GENERAL INFORMATION
1. What undergraduate courses are required for admission to
law school?
2. What major should a student pursue when planning to attend law school?
3. Does the University of Maryland offer an undergraduate degree in
"pre-law"?
4. What is the minimum GPA required for law school admission?
5. Are internships and extracurricular activities required for admission
to law school?
6. To how many law schools should I apply?
7. How do I research law schools? How do I know which law school will
be a good fit for me?
8. If I already have an undergraduate degree, should I take some pre-law
classes, prior to entering law school, to make myself more competitive?
APPLICATION OVERVIEW
9. What are the components of the law school
application?
10. What should be the topic of the personal statement?
11. How many pages should the personal statement be?
12. Who should write my letters of recommendation?
13. What are addendums to the application?
14. If I had an arrest or a charge that has been officially expunged
from my record, should I answer "yes" or "no" when asked in the application?
LSAT/LSDAS
15. What is the LSAT?
16. When is the LSAT offered?
17. When should I take the LSAT?
18. How do I prepare for the LSAT? When do I start preparing for the
LSAT?
19. How often should I take the LSAT?
20. What is LSDAS? Do I have to register for LSDAS?
21. Where do I send my undergraduate/graduate transcripts?
22. Where should my letters of recommendation be sent?
23. How long is my subscription to LSDAS active?
24. How long are LSAT scores acceptable?
25. How does LSAC calculate my GPA?
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. What undergraduate courses are required for admission
to law school?
There are no required courses for admission to law school. You are
encouraged to select courses that will develop your reading, writing,
critical thinking, and analytical reasoning skills. Most undergraduate
courses will develop one or more of these skills.
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2. What major should a student pursue when planning to attend law school?
There are no preferred majors for law school. You are encouraged
to pursue a major that best suits your academic interests. Admittedly,
there are some majors that are traditionally recognized as being "pre-law,"
including Government and Politics, History, Criminology and Criminal
Justice, English, Sociology, and Communications. However, students
who pursue such majors as Business, Engineering, Computer Science,
Economics, Art History and others also have decided to go to law
school. The key is to select a curriculum in which you are interested.
Typically, when a student majors in a subject that reflects his/her
interests, that student will perform well in that subject, which
in turn, will give the student a competitive grade point average
for purposes of law school admission.
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3. Does the University of Maryland offer an undergraduate degree in
"pre-law"?
There is no undergraduate degree program in "pre-law." You must select
a program from the list of majors offered at the University of Maryland.
Because the field of law is vast, most colleges and universities no
longer offer an undergraduate degree in "pre-law," as such
a degree has been found to give the student little advantage when
entering law school. Once again, you are encouraged to choose a major
that reflects your interests, while taking care that you are developing
your reading, writing, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning
skills.
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4. What is the minimum GPA required for law school admission?
There is no minimum GPA required for law school admission. The accepted
GPA is dependent upon the academic performances of the incoming first-year
class at specific law schools. Generally, GPAs of 3.4 and above are
considered competitive for admission to law school. Please note that
the admissions decision is based on a wide variety of factors, with
the GPA and LSAT generally considered the two most important.
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5. Are internships and extracurricular activities required for admission
to law school?
Law schools are most interested in students who are well-balanced
academically, professionally, and socially. Although internships
and extracurricular activities are not mandatory, they are highly
encouraged. When participating in an internship or extracurricular
activities, you should select opportunities that suit your interests
and allow you to develop essential skills - i.e. time management,
creativity, initiative, working with people. These opportunities
do not necessarily have to be law-related. Students who participate
in law-related internship benefit, in that such activities give them
the chance to confirm whether or not they are truly interested in
law. Moreover, students who are involved in law-related organizations
benefit from being apart of a community of people with interests
similar to your own. However, you should take advantage of any available
opportunities to get involved. The key is quality and not quantity.
You should participate only in those activities in which they are
actively interested. You should not join organizations for the purpose
of "looking good" for
law schools.
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6. To how many law schools should I apply?
Most students apply to 5 to 10 law schools. Keep in mind, the average
application fee is $60. Hence, applying to a lot of schools can be
quite expensive.
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7. How do I research law schools? How do I know which law school will
be a good fit for me?
In researching law schools, it is very important to look beyond a school's
reputation. Just because a school is ranked highly, does not necessarily
mean that it will be the right school for you. A good reputation is
important, but it is not the most important factor for consideration.
The first step in researching law schools is to develop your criteria
list - what you are looking for the law schools to offer you. You should
consider factors such as cost, location, class size, diversity, career
placement, clinical programs, concentrations, study abroad, and bar
passage rates. You should use your list as the basis for your evaluation
of the law schools. Remember, selecting a law school is a subjective
experience. What will be important to you will not necessarily be what
is important to other applicants.
Next, you should attend any local or regional law school fairs. Fairs
give you the opportunity to meet with law school representatives and
to ask any questions you specifically have about their programs. LSAC
sponsors fair several times throughout the year. To find out the dates
and location, go to LSAC's website at http://ww.lsac.org.
Finally, you should visit the schools in which you are most interested.
You should request to sit in on a first-year class, speak with current
students, and tour the campus. You want to make sure that, if accepted,
that you can see yourself at that school for three years.
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8. If I already have an undergraduate degree, should I take some pre-law
classes, prior to entering law school, to make myself more competitive?
There are no specific pre-law classes that are required for law school
admission. Nor, are there any pre-law classes that will give you a
competitive edge for purposes of applying to law school. Hence, if
you already have an undergraduate degree, it is not necessary for you
to take additional undergraduate classes.
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APPLICATION OVERVIEW
9. What are the components of the law school application?
The law school application consists of the application form (available
from the school via mail or on the website); personal statement; resume;
school-specific letters of recommendation, and any addendums of explanation.
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10. What should be the topic of the personal statement?
You first should read the law schools' instructions for writing the
personal statement. You must follow these instructions carefully. Typically,
the instructions for the personal statement are very general and do
not require any specific topic of discussion.
Generally, in writing the personal statement, students should be
answering the following question: Why law? What is motivating my
interest to pursue a career in law? Often times, students address
the wrong question in their personal statement - i.e. Why I am qualified
to pursue a career in law? The purpose of the personal statement
is to give the law school admissions committee information that they
cannot find anywhere else in your application. The committee can
look at your transcripts and resume to determine your qualifications.
Hence, use the personal statement as an opportunity to give the committee
insight into who you are and why you are applying. In answering the "Why law?" question,
you can refer to a specific event or person who influenced your decision
to pursue law. Also, the personal statement can be written in the
narrative form.
Note: The personal statement should be a positive testament of your
commitment to the study of law. It is not the opportunity to discuss
low GPAs, LSAT scores, academic misconduct, or any other disciplinary
issues. These issues should be discussed in an addendum to the law
school application.
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11. How many pages should the personal statement be?
Typically, personal statements are two-pages, double-spaced. Students
must read the application instructions for the personal statement,
as there may be a specified page limit. The personal statement should
be as concise as possible.
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12. Who should write my letters of recommendation?
The strongest letters of recommendation are from those individuals
who have had the opportunity to monitor your academic progression over
a period of time. Typically, these individuals are professors, academic
advisors, department chairpersons, and deans. What is important is
not who the person is - i.e. whether or not he/she is an attorney - but how well the person knows you.
Most law schools required at minimum two letters of recommendation.
At least one recommendation should be an academic reference. The
other letter should be another academic reference, but it could also
be a professional reference, or a community/volunteer reference.
Generally, personal references –i.e. from a relative or close friend
- are not strong references, unless the person has some connection
to the schools to which you are applying. Non-academic letters of
recommendation should discuss such topics as your ability to work
with others, your ability to work with little or no supervision,
your ability to take constructive criticism, your initiative and
creativity, and your ability to work under pressure.
In order to help your recommenders write the letters, you should prepare
a packet of information which includes your transcript, your resume,
and any work you have submitted to them. You should also submit to
them a draft of your personal statement if possible.
It is recommended that you give your recommenders at least a month
to complete the letters. You should ask your recommenders to write
you a letter during the summer of your junior year. Doing so will allow
them enough time to prepare the letter. If sending the letter directly
to the law school, remember to give the recommender the recommendation
form provided in the law school application. If using LSDAS recommendation
service, you must give the recommender the form provided in the registration
book or online. If this form does not accompany the letter, LSDAS will
not process the letter.
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13. What are addendums to the application?
Addendums to the application are any material you submit for purposes
of explanation, clarification, or support. You should use addendums
to discuss such issues as a poor GPA/LSAT and any academic misconduct
or disciplinary concern. Addendums should also be used to discuss any
concerns regarding a police record, including past arrests, charges,
indictments, suspensions, probations, and parole. Addendums, unlike
the personal statement, should not be written in narrative form.
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14. If I had an arrest or a charge that has been officially expunged
from my record, should I answer "yes" or "no" when asked in the application?
It is better to answer the question honestly, even if the charge or
arrest has been expunged. You should explain the circumstances surrounding
the incident and discuss what you have learned from the experience.
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LSAT/LSDAS
15. What is the LSAT?
The LSAT is the Law School Admission Test. It is a standardized test
required by nearly all ABA-approved law schools. The test consists
of five sections, four of which are scored. The sections include
one reading comprehension section, one analytical reasoning section,
and two logical reasoning sections. The unscored section is generally
used to pretest new test questions. There is also a writing sample,
which is not scored but is sent to all the law schools to which
the student applies. Visit http://www.lsac.org for
further information about both the LSAT and LSDAS.
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16. When is the LSAT offered?
The LSAT is offered four times each year - June, October, December,
and February.
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17. When should I take the LSAT?
You should take the LSAT at least one year before they intend to enter
law school. Hence, for most students, the optimal time to take the
LSAT is either the June proceeding the junior year or the October during
the senior year. These testing dates will allow the student enough
time to apply to law school in the fall semester of the senior year.
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18. How do I prepare for the LSAT? When do I start preparing for the
LSAT?
Preparing for the LSAT begins with selecting courses that develop your
reading, writing, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning skills.
The LSAT is designed to test your abilities in these areas. Many students
decide to prepare with self study, by buying LSAT preparation material.
In addition, commercial prep courses and private tutors are available
to help students prepare for the LSAT. Information regarding these
courses and tutors is available in the Law and Health Professions Advising
Office. You should research these services to ensure that they will
adequately meet your needs.
Preparation for the LSAT generally takes three to six months, depending
upon the needs of the particular student. Some students require more
time to prepare. You should take into account past preparation for
and performance on standardized exams to determine the amount of time
you will need to prepare for the LSAT.
The key to the LSAT is practice. In preparing for the LSAT, students
should first take a sample LSAT exam, in order to assess your strengths
and weaknesses. Equipped with this information, you then are in a better
position to determine just how much and what type of preparation you
will need. You also should take several practice exams throughout your
preparation for the LSAT, so that you can measure your improvement
over time. Knowing your range of performance on the practice LSAT is
particularly helpful when analyzing your actual LSAT score and deciding
whether or not you should take the LSAT again.
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19. How often should I take the LSAT?
Most law schools will average multiple LSAT scores. Thus, you should
prepare to take the LSAT only once. However, when deciding whether
or not to retake the LSAT, students need to take into account several
factors, including their range of performance on the practice LSAT
and their cumulative GPA. If the actual LSAT score falls below your
range of performance, you may benefit from retaking the LSAT. In cases
where the actual LSAT score falls within or above the range of performance,
you should not retake the LSAT. You are encouraged to consider seriously
whether or not your performance will improve with retaking the LSAT.
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20. What is LSDAS? Do I have to register for LSDAS?
The Law School Data Assembly Services (LSDAS) prepares and provides
a report to all the law schools to which students apply. It provides
a centralized means of compiling and assessing undergraduate academic
records. Information contained in the report includes copies of all
undergraduate and graduate transcripts, LSAT scores, writing sample
copies, and copies of letters of recommendation processed by LSAC.
Nearly all ABA-approved law schools require students to register for
LSDAS. There is an additional fee for LSDAS registration and each LSDAS
report that is sent to requesting law schools.
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21. Where do I send my undergraduate/graduate transcripts?
You must send a transcript of all undergraduate and graduate work to
LSDAS. If students have attended colleges or universities other than
UMCP (including summer classes), they will need to obtain transcripts
directly from those institutions, even if the classes appear on the
UMCP transcript.
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22. Where should my letters of recommendation be sent?
LSDAS offers a recommendation service. Use of the service is optional
unless a law school to which the student applies requires participation.
You should check the letter of recommendation requirements for each
law school to which you apply. Copies of these letters will be sent
to LSDAS-participating law schools to which you apply. There
is a specific recommendation form that must accompany each letter
of recommendation. The recommendation form is available in the current
LSAT/LSDAS Registration book or on LSAC's website, http://www.lsac.org.
You should not use the LSDAS recommendation service for school-specific
letters of recommendation. Such letters should be sent directly to
the law school.
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23. How long is my subscription to LSDAS active?
A subscription to LSDAS is good for one year, from the date of subscription.
If necessary, students can re-subscribe to LSDAS.
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24. How long are LSAT scores acceptable?
Most law schools require that students have taken the LSAT within three
years of their application. Some allow for the LSAT score to be at
maximum five years old. You should contact the specific law schools
to determine whether or not your LSAT score will be accepted.
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25. How does LSAC calculate my GPA?
Grades are converted to a 4.0 scale, in order to standardize the reviewing
process for law schools. The Grade Conversion Table used by LSDAS is
provided in the current LSAT/LSDAS Registration and Information Book.
Note: Repeated Courses
All grades earned for a repeated class will be included in the GPA
calculation for LSDAS, even if the lower grade has not been calculated
in your GPA at the University of Maryland. If both grades for the repeated
course appear on your transcript, it will be calculated in your GPA
for purposes of LSDAS.
Grades excluded from the GPA include Withdraws,
Incompletes, Remedial Courses (if they are clearly designated as such
on the transcript), Those awarded after the first undergraduate degree
has been conferred, Pass/Fail, and No Credit. AP or CLEP courses will
be included only if your transcript shows that you received a grade
and credits for them. At Maryland, you will receive credit but no grades
for AP and CLEP courses. In this instance, these classes will not be
calculated in your GPA - they will appear as unconverted credit hours
on the LSDAS Report.
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