Law school admissions consultants

As you think about whether law school is right for you—or even if you already know it is—what can you be doing now, in college or beyond, to improve your chances of getting in? In this series, “The Short on Long-Term Planning,” jdMission Senior Consultant Mary Adkins offers tips on how to make smart moves in the pre-application stage.

A friend of mine had an 85-year-old professor. She jokingly asked, just before we were to graduate, if we thought she should go ahead and get a recommendation from him. She did not need one at that time but thought she might in the future, and… you know. He was old. She ended up doing just that (and he joked about it, too).

You may not have professors or former professors in their 80s and 90s, but if you are applying to law school this fall, now is the time to get on top of your letters of recommendation! Do not wait another day. Your recommenders are busy, and people who write recommendations for others always appreciate being alerted far enough in advance to have time to complete the recommendation without having to scramble at the last minute.

If you plan to send in your application in late October, asking someone for a letter of recommendation in September may seem like you are giving him or her plenty of time, but this is not actually the case. Particularly for academic references, fall is a very busy time of year. Professors are dealing with classes starting up again, among other duties.

If you have not done so already, get in touch with your target recommenders ASAP. The earlier the better—both for them and your letter.

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