Guide to Spring Admissions
Most law schools still admit students only during the fall term, as they have done for decades, but a growing number now also offer a second chance for admission each spring. Spring-admit students can enter law school in January and start their studies at mid-year.
Prospective law students considering spring admission generally fit into one of two categories. First, some students apply during the fall application cycle and are simply denied admission at their first-choice school. Then those students are faced with deciding whether to attend another school or wait until the following year to re-apply to their top-choice law school. Some students hope that another year of work experience might enhance their application, while others simply want to take the LSAT again for a better score. Spring admission can be a great option for those types of students.
Second, the mid-year option is attractive to a different kind of student: The one who is looking to take advantage of a professional career that is expected to boom just as his or her law school class is graduating. Think of all those prospective patent lawyers. They need to sit for the patent bar exam after graduation, before they begin practicing law. If they start school in January, then they finish law school in December, having an extra semester off to prepare for the test . The same is true for other careers — like international tax — that can be quite busy for months after graduation.
Some law schools, such as Pace University School of Law in New York, offer three spring-admit cycles that occur in January, May, and September. Some schools, such as New York Law School, admit new students into their three-year program in January, August, and June. Some schools offer spring admission into their part-time program only, allowing those students to finish in time for the summer patent and tax law hiring season.
There are benefits and drawbacks to spring admission fair, of course. Some students will feel disadvantaged by starting law school during the spring. The starting date, for example, may be the most exciting time of the school year, as friends start class and enjoy some of the events surrounding orientation. Also, employers’ recruiting for summer associate positions will be in full swing, making it complicated for a spring-admit student to obtain a summer job. Plus, the earlier start may mean a tougher adjustment to law school.
On the other hand, spring admissions can be a great opportunity for many students. The bottom line: a little research can go a long way.
Benefits of Spring Start
A big advantage to starting law school in the spring term is the smaller cohort size. Because most students start in the fall and there are fewer joining in the spring, classes are typically smaller. Because classes are smaller, you have more opportunities to get to know your professors on a personal level. You will also be learning alongside other exceptional spring starters, no slouches here. If you learn best in small group settings, then starting in the spring may be a great option for you. The school has a smaller population and that often means professors have more time for individual instruction. The pace is brisk, so there is little time for slacking but not so fast that it becomes overwhelming. The second advantage is the quick application response time. Most law schools roll out spring admissions with their early decision offers. If you apply early you could be admitted in October! Getting a jump on the admissions process allows you to win over Admissions Committee members. A law school can only make a first impression once, take advantage of yours! Not all law schools allow spring starters to participate in the summer associate hiring process. The schools that do allow it, recognize the value of spring starters. There is a rumor that some firms are hesitant to hire spring starters because they are concerned about the performance of spring starters in the fall. This may be true of some firms, but not most. If you are one of the students who is connected in the legal community or well-liked by a hiring partner, then you will not have much trouble getting an interview or securing an offer. Some schools choose to have longer semester breaks for spring starters allowing students to work during those breaks. Additionally, some spring starters may do research with a professor during the summer.
Notable Law Schools With Spring Admissions
Kean University School of Law
Located just outside the city in Newark, NJ – a vibrant urban center with a booming law community! Their program is open to both full and part-time law students. They are unique in the sense that they are one of the only programs located in an area that has the capacity to offer large summer clerkships. The school also offers housing assistance, study groups, and pro bono support programs. The class sizes are small and there is a faculty student ratio of 1:12. Spring admission applicants must have completed at least 60 units prior to beginning their spring semester. They can be admitted to the fall semester with no pre-approval necessary if they have 75 credit hours left to complete in the program.
Rutgers School of Law
Located in Camden, NJ, Rutgers has 2 campus locations which host spring semester programs. The beginning of the program is always a little slower-paced so students can get the hang of things when it comes to the legal field and their studies. The Admissions Committee takes into most of your college work and performance into consideration including: quality of your transcripts, length, and strength of your experience. All law school applicants must go through their LSAT process and apply online through their website. Their Camden Campus is also in South Jersey which is a short commute to downtown Philadelphia. The Newark campus is located in a very dense, urban area in the middle of the city.
St. John’s University School of Law
St. John’s Law offers spring admissions for either 50% or more of the law students in a spring entering class. This is located in downtown NYC near courthouses, Midtown Manhattan, Wall Street, Brooklyn and the Bronx. The class sizes are small, which results in professors being able to give students personalized instruction. Prospective students who are interested in spring admission must indicate so on their law school application form. There may be an opportunity to begin and complete a fall semester at St. John’s if you need to complete some pre-requisites.
How To Successfully Navigate The Spring Law School System
As the spring application deadlines approach, it’s a good idea to start by determining which schools on your list are still accepting applications. Many law schools provide applicants with the option of starting law school in the spring instead of the traditional fall start. For some applicants, spring admission is a great opportunity to start law school in a smaller class and get ahead in their academic careers. It is also a great way for an applicant who didn’t quite make the cut for the fall to prove themselves at a later point in the application cycle.
If you have had trouble or truly just don’t feel ready to head to law school in the fall, we suggest looking at schools that offer spring admission options. While your law school options are more limited, it is a unique opportunity to take advantage of. The best piece of advice to applicants that are considering starting in the spring is to do your research on the school’s reputation and track record for spring admissions . You will want to make sure that the school is known for taking strong applicants and that they have an adequate amount of resources to assist first-year students in making a successful transition into law school. That means the school has a strong, reputable career development office and an active academic success program. You will also want to look into the dates of any Preview Days or Orientation events to make sure that they fit within your schedule.
For example, Yale, Duke, and Boston College all accept applications and admit students that would like to start the following spring; however, some of these schools may not hold preview days or orientation events until early January when they will have already started classes. Therefore, if you are someone that wants to attend preview days and orientation events, you will want to apply earlier rather than later.
It’s also essential to keep in mind that many schools operate with a smaller class size during the spring semester which could work in your favor but may also mean that the school does not have a large amount of financial aid to offer.
Challenges and Concerns
Starting law school in the spring semester isn’t right for everyone. It will have a different feel than the fall admission. Some students may feel like they are coming in halfway through, rather than at the beginning. The dynamic of being part of a cohort is altered: there may be some who started the previous semester and are less nervous, since they have a term under their belt. Some may be a little standoffish with how you fit in-like you aren’t exactly one of them.
Then there’s the adjustment in your academic schedule. Even if you are already familiar with the topic, you may not be covering the same material as your fellow students. And it’s possible that you may not have your last class until late evening, so prepare to be at school until almost midnight to make sure you finish everything.
Also be aware that there’s less time to acclimate before the second semester officially starts. Not only do you get less time to adjust to the prospect of being a law student, but you also have to navigate all of the school’s events, social functions, and summer job opportunities all while attempting to balance them with school work.
Spring Admissions Success Stories
One law student who started school mid-year explained, "I was offered a position with a prominent firm, but after seeing the firm’s salary offer decided to return to law school. Although the top firms on-campus were not extending offers to second-year students who opted in for a spring admission, I qualified for on-campus interviews because my GPA was above the school’s median."
Another student said that "being able to start school in January was a blessing. I initially feared it might be an academic disadvantage, but my small class size gave me more attention from professors, and it was easier to get to know other students . I also ended up with stipends that students in the fall class did not, and I was able to pick up some summer associate experience the following summer."
A parent of a soon-to-be 1L noted that "our son waited to start law school until he was absolutely sure he wanted to attend, and that this law school was his top choice. The school allowed him to work for another 6-months in his profession between undergraduate school and law school, and he was accepted into the spring start, which was a godsend because the stress of next semester and negotiating with firms would have been too much if he also had to study for the LSAT."