Is December 1 too late to apply to law school?

Asked by: Winfield Friesen  |  Last update: December 10, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (9 votes)

Is December Too Late to Apply to Law School? No, December is not too late to apply to law school. Many applicants submit their applications in December and still receive offers of admission.

Is December too late to apply to law schools?

As early as winter, around early-December, your admissions odds begin to decrease. Applying to law school in December, January, or February may not be a death sentence, but such late applications can leave you with outcomes that are less than ideal. You may consider whether it would be worth waiting for the next cycle.

How late is too late to start law school?

It's never too late in life to apply to law school. Although most applicants are under 25, about 1 in 5 are 30 or older and a much smaller proportion are over 40.

Is December too late to take LSAT?

Many law schools will ask you take the LSAT by December for fall admission — but admissions teams don't wait until the deadline to start making their decision! Get those applications submitted as early in the process as possible.

What is considered late when applying to law school?

For many years, there has been a common rule of thumb about the nature of "rolling" law school admissions—you were "early" if you applied by the end of October, you were "on time" if you applied by around the end of the calendar year, and you were "late" if you applied in mid- to late January or beyond.

Is December Too Late to Apply to Law School? (2023) | Break Into Law School®

41 related questions found

Is applying to law school in December too late on Reddit?

I believe applying in December is considered to be “on time.” It's definitely not late tho so don't stress about your timeline!

Is December too late to apply to Harvard law?

Each year, the application for Fall semester enrollment opens in mid-September, and closes in mid-February. We aim to notify all applicants of their admission decision by early April. Please see the Application Components webpage for precise dates.

What is the hardest month to take the LSAT?

What Is The Hardest Month To Take the LSAT? There isn't one specific month that is the easiest or hardest to write the LSAT, and if there was, it would change each year since the students writing the LSAT change each year! The hardest test will be the one you haven't fully prepared for, regardless of the month!

What is the timeline for applying to law school?

You should aim to submit all of your applications, regardless of deadlines, by late November or early December, if not earlier. Ideally, give yourself about a year, starting in January, to complete all the necessary steps.

Is the LSAT being phased out?

The ABA's House of Delegates will vote on the Council's proposed change in February 2023. If the House votes to nix Standard 503, the standardized-test requirement won't go away until 2025. So, the LSAT isn't definitely going away, and it's definitely not going away until 2025.

What is the hardest year in law school?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

At what age do most people become lawyers?

What is the Average Age of Lawyers in the U.S.? The average age of attorneys in the U.S. is 46.3, according to the same Zippia report. More than 67% of the U.S. attorney population is 40 years or older. Only 4% of the attorney population is 20 to 30 years old.

What type of lawyer makes the most money?

Patent Attorney Salary

Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.

Is it OK to apply to law school in November?

The idea of applying “the earlier, the better” can create anxiety, and multiple factors should be considered when deciding the right time to apply. It might be November, but keep in mind that applications submitted by January 1, or even in mid-January, are still timely applications.

Do law schools defer acceptance?

Not every school allows deferrals, but the good news is that most law schools do. It's essential to keep in mind that schools don't have to accept your request. Don't assume you will receive a deferral because there is a chance that your college will deny your request.

Are law school admissions declining?

25% Through The Fall 2024 Law School Admissions Season: Applicants Are Down -3.3%, With Biggest Decline (-10.2%) In The 170-180 LSAT Band (Nov. 13, 2023)

Is December too late to apply to law school?

December: Finish Outstanding Applications

If you still have outstanding law school applications, try to get them all in by the end of December. Most law schools accept applicants on a rolling basis, meaning you'll want to submit your application before spots fill up.

What month do most people apply to law school?

Most law schools start accepting applications between the end of August and the beginning of October. Keep in mind that while most schools don't stop accepting applications until sometime between February and June, almost all schools have rolling admissions which benefit those who get their applications in early.

Can I get a 170 on the LSAT in 2 months?

A 170 will be difficult to obtain. It will require quality resources and substantial preparation. You should dedicate at least four months to reach this target. For the best LSAT support, consider teaming up with a 99th percentile tutor who can help you increase your score by 12 points!

Does taking the LSAT 3 times look bad?

Additionally, if you take the LSAT more than three times, or if you have a significant difference in scores (typically more than five points), an admissions committee will want to see an addendum explaining why you kept taking the exam, or explaining the reason for the higher score—essentially, to explain why the high ...

Which LSAT section is hardest?

Analytical Reasoning

You'll need various skills to do well here. You'll have to figure out relationships between complex concepts and apply logic even when things seem unclear. The situations presented can be ambiguous and complex, making this section notorious among LSAT takers.

Do law schools accept late applications?

Most law schools begin accepting applications in the fall, typically between August and September, with some schools accepting as late as October. Schools like Stanford Law or Yale have strict application deadlines, while others accept applications on a rolling basis, like Georgetown University Law, for example.

What is the lowest GPA to get into Harvard Law School?

A high GPA is 3.99 and the median is 3.92. There's no lowest GPA but you probably won't get into Harvard with a 2.5 GPA. Your GPA still needs to be somewhat competitive with the median GPA. That said, you can get into Harvard Law School even if your GPA is 3.82 or lower.

Is applying to college in December too late?

Once the regular decision application deadline has passed, it's typically too late to apply for the fall term. Most regular decision deadlines fall between November 1st and mid-February. However, some colleges have deadlines extending into March, April, and May, and others offer rolling admissions.