What makes for a stronger recommendation: an academic letter from a former professor, or a professional recommendation from an attorney who you have worked with closely, like a supervisor?
if i had academic probation for a semester should I discuss that in the Character & Fitness Addendum or the Weakness/Academic Addendum? Or both? Just feels like doing both is redundant...
@epayne17 Not an expert but I think character & fitness is if the probation was disciplinary like you did something the school was unhappy with VS Weakness/Academic Addendum is if they put you on probation because your grades slipped or you fell behind for some reason or another. Hope that helps :)
i just did some research, but im not sure... would it be better to get 2 rec letters from 2 different professors? or 1 rec letter from my boss (a lawyer) at the law firm ive been working at for almost a year and 1 rec letter from a professor? im just alittle worried since i havent really had a relationship with any of my professors ...
@JuelsL as a disclaimer, I’m speaking from a Canadian Law research background. I’ve attended a law admissions panel event where the admissions officers talked about the importance of your experience working at a law firm and for management to write you a recommendation which would definitely be a plus. But a recommendation from a prof would still most likely be advisable alongside your legal experience recommendation.
I have less than a year left of college. I graduate in December 2026, and will be applying to law schools starting in September 2026. I don't know how to go about getting letters of recommendation. I'm enrolled in an online college that only has 5-week long semesters, so in most classes, I have zero interaction with the professor at all, so I've not been able to build any sort of relationship that would let me ask for a letter. What should I do?
@Audreyeliz have you had any reoccuring professors? im assuming you're already taking law related classes. maybe if you send out an email about needing letters of rec, they'd be able to help you.
Watching this made me anxious. The school I'm looking at has an early app deadline at the beginning of March. So my plan was to take the LSAT in February (pushed Jan test for personal reasons), meet the deadline and then retest in April if I want/need a higher score. Technically admissions will already have my app but they'll also see the updated test score & I'll have the early app deadline in my favor. Input on this plan?
Can anyone provide me with personal experience applying for the same fall after taking the January LSAT? That's the LSAT I'm studying for right now, and I'm really hoping to get scholarship money provided I score high enough. I scored very high when I took the LSAT blind with no prep this past January, and now I'm prepping diligently and am confident I can up my score significantly from an already high diagnostic score. I really don't want to wait another year to apply; I've been delaying it so much already.
I wonder if my case for letters would be fine. I have been out of college for 6(will be 7 when I apply) and have been a paralegal during that time. I will have Letters of Recommendation from the leading shareholder of a top 100 law firm that began the immigration sector there. I also will have another one from the main attorney I work with who is Of Counsel. I feel these would be very good ones to have as they are lawyers and have seen me work in the legal field and could argue I have skills to potentially be a good lawyer. Wondering if this would be an exception, as I did not do well in undergrad for numerous reasons and as such did not get close to any of my professors(and it has been 6-7 years)
@KingAndrew1296 I'm not an expert but I have taken time off as well so getting letters from professors is pretty much out of the question. I say as long as your letters are great and show you as an asset you should be fine. Since you've taken time off admissions officers will understand that.
the process is infuriating and humiliating. i have full confidence in myself as a student but to any casual observer i'd be considered an under-achiever. perhaps the real test here is making a strong case with poor evidence?
@dedolence I would say lean into this and emphasize why it makes you a good candidate for school. Law schools really care about who you are in addition to your scores. Lots of "high achievers" get rejected as well.
NOTE FOR CANADIANS: Most applications will open in early September and close by December 1! Only a handful will still be open in February. Also note, all Canadian law schools are roughly equal quality: employers will select minimally based on the law school you attend, so don't stress about "elite" schools.
@liamadamczyk Most advisors recommend 8-15 depending on your goals, risk tolerance for loans, and if you want to apply to mostly T-14 law schools vs local state schools.
From what I have read, not only will they google your name and look, but they will do searches through various social media sites to find things. Mostly the main spots like X, Instagram, and Facebook, but if they find you on other sites its very possible they could look through it.
If you have private accounts with nothing questionable in your bio or profile picture you really should be okay. If your reddit account is not connected to your name or not otherwise easily linked to you I think its incredibly unlikely they would ever find it. The online searches for applications is mainly for people who post edgy stuff or have a damaging digital footprint which could reflect poorly on the school looking to admit you.
Don't quote me on this but I remember reading something a few years ago about a group of guys that got admitted to Harvard but were then denied admission after the school found their Facebook group where they were being openly offensive online.
With that being said, I still do not have any public accounts excluding my LinkedIn profile. Even if some may call this unnecessary, it is great peace of mind, and it could be a useful strategy just to give you one less thing to worry about for admissions. There is nothing bad admissions officers can find out about you online if there is literally nothing for them to find.
I hope this was helpful lol. Best of luck in applying!
I have been out of school for a few years now and unsure if my professors would even remember my name lol. Wouldn't it make more sense to reach out in April or May when school is still in session for most Universities instead of July, in the heart of summer with vacations and everything else? I feel like professors would be more willing to respond in April or May.
Does anyone have any input on applying for law school in March? I needed to make a pivot to the LSAT in life and I'm enrolled in the Jan. exam to be able to apply by the March deadline. I just kind of want to get my life going but what is the real detriment to applying so late?
i'm in the same boat as you. 31 and just decided to pivot. taking the january exam as well. from my understanding, there's less money to go around the later you apply but who knows
I am 36 and don’t even plan to take the LSAT until June. Being a bit older requires a little more time, I think. I’m just going to shoot for starting my applications in the fall. This timeline really helped me out as far as applying goes. This is something in life I am not rushing for once.
Less big scholarship offers. That's about it. If you get into a high ranked school, leverage that on a lower rank for more offers if money is what you're concerned with. I'm in the same boat as you -- don't worry too much but stick to your schedule.
Because of other circumstances, I'll be applying for law schools in January/February. When 7Sage says "you'll probably be fine", how fine are we talking here? Will law schools that have filled all their allotted slots by October/November close off admissions? Is getting deferred from a law school I apply to in February indicative that I could have gotten in if I had applied earlier?
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82 comments
What makes for a stronger recommendation: an academic letter from a former professor, or a professional recommendation from an attorney who you have worked with closely, like a supervisor?
This kind of puts my timeline out of whack. I was intending to take the LSAT in September.
@Njbrunette same!! But we got this!!
The video is blank for me, I would love to watch it. Could anyone help me?
@TessaVittatoe Is this happening on just this lesson? Or other lessons, too?
@Kevin_Lin it’s happening on every lesson. Can you help me?
@TessaVittatoe I reached out via email to help with the issue. Please check your inbox! Thank you.
When do students typically start hearing back from schools if they apply in October/November?
if i had academic probation for a semester should I discuss that in the Character & Fitness Addendum or the Weakness/Academic Addendum? Or both? Just feels like doing both is redundant...
@epayne17 Not an expert but I think character & fitness is if the probation was disciplinary like you did something the school was unhappy with VS Weakness/Academic Addendum is if they put you on probation because your grades slipped or you fell behind for some reason or another. Hope that helps :)
i just did some research, but im not sure... would it be better to get 2 rec letters from 2 different professors? or 1 rec letter from my boss (a lawyer) at the law firm ive been working at for almost a year and 1 rec letter from a professor? im just alittle worried since i havent really had a relationship with any of my professors ...
@JuelsL as a disclaimer, I’m speaking from a Canadian Law research background. I’ve attended a law admissions panel event where the admissions officers talked about the importance of your experience working at a law firm and for management to write you a recommendation which would definitely be a plus. But a recommendation from a prof would still most likely be advisable alongside your legal experience recommendation.
I can't see the video. It is just blank. If anyone has the video or a way to to please lmk.
This video simultaneously made me anxious and excited.
I have less than a year left of college. I graduate in December 2026, and will be applying to law schools starting in September 2026. I don't know how to go about getting letters of recommendation. I'm enrolled in an online college that only has 5-week long semesters, so in most classes, I have zero interaction with the professor at all, so I've not been able to build any sort of relationship that would let me ask for a letter. What should I do?
@Audreyeliz have you had any reoccuring professors? im assuming you're already taking law related classes. maybe if you send out an email about needing letters of rec, they'd be able to help you.
@mnv449 Yeah thank you ill try reaching out to them, I have a few that have taught multiple of my classes.
Watching this made me anxious. The school I'm looking at has an early app deadline at the beginning of March. So my plan was to take the LSAT in February (pushed Jan test for personal reasons), meet the deadline and then retest in April if I want/need a higher score. Technically admissions will already have my app but they'll also see the updated test score & I'll have the early app deadline in my favor. Input on this plan?
@KalliePayne this is my plan as well!
Can anyone provide me with personal experience applying for the same fall after taking the January LSAT? That's the LSAT I'm studying for right now, and I'm really hoping to get scholarship money provided I score high enough. I scored very high when I took the LSAT blind with no prep this past January, and now I'm prepping diligently and am confident I can up my score significantly from an already high diagnostic score. I really don't want to wait another year to apply; I've been delaying it so much already.
@danielmatthew97 I'm wondering this as well! I am on the same timeline with a Jan LSAT.
I wonder if my case for letters would be fine. I have been out of college for 6(will be 7 when I apply) and have been a paralegal during that time. I will have Letters of Recommendation from the leading shareholder of a top 100 law firm that began the immigration sector there. I also will have another one from the main attorney I work with who is Of Counsel. I feel these would be very good ones to have as they are lawyers and have seen me work in the legal field and could argue I have skills to potentially be a good lawyer. Wondering if this would be an exception, as I did not do well in undergrad for numerous reasons and as such did not get close to any of my professors(and it has been 6-7 years)
@KingAndrew1296 I'm not an expert but I have taken time off as well so getting letters from professors is pretty much out of the question. I say as long as your letters are great and show you as an asset you should be fine. Since you've taken time off admissions officers will understand that.
the process is infuriating and humiliating. i have full confidence in myself as a student but to any casual observer i'd be considered an under-achiever. perhaps the real test here is making a strong case with poor evidence?
@dedolence I would say lean into this and emphasize why it makes you a good candidate for school. Law schools really care about who you are in addition to your scores. Lots of "high achievers" get rejected as well.
NOTE FOR CANADIANS: Most applications will open in early September and close by December 1! Only a handful will still be open in February. Also note, all Canadian law schools are roughly equal quality: employers will select minimally based on the law school you attend, so don't stress about "elite" schools.
@Canadia Fellow Canadian here--thanks for the heads up.
How many schools would you recommend applying to, or is it situation-specific?
my law advisor recommended 8-10 schools
@liamadamczyk Most advisors recommend 8-15 depending on your goals, risk tolerance for loans, and if you want to apply to mostly T-14 law schools vs local state schools.
How will they be able to find your social media and Reddit? Is it safe to try googling your own name and seeing what pops up?
From what I have read, not only will they google your name and look, but they will do searches through various social media sites to find things. Mostly the main spots like X, Instagram, and Facebook, but if they find you on other sites its very possible they could look through it.
If you have private accounts with nothing questionable in your bio or profile picture you really should be okay. If your reddit account is not connected to your name or not otherwise easily linked to you I think its incredibly unlikely they would ever find it. The online searches for applications is mainly for people who post edgy stuff or have a damaging digital footprint which could reflect poorly on the school looking to admit you.
Don't quote me on this but I remember reading something a few years ago about a group of guys that got admitted to Harvard but were then denied admission after the school found their Facebook group where they were being openly offensive online.
With that being said, I still do not have any public accounts excluding my LinkedIn profile. Even if some may call this unnecessary, it is great peace of mind, and it could be a useful strategy just to give you one less thing to worry about for admissions. There is nothing bad admissions officers can find out about you online if there is literally nothing for them to find.
I hope this was helpful lol. Best of luck in applying!
I have been out of school for a few years now and unsure if my professors would even remember my name lol. Wouldn't it make more sense to reach out in April or May when school is still in session for most Universities instead of July, in the heart of summer with vacations and everything else? I feel like professors would be more willing to respond in April or May.
This is a great question. I'm no expert, but i think reaching out early like April or May is a good option. It doesn't hurt to reach out early.
why did this stress me out more than the LSAT does...
I plan to take the LSAT in April 2025 to apply for Fall 2025. Is this too late or will I still have a chance to get accepted?
I personally think thats a bit late. I would only apply if you have exceptional stats. otherwise id suggest waiting until fall 2026.
I think if you stay dedicated to your LSAT studies and your stats are looking really good you should go for it.
I would just wait if you have the possibility of doing so. I was advised to wait until 2026 as well
Would a transcript that's fully written evaluations instead of grades count as an academic referral? I finished my undergrad in 2018
Does anyone have any input on applying for law school in March? I needed to make a pivot to the LSAT in life and I'm enrolled in the Jan. exam to be able to apply by the March deadline. I just kind of want to get my life going but what is the real detriment to applying so late?
i'm in the same boat as you. 31 and just decided to pivot. taking the january exam as well. from my understanding, there's less money to go around the later you apply but who knows
We've got this.
I am 36 and don’t even plan to take the LSAT until June. Being a bit older requires a little more time, I think. I’m just going to shoot for starting my applications in the fall. This timeline really helped me out as far as applying goes. This is something in life I am not rushing for once.
Less big scholarship offers. That's about it. If you get into a high ranked school, leverage that on a lower rank for more offers if money is what you're concerned with. I'm in the same boat as you -- don't worry too much but stick to your schedule.
@thigpenjerrid turning 36 in two weeks and also making the pivot! This is the first idea for a career I've ever been excited about.
Because of other circumstances, I'll be applying for law schools in January/February. When 7Sage says "you'll probably be fine", how fine are we talking here? Will law schools that have filled all their allotted slots by October/November close off admissions? Is getting deferred from a law school I apply to in February indicative that I could have gotten in if I had applied earlier?
Thank you!
Same here!
me too!
me too! this makes me feel so much better because I will be taking the LSAT twice.
Me too! I am taking the January 16th LSAT and applying.
What are your recommendations for academic letters if you completed your undergrad degree about 8 years ago?
Would also like to know!
I find it kind odd that this information is presented after a fairly long time of studying. It probably should be in an introduction of the process.
How do I get a first name.last name email address? My name is far too common lol
I'm wondering that too. I decided to start this process in August and that timeline is not useful.
Or what is plan b if this isn't doable?
Have you thought about adding a number to your name? Or using your middle initial/periods. That's what I had to do.