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ADMISSION TO-DO LIST

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Thank you for your interest in applying to Chapman University School of Law. We are proud of our reputation as one of the nation's friendliest law schools, and are confident you will agree with Princeton Review's assessment of Chapman as a top ten school in terms of "Quality of Life," "Best Classroom Experience," and "Professors (that) Rock."

Please carefully follow each of the steps below to ensure that your application will be received in a timely manner.

Application Instructions

You must complete an online application via the web, at http://www.lsac.org

Please do not submit duplicate applications or letters of recommendation.

Application Fee: A $65 non-refundable application fee is required. Please make a check payable to Chapman University School of Law. Credit cards are not accepted.

Application Deadline: The fall 2010 deadline for JD applicants is April 15, 2010. For additional deadlines, see Admission Deadlines.

Fee Waiver Requests: You must submit a written statement outlining your request and financial circumstances. Learn More...

If you have any questions, please peruse this website or Contact Us.

Application Checklist

	Please ensure your email address is up to date. This is our primary method of contact.
	LSDAS Electronic Applications: We only accept applications that have been prepared using the Law School Admission Council's electronic applications service. This product allows you to efficiently fill out applications for all ABA-approved law schools. Applications submitted to LSAC for transmission to Chapman Law will be considered postmarked on the day they are electronically submitted.
	RÉSUMÉ: Please provide a detailed description of your work experience, community involvement, volunteer work, scholastic honors and achievements, and/or extra-curricular activities. Please include dates and number of hours per week. Your résumé should be typewritten. (Please submit as an attachment with your electronic application.)
	PERSONAL STATEMENT: Please include a brief statement indicating your reasons for wanting to study law, why you chose to apply to Chapman University School of Law, and any further information that you feel should be considered by the Admissions Committee. The personal statement should be no more than three pages in length, typewritten, 12 point font, and double-spaced. (Please submit as an attachment with your electronic application.) The personal statement is an important part of the application review process and it is given careful and meaningful consideration. It is an opportunity for you to share with the Admissions Committee insight into who you are as a person, your career goals, and your interest in the legal profession. Although we do not ask any specific questions of a prospective student, we do recommend that you share information that could not otherwise be discerned from your application. Chapman University School of Law seeks a diverse student body, and you are welcome to share information in your personal statement that relates to your multicultural experiences, international/overseas experiences, fluency in foreign languages, ethnicity, geographic background, special talents or skills (e.g., music, drama, art), socioeconomic factors (e.g., first generation college graduate, history of overcoming hardship, adversity), and other factors that you feel best reflect who you are as a person. Providing such information is voluntary.
	LSAT & LSDAS: All applicants must furnish their results of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), register for the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS), and pay all requisite LSAC mandated fees. Please note that we will not accept the June LSAT score, if you are applying as a first year student. If you have a decrease or increase in your LSAT score, please provide a written explanation for the disparity. (Please submit as an attachment with your electronic application.) Note: those with international credentials should read further for an exception on LSDAS. Only LSAT results from February 2004 through the current cycle are considered for fall 2009 admission. Please arrange to have all transcripts mailed directly to LSAC by the institution(s) you have attended.
	LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: Chapman University School of Law requires the submission of two letters of recommendation. These letters must be submitted directly to LSAC. Positive and meaningful recommendations concerning the applicant's analytical skills and communication and writing abilities can be helpful to the Committee in the decision-making process. Typically, professors, academic administrators and advisors, and employers are best able to address these qualities and characteristics in an applicant. Recommendations from professors who have taught you in a course are strongly recommended, especially if you have graduated with an undergraduate degree within the last five years. The maximum number of letters we will review is three. Chapman University School of Law also requires that your letters be submitted through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service that serves all member schools. Note: those with international credentials should read further for an exception on letters of recommendation. This service is included in your LSDAS registration. Your letters will be copied and sent to Chapman Law, along with your LSDAS report. To use this service, follow the instructions for submitting letters outlined on www.LSAC.org or in the LSAT & LSDAS Information Book. Be sure to fill out and give each letter-writer a Letter of Recommendation Form from the website at www.LSAC.org.
	INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: Chapman University School of Law requires that your foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service. If you completed any postsecondary work outside the US (including its territories) or Canada, you must use this service for the evaluation of your foreign transcripts. The one exception to this requirement is if you completed the foreign work through a study-abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a US or Canadian institution, and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript. This service is included in the LSDAS registration fee. A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your LSDAS report. If we determine that you need to submit a TOEFL score, you must contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and request that your TOEFL score be sent to LSAC. LSAC's TOEFL code for the JD Credential Assembly Service is 0058. Your score will be included in the Foreign Credential Evaluation document that will be included in your LSDAS law school report. To use the JD CAS, log in to your online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts. Questions about the JD Credential Assembly Service can be directed to LSAC at either 215.968.1001 or LSACinfo@LSAC.org. English Language Proficiency Proficiency in English is required for admission. Some international applicants may be required to furnish official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). International applicants should check with the Law Admissions Office for details. The minimum score requirement for admission consideration is 600 on the paper-based test, 250 on the computer-based test, and 100 on the internet-based test. (TOEFL 800.257.9547, website: www.TOEFL.org)
	SPECIAL NEEDS: Applicants are not required to notify the law school of a disability or a need for accommodation prior to admission. Any information concerning an applicant's disability provided during the admissions process is voluntary and optional and is maintained as confidential information in the law school. No limitations are placed on the number of persons with disabilities who may be admitted or enrolled. Applicants with disabilities may wish to contact LSAC to inquire about the possibility of receiving testing accommodations for the LSAT.
	SEAT DEPOSIT: If admitted to the law school, those planning to enroll will be required to submit two separate nonrefundable seat deposits of $250 each. Although these seat deposits are nonrefundable, they will be applied to student accounts upon matriculation.
	OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS: In order to be considered for admission, an applicant must have, or be scheduled to receive by the time of fall matriculation, a bachelor's degree or its international equivalent from a fully-accredited institution of higher learning in the US or abroad. All letters of acceptance to Chapman University School of Law are conditional upon the applicant having earned the bachelor's degree prior to fall matriculation. The transcripts that applicants initially submit to LSAC are not considered official transcripts by the American Bar Association (ABA). The official transcript must be sent directly to Chapman Law from the school which they have earned the bachelor's degree or its international equivalent prior to fall matriculation. This pertains to applicants who have been admitted to the JD program. Please do not send any information directly to the Law Admissions Office. If you have any additional information that you cannot upload as an attachment with your electronic application, please fax the documents to 888-289-5033