FutureLawyer1764374874598 '25–'26 app cycle

I want to share a couple of things I’ve learned through my application process that you might want to know before I forget. Some of these are things I am glad I did as well as some things that I would do over if I could.

1. I wish I would have gotten my apps in earlier. Most application windows open September 1. If I was doing this all over again I would have prepared by applications to be ready to go by early/mid September. (almost) Every law school is on a rolling admissions basis meaning that the earlier you put in your application the higher the likelihood it gets accepted is because there are more spots. Let alone you will hear about your decision earlier.

2. Develop strong relationships with at least 3 professors. Most schools require 2 letters of recommendation and many have a third optional. Having strong LORs is something that I have seen consistently cited by schools and having professors that are willing to give real, meaningful, specific LORs rather than just AI generated basic ones will give you a significant leg up on other applicants.

3. Apply early decision to your top law school. Most schools have a binding early decision program meaning that if you apply ED and get an A you are locked in to that school. However, the odds of you getting an A through ED rather than regular decision are significantly higher let alone the scholarship. Schools realllllyyyy want you to apply ED, basically because it protects their yield rate (the amount of admissions offered vs admissions accepted) which is a factor in their ranking. For this reason they offer significant scholarships. For example, Vanderbilt (my ED school) has an out of state yearly tuition of ~$65,000. If you apply ED and get in it is an automatic yearly $53,000 scholarship. It’s big time. If you have a clear #1 choice, make sure to apply ED.

4. Double check the time zones for your interview times 🤦‍♂️. I missed an interview and had to just about beg to get a new one because I didn’t double check the time zone of the interview.

5. Develop a strong relationship with your pre-law advisor. He/she is the best resource you will have throughout your undergrad. Aim to meet with them at least once or twice per semester.

6. LSD.law is my best friend. There is so much data from previous years to look through and other people in the same shoes as I am waiting for a decision all wondering and asking the same questions. So much knowledge and advice from people who have gone through this process in years before too. Play around with the website and see all of the features, it’ll help you get a grasp of everything. It will also give you an outlet for your anxiety as you wait for your results.

6.5) Also, the reddit page r/lawschooladmissions is a great place for up to date updates about many other people applying to law schools

I hope there is some wisdom in here for you!