Application Instructions

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About the Application Process

LSAC, the Law School Admissions Council, is your gateway to the law school admission process. Most prospective students are first introduced to LSAC while preparing to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). To apply to the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana, you must have an account created on lsac.org. If you have already taken the LSAT, you will be logging into the same system to apply for admission.

LSAT Writing Assistance

If you do not have the capabilities to complete the writing portion of the LSAT, please contact Testing Services at the University of Montana to make an appointment: testingservices@umontana.edu or (406) 243-2175. Testing Services can accommodate you by providing a computer with webcam capabilities for a fee of $25.

Applicant Status

New Applicants

The priority application deadline is March 1. Decisions are made on a rolling basis. Late applications and late LSAT scores will be considered as space permits.

All accepted applicants will be considered for available scholarships. While some scholarship awards are granted at the time of acceptance, many are granted after acceptance and occasionally after a deposit has been paid.

Accepted applicants who wish to reserve a seat in the entering class must make a nonrefundable advance deposit of $300 by the deadline stated in the acceptance letter. An additional deposit of $200 will be due by July 1st. Any applicants admitted after July 1st will pay a one-time $500 deposit. The deposit will be credited toward total University tuition and fees at the time of registration. Accepted applicants who do not pay the deposit by the deadline, have declined the offer of admission and any scholarship awarded.

Requirements

Candidates must have received, prior to matriculation, a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
Applicants must be of good moral character and must maintain good moral character as a condition of continuing enrollment.

Candidates must register for and take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Register for the LSAT at www.lsac.org or the GRE at www.ets.org.

Please note that if you choose to apply with the GRE, you must submit all valid GRE rest results for the last five years. You may not choose which results to share. This parallels the requirement that five years of LSAT scores be disclosed on an application. Applicants who take the GRE (instead of or in addition to the LSAT) must have Educational Testing Services (ETS) send the Blewett School of Law all GRE scores from the prior 5 year period. The ETS school code for the Blewett School of Law is 4537. If you choose to apply with a GRE score and have taken the LSAT, you must also report any valid LSAT scores.

First-time applicants applying with an LSAT score should fill out an A1 Application Form. First-time applicants applying with a GRE score should fill out an A4 application form.

Register for LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and follow the instructions to ensure a complete application.

Checklist

Fill out the online application and submit the $60 fee through LSAC.
Arrange for official transcripts from all institutions of higher education to be sent to the LSAC.
Applicants must attach to their electronic application one personal statement. The personal statement should provide information about yourself that you consider significant to our evaluation of your file. We are interested in learning about the qualities that you would bring to the legal profession, the law school classroom, and the community. You may wish to describe a significant experience in your life or to discuss your interest in or motivation for attending law school. A typical personal statement is 2-3 pages. It will be evaluated for writing ability as well as content. Do not treat your personal statement as a narrative of your resume.
It is recommended, but not required, that you submit a brief statement of interest explaining why you wish to attend the University of Montana School of Law.
Attach a current resume.

Ideally, these should include one general reference letter and one academic reference letter. You may submit a maximum of four letters. Applicants who graduated from an undergraduate program several years ago may substitute letters from employers or supervisors who can address the applicant’s abilities and intellectual promise for the study of law. Letters of reference must be sent to the LSAC and processed by the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Letters sent directly to the law school will not be accepted. A reference letter that is particularly helpful is one that discusses the applicant’s:

  • Native intelligence (analytical powers, rigor of thought, critical faculty, reasoning ability);
  • Independence of thought (originality, imagination, creative intelligence);
  • Effectiveness of oral communication;
  • Effectiveness of written communication;
  • Industry and motivation (persistence, self-discipline, study techniques);
  • Judgment and maturity (conscientiousness, common sense); and
  • Leadership ability.