Questions To Ask Before Applying Early Decision to Law School

You’re starting the law school application deadlines, and you see several options. But which one should you make your goal and what are the terms that come with them? 

There are two different deadline types for law school applications: Early Decision and Regular Decision. Each deadline has different requirements and creates a different commitment between you and the chosen school. 

The standard for law schools, however, is Regular Decision, or rolling admissions. Rolling admissions means that as schools receive applications throughout the season, they review and make decisions. This means that if you apply early on, you may hear back at an earlier date. 

Although you may hear back at an earlier date, you are not required to make a decision about this law school until their deadline.

That marks the main difference between Early Decision and Regular Decision. When you apply Early Decision, you are telling that school that if you are accepted, you will attend their university no matter what. 

If you get in, you will be attending that school and withdraw all of your applications from other schools. You can only apply Early Decision to one school each cycle, so the one school you choose you will be committed to. 

So, why should you consider doing this? Why make this commitment?

One reason is the potential for Early Decision to benefit your application. Although this does not ring true for all applicants or all schools, some admissions departments do want to see demonstrated interest and commitment from applicants. 

Schools want to know their yield for the incoming school year, so knowing that a student is coming to their school can help them significantly. 

Students, however, should not get wrapped up in the fact that there is a small potential for applying early decision to help your applications. 

Early Decision is a binding contract that you are entering into with the school, which means you need to understand and agree to the terms before signing. 

These are three main questions you should be asking yourself before applying Early Decision: 

1. Would you be upset if you got into a different school and were not able to attend it due to your Early Decision commitment? 

Let’s break down what this means. Imagine your top school is ABC University, but you’re not sure that you are going to get in. Instead, you apply Early Decision to XYZ University because you think you may have a better chance. 

You get into XYZ University and are now committed to attending their university, but you later find out that you were accepted by ABC University and now are unable to attend. 

If that thought is not okay with you, then you shouldn’t apply early decision. You need to be confident that, regardless of any other school you’re going to get into, the one you are applying Early Decision to is the right fit and top choice for you.

2. Can I afford this university, regardless of what financial aid package I receive? 

When you apply early decision, there is no guaranteed financial aid to help you attend the school. In fact, some schools give a disclaimer that you will not be eligible for merit-based scholarships if you apply Early Decision. 

You may still get need-based scholarships, but you may not know immediately what that financial package would look like. 

Assuming the worst - that you receive no aid at all at the school - are you or whoever is helping fund your education prepared to foot that bill? If the answer is no, then you should not apply Early Decision. 

3. Are you a competitive candidate? 

If you’re thinking about applying Early Decision to a school where your numbers are lower than their average scores, or perhaps you don’t have work experience, or something else that may place your application below their standards, whether or not Early Decision is in your favor depends.

You may not be a competitive enough applicant compared to others applying Early Decision. On the other hand, you may benefit by having your application viewed against a smaller application pool.

In the first case, if you take the time to boost your score on the next LSAT exam or get your personal statement and other essays reviewed, you may be able to strengthen your application, apply later with Regular Decision, and actually get in.

Final Thoughts

If you know that you want to attend the school you’re applying to no matter what, are not concerned about the financials, and believe you are a competitive candidate with a strong application, then Early Decision may be right for you. 

Check out my blog for Early Decision programs that offer a full-ride and guaranteed scholarships.

Applying Early Decision is for specific applicants who are determined to attend a specific school despite anything else. If that’s not you, that’s okay! Applying Regular Decision may give you a better chance at financial aid opportunities, more time to strengthen your application, and the chance to choose if you get into your reach schools.

In the end, you need to evaluate each of these questions and decide which application type is best for you.