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Applications for law school should be submitted by late November of the year before you plan to begin school. The LSAT is a required part of the application package and should be taken, at the latest, in June or October of the year you are applying. It is not necessary to go to law school straight out of college. Taking time off will not disadvantage you in the application process, and may help you. In any given year, about two-thirds to three-quarters of applicants have already graduated from college.

Law school admissions are highly competitive. Your application will be evaluated based on your overall GPA, the rigor of your undergraduate coursework, your LSAT score, a personal statement and additional essays, resume, and letters of recommendation. In addition to doing well in class, you will need to take the time to adequately prepare for the LSAT. It is also important that you take advantage of office hours to get to know your professors so that they are able to write persuasive letters on your behalf.

You should visit the Pre-Law Advising Office as soon as you realize that you may be interested in attending law school. From the Pre-Law Advising website -- www.umass.edu/prelaw -- you can add yourself to the email list and "like" the UMass Pre-Law Advising Facebook page (facebook.com/UMassPrelaw).  This will ensure that you know about law-related events and opportunities on campus, and are kept up to date about developments in legal education, legal careers and the law school application process. If you do decide to apply to law school straight out of college, you should meet with the Pre-Law Advisor in the Spring semester of your Junior year.

The Pre-Law website has more information on the advising services offered, as well as on every aspect of the law school application process.