Duke University - Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Law School Application Timetable

If you are applying for admission to law school for Fall 2011 you will find the whole process much easier if you organize your efforts, keep accurate records, and monitor your files. This timetable of application procedures works well in conjunction with the "checksheet".

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September-October

  1. Get latest law school information from Pre-Law Advising Center, 04 Allen. Attend a prelaw seminar August 30 or 31 or September 1st, 7th or 8that 5:45pm. Location to be determined.
  2. Sign up for October LSAT by September. Late Registration dates can be found at: http://www.lsac.org/LSAT/test-dates-us-oct10.asp .
  3. Sign up for LSDAS as per the instructions found at www.lsac.org.
  4. Make an appointment to talk with the Pre-Law Advisor, Dean Wilson. Before seeing him, please
    • fill out the prelaw information sheet

      • Prelaw Information Sheet docx

      and email it to the Pre-Law Advising office (prelaw@duke.edu);
    • prepare a tentative list of law schools you are considering;
  5. Secure application materials (including financial aid applications if necessary). Please visit: www.LSAC.org for information about electronic applications.
  6. Take the LSAT if you have not already done so.
  7. Make appointments to see law school recruiters as appropriate. Check the Chronicle, your email, and the Pre-Law Bulletin Board outside of 04 Allen for recruiting dates. Appointments may be scheduled in 04 Allen Building.
  8. After receiving your application forms, write your basic essay or essays. If you wish, Dean Wilson will read these essays and make suggestions. You do not need to make an appointment. Leave the essays with Dean Wilson's staff. Dean Wilson will read these overnight and you can pick it up the next day.

October-November

  1. Give out recommendation forms to professors and Dean Wilson. You are strongly advised to use the Law School letter of recommendations service for all recommendations, except Dean Wilson’s. These are sent directly to the law schools.
  2. Get applications in. Turn in stamped envelopes addressed to your law schools to Dean Wilson’s office. If you are applying to any school for early action/early decision make sure that you make this clear to Dean Wilson's staff
  3. After you receive your LSAT score (if taken in the fall) check briefly with Dean Wilson for additional suggestions, if necessary.

December

  1. Finish up applications.
  2. If you are applying for financial aid, use the FAFSA form  online and fill it out. Keep a printed copy for your records if.

January-February

Either with a letter, or a phone call, or online, monitor your files at every law school to which you have applied making sure all items, LSDAS reports, recommendations, etc. are in and your file is complete. If any item is not in, contact the appropriate agency/person. If you applied using the LSAC online account then you may check your file status online. Some law schools also have online file checking available.

March

  1. Wait
  2. When you have been accepted to a school that you wish to attend, notify other schools in writing that have accepted you that you will not be attending.
  3. If there are problems or questions, or if you are waitlisted at your first choice school, see Dean Wilson.

April

  1. Pay deposit to school you will be attending, or if you are on the wait list at your first choice school, make sure you have placed a deposit to hold your seat at your “second choice” school.
  2. Order a final transcript from the Registrar's Office (showing graduation date) to be sent to the law school you will attend.

May-June

Please fill out and return the survey form emailed to you from the Pre-Law Advising Office.

 



Please download file (docx) and fill out and then email Prelaw Information Sheet to:

prelaw@duke.edu

Prelaw Information Sheet docx

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Link to ABA approved Law Schools

http://www.abanet.org/legaled/approvedlawschools/alpha.html

 

Must cut and paste into browser.

 

Duke Alumni

Alumni law school applicants can access the PreLaw Handbook by emailing and the office will email you a copy

Law 101, a conversation with Dean Gerald Wilson, Duke's ultimate authority on law school admissions for alums.

Law School Checksheet

Download our checksheet to help you organize and document your application to Law School

Checksheet (word)

REPORTING OF STUDY ABROAD GRADES

 

(1) If you enrolled in a study abroad program sponsored by your home institution, and the courses along with the grades and credits using your home institution's grading system are recorded on your official academic transcript or a separate or parallel transcript maintained by your home institution, then you do NOT need to send an additional transcript to Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

 

(2) If you enrolled in a study abroad program sponsored by another US (including US territories) or Canadian college or university then, in addition to your home institution's transcript, you must have the college or university sponsoring the study abroad program send a transcript directly to Law School Admission Council. When you register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), identify the US or Canadian institution sponsoring the study abroad program under “Other Institutions.”

 

(3) If you are applying to a law school that requires the use of the authentication and evaluation feature of the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), and  you were directly enrolled in one or more international institutions, and the total amount of work you completed at all international institutions is the equivalent of more than one US or Canadian academic year, then in addition to your home institution's transcript, you must have a transcript forwarded to Law School Admission Council from the international institution(s). When you register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), identify the international institution(s) under “International Institutions.” Note: A transcript from a non-degree granting agency reflecting work completed through direct enrollment is not acceptable for LSAC purposes; you must have a transcript forwarded from the institution itself.

 

(4) If you were directly enrolled in one or more international institutions, but the total amount of work is the equivalent of one year or less, do NOT list the international institution when you register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), and do not have a transcript forwarded to LSAC. International work that is the equivalent of one US or Canadian academic year or less is not required for Credential Assembly Service (CAS) purposes. You may, however, be required to list your attendance at such institutions on your application to law school.              

 

 (5)  Please note that international transcripts meeting the “more than one year” criteria are required from all

  • undergraduate and graduate schools;
  • law/medical/professional schools; and
  • schools attended even though a degree was never awarded.

 

All required international transcripts must be sent directly to LSAC by the issuing institution, and will be processed through the authentication and evaluation feature of the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) as described on LSAC’s website, www.LSAC.org.

  

(Document prepared by Gerald Wilson, Duke University; Heather Struck, Cornell University; Laura Pugliese, Law School Admission Council.)

 

reporting study abroad grades8-10-2010.doc