Admissions Facts and Figures

The Application Process

LSAT & LSDAS

Other Questions

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Admissions Facts and Figures

Q. What Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) scores and undergraduate grade point averages did the last entering class have?

A. The LSAT and undergraduate GPA percentiles for the Fall 2006 entering class were as follows:

Q. How much is your application fee?

A. The application fee is $50.00 (non-refundable).

Q. Do you only admit students for the Fall semester?

A. Yes.

Q. What is your accreditation?

A. John Marshall Law School is on the list of schools approved by the American Bar Association as a provisionally approved school. It is the policy of the ABA that students enrolled in provisionally approved schools are entitled to all of the rights and privileges of students enrolled in fully approved schools.

Q. Do you offer both a full time and part time law program?

A. Yes. The full time program is offered for students who are able to attend classes during the day. The part time program allows students to attend part time during the day or part time in the evening.

Q. What is the cost of tuition per credit hour?

A. The charge per credit hour is $930.00 for the 2007-08 academic year.

Q. Are student loans available?

A. Yes. Student loans for educational expenses are available to qualified borrowers. The Title IV School Code for John Marshall Law School - Atlanta is: G31733. For further information please contact James Smith, Director of Financial Aid at jsmith @ johnmarshall.edu.

Q. Am I able to work while enrolled full time in law school?

A. Yes. Full time students are able to work up to 20 hours a week but are counseled not to exceed 15 hours of outside employment a week.

Q. How many credits are required to graduate?

A. Eighty-Eight (88) semester credits are required to graduate.

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The Application Process

Q. When is your application deadline?

A. The Law School accepts applications year round and does not have application deadlines; however, applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible in order to complete the admissions process in a timely manner and to ensure consideration prior to the class becoming full.

Q. What is required to complete my file?

A. A completed file contains the following documentation:

• Completed application (submitted in hard copy or over the internet)
• $50.00 application fee (non-refundable)
• Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) Report forwarded directly from Law Services
• Three letters of reference
• Typed personal statement
  

Q. Do you accept application fee waivers?

A. The law school accepts application fee waivers from the LSDAS service only. If you receive a fee waiver from LSAC, we will waive your application fee for the academic year that you are applying. However, if you receive the fee waiver after you have already submitted the application fee, we will not refund the fee. In the event you are interested in applying before learning of your fee waiver status, you can submit a hard copy application with an explanation that you are awaiting a decision from LSAC. We will not make a decision on your file until you are approved for a fee waiver or submit the required application fee.

Q. Will the admissions committee review my admissions file if most of my documents are in?

A. No. The Admissions Committee will only review completed files.

Q. What does the Admissions Committee consider in addition to the LSAT and undergraduate GPA in reaching a decision?

A. The Admissions Committee considers the following factors in additional to the LSAT and GPA:

• Individual qualities which would contribute to fulfilling the mission of the School of Law of serving non-traditional as well as traditional students.
• The college or university as well as the discipline in which the candidate’s degree was earned.
• Academic and professional accomplishments following the award of the first degree.
• Leadership, community service, entrepreneurship, and positions of trust, confidence, and responsibility held since the first degree.
• Personal references that can attest to the candidate’s capacity to successfully undertake a rigorous program in the study of law and to contribute positively to the profession and to society.

The Admissions Committee has determined that candidates with strong admissions credentials will be eligible for automatic admission by the Office of Admissions. Applicants whose entering credentials present a less clear picture may have their files reviewed in depth by the committee. It is at this stage that the Committee carefully examines “the whole person” including the factors listed above.

Q. Are interviews part of the Admissions process?

A. While evaluative interviews are not part of the admission process, our Admissions Committee reserves the right to request to interview a candidate.

Q. How will I be notified of a decision?

A. Applicants are notified of a decision in writing. No decisions are given over the phone regardless of circumstances.

Q. Do you require a seat deposit upon acceptance?

A. To secure a place in the entering class, accepted applicants for admission must pay a $500.00 non-refundable deposit payable in two equal installments. The deposit due dates will be noted in the acceptance letter. Seat deposits are credited to the student’s tuition account.

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LSAT and LSDAS Service

Q. What is the LSAT?

A. The LSAT is a half-day standardized test designed to measure some of the skills considered essential for success in law school: the ability to read and comprehend complex texts with accuracy and insight; organize and manage information and draw reasonable inferences from it; think critically; and analyze and evaluate the reasoning and arguments of others. The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions and one 30-minute writing sample. Only four of the five sections contribute to the test taker's score. The unscored section typically is used to pretest new test items or to pre-equate new test forms. The placement of this section, which is commonly referred to as the variable section, is varied for each administration of the test. LSAC does not score the writing sample; however, copies of the sample are sent to all law schools to which a candidate applies.

The LSAT is scored on a scale from 120 to 180, with 180 being the highest possible score. Most law schools in the United States and Canada use LSAT results as part of their admission assessments.

Q. When and where is the LSAT offered?

A. The LSAT is offered four times a year at numerous locations around the world. The test is usually given in the months of February, June, October and December.

Q. How can I sign up for the LSAT test?

A. You can register online at the Law School Admission Council site at www.lsac.org or contact them by phone at 1-215-968-1001.

Q. What is the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) and do I need to register with them?

A. The LSDAS prepares and provides a report for each law school to which you apply. The report contains information that schools use, along with your other submitted materials to make a decision on your application. Information contained in the report includes:

• An undergraduate academic summary
• Copies of all undergraduate, graduate, and law school/professional transcripts
• LSAT scores and copies of your writing sample
• Copies of letters of recommendation processed by LSAC

John Marshall Law School is a member school of the LSDAS service and requires that you register with the service.

Q. Do I have to wait to apply until after I take the LSAT?

A. No. You are encouraged to apply as soon as possible; however, no decision will be made until after we receive your official LSAT score as reported by the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).

Q. Do letters of reference have to go through the LSDAS Service?

A. No. Letters of reference do not have to be sent to the LSDAS service. We do advise that if you are applying to more than one school to utilize the service; however, we do allow letters to be sent directly to the Office of Admissions from the individual writing the recommendation.

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Other Questions

Q. Do you have a Career Development Office to help me find a job?

A. Yes. The Career Development Office (CDO) provides employment and career counseling to students and alumni and acts as a liaison between the law school community and the state-wide legal community. The CDO coordinates seminars, workshops, and forums on career options, resume writing, and interviewing techniques.

Q. I am a practicing attorney and I want to audit a course. Can I do that?

A. Yes, you may audit elective courses on a space available basis only and with prior approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Please contact the Office of Admissions to obtain an application and check our web page for a course schedule.

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