Applicants typically have many questions regarding law school. We have assembled a series of questions to assist you with your application process.

THE BASICS 

• 1. What are the requirements for applying to law school?
  A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. undergraduate institution or its foreign equivalent and the LSAT are the basic requirements to apply for law school.
  
  Is your School Accredited? Click here to find out.  The commissions that are acceptable: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; Commission on Higher Education; New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commissions on Institutions of Higher Education; North Central Associations of Colleges and Schools; The Higher Learning Commission; Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Commission on Colleges; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; Accrediting Commission for Schools.
  
  Loyola University Chicago School of Law does not have minimum LSAT scores or a GPA requirement.
• 2. What is the CAS?
  CAS stands for the Credential Assembly Service.
  
  The Service assembles the following information in reports, which it sends to schools you apply to: Your report consists of data such as your undergraduate academic summary, your LSAT score(s), copies of your transcript(s), writing sample, and letter(s). (Source: Law School Admission Council Website: LSAC.org)
  
  For more information on the CAS, please go to LSAC.org/jd/apply/cas.asp.
• 3. Which undergraduate courses do I need to take to be prepared and more competitive for law school?
  There is no required or recommended undergraduate major or set of courses to prepare for law school. Students are admitted to law school each year from a wide range of academic majors. Some choose to major in somewhat traditional areas such as political science, English, history, etc. while others decide on subjects such as music, engineering and fine arts. It is recommended that you select a major and choose courses that are both challenging and of interest to you.  For applicants to Loyola, the five most popular majors are economics, English, finance, political science and psychology.
• 4. How long does it usually take to graduate from law school?
  It typically takes three years to graduate from the full-time program and four years to complete the part-time program.  This time frame does not include summer classes.

ABOUT THE LSAT

• 5. How do I register for the LSAT?
  You can go to the Law School Admission Council's (LSAC) website to register for the LSAT.
• 6. When should I take the LSAT?
  The LSAT is offered four (4) times a year: June, October, December, and February. Your score is active for five years with LSAC.
  
  Additionally, the last test we will accept during an admission cycle is the February test of the same year for which you are applying (i.e. if you are applying for Fall 2013, the last score we will accept is February 2013).  For the full-time day JD applicants, we caution that by the time we receive February scores, a large number of offers may have been made; therefore, it can be more competitive for the remaining seats.
• 7. How does your Admissions Committee evaluate multiple LSAT scores?
  Individual scores as well as the average are considered during the application review process.  The ABA requires that law schools submit the highest score for reporting purposes.
• 8. What is considered a competitive LSAT score?
  The range of the scoring for the LSAT is 120 to 180. Our median is 158 across all divisions.

APPLYING TO LOYOLA

• 9. How can I apply?
  We require applicants to use the electronic application. Please contact our office if you should need a paper application. The application fee is waived for all applicants.
  
  In addition to the application itself, we require the following: 1) CAS report (includes LSAT score(s), letter(s) of recommendation and transcript(s)); 2) One letter of Recommendation; 3) Personal Statement; 4) Resume.
• 10. When should I apply and what are the application deadlines?
  It is recommended that you apply in the fall of the year prior to your planned enrollment.  Candidates taking the December or February LSAT are advised to submit their transcripts and letters of recommendation prior to the LSAT date, so the complete report can be generated when the test score is available.   We also recommend submitting your application for admission just prior or immediately after taking these two tests.
  
  The School of Law begins accepting applications October 1st.
  
  Early Notification Deadline: January 15th
  
  Early notification is for anyone who completes their file, meaning the application and all supporting documentation is received, by January 15th. Priority is given to these files and students will receive a decision no later than February 15th. This decision is not binding and does not require an applicant to withdraw their applications from other schools.   If they accept a seat, their deposit is due April 15th, the same as any applicant accepted after February 15th.
  
  For all other applications, the priority deadline is March 1.
• 11. If I decide to apply and complete my file by the Early Notification deadline, will this increase my chances of being admitted?
  Applicants who decide to complete their file by the early notification deadline will not have a greater probability of being admitted nor will applicants who want to complete their file after the deadline be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. The same standards and criteria will be used to evaluate all applicants, whether the application is completed early or not. The advantage to those applying early is the possibility of receiving a final decision much earlier in the process.
  
  Also, Loyola has several special scholarships/fellowships with a March 1 deadline; candidates must be admitted by this date to be considered.
• 12. Can I apply to both the full-time day and part-time evening division at the same time?
  On your application for admissions, you may select your first and second choice.  You should pick the division you are most interested in and works best for your goals and personal obligations.
• 13. Does your institution accept Transfer and Visiting students?
  Yes, we do. For complete lists of requirements and criteria, please visit our Transfer Applicant and Visiting Student Applicant pages.
• 14. When can I expect to be notified about my application?
  We notify all applicants by email when their applications have been received and processed. Then, we notify them by email when we receive the CAS report and if anything is missing at that time. When the application is complete, the applicant is emailed with this information. You can also check your application status online.
  
  If your file is complete by January 15th, you will be notified by February 15th of a decision via regular postal mail. If your file is complete after January 15th, you will be notified of a decision within 4-6 weeks of the date you receive the email stating your file is complete, via regular postal mail.
• 15. Do you grant deferrals on offers of admission?
  Deferrals will only be granted for applicants on a case by case basis.  Candidates need to submit a formal request.  There is a financial deposit associated with deferment.  Teach for America participants and those called for active military duty automatically receive a deferment upon request.
• 16. If my application for admission is denied, can I appeal that decision?
  No, all decisions made by the committee are final. You will need to wait to reapply for the following year if you wish to have your application considered again.
• 17. If I register with CAS immediately, my CAS report will not include my fall semester grades, and I hope to raise my overall grade point average this semester. Would it be possible for me to delay my CAS registration so that my report will include seventh semester grades?
  We do not recommend delaying registration with CAS. If you complete additional coursework and want it to be considered by the Law School, please have an updated transcript sent to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). This additional semester's work will be incorporated into your file with LSAC. The LSAC will then forward an updated LSCAS report which includes the new transcript to the Law School, and we will update your application file with the new report.
  
  If you are sitting for the December or February LSAT, you can wait and send your transcripts with your fall grades included.
• 18. Where do I send my foreign transcripts?
  Any applicant who completed his/her undergraduate work at a foreign institution should register for the LSAT through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). Your transcripts should be provided to JD-CAS. You can register for JD-CAS at LSAC.org/jd/apply/international-transcripts.asp.
  
  Please note: If you used the JD-CAS and are admitted and choose to enroll at Loyola, the Admission Committee may require that you have a formal course-by-course evaluation completed through WES or ECE.

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

• 19. What are your LSAT and GPA ranges?
  For the fall 2012 entering class, the LSAT range was: 25th% = 156 50th% = 158, 75th% = 160.
  The GPA range was: 25th% = 3.12, 50th% = 3.35, 75th% = 3.57. For more statistics, please go here.
• 20. If I call the admissions office and give my undergraduate GPA and LSAT over the phone, can I get a picture of the chances of my being offered admission?
  No. The staff cannot make a meaningful prediction because they are not involved in the decision making process. All admissions decisions are made by the Admissions Committee. More importantly, non-quantitative factors play an equally important role. In addition to undergraduate GPA and LSAT score, the committee reviews each applicant's entire file (i.e. personal statement, letters of recommendation, etc.).
  
  If you would like to search LSAT/GPA data, please visit LSAC’s website at: https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/UGPALSAT/UGPALSAT.aspx
• 21. What is the law school student body like?
  Our student body is about 52% female (55% in the entering class), 24% minority (27.77% in the entering class) and 46% of the students are from out of state (54.86% in the entering year class).
• 22. What kind of workload should I expect at Loyola?
  Students must complete 86 credit hours to graduate. Full-time students take on average 15 credit hours per semester. More information regarding the curriculum may be found at LUC.edu/law/academics/guidelines.html. For every 1 hour of class time, a student should anticipate 2-3 hours of reading outside of class.
• 23. Do you offer financial aid and/or scholarships?
  Our institution offers both merit and need-based scholarships to first year students. For more information regarding this process, please visit Financial Aid.