $50 | 07/13/23 | 156/3.61 |
| 009191 | Michigan State University | $60 | 04/30/23 | 156/3.59 |
| 009494 | Catholic University Of America | $0 | 06/30/23 | 158/3.50 |
| 009494 | Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago-Kent College of Law) | $0 | 03/15/23 | 159/3.56 |
| 009494 | University of Buffalo—SUNY | $85 | 03/01/23 | 156/3.61 |
| 009494 | University of Louisville | $0 | 04/15/23 | 156/3.56 |
| 009898 | Florida International University | $20 | 06/30/23 | 160/3.69 |
| 009898 | Howard University | $60 | 02/28/23 | 154/3.47 |
| 009898 | Brooklyn Law School | $0 | 08/19/23 | 159/3.50 |
| 009898 | Saint Louis University | $0 | 07/31/23 | 156/3.50 |
| 0103103 | Syracuse University | $75 | 06/30/23 | 157/3.55 |
| 0105105 | Texas Tech University | $60 | 05/02/23 | 157/3.56 |
| 0105105 | Marquette University | $0 | 04/01/23 | 155/3.63 |
| 0105105 | Louisiana State University | $50 | 06/15/23 | 156/3.56 |
| 0105105 | DePaul University | $0 | 04/01/23 | 156/3.57 |
| 0105105 | Washburn University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 155/3.53 |
| 0105105 | University of New Hampshire | $0 | 07/15/23 | 158/3.50 |
| 0111111 | University of Mississippi | $40 | 04/01/23 | 156/3.56 |
| 0111111 | Drake University | $0 | 04/01/23 | 155/3.50 |
| 0114114 | University of Maine | $0 | 07/15/23 | 158/3.57 |
| 0114114 | University of Missouri—Kansas City | $60 | 04/01/23 | 154/3.48 |
| 0116116 | Seattle University | $65 | 07/15/23 | 157/3.44 |
| 0116116 | Gonzaga University | $0 | 04/15/23 | 154/3.51 |
| 0118118 | West Virginia University | $50 | 07/31/23 | 154/3.56 |
| 0118118 | University of Tulsa | $30 | 07/31/23 | 154/3.38 |
| 0118118 | Hofstra University | $0 | 06/30/23 | 156/3.48 |
| 0122122 | Suffolk University | $60 | 07/01/23 | 154/3.48 |
| 0122122 | Albany Law School Of Union University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 154/3.42 |
| 0122122 | University of Dayton | $0 | 08/01/23 | 154/3.58 |
| 0127127 | University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) | $0 | 08/01/23 | 155/3.48 |
| 0127127 | Cleveland State University | $0 | 07/01/23 | 155/3.48 |
| 0129129 | Duquesne University | $0 | 04/01/23 | 155/3.43 |
| 0129129 | University of Wyoming | $50 | 04/30/23 | 154/3.32 |
| 0129129 | New York Law School | $0 | 06/30/23 | 155/3.53 |
| 0133133 | Loyola University—New Orleans | $0 | 07/21/23 | 153/3.35 |
| 0133133 | Belmont University | $50 | 05/01/23 | 158/3.71 |
| 0133133 | University of South Dakota | $35 | 07/01/23 | 150/3.44 |
| 0133133 | University of the Pacific (Mcgeorge) | $0 | 06/01/23 | 155/3.47 |
| 0139139 | Samford University | $0 | 05/02/23 | 154/3.54 |
| 0139139 | University of Detroit Mercy | $0 | 08/01/23 | 154/3.32 |
| 0139139 | Creighton University | $50 | 07/01/23 | 153/3.39 |
| 0142142 | Vermont Law School | $60 | 04/15/23 | 154/3.40 |
| 0142142 | University of Idaho | $0 | 06/30/23 | 153/3.26 |
| 0142142 | Regent University | $65 | 07/31/23 | 156/3.64 |
| 0142142 | University of Memphis | $0 | 03/15/23 | 154/3.36 |
| 147–192147–192 | John Marshall Law School | $0 | 07/21/23 | 152/3.31 |
| 147–192147–192 | St. Thomas University (Florida) | $40 | 07/01/23 | 152/3.32 |
| 147–192147–192 | Texas Southern University | $55 | 07/28/23 | 151/3.32 |
| 147–192147–192 | Touro College | $0 | 08/02/23 | 150/3.15 |
| 147–192147–192 | Western New England University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 150/3.47 |
| 147–192147–192 | Atlanta's John Marshall Law School | $0 | 07/21/23 | 151/3.13 |
| 147–192147–192 | Northern Kentucky University | $40 | 07/31/23 | 153/3.37 |
| 147–192147–192 | Western State College Of Law | $0 | 07/15/23 | 150/3.11 |
| 147–192147–192 | Charleston School Of Law | $0 | 03/01/23 | 152/3.41 |
| 147–192147–192 | University of North Dakota | $35 | 07/15/23 | 150/3.39 |
| 147–192147–192 | Quinnipiac University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 152/3.46 |
| 147–192147–192 | New England Law | Boston | $0 | 04/01/23 | 154/3.28 |
| 147–192147–192 | Campbell University | $0 | 05/01/23 | 154/3.40 |
| 147–192147–192 | California Western School Of Law | $0 | 07/31/23 | 153/3.26 |
| 147–192147–192 | Northern Illinois University | $0 | 07/31/23 | 148/3.20 |
| 147–192147–192 | Ohio Northern University | $0 | 08/01/23 | 150/3.43 |
| 147–192147–192 | University of Toledo | $0 | 08/01/23 | 152/3.42 |
| 147–192147–192 | Capital University | $0 | 07/15/23 | 151/3.30 |
| 147–192147–192 | University of the District of Columbia | $0 | 05/01/23 | 149/3.08 |
| 147–192147–192 | Southern Illinois University—Carbondale | $0 | 07/15/23 | 149/3.36 |
| 147–192147–192 | Faulkner University | $0 | 07/15/23 | 150/3.23 |
| 147–192147–192 | University of Akron | $0 | 03/31/23 | 153/3.39 |
| 147–192147–192 | Widener-commonwealth | $0 | 07/01/23 | 148/3.29 |
| 147–192147–192 | Roger Williams University | $60 | 04/01/23 | 150/3.17 |
| 147–192147–192 | Nova Southeastern University | $0 | 07/01/23 | 153/3.26 |
| 147–192147–192 | Widener University—Delaware | $0 | 05/15/23 | 150/3.19 |
| 147–192147–192 | Elon University | $0 | 07/15/23 | 152/3.31 |
| 147–192147–192 | University of San Francisco | $60 | 02/01/23 | 155/3.42 |
| 147–192147–192 | Mississippi College | $0 | 07/15/23 | 150/3.24 |
| UnrankedUnranked | University of Puerto Rico | $30 | 03/31/23 | 149/3.75 |
1 Yale University
L50: 175 | G50: 3.94 | Deadline: February 15, 2023
Yale’s app requires a 250-word essay along with semi-narrative rundowns of both your college and post-college activities.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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 is an open-ended prompt, and Yale encourages you not to make the PS school-specific.
Diversity Statement & Addenda
You may use this attachment slot to include a diversity statement and optional addenda to your application if any are necessary for a full representation of your candidacy.
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.
Separate from a diversity statement, you may include optional addenda, for example, explanations related to test scores or transcripts. It is not necessary to include any, and many applicants do not include addenda.
Yale dislikes addenda about why your LSAT score went up.
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. Although there are many ways to approach this essay, one option is to write about a time when you changed your mind about an idea or issue that is of 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.
Yale encourages you to write about a time you changed your mind; many students also make an argument. E.g., the first paragraph makes the case against and the second the case for your position.
Assistance
We know that the law school application process requires significant effort. It is helpful for us to understand the application preparation resources that were available to you so that we can more fully understand the context in which you prepared your application.
- Did you receive any unpaid assistance in preparing this application?
- If your answer to Question 13.1 is yes, please indicate who assisted you (e.g., prelaw advisor, family member) and the nature of the assistance (e.g., proofreading, generating essay ideas). (maximum characters 1000)
- Did you pay for any assistance in preparing this application?
- If your answer to Question 13.3 is yes, please specify who assisted you and the nature of the assistance (e.g., proofreading, generating essay ideas). (maximum characters 1000)
- Did you take an LSAT or GRE preparation course or work with a tutor?
- If your answer to Question 13.5 is yes, please very briefly provide additional details, including when you received this assistance. (maximum characters 1000)
Yale prefers it if applicants don’t use an admissions consultant, but using one is not disqualifying. (7Sage has worked with dozens of applicants who got into Yale after disclosing our help.)
Character & Fitness
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.
C&F Criminal
- Are there any felony or misdemeanor charges pending against you, or have you ever been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, a felony or misdemeanor? You may answer “no” if your record has been expunged or sealed, if your conviction has been vacated, or if you have been pardoned.
If you answered yes to Character and Fitness question 14.1, please include an attachment describing the circumstances and, if you wish, provide information that will help us understand the context of your behavior and the outcome of this experience for you and others. The Admissions Office understands that excellent applicants may have made mistakes, and answering “yes” does not disqualify you from consideration for admission to the Law School. Please note that the information included in your Character and Fitness attachment as well as answers to the Character and Fitness questions may become part of the character and fitness review of the bar in the state(s) in which you intend to practice. Admission to the practice of law depends in part on satisfaction of the requirements of the particular jurisdiction as to proof of good character. These requirements differ from state to state, and applicants should inform themselves of the requirements of the jurisdictions in which they are interested.
C&F Academic
2. At any educational institution you have attended, have you ever been found responsible for misconduct of any kind or deficient scholarship, or are there any charges pending?
If you answered yes to Character and Fitness question 14.2, please include an attachment describing the circumstances and, if you wish, provide information that will help us understand the context of your behavior and the outcome of this experience for you and others. The Admissions Office understands that excellent applicants may have made mistakes, and answering “yes” does not disqualify you from consideration for admission to the Law School.
Please note that the information included in your Character and Fitness attachment as well as answers to the Character and Fitness questions may become part of the character and fitness review of the bar in the state(s) in which you intend to practice. Admission to the practice of law depends in part on satisfaction of the requirements of the particular jurisdiction as to proof of good character. These requirements differ from state to state, and applicants should inform themselves of the requirements of the jurisdictions in which they are interested.
Résumé
Please submit a résumé. You must answer the College and Post-college Activities questions separately from this included résumé. Generally, résumés should be 1 to 2 pages in length.
Yale prefers that applicants keep their resume brief—one page, if possible—and then use the activities sections to provide further elaboration on matters. Be careful not to signify your privilege in the résumé with an interest like golf or lacrosse (these are actual examples from a Yale info session, not 7Sage opinions)—and consider leaving your interests off of your Yale résumé altogether, since Yale has a dedicated question for this.
Post-college Activities
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 significant duplication between this section and your résumé; 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.
College Activities
Please answer a, b, and c separately from the included résumé and in any format you choose. Please note that we anticipate significant duplication between this section and your résumé; 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) It is helpful for us to understand what you did during those terms when you were not in school during your undergraduate education (including summers and any other term(s) when you were not in school). This should include, for example, paid or unpaid employment or internships and study abroad. Please list these activities in order of relative importance to you. For each activity, please:
- provide a brief description;
- state the approximate start and end date;
- estimate the hours per week you committed; 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. This should include, for example, extracurricular activities and paid or unpaid employment or internships. 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 the hours per week you committed; and
- note whether it was paid or unpaid.
(c) Please list and very briefly describe any other activities during your undergraduate education (in or out of school) that you consider relevant if not otherwise described above. This may include, for example, a significant thesis or capstone project; or significant personal or familial responsibilities.
2 Stanford University
L50: 172 | G50: 3.91 | Deadline: February 15, 2023
Stanford has conveyed at an info session that they look for a “cohesive story” which makes everything click (although everyone kind of does that?). Stanford’s app has short, quirky, optional-but-kinda-not-optional supplemental essays that encourage you to show your personality.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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
This section is optional.
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
This section is optional.
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.
- If you could sit and chat with anyone, living or from any time in history, what's one question you'd ask? Why?
- 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
This section is optional.
If you wish to provide additional and relevant information that is not explained in the required application materials, please attach a brief statement.
Stanford is reportedly “addendum friendly” (based on a 7Sager who went to an info session).
Character & Fitness
*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.
1. 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?
2. Have you ever been convicted of, or is any charge now pending against you for any crime other than a traffic violation?
3. Have you ever been subject to discipline by a professional organization?
Résumé
Please attach a one-to-two page résumé describing your academic, extracurricular, and professional activities.
Stanford is okay with two-page résumés, and encourages you to add lots of detail.
3 University of Chicago
L50: 172 | G50: 3.91 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: December 1, 2022
Note that Chicago’s application has three short-answer questions that cover “Why X” territory.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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.
Chicago is very open to statements that are more personal than professional. The prompt is open-ended.
Diversity Statement
This section is optional.
Describe how your background or experiences will enhance the diversity of the University of Chicago 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 an open-ended diversity statement.
Optional Addendum 2
This section is optional.
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 1
This section is optional.
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.
Both addendum prompts are open-ended. We encourage you to submit separate statements if you have two issues you wish to address.
Academic Interest (2)
- If you are interested in learning more about student organizations at UChicago Law, please indicate up to three that interest you. (maximum characters 200)
We recommend that you answer this why-X-like optional question.
Academic Interest (3)
- If you are interested in our clinics, student-edited journals, or other topics, please list up to three here. (maximum characters 200)
We recommend that you answer this why-X-like optional question.
Academic Interest (1)
- Please identify up to three areas of academic interest you would like to learn more about at the University of Chicago Law School. (maximum characters 200)
We recommend that you answer this why-X-like optional question.
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.
Character and Fitness
Note about Character and Fitness: 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. 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. An affirmative response to any portion of the Character and Fitness questions will not automatically disqualify a candidate from admission.
Once your application is submitted, you have a continuing obligation to update us if you have an affirmative answer to any of the Character and Fitness questions. If you have an affirmative answer to one of the Character and Fitness questions after you submit your application, please email admissions@law.uchicago.edu with your updated Character and Fitness answer in PDF form.
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.
If you answered "yes" to Character and Fitness Question 1, please attach a complete and detailed description of the circumstances.
Character and Fitness Q2
2. 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.
If you answered "yes" to Character and Fitness Question 2, please attach a complete and detailed description of the circumstances.
Character and Fitness Q3
3. 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.
If you answered "yes" to Character and Fitness Question 3, please attach a complete and detailed description of the circumstances.
Resume
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.
Please note the request for “hours per week” for each activity/job.
JD/PhD Essay
This section is optional.
If you have obtained a PhD, are completing a PhD, or if you are concurrently applying to a PhD program, we invite you to submit a one-page, optional essay explaining your research and academic interests, your professional goals, and how completing a JD would help you improve your research and achieve your professional goals.
We encourage PhD grads and/or potential dual degree students to submit this statement unless otherwise addressed in the PS.
4 Columbia University
L50: 173 | G50: 3.87 | Deadline: February 15, 2023 | ED: November 15, 2022
Columbia likes a one-page Why CLS, though they don’t ask for one. Note Columbia’s “fun facts” short-answer question, which is a chance to say something quirky about yourself. (Looking at you, hot-dog-eating-contest winners and ocarina players.)
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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. If you’re not writing a separate Why X essay—which Columbia likes—you should include a “Why CLS” in the PS.
Supplementary Statement
This section is optional.
Optional: A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and thrive in an equitable and inclusive community with a wide range of perspectives. Tell us about an aspect of your own perspective, viewpoint or lived experience that is important to you, and describe how it has shaped the way you would learn from and contribute to Columbia’s diverse and collaborative community.
Candidates may add additional brief supplementary statements they believe will enable the Admissions Committee to make a fully informed decision on the application. Should you have multiple addenda, please combine (on separate pages, if necessary) these into one document and upload here.
This is a broad diversity statement prompt that invites candidates to send in an essay even if they aren’t “diverse” in a traditional sense. It’s also an open-ended call for addenda. Note: don’t feel compelled to submit a diversity statement.
Additional Information #7
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.
This is an open-ended hobbies/interests question that students should feel welcome to submit.
Character & Fitness
If you answer "Yes" to questions 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, or 9.6 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 9.1 and/or 9.2, 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.
Question 9.1
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 9.2
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 9.3
Have you ever been cited, 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? 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. You may answer "no" if your record has been expunged or sealed; if your conviction was vacated; if you were the subject of a juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding; or if you have received a pardon. 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 9.4
Are there any criminal charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 9.4, 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 9.5
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 9.5, 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 9.6
Will you be enrolled in an undergraduate program on or after August 1, 2023?
[From attachments page:] If you answered "Yes" to question 9.6, you must attach a detailed, complete, and truthful written explanation. Please answer honestly, irrespective of any advice you may have received to the contrary.
Resume
In addition to answering the preceding questions, please also submit a copy of your résumé via electronic attachment.
4 Harvard University
L50: 174 | G50: 3.92 | Deadline: February 20, 2023
Harvard provides you with a section to elaborate upon a research project or publication.
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
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. We expect applicants to use the full two pages in crafting their statement.
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.
Optional Statement
This section is optional.
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 statement serves as Harvard’s diversity statement and defines diversity broadly.
Addenda
This section is optional.
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.
Some subject areas that may be appropriate for a diversity statement (such as physical or learning disabilities and socioeconomic class) are mentioned here as possible subject areas. That allows students to cover those subjects in the Addenda and leave the Optional Statement open for other subjects.
Writing
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)
This is an opportunity to elaborate further on a significant research project. You may then wish to condense the description of said project on your resume.
Character and Fitness
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. (maximum characters 500)
Resume
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 samples.
6 University of Pennsylvania
L50: 172 | G50: 3.90 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: January 7, 2023, November 15, 2022
Penn groups their DS, addendum, and supplemental prompts together. We do recommend that you write at least one of their two supplemental essays.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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 Carey 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).
- 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?
- What do you find valuable (or challenging) about a collaborative environment?
- 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.
Our advice: write the core-strengths or collaborative-environment essay; only include the diversity statement and addendum if they will add value to your application. Note that “core strengths” is sort of a “Why X” in disguise.
Additional Info
Please upload any additional explanations needed for the Application Questions.
This is an open-ended addendum which can be used to address any issue with previously asked questions.
Character and Fitness
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.
1. 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.)
2. Study Interrupted Explanation: (maximum characters 500)[A text box follows]
3. 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.)
4. Academic and Disciplinary Action Explanation: (maximum characters 500) [A text box follows]
5. 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.)
6. Crime Explanation: (maximum characters 500)[A text box follows]
7. Have you ever been or are you currently enrolled in another law school?
8. Prior Law School Matriculation Explanation: (maximum characters 500) [A text box follows]
Resume or CV
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.
7 New York University
L50: 172 | G50: 3.88 | Deadline: February 15, 2023 | ED: November 15, 2022
NYU has a bunch of named scholarship essays.
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
Personal Statement
While the Committee on Admissions does not use interviews as part of the regular selection process, we would like to give you the opportunity to include more information about yourself than the application form conveys. Because people and their interests vary, we leave the content and length of your statement to your discretion. 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. Since NYU Law does not have a school specific statement, students may wish to include such information in their PS.
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 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.
This prompt calls for a diversity statement about being a member of an underrepresented or disadvantaged group.
Additional Information
This section is optional.
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, documentation of overcoming adversity, a history of underperforming on standardized tests, 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 addendum prompt.
Root-Tilden-Kern Essay
This section is optional.
As an applicant for the Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship, you are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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.
Law and Business Essay
This section is optional.
As an applicant for the Jacobson Leadership Program in Law and Business and/or the Nordlicht Family Scholarship, you are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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.
Latinx Rights Essay
This section is optional.
As an applicant for the Latinx Rights Scholars Program, you are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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.
Public Policy Essay
This section is optional.
As an applicant for the Furman Public Policy Scholarship, you are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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
Furman Academic Materials
This section is optional.
As an applicant for the Furman Academic Scholars Program, you are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and no later than January 1.
The Furman Academic Scholarship Committee also requires the following:
• An additional essay (up to approximately 1000 words) with the JD application that describes why you wish to pursue a career in legal academia, gives some sense of the field of legal scholarship you hope to pursue, and includes a statement on diversity in academia. Potential topics of discussion for the latter point include how an applicant’s background, identities, or experiences have or will contribute to diversity in academia; or how to overcome specific challenges in fostering diverse academic communities. Finally, you should explain why NYU School of Law is the right place for you to pursue your legal studies.
• For this program in particular, we request that you ask individuals submitting recommendation letters on your behalf to include a few sentences about your suitability for the program.
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
CSS Essay
This section is optional.
The Cybersecuirty Service Scholarship (CSS) provides full-tuition scholarships for students who are dedicated to 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/Cybersecurity-Service-scholarship.
As an applicant for the CSS, you are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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.
AnBryce Essay
This section is optional.
As an applicant for the AnBryce Scholarship, you are strongly encouraged to submit your JD application and have a complete CAS report to be requested by our office by the priority programmatic scholarship deadline of December 1, and 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
Character and Fitness
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 officer 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 academic institution above elementary school level for academic reasons, or did you withdraw from any academic institution above elementary school level while an investigation of academic policy violation(s) was pending?
- Have you ever been found responsible for any misconduct that resulted in academic or other disciplinary sanctions, or are charges pending, at any academic institution above elementary school level, or did you withdraw from any academic institution above elementary school level while academic or other disciplinary charges were pending?
- Are there any felony or misdemeanor charges pending against you, or have you ever been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, a felony or misdemeanor? You are entitled to answer “no” if: your record has been expunged or sealed; or your conviction has been vacated or resulted in a juvenile adjudication; or you have been pardoned.
- Have you ever been found responsible for any misconduct that resulted in discipline in any professional setting or by a professional organization, or are any charges pending, or did you resign from employment or a professional organization while charges were pending?
- If you have ever served on full-time military active duty, was your discharge under conditions other than honorable?
Resume
Please attach your resume in this section.
8 University of Virginia
L50: 171 | G50: 3.94 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: March 1, 2023
Many students send “Why X” essays to UVA, and it seems to be effective.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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 addendum, but please note the request to upload multiple topics separately and with descriptive labels (e.g., LSAT Addendum, GPA Addendum, etc.).
Experience & Interests
Law school and the practice of law are both rewarding and challenging. Among the qualities it takes to succeed in both is resilience. Please describe how you have exhibited this quality in school, work, or life experience. (maximum characters 1700)
This is an open-ended prompt asking you to reflect on a time when you have had to overcome a challenge. Don’t feel compelled to share a trauma, though, and consider sharing an anecdote in which you accomplished something you’re proud of.
Character & Fitness
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. Note that the existence of a criminal history will not, by itself, disqualify an applicant for admission.
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.
1. 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?
2. 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.
3. Are there any charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
4. 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?
Resume
Attach a current and professional resume.
9 University of California—Berkeley
L50: 170 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: February 15, 2023 | ED: November 15, 2022
Berkeley likes a long application. They have a “Why X” prompt and a very broad diversity prompt on top of that.
LORs: 0 required, 4 accepted
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.
Berkely loves a looooong essay. 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.
Addenda
This section is optional.
You may attach any other supplemental materials or addenda to your application here.
This is an open-ended addendum. Please note that Berkeley has a specific question regarding test scores so such information should not be provided here.
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.
Why Berkeley Law
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? This essay is required if you are applying to the Public Interest Scholars Program. (350 word maximum)
Scholarship Essays
The Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholarship (BLOS) and the Hyundai-Kia Scholars Program both require an additional essay. You should submit the essay(s) below.
If you are applying for the Public Interest Scholars Program, please attach your Why Berkeley Law statement in the appropriate section for that attachment.
Misconduct
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.
1. Have you ever been convicted of any offense, excluding minor traffic and parking violations, or is any such charge now pending against you?
2. Have you ever been subjected to a dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic sanction by any college, university, or professional school (including university/college housing)?
3. Have you ever been subject to discipline by a professional organization?
4. As part of your Moral Character application to the Bar, you may be required to disclose information about arrests. If you do not disclose them to the law school, your Bar application may be delayed. You are not required to provide arrest information on your application to Berkeley Law. However, should you be admitted, please consider disclosing any arrests to the law school at that time. Please click the button to show that you have read and understand this.
Résumé
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.
Please note the requests for hours per week and also for dependent care.
10 University of Michigan
L50: 171 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: February 28, 2023 | ED: November 15, 2022
Michigan likes applicants who evince a communal spirit. They look for applicants who seem warm, generous, and interested in Michigan in particular.
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted
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. 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. Thus, 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 identity, such as gender, sex, race, or ethnicity; particular political, philosophical, or religious beliefs; socioeconomic challenges; atypical backgrounds, educational paths, employment histories, or prior careers; or experiences and perspectives relating to discrimination, disadvantage, or disability. 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. In other words, think broadly about what you might wish to convey and how you might best convey it.
While we do not impose a page or word limit for the personal statement, we value clear and concise writing; most personal statements are between two and four pages. For ease of reading, please use double-spacing and at least an 11-point font.
This prompt is open-ended, but Michigan likes personal statements that mention other people. Don’t write your essay about someone else—just show them that you care about others. Please also note the formatting requests.
Supplemental Essays
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 think writing on any of the topics below would help us get a better sense of who you are, we encourage you to consider submitting your responses to one or two (but no more) of the following topics. Each essay should be between one and two pages. For ease of reading, please use double-spacing and at least an 11-point font. Please be sure to include the number of the prompt you are addressing at the top of your essay.
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? How do you think getting your JD from Michigan might affect your future career and life?
Essay Two
Describe a challenge, failure, or setback you have faced, whether long-term and systemic (e.g., socioeconomic, health, or complex family circumstances) or short-term and discrete (e.g., a workplace scenario or a particularly demanding course). How did you confront or overcome it? What, if anything, might you do differently?
Essay Three
Describe an experience that speaks to the problems and possibilities of diversity in an educational or work setting. As a lawyer, what measures might you take to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Essay Four
Describe a quality or skill you have and discuss how you expect it will help you in your legal career.
Essay Five
Tell us about a group that you are or have been a part of and how you contribute(d) to it.
Essay Six
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?
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?
Essay Eight
Think of someone who knows you, but doesn't know you well (i.e., not a family member or a close friend). How would they describe you? Would their description be accurate? Why or why not?
Essay Nine
If you could have dinner with any prominent person, who would it be and why? What would you discuss?
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.
Please note that Question 1 serves as their Why Michigan statement.
Addendum
If there is any information in your application you wish to clarify—for example, particular grades; a history of standardized testing that under-predicts your academic performance; 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.
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. 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. (Please be aware: 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 http://www.ncbex.org/#maincontent.) You must submit a supplementary statement with any affirmative responses; provide complete details, including dates and resolution.
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.
1. 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?
2. 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. Your answer should include matters that have been expunged. Do not include minor traffic violations or civil infractions or citations for which jail time was not a potential penalty.
Experience
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.
Please note their specific request for hobbies, areas of interest, and current information even if you are not presently working.
11 Duke University
L50: 170 | G50: 3.85 | Deadline: February 15, 2023 | ED: January 6, 2023, November 4, 2022
Duke has an optional (but not really) “Why X” statement.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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.
Please note the specific requests for significant personal experiences and personal and career ambitions.
Optional Essay 2
This section is optional.
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 (it is not necessary to duplicate information in both places). There is no required length or page limit.
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).
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 prompt serves as Duke’s Diversity Statement, and defines diversity very broadly.
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.
Optional Essay 1
This section is optional.
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 (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.
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 statement serves as Duke’s Why School X statement.
Character and Fitness
Duke Law requires that you reveal knowledge of all disciplinary charges, 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.
1. 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?
2. 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?
3. 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.
Resume
You must submit a current résumé with the application. 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.
Please note the specific request for any prior Duke affiliation.
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, 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.
12 Cornell University
L50: 171 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: January 8, 2023, November 1, 2022
Cornell requires all applicants to state their interest in attending the school. Students who wish to do so may submit a more detailed Why Cornell statement as an addendum.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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 is an open-ended diversity statement, but please note the focus on how these issues “apply to you” (i.e., reflect on your own experiences).
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.
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?
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.
This is an open-ended addendum. Please note that Cornell does not have a specific Why Cornell statement, but students may attach such documents to their applications here.
Interest in Cornell
Why have you chosen to apply to Cornell Law School? This section does not preclude you from submitting a separate Why Cornell Law statement. (maximum characters 600)
Cornell requires all applicants to address this question in their application. Students who plan to submit an additional and supplemental Why Cornell statement in the addenda section may address their interest briefly in this field and then direct the admissions offices towards their supplemental statement.
Character and Fitness
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, submit an explanatory statement in the attachments section.
1. 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.
2. 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.
Resume
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
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.
13 Northwestern University
L50: 171 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: February 15, 2023 | ED: November 15, 2022
Northwestern encouraged students at an info session to send “Why Northwestern” essays for students who are “seriously considering” it. We also encourage applicants to interview for NU via video.
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted
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
This section is optional.
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 serves as Northwestern’s Diversity Statement, and defines diversity very broadly.
Addendum
This section is optional.
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. Northwestern said at an info session that they would welcome a “why Northwestern” supplement, either attached here, as an addendum, or sent via email.
Character and Fitness
- 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.
Resume
Please submit a copy of your current résumé. The résumé should be electronically attached.
Admissions Interview
All applicants have the option of including an evaluative interview with their application. All interviews are conducted online. The interview is optional for regular decision applicants.
If you indicate that you intend to interview, your application will NOT be reviewed until your interview has been submitted in our online portal. If your plans to interview change, you must notify the Office of Admissions in writing. Failure to contact the Admissions Office via email (admissions@law.northwestern.edu) that you have decided to opt into the interview process after initially declining to interview may result in your interview not being considered in the initial evaluation of your candidacy.
Upon submission of your application, the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid will send an email to you with a link to our online interview portal and detailed instructions. You will have 30 days from the day of the invitation to complete your online interview. After 30 days, your application may be moved forward in the application process provided that all other required application materials are on file.
Northwestern allows students to opt in to a video interviews via a service called Kira. We encourage students seriously considering Northwestern to do these interviews.
14 Georgetown University
L50: 171 | G50: 3.86 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: March 1, 2023
Georgetown’s Optional Response section is optional ... but we encourage students to submit this! At an info session, Georgetown reportedly said that reapplicants are at a disadvantage.
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted
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.
This is an open-ended prompt. GULC’s admissions office has said in information sessions that they like it if applicants can incorporate Why GULC into the finale of their personal statement.
Optional Statement
Georgetown Law is proud of its strong community of 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 serves as Georgetown’s Diversity Statement, and defines diversity very broadly.
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
- Tell us about something that seemed small but turned out to be huge.
- Describe a time when your reaction to something surprised you.
- What opinion of yours would your friends least expecct?
- Share a top ten list with us.
- 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 encourage students to submit one of these supplemental responses with their Georgetown application.
Optional Addendum
Please attach any addendums you would like included in the review of your application here.
This is an open-ended addendum prompt.
Character & Fitness
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.
1. Have you ever been the subject of any disciplinary action taken by any college or university? Yes/No
2. Have you ever been placed on academic probation? Yes/No
3. 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? Yes/No
4. Have you ever been separated from a branch of the armed forces of the United States under conditions other than favorable? Yes/No
5. Has your college, university, graduate, or professional school course of study been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason? Yes/No
Resume
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: 171 | G50: 3.90 | Deadline: February 1, 2023 | ED: December 15, 2022, November 15, 2022
Note the programmatic contribution question, which is sort of a stealth “Why X” opportunity. You can ignore this question if you write an actual “Why X.”
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted
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, challenges 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.
UCLA loves the old “show, don’t tell” dictum. In an info session, they showed two example essays which each began with scene setting. They also said that personal statements should be like videos that capture the applicant’s life: “If we could watch a video of each of your lives, we would do it.”
Programmatic Contribution
This section is optional.
If you believe you can make a distinctive contribution to a specific UCLA School of Law Specialization, Academic Program, Joint Degree, Law Review/Journal, Institute or research in a particular subject area (as described on the website: 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. This can take the place of a “Why UCLA” statement if that statement would focus exclusively on academics.
Explanation Grades/Scores
If applicable, please describe any circumstances that negatively affected the extent to which your academic record or standardized test score(s) reflect your ability to succeed in law school: (maximum characters 999)
Students should utilize this question to explain lower grades or test scores in lieu of providing an addendum.
Optional Addendum
This section is optional.
If there is additional information you would like to include in your application, please attach an addendum.
This is an open-ended addendum.
Disability Statement
This section is optional.
If you wish, you may upload supplemental information concerning your disability.
There is some overlap here with the Challenges Statement. If relevant, students should consider submitting just one or the other.
Challenges Addendum
This section is optional.
Please share any information about adversity or challenge that you would like us to consider about your personal life experiences. This may include socio-economic challenges; educational challenges; health issues; disability; immigration status; surviving abuse; or complex family circumstances like an incarcerated parent, homelessness, living in foster care, or others. This is not an inclusive list, but simply an opportunity, if you wish, to share any additional aspects of your background that may give us a deeper sense of your strengths and who you are.
Some of the suggested content for this piece overlap with a traditional Diversity Statement (such as socio-economic challenges, disabilities, immigration, and health issues). Please note that this statement also ties in to Question 21.12.
Public Interest Essay
This section is optional.
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.
Achievement Fellowship
This section is optional.
To apply to the UCLA Law Achievement Fellowship Program, applicants are required to submit a one page essay describing in detail the obstacles they have overcome in life and why they are a strong candidate for the program.
The application deadline for the UCLA Law Achievement Fellowship Program is December 15, 2021. Applicants must also take the LSAT or GRE no later than November 30, 2021.
Please note that by applying to the Achievement Fellowship Program you are agreeing to have your application materials released to members of the Achievement Fellowship selection committee, which includes UCLA faculty, staff, alumni and students.
After completing your essay, 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 an attached essay.
Character and Fitness
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.
1. 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:
Resume
Please provide a current résumé.
Joint-Degree Statement
This section is optional.
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.
16 Washington University in St. Louis
L50: 170 | G50: 3.93 | Deadline: August 18, 2023 | ED: August 18, 2023
Wash U does not - technically - require a personal statement, resume, or letters of rec to apply ... but we encourage you to submit all of those documents!
LORs: 0 required, 4 accepted
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 optional but we highly encourage students to submit a Personal Statement with their application.
Diverse Perspectives
Diverse perspectives improve classroom discussion, education experience, and overall community. The committee invites you to share as much as you are comfortable about yourself and your experiences. Your answers help us better understand the variety of perspectives you may bring to WashULaw. Your answers will in no way negatively impact the admissions decision.
Please describe any diverse perspectives, experiences, and background you bring to the classroom and community. You may also choose to submit a brief addendum if the 500 character limit is not sufficient. (maximum characters 500)
Washington University asks a series of questions to learn more about your diverse perspectives. These fields are character-limited.
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.
Character and Fitness
The following questions must be answered. If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," please provide an explanation (as an electronic attachment). Applicants do not need to disclose speeding tickets.
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.
1. Have you ever been denied admission to a law school on grounds of fraud, immorality, or improper or dishonorable conduct? Yes/No
2. 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? Yes/No
3. 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? Yes/No
4. 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? (Applicants do not need to disclose speeding tickets.) Yes/No
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? Yes/No
6. 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? Yes/No
- The answers and statements contained in this application are true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I understand that a misrepresentation or omission may be grounds for revocation of an offer of acceptance or for dismissal. Confirm
2. I agree to report in writing to the Admissions Office any changes in my responses that may occur after the filing of this application. Confirm
3. If I am offered admission and I accept, I will have an official transcript from my degree-granting undergraduate institution, showing the degree earned and its date, sent directly to the Admissions Office by August 1, preceding the start of my entering fall term. Confirm
4. If I am offered admission and accept, I also accept the responsibilities imposed by the Honor Code and abide by those principles. Confirm
5. Washington University School of Law is committed to upholding the highest level of personal and professional integrity. If I am offered admission and accept, I understand that my actions represent my school, fellow classmates, the alumni coming before and after me, and the legal profession as a whole. The legitimacy and integrity of the legal profession begins with law students. If I accept an offer of admission, I agree to behave in a manner consistent with the conduct and integrity required of legal professionals. I understand that actions or conduct adverse to this standard may result in a withdrawal of my offer of admission. Confirm
Resume
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.
The resume is optional but we highly encourage students to submit a Resume with their application.
17 Boston University
L50: 169 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: April 1, 2023 | ED: January 5, 2023, November 10, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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.
Via an info session: The ‘why law’ component is crucial for BU. You personal statement needs to directly answer the question, ‘What happened to you that made you certain you want to pursue law, and why now?’ But note that ‘why law’ in your personal statement does not necessarily mean ‘what kind of law’. Nor does it mean ‘Why BU’. The info session leader said they often see a single ‘Why BU’ line shoe-horned into a personal essay and it tends to feel awkward.
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.
Military Discharge
This section is optional.
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.
Other Addenda
This section is optional.
Please use this attachment to upload any other information you would like considered by the Admissions Committee.
Public Interest Essay
This section is optional.
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. Applicants who have chosen to apply for the ASPIRE: Antiracist Scholarship may not apply for the Public Interest Scholarship.
ASPIRE
This section is optional.
If you wish to apply for the ASPIRE: Antiracist Scholarship, please attach one document with separated responses to the two prompts:
- What does antiracism mean to you, and how have your life experiences shaped your commitment to antiracism? In your answer, in addition to professional experiences (if any) please draw from your lived experiences, whether as a member of an underrepresented or marginalized group, as an advocate, and/or as an ally. (Word limit: 350 words)
- How do you envision using your antiracist education and training in your legal career, whether it be in the private, governmental, or public interest sectors? (Word limit: 250 words)
Do not repeat your personal statement. The committee aims to award the scholarship to applicants who demonstrate a commitment to antiracism, social justice, and racial equity, with preference given to those underrepresented in the legal field. Applicants who have chosen to apply for the Public Interest Scholarship may not apply for the ASPIRE: Antiracist Scholarship.
17. 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).
16. Character and Fitness II
If the answer to any of the following questions is yes, please provide a detailed explanation, including a summary of the allegations and any sentence imposed. The Admissions Committee may require copies of court documents in addition to your explanation. NOTE: Bar examiners may require other information that we are not permitted to seek under Massachusetts statutes.
1. Have you ever been convicted, without such conviction being vacated, of a misdemeanor for which the sentence was imprisonment?
2. Have you ever been convicted, without such conviction being vacated, of a felony?
3. 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.
15. Character and Fitness I
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.
- 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.
Resume
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.
17 Vanderbilt University
L50: 169 | G50: 3.89 | Deadline: April 1, 2023 | ED: November 1, 2022
Vanderbilt Law offers alumni interviews, but you have to apply by Nov 15 to be eligible.
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
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
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.
We strongly encourage students to submit this statement if relevant.
Other
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.
Character and Fitness
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.
1. 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. Yes/No
2. 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. Yes/No
3. Are any charges pending or expected which would require you to answer "yes" to either question above? Yes/No
Resume
In addition to your employment responses on the application form, we encourage you to submit a résumé.
We strongly encourage students to submit a resume.
17 University of Texas at Austin
L50: 169 | G50: 3.80 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: November 1, 2022
Texas has separate optional questions for academic and test performance rather than one singular Addendum section.
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted
Personal Statement
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
This section is optional.
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.).
Dishonorable Separation
This section is optional.
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.
Test Performance
This section is optional.
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.
Undergrad Performance
This section is optional.
If 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.
Character and Fitness
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.
1. Have you, within the last 10 years, been arrested, cited or ticketed for, charged with any violation of the law; or, have you ever been convicted of an offense, placed on probation, or granted deferred adjudication or any type of pretrial diversion; or, are you currently the target or subject of a grand jury governmental agency investigation? If you answer "yes," please provide a full explanation that includes a narrative description, cause, and outcome of each reported event, 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).
You may exclude only Class C misdemeanor traffic violations. 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.
2. 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 provide a full explanation that includes a narrative description, cause, and outcome of each reported event, and upload the attachment.
Resume
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 other information that you believe the Admissions Committee should consider in evaluating your application.
Your résumé may not exceed three (3)pages.
20 University of Southern California
L50: 168 | G50: 3.87 | Deadline: April 1, 2023 | ED: November 20, 2022
Exceptional candidates who consider USC to be one of their top choices should consider applying for the Rothman Scholars Programs.
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
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 students should explain why they’re going to law school by the end of statement.
Diversity Statement
An applicant who believes that their 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 their 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 but not limited to ethnicity, national origin, disability, race, religion, political beliefs, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and 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 their 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).
This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.
Public Interest Statement
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.
USC Statement of Interest
Please share with the Admissions Committee more about your specific interest in USC Gould. While optional, the Why USC statement allows you to speak in more detail about your interest in specific aspects of the program of legal education at Gould. Please remember that we know the details of our faculty, programs, and community. This is an opportunity to share more about you and your interest in USC Gould.
The Why USC statement should be no more than one page, double-spaced and in at least 12-point font. The Admissions Committee values essays that are clear, concise and compelling. The WUSC statement of interest is a writing sample, and you should pay particular attention to the details of your composition. The statement must be attached electronically.
While optional, we strongly encourage students to submit this statement.
Rothman Statement
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.
Conduct Information
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.
1. 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? Yes/No
2. 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? Yes/No
3. Are there any charges pending against you? Yes/No
4. Have you ever been or are you currently registered at another law school either foreign or domestic? Yes/No
Resume
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.
21 University of Florida (Levin)
L50: 169 | G50: 3.90 | Deadline: July 15, 2023 | ED: November 1, 2022, February 15, 2023
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted
Personal Statement
UF Law seeks to enroll a class with varied backgrounds and academic skills. Such diversity contributes to the learning environment of the law school and historically has produced graduates who have served all segments of society and become leaders in many fields of law. To better assess such qualities, UF Law requires each applicant to submit a Personal Statement.
Diversity/Need Statement
Optional: UF Law values and seeks a diverse student body to achieve its mission of excellence in education, research, and service. Diversity encompasses life experience, 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 one statement describing their diverse life experience, attributes, and skills, including relevant specific experiences. Candidates should also address how such skills and experiences would advance diversity and foster an inclusive environment at UF 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. Text from the Personal Statement should not be repeated in the Diversity/Need Statement.
Other Addend/Explanation
If you wish to upload another Addendum or Explanation, you may do so here.
Why UF Law?
Optional: We would like to know why you have chosen to apply specifically to UF Law. Most candidates can share these interests in one or two short paragraphs. You may also include connections to UF or UF Law through alumni, professors, or other ways.
Char. and Fit. Addendum
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 UF 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, court or agency regarding the final disposition of each occurrence.
Official documents must clearly identify the entity that is providing the disposition of the incident. Official documents obtained from an online source must include a web link.
If possible, please combine your explanation and all official documents 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, mail, or fax.
After submitting the application, candidates are obligated to immediately notify UF Law of any changes to character & fitness questions that occur prior to a decision or matriculation and must provide related explanations and documentation when applicable.
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 these questions (as well as questions 1 and 2), and you might be required to disclose expunged records. If you are unsure whether to answer Yes, we strongly recommend answering Yes and fully disclosing all incidents. By doing so, you may avoid risk of disciplinary action and/or revocation of an admission offer.
1 Have you ever been charged with or subject to disciplinary action (of any type such as, but not limited to warning, reprimand, suspension, dismissal) at any institution of higher education?
2 Have you ever been subject to academic probation(s), including warnings, suspension(s), and/or dismissal at any institution of higher education?
3 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)?
4 Are there any criminal charges pending against you?
5 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?
Resume/CV
Applicants are required to submit a current and complete resume or curriculum vitae (CV), which should include specific factual information about education, honors and awards, extracurricular or community activities, publications, work history, military service and/or foreign language proficiencies. We suggest time frames be clearly defined and descriptions be detailed.
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.
21 University of Minnesota
L50: 168 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: June 1, 2023 | ED: December 31, 2022
Minnesota has an optional interview process but contacts you about it via email *after* you submit your application. Per their instructions - “watch your inbox.”
LORs: 1 required, 2 accepted
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 Committe 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
This section is optional.
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.
Character and Fitness
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).
1. 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.
2. 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?
Resume
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.
Please note the request for hobbies, special interests, and abilities.
23 Brigham Young University
L50: 168 | G50: 3.92 | Deadline: May 2, 2023 | ED: March 1, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted
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 Admissions 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 (11-point font minimum), double-spaced pages with conventional margins.
This prompt is open-ended.
Optional Essay
This section is optional.
Instructions to the applicant. The students at BYU Law come from many different backgrounds. Please describe an aspect of your background (e.g., culture, religion, academic background, employment, age, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, physical or mental disability, or other factors) that you feel will allow you to contribute uniquely to BYU Law and/or your classmates. Please limit essay to one (1) typed (11-point font minimum), double-spaced page with conventional margins.
Addendum
This section is optional.
Please attach additional information to be considered, only if necessary.
8. Character & Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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.
Please note: Failure to answer the questions below will leave your application in an incomplete status. The Admissions Committee will not admit anyone with an incomplete application.
You should respond fully and carefully to every question in this section. While an answer of "Yes" to any of these questions will not by itself result in a denial of admission, a false answer may result in revocation of your admission and sanctions by the bar of the state in which you seek to practice. When in doubt, always err on the side of full disclosure. If you have answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you must submit an addendum 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. Failure to report any new information may also result in revocation of your offer of admission and sanctions by the applicable bar.
1. Academic Probation: Have you ever been on academic probation for any reason at any post-secondary school, college, university, or professional school?YesNo
2. 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?YesNo
3. 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?YesNo
4. 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?YesNo
5. 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.YesNo
6. 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?YesNo
7. Are you currently or have you ever been involved in any civil litigation, including domestic disputes?YesNo
Resume
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.
23 University of North Carolina
L50: 166 | G50: 3.77 | Deadline: May 1, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
Topic 3 and 4 (optional)
This section is optional.
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.
Statement Topic 1 and 2
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?
Character and Fitness
- (Please read carefully.) You are applying to UNC School of Law and other law schools with the likely goal of becoming licensed to practice law in some state after graduation. When a law school graduate applies to take a bar examination in any state, the bar examiners of that state ask the applicant's law school to provide an evaluation of the student's character and fitness to practice law. Most states are interested in character and fitness issues that include, but by no means are limited to, prior criminal conduct. Typically, state bar examiners compare a student's answers to conduct questions on the applicant's law school application to information provided by the student on the student's bar application when assessing the applicant's character and fitness to practice law. We recommend that as soon as you know the state in which you intend to practice, you contact that state's Board of Bar Examiners to determine its requirements. The Board of Bar Examiners of a particular state might ask you for information on an application to sit for its bar exam that is not asked for in an application for law school admission. This may include criminal records that have been sealed or expunged by order of a court.
Because of the high ethical standards to which lawyers are held, failing to disclose an act or event is often more significant, and leads to more serious consequences, than the act or event itself. Similarly, in applying to Carolina Law, we encourage open disclosure of any matters that might bear on an assessment of your character and fitness to practice law. Thus, as part of the admissions process, all applicants to Carolina Law are required to answer the questions below as accurately and completely as possible. If you answer yes to any of the questions below, you must submit a completely factual explanation of the circumstances and disposition of the event(s) referred to.
If the School of Law determines that your answers are incomplete or inaccurate, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be sent to the Admissions Committee for review until it is complete. When completing this application for admission, all applicants are required to disclose ALL THE DETAILS AND RESULTS of any criminal charges (except for minor traffic violations, which include parking tickets and/or original charges of speeding less than 10mph over the speed limit). Even if charges were dismissed, or a conviction reversed, set aside, or vacated, the matters must be disclosed to the School of Law. Contrary advice by legal counsel does not exempt an applicant from this requirement. Records that have been sealed or expunged by order of a court need not be disclosed on this application.
Your answers to the questions are confidential, except as may be required by Bar Examiner disclosure, a court order, or other legal process. All applicants are under a continuing obligation to notify the Office of Admissions of any changes in their applications up until the time of enrollment, and to notify the Assistant Dean for Student Services of any changes in their answers to these questions after enrollment. As part of the Honor Code for the University of North Carolina, a student who is found to have falsified or withheld information from answers to an admissions application is subject to disciplinary action, including possible dismissal from the School of Law. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, include a statement providing dates and a complete explanation and description of the circumstances and resolution of each incident. - 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 speeding? 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)
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.
Resume
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.
Letters of Recommendation
This section is optional.
Although we require two letters of recommendation, we will accept an optional third letter. We require that recommenders submit their letters through the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), but will accept school-specific letters directly, if the recommendation is particularly relevant to our institution or from our alumni.
25 George Washington University
L50: 167 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: February 1, 2023
LORs: 1 required, 3 accepted
Personal Statement
A personal statement (two pages, double-spaced) is required and may include additional information you believe will be of assistance to the Admissions Committee in considering your application. Please use an electronic attachment.
This prompt is open-ended.
Identity Statement
We are proud of the diverse perspectives brought to the GW Law community by individuals from around the country and the world. We strive to be a community that acknowledges and celebrates our differences, welcomes challenging dialogues, and provides a space where unique individual and group values are shared and honored. Through our many student groups and committees, GW Law works together to create an atmosphere that accepts all perspectives and champions increased knowledge and care for one another.
The Admissions Committee makes every effort to understand your achievements in the context of your identity and to build a diverse student body in the most expansive sense of the word. You are welcome to submit an optional one-page identity statement to elaborate on how you could contribute to the diversity at GW Law.
This is an open-ended diversity statement.
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.
Character and Fitness
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.
1. 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. Yes/No
2. 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. Yes/No
3. Are there any criminal charges (felony, misdemeanor, or other) pending against you? Yes/No
4. Has your college or university, graduate, or professional school course of study been interrupted for one or more terms for any reason? Yes/No
5. If you have ever served in the military and were discharged, was your discharge under conditions other than honorable? Yes/No
Resume
Please include a copy of your résumé.
25 University of Notre Dame
L50: 168 | G50: 3.81 | Deadline: March 15, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
Personal Statement
The Admissions Committee gives considerable emphasis in its evaluation of the personal statement. The statement should provide the Admissions Committee with insights about the applicant and the applicant's interest in pursuing both a legal education and career. 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.
This prompt is open-ended.
Different Kind of Lawyer Statement
The mission of Notre Dame Law School is to educate a "Different Kind of Lawyer" - one who sees the law as more than just a profession, but as a service to others. Notre Dame 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.
Following the murder of George Floyd, Dean G. Marcus Cole wrote an open letter to the Notre Dame Law Community in June 2020 in which he stated 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:
- 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?
- 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.
This is effectively a Diversity Statement but is asking the applicant to reflect two specific questions. Students should be sure to address those questions rather than submit a generic Diversity Statement.
Why Notre Dame Law School Statement
Applicants are highly encouraged to submit this statement and use it to express why they wish to attend Notre Dame Law School specifically. If Notre Dame is the (or a) top choice for the applicant, it can be noted in this essay. Applicants may address how their background, experiences, personal character, and/or career aspirations align with the legal education NDLS provides, and how NDLS can assist their professional and personal formation.
NDLS is a community that values and strives for inclusion, belonging, cultural humility, and dialogue; where all individuals can feel positively engaged and be respected for who they are regardless of identity or background. Any response to this prompt should also address how the applicant’s background, experiences, and/or personal character will support these values.
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.
This prompt asks the student to reflect on specific aspects of the school’s mission/values.
Addendum
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 Addendum. Examples of information typically provided in this section of the application include, but are not limited to:
- explanations of specific circumstances impacting the applicant’s academic record or LSAT/GRE score (Applicants may also want to include how these circumstances were resolved and point to other measures which demonstrate their potential for success in law school.)
-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
-eligibility for various veterans educational benefits such as the Yellow Ribbon program
Applicants should double-space the Addendum. The Addendum's header must include the applicant's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "Addendum."
This prompt is open-ended but provides specific examples of information students may wish to provide.
Murphy Statement
Notre Dame Law School’s Program on Church, State & Society is proud to offer its distinguished Edward J. Murphy Fellowship beginning in 2022. The Murphy Fellows, in addition to a generous scholarship, will have opportunities to meet with judges and visiting speakers, as well as access to special programming focused on religious freedom and church-state relations. Interested students may participate in Notre Dame Law School's Religious Liberty Clinic.
To apply for this Fellowship, students must:
- Submit a complete application to Notre Dame Law School by December 1, 2022.
- Submit a separate statement outlining their specific interest in the Murphy Fellowship.
The Murphy Fellowship statement must be the applicant's original work in their own words. It should be no more than two double-spaced pages. The Murphy Fellowship statement must be included with the application at the time of submission. The statement's header must include the student's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "Murphy Statement."
Polking Statement
The Polking Family Fellowship aims to cultivate the next generation of leaders who understand that law and public policy are essential elements in building a sustainable culture of life. Recipients of this fellowship will receive a scholarship along with the opportunity to work closely with the deNicola Center for Ethics and Culture. Polking Fellows will be invited to attend and participate in special Center events, work with its visiting fellows, interact with speakers and guests of the Center, conduct scholarly research, and receive special career mentoring and summer internship opportunities.
To apply for this Fellowship, students must:
- Submit a complete application to Notre Dame Law School by December 1, 2022.
- Submit a separate statement outlining their specific interest in the Polking Family Fellowship.
The Polking Family Fellowship statement must be the applicant's original work in their own words. It should be no more than two double-spaced pages. The Polking Family Fellowship statement must be included with the application at the time of submission. The statement's header must include the student's name, LSAC account number, and be titled "Polking Statement."
Character and Fitness
Notre Dame Law School requires truthful, accurate, and complete reporting of all requested character and fitness information. Past relevant conduct, particularly if isolated and/or not recent, may not necessarily result in a denial of admission to NDLS. Thus, applicants should not presume a prior record of conduct relevant to character and fitness will necessarily be disqualifying. A failure to truthfully, accurately, and completely respond to this Character and Fitness inquiry, however, may be disqualifying, and more detrimental to admission prospects.
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:
- 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."
- 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."
Because every U.S. jurisdiction requires certain character and fitness standards be met for bar admission eligibility, in addition to other qualifications for admission, the NDLS Office of Admissions uses this information not only to assess an applicant's fitness for admission to NDLS, but also the likelihood of the applicant’s eligibility to practice law upon graduation. 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.
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? Yes/No
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." Yes/No
Resume
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. An applicant may note full-time vs. part-time or hours per week and weeks per year when applicable. There is no page limit for the resume but 1-2 pages is typical. The most important/relevant information should appear on the first page.
For further information regarding the resume preferences of the Admissions Committee, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions page here.
25 University of Alabama
L50: 165 | G50: 3.94 | Deadline: August 1, 2023
LORs: 1 required, 4 accepted
Essay
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. 2
This section is optional.
Please attach an addendum if you feel it is important for the Admissions Committee to consider other information.
Addendum No. 1
This section is optional.
Please attach an addendum if you feel it is important for the Admissions Committee to consider other information.
16. Disciplinary/Crim History
- 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://ncbex.org. A JD degree from the University of Alabama School of Law, an ABA-accredited law school, satisfies the degree requirement needed to sit for the bar exam in any U.S. jurisdiction. However, the bar of each jurisdiction may impose other requirements to practice law, such as character and fitness qualifications, a passing score on a bar examination, and/or specific coursework. Admission to or a degree from the School of Law does not guarantee that an applicant will satisfy the other requirements 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 any resolution. If there are multiple reasons for you to answer YES to any of the following questions (e.g. multiple suspensions, multiple convictions, etc.) please identify and provide details for each of those situations. 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, reflection, 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, guilty plea, or no contest or nolo contendere 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 (by trespass warning or otherwise), 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, or subject to arrest, 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.
Resume
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.
28 University of Iowa
L50: 163 | G50: 3.69 | Deadline: May 1, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
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.
We recommend that you take these instructions literally, though you don't have to answer them one at a time.
Educational Development
This section is optional.
(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.
Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
If you answer "yes" to any of the following Character and Fitness questions, in an electronic attachment, describe each instance and/or circumstance. In your statement, please explain the impact (if any) this experience has had on you, and, in particular, on your decision to pursue a legal degree. Contact the College of Law Admissions Office if you have any questions about your responses to this question or what should be included in your statement. Please attach any relevant documentation.
Applicants for admission to a State Bar will undergo an extensive evaluation to determine whether they have the character and fitness required for the practice of law. For this reason, both the College of Law and the American Bar Association (ABA) encourage all applicants to determine what those requirements are in the state(s) in which applicants intend to practice before they matriculate to law school. (ABA Standard 504(a).)
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.
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.)YesNo
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.YesNo
Resume
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).
29 University of Georgia
L50: 168 | G50: 3.87 | Deadline: June 1, 2023 | ED: December 1, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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 why you’re applying to this law school in particular by the end.
Diversity Statement
This section is optional.
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.
This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.
Supplemental Statement
This section is optional.
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 addemdum, or work or study break addendum, among others.
13. Character & Fitness
Answer each of the following questions. If the answer to any question is "Yes," please give complete details on a separate attachment. Please put your name and LSAC account number on the attachment. Applicants who intend to practice law should be aware that 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 www.ncbex.org.
1. 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)?YesNo
2. 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.YesNo
3. 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.)YesNo
4. 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.)YesNo
Resume
Submit a resume detailing your education, employment, skills, honors, awards, leadership positions, and accomplishments. Upload document as an attachment to the application form.
30 Emory University
L50: 168 | G50: 3.80 | Deadline: March 15, 2023 | ED: March 15, 2023
Emory cares about your “Why Emory.” You can include it in your PS or attach it as a separate “Why Emory” statement of one page to half a page in length. They also note that they *don’t* want an LSAT addendum about a score jump.
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted
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.
In an info session, Emory suggested a basic structure of “Who I am, why I want to be a lawyer, why Emory.” They also noted that they prize “brevity” and “concision.”
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 addendum prompt is open-ended. You could use it as a diversity statement, since Emory doesn’t have a separate one, but you should only send the DS is very strong or if you’re an under-represented minority.
Character and Fitness
- American Bar Association Character and Fitness 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.
Please note our fitness and character questions may differ from other schools to which you apply. Consider them carefully and answer each question honestly and completely. Failure to do so may result in the denial or revocation of your admission, suspension or dismissal after matriculation, withdrawal of certification of graduation, or revocation of your degree.
We understand that these fitness questions are both unique to the admission of law school, and in some instances, unique to Emory Law. We have provided additional guidance and explanation regarding these questions at end of the instructions to this admission application. We require that you review this guidance before you submit your application to provide a more complete understanding on the fitness requirements of Emory Law and to assist in answering any concerns you may have. The guidance is located in the instruction section of this application.
By initialing here, you certify that you 1) read the additional guidance in the instructions to this application; and 2) understand that you have a continuing obligation to ensure that these responses are correct (and amend, if and when necessary), until graduation from Emory Law.
Academic Conduct
Please see the instructions to this application for additional guidance on the following question. When in doubt, please disclose.
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 yes, submit an addendum titled "Academic Conduct" to explain the situation.
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
Please see the instructions to this application for additional guidance on this question. When in doubt, please disclose.
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 yes, submit an addendum titled “Social Conduct” to explain the situation, including the background and circumstances of the situation as well as the outcome and resolution.
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.
1. 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.
2. 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
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.
30 Arizona State University
L50: 167 | G50: 3.85 | Deadline: August 1, 2023 | ED: March 1, 2023
LORs: 0 required, 2 accepted
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.
ASU wants it all—tell a story, explain why you want to go to law school, and say why you want to go to 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 with a font size no smaller than 11 point).
This prompt interprets diversity broadly; feel free to write about untraditional diversity factors.
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 with a 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.
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 with a font size no smaller than 11 point)
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 attach a statement of no more than two double-spaced, typed pages with a font size no smaller than 11 point discussing any of your leadership experience in and ties to Indian Country and your future goals.
Character and Fitness
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 9 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 in a criminal matter, the status of your probation or parole), and the name and address of the authority in possession of those records. You must answer "yes" whether or not it has 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. You will be contacted by email if the admissions committee requires additional information from you.
Additionally, please provide your personal account of the events that led to the charges or discipline.
- Have you been subject to an investigation, sanction, or discipline by any academic institution for any reason?
http:2. Are any actions arising from allegations of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, cheating, or any form of behavioral misconduct currently pending against you?
http:3. 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.)
http:4. If you answered "yes" to question #3 above, were any of the instances felonies?
http:5. Are any actions arising from allegations of criminal charges other than a minor traffic violation (as described in question #3) currently pending against you?
http:6. If you answered "yes" to question #5 above, were any of the instances felonies?
http:7. 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.")
http:8. Have you previously matriculated in a JD program at any US law school?
If you answer "yes," please upload a statement under the Character & Fitness Stmt. section explaining the circumstances under which you left the other 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.)
30 William & Mary Law School
L50: 165 | G50: 3.75 | Deadline: March 1, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted
Personal Statement
Required Essays: 2 page maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font. You will be required to submit two essays: a personal statement, and a Why W&M Law statement. Please attach both documents.
- Personal Statement:
- The statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include why the JD degree is essential to your future.
Explain what you would contribute to the law school community and why you need a JD.
Optional Addenda
This section is optional.
Applicants may attach optional addenda with whatever additional information they wish to have considered as part of their application for admission.
Why W&M Law Statement
Required Essays: 2 page maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font. You will be required to submit two essays: a personal statement, and a Why W&M Law statement. Please attach both documents.
- Why W & M Law Statement:
- This statement is your opportunity to provide information on why you selected to apply to William & Mary Law School. How your background, goals, experiences, etc. will benefit our community and how the Law School can support your pursuit of a legal career.
14. Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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.
Your duty to disclose continues after you file this application and up through your graduation. This CONTINUING DUTY means you must TIMELY disclose matters that arise which would have required you to answer “yes” to one or more of the following questions. To make a timely disclosure after you file this application and before you enroll in law school, contact the Dean of Admissions. Once enrolled, contact the office of the Registrar to make such a disclosure.
1. 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?YesNo
2. If yes, provide all documentation pertinent to the incident and provide a complete explanation: (maximum characters 3000)number of characters left is displayed after the field
3. Are there any academic or employment related disciplinary charges pending or expected to be brought against you?YesNo
4. If yes, provide all documentation pertinent to the incident and provide a complete explanation: (maximum characters 3000)number of characters left is displayed after the field
5. Are there any criminal proceedings pending or expected to be brought against you?YesNo
6. 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. We recognize that in limited situations, records cannot be obtained. In the event that you are unable to obtain official documentat a detailed explanation of the charge/arrest is acceptable; however, the Board of Bar Examiners in the state in which you seek licensing may still require official documentation of the charge/arrest. (maximum characters 3000)number of characters left is displayed after the field
7. 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.YesNo
8. 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)number of characters left is displayed after the field
Resume
Attach a résumé with your application, including your work experience, educational history, extracurricular/community activities, and any awards or honors received.
Domicile Form
This section is optional.
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 form, attach 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
30 George Mason University
L50: 166 | G50: 3.83 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: January 15, 2023
LORs: 1 required, 2 accepted
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. Apart from basic proofreading, no others may assist in the creation of the personal statement.
You must submit your personal statement as an electronic document uploaded to your LSAC electronic application.
Diversity Statement
This section is optional.
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, socio-economic, 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.
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.
Addenda
This section is optional.
Please attach any addendum to your application that you would like considered by the Admissions Committee.
Character and Fitness
- 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 www.ncbex.org.
Scalia Law requires all applicants to answer questions pertaining to character and fitness. If an applicant answers yes to any of these questions, the applicant must provide an explanation that reflects on the time, place, and facts underlying the reported conduct. All applicants have an ongoing duty to disclose matters that arise after completing this application to the Admissions Office. All applicants who are admitted and matriculate at Scalia Law must disclose matters to the Associate Dean for Administration and Student Affairs and the Director of Bar Support. Omissions or failure to accurately disclose matters requested on this application may result in denial or delay of bar licensure. An applicant should err on the side of full disclosure.
I have read and understand the above information including my ongoing duty to disclose matters that arise after completing this application. - 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; or violated any misconduct requiring a review by the school or any of its boards in any of the colleges, universities, or graduate or professional schools you have attended?
- Have you ever been charged with convicted of, arrested, 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 accusations, 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.
Resume
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.
Flex-JD Public Interest
This section is optional.
Students applying for the Flex-JD Public Interest Discount should attach their form here.
Mason2Mason - ACT/SAT
This section is optional.
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.
GRE Score
This section is optional.
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.
In-State Tuition Form
This section is optional.
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://www.law.gmu.edu/assets/files/admissions/instate_form.pdf?ver=3.0). Please also include a copy of your Virginia driver's license. If we do not receive documentation, you will be classified as an out-of-state resident.
Scalia Scholars Agreement
This section is optional.
If you are applying through the Scalia Law Scholars Program, please attach a signed copy of the Scalia Law Scholars Program Agreement Form.
(https://www.law.gmu.edu/assets/files/admissions/Scalia-Law-Scholars-form.pdf)
Early Decision Agreement
This section is optional.
If you are applying through the Early Decision Program, please attach a signed copy of the Early Decision Program Agreement Form (https://www.law.gmu.edu/assets/files/admissions/early_decision_form.pdf).
30 Ohio State University
L50: 163 | G50: 3.79 | Deadline: July 1, 2023 | ED: November 30, 2022, November 18, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
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
This section is optional.
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.
Public Service Statement
This section is optional.
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.
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 addemdum, or work or study break addendum, among others.
Leadership Statement
This section is optional.
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.
16. Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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:
1. 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?YesNo
2. Are there any academic or disciplinary charges from any educational institution pending against you?YesNo
3. 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. YesNo
4. Are there any criminal charges pending against you?YesNo
5. 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?YesNo
6. Have you ever been involuntarily separated from a job as a result of an accusation that involved dishonesty?YesNo
7. Have you ever been sued for a non-criminal act that was alleged to have been intentional?YesNo
8. Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action by a professional association or State Licensing Board, or had a professional license suspended or revoked?YesNo
9. Did you answer yes to one or more of the character and fitness questions? PLEASE READ CAREFULLYIf 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.YesNo
Resume
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.
35 Washington and Lee University
L50: 164 | G50: 3.66 | Deadline: July 1, 2023 | ED: December 1, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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 underrepresented 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.
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.
16. Character and Fitness
- 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. Though Washington and Lee University is prohibited by Virginia statute from requiring disclosure of information concerning arrests or charges that have been officially expunged (See Virginia Code 19.2-392.4), state bar examiners may require that bar applicants disclose such information and closely compare disclosures on law school applications with disclosures on applications for bar admission. We therefore encourage full, voluntary disclosure.
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.
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. Mark this box to confirm your understanding of the information in the foregoing paragraphs.
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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?
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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?
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Are you now the subject of a criminal or administrative investigation?
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Have you ever been the subject of or a party to a civil or administrative proceeding?
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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?
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Have you ever been found to have committed any honor violation?
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Are you now the subject of an honor investigation, or are allegations of an honor violation pending against you?
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Have you ever been denied admission to any profession or had any type of license revoked?
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Do you know of any other matter that might adversely affect your admission to law school or to the bar of any state?
Each incident or circumstance requiring an affirmative answer to any of the previous Character and Fitness questions (Section 15, Questions 1-10) must be described in full detail in an attachment. Applicants are strongly encouraged to disclose any and all incidents.
Resume
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 you and your credentials.
35 University of Illinois—Urbana Champaign
L50: 164 | G50: 3.66 | Deadline: March 15, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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
This section is optional.
If you have additional documents for your application file, attach them here.
Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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.
When answering the questions below, if you are unsure whether an incident in your past requires an affirmative response, you are advised to contact the Office of Admissions at (217) 244-6415 to request clarification. Failure to respond candidly and completely to one of these questions is a serious matter in itself. Answering "yes" to any of the questions below will not automatically bar you from admission to the College of Law. If, following your completion of this application, matters arise that would require you to answer "yes" to any of the questions below, you are required to supplement your application with complete details. 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 providing complete details, including dates and resolution.
1. 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?YesNo
2. 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.YesNo
3. Have you ever served in the military?YesNo
4. 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.YesNoClear answer
5. Did you answer "yes" to any of questions 1, 2, or 4 in this Character & Fitness Section?YesNo
Resume
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.
37 University of Utah
L50: 163 | G50: 3.87 | Deadline: March 10, 2023 | ED: October 28, 2023
LORs: 1 required, 3 accepted
Personal Statement
Candidates are required to submit a personal statement of no more than (2) two pages in length, with one (1) inch margins, and a font size no smaller the 10-pt. The personal statement is 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 whose life experiences, backgrounds, and interests will enhance our educational community. This includes, but is not limited to, 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. 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 the background, experiences, and events (positive or negative) that have affected you. You may address the perspectives and experiences you will bring to classroom discussions and the law school community or your motivations 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
This section is optional.
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.
Addendum
This section is optional.
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 addemdum, or work or study break addendum, among others.
Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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 may result in revocation of admission, disciplinary action by the S.J. Quinney College of Law, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek 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.
If the answer is "yes" to any question, 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.
1. Have you ever been enrolled at any other law school?YesNo
2. 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 or deferred adjudication if it is in its period of probation, or a verdict or finding of guilt regardless of whether a sentence was imposed. All drug and/or and alcohol-related offenses must be reported. All convictions must be report even if expunged from your records. You are not required to report minor traffic offenses.YesNo
3. Have you ever been convicted of a juvenile offense that was classified as felony, or equivalent to a felony? You are not required to report juvenile infractions or misdemeanor juvenile offenses.YesNo
4. 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 - including campus housing?YesNo
5. 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.YesNo
Resume
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.
37 Wake Forest University
L50: 165 | G50: 3.72 | Deadline: March 1, 2023 | ED: November 15, 2022
LORs: 1 required, 3 accepted
Personal Statement
Upload a personal statement that shares an insight into your life and experiences that may not be readily apparent from your academic record and resume. Your personal statement should be about you.
Examples of personal statement topics include, but are not limited to:
- Notable achievement or accomplishment
- Challenge you overcame
- Transformative life event that has shaped who you are
- Aspect of your background or experiences that is illustrative of your character and perspective
Formatting requirements: - Double-spaced
- One-inch margins
- Text-only (do not include images or visuals)
- Accessible font (
- e.g.
- , Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana)
- Black font color
- 10-point font size or greater
- 750 words or less
LSAT / GRE / GPA Addendum
You may upload an optional addendum explaining why you believe your LSAT score(s), GRE score(s), and/or under/graduate GPA are not reflective of your ability and potential to succeed academically in law school.
This optional addendum can also be used to explain any significant increases or decreases in your LSAT or GRE scores.
Uploading an optional LSAT / GRE / GPA addendum is not required.
Formatting requirements:
- Double-spaced
- One-inch margins
- Text-only (do not include images or visuals)
- Accessible font (
- e.g.
- , Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana)
- Black font color
- 10-point font size or greater
- 500 words or less
Optional Statement
You may upload an optional statement describing any other information or details about yourself that you wish to share.
This may include, but is not limited to:
- how your background and experiences will contribute to the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the Wake Forest Law community;
- any discrimination you may have faced or experienced in your life; and
- interest or preference in attending Wake Forest Law specifically versus other law schools.
Uploading an optional statement is not required. There is a separate optional upload for an addendum related to test scores and academic performance.
Formatting requirements: - Double-spaced
- One-inch margins
- Text-only (do not include images or visuals)
- Accessible font (
- e.g.
- , Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana)
- Black font color
- 10-point font size or greater
- 750 words or less
Character & Fitness
Read the following question very carefully. If your answer to the following question is "yes" (including sub-parts of the question), you will be required to attach an explanatory addendum.
1. Have you ever engaged in any conduct that:
- resulted in arrest, discipline, sanction, or warning;
- resulted in termination or suspension from school or employment;
- resulted in loss or suspension of any license;
- resulted in any inquiry, any investigation, or any administrative or judicial proceeding by an employer, educational institution, government agency, professional organization, or licensing authority, or in connection with an employment disciplinary or termination procedure;
- endangered the safety of others, breached fiduciary obligations, or constituted a violation of workplace or academic conduct rules (including honor code, academic probation, social/behavioral probation, and good standing policies);
- resulted, during the past five years only, in being given a written warning, or taken into custody, or accused, formally or informally of the violation of a traffic law or ordinance, other than parking offenses;
- resulted in failure to file any required personal federal, state, or local income tax return, or failure to pay any taxes due;
- involved being a named party to any legal action, including, but not limited to civil, equitable, family law, probate, guardianship, bankruptcy, or special proceedings; or
- involved having organized or helped organize or become a member of any organization or group of persons which, during the period of your membership or association, you knew was advocating or teaching that the government of the United States or any state or any political subdivisions thereof should be overthrown or overturned by force, violence, or any unlawful means?
This question reflects information requested by the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners for the Bar Exam General Application. Answer "yes" if the answer to any of the above-numbered questions is "yes" with the following exceptions.
You may omit any arrest, charge, or conviction that has been expunged by a duly entered order of expunction. You may omit any non-criminal violations of traffic law or ordinance which occurred more than five years ago, if the non-criminal traffic violation did not involve driving under the influence of alcohol or another impairing substance and did not result in arrest or suspension/revocation of a driver's license. You may omit all non-criminal parking offenses, regardless of when such offenses occurred.
If you are unsure, you are advised to answer "yes" and explain in your addendum. An affirmative "yes" answer to this question does not automatically preclude you from admissions consideration. All information presented in your Character & Fitness Addendum will be considered.
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 answered "yes" to the earlier Character and Fitness question, upload a complete explanation/addendum.
Include all relevant facts and details. For criminal-related matters, this includes the charges filed, relevant dates, pleas, convictions, and final disposition (sentence, fine, penalty, court costs, community service, etc.). For education-related matters, this includes the violation(s) alleged, relevant dates, and final disposition (sanction, probation, course, community service, etc.). For all other matters, this includes a recitation of the facts, relevant dates, and final disposition/outcome. If a final disposition/outcome is not yet available, describe the current status of the matter and when a final disposition may be expected.
You have a continuing duty to disclose any character-and-fitness matters after submitting this application and throughout your enrollment as a law student. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, and may affect the evaluation of an applicant by a board of law examiners.
Formatting requirements:
- Double-spaced
- One-inch margins
- Accessible font (
- e.g.
- , Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana)
- Black font color
- 10-point font size or greater
If you are attaching copies of reports or other records, you may leave the formatting in its original state.
Resume
Upload your current up-to-date resume. Your resume may include extracurricular and volunteer work.
If you are not currently employed or enrolled as a student, your resume should also list your current activity/activities which occupies a substantial portion of your time (e.g., volunteering, travel, taking care of a family member, etc.) and any relevant details.
Formatting requirements:
- Accessible font (
- e.g.
- , Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Verdana)
- Black font color
- 10-point font size or greater
- Two pages or less
Applicant Information
- Have you received, or will you receive, paid assistance with your law school admissions cycle, including any paid assistance with completing this application, as well as any attachments/uploads?
Paid assistance includes:
- Paying someone, multiple people, or an organization for assistance with any of your responses to any of the application questions, personal statement, optional statement, and addendums;
- Paying a law school admissions consultant or group for advice or assistance;
- Assistance for which you are expected to submit payment at a future date, even if you have not made any payments to date;
- Assistance for which you have already paid but have been refunded in part or full; and,
- Assistance for which a typical law school applicant would normally pay but for which you have received a partial or full discount or waiver of payment, including a "pro bono" or "scholarship" discount.
Paid assistance excludes: - Assistance received from a faculty or staff member, including a prelaw advisor or writing center tutor, employed at an accredited not-for-profit institution of higher education, when the faculty/staff member is serving in their capacity as an employee of that institution, and to whom you have not and will not submit payment; and,
- LSAT, GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS preparation, if assistance is limited solely to test preparation.
If unsure, answer "yes." Providing an inaccurate response to this question is considered equivalent to providing false or misleading information on this application.
37 Fordham University
L50: 166 | G50: 3.70 | Deadline: March 15, 2023 | ED: October 15, 2022
Fordham notes at their info sessions that the Diversity Statement, a “Why Fordham” statement, and all addenda are *truly* optional. “Do not fear” to omit these.
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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, using a standard 11 - 12 sized font.
This prompt is open-ended.
Optional Statement
This section is optional.
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.
Optional Statement 2
This section is optional.
In addition to your personal statement and optional statement, you may include any additional information you would like to share with us.
Scholastic Honors
This section is optional.
You may submit an addendum listing your scholastic honors and achievements.
Activities
This section is optional.
If you need more space outisde the application or resume, you may include an attachment.
14. Character & Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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, you must provide a detailed explanation. If you need more space than the application provides, you may submit an electronic attachment.
1. 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?YesNo
2. 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
3. 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. YesNo
4. 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
5. Have you ever been a complainant, party or witness to or otherwise involved in any civil or criminal action, proceeding or investigation?YesNo
6. 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
Resume
Please attach a résumé.
37 University of California—Irvine
L50: 167 | G50: 3.72 | Deadline: March 31, 2023 | ED: November 15, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
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.
This prompt is open-ended.
Inclusive Excellence Essay
This section is optional.
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 will you bring that contribute to this inclusive community?
The Optional Statement on Diversity is very inviting, and you should feel free to write it whether or not you have a 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.
Optional Essays
This section is optional.
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 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 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 500 words among either or both optional academic/standardized test statements.
This essay is mandatory.
Interest in UC Irvine
We know that you have many options when applying to law school. Tell us why you are interested in UCI Law. 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?
Conduct Information
Indicates a required field.
When responding to the following questions, please note that an affirmative answer to any or all of the questions within this section does not necessarily preclude or prejudice admission to the School of Law. Applications are reviewed holistically and take rehabilitation into consideration. Any affirmative responses trigger an obligation to submit a supplemental Conduct Information Statement with additional information explaining the conduct issues and rehabilitation measures. 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.
1. Have you ever been convicted of, or is any charge now pending against you, for any crime other than a traffic violation?YesNo
2. 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?YesNo
3. Have you ever been subject to discipline by a professional organization or discharged from employment for conduct-related issues?YesNo
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.
Resume
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.
37 Boston College
L50: 165 | G50: 3.69 | Deadline: March 31, 2023 | ED: November 1, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
Personal Statement
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
This section is optional.
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)
This section is optional.
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 Candidates
This section is optional.
This attachment is only required for applicants applying for the Public Service Scholarship.
Please share why you are applying to be a Public Service Scholar at BC Law, examples of your leadership and experience in public service beyond what is stated in your resume, your career plans after law school, if you know, and what steps you have taken to learn about different career paths available to you. Your response should not exceed two pages (double-spaced) with a minimum of one-inch margins and 12-point font size.
12. Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
1. Have you ever been compelled to curtail or discontinue your study or your work for a substantial period? YesNo
2. Have you ever been placed on academic warning, academic probation, or conduct probation; or been dismissed, reprimanded, sanctioned, expelled 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?YesNo
3. Have you ever been convicted with or been the subject of any investigation for a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic charge?YesNo
- 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)
4. Have you ever been a party on either side in a civil action, or a proceeding involving a claim of fraud, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, professional malpractice or other wrongful conduct?YesNo
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?
6. 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.I have read and acknowledge the above statement.
Resume
Upload your current résumé or curriculum vitae.
37 University of California—Davis
L50: 165 | G50: 3.70 | Deadline: March 16, 2023 | ED: November 1, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
Personal Statement
Each applicant is required to submit a personal statement with the admission application. 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. We also invite applicants to review the School of Law's Mission Statement at https://law.ucdavis.edu/about/law-school-mission.html. Applicants may choose to submit a Diversity Statement, in addition to the Personal Statement, but it is not required.
- The personal statement should not exceed four pages, double-spaced, 12-point standard font.
- Each page of the statement should include the applicant's full name and LSAC account number. The combined length of any optional additional statements (e.g., a diversity statement) should not exceed four pages, double-spaced. 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:
- Achievements despite social, economic, or physical disadvantage, including specific experience of discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race, ethnicity, citizenship, sex gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability, military service, 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.
- 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.
- Extra-curricular activities during undergraduate studies.
- Community activities and employment experience during and after undergraduate studies.
- Advanced degrees or other advanced studies.
- Other objective evidence of growth and maturity and of commitment to law study.
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.
Legal Sanction Addendum
This section is optional.
If you have ever been convicted of, or have a pending charge of, a felony or misdemeanor offense (or the equivalent in juvenile court), you must provide a statement explaining the circumstances. 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.
An affirmative answer to these questions does not necessarily preclude, or even prejudice, admission to King Hall. The Admissions Committee will review answers on an individual basis and in relation to all aspects of your experience, academic achievement, and potential. Do not assume that past problems will prevent future accomplishment. In fact, evidence of how you have overcome negative circumstances may be an asset.
Job Termination Addendum
This section is optional.
If you have ever been involuntarily dismissed or terminated from employment for cause, you must provide a statement explaining the circumstances. You are not required to include an addendum if your position was eliminated as part of a no fault layoff, merger, or other company reorganization.
Character & Fitness
Indicates a required field.
An affirmative answer to these questions does not necessarily preclude, or even prejudice, admission to King Hall. The Admissions Committee will review answers on an individual basis and in relation to all aspects of your experience, academic achievement, and potential. Do not assume that past problems will prevent future accomplishment. In fact, evidence of how you have overcome negative circumstances may be an asset.
Failure to provide truthful, complete answers, and failure to notify the Admissions Office of any changes and/or new occurrences responsive to these questions, may result in revocation of admission, disciplinary action by the law school, reporting to the Law School Admission Council Committee on Misconduct and Irregularities, and denial of permission to practice law in your chosen jurisdiction(s).
If your answer to any question is yes, you must provide a concise, separate statement that includes the date(s) of occurrence, the name and nature of offense, the locality of court/school/employer, an explanation of the relevant circumstances, and a summary of how the matter was resolved. Further, please describe any rehabilitative activities taken since the incident(s). This may include, but is not limited to, community service, substance abuse recovery program, abstinence from substances, paid restitution and fines, and successful completion of probation and parole. You should also include details about the occurrences relevant to your decision to apply to UC Davis School of Law.https://fap.lsac.org/standards/fap.aspx?section_id=3715748#_msocom_2
Although you are not required as part of your application to submit any official documentation associated with the disclosed occurrence, the Admissions Office may request such documentation later, including after matriculation if offered admission. Further, you must disclose any occurrences responsive to the questions that take place after submission of your application, including up to onset of and through the juris doctor program. Please note that state bars may request a copy of your application for admission, and any information that does not match the information provided in your application for admission to the bar may inhibit your ability to pass character and fitness.
Should you have any questions about these directions, please contact the Admissions Office prior to submitting your application. For questions about individual state bar requirements, please visit the National Conference for Bar Examiners at www.ncbex.org.https://fap.lsac.org/standards/fap.aspx?section_id=3715748#_msocom_3
1. 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.YesNo
2. Are you awaiting final adjudication of any investigation or arrest?YesNo
3. Have you ever been granted immunity in lieu of criminal prosecution?YesNo
4. Have you ever been subjected to dismissal, suspension, probation, or other disciplinary or academic sanctions by any college, university, or professional school?YesNo
5. Have you ever been involuntarily dismissed or terminated from employment? You are not required to indicate "yes" if your position was eliminated as part of a no fault layoff, merger, or other company reorganization. YesNo
Resume
A résumé is required. Applicants are encouraged to limit the résumé to two (2) pages and use a standard 12-point font.
43 Indiana University - Bloomington
L50: 164 | G50: 3.81 | Deadline: July 15, 2023 | ED: May 15, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 2 accepted
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.
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.
Character and Fitness
Because of the high ethical standards of the legal profession, law school applicants need to be aware that "failure to disclose" an act or event that pertains to your character and honesty on this application may result in revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the Maurer School of Law or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which an applicant seeks admission. Under Indiana law, you do not have an obligation to disclose expunged offenses to the law school as part of your application for admission. However, you are strongly encouraged to do so. Many state bars, including Indiana, require disclosure of expunged and/or sealed records for assessing character and fitness for admission to the bar. As such, admission to law school and completion of JD requirements does not guarantee that you will be able to sit for or be admitted to the Indiana bar (or another state’s bar).
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 at http://www.ncbex.org. State Bar authorities investigating you in the future will expect that anything they find in their security clearance checks or through other inquiries will have been reported on this application. Therefore, please respond fully to the following questions. Resolve doubts by disclosing the information (see Attachments section).
By electronically transmitting this application, you acknowledge that, if you are admitted and then do matriculate, you will have a continuing obligation to disclose promptly any incidents that occur from application submission to enrollment as well as throughout your time as a law student that might reflect adversely on your good character and fitness to practice law. The Office of Admissions reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission based on the misconduct of an applicant after he/she has been admitted.
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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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 you answered YES to any of the above questions, please use an electronic attachment to explain. Please be detailed and specific with your explanation describing the incident(s), including the location(s) and date(s) of the charge(s) or conviction(s), your status at the time of release, and the court deposition(s). In your own words, provide a description of the impact the incident(s) had on you. Resolve uncertainty by consulting with a member of our Admissions Office.
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5. 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.
Résumé
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.
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.
43 University of Wisconsin
L50: 164 | G50: 3.65 | Deadline: April 3, 2023 | ED: November 30, 2022
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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
This section is 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 GPA addendum, LSAT addemdum, or work or study break addendum, among others.
Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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 all character and fitness questions carefully, thoroughly, and honestly. Omission or falsification of information relevant to these questions may serve as grounds for rescinding your admission to the University of Wisconsin Law School. When you apply to be admitted to the bar, the state bar organization may conduct a background investigation on you and may also seek a copy of your law school record. Any discrepancies between the character and fitness information you provide on your Law School application and the information compiled for your bar application may impede your admission to the bar. Please note that satisfaction of Character and Fitness requirements for the University of Wisconsin Law School does not mean that Character and Fitness requirements for any state bar have been satisfied. 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/character-and-fitness/.
If you are unsure whether a matter should be disclosed, you should err on the side of full disclosure. Nondisclosure of a pertinent matter will cause difficulty. In most circumstances, the BBE will consider a thorough, detailed, and honest disclosure of an incident for which you take responsibility as a factor tending toward a finding of adequate "character and fitness." Prior contacts with the criminal or civil justice systems, including felony convictions, do not, in and of themselves, necessarily disqualify you from practicing law nor do they necessarily preclude you from admission to the University of Wisconsin Law School.
1. 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.YesNo
2. If your response to the Character and Fitness Question College/University Misconduct is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)number of characters left is displayed after the field
3. 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.YesNo
4. If your response to the Character and Fitness Question Criminal/Civil/Military Infractions is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)number of characters left is displayed after the field
5. 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?YesNo
6. If your response to the Character and Fitness Question Impaired Driving is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)number of characters left is displayed after the field
7. 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.YesNo
8. If your response to the Character and Fitness Question Pending Issues is yes, explain in detail the circumstances. (maximum characters 600)
Resume
Please provide us with a current résumé.
45 University of Arizona
L50: 163 | G50: 3.76 | Deadline: July 15, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 4 accepted
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.
Supporting Information
This section is optional.
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.
Character & Fitness
Indicates a required field.
An affirmative response to any of the following questions will not preclude your admission to the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law. If you respond affirmatively, you must attach an electronic statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident(s), date(s) involved, and sentence(s) imposed. You must inform the Admissions Office immediately if any events changing your answers to the questions below occur between your submission of this application and your enrollment at the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law.
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.
1. 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)YesNo
2. 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)YesNo
3. Have you ever been subject to disciplinary sanction by your employer, including dismissal? (If yes, you must attach an addendum explaining)YesNo
4. 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)YesNo
Resume
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.
46 Texas A&M University
L50: 164 | G50: 3.93 | Deadline: May 31, 2023
LORs: 2 required, 3 accepted
Personal Statement
Attach a personal statement of no more than two (2) double-spaced, typed pages. One of the goals of the Admissions Committee, at Texas A&M University School of Law, when making decisions is to admit a diverse student body that will contribute to a collaborative and progressive learning environment. Academic background and strength of performance, though important, are not the only criteria evaluated in the application process. For this reason, a personal statement, written by you, is required as part of the application. In this statement we seek information about you. Statements about law in general or law and society will not be useful. The statement should illustrate the life experiences and talents that make you unique. You are invited to write about significant obstacles that you have overcome and events in your life that influence your perspective.
This prompt is mostly open-ended, but you should explain why you’re going to law school by the end of the essay with specific, personal examples.
Addendum
This section is optional.
(OPTIONAL) Please attach document, no longer than one (1) double-spaced, typed page, pertaining to any area of the application for which you would like to provide clarification or additional explanation.
This is an open-ended addendum prompt, which could be used to submit a GPA addendum, LSAT addemdum, or work or study break addendum, among others. However, it ca only be one page, so be concise.
Character and Fitness
Indicates a required field.
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 law degree, or disciplinary action by the School 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 the questions below does not necessarily preclude admission to Texas A&M University School of Law, persons who have been convicted of more serious criminal offenses 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 licensing agencies often require you to 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. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. A Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, which includes coverage of character and fitness requirements and contact information for each state, is available on the website of the National Conference of Bar Examiners www.ncbex.org.
If your answer to any of the questions in this section is “yes” 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 (e.g., 1st degree felony, class A misdemeanor) 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, such as, not guilty, no contest, Alford, guilty, probation, or deferred disposition, 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.
It is not necessary to disclose information about a juvenile or criminal record that has been sealed or expunged; however, it is up to you to ensure that your offense is in fact expunged and/or sealed under the relevant state law. Mistaken belief or detrimental reliance upon the advice of a third party (such as an attorney or judge) is no excuse for the failure to disclose a reportable offense that has not actually been expunged or sealed. To ensure that you do not run afoul of this exception, you should obtain a copy of the signed Motion and Order of Expungement from the court in question.
1. Have you been subject to sanction, discipline, or academic action by any academic institution, administrator, professor, or by any entity representing any academic institution, 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? This 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 academic, disciplinary, or conduct-related probation, or any other adverse action.(You must report any alleged or pending charges, violations, and/or sanctions.)YesNo
2. Have you ever been arrested, cited or ticketed, charged with, convicted of, placed on deferred adjudication, or pled guilty or pled nolo contendere (no contest) to any violation or criminal offense other than a minor traffic violation? Note: You must report any failure to appear resulting from any offense, including a minor traffic offense, any failure to maintain financial responsibility (legally required auto insurance), and any attempt, whether successful or not, to suspend or revoke your driver's license.(You must report any violation involving the use of drugs or alcohol, regardless of the severity of the incident.)YesNo
3. Have you ever been disciplined or reprimanded by any profession or professional organization, had a publicly granted license denied, suspended, or revoked, or had other disciplinary action filed against you?YesNo
4. Have you ever been a party to a bankruptcy (business or personal) or other civil proceeding in which you were alleged to have committed fraud or any type of misrepresentation, engaged in grossly negligent or reckless conduct, or engaged in the willful destruction of property?YesNo
5. Have you ever been confined by any governmental authority because you were determined to be a danger to yourself or others? Note: You do not have to disclose any voluntarily, non-court ordered hospitalization.YesNo
6. Have you ever been subject to administrative or disciplinary proceedings, dismissed, or other than honorably discharged from the armed forces?(If you have never served in any branch of the armed forces, please check “no.”)YesNo
7.Continuing Duty to DisclosePlease note that neither the submission of your application nor matriculation absolves you of your continuing duty to disclose any existing, pending, or new allegation, circumstance, or incident which would require you to answer “Yes” to any of the above Character and Fitness questions. If you discover that you have omitted an incident, or you receive the final disposition of a pending incident, or you are involved in a new incident, you must notify the admissions office immediately. You will be required to submit a written statement providing details regarding the reportable incident.By checking this box, I agree to provide any necessary updates and amendments to the above Character and Fitness questions to the admissions office in a prompt and timely manner.I agree
Resume
Attach a descriptive resume. Please include details about:
- Your educational background, honor societies, scholarships, work history, military service, extracurricu