Supplemental Application Details and Procedures

Bachelor’s Degree/Final 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 United States or abroad. All letters of acceptance to Chapman University School of Law are conditioned upon the applicant having earned the bachelor’s degree prior to fall matriculation.  Only applicants who are admitted to the program should submit their final official transcripts

The transcripts that applicants initially submit to LSAC are not considered official transcripts by the American Bar Association (ABA). The official transcripts must be sent directly to Chapman Law from the school from which you have earned the bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent.

Deferments

Chapman Law does not have an automatic deferral process. Therefore, the applicant should apply to the class he/she plans to attend. We are aware that circumstances can change; therefore, applicants who have already been admitted may request a deferral in writing for the next entering class. This request should be addressed to the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. Requests are reviewed on an individual basis by the Admissions Committee. There are no guarantees that the deferral will be granted. If a referral is approved by the Admissions Committee, the applicant will be notified in writing. Any admitted applicant granted and accepting deferred admission is required to submit an additional $500 nonrefundable seat deposit (i.e. $1000 total) that will be applied to tuition upon fall matriculation. The applicant must send a formal letter to the Law School acknowledging (1) that deferred status is not also being held at another law school, (2) that all prior applications to other law schools have been withdrawn and (3) that new applications will not be made to other law schools.

Fee Waiver Requests

For applicant’s who are interested in obtaining a fee waiver should submit a written request outlining your request and financial circumstances via fax at 888-289-5033.  The request should be accompanied by last year’s W-2 form or tax return and/or a financial aid award letter specifying your need. Your request will be reviewed and if denied you will be notified via email or U.S. postal e-mail.

If you would like to decline the offer of admission please go to the following link:

http://www.chapman.edu/law/newAdmits/decline.asp

Interviews

The School of Law does not grant personal interviews to applicants as part of the admissions process. Occasionally, the Admissions Committee may wish to meet with an applicant for clarifying purposes. Such meetings are rare and are initiated only by the Admissions Committee.

Letters of Recommendation

We take seriously the observations offered about you by your chosen recommenders. The Admissions Committee encourages applicants to secure letters of recommendation from persons who can speak to their writing skills, analytical and reasoning ability, maturity, and moral character. Such evaluation will most likely come from faculty members for whom the applicant has conducted research, taken courses and/or written papers.  Two letters are required for all JD candidates.  We will accept a maximum of three. JD and Transfer candidates must submit their letters of recommendation to LSAC per our application instructions.  Visitor candiddates may have the letters sent directly to the Law Admissions Office.

Personal Statement

A personal statement is required as part of the application. The statement should be type-written using 12-point font, double-spaced, and we accept up to three pages in length. 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 some 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.

Re-application for Admission/ File Retention Policy

Applicants who wish to re-apply for admission must submit the current application form, the non-refundable application fee, an updated personal statement, and an updated resume. The LSAT need not be retaken if the test was taken within the last five years. An updated LSDAS report is required. All other documents previously submitted for review may be used by the Admissions Committee. The Law Admissions Office archives all files electronically.

Seat Deposits

If admitted to the School of Law, an applicant who plans to enroll will be required to submit two separate non-refundable seat deposits of $250 each. The first seat deposit is generally due mid April and the second seat deposit is generally due mid June. Applicants who are admitted late in the application cycle, typically May through June, will be required to place one seat deposit of $500 by a specified deadline date. Each seat deposit must be paid in full and the offer of admission is subject to cancellation if payment is not received by the specified deadline date. Both seat deposits are non-refundable and credited to the initial tuition payment only upon matriculation. Seat deposits can be paid by check or money order made payable to Chapman University School of Law. LSAC# and name should be written in the MEMO portion of your check. Both seat deposits should be mailed to the address below:

Chapman University School of Law
Law Admissions
1 University Dr.
Orange, Ca 92866

Supplemental Information

Applicants are obligated to advise the School of Law of any changes in the information that they have previously furnished. Specifically, an applicant should promptly report to the School of Law any additional grades earned and any other facts that would have required a different answer to any of the disclosure questions originally asked in the application. These changes may be self-reported, in writing, by the applicant. If official follow-up verification is required, the applicant will be so advised by the Law Admissions Office.  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
 
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