What does it take to gain acceptance into a top-ranked law program, either at the JD or graduate level? In one way, it’s an impossible question to answer because each school has its own areas of expertise and application requirements. But, there’s enough overlap among the high-ranking institutions to come up with a short list of suggestions for prospective attendees.
For starters, the two most obvious things admissions committees look at are grades and work experience. Generally, anything above 3.7 on a 4.0 scale is sufficient, and one or more years of relevant work in the field is preferred. Of course, candidates who fall short of those two criteria often get in the best schools, but on average, meeting or exceeding GPA and experience requirements give you the best probability of submitting a successful application. If an elite school is within your reach, consider the following suggestions, each of which has the power to improve your chances of gaining acceptance.
Write a Perfect Application
When it comes to the formal program application, spend time making sure it is flawless. This step is about much more than spelling, grammar, and punctuation. It’s about the overall quality of the document as well. Pay attention to all the details. Assuming you use an online form, don’t save or transmit anything until you’ve proofread it and adjusted the tone of each response to suit the individual questions. Have at least one other person work with you to compose responses offline before pasting them onto the actual app. Finally, copy the entire document before sending it so you have a full and accurate copy for your files.
Have Financing in Place
Want one less thing to worry about? Then secure financing before you apply to schools. You can achieve this goal by taking out a student loan from a private lender to cover all or most of your school-related expenses, primarily tuition. Private lenders are an ideal choice for graduate students because you have the chance to compare terms, interest rates, and repayment conditions. Plus, when you find a lender that suits your needs, it’s often possible to secure a low rate to save money in the long run.
Meet Admissions Reps in Person and Tour the School
Make an effort to set up an in-person meeting with admissions department representatives and take a tour of the school. In an era where almost everything is done online, including virtual campus tours, you can give your chances of acceptance a boost by being one of the few applicants who shows up for a tour in person.
Get Three Letters from Impressive Sources
Letters of recommendation are an important piece of the admissions puzzle. Schools often have no other personal information about applicants than what they see in these documents. Work to get three excellent letters from varied sources. Consider asking a past employer who you’re sure will write a solid recommendation, as well as a former teacher who’ll do the same. For the third letter, consider a professional contact who knows you well. Avoid asking personal friends to write letters. Admissions reps tend to ignore them.
