From its beginnings in the earliest days of the 19th century, Yale University Law School has gone through a lot of storms. Yet, the standards remained. The law school stood firm. And until now, it is still producing promising law practitioners, with a promise to produce more.
Yale University Law School had once been home to former US Presidents Bill Clinton and Gerald Ford, as well as Ben Stein, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. You could be the next in Yale Law School’s long list of notable alumni. But before you get yourself too excited, you have to start with this:
Yale Law School offers four degree programs. Each program has a specified list of requirements. However, all the programs require that you accomplish a program application form and pay an application fee, which varies depending on the program you are applying for. Applications may be done online, or with a paper application. Applicants who are not native English speakers are required to submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) report.
Specifically, here are the application requirements for each program:
Degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.) program:
-a bachelor’s degree,
-registration for the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS),
-scores from the Law School Admission Test,
-an essay and a personal statement,
-and 2 recommendation letters from former professors or employers.
Degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) program:
-a law degree from an accredited law school (or a final transcript that confirms your graduation, if you haven’t graduated),
-good academic record,
-2 recommendation letters,
-complete preprofessional requirements for admission to the bar,
-and intention to pursue careers involved in law teaching and scholarship.
This for law degree holders who are intending to teach law.
Degree of Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) program:
-at least a bachelor’s degree in any field,
-curriculum vitae,
-a letter of intent, stating your interest in the program and describing your working experience,
-undergraduate and graduate work transcripts,
-3 recommendation letters,
-and 3-5 sample works, if applying as a journalist.
The M.S.L. program is for non-law professionals who want to learn about the law in relation to their fields of expertise.
Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D) program:
-a letter of application
-a dissertation proposal with a proposed time frame
-a statement of contingent approval of a member from a member of the Yale Law School faculty and two Yale Law School faculty readers;
-any written work demonstrating research competency
-a recommendation letter each from 2 members of the Yale Law School Faculty
-original copy college and law school transcripts, for those who did not take the LL.M. degree from Yale
The J.S.D. program is open only to the LL.M. degree holders. Only those who have demonstrated competence and exemplary skills in taking their LL.M degree qualify for the program.
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There is no doubt that applying to Harvard University Law School is competitive. It has been reported that in one particular year, only 840 applicants out of 7300 were accepted. There are also some reports that students who do get accepted have a 3.9 undergraduate grade point average (GPA). However, Harvard University Law School itself states that it does not have a so-called cut-off GPA or Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score. It does prefer applicants with an LSAT score range of 169 to 175, and a GPA range of 3.95 to 3.72. However difficult getting in may be, many students are still applying into the prestigious law school. Why not? The school delivers employment for more than 99% of its newly graduates. The average entry-level salary is also awe-inspiring, at $109,611 annually.
Before going through the application specifics, try to remember your true motivation in applying to law school. Is this all about your dreams or someone else’s, like your family’s? To apply to and go through law school, you must truly want it. Harvard University Law School, especially, makes you face the real challenge of having to fight for acceptance and of possibly paying very expensive tuition. If you truly want to go through it, you must know how to have a fighting chance. You will want to be part of Harvard’s graduates who are being hired by law schools, firms and even the government.
You have to take your LSAT first. Most students applying into Harvard are not newly graduates; they have work experiences and time to ponder their choice. You also need the time to review for your LSAT. If you think your undergraduate GPA is not that high, or not high enough, you may boost your chances by getting a high LSAT score. LSAT is offered February, June, September and October. If you want to apply at Harvard early, you must make sure that you have a result by September of the year before the school year you are targeting. Secure your application form, which can already submit after a date set by Harvard in September. You either have to pay the application fee or request for a waiver if you are having financial difficulties. Write a winning personal statement that will make you stand out. Remember that this essay will show who you are as a person beyond your achievements. Do not be careless with your personal statement; five people read each Harvard application. So, your errors will be definitely noticed. As for your achievements, they can be placed together with your work experiences and education in your resume, which you also have to submit. Two recommendation letters will further support your claims, both in the intellectual capability and character assessments.
Now that you have information on Harvard Law application, you may get ready to show your best self to what can possibly be your future school.
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