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Pre-Law Information and Resources > Preparation Checklist
 

Preparation Checklist

Freshman and Sophomore Year

• Make advising appointment with Nick Gauthier (nick.gauthier@wmich.edu), Arts and Sciences Advising, then finish General Education classes. Consider extra curricular activities (e.g., Pre Law Society, Mock Trial Team) and start considering professors who you could ask your senior year for letters of recommendation.
• Choose your major as soon as possible.

Junior Year

• September
  • Attend Chicago Law Forum - usually the WMU Pre Law Society gets a group together to save on expenses. This Forum has admissions officers from all law schools, and offers workshops on financing your legal education, application process, etc.
• February
  • Get a practice LSAT from the web. Take it in as similar as a setting to the actual exam as you can (e.g., turn off your telephone, breaks no longer than given during the actual exam). Figure up what your LSAT score would be with no additional studying and no preparation course from Kaplan.
• March
  • Get on the web and research the law schools you are considering - get those school's LSAT and GPA requirements. Then make an appointment to talk to a pre law advisor. Based on your potential law school choices, estimated GPA at graduation and these scores, this advisor should be able to help you determine 1) whether or not you need to take a preparation course (estimated cost: $350-$1300), 2) how much studying on your own you need to do, 3) help you sign up for the LSAT.
  • If your practice exam score is close to your ideal law school's requirements, consider doing some heavy studying in the spring semester. If you're more than 10 points away, consider taking a preparation course.
• April
  • Talk to your potential letter writers and build a relationship. You will need approximately 2 letters for your applications next year. Approach your potential letter writers and make sure they are willing to write you a letter the following year. While there are no "rules" for these letters, try to make sure that at least one of the letters is an academic reference who knows something about your scholarly abilities. Former employers or people you have done volunteer work with are other options but not as favorable as academic references.
• May
  • Sign up for a preparation course (if needed) and make sure all paperwork is filled out to register for the LSAT (which you will take in June). Registration deadline for LSAT is one month before the exam.
• June
  • Take the LSAT. Usually offered either the first or second week of June.
• July to August
  • Write law schools for their catalogs and admissions materials. Receive your LSAT score. Register for the October LSAT if necessary (though remember that your scores will all be averaged together)

Senior Year

• September
  • If you did not attend the Chicago Law Forum last year, attend it this year. You will have already received your LSAT score. Celebrate the good news (or recuperate from the bad) and write the schools you're going to apply to, asking to receive information and application packets.
  • Sit down with your advisor and review the selection of schools and letters of recommendation. Also at this time, show your advisor your first draft of a personal statement.
  • Approach your potential letter writers and supply supply them with a copy of your resume.
  • Also during this time, subscribe to LSDAS and send your official transcripts to them (the subscription forms are in your LSAT Registration Book). Inform them which schools you will be applying to.
  • Also, check with LSDAS about this time to make sure they have all your information. Have they gotten your transcripts yet? Letters of recommendation yet? LSAT scores? Don't forget: LSDAS averages all your grades; they don't allow you to retake a class you failed then "drop" the bad grade from your GPA and keep only the good one.
  • Prepare your applications. Applications should be submitted well ahead of the deadlines. Try to have all your applications submitted by the first of December.
• November to January
  • File any financial aid applications.
• March
  • Visit all the law schools you've been accepted to (this will add to your decision process). Pay your seat deposits on time to hold your position at your chosen school.

Then sit back, relax, graduate from college and prepare to start law school in August!