The law school application process is extensive. In the time since you’ve taken the LSAT and submitted your applications, circumstances may have changed.
If you have been accepted to law school but are no longer ready to enroll, you may be able to defer. Here’s what you need to know about deferment requests.
1. Timing: If you haven’t applied to law school yet and aren’t 100 percent sure that’s what you want, wait until you are ready. Applying with the intention to request a deferral is a bad strategy.
First, there’s no guarantee that your deferment request will be granted, particularly if you don’t have a compelling reason for postponing enrollment. Second, you will limit your ability to negotiate for scholarship awards and manage potential waitlist results if you also need to factor deferment options into your application strategy.
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One scenario that may trigger the need to apply before you are ready to enroll is if your LSAT score will expire. While the Law School Admission Council will include five years of test results — including absences and cancellations — in your score report, some schools may require more recent results.
Some programs are willing to consider applications that indicate an intention to defer. The University of Michigan–Ann Arbor Law School, for example, asks applicants to complete a deferment request and explanation as part of the application.
Such deferment policies, however, are unusual. Admissions committees strongly prefer that prospective students apply with the intention of enrolling. Even the University of Michigan acknowledges that “applications for deferred admission are reviewed with special rigor.”
If you know you’ll need to defer, start thinking about your requests once you have received admissions decisions. If you have received multiple acceptances, deciding where to put a seat deposit might hinge on the programs that are willing to grant your deferral.
Do not make a deferment request to all programs where you have been accepted. Narrow your choices to your top two or three picks and then ask those schools how to formalize your deferral request.
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2. The request process: Before taking action, review a school’s deferral policy, which they often include with acceptance letters.
Most programs require applicants to submit a deferment request in writing. Such requests should be made in a timely manner and articulate why you need to defer. Make the strongest case possible and consider multiple factors that demonstrate and legitimize your deferral request.
Some law schools, like Georgetown University and Duke University, explicitly will not grant deferrals except on a case-by-case basis for extenuating circumstances, such as military deployment. For these programs, it is particularly important to establish that your change of circumstance was unforeseeable when you applied.
Other programs are more open-minded. For example, Harvard Law School is willing to defer enrollment for applicants who want to earn another degree or purse an employment or service opportunity. In these cases, explain how your academic, professional or service opportunity will further prepare you for law school and your career goals.
While law schools may vary in their policies, none are required to grant deferral requests. The process is competitive, and only a handful of deferments are approved each year. As the University of California–Berkeley‘sGraduate Division policy states, “deferred admission may be offered only to superior applicants.”
3. Deferal conditions: Typically applicants can only defer for one year. Two-year deferrals may be granted if there’s a specific justification. For example, if you have been accepted to a two-year master’s program or fellowship that cannot be delayed for law school.
If your deferal is granted, you are committing to enroll in that law school in the future. As such, you will be required to put down a seat deposit and withdraw from waitlists and pending applications. You will also not be permitted to reapply elsewhere.
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Violating the terms of your deferment contract is considered unethical. Not only will you jeopardize your relationship with the school that granted your request, you could also encounter problems when applying to your state bar upon graduation.
Be aware that scholarship awards may not be transferable for future enrollment. Make sure to ask about scholarship awards when requesting deferment. International students may face additional obstacles if their ability to remain in the U.S. is contingent upon active enrollment.
4. Denied requests: If your deferment request is denied, you still have the option to enroll for the term to which you originally applied and were accepted. Your other option is to withdraw and reapply when you are ready to attend law school.
It is unusual for an admissions committee to deny admission to an applicant who has been accepted in the past, but that remains a possibility. The longer you wait to reapply, the more work you will need to put into reestablishing your qualifications.
Be mindful that LSAT scores do expire and letters of recommendation may not be as relevant. If you plan to reapply, update your application materials to maximize your chances of being re-admitted.
Have questions about deferring admission to law school? You can reach me at lawadmissionslowdown@usnews.com.
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Understand How to Defer Law School Admission originally appeared on usnews.com
