Prepare for law school throughout your four years at Calvin

• Freshman year

• Sophomore year

• Junior year

• Senior year

 

Freshman Year

• Attend the fall meeting for pre-law students
• Enroll in Calvin's Pre-Law List Serve to receive e-mail information about upcoming pre-law program events
• Explore majors to determine what fits your interests
• Interact with professors
• Become involved in two or three student activities and groups
• Work diligently in your studies

Sophomore Year

• Attend the fall meeting for pre-law students
• If you have not already done so, enroll in Calvin's Pre-Law List Serve
• Choose your majors and minors
• Interact with professors
• Maintain involvement in a narrow set of student activities
• Work diligently in your studies

Junior Year

• Attend the fall meeting for pre-law students
• If you have not already done so, enroll in Calvin's Pre-Law List Serve
• Meet with the Pre-Law Advisor in the fall or spring
• Take part in a law-oriented internship program
• Attend a Law School Admisssions Council (LSAC) Law School Forum (typically, one is held annually in Chicago each fall)
• Prepare to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) throughout the spring months, and register to take the February or June LSAT (preferably February)
• Identify two professors who could provide recommendations, as well as other individuals in specific contexts, such as an internship supervisor, employer, volunteer coordinator, and others
• Work diligently in your studies

Senior Year

• In August and September
  • Attend the fall meeting for pre-law students
  • If you have not already done so, enroll in Calvin's Pre-Law List Serve
  • Meet with the Pre-Law Advisor
  • Register for the October or December LSAT if you did not take the test during your Junior Year, or if you need to retake it
  • Identify law schools you are interested in attending and obtain applications
  • Attend a Law School Admisssions Council (LSAC) Law School Forum if you did not attend during your Junior Year (typically, one is held annually in Chicago each fall)
  • Work on your Personal Statement, allowing sufficient time to do at least four drafts
  • Contact individuals to request recommendation letters
  • Subscribe to the Law School Data Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS) and have your official transcript sent to them by Calvin

• In late-September and early-October
  • If taking the LSAT in October, make sure you have completed all of the steps noted above for August and September
• Submit your law school applications no later than November 1

• In December
  • Follow-up with law schools where you applied to be certain that your applications are complete
• If you took the LSAT in October or December, submit your law school applications as soon as possible after receiving your score
• Watch for admission letters from law schools that have rolling/early admissions

• In January
  • Complete Federal Financial Aid forms

• In March, April and May
  • March is the final application deadline for most law schools
  • In April and May, admission letters from law schools without rolling admissions will arrive
  • After receiving responses from law schools, determine where you will be attending school in the fall and notify them of your acceptance
  • Notify Calvin's Pre-Law Advisor of your decisions and future plans
  • In late May or early June, secure housing in the law school area

Quick Tips

During every year at Calvin, work diligently in your studies! Law schools look closely at the GPA of applicants.

Plan your coursework to take advantage of classes which will prepare you for law school.

Most law schools require that applicants take the LSAT by December in order to be considered for admission the following fall, although October test taking is preferred.

To enroll in Calvin's Pre-Law List Serve, contact the Academic Office and ask to be placed on the pre-law e-mail list.

Legal career books, catalogues and information from a number of U.S. law schools are available in the Pre-Law Library, located in the Political Science Department office (DeVos Communication Building, Second floor).