Application & Checklist

If you are planning to go to law school right after Davidson, these steps will help you make sure you are prepared for the application process and for law school.

1st and 2nd Years

• Select a major in a field that both interests you and allows you to excel academically, because your undergraduate GPA is a key factor in law school admissions. It does not have to be law-related because law schools don't require a specific major for admission.
• Take law related courses to gain a better understanding of the law and legal issues in our society.
• Begin to form relationships with professors so that they will know your work well enough to write letters of recommendations or evaluations in the future.
• Expand your education by seeking summer jobs or internships in fields of interest.
• Learn about careers in law online and conduct informational interviews with Davidson alumni who are in the legal field through Davidson Connect and LinkedIn.
• Become involved in extracurricular activities that interest you. They don't have to be law-related, but the Pre-Law Society and Mock Trial Association are good places to start.

3rd Year-Fall Semester

• Meet with a pre-law adviser to ensure you're on the right track.
• Begin researching law schools and become familiar with their programs, their application process, and determine which ones are a good fit for you.
• Register with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), the portal for submitting your law school applications.
• Research LSAT prep courses.

3rd Year-Spring Semester

• Meet with a pre-law advisor to plan your admissions strategy.
• Prepare for the LSAT.
• Register in April for the June LSAT through the LSAC website.
• Start thinking about which professors would write good recommendations.
• Make plans for the summer. An internship, whether in the legal field or not, will help strengthen your application and give you valuable experience for law school.

Summer Between 3rd and 4th Years

• Register for LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which centralizes all of your applications. There is a fee for this service.
• Decide on competitive, safety and long-shot schools to which you will apply and create a calendar of application dates and deadlines.
• Brainstorm ideas for your personal statement.
• If possible, visit the law schools that interest you.
• Make sure your resume is up-to-date.
• If necessary, register in August for the October LSAT.

4th Year-August to November (Application Period)

• Meet with a pre-law adviser to review the admissions process and discuss the law schools you have selected.
• Take or retake the LSAT in October if necessary.
• Revise your personal statements and seek feedback from faculty and the pre-law advisers
• Ask potential letter of recommendation writers if they would be willing to write a recommendation on your behalf. Provide them with the CAS recommendation forms along with sufficient information to write detailed letters.
• Submit the LSAC Transcript Request Form to the Davidson registrar
• Start submitting applications in late October since most law schools review applications on a rolling basis.
• Attend the Davidson Law School Fair in early November.
• Research options for financing law school.

4th Year-December to June (Acceptance Period)

• Send fall semester grades to law schools.
• Complete financial aid forms.
• Visit schools to which you have been admitted and send a deposit to one school only
• Update the schools at which you have been waitlisted on your latest GPA, honors, senior thesis, extracurricular activities, etc.