Law school applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with most decisions released in late January through the end of April. If you applied early decision or are a strong candidate, you may receive a decision within a few weeks of submitting your application.
But if you are in the middle of the pack, you could be waiting a while as law school admissions committees review other incoming applications.
University of California–Berkeley and University of Michigan–Ann Arbor law school admissions committees have emailed potential admits asking for patience while the committees continue their evaluation.
Others like the Law Center at Georgetown University and the University of California–Los Angeles law school may have placed your application on hold or invited you to join the waitlist.
[Understand law school waitlists.]
Once you begin to receive acceptances, you will need to decide whether to keep your application active at schools where results are still pending.
Here are three situations in which withdrawing is appropriate.
1. Early decision acceptance: If you have been accepted early decision, you are required to immediately withdraw your application from consideration at other law schools. You will also need to submit your seat deposit by the required deadline to secure your enrollment.
Failing to withdraw your application just to see where else you would have been admitted might jeopardize your acceptance. Make sure to comply with the stipulations of the early decision application. Remember, future lawyers must demonstrate they can follow the rules.
[Learn about the five deciding factors in law school admissions.]
2. Multiple acceptances: If you receive multiple acceptances, you’ll have to consider several factors before withdrawing. I encourage you to attend admitted students receptions to help compare the benefits and drawbacks of the various programs.
If financial aid and paying for law school will factor into your decision, decide whether you will be using an acceptance or scholarship award as leverage to negotiate for merit-based funding at a different school. When financial awards are pending, withdrawing an acceptance may be premature.
[Learn how to negotiate merit-based law school financial aid.]
The Law School Admission Council policy states that law schools should not require an enrollment commitment for regular admission applications before April 1.
Starting May 15, LSAC will release periodic reports that inform schools of applicants who have made multiple seat deposits.
Some of my clients have received offers from several top-choice schools along with acceptances into target and safety programs. I tell them that if there is no amount of funding that will persuade them to enroll at a target or safety school, then they should consider withdrawing before the seat deposit deadline.
Withdrawing from a program you have no intention of attending frees up that space — and any scholarship awards offered — for another applicant. Though not required, withdrawing in such cases is courteous.
3. Waitlist: When your application has been placed on a waitlist, you typically have two opportunities to withdraw from consideration.
The first is upon receipt of the initial notification — many admissions committees will ask you to proactively opt into being placed on their waitlist. If you do hope to gain admission off the waitlist, be sure to submit a letter of continued interest.
The second opportunity to withdraw is when you have gained admission to another school that you prefer to attend. Again, you do not need to wait until the end of the results season to withdraw from consideration.
Writing a Withdrawal Letter
Once you have decided to remove yourself from consideration, follow the school’s instructions for formalizing your withdrawal. Typically schools will request a withdrawal in writing.
To graciously withdraw your application — regardless of whether you’ve been accepted, wait-listed or are still awaiting a decision — be sure to thank the admissions committee for considering your application. The admissions office staff works hard to build each incoming class. They are not simply gatekeepers but rather part of a network of lawyers and law school personnel that you will be joining.
If you have enrolled elsewhere or have narrowed your choices to a few schools, share this information in your withdrawal letter. Admissions committees appreciate knowing what programs have attracted potential enrollees. Also be sure to note if your acceptance to another school was binding.
Over the years, I have worked with a handful of applicants who have decided not to attend law school due to changes in familial, academic or professional obligations. If you have changed your mind about attending law school, inform the admissions committees. This keeps the door open in case you decide to reapply in the future.
Even though you will not be joining the incoming class, be respectful throughout your letter. I’ve worked with clients who were tempted to gloat about being admitted into more prestigious programs or who were resentful they were placed on a waitlist. Maintain a professional tone.
Finally, withdrawing your application is fairly straightforward. Admissions committees receive numerous withdrawals every cycle. Keep your correspondence short and sweet — two to three sentences will suffice.
Have questions about whether to withdraw your application? You can reach me at lawadmissionslowdown@usnews.com.
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Learn When to Graciously Withdraw J.D. Applications originally appeared on usnews.com
