Greetings! Below are recommended steps to take if you
are applying to law school this year.
We also recommend that you consult the 2012 Law
School Application Process Packet . If you have questions after reading the
packet and the steps below, please make an appointment with me or Michael Dunn
by visiting www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/csa/appointments.
For alumni/ae, I have early morning appointments and you may schedule a phone
or Skype appointment at the link above. If you graduated more than four
years ago, please contact me directly to arrange an appointment. Contact
information is in my signature line. It’s a long email so please stick
with it!
REGISTER FOR THE CREDENTIAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE (CAS)
at www.lsac.org. All applicants must register for this service.
SEND TRANSCRIPT(S) TO LSAC.
You must have a transcript sent to LSAC from each
undergraduate and graduate school you attended. Please refer to the LSAC
website for further information. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU LIST THE NAMES OF
ALL SCHOOL(s) ATTENDED WHEN REGISTERING WITH CAS. If you studied abroad,
list the name of the sponsoring institution. If you have any
questions, please contact Cindy or Michael.
Columbia transcripts: Current students and alums must
request their Columbia transcript from the Registrar’s Office. You may
request their transcript in-person at 205 Kent or alumni/ae may mail or fax
their Transcript Request Form to the address listed below. The
transcripts are FREE.
Office of the Registrar
Columbia University
205 Kent Hall, MC 9202
1140 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
Columbia University
205 Kent Hall, MC 9202
1140 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027
FAX #: 212.866.8476
HAVE RECOMMENDATION LETTERS SENT TO LSAC.
For a list of the law schools LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
REQUIREMENTS visit http://www.lsac.org/Applying/LOR_Preferences.asp.
Letters must be received by LSAC at least two weeks prior to a school’s
application deadline in order for LSAC to ensure that the letters will be sent
to the school before the deadline. LSAC will also accept copies of
letters from the Office of Preprofessional Advising. Candidates can
monitor the status of their letters in the Account Status area of their LSAC
online account.
If you have recommendation letters on file with our
office, provide our office with a LSDAS recommendation form. Type or write
the recommender's name in the appropriate boxes and indicate the recommender's
campus address or our office's address. Our mailing address is in my signature
line.
STUDY FOR THE LSAT if you are taking it in
October or December.
ATTEND A LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS AND PERSONAL
STATEMENT WORKSHOP. Date and time available at http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/preprofessional/law/events.php.
REVIEW UNDERSTANDING ADMISSIONS CRITERIA AND
FACTORS ADMISSIONS OFFICERS CONSIDER WHEN REVIEWING AN APPLICATION. See
pages 31 and 32 of the attached packet of information.
WRITE YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT AND OPTIONAL ESSAYS.
Guidelines and advice for writing the personal statement is
found on pages 24-29 of the attached packet of information.
Personal Statement Workshops: September 27 @ 6pm in
403 Lerner & October 5 @ 6pm in 403 Lerner
Current students enrolled at Columbia can receive feedback
on their personal statements by making an appointment with a writing consultant
at the Writing Center. To make an appointment, visit http://www.columbia.edu/cu/up/wc/main/main-page/.
Alumni/ae can receive feedback on their personal statements
by sending their statement as an Word attachment (saved as Last Name, First
Name Law School PS) to Niki Cunningham at njc2001@columbia.edu.
In the subject line please include your first and last name and Law School
Personal Statement. Please allow 7 business days for feedback and please do not
send multiple drafts before receiving feedback. Please also include your name
on document.
WRITE AN ADDENDUM OR ADDENDA IF NEEDED.
Use an addendum to explain any irregularities and disparities. We do
not recommend writing about irregularities and disparities
in the personal statement. If you are considering writing an
addendum, talk this over and have the statement reviewed by a staff member in the
Office of Preprofessional Advising.
HAVE YOUR RESUME CRITIQUED.
The Center for Career Education will review résumés for
students and alumni. For more information about
this service along with a listing of a couple additional resources,
please see pages 11-12 of the attached packet of information. For law
school, the résumé can be two pages in length unless a school’s instructions
suggest otherwise.
DETERMINE YOUR LIST OF SCHOOLS.
a. Attend
the many law school information sessions on the Columbia and Barnard campus
featuring admissions officers from schools around the country. More
information will be forthcoming about each event.
9/21: UC Berkeley Boalt Hall @ 6pm, Ella
Weed Room, 2nd Fl., Milbank Hall, Barnard
10/3: Cornell, Duke, NYU, & Stanford @
6pm, Sulzberger Parlor, 3rd Fl., Barnard Hall, Barnard
10/11: Harvard Law School
@ 6pm, TBD
10/13: Law Fair and Panel – see item b.
below
10/18: Yale Law School @ 6pm, 401 Lerner
10/20: Vanderbilt Law School (individual
mtgs. during the day in 403 Lerner)
10/25 or 10/27: Columbia Law Reception @
6pm, Columbia Law School
11/3: Georgetown Law School Group
Exercises @ 3pm, 4pm, & 5pm, 401 Lerner
11/9: U Chicago (individual mtgs.
during the day in 403 Lerner)
11/14: George Washington Law (individual
mtgs. during the day @ Barnard, Dean of Studies Office
b. Attend the Barnard-Columbia Law Panel and Law Fair
on Thursday, October 13.
c. Attend a LSAC Forum near you: www.lsac.org. The NY LSAC Forum
is Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15.
d. Visit schools and attend a class or two near where
you are living and/or home during vacations. Check school websites for
visitation information. Some schools also offer virtual tours and
information sessions.
f. Research schools by looking at their
websites. Criteria for selecting a law school can be found on pages
17-23 of the attached packet of information.
g. A list of tools to help you determine where you might be
a competitive applicant is found on page 10 of the attached packet of
information.
h. To receive feedback on your list of schools make a phone
or in-person appointment by calling 854.8722 or email your list of
schools to Megan - mr2168, Niki - njc2001, or Cindy - cfc5.
REGISTER WITH OUR OFFICE FOR THE DEAN'S
CERTIFICATION.
NOTE. FOR OUR RECORDS AND TO HELP ADVISE FUTURE
APPLICANTS, PLEASE REGISTER WITH OUR OFFICE EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU
WILL NEED A DEAN'S CERTIFICATION. Complete our online registration form
found at http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/preprofessional/law/.
This is required for applicants needing a dean's
certification. To learn more about the dean's certification, our
online registration form, and the list of schools requiring it, please see
pages 8, 9, 13, and 32 of the attached packet of information. The
Dean's Certification is sent directly to the schools that require it and
not to LSAC.
MAKE A PHONE OR IN-PERSON APPOINTMENT WITH A STAFF
MEMBER IN OUR OFFICE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT visit
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATIONS.
Submit applications by mid-November unless taking the
December LSAT. If taking the December LSAT, submit
applications soon after taking the exam if confident about
performance and if not, you may want wait to submit applications after
receiving your score.
Best,
Michael, Megan, Niki, and Cindy
CINDY COGDILL
Advising Dean/Assistant Director
Office of Preprofessional Advising
Chair, 2012 Pre-Law Advisor National Council Conference
Center for Student Advising, 403 Lerner Hall
Columbia College and Columbia Engineering
2920 Broadway, MC 1201
New York, NY 10027
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Direct Line: 212.854.5155
Fax: 646.430.8480
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