Is It Too Late to Apply to Law School in November? How to Adjust Your Application Timeline for Success
Did you create a law school application schedule for yourself over the summer? If so, maybe that timeline had you submitting your application by Thanksgiving. Are you on target to do so?
With Thanksgiving and the subsequent holidays approaching, now is a good time to evaluate where you are with your law school application and where you need to be. If you have already submitted your application, congratulations and good luck! For many candidates, though, a significant life event or the need to retake the LSAT might have derailed an otherwise well-thought-out schedule.
Rolling application cycles can be confusing for applicants, so the important thing to remember is that the best time to submit your application is when you are ready to submit your strongest application. So, even though having a schedule can be helpful, think of that schedule as a guide that you can adjust as needed. If you need more time to create your strongest application, take that time.
Sometimes, the idea of applying “the earlier, the better” can create anxiety, and multiple factors should be considered when deciding the right time to apply. If you can apply by Thanksgiving (or earlier!), do it. But if you are rushing your essays to the point that the content suffers, you might want to slow down. If you needed to retake the LSAT, had a few rough months at work, or struggled with a challenging semester, it might be a good idea to reevaluate the schedule you made months ago and adjust it to meet your current needs.
As you modify your timeline, make sure you’re building the most compelling narrative possible for the admissions committee rather than just trying to submit your application the earliest you can. That means you might need to continue working on each component of your application to create your best submission.
For me, the bottom line at this point in the cycle is this: if the LSAT is behind you, set aside as much time as you can to finish your essays and apply this month. If you need to slip into December, it’s okay. And some people, despite their best efforts, are in a position of needing to take the January LSAT. It happens. In my opinion, a late LSAT is risky, but sometimes that risk pays off. If you can increase your score by, say, four or more points in January, you will likely have increased your chances enough that it outweighs the lateness of the application. Be honest with yourself: Do you need to take it again? Can you increase your score by enough points to make it worth the risk? If so, then do it.
If you need some assistance with updating the schedule for your law school application, consider booking a free consultation with one of our law school consultants.
With planning and thoughtfulness, you can still take time to enjoy the holidays and submit your strongest application to law school!
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