Admissions Information for J.D. Applicants
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply, you must plan to receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university before enrolling at USC Law. We base our admission decisions on academic record, LSAT score, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and other information in your application file.
USC Law has a long tradition of striving to provide equal opportunity, and is firmly committed to a policy against discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, disability, race, religion, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, or age.
Academic Requirements
In reviewing application files, the committee focuses on college grades, academic major, selection of courses, and significant scholarly achievements. Although USC Law does not require specific college courses for admission, we look favorably on students who have selected intellectually challenging courses of study.
Whatever your discipline, we urge you to concentrate on developing strong writing and analytic skills. Courses that require intensively researched written projects and active participation in classroom dialogue also will be helpful in preparing you to study law.
Our Admissions Committee
All admission decisions at USC Law are made by the Faculty Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid. The committee is composed of members of the faculty, the associate dean, the director of admissions, and an elected student representative. The committee reads all files thoroughly and considers each application on an individual basis. All committee decisions are final.
Your Personal Statement
The admissions committee gives careful attention to your personal statement. We are particularly interested in your motivation for studying law, your academic background, and qualities you possess that may enhance the diversity of our student body. If you are a college senior or recent graduate, you may wish to mention your work history and extracurricular activities. If you have spent a year or more in the work force after college, tell us about your employment experience; enclose a resume to illustrate your chronological work history.
There is no specific word or page requirement or limit for your personal statement. However, the committee values carefully crafted essays that are clear, concise, and compelling.
Letters of Recommendation
The most influential letters of recommendation focus on your academic potential. They are written by people who know you well and can evaluate your academic performance. Although recommendations not pertaining to academic abilities are helpful, academic recommendations carry the most weight with the admissions committee.
Contribution to Diversity
USC Law's admissions process is guided by the view that a student body that reflects the broad and rich diversity of our society provides a superior educational environment for all law students. The primary goal of our admissions process is to enroll students who demonstrate outstanding academic and professional promise and whose background and experience will enrich USC Law's educational environment or enhance the diversity of our student body or the legal profession.
You may be regarded as potentially contributing to student diversity if your background or experience would not ordinarily be well-represented in the student body or the legal profession. Examples include (but are not limited to) students who:
- have struggled against prejudice, economic disadvantage, family or personal adversity, or other social hardships (perhaps as a result of disability, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation or religious affiliation)
- lived in a foreign country or spoke a language other than English at home
- have unusual career goals, employment history (perhaps military or law enforcement experience), or educational background (including graduate study)
- demonstrate unusual extracurricular achievement (including school or community service)
If you believe your background or experience can contribute to USC Law's goal of diversity and educational enrichment - and if you would like this factor considered in the admissions process - please include detailed written information about your background or experience in your application. (Providing such information is voluntary.)
Admission Decisions
The committee normally begins to mail admission decisions in January and continues through May. Applications that are completed prior to the February 1 deadline receive priority review.
Application Fee Waivers
In order to request a fee waiver please include the following:
Include a letter requesting a fee waiver WITH your application and ALSO
documentation of your financial hardship. Documentation can include
either:
(1) A fee waiver from the LSAC.
OR
(2) Copies of your last tax return, recent pay stubs and evidence of any financial
aid previously received.
If you choose to apply electronically, simply include your letter and document(s)
with your Certification Letter (which you will mail). Should we require additional
documentation or information in order to grant your request for a fee waiver,
we will contact you.
Requirements for Enrollment
If you are admitted to USC Law, you must return the Enrollment Response Forms and pay a tuition deposit by the specified deadlines. Enrollment instructions included with your admission letter will specify the amount of this deposit.
Prior to enrollment, you must submit an official transcript, verifying your receipt of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, to the USC Law Registrar.
Bar Admission
We recommend you familiarize yourself with the rules governing admission to the bar in the states where you intend to practice. You can obtain information about bar requirements by writing to the appropriate state board of bar examiners.
Questions?
If you have questions about the admissions process, please call the Office of Admissions at (213) 740-2523 or send an email message to admissions@law.usc.edu. Applicants with hearing disabilities may call (213) 740-2503 (TTY/TTD).
Office of Admissions Staff Members
- Chloe T. Reid - Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid
- Julia Castellon Cogan - Director of Admissions
- Brenda Cortez Martin - Associate Director of Admissions
- Amy Stevens - Assistant Director of Admissions
- Will Coucheron-Aamot - Student Services Assistant
- Regina Morton - Administrative Assistant
Our Non-discrimination Policy
USC Gould School of Law is firmly committed to a policy against discrimination based upon ethnicity, national origin, disability, race, religion, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, or age.
