PRE-LAW ADVISING AT GETTYSBURG COLLEGE

For pre-law advising assistance, please schedule an appointment via Handshake with Tiffany Kurzawa, Associate Director for Career Engagement, or contact Prof. Scott Boddery, Assistant Professor of Political Science, at sboddery@gettysburg.edu.

JUNIOR YEAR (One year before applying)

Fall

  • Take time to consider why you wish to go to law school. Make an appointment with a Pre-Law Advisor to discuss your law school intentions.
  • Pursue opportunities to shadow, extern, or intern in the legal field to gain information and experience on various legal careers.
  • Begin researching law schools through the Law School Admissions Council website at www.lsac.org or individual school websites. You do not need to register with LSAC.org to research schools – use the LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools under Choosing a Law School.
  • Attend information sessions, panels, or CUB tables when law school admissions representatives visit campus.
  • Create a preliminary list of law schools you are interested in attending.
  • Begin preparing for the LSAT. Take a practice test - The Princeton Review and Kaplan Test Prep offer free online LSAT practice tests.

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Spring

  • Register for a June LSAT exam at www.lsac.org. Or, continuing preparing for the exam, which is offered at several other times of the year.
  • Attend events for students interested in legal careers (i.e. Pre-Law Club meetings/events, legal career panels, Law School Visitation Days, etc.)
  • Update the list of law schools you are considering and make note of their early decision/application deadlines.
  • Identify individuals to write your letters of recommendation and make initial contact.
  • Visit the Center for Career Engagement resume drop-in hours (Mon.-Fri., 2:30-4:30p.m.) or make an appointment with a counselor to create or update your resume.
  • Obtain a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com to ensure there are no errors or credit issues that may need to be addressed.

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SUMMER BETWEEN JUNIOR & SENIOR YEAR (3-6 months before applying)

  • Take the LSAT exam in the summer, or continue to study for the LSAT if taking it at another time.
  • Once you receive your score, update your list of law schools.
  • Register for the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (www.lsac.org) – many law schools require use of CAS for JD applicants.
  • Begin writing your personal statements.
  • Obtain and submit your official academic transcript(s) to the Credential Assembly Service.

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SENIOR YEAR - It's GO TIME!

Most law schools' prime application period is from Sept. - Dec./Jan.

Fall

  • Finalize your personal statements.
  • Check in and confirm with those individuals who agreed to write you a positive letter of recommendation. Provide them with your resume, a personal statement, letter of recommendation form, and any additional materials you think would be helpful.
  • If you have not already done so or are unhappy with your score, take or retake the LSAT exam. Keep in mind schools will see all scores regardless if they average scores or take the highest score for their review.
  • Keeping in mind specific deadlines based on early decision/regular decision, submit applications to law schools. The earlier the better!
  • Check to ensure LSAC/law schools have received all of your documents.
  • Send a thank you letter to your recommenders.
  • At the end of the semester, submit an updated transcript with your fall grades to the Credential Assembly Service, or to individual schools as required.

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Spring

  • File your FASFA (available January 1) and school specific financial aid forms.
  • Keep track of scholarship information, application procedures, and deadlines.
  • As you are admitted to schools, keep track of seat deposit deadlines.
  • Consider visiting law schools.
  • If you are interested in a school that has put you on a wait list, follow up with a Letter of Continued Interest (meet their deadline for submission, or time your letter to arrive around their seat deposit deadlines).
  • Make a decision on where to attend and submit your deposit! Notify schools that you no longer wish to attend.