Admissions Procedures
Who is Eligible to Apply?
Preparing for Law School
Admissions Criteria
Interviews and Campus Visits
Timetable :
Communication About Your File
Candidates with Advanced Degrees or Graduate Work
Who is Eligible to Apply?
An applicant for admission must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year institution by the time the applicant begins study at the College of Law. Each applicant must have taken the Law School Admissions
Test (LSAT) within the past five years.
Preparing for Law School
The College of Law does not require applicants to specialize in any particular academic major or subject areas closely related to law during their undergraduate education. However, potential applicants should choose courses that will enhance their abilities in the areas of critical thinking, oral and written expression, and logical and analytical reasoning. Individuals considering law school in the future are encouraged to enroll in a broad range of courses that will help develop these skills.
Our Admissions Criteria
Admission to the University of Tennessee College of Law is competitive. Each year the Admissions Committee selects the entering class from a large number of applicants.
In making selections, the Admissions Committee places substantial emphasis on the undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score. Undergraduate academic performance is a significant indicator of potential success, both as a measure of general ability and as an indication of factors that will hold one in good stead in law school—motivation, persistence, organizational skills, and work ethic. Similarly, the LSAT is designed to measure some of the qualities that are needed for successful law study. Although no single factor standing alone can predict with absolute certainty the ability to succeed in law school, members of the Admissions
Committee have judged that the LSAT score, when combined with other assessments, is very helpful as a starting point in making comparisons among applicants for admission.
To incorporate these factors, an Admissions Index is calculated for each applicant, using a correlation formula calculated by the Law School Admission Council. In calculating the Index, only the applicant’s UGPA from all work attempted toward the first undergraduate degree earned is used.
You might find these statistics helpful. The 2007 entering class was composed of 171 students, 50% male and 50% female. The class UGPA profile (75th percentile/median/25th percentile) was 3.82/3.59/3.35. The class LSAT profile (75th percentile/ median/25th percentile) was 162/160/157.
Every application file is read in full by the Admissions Committee. And while the UGPA and LSAT score are undeniably important elements, the Admissions Committee also considers a variety of other factors when evaluating applicants for admission. These factors are not given a specific weight; rather, the Admissions Committee considers these factors in its review and evaluation of the applicant’s file. In making these judgments, the Admissions Committee relies heavily upon information submitted by the applicant, as well as upon recommendations. The Admissions Committee will not admit an applicant unless there is high probability, based on its evaluation of the application, that the applicant will succeed as a law student and as a practicing attorney.
The factors considered are:
- Law School Admission Test score (unusual disparities in scores, evidence suggesting unreliability of a particular score)Undergraduate academic performance (grade improvement during the undergraduate career, pattern of grades, grade inflation with respect to grades earned years ago, strength of college or university attended, difficulty of undergraduate program, participation in an honors program, work or family circumstances that might have affected an applicant’s grades, combination of high undergraduate grades and low SAT or ACT scores)
- Excellence in co-curricular activities (extracurricular activities, leadership, exceptional talents, or other accomplishments)
- Excellence in community or civic activities (community service, leadership, exceptional talents, or other accomplishments)
- Graduate or professional school performance (success in graduate or professional studies, including strength of school and difficulty of program)
Work or military experience (before, after, or during an applicant’s educational career)
- Career goals
- Economic, social or cultural background (history of overcoming disadvantage or performing well despite heavy work or family responsibilities, child or parental care responsibilities, membership in a minority group that has been historically under-represented in the legal profession)
- Exceptional talents or other accomplishments
- Evidence of maturity, responsibility and motivation
- Evidence of critical skills for law students (writing ability, analytic skills, and oral communication skills)
The College of Law also realizes its obligation to assure meaningful access to a legal education to qualified applicants who are members of groups that historically have been under-represented in the legal profession. Consequently, special consideration may be given to members of such groups whose applications suggest that they will make successful law students and lawyers. The successful completion of the Council on Legal Educational Opportunity (CLEO) Summer Institute, The Tennessee Institute for Pre-Law (TIP), or similar programs may be favorably considered by the Admissions Committee.
Interviews and Campus Visits
The Admissions Office does not conduct interviews for the purpose of evaluating applicants for admission. Applicants are encouraged, however, to visit the College of Law during the fall or spring semester to visit a class, speak with current students, and learn more about the College of Law. Please call the Admissions Office to schedule a visit.
The Application Timetable
When Should I Apply?
A new class is admitted to the College of Law for the fall semester of each year only. Candidates who plan to apply for the fall 2008 entering class should plan to take the LSAT on September 29 or December 1, 2007, allowing adequate time for individual preparation before the examination.
Please complete your application file as soon as possible. Application files completed by March 1 will be afforded priority consideration for spaces in the entering class. Application files completed after March 1 will be considered as late files and may not be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
Remember that it is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that the Admissions Office receives all materials by March 1. We will make every effort to notify applicants when their application file is complete. If you do not hear that your file is complete, please check with the individuals who are completing recommendations for you or check with the Admissions Office to determine which items are missing.
Direct all correspondence and inquiries to the Admissions Office as follows:
The University of Tennessee College of Law
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
1505 W. Cumberland Avenue, Suite 161
Knoxville, TN 37996-1810
Telephone: (865) 974-4131
Fax: (865) 974-1572
E-mail: lawadmit@utk.edu
Please do not delay consideration of your application file by using any other address for admissions-related correspondence.
When Will Decisions Be Made?
The Admissions Committee begins to review applications as soon as they become complete. Decisions are usually made by mid- April. Applicants are notified of the Committee’s decision by letter as soon as possible after the decision is made.
When Must I Respond?
Applicants who have been accepted for admission will be asked to accept or decline the offer in writing within a reasonable period of time so that additional offers may be made as necessary on a timely basis. Admitted students who accept our offer of admission are currently required to place a nonrefundable $500.00 seat deposit. This amount will be credited against Fall Semester 2008 fees due to the University of Tennessee. The first installment of $250.00 is payable by Thursday, May 1, 2008. The second installment of $250.00 is payable by Tuesday, July 1, 2008. The deposit will be credited toward Fall Semester tuition and fees.
Communication About Your File
Because of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, information about the status of your application file should only be shared with you, the applicant. If you expect to be out of the country or otherwise unavailable during the application process, it is advisable to designate a parent or spouse to deal on your behalf with the College of Law. To do so, please send a letter to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid authorizing and naming your designate to work with our office on your behalf.
Candidates with Advanced Degrees or Graduate Work
If you have a graduate degree or hours earned toward a degree, including hours earned at another law school, you must have the transcripts from all graduate institutions you attended submitted to LSDAS. This is necessary for your academic record to be considered complete and your file ready for consideration by the Admissions Committee.
Although only your undergraduate grade point average is used to calculate the Admissions Index, evidence of academic success in graduate school will also be considered in the admissions decision. |
