Question about law school applications

sergiokays

This may be a very general question but I hope someone can help summarize or advise on the process of applying through LSAC and to clear some confusion i'm having - Are there any schools that don't need or necessitate applying through LSAC...or do all schools accept/require you to apply through there?
Is my personal statement meant to be a general one that is sent to multiple schools through the LSAC process or one that can be tailored to each school? Because I am refining my school list and having my transcripts sent, I don't know what the next step looks like.

Any tips in general on the LSAC process from those who have already begun would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

inactive

Bump!

jdawg113

so i havent started apply and wont be for awhile but Ill throw in what I know/have heard.... There are a lot of school which require you to apply through LSAC and I believe you can apply through it for pretty much any school even if they dont require it but you should be able to find out on the schools website. As for the PS I know a lot of people generally send their PS to most schools without tailoring, however if there are some schools you're really shooting for and think a little extra is needed and can nicely fit into what you have there are people who send 1 PS to most schools and have a tailored one for 1 or 2 schools... though DO NOT mix them up bc then you obvi look bad when Duke receives a PS that includes info relevant to say Cornell... theres also the addendums you can add, "why X", diversity statements, etc that may or may not be school specific

danballinger5

I've actually gone through the entire process before, so hopefully, there are a few things I can recommend.

Most people submit a generic personal statement to every school. But, in my opinion, it is not that difficult to make slight changes for each school. Maybe a general statement in the last paragraph that you can augment or edit - mentioning something that attracts you to the particular city your law school is located in should lead them to believe that you will actually attend should they grant you an offer. Something like that.

But like jayswims said, do not send the wrong one to a school or you will look like an ass you doesn't pay attention to detail. Also, contact the schools that you are applying to and ask them how long they want the personal statement to be. If they say 1.5 to 2 pages, that's what they mean - short, concise, and razor sharp with no fluff (which can be damn hard if you have a good story to tell). Some schools, like Berkeley, want 3-4 pages.

The LSAC is a Godsend to law school applicants. You can apply to every law school - there may be some exceptions to this - through the site, but this is not a must. LSAC makes so easy though so why apply through the school's site. I last went through this process in 2008 and LSAC still has all my transcripts, Letter of Rec., etc., on file. My LSAT score expired - only good for 5 years - so I am here at 7Sage prepping again.

There's something else that I have not seen mentioned in any posts. Depending on your financial status, nearly every school will wave the application fee if you can prove legitimate financial hardship. This can be a saving grace to low-income students as schools charge $50 to $100 just to apply.

Hope all this helps.

sergiokays

Thank you both! This does clear things up, and i plan on doing what jayswims said, making a generic statement and maying amending small details for the schools im really pressing for.
The process of choosing the right schools to apply to is what im preoccupied with since i'm not sure where exactly my december score will land, but LSAC seems like its going to make things simpler for me by being able to easily send out applications

mes08

For tailoring your list of schools to apply to, I would look at your average score for PTs to have an idea of how you'll do in December. This'll help you figure out what should be your safety, target, and reach schools. I also like this website where you plug in your LSAT score and GPA and it gives you an idea of where you can end up: http://www.lawschoolpredictor.com/wp-content/uploads/Law-School-Predictor-Full-Time-Programs.htm