Because the law school admissions process is rolling, you should apply by late November for your best odds of acceptance. This timing coincides with the typical deadline for early decision, so it’s worth considering this option before submitting your applications.
Not every law school offers a binding early decision option. For those that do, it can give you a real advantage — but not without a few downsides.
What Do Early Decision and Early Action Mean?
Early decision and early action applicants submit their complete applications months before the general application deadline. In turn, law schools often try to evaluate their applications promptly and render expedited decisions.
Early decision is typically a binding commitment. Applicants accepted early decision must commit to attend the law school that accepts them, withdraw any outstanding applications and not apply elsewhere.
In contrast, early action is nonbinding, generally intended to incentivize earlier applications. Applicants accepted early action can still apply elsewhere, secure in the knowledge that they have one certain option.
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While dozens of law schools offer early decision, early action is rarer. There is no drawback to applying early action, if you meet the deadline.
Early decision programs are more common and more limiting for law school applicants. Applying early decision is a real commitment, with benefits and drawbacks.
What Decisions Can You Expect if You Apply Early Decision?
Applying early decision does not require extra work besides meeting the deadline. This is usually around mid-November, although a few law schools have a later deadline or even a second round.
If you apply early decision, you may be accepted, rejected or placed on the waitlist. Most commonly, you may be held for consideration in the general application pool, in which case you will be released from your binding commitment.
Being considered in the general admissions pool is not the same thing as being waitlisted. It just means the school can’t issue an expedited decision, because they want to compare you against their full applicant pool.
The Pros of Applying Early Decision to Law School
Applying early decision signals to admissions officers that an applicant is so interested in attending their school that he or she is willing to forgo all other applications if accepted. Law schools prefer such highly motivated applicants who don’t need to be wooed and make it easier to lock in a balanced and enthusiastic incoming class.
Admissions officers are therefore a bit more lenient toward early decision applicants whose grades or LSAT scores are lower than the school median. This gives their chances of admission a little nudge.
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Furthermore, the early applicant pool is smaller than the general pool. Applying early means less competition from other applicants with similar profiles.
It can be a relief, moreover, to receive an early notification of admission. Many law schools will give their early decision applicants a decision by the end of December and some aim for a turnaround of a month or less. Meanwhile, general applicants might need to wait until March or April to hear back, which can feel stressful and uncertain.
The Cons of Applying Early Decision to Law School
Law schools that require early decision applicants to make a binding commitment to attend if accepted enforce this very seriously.
Admissions offices notify other schools about which applicants have accepted early decision. Breaching a binding contract is not a promising start to a legal career. It could cause your offer of admission to be revoked.
Of course, an applicant accepted early decision could still choose to forgo law school entirely, or to apply in a later cycle. If you wish to withdraw from the process without burning bridges — perhaps due to a change in life circumstances — communicate with the admissions office about your situation.
How Applying Early Decision Affects Financial Aid
It’s a myth that early decision applicants don’t receive merit-based financial aid. Schools often award aid to incentivize applying early decision. Indeed, some law schools automatically provide additional funding to early decision applicants.
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However, because of their commitment, early decision applicants have little leverage to negotiate for higher merit-based scholarships. This is one reason schools give a preference to early decision applicants.
Of course, applicants tend to apply early decision to law schools that are just within reach, where they are least likely to receive merit-based scholarships.
Making the Decision
Applicants often try to game out where they can apply early decision to maximize their odds of admission to a highly competitive law school. This can be a tricky balance. Applying early decision to a school where your odds are slim is unlikely to make a difference, while applying early decision to a school where your odds are more solid will bar you from taking a shot at higher-ranked schools.
Applying early decision thus makes the most sense for applicants who have a clear top-choice law school where their chances of admission are fair but not great.
If cost of attendance is a major factor for you, then it would be better to keep your options open, so you can negotiate the best scholarship possible.
Ultimately, applying early decision should be a personal choice rather than a strategic gamble. If you’re going to commit to a law school in advance, it should be one you would be overjoyed to attend.
While early decision is more common in undergraduate admissions, law school applicants are often better off applying to a wide range of schools, hopefully ending up with multiple options to consider.
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Applying Early Decision to Law School: Pros and Cons originally appeared on usnews.com
