Be An “Early Bird” Fall Applicant — Tips for Getting Started Now!

You have decided to apply to law school in the fall.  You are prepping for either the June or October LSAT.  What else should you do this spring?

1. Attend PLAS Programs! Attending our upcoming “Early Bird” PLAS programs will help you get a jump start on your applications.  Remember — most law schools admit applicants on a rolling basis so the earlier you apply, the better!

  • Applying to Law School — A Webinar for Fall Applicants — THIS Monday, April 13, 4-5:15 pm. Applying to law school early in the application cycle can result in more admission offers, more aid, and much less stress. This workshop is designed for students who will be applying to law school this fall and want to maximize their law school opportunities. We will provide an overview of the law school application process, including information about the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and the LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service.  We will also share a timeline for an optimal application completion process.  Bring your questions about law school applications! We are piloting this workshop as a WEBINAR and we will be using Compass. Please register by clicking on this link and we will send login information prior to the workshop.
  • Personal Statement Workshop for Fall Applicants — Monday, April 20, 4:00-5:00pm, Room 514 Illini Union Bookstore Building.  Law school applicants consistently say that the personal statement took much more time to write than they expected. This workshop will provide an overview of how to craft the personal statement and the resume for law school applications. Please register by clicking on this link and then click on “register.”  Registration is required so that we can provide enough seating and materials for everyone.

2. Request Letters of Recommendation. Consider whom you should ask to write your letters of recommendation and plan to request your LORs BEFORE you leave campus for the summer.  Applicants frequently make the mistake of waiting until fall to approach their professors and then find themselves waiting quite a while.  Your professors are busy so you need to plan ahead to give them enough time to write your letters… and the letters that others are requesting. Not sure how to request an LOR?  Check out our website for tips and suggestions.

3. Draft Your Personal Statement. If you are taking the LSAT on June 8, your primary focus now should be preparing for the test.  Once the test is over, begin working on your personal statement. October LSAT takers should be both studying and finding time to begin drafting the personal statement.  It may be the hardest 2 page writing assignment you have ever had.  A good personal statement isn’t written in 1 or 2 days.  It takes weeks of drafts and edits and re-writes to get you where you need to be.  We urge you to make time to attend our Personal Statement and Resume Workshop on Monday, April 20 (see above) to help get you started on drafting this very important document. We also have some helpful information about personal statements on our website.

4. Stay informed… about all of our PLAS Programs, information sessions, updates on law school admissions, the legal profession, etc.  How???