The role of LSAC in the law school application process
The Law School Admission Council, LSAC, collects an applicant’s required documentation (LSAT score, LSAT writing sample, letters of recommendation, and transcripts) and uses this information to create a Law School Report that is forwarded to law schools upon the school’s request. The system used to transfer these documents is referred to as CAS, the Credential Assembly Service.
Once the applicant has completed the law school application specific to each institution, the school will then request a Law School Report for the applicant from LSAC. A law school application file is not considered complete until it contains a Law School Report, which provides the institution a detailed breakdown of LSAT scores, GPA, LSAT writing sample(s), transcripts and letters of recommendation. To better understand the link between LSAC, CAS, and the Law School Report students can visit www.lsac.org/jd/apply/cas-law-school-reports.asp.
In addition to the materials needed to complete a Law School Report, law schools require further documentation. The most commonly requested documents are personal statements, resumes and an addendum. Each of these documents offer law schools to examine the student as a whole.
A detailed list of all the necessary documents
1. Transcripts: Official transcripts are to be sent to CAS. Connecticut College has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide online transcript ordering. Current students must log into CamelWeb, go to My Academic page and from Academic resources portlet, click on Transcript Requests. Alumni and Inactive students can link directly to the National Student Clearinghouse.
2. Personal Statements: The purpose of a personal statement is to utilize your critical thinking abilities to reflect and analyze on past life experiences that have led you to your decision to apply for law school. This is an opportunity for the law school admission committee to gain a deeper understanding of the path that has led you to law. Students should use this opportunity to show how they will apply the tool of law to help others. Law schools do not typically conduct applicant interviews, therefore the personal statement will serve as an introduction. Each law school’s person statement prompt varies and should be carefully read to understand the specific instructions. Typically, a personal statement is a two-page double-spaced document. In addition to serving as an introduction to the applicant, the personal statement is also examined as a writing sample.
3. Letters of Recommendation: Most law schools require a minimum of two letters of recommendation from faculty members. All students at Connecticut College are encouraged to develop relationships with professors, as they can be some of the best resources on campus. From these connections and relationships, students interested in pursuing law have already laid the foundation with a variety of different professors to have them write a letter of recommendation. Applicants should meet with each faculty member to discuss the application process and provide them with a copy of their personal statement.
4. Resume: The primary purpose of the resume is to highlight the skills you have gained in and out of the classroom and your ability to connect academic content with real-world experiences. Connecticut College students who progress throughout the four year career preparation program will have access to the master resume template to help organize experiences and expand upon them.
5. Addendum: An addendum acts as a document to clarify a component of your application. All addendums must be concise and factual.
Students with any questions pertaining to the necessary documentation required for the law school admission process are advised to make an appointment with their career adviser.
Students interested in having these documents revised or edited are encouraged to make an appointment with a career fellow or graduate intern.