Humanities and Communication
Law School Admissions
Watch here for helpful insights into law school—what to expect, how to navigate the admissions process, and where to find the best resources and tips for crafting a strong application. 🎓📚
Whether you're just starting to explore the idea or already preparing to apply, this is your go-to spot for guidance and support.
The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) website includes test dates for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) required by most law schools for admission. Make sure to check out the Getting Ready for the LSAT page for more details about the remotely proctored LSAT, the modality of the exam for the time being.
LSAT and Admissions
The LSAC search engine lets you search for American Bar Association (ABA) approved law schools by LSAT, GPA and location as you explore options.
Preparing for the LSAT
Preparing for the LSAT is an important element of the application process. Whether doing so on your own, through the official LSAC partnership with Khan Academy, or through a commercially available course, these resources may help you develop the capacity to do well and improve over time. A good LSAT score can mean the difference between admission to your preferred choices or not, as well as access to scholarships.
The list here includes a variety of options--and in no way is an endorsement of a particular product. Do your own research and find the LSAT preparation solution which is best for you.
Khan Academy and Law School Admissions Council Offer Free LSAT Preparation
Khan Academy and the Law School Admissions Council have teamed up to produce an official--and free--preparation course for the LSAT.
Selecting Where to Apply
- Before you begin this process, and if you intend on staying in California, here’s a description of what you need to know about bar admissions requirements to practice law in California as well as recent bar passage statistics-how many students from particular law schools successfully passed the bar exam.
- Here is a list of California law schools from the State Bar of California and a list of United States law schools with links to their websites.
- The Law School Admissions Council publishes an official guide to American Bar Association accredited law schools.
- The American Bar Association publishes annual reports--submitted by ABA accredited law schools--which provides useful details about each law school. These "Standard 509 Disclosures" are a valuable resource for your research process, and starting in 2018, include data on bar passage and employment statistics for each ABA law school.
- XPloreJD is a tool created by the nonprofit organization AccessLex to help you evaluate law school options using a range of factors--including six key factors: Location, Cost, Enrollment, Diversity, Curriculum and Outcomes.
- The non-profit Law School Transparency Project has some helpful resources about making informed choices about applying to law school. The organization has helpful reports on law schools as well as a data dashboard.
The LSAC provides a helpful starting place for you to investigate the financial cost of law school and what types of financial aid are available.
Undocumented and looking for information about how to finance law school? Here are some places to start:
- UC Berkeley School of Law has a useful website with links to a variety of resources about financial aid options for undocumented students
- The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) has a number of scholarships which do not depend on immigration status.
- Navigating Graduate School: Resource Guide for Undocumented Students (2018), authored by two Santa Clara Law School students, includes more than financial aid.
- U.S. News and World Report articles on Paying for Law School
- The Association of American Law Schools has a helpful website with additional resources on scholarships and grants.
AccessLex is a nonprofit organization that provides free resources to pre-law and law students as they investigate ways to finance a legal education. This includes one-on-one financial counseling. Some of their programs include:
- MAX Pre-Law: Includes worksheets, checklists, webinars and other resources for you to plan how you will pay for law school and beyond.
- AccessLex Student Loan Calculator: helps you estimate the costs for law school, including tuition, living expenses, and bar preparation, as well as the cost of borrowing.
Financing a Legal Education
Law school is a major investment. And, financial aid for law students is different from your undergraduate experience, so it pays to investigate your options early in your process. Here are some resources for you to begin.