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FAQs
FAQs
We are very excited about the opportunity to provide you with useful information about law school admission and legal study in general. Below are some common questions about law school application and admission requirements. Please bear in mind that this is only an overview and that specific requirements may vary depending upon the law school to which one applies.
What are the requirements for law school application?
Application requirements may vary. Below we have listed TU's requirements only. However, these are commonly shared by most law schools.
1. All applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited four year college or university.
2. All applicants must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).
3. All applicants must register for Credential Assembly Service (CAS) through LSAC.
4. All applicants must submit a formal application to law school (includes submission of a personal statement and two letters of recommendation).
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS Applicants who graduate from a school outside of the US or Canada must complete steps 2-4 above. Therefore, international applicants are required to register for CAS and arrange for foreign transcripts to be mailed to CAS. CAS will evaluate the transcripts and include them in the CAS report. LSAC now has the ability to evaluate foreign transcripts. As a result, TU Law now requires international applicants to have their transcripts evaluated by LSAC through CAS.
Additionally, international applicants must request the Educational Testing Service send their TOEFL score directly to LSAC so that the TOEFL score, in addition to the transcript evaluation, Letters of Recommendation, and the LSAT score may be placed into the CAS report.
Finally, all international applicants admitted to The College of Law must provide proof of financial resources by submitting a Confirmation of Financial Resourses (CFR) form to the Office of Admissions.
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What is the LSAT exam?
The LSAT is a half day standardized exam that tests for reading comprehension and writing skills, as well as logic, reasoning, and analytical capabilities. The exam consists mainly of multiple choice questions and one essay question. The essay question, though not graded, is important because law schools will use it to evaluate a candidate's writing skills.
The LSAT is given four times a year (usually in February, June, September/October & December).
The LSAT does not test your knowledge on any particular subject. Although one cannot necessarily "study" for the exam, one can definitely prepare for it by practicing the exam and developing strategies for selecting the correct answers on the multiple choice portion of the exam. There are prep courses such as KAPLAN available to help students prepare. Also, there are LSAT prep books available in bookstores and sample tests available online. Which preparation technique is right for you will depend upon how you learn. It is VERY important to prepare for the LSAT and do as well as you can. Students will vary as to which learning style suits them best.
For information on the LSAT exam, log on to LSAC.
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What is a CAS report?
The CAS report is prepared on your behalf by the same company that administers the LSAT exam. Nearly all ABA accredited Law Schools use this service which helps the schools manage the volumes of information we receive each year on our applicants.
CAS reports are sent out to every law school to which you apply as long as you have made proper arrangements for that to happen. Once an applicant has applied to a law school, that school may then request your CAS to be sent. If the CAS report is ready (i.e. all transcripts and reference letters received, LSAT exam taken and score readily available in the report and all necessary fees paid) it will be released to the laws schools specified by the applicant.
The CAS report contains statistical information about an applicant's performance in school and on the LSAT exam, copies of ALL transcripts, copies of reference letters written on behalf of applicant and a copy of the applicant's LSAT essay answer. The CAS is also the official way an applicant's LSAT score is reported to a law school.
To learn more about the CAS report, log on to LSAC.
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What is taken into consideration for law school admission?
• Undergraduate GPA
• LSAT score
• Character
• Personal Statement (submitted with application)
• Two recommendation letters (submitted to CAS)
• Other factors may include, but are not limited to work history, extracurricular activities, graduate work, capacity for leadership, progression in grades, or excellence in a particular field
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Who should write my reference letters?
Professors are recommended because they have the benefit of having observed you in the classroom environment and can comment in regard to your contributions to class, performance on assignments, overall classroom conduct, etc.
Employers and other business / personal acquaintances may also be good choices if they can comment in detail about an applicant’s strengths and skills as personally observed by the letter writer.
Law Alumni, Judges and attorneys can be effective choices because of their own perspectives on what it takes to get through law school. However, be aware that letters from these references will work only if such persons know you well enough to write detailed letters which specifically address your personal attributes as well as what the applicant might contribute to the classroom and to the legal field.
Basically, anyone other than a family member will work as a reference. Just remember that the letter should be detailed and truly speak to the applicant's personal skills, strengths, accomplishments, etc.
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What goes in the personal statement?
The answer to this question will vary depending upon which school you are asking. Some will say that applicants should write about why they want to go to law school. Others will recommend that you express what you will contribute to the law school as a student. At TU we ask that you write about whatever is personal to you. Ask yourself, what do I need to convey to the admissions review committee before they cast their votes in regard to my application? If the answer to that question is one of the topics above, obstacles you may have overcome, achievements you have enjoyed, or some other area of importance to you, THAT is what goes into your personal statement.
Some schools require personal statements, others do not. TU Law requires applicants to submit personal statements along with their application.
Personal statements should be double spaced, well written, concise, free of error, and should not exceed 3 pages in length. A good rule of thumb is to have someone whose judgment you value proofread your personal statement prior to submitting it to any law school. IMPORTANT: Please note that reviewers will use your personal statement to determine writing skill, seriousness of purpose, and readiness for the study of law.
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How long should the personal statement be?
Again, schools will vary on the length preference for the personal statement. TU Law requires that you write 1-3 pages.
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How long does it take to get through law school?
At TU, it typically takes three years to complete a legal education. However, the availability of a reduced schedule or part-time option would cause some students to graduate in four or five years. Also, full-time students may complete their legal education in two-and-a-half years by attending summer sessions.
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How many hours are required a semester?
Usually, and specifically at TU, the first year of law school consists of all prerequisite courses so the first year law student has few course choices starting out. A typical full time first year schedule includes 15 hours in the fall and 13-16 in the spring. Once you complete your required courses, you are at liberty to pick from a variety of electives. Therefore, a semester load is as full as you desire it to be after that first year. The maximum hours you are allowed to take in the spring and fall semesters is 16. The maximum for the summer is 10.
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When should I apply to law school?
For applicants who wish to begin law school in the fall, we recommend about a year prior to the time when you would like to enter law school. Why? Because that gives you ample time to take the LSAT exam, concentrate on the accurate completion of your application, register for the CAS, etc. Also, for scholarship consideration and to avoid the additional competitiveness associate with later application, it is always good to apply early. We begin receiving applications in our office each year on September 1st for the following school year.
Be aware that some law schools are stricter than others with regard to application deadlines and may not review applications after certain times in the year. Tulsa, like some other law colleges, has what is called rolling admissions which means we review applications pretty much year round (no formal deadline). However, we still recommend that applicants apply early in the year (prior to early action deadline of February 1) for reasons mentioned above.
NOTE: For spring applicants, the application period is September 1st through early December. Scores from the October 2012 LSAT exam will be accepted for those who apply to begin law school in spring 2013. However, spring applications should be submitted to the College of Law by December 5, 2012.
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What if I take the LSAT more than once?
Whenever law schools receive your CAS report it will contain both individual scores and an averaged score if you have taken the LSAT more than one time. We recommend that all candidates for law school approach the LSAT with the mind set that the first time taking the exam will be the only time to take the exam. In other words, prepare diligently the first time to eliminate the possibility of having to repeat the exam.
Note: if the need to retake the exam does arise, TU Law will look more closely at the high rather than the averaged LSAT score when reviewing an applicant's file. However, this may vary from school to school.
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How much does it cost to apply to law school?
A $30.00 fee is charged to applicants submitting application to TU law via the LSAC Website. For a Fee Waiver, please click here.
Schools will vary regarding application methods, preferences and costs.
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Main Contact for Office of Admissions:
lawadmissions@utulsa.edu
, 918-631-2406