Early vs Regular Decisions deadline

LadyLawyer

Hi guys! I wanted to ask some of you about early vs regular decision deadline. I'm aiming to apply by early decisions deadline (by November) but will that make any difference in scholarships and getting accepted (like a higher chance of getting accepted)? Or is it better to just wait for regular admissions if I know my LSAT score will be higher? I would love to know about any of your experiences on this!!

gigi_m1308

Hey there! I have been debating the same thing myself and it seems like a big decision to make so I have gathered quite a bit of advice from others. From what I understand, the earlier you apply the better. If you have a #1 school that you know, without a doubt, you would attend if you got accepted, then it might be worth while to apply early decision. There will be more money to give out higher scholarships and your chances of being accepted may be slightly higher (so I have been told). However, if you are planning on taking the LSAT again and you think your score will increase in that time, it might be good to apply regular decision with a higher LSAT score than early decision with a lower score. I know it's frustrating because there seems to be no clear cut answer but it really just depends on the school, your LSAT score and if you can put together an application that you are proud of before the early decision deadline.

Personally, I am planning on taking the LSAT in November but the early decision deadline for my #1 school is literally the day after the LSAT. I have been going back and forth with whether I should take the October one instead so I can get my score and apply early OR if I wait until November, improve my score (every bit counts, right?) and apply in early December when I get my score. From the research I have done and the people I have talked to, December is still early in the application cycle so you are by no means applying "late" if you do not apply early decision.

All in all, you have to make a decision that you feel 100% confident in. You don't want to submit an application and then have regrets about scores, personal statements etc. Sorry for the long response but I really hope this helps. Good luck with the LSAT/application process!! Reach out to me if you have any more questions or if you need some help because I feel like we are in the same boat.