Law schools rely heavily on undergraduate grades and scores on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) in deciding whom to admit. Other considerations may include letters of recommendation, extra-curricular activities, distinctive experiences, and other background circumstances of particular applicants. Those who demonstrate excellence as undergraduate students, including through a rigorous course of study at Virginia Tech, are more likely to be admitted to law schools than applicants whose academic performance has been less distinguished. The standards for admission vary, of course, depending on the law school.
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is administered several times a year by Law School Admission Services, Inc., which also maintains a Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) to coordinate sending of LSAT scores, undergraduate grades, and letters of recommendation to law schools. Most students take the LSAT in the summer or fall of the year preceding their planned enrollment in law school. It is important to pay close attention to registration deadlines and to be well rested on the day of the LSAT.
Information on the LSAT and LSDAS, including test dates, how to register and registration deadlines, is available at the Law School Admission Council; website, www.lsac.org. Also available at this web site are information and forms for those who may qualify for a waiver of LSAT/LSDAS fees.
The best preparation for the LSAT, in addition to rigorous coursework and independent reading and analysis, is becoming familiar with the test format and taking official practice tests, which may be ordered from LSAC electronically at www.lsac.org. Students are advised to take at least one official practice test under conditions approximating those of the actual test.
In general, applicants are encouraged to apply to a range of law schools. Factors to consider include the school's admission standards, reputation, special programs, location, and cost. The pre-law advisor/s may be able to assist you in choosing an appropriate range of schools given your particular circumstances and aspirations. Most Virginia Tech students apply to between five and nine schools, and it is best to apply to at least one or two "safety" schools. A number of sources listed under Resources and References contain information to assist you in applying to an appropriate range of schools. We recommend in particular that you consult the Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, available free via LSAC's web site, www.lsac.org. For example, you can search for law schools that admit specified percentages of applicants with particular combinations of GPA and LSAT scores, by doing a "LSAC Data Search," under "Search Law Schools," after clicking on the link for the Official Guide. You will want to order or download catalogues and application materials from selected law schools that interest you.
Scholarships and fellowships for law school are not the norm, but loans often
are available for those who need them. In addition, applicants with exceptional
records, veterans, persons with disabilities, members of racial or ethnic minorities,
and other persons may inquire of law schools as to the possible availability
of special funding sources. The LSAC web site includes forms for ordering publications
on issues such as financing law school and the possible concerns of minority
applicants; information on financial aid also is available on the Internet (see
Resources and References ). You are encouraged
to consult as well with the pre-law advisor/s, other members of the faculty
at Virginia Tech, and other individuals for advice about law as a career.