As you start thinking about applying to law school, you should consider the elements you need for your application to stand out and be successful. There are many things that you can do in undergrad to submit an outstanding application. This process begins in your first year!
High GPA
Of course, one essential element to a successful law school application is having a high GPA. Do not be discouraged if you do not have the best grades every year. Although law schools look at your cumulative GPA, many law schools also look at your final two years. Try to develop good study habits when you are in undergrad. This is important not only for getting into law school but also for success once you are in law school.
Some study tips are:
- Develop good time management and complete assignments in advance. This allows you time to review your assignments yourself and with your professors.
- Participate in class. This fosters active engagement with the material, but it also shows your professors that you are doing your work, understanding the course material and are engaged in their course.
- Keep organized notes and write everything down. It is essential to have all the information at your disposal so that when you are reviewing your notes you have a clear picture of how different elements relate to each other.
- Be detailed on exams and assignments. Try to utilize the maximum amount of information that you learned to show your knowledge. Just focusing on one part of the course will only show your knowledge in one area rather than an understanding of the whole course.
The LSAT
The LSAT has three key areas which are: reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. A writing sample on a given topic is also required for the LSAT but it is unscored. More information on how to approach the LSAT can be found here.
Before studying for the LSAT it can be helpful to do a diagnostic test. This helps you to see where you are before any studying to determine how much higher you need to boost your score. Doing a diagnostic test will also give you a better idea of your strengths and potential areas for improvement when you are actively studying. This is helpful to know before studying because it gives you a clear understanding of how your mind works which can show you how to tailor your studying for your success.
Make sure you dedicate a substantial amount of your time to studying for the LSAT. Doing prep over a larger span of time allows for you to have less stress and for the information to sink in. The LSAT is not a test that you can cram for. You need to understand it and train your brain to understand the questions and recognize patterns within the questions so that you can excel. When you are doing your LSAT prep, look at the areas that you scored poorly on and really hone in on that. Targeting the areas that you are struggling with can help boost your score drastically.
Volunteer Work
One of the things you can do in undergrad to bolster application is volunteer work. Volunteering is incredibly rewarding and can be beneficial to destress during your undergrad experience. It is nice to have off-campus experiences not only to destress, but also to be involved in the community you will spend many years in.
Being involved in the community is also a large element that plays a role in one’s application. Demonstrating your leadership abilities, adaptability and a commitment to community and cause is an amazing set of skills to showcase on your law school application. Volunteering allows you to be involved in causes you are passionate about. Your law school application should not only be about getting into law school, but it should showcase you as a person. You should show these schools what is important to you, what you care about and what kind of a person you are. Although GPA and LSAT are very important, law schools also want to know who YOU are.
School Community
Another way to create a compelling application is to be involved in the school community. Join clubs, teams, and associations. Joining pre-law clubs and attaining executive memberships or leadership roles are also positive because you will meet individuals with similar goals, and you can gain more information and tips from one another. Not only is this beneficial to yourself by getting to know more students and finding like-minded individuals but this will also be a positive aspect for your application.
If there are any case competitions, mock trials, essay writing competitions etc., be sure to take this opportunity because it will make you stand out. Having any awards or achievements is always positive for admissions. School involvement and extracurriculars can enhance your academic performance by having outlets to destress and can show admission teams that you have a broad skill set and are a multi-dimensional and multi-faceted individual.
Keeping Track of Potential Verifiers
There are many components to the law school application process. Consider compiling a list of all the activities, societies and organizations you have been involved with throughout your undergraduate career and potential individuals who can verify your involvement. This will be helpful so that when you are completing your application, you have a complete list of who you need to reach out to. This will be a time saver later on so that you have one less thing to worry about when you are trying to get the rest of your application in order.
Conclusion
During your undergraduate degree, take advantage of all of the opportunities to be involved in, in different capacities. I would say that many people do not go into their undergraduate degree knowing that they want to be a lawyer. Be sure to do things that are fun and that you are genuinely interested in. Do your best to attain the highest GPA and LSAT that you can. Ultimately, all you can do is your best and you should be proud of your results! If you feel that your stats are not the most competitive, the other elements of your application and the organizations and clubs that you have been a part of can definitely aid in changing this. All the best on your journey to becoming a lawyer!
Author:
Maya Kawale
J.D. Candidate (2025)
Queen’s University | Faculty of Law