Application Process
General Overview
Beginning students are accepted only in the fall semester. Students must apply between September 1 and March 1 for the next fall semester, and the application must be accompanied by a nonrefundable $70 fee.Because the law school uses a modified rolling admission system, applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Files must be complete by the March 1 postmarked deadline in order to receive full consideration. All decisions on files completed by the March 1 postmarked deadline will be mailed by March 30.
The following items are required to complete the application for admission:
1.A signed, completed application form. After we receive your application please note it takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to process. Once your application is processed we will request an LSDAS report.
2.Two letters of recommendation. Emory Law School recommends that your letters be submitted through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) letter-of-recommendation service that serves all member schools. Please go to www.lsac.org/ to visit the Law School Admission Council website. This service is included in your Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) registration subscription.
Your letters will be copied and sent to us along with your LSDAS report as soon as your file becomes complete. To be complete, your file must contain a current LSDAS subscription, a complete set of summarized undergraduate transcripts, and at least one reportable LSAT score.
Once we receive your application for admission and it is processed, we will initiate the request for this data from LSDAS, or you may have your letters submitted directly to the law school. To do so, please complete the Request for Recommendation form included in your application packet. This form should accompany the letters of recommendation and should be sent directly to: Office of Admission, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia 30322-3770, and should be addressed to: Assistant Dean for Admission.
3.Personal statement. Lawyers are professional writers. In our experience, virtually all employers are looking for graduates with superior legal writing skills. Emory devotes substantial educational resources to teaching legal writing, and all students receive significant individualized attention. Students who come to law school with solid writing skills are in the best position to take advantage of this training. Accordingly, in making admission decisions, Emory looks carefully at writing ability as evidenced by the LSAT essay, submissions with the application, and letters of recommendation.
Emory Law School requires the submission of a Personal Statement. The statement should describe any unusual aspects of your background that might provide an element of diversity in the law school. You should also describe any skills or traits that you have had an opportunity to develop to an unusual level.Discuss as well any significant activities or work experience that might enrich your law study.The Personal Statement should not exceed two typed pages.The essays can either be single or double spaced but should be typed in any style 12 point font.Applicants will disadvantage themselves by disregarding this limit.
4.An application fee of $70 in the form of a check or money order payable to Emory University. This is a nonrefundable fee and will not be credited to tuition in the event of admission. Your canceled check will be your receipt. If you are unable to pay the application fee, it may be waived on certification of financial hardship by your college financial aid office. If you wish to be considered for a waiver, a copy of your financial aid award letter must be attached to your application materials or be sent by your financial aid office directly to the Office of Admission, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, GA 30322-2770. Applications received after the March 1 postmarked deadline are not eligible for fee-waiver consideration.
5.LSAT/LSDAS report. You must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) no later than December to meet the March 1 application deadline, although February test scores will be considered if space remains available in the entering class. February test takers will not qualify for Emory Law School scholarships. The LSAT must have been taken within the past five years. Registration with the LSDAS is also required. Registration information is included in the Law School Admission Test/Law School Data Assembly Service Information Book available from Law School Admission Services. A transcript from each college and university attended should be sent directly to: Law Services, Box 2000-M, Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940-0993. Do not send this information to the Emory University School of Law. The LSDAS will analyze and duplicate your transcripts, and will send a copy to Emory with the report of your LSAT scores.
6.The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). If your native language is not English or if you did not obtain a degree from an accredited US university, this test is required to demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the use of the English language. Contact TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940 for further information and appropriate application forms.
7.International Credential Evaluation.
Emory University School of Law requires that your foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service. If you completed any postsecondary work outside the US (including its territories) or Canada, you must use this service for the evaluation of your foreign transcripts. The one exception to this requirement is if you completed the foreign work through a study abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a US or Canadian institution, and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript. This 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 (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your LSDAS report. If we determine that you need to submit a TOEFL score, you must contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and request that your TOEFL score be sent to LSAC. LSAC's TOEFL code for the JD Credential Assembly Service is 0058. Your score will be included in the Foreign Credential Evaluation document that will be included in your LSDAS law school 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 out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts.
Questions about the JD Credential Assembly Service can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001, or LSACINFO@LSAC.org.
Admission applications must be postmarked by March 1. We begin reviewing complete applications in December.
An e-mail notification message is sent to applicants when their files are complete. The applicant is responsible for completing the application by the deadline.
Although personal interviews are not granted, the admission committee may require some applicants to come to the law school for such an interview. Applicants who are not required to appear for an interview should submit any special statement they wish to make in writing to the Assistant Dean for Admission.