Frequently Asked Questions
- J.D. Admissions
FACTS & STATISTICS
What is the size of the entering class?
We enroll 350-360 first-year law students every fall.
How many apply, how many are admitted, and what are the median
grade point averages and LSAT scores?
In 2006-2007, we received 5,438 applications.
We offered admission to 1,093 nonresident applicants, and to 211
resident applicants.
Of those offered admission, the 25%-75%
range on the LSAT was 169-173, with a median LSAT of 171. The
25%-75% range for the undergraduate grade-point average was 3.67-3.92,
with a median GPA of 3.80.
For the class that enrolled in August
2007, the 25%-75% range on the LSAT was 167-171, with a median
LSAT of 170; the 25%-75% range for the undergraduate grade-point
average was 3.51-3.87,
with a median GPA of 3.76.
Where may I find more information about
last year’s entering
class?
Class of 2010 Profile
There were 361 students in the August 2007 entering class,
from 36 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and several foreign countries,
and representing 129 different undergraduate schools. Sixty percent of the class is male; 40 percent is female. Nineteen
percent of the class chose to identify themselves as members of
a racial or ethnic minority group. Twenty-nine
members of the class had earned a graduate degree.
What percentage of the class are in-state students, and is preference
given to Virginia residents?
As a public law school, forty percent of the places in our student body are historically reserved for residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Resident candidates are evaluated in the resident applicant pool. In 2007, approximately 33% of resident applicants were offered admission, as compared to approximately 22 percent of non-resident applicants.
How is residency determined?
If you are claiming Virginia residency, which entitles
you to a substantial discount on tuition, you must submit an Application
for Virginia In-State Educational Privileges when you apply for
admission. For more information concerning Virginia residency
status, go to: www.law.virginia.edu/residents
Please note the University, not the School of Law, makes residency
determinations on the basis of guidelines mandated by the Commonwealth.
How much does it cost to attend?
| Tuition
and Fees: |
$36,800 |
$41,800 |
| Housing: |
6,502 |
6,502 |
| Personal Expenses: |
7,222 |
7,222 |
| Health Insurance: |
1,976 |
1,976 |
| Books
and Supplies: |
1,800 |
|
| Loan Fees: |
800 |
800 |
| Totals: |
$55,100 |
$60,100 |
The Law School Financial Aid Office
will grant an additional allotment, up to $2,500, for the purchase
of a laptop computer. Upon written request, accompanied by supporting
documentation, the Financial Aid Office may also include additional
allowances for students with disabilities, child care expenses,
or health care expenditures.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
What are the basic requirements
for admission?
To be eligible for consideration for admission to the J.D. program, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution by August of the year you intend to enroll. To apply for admission, candidates should submit a completed application for admission; the $75 application fee; a transcript of undergraduate and any graduate work submitted through the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS); a score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT); and two letters of recommendation. All required materials must be in the file before it is referred to our Admissions Committee. See J.D.
Application Requirements
What are the factors considered by the Admissions Committee?
The admissions process aims to select from the applicant pool
an entering class of students who will contribute to this academic
community during their three years of residency and, ultimately,
to society and to the legal profession. To that end, the admissions
committee considers many factors. These include not only intellectual
aptitude and academic achievement, but also individual accomplishments
and experiences—such as dedication or a constructive
response to adversity—that predict success, as well as
geographic, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological diversity.
Rigid
standards based simply on a combination of an LSAT score
and cumulative undergraduate grade-point average cannot be the
sole criteria for selecting an entering class. Members of our
admissions committee, assisted by admissions professionals,
assess
each applicant as an individual. This assessment takes into
account not only LSAT scores and undergraduate grades but also
the strength
of an applicant's undergraduate or graduate curriculum, trends
in grades, the maturing effect of experiences since college,
the nature and quality of any work experience, significant
achievement in extracurricular activities in college, service
in the military,
contributions to campus or community through service and leadership,
and personal qualities displayed. An applicant's experiences
surmounting economic, social, or educational difficulties with
grace and courage, demonstrating the capacity to grow in response
to challenge, and showing compassion for the welfare of others
can play a role in the admissions decision.
When are the application
deadlines? Do you offer an early decision option?
Regular application deadline: Applicants should ensure that we have received a completed application by March 1, 2008. A completed application includes the application; any attachments required as part of the application, including the personal statement; the LSAT/LSDAS report; two letters of recommendation; and the $75 application fee. Please note that it can take 10–14 days for an application submitted through the LSAC electronic application service to reach us. If you are applying as an in-state candidate, you also must submit the Application for In-State Educational Privileges with the application. A decision will be mailed by April 15, 2008. Late applications will be accepted and reviewed, but applicants are not guaranteed an admissions decision by April 16.
Early Decision option: If the University of Virginia is your first choice for law school, you may apply under the Early Decision option. Early Decision applicants commit to enrolling if admitted and must withdraw all applications to other law schools once notified of Early Decision admission. Early Decision applicants must ensure that we have received a completed application by November 16, 2007. A completed Early Decision application includes the signed Early Decision Agreement; the application; any attachments required as part of the application, including the personal statement; the LSAT/LSDAS report; two letters of recommendation; and the $75 application fee. Please note that it can take 10–14 days for an application submitted through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) electronic application service to reach us. If you are applying as an in-state candidate, you also must submit the Application for In-State Educational Privileges with the application. A decision to admit, deny, or hold for reconsideration will be mailed by December 14, 2007. An Early Decision applicant who is held for reconsideration is free to maintain or file new applications to other law schools and is not obligated to enroll at the University of Virginia if offered admission later in the admissions season.
Do you accept applications after the March 1
completion deadline?
Late applications will be reviewed, but most places in the
entering class will be filled by mid-March, and late applicants
cannot
be guaranteed a decision by April 15.
How much is the application fee and how may I pay it?
The application fee is $75. This application fee is not refundable
and is not credited toward other fees in the event of admission.
If you submit your application by mail, enclose a check or money
order payable to the University of Virginia School of Law with
the application. The University cannot accept payment by credit
card. If you are applying through the LSDAS electronic application service, you may submit a check
along with the signed certification letter, or pay by credit
card if using electronic attestation.
How may I obtain an application fee
waiver?
If you received a waiver for the LSAT or LSDAS fees from the Law School Admission Council, you automatically qualify for an application fee waiver form the University of Virginia. If you apply electronically through LSAC, the waiver will apply automatically. If you choose to submit a paper application, enclose a copy of your LSAC fee waiver letter with your application in place of a check.
Applicants serving in an established public service commitment such as Teach for America, the Peace Corps, Americorps/VISTA, CityYear, or in a Truman Public Service Fellowship, will have the application fee waived. Please include a statement identifying your public service affiliation with your application in place of a check. If you are applying electronically through LSAC, choose the certification letter option, rather than electronic attestation, and enclose your statement with the certification letter in place of a check.
We are happy to waive the application fee for any applicant for whom payment of the fee will prevent them from applying or would pose a hardship. Go to http://www.law.virginia.edu/pdf/appfee_waiver.pdf to print out a copy of our fee waiver application. You may submit the fee waiver form in advance of your application for admission or with the application. If you are applying electronically through LSAC, choose the certification letter option, rather than electronic attestation, and enclose the fee waiver application with the certification letter in place of a check.
Are all applications read?
Each application is thoroughly reviewed, and Admission Committee
members take all factors into account. We do not rely on numerical
scores that would lead to an automatic decision to offer or deny
admission.
When and how are applicants notified of admission decisions?
Letters for those applying under our early decision option will
be mailed by December 14, 2007. We will make every effort to
notify all on-time applicants to our regular admissions process
by April 15. Although most applicants will receive notification
of final action by that date, final action on some may be deferred.
We notify applicants only by letter.
May I defer my enrollment?
Should you wish to postpone entry into the School of Law, you
have two options.
If you are reasonably certain that you will enroll at the University
of Virginia in August 2009, you may defer your admission by making
all required acceptance deposits, confirming your intention to
accept your place in the class, and requesting a deferral at
that time. Deferred applicants agree not to hold a place in another law school’s entering class, or to apply to other law schools, during the deferral term. We will ask you to reconfirm your intention to enroll
by March 1, 2009. Financial aid commitments typically cannot
be deferred to a subsequent year, since awards of need-based
assistance will require an updated needs analysis for the 2009-2010
academic year. Merit-based assistance may be deferred on a case-by-case
basis.
If you do not wish to make a commitment to attend the University
of Virginia, you may elect simply to decline your offer of admission
and reapply for the 2009-2010 academic year. While we cannot guarantee
your admission, we do give substantial weight to a commitment
made in a previous year. Having declined an offer of admission
will not be a disadvantage in the process. Candidates reapplying
for admission will be asked to complete a new application form,
submit an updated personal statement, and, in the case of applicants
who had not completed undergraduate school at the time of the
initial application, submit a new LSDAS report that includes
grades earned in the final year of study.
What is the procedure for re-applying?
Applicants who have applied previously must submit a new application form, the
application fee, an updated resume and personal statement, and two letters of
recommendation. Letters may be the same as submitted in a prior year, although
we encourage applicants with new work or academic experience to submit letters
from those who can discuss recent performance. Application files are maintained
for two years. If the LSDAS report submitted previously contained all work taken
toward the undergraduate degree, reapplicants are not required to submit a new
LSAT/LSDAS report. Applicants who had not completed the undergraduate degree at
the time the original application was filed must submit an updated LSDAS report
showing the final year of work. Candidates reapplying for admission after two
years must submit all required materials, as we will no longer have the original
documents on file.
What
are your requirements for transfer students?
Students who have completed one year of work
at an ABA-accredited law school may apply for admission with
advanced standing. Up
to 32 credit hours may be transferred toward the J.D. from the
University of Virginia. Applicants for transfer admission must
submit all of the materials required for application as a first-year
student, along with a transcript of the entire first year of
work in law school, a statement of rank-in-class as of the end
of the second semester, and a letter of good standing from the
dean or other appropriate official stating that the applicant
is a student in good standing and is eligible to return. Transfer
applicants must furnish two letters of recommendation, at least
one of which should be a faculty member at the current law school.
More Information for Transfer Students
LSAT aND GRADE POINT AVERAGES
Where do I find out about LSDAS and the LSAT?
Find out more about both by going to www.lsac.org
Is there a minimum LSAT score or grade point average applicants
must present?
No. We read every application carefully, and take all factors
into account. At no point in our deliberations are numbers employed
in a way that would trigger an automatic decision to offer or
deny admission.
When should I take the LSAT?
The best time to take the LSAT is in June or September/October of the year before the year you wish to enroll. We accept December LSAT scores for applicants under the regular decision option only. Early Decision applicants must take the LSAT no later than the September/October administration.
Is taking the test in February 2008
too late?
We ask that applications be completed by March 1, 2008. Results of the February LSAT will likely be available shortly after that date. While late applications will be accepted and reviewed, you should understand that we will already have made a substantial
portion of our offers by the time your February results are received.
This may reduce your chances for admission. If, after submitting
your application with an earlier LSAT score, you decide to retake
the LSAT in February, please send us a note to that effect and
ask that we hold your file for consideration until those scores
have arrived.
What is your policy on multiple LSAT scores?
The ABA requires law schools to report LSAT information using an admitted student’s highest score, so that is the score to which we give the most weight. We evaluate all information submitted as part of the application for admission, however, including all scores earned on the LSAT. Studies by the Law School Admission Council suggest that in most cases the average score is the most accurate predictor of academic performance in the first year of law school, so we encourage applicants with a significant difference in LSAT scores to include with their application any information that may be relevant to the interpretation of test results, such as illness, testing conditions, or other circumstances that may have affected LSAT performance.
Do Admissions Committee members examine
transcripts? Do they take into account such factors as a heavy
work schedule, significant
extra-curricular activities, and changes in majors when evaluating
grade point averages?
Admission Committee members review every transcript
and take into consideration factors that may have had an impact
on an
applicant’s grade point average. We also consider trends
in applicants’ grades, grading curves at that college or
university, and the rigor of the courses undertaken.
Do you take
into account grades received in graduate school?
While grades received in graduate studies are not counted as
part of your grade point average, we do review graduate school
transcripts and take note of grades received. A strong graduate
school record is generally viewed as a plus.
LETTERS
OF RECOMMENDATION
Whom should I ask to write my letters of recommendations?
Applicants must provide two letters of recommendation. Letters
should evaluate your potential as a law student, so letters
of recommendation from members of your college or graduate
school faculty who can discuss your academic performance are
particularly helpful. If you have been out of school for a
number of years and have difficulty securing an academic reference,
you may substitute letters from employers or others who have
worked closely with you. In any event, letters should address
the skills necessary for rigorous, advanced academic work:
the ability to read complex textual material closely, to analyze
it carefully, and to present reasoned conclusions in writing
and orally; maturity; self-discipline; commitment; and professionalism.
How many letters are required? May I submit
more?
Two letters are required for completion of your application.
We strongly recommend that at least one letter be from a professor
who is able to evaluate you as a scholar. Applicants with substantial
work experience may submit a letter from their current employer
or a former employer with whom you have worked closely enough
to make a reasonable evaluation. We will accept more than two
letters if the applicant believes that additional references
might provide a useful perspective on his or her experience or
education.
Can I have those writing letters of recommendations send them
directly to you?
The School of Law encourages applicants to submit letters through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service, which allows applicants to send up to four letters to each law school. This service is included with your LSDAS subscription.
Letters submitted
through the LSAC Service are copied and sent to us along with
your LSAT/LSDAS report. Updated reports are
sent weekly if letters are received after your initial LSDAS
report has been sent. To use this service, follow the instructions
in the 2007-2008 LSAT/LSDAS Registration and Information Book.
Be sure to fill out and give each recommender a letter of recommendation
form from the LSAT/LSDAS Registration and Information Book. Letters
also may be sent directly to the School of Law with your application
for admission, or separately if your recommender prefers. If
you do not use the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service, follow
the instructions for submitting a letter directly to the School
of Law included with the application form.
If your college or
university maintains a credentials service or a central file
of letters of recommendation, those letters
may be sent to the School of Law using the same process as for
letters sent directly by the recommender.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
What sort of information do you like to see in a personal statement?
Include with your application a personal statement that will
give the Admissions Committee any information you believe relevant
to the admissions decision that is not elicited elsewhere in
the application. The statement is your opportunity to tell
us about yourself; it may address your intellectual interests,
significant accomplishments, obstacles overcome, personal or
professional goals, educational achievements, or any way in
which your perspective, viewpoint, or experiences will add
to the richness of the educational environment of the School
of Law.
Do you put a word limit on the length of personal
statements?
No, we invite applicants to write essays that are
long enough to express whatever they think the Admissions Committee
should
know. That said, applicants should remember that succinctness
is a virtue.
Should I include a resume?
A
resume is an excellent way to present an applicant’s
working and extracurricular involvement. We especially recommend
that you send a resume if you have had significant working experience.
You may also include a short addendum describing any significant
extracurricular or volunteer activities.
Information for INTERNATIONAL or Foreign-Educated STUDENTS
How do I submit transcripts from a college or university outside the United States or Canada?
Transcripts of postsecondary work completed at a college or university outside the United States or Canada must be submitted through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service (JD CAS). The one exception to this requirement is for work completed outside the United States or Canada through a study abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution, where the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript. The JD CAS service is included in the LSDAS subscription fee. A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and incorporated into your LSDAS report.
To use the JD CAS, log in to your online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. Be sure to print and mail a Transcript Request Form for each institution attended.
Questions about the JD Credential Assembly Service can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001, or lsacinfo@lsac.org.
Do you require TOEFL from international students?
International students for whom the first language learned and spoken in the home is not English are required to demonstrate proficiency in English by completing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) within two years prior to submitting the application. This is true regardless of whether English is the “official” language of the applicant’s home country or if students who have studied in English internationally (e.g., in India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, African countries, etc.) Limited exceptions are made for applicants from Australia, the English-speaking provinces of Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., or applicants from South Africa who attended English-medium universities in South Africa. Exceptions to the TOEFL requirement may also be considered for international applicants who have completed two years or more of full-time study in a U.S. college or university within the past five years. Applicants who meet this description and wish to see if they qualify for this exception should contact the Admissions Office early in the admissions season, before they apply, to discuss the issue. All other foreign applicants should assume that the TOEFL requirement applies. Domestic applicants whose native language is not English and who have not attended schools where instruction is in English may also be required to submit TOEFL scores.
For all those required to take the TOEFL exam, the minimum scores required are:
Paper Based Test (PBT): 600
Computer Based Test (CBT): 250
iBT TOEFL:
Writing: 22
Speaking: 22
Reading: 23
Listening: 23
Please note that that the iBT TOEFL (the new generation TOEFL exam) will be implemented gradually across the world, region by region, over the next few years. For information and questions about iBT TOEFL, please contact ETS. The University of Virginia School of Law will continue to accept PBT and CBP test scores as long as they are available from ETS and are less than two years old.
Applicants should arrange to take the TOEFL at the earliest possible date to ensure that their applications are completed by the March 1 deadline. Please include a photocopy of your TOEFL scores with your application if you have already received your test results. This may enable the Law School to expedite the review of your application.
Scores must be submitted in accordance with the procedures listed above. To arrange an examination date and for further information, write or call (between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time):
TOEFL/TSE Services-ETS
www.TOEFL.org
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ
08541-6151, USA
Telephone: 609-771-7100
Facsimile: 609-771-7500
Applicants should have an official score report sent to the Law School from ETS, using the Institutional Code Number 5820 and Department Code 03.
The Admissions Committee will accept a score from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in lieu of a TOEFL score. The University of Virginia School of Law requires a minimum score of 7.5 on the IELTS exam. As with the TOEFL exam, we will not accept scores that are more than two years old. The details found above in the discussion about the TOEFL exam apply to IELTS scores as well. If you have questions concerning submission of an IELTS score, please contact the Admissions Office.
Applicants should be aware that competency in English is critical to success in the study of law at the University of Virginia, and that demonstrated fluency in English is an important consideration in evaluating applications.
Where may I find complete information about basic international
student requirements?
For information, go to International
Student Admissions on
the central University of Virginia Web site.
Do you accept applications from those holding an LL.M. from
a U.S. university?
Applicants who hold an LL.M. degree from a U.S. law school may apply for admission to the J.D. program. All applicants who hold the LL.M. are evaluated as applicants for admission with advanced standing, and are reviewed by a special Admissions Committee in consultation with the faculty director of the University of Virginia’s LL.M. program. In addition to the materials required to complete a J.D. application, applicants must submit a transcript of all work taken in the LL.M. program and one or more letters of recommendation from LL.M. faculty, at least one of which must be from a professor who teaches a course other than legal research and writing. Applicants who hold the LL.M. are not required to submit an LSAT score but may elect to do so.
Applications are typically reviewed in late spring. If an applicant is currently enrolled in an LL.M. program, the Admissions Committee may defer action on the application until grades from the second semester are available. Applicants offered admission may be given between 12 and 14 hours of advanced standing credit for work taken as an LL.M. student. Students who enroll under this option must complete five semesters in residence at the University of Virginia, as well as all other degree requirements, to receive the J.D. degree.
Do you give advanced credit for law courses taken in other countries?
If I have a law degree earned in a foreign country must I start
over to earn a J.D.?
We are not usually able to transfer credits from non-U.S. law
schools because the curriculum and programs are generally quite
different.
Is financial aid available for international students?
International
students are fully eligible for merit-based scholarship assistance
from the School of Law.
International students should
understand, however, that scholarship assistance from the University
typically will cover only a portion of the total costs of education,
so additional personal or family resources, financial assistance
from the applicant’s employer or home country, or other
sources of financing will be required. Students who are not U.S.
citizens or permanent residents are not eligible to borrow under
the Stafford Student Loan Program. Private loan funds may be
available to international students with a U.S. citizen as co-signer.
Information for Advanced Standing Applicants with an LL.M. Degree
Applicants who hold an LL.M. from a U.S. law school may apply for advanced standing admission to the J.D. program. Applicants who hold an LL.M. are not required to submit an LSAT score but may elect to do so. You must submit a transcript of all work taken in the LL.M. program, and at least one letter of recommendation must be from an LL.M. program faculty member who taught you in a course other than legal research and writing. You may receive up to 14 hours of advanced standing credit for work taken as an LL.M. student. Students who enroll under this option must complete five semesters in residence at the University of Virginia, as well as all other degree requirements, to receive the J.D. degree. Advanced standing applicants are not eligible for consideration under the binding early decision option. Please read these special application instructions carefully.
If you will take or have taken the LSAT: Submit your undergraduate and LL.M. transcripts through the regular LSDAS service if your undergraduate degree is from a university in the United States or Canada, or through the JD-CAS service if your undergraduate degree is from a foreign institution. Information on registering for the LSDAS or JD-CAS service can be found on the Law School Admission Council Web site at www.lsac.org/LSAC.asp?url=lsac/lsdas-candidate-requirements.asp.
If you are not taking the LSAT: DO NOT submit your transcripts through LSDAS or JD-CAS. LSAC will not release your transcripts to us without an LSAT score, and you will need to obtain new copies of your transcripts from your undergraduate and LL.M. schools to complete your application. If you obtained your undergraduate degree at a U.S. university, have an official copy of your undergraduate transcript sent to us directly from the institution. If you obtained your undergraduate and/or primary law degree at a university outside the United States, please submit those transcripts to us through a credentials evaluation report from World Education Services (www.wes.org) or the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) (www.aacrao.org/international/foreignEdCred.cfm). A transcript of your LL.M. work should be sent to us directly from your LL.M. school.
FINANCIAL AID
Is financial aid available?
Admission to the School of Law is need-blind. Our goal
is to ensure that every student who wishes to attend Virginia Law
has access to the financial resources to make that possible. A
law degree is a substantial investment. Nearly 90 percent of our
students receive some form of financial assistance, either through
scholarship assistance from the School of Law, participation in
the federally subsidized Stafford Student Loans or the College
Work-Study Program, through private educational loans, or from
outside sources of scholarship assistance.
For more information about the different types
of financial aid and the aid application process, visit the Financial
Aid website.
Are merit-based scholarships available?
Yes. All applicants accepted for admission are considered for merit-based scholarship assistance. No separate application is required. Applicants who wish to be considered for awards from scholarship funds for which financial need is also a criterion should submit the School of Law Application for Financial Aid, which is available with the application for admission, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Selection for merit-based scholarships is based on the same range of criteria evaluated in the admissions process: intellectual aptitude and academic achievement, individual accomplishments and experiences that predict success, the nature and quality of any work experience, significant achievement in extracurricular activities in college, or contributions to campus or community through service and leadership.
Merit scholarship assistance is awarded in a separate process towards the end of the admissions season, with notifications typically going out in early March. Awards may range from $2,000 to full tuition, and are maintained for all three years that an applicant is enrolled in the School of Law.
OTHER QUESTIONS
Do you offer interviews and tours of the school?
The overwhelming number of requests makes it logistically
impossible for personal interviews to be offered as part of the
admissions
process. We do, however, sponsor tours every weekday while classes
are in session. Moreover, on most Fridays in the fall, we sponsor
group information sessions that include a chance for applicants
to meet with students and a presentation by an admissions dean.
For more information, see Visiting
the School.
Does the School of Law offer concurrent
or joint-degree programs?
The School of Law offers a J.D./M.B.A. in conjunction
with the Darden Graduate School of Business. This program allows
students
to complete their joint degree in four years versus the five
years that would be required if the degrees were earned sequentially.
To participate in this program, you must be admitted by both
the School of Law and the Darden Graduate School of Business.
You may wish to check Darden's
webpage.
We also offer joint master degree programs
in economics, government
and foreign affairs, history, philosophy,
public health, sociology,
urban and environmental
planning, and English. More
about Joint-Degree
Programs
Those who wish to study in other disciplines but are seeking
only a J.D. degree may, with advance approval, take a limited
number of courses in other graduate programs.
What is the best pre-law curriculum? How does one prepare for
law school?
There is no right answer
to this question, and every year we admit applicants who majored
in virtually any conceivable
discipline. That said, the law deals with every facet of human
activity, and a lawyer should be a person with a broad base of
knowledge and a range of intellectual interests. A reasonable
degree of exposure to such subjects as history, literature, English
composition, philosophy, political science, and economics will
provide a good background for a full appreciation of the law.
Whatever the courses selected, one should look for classes that
require reading complex primary source material, analyzing it
closely, and presenting well-reasoned conclusions in writing.
One can find that preparation in almost any of the rigorous academic
disciplines in a college or university.
In most cases, law courses that are offered
at the undergraduate level are less analytical and less comprehensive
than those you
will encounter in law school, and while they may give you some
familiarity with important cases or development of doctrine,
they will not be a significant advantage in law school. Most
admissions committee members would prefer that an applicant’s
college coursework gave foundational understandings of history,
economics, politics, science, and culture that will provide the
context for a fuller understanding of the law and how it operates
in our society.
Do you offer summer school, night-time, or part-time study of
law?
No, we only offer full-time study of the law using a standard
spring and fall semester. While some classes meet in the evenings,
these are only available to full-time students.
Do you offer a paralegal program or
online courses?
No.
Where may I find out more about student life, the University,
and the Charlottesville area?
Home Sweet C'ville,
our online guide to Charlottesville and student life is a valuable
resource.
May I start the J.D. program in the spring semester?
No, we only permit students to begin their study in the fall
semester.
Admissions
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