Full Time & Part Time Programs
Application Process
We urge you to submit your application as early as possible in the application period. Every effort will be made to notify applicants of missing application material. However, it is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the Office of Admissions receives all necessary documents. Once a file is complete, you will be notified. Completed applications are reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in January. Most applicants can expect a decision within six to ten weeks after their file is complete. Other than certain upperclass transfer/visiting applicants, all students must begin their legal studies in the fall semester.
A complete application file consists of:
- Application Form
- $65 application fee for each division
- LSDAS report
- Personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
APPLICATION FORM
Each applicant must complete and file an application form by the March 15 deadline. The application form may be found on this website or in the back of the viewbook and may be completed electronically or printed and mailed to the law school. An application also may be obtained from the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) web site.
Application may be made to more than one program, but each applicant must indicate to which division or divisions he or she is applying.
You will be notified when your application has been received. If applying electronically, LSAC will send you confirmation that your application has been submitted. Do not send an additional application by mail if you are applying electronically.
APPLICATION FEE
Except in rare cases of economic hardship, a non-refundable application fee of $65 (US) must accompany each application. If application is made to more than one division, an application fee must be submitted for each program.
If submitting your application by mail, please send a check or money order only made payable to New England School of Law. If applying electronically, the fee can be paid by credit card through LSAC. This fee is for processing only and is not credited toward the tuition of an accepted student. We will return all applications received unsigned or without the application fee.
Transcript
Before matriculating at New England School of Law, an applicant must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution. For the admissions process, the law school will only accept transcripts submitted through the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS), a service provided by LSAC. The LSDAS analyzes each registrant's transcript(s), compiles other relevant information on the applicant, and then sends this data to the law schools chosen by the registrant.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who have received undergraduate degrees outside the United States or Canada must adhere to the transcript requirements under the Applicants with foreign undergraduate degrees section.
LSAT
Each applicant must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), which is administered by LSAC, usually no later than February of the year in which he or she wishes to enroll. The applicant must have taken the LSAT within the past five years. If an applicant repeats the LSAT, his or her application will be reviewed, using the average of the scores as the official score. For significant score gaps, an explanation must be given. If the Admissions Committee finds the explanation compelling, they will give more weight to the highest LSAT score.
Recommendations
Each applicant is required to submit two letters of recommendation, preferably from college professors who can attest to the applicant's ability to enter a competitive professional program. If the applicant has been out of school for some time, letters from an employer can be helpful. Although you are not restricted to two letters, your file will be complete when two letters have been received.
Faxed or photocopied recommendation letters are not accepted. There are two options for submitting letters of recommendation.
- We recommend that your letters be submitted through the LSAC letter of recommendation service that serves all member schools. This service is included in your LSDAS registration subscription. Your letters will be copied and sent to us along with your LSDAS report and updated on a weekly basis. To use this service, follow the directions for submitting letters outlined in the 2007-2008 LSAT/LSDAS Information Book. Be sure to fill out and give each letter writer a letter of recommendation form from the LAST/LSDAS Information Book. You do not need to send our recommendation form if you are using the LSAC letter of recommendation service.
- We will continue to accept letters submitted directly to our law school, using the form included in our application. Have your recommender complete the form, attach the statement, and mail it to our address listed on the form.
Personal Statement
Each applicant is required to submit a personal statement. This is your opportunity to speak to the Admissions Committee members directly as the committee does not grant personal interviews. This statement should emphasize a particular aspect of the applicant's background, suitability for admission, or the basis of your interest in legal studies. You may write about your personal characteristics and circumstances, strengths, work experiences, extracurricular activities, and/or your ethnic, economic, and educational background.
Addendum
You may include an addendum if necessary to address any additional items not found in the rest of your application. While not required, it is often helpful to the Admissions Committee to state any reasons why you believe your LSAT score(s) or your Undergraduate Grade Point Average (UGPA) would or would not be a good predictor of your potential law school performance. In addition, comparing your SAT and ACT score(s) with your post-secondary school academic performance may help evaluate the predictive value of your LSAT.
BOARD OF BAR EXAMINERS
Many states require that law school applicants file with the Board of Bar Examiners before the commencement of their legal studies. You are advised to contact the Board of Bar Examiners in the jurisdiction(s) in which you intend to practice to learn whether such a requirement exists.
