Welcome to the latest installment of Law Admissions Q-and-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. This week’s Q&A will focus on issues concerning applicants who are applying during this year’s application cycle.

Dear Shawn: I have submitted some of my law school applications, but am now having second thoughts about applying this year. My concerns are that I am already late in the cycle and that I may improve my chances of admission by applying at the beginning of next year’s admissions cycle. If I decide to apply next year, what should I do about the applications I have already submitted? And if I apply next year, do I need to start from scratch on my applications or can I use the essays, recommendations and other materials I have prepared for this admissions cycle? -Second Thoughts

[Get advice on applying to law school late in the cycle.]

Dear Second Thoughts: I think you are wise to consider postponing applying until early in next year’s cycle. Although the number of law school applicants had been dropping the past several years, this year has seen what appears to be the beginning of an uptick in both LSAT takers and law school applicants. This indicates that the application process will be a bit more competitive this year than in previous years, and as a result, applying late in the cycle is more of a disadvantage this year than last.

If you decide that you are best served by applying next year instead of this year, you should withdraw every application you have already submitted. This will not affect your standing with these schools if you choose to apply to them next year as well. In fact, the admissions committee will likely appreciate your honesty with them.

On the other hand, if you wait until you have received a decision , admissions offices will likely not take kindly to being told that you have changed your plans for next year.

[Learn about law admissions trends 2015 applicants should know about.]

Assuming you withdraw your applications before receiving any decisions, you can use the materials you have prepared for this admissions cycle next year. You should, however, make sure to update all relevant information in your application to account for any academic, professional or other developments that have happened since you wrote your applications for this cycle. This generally includes adding any relevant experience to your personal statement and resume and asking for updated letters of recommendation from anyone with whom you will continue to work in the coming year.

Dear Shawn: I have been offered spots on the waitlist at several schools and I am wondering how to proceed. Other than telling the schools that I’d like to be placed on their waitlist, is there anything else I can do to improve my chances of being accepted from the waitlist? -Waiting

Dear Waiting: First, you should only request to be placed on the waitlist at schools that you would rather attend than all schools from which you’ve already received offers of admission. This is a matter of courtesy both to the school and to other applicants to the school, who will benefit from another waitlist spot being open.

In addition to completing any formalities such as filling out forms required to be placed on the waitlist , you should write a letter of continuing interest, indicating that you remain strongly interested in attending the school.

[See five tips for getting off the law school waitlist.]

In this letter you should briefly reiterate the reasons why you are interested in that school specifically. You should also mention any additional contact you have had with the school or its current students or alumni that has strengthened your interest in attending that school.

Some schools also request additional essays from their waitlist applicants. Even if writing an additional essay is optional, I strongly encourage you to submit as much additional information as you can. You should make sure that any additional essays are consistent with the themes of your application but are not duplicative.

If you are on the waitlist at a school that does not specifically request additional information, you should briefly offer to provide any additional information that may help the admissions committee further evaluate your candidacy. Such information may include submitting another letter of recommendation or an in-person or virtual interview.

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Get Answers for Waiting, Wait-Listed Law School Applicants originally appeared on usnews.com