Factors Influencing Law School Admissions
Grade Point Average
LSAT Score
Competitive Nature of Undergraduate Program
The Credit/No Credit Option
Dean’s Certification Letter (if required)
Extracurricular Activities
Honors
Upward Trends in Grades
The Personal Statement
Breadth of Academic Work
Letters of Recommendation
Special Academic and Non-Academic Opportunities
Leadership, Volunteer and Work Experience
How early you apply
Your GPA and LSAT scores are the easiest and quickest way for admissions officials to compare you to other candidates. It is therefore important that you work hard to do well both academically and on the LSAT. The Piper Center has resources including practice tests and guides which can help you prepare for the exam and improve your score. Come in to the Piper Center to check these resources out! You can also click here to view our online LSAT information or you can visit the LSAC’s official LSAT website.
While your GPA and LSAT are very important, you should also spend significant time and energy on the other parts of your application. The personal statement is a chance for admissions officials to get to know you as a person. The prompts are often open ended, so it can be understandably difficult to get started. For help on the personal statement, begin by looking at the Piper Center’s information, and then set up an appointment to have your statement reviewed by a staff member. Recommendations may also influence your chances.
For more information on what matters to admissions officials, come into the Piper Center to check out The Ivey Guide to Law School Admissions, a helpful book written by Anna Ivey, the former Dean of Admissions at The University of Chicago Law School. The Piper Center also has many other helpful law school admissions books for you to check out.