Pre-Law Timeline - After Graduation

After Graduation

More and more students who want to pursue a legal career are taking time off between graduating from college and beginning law school to pursue a variety of personal or professional interests. Law schools, especially highly selective Law Schools, are seeking to expand the number of such students in each class.

Before graduating, obtain letters of recommendation from professors and place them on file using the LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS) letter of recommendation service. As years between college and law school increase, so does the risk of professors transferring to other institutions, retiring, dying, or forgetting about you. While you can obtain letters of recommendation from employers, volunteer coordinators, and pastors, at least one academic letter of recommendation will make your application more attractive to law schools.

Generally, begin the application process one to two years before you plan to start law school and follow the timetable for juniors and seniors. Remember that you will be submitting your application almost a year before you begin law school.