Criteria that May be Considered by Law School Admissions Committees

• Undergraduate cumulative grade-point average
• LSAT score
• Undergraduate course of study
• College attended
• Improvement in grades and grade distribution
• Work and/or professional experience (post-undergraduate)
• Graduate study and/or advanced degrees
• Writing ability based on Personal Statement and LSAT writing sample.
• Letter of recommendation
• Motivation to study and reason for deciding to study law
• College curricular and extracurricular activities
• Individual character and personality
• Difficulties that you have overcome
• Pre-College preparation
• Anything else that stands out in an application

Law schools can be very selective about whom they admit into their programs. Although the number of applicants has declined recently, law school applicants can expect that the admissions process will still be quite competitive. Most law schools receive more than enough applications from highly qualified candidates, many of whom would be perfectly capable of completing a law school education. The dilemma for admissions committees is that limited space and resources mandate the denial of admission to many of these candidates.

Questions or Suggestions? Email us at: careers@cua.edu

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