Skip to main content

Decode Priority Track, Early Decision in Law School Applications

By U.S. News & World Report

Welcome to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q&A, a monthly feature of Law Admissions Lowdown that provides admissions advice to readers who send in questions and admissions profiles.

If you have a question about law school, please email me for a chance to be featured next month.

Take [four final steps before submitting law school applications.]

Dear Shawn: I am preparing my applications now and hope to apply as early as possible this fall. I have been receiving fee waivers from some schools and invitations to apply on a priority track from others. Do either of these affect my chances of admission? Also, what is the difference between priority track and early decision? -Early Applier

Dear Early Applier: For a long time, law schools have granted fee waivers to applicants based on preliminary information they gather from the Law School Admission Council. This is one of the ways in which they encourage strong applicants to apply to their school. Receiving a fee waiver does not guarantee admission, of course. But it does indicate that the school is interested in you, usually based on your LSAT score and, if you have submitted your transcripts to LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service, your GPA.

Get [ insight into how law schools view LSAT scores.]

Priority track is a more recent way in which schools encourage strong applicants to apply. Priority track generally means that the school promises to evaluate your candidacy quickly and give you an admissions decision within a few weeks. Like fee waivers, receiving an invitation to apply priority track indicates that the school views you as a strong applicant based on the information available to them but does not guarantee admission.

The difference between priority track and early decision is that priority track is generally not binding, whereas early decision is binding. Be sure to read carefully the description of the priority track application process for each school to make sure that you are not committing yourself to attending that school if admitted.

Another significant difference is that early decision applications are generally evaluated quickly, but not as quickly as priority track, and schools do not commit themselves to rendering a decision within a certain number of days of the submission of the application. Finally, because applying early decision binds the applicant to attend if admitted, it is viewed positively by admissions committees. Applying priority track does not have that advantage. -Shawn

Dear Shawn: I am planning on applying to law school this cycle. My GPA is very strong — 3.9 from a top-ranked university — but I haven’t yet taken the LSAT. Historically I am not a strong standardized test taker, and I am currently scoring in the low 160s. Although I hope to continue to improve, I am not sure where my score will end up. Assuming I end up with a 163 LSAT score, would I be a viable applicant at a top-14 law school? And should I write an addendum explaining my low LSAT score? -High GPA

Know [when and how to write a law school addendum.]

Dear High GPA : First, do everything you can in the next six weeks to improve your LSAT score as much as possible. Your GPA is stellar and is on the high end of the GPA range for all law schools in the country, including Harvard University, Stanford University and Yale University.

But if your LSAT score stays in the low 160s, you will have a very difficult time getting into a top three or top six program. Even with a 163, you will be a viable candidate at many top 14 schools, including Georgetown University, Northwestern University and Cornell University, because your GPA is so high.

Assuming your LSAT score stays in the low- to mid-160s, I would not recommend writing an LSAT addendum in your case. Although there will be a significant disparity between your GPA and LSAT scores, there is no reason to write an addendum. These are appropriate for applicants who have taken the test more than once with a significant score disparity, have cancelled their score more than once or have some other significant irregularity on their LSAT score report.

Some people are tempted to write an addendum to explain that they are historically not great standardized test-takers and that their LSAT score is not indicative of their potential as a law student. Remember that although the LSAT is a very important indicator for admissions committees, they understand how to contextualize the various parts of an application to come to an accurate assessment of an applicant’s potential.

To ensure that admissions committees are comfortable with your academic potential, make sure to highlight some of your academic successes in other parts of your application — particularly in your personal statement — and get letters of recommendation from professors who can speak with firsthand experience about your academic achievements. -Shawn

More from U.S. News

3 Ways Personal, Diversity Statements Differ in Law School Applications

Take 5 Steps to Craft a Great Law School Personal Statement

Early Decision May Not Be Right for Strong Law School Applicants

Decode Priority Track, Early Decision in Law School Applications originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote