When to Submit Optional Application Materials

By Morgan Smith, 2L USC Gould School of Law

Law school applications have many optional components: addenda, second essays, diversity statements, and, for some schools, even résumés. Hillary Mantis, Esq. offers some advice in the Fall issue of preLaw magazine (Vol. 15, No.2).

Résumés
Most schools typically require a résumé, but if they do not, it is a good idea to submit one anyway. Your résumé will give you much more space than the tiny boxes on the application to describe your activities and jobs. It also gives you a chance to explain honors and activities outside of your personal statement. Your résumé should be different from the one you would submit for a job– an admissions officer does not need to know that you can type sixty words per minute. They do want to know about all of your academic achievements and leadership positions you have held on campus and in the community. You do not need to include your LSAT score, and if you include your GPA, make sure it matches your transcript. Also, include any legal experience , paid or not. Use a nice size font and make it readable. Remember, admissions officers are reading tons of applications!

What Law Schools Do I Apply To?

By Morgan Smith, 2L USC Gould School of Law

With so many law schools to choose from, it can be a daunting task to decide which schools you should apply to.  The application process is also expensive: application fees are around $80 per school and LSAC charges an additional fee of $16 per school.  Here are some factors to consider when narrowing your search:

1. GPA and LSAT: These are the two most important factors in your application and can be very good predictors of whether you will be admitted, wait listed, or rejected.  To get started, look at the list of schools and their LSAT and GPA quartiles on http://www.top-law-schools.com/rankings.html and see what schools’ ranges encompass your numbers.  LSAC has a search engine that allows you to submit your GPA and LSAT to search for schools.  Once logged into your account, click on the Apply tab, then Overview, and then Search for Schools.  Another useful website is http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com/,