When Should One Begin Law School Application Preparation

goaddw

First off, I will be applying to law schools this fall after the September LSAT. Do you all have any pointers regarding exactly when's a good time to begin the application process? For instance, when should I contact my references for the Letters of Recommendations? I feel very alone in this process, and don't necessarily feel like I have a lot of people with this sort of know-how. Any advice, pointers, or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Cant Get Right

@goaddw said:
For instance, when should I contact my references for the Letters of Recommendations?

You want to go ahead and do this now. It’s time to start putting your application together and you need to give your letters plenty of time.

@goaddw said:
I feel very alone in this process, and don't necessarily feel like I have a lot of people with this sort of know-how.

You’re not alone anymore. You’re on 7Sage now. Welcome! You know loads of people with this sort of know-how!

David Busis

Hey @goaddw , we've got you covered! The Admissions Starter course has everything you need to know about Admissions, including a timeline.

I'd reach out to your recommenders now, though, as professors tend to be less busy in the summer, and you want to have time both to reconnect and ask someone else if it doesn't work out.

I'd also start your essays as soon as you can, since it takes several drafts to get it as good as possible.

Alex

@goaddw

Get your Letters of Rec as soon as possible. I say that because there is no downside to having them done early. The downside to waiting is that sometimes recommenders take longer than expected leading to delayed applications and awkward email exchanges asking if they are in yet.I'm not sure how common this is, but I have heard tons of stories in TLS and Reddit of this exact type of thing happening.

My advice is to email your recommenders for a meeting and then explain in person the details of your LOR.
It is also suggested that you choose recommenders who know you and can attest to your academic work in a positive way. Often good LOR won't really help you outperform your numbers, but bad ones can hurt your chances. This is what I heard from Mike Spivey, an admissions consultant.

Also, expanding on my last tip... Choose recommenders who know you well over recommenders with "titles" So it is better to choose a TA who knows you well and can write a shinning personalized recommendation rather than a Professor who graduated Harvard in 1978 who doesn't know you that well.

Also start your essays now. They tend to take several rounds of revisions before they are complete. Personally, I am on draft 6, and each has taken me 1-3 hours.

Sprinkles

@goaddw said:
feel very alone in this process, and don't necessarily feel like I have a lot of people with this sort of know-how.

I certainly remember this feeling and I'm glad to say if you stick around us LSAT nerds, it will be long gone.

goaddw

@david.busis Thank you for the advice. Should I have a general essay prepared and then tweak it to the specific needs of each law school application? As I understand it, each school may ask something different from your essay....

goaddw

@AlexDivine Thanks Alex. I've contacted my recommenders just to verify that they would in fact write me a letter, but should I follow up again? Doesn't LSAC have a system (CAS, I believe) that you purchase, which will house all transcripts, LOR etc. in order to expedite the application process? I think CAS e-mails your recommender directly detailing the process on their end. not sure, need to sit down this weekend and figure some things out....

goaddw

@"CantGetRight" Thank you!

Alex

@goaddw
Yes, you should absolutely get the CAS. You'll need it so you don't have to send your transcripts and LOR to every school individually. And the CAS will store your transcripts and LOR for you as well.

Sprinkles

@"Alex Divine" said:
You'll need it so you don't have to send your transcripts and LOR to every school individually

Actually schools won't accept your application without a CAS anyway so you're stuck either way lol

Pacifico

Should've started at birth.

Alex

@montaha.rizeq said:
Actually schools won't accept your application without a CAS anyway so you're stuck either way lol

Well this settles it! Definitely get the CAS. Damn rip off, lmao.

Sprinkles

@"Alex Divine" said:
Damn rip off, lmao.

Yeah for real lol. Even when a Law School gives you a fee waiver, it doesn't waive the $30 CAS fee.

Alex

@montaha.rizeq I know! what the heck? And when I was in high school, and joined TopLawSchool, they used to be $10 I think. They keep going up... Ugh

Sprinkles

@"Alex Divine" said:
And when I was in high school, and joined TopLawSchool

A high schooler on TLS hahaha you poor thing!

Alex

@montaha.rizeq said:
A high schooler on TLS hahaha you poor thing!

It was actually pretty terrible, lmao. The most discouraging place back then, though, it has gotten a lot better since. It was right in the heart of the recession and literally everyone was telling me not to pursue law school back in 2010-2011. Eventually I developed Stockholm syndrome and ended up liking it for a while. It wasn't until June when I found 7Sage I broke away, lol.