How To Get Into Top Law Schools?

Many prospective law students across the United States are working towards gaining admission into a top law school. However, top law schools are very selective with their admissions, and the application process is competitive. This results in top law schools being notorious for their difficult admissions process and plenty of students wondering what will give them the edge.

Our article will give you all the information you need to boost your law school applications and understand the best ways to increase your chances of acceptance into a top law school.

Why Top Law Schools Are Beneficial?

While a law degree from any accredited and reputable law school will pave the way to the fulfilling legal career you want, attending a top law school is one of the best ways to achieve your legal career dreams.

This is because top law schools are typically ranked highly in the U.S. News and World Report, which bases its rankings on the amenities available to students and the post-graduation employment statistics of students. As a result, top law schools have more name-based prestige and often provide easier paths to the employment you are pursuing.

8 Tips for Getting Into a Top Law School

The following tips can help you make your law school application stand out from the pack and increase your chances of successful admission into the top law school of your dreams.

1. Choose the Right Undergraduate Degree

Choose an undergraduate degree that puts you on track for law school. Concentrations like pre-law, sociology, history, or economics require plenty of studying, critical thinking, reading, and writing, which are the same skills that you will use in law school.

If one of these degrees doesn’t interest you, you might also want to choose a more unique degree, such as an art degree. You may be able to frame the unique skills it gives you as valuable experiences for your law school career.

2. Focus on Your Grades

Keeping your grades high and achieving a decent GPA is essential if you want your law school application to stand out. Plenty of students apply to top law schools, and they are notoriously difficult to get into because of the higher average GPA and LSAT scores that they require for students to be admitted. If you want to make sure your application is competitive, then it helps to focus on your grades and ensure you do everything you can to maintain a high GPA.

3. Develop Your Extracurriculars

Having plenty of extracurriculars makes for a well-rounded application and shows admissions committees that you have diverse interests. This allows you to pull on your experience from these activities and demonstrate your commitment to your community, display unique and valuable skills you will bring to your class, and diversify your application statements.

All of these things make you a more desirable candidate for admissions committees looking to create an incoming class of law students with diverse experiences and skills.

4. Obtain Law-Related Experience

In addition to increasing your extracurriculars, look for volunteer, internship, or job opportunities that work with local law firms or other legal professions. Law-related experiences aren’t required of law school applicants, but they do help your application stand out by demonstrating your dedication to a legal career. These types of experiences also help prepare you for law school and give you valuable insight into what the realities of legal studies might bring.

5. Evaluate Your Career Goals

When choosing which top law schools to aim for and working on your applications to these schools, you should evaluate your career goals. Some law schools provide better opportunities than others for specific legal careers, and the location of the law school is also important to consider.

It’s common to make connections in the area where you attend law school, so you should ensure your career goals align with where your chosen law school is. This makes your application more targeted to the law school you desire to attend and increases your chances of acceptance.

6. Ensure Your LSAT Scores Are High

Almost every top law school is highly selective, and the application process is competitive due to the higher required LSAT scores for admission. So it’s important to keep in mind the average range of scores that your chosen top law schools require for admission and work to ensure your LSAT scores are high. The higher your LSAT score is, the greater your chances for admission as long as you have a well-rounded application.

If you need help achieving your desired LSAT score, don’t hesitate to reach out to an LSAT tutor for assistance.

7. Spend Time on Your Admissions Application

One of the best ways to ensure your admissions application is competitive is to take your time. Don’t rush through the application; give yourself ample time to complete questions, fill out important personal information, and compose personal statements.

Taking time in all parts of your application will ensure you don’t accidentally make a mistake and allow you to perfectly craft your admissions application to showcase everything that your top law school choices are looking for.

8. Apply to Law School Early

Applying to your chosen top law schools early is a great way to show your commitment to that school should you be accepted. Early applications often have a higher chance of acceptance because many more spots are open. Additionally, if you choose to apply as an early-decision applicant, schools know that you are more likely to accept their offer of admittance. This helps law schools secure their incoming classes of students and determine available spaces.

The later you submit your application, the more likely that spots are to be filled with early-decision candidates and other outstanding applicants, making it harder to gain one of the last spots in the incoming class.

Achieving Your Top Law School Dreams

Achieving your dreams of attending a top law school doesn’t need to seem impossible. With hard work, a careful plan to maximize your application’s chances with admissions committees, and plenty of dedication to your grades and LSAT scores, you may be able to attend the law school of your dreams.