Pre-Law Preparing and Applying

In addition to an academically successful undergraduate program, law schools are looking for students with diverse experiences who will contribute to their law school classes and cultures. 's low student teacher ratio allows students to develop relationships with faculty by attending classes, going to office hours and by being a TA and/or doing research. The hope is that these relationships will result in strong academic recommendations for Law School. Students should make sure to get involved in campus clubs and volunteer opportunities early on during their time at to show their ongoing dedication to leadership and community. 

What are the most important skills to learn prior to law school and how to gain them.

Optimizing Undergraduate Preparation for Law School, by Prof. Thomas Rozinski, Touro College

The Jacob J. Hecht Pre-Law Society is active on both undergraduate campuses. Leadership opportunities are offered each year. For more information, students at Wilf should contact Elliot S. Jarashow  at ejarasho@mail.yu.edu and students at Stern should contact Rivka Krause at rkrause2@mail.yu.edu.

There are also many other clubs and competitions to join. Click here for a list.

Law schools value community service and leadership experiences.  It isn't the number of clubs and experiences you have, but rather the time you commit and the impact you make that counts. 

offers a unique opportunity for its Pre-Law Students to gain first hand experience interning for New York and New Jersey state judges. Students are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and complete an application and interview process with both the Pre-Law Advisor and the Judge. The internships are offered for the Fall/Spring academic year and for the Summer. For an application, please contact illana.julius@yu.edu in the Shevet Glaubach Center.

Internships are practicums to help you see the potential in a professional area and are not necessarily academic in nature (although they certainly can be!). Here is a list of agencies that provide funding for these experiential opportunities. Students should check with 's Finance Office or the Shevet Glaubach Center for assistance in finding funding sources. 

•  - Award of $2,000 for public service project for undergraduate or graduate student in accredited US college or university; project can be domestic or international. Deadline is in April.
• for recent college and graduate school alumni to apply for full-time, six-nine month fellowships in Washington, DC. Outstanding individuals will be selected to work with nonprofit, public interest organizations addressing peace and security issues. Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with a strong interest in these issues who have prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy. Deadlines October 1 for following spring semester. Spring fellowship begins between 1/15 and 4/1; and for fall fellowship apply by January, and begin fellowship between 7/15 and 10/1.
•  - Provides financial assistance to students, freshmen thru grad level, to enable them to perform community service that otherwise would be financially difficult for them to do so. Service may be through employment or other association with a nonprofit organization, through the development and execution of a person’s own program of community service, or through any other suitable community service activity. Deadline is rolling.

If you are a current student or recent graduate, law schools will expect you to provide at least one (and we recommend two) letters of recommendation from professors.  Our undergraduate colleges are small and are uniquely positioned to offer students the opportunity to build important relationships with their professors.  Students should aim to take favored professors twice and to be involved in academic and professional development opportunities with their professors.  It is important to keep this in mind from your first semester on campus - don't wait until your senior year - it may be too late!

Personal Statement Workshop--This PowerPoint presentation provides helpful guidelines for creating a strong personal statement for law school.

When should I take the exam?The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) four times a year – February, June, September, December.  You can take the test 3 times in two years (score cancellation counts as taking the test). The June test is the only test nationally given on Sunday. For the Sabbath Observer Letter for all other test administration, please contact the Wilf Registrar or Beren Registrar.

The GRE Test is administered at over 1,000 test centers in more than 160 countries. Because it's a computer-administered test, in most places it's continuously offered throughout the year. The GRE is only accepted by some law schools, so please make sure to check before using this as your only test. 

Should I take a prep course? Many students wonder whether to take an LSAT or GRE preparation course. Although studies from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) show that the average LSAT score of commercial test-prep course users is less than a single point higher than that of non-users, a test prep course can give you the external structure to help you study and develop confidence in your test-taking ability.

Here are several helpful websites to help you decide:

• LSAT or GRE? The Admissions Test Debate, By Christian Nolan
•  13 JULY 2018 on , , , 
• Considering Law School: Undergraduates Should Contemplate This Advice, By Prof. Michael L. Fox and Joel B. Strauss, New York State Bar Association, September 2018

• Make an appointment with a pre-law advisor 
• Create a student account on the . There you can register for the LSAT exam and for the . The LSAC's CAS online service is the site use to apply to law schools. Rather than sending transcripts and letters of recommendation to each individual school to which you are applying, you are only require to send the materials to CAS, which is will then compile and send all of your required materials to the law schools. Once created, your online file is good for up to 5 years.
• It is recommended to take the LSATS in June of your junior year, or no later than September/October of your senior year if you plan to attend law school after graduation. 
• You will also need to prepare the following for your applications:
  • Personal Statement
  • Transcript - If you would like to request a transcript for the LSAC, please request a paper copy of your transcript (DO NOT request an electronic copy -- on the “Personal Information” page of the transcript request, choose NO when asked whether you are ordering an electronic transcript). Make sure to attach your LSAC Transcript Request Form to your transcript request. 
  • Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Addenda
  • LSAT Score(s)
  • If needed: Dean's Certification can be obtained by completing the required forms and emailing them to Illana Julius. 

Law School in Israel: 

Law School in Canada: 

Pre-law or law students are eligible to apply for the following national competitive programs. Selection committees for these programs expect to see an excellent academic record and sustained involvement in extracurricular activities with evidence of leadership a real plus. For more information, please visit the 

•  - awarded to students planning a career related to environmental public policy. Applied for during sophomore or junior year; provides $5,000 per year for the junior and/or senior year of college. Deadline is early March.
• - awarded to students planning a career in government or public service. This $30,000 scholarship is applied for during junior year; the campus deadline for applying is mid-November. The majority of the award is to support graduate study.
•  - provides $20,000 per year, plus half the cost of tuition for 2 -3 years of graduate school. Applied for in the senior year or during the first year of graduate study.
•  - awarded to graduating seniors or recent graduates' provides $50,000 per year for up to six years of graduate study.
•  - Open to juniors and seniors; several prizes are awarded - first prize is $5,000.