Law schools have rolling admission. While application deadlines are typically in February or March, and sometimes months later, admissions officers review applications in roughly the order received.
That said, there is a lot of misunderstanding about rolling admission in law school. Timing matters less than it does for medical school and other rolling graduate programs.
If you apply late to law school, you will face greater competition for fewer spots, lowering your chances. However, this does not mean that applying as early as possible will give you an advantage.
Here are the differences between applying early and late in the admission cycle.
The Admissions Process for Early Applicants
Law school applications typically open in August or September. If you submit your law school application in the fall, it will be evaluated by admissions officers based on their forecasts about how your application compares to their expectations for the cycle.
[Ask these What to Ask Law School Admissions Officers]
They will consider the competitiveness of your profile and how you might add balance to the class they are aiming to assemble. For example, law schools don’t want to accept too many applicants with the same background, interests or work experience.
If the office makes a clear determination about your candidacy, you may hear back within six weeks or so. In most cases, however, the admissions office may not yet be ready to make a decision, which means it may take months to hear back.
Having your application held for later consideration does not mean you are waitlisted. It just means admissions officers want to see their full applicant pool before making a final decision.
The most selective law schools may not reach a decision about your candidacy until March or April, even after the deposit deadlines have passed for some schools. For these law schools, the timing of your application matters even less.
In the likely event that your application is held for later consideration, it will no longer matter when you submitted your application. Candidates who applied in September and in December will be in the same boat.
[READ: When to Expect a Law School Decision.]
What About Early Decision?
Many but not all law schools offer a binding option for early decision, usually with a November deadline. This deadline is strict, so don’t miss it if you choose this option.
Most law schools with November early decision deadlines will consider only LSAT scores from tests taken before the deadline, even if the score is received after the deadline. Schools have different policies, so be sure to confirm this.
Some law schools expedite the process for applicants who apply early decision, since they have made a binding commitment to attend if offered admission. That can give them a leg up in the process.
If you apply early decision and are not accepted on this initial review, you will most likely be held for later consideration, in which case acceptance would no longer be binding.
How Does Rolling Admission Affect Late Applicants?
If you apply late in the cycle, particularly after January, admissions officers may have filled the bulk of their law school class by the time they review your application. At this point, they are evaluating you against the applicants still under consideration or on their waitlist.
It can be difficult to outshine these other applicants. Like being a contestant on the reality show “The Bachelor,” it’s a lot harder to stand out when the person evaluating you has a large pool of options to choose from.
[Read Law School Admissions Process: A Month-By-Month Guide.]
This does not mean you have no chance of admission. Less selective law schools may have room available in their class as late as the summer. If in doubt, call the admissions office and ask whether there is space left.
When Is the Best Time to Apply to Law School?
Accounting for time to gather recommendation letters and prepare essays and other materials, applicants should aim to apply in October or early November.
If you are ready to submit your application earlier than that, go for it. You may receive a decision sooner.
Apply late in the cycle only if waiting will help you significantly strengthen your candidacy. For example, some applicants plan to retake the LSAT to aim for a better score. Law schools typically hold off on reviewing your application if you have a pending LSAT, unless you ask otherwise.
Likewise, it is better to take the time to write your strongest possible essays, and to review your materials carefully, than to submit a rushed application with avoidable mistakes.
While you want to make the best impression possible, rest assured that, unlike “The Bachelor,” this competition isn’t televised!
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Rolling Admission and Law School Hopefuls originally appeared on usnews.com
