Who May Apply
Only applicants who possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university are eligible for admission to Georgetown Law as candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor (JD), or any of the joint JD degree programs. JD candidates may apply for admission to either the Full-time Division or the Part-time (Evening) Division or both. Candidates for the JD/MSFS, JD/MBA, or JD/MPH programs may only apply to the Full-time Division.
How Are Files Evaluated
The Admissions Committee takes into consideration a number of factors in evaluating whether a candidate would be suitable for admission. These factors include whether the person is likely to succeed at Georgetown, would benefit from a legal education here, and could contribute to the Georgetown legal community.
In making such determinations, the Committee focuses on a number of criteria and does not use numerical cut-offs. In addition to examining the applicant's LSAT score(s) and academic record, the Committee also considers the personal statement, letters of recommendations, choice of major, nature and difficulty of course selection, extracurricular activities, graduate work, contributions to the community and professional experience.
Timetable
In view of the large number of applicants and our rolling admissions process, candidates are urged to complete their files as early in the fall as possible. After all required documentation has been submitted (only one letter of recommendation is required) and files are complete, they will be sent to the Committee. Applications will not be reviewed unless all required documentation has been received. Note: When files are being reviewed by the Committee, they cannot be accessed by our Admissions staff.
Applications for Fall 2010 may be submitted as early as September 21, 2009. As the Admissions Committee employs a rolling admissions system, it is to your advantage to complete your application as early as possible. Applications are typically considered beginning in November and candidates are notified as soon as decisions are reached, usually eight to twelve weeks after a file is complete with all supporting documentation. If your file is complete by March 1, you will receive a decision by April 15.
2009/2010 Admissions Timeline
| September 21, 2009 | First day JD applications accepted for Fall 2010 |
| October 30, 2009 | Transfer/Visiting students deadline for Spring 2010 |
| February 1, 2010 | Public Interest Law Scholars (PILS) deadline Global Law Scholars (GLS) deadline First day Early Assurance Applications will be accepted for Fall 2011 |
| March 1, 2010 | Full-time Division deadline; Part-time Division deadline Early Decision deadline (file must be complete with all required documents) Early Assurance Application Form deadline for Fall 2011 |
| March 15, 2010 | Early Action transfer deadline for Fall 2010 Early Assurance deadline for Fall 2011 - file must be complete |
| June 15, 2010 | Transfer/Visiting students deadline for Fall 2010 |
| June 30, 2010 | Application deadline for JD/LLM degree in Taxation |
Status Check
We have established an automatic status check feature on our website for your convenience. The status check system allows an applicant to determine if your application has been received, if it is complete, and if a decision has been made.
How to Apply
All JD applicants to Georgetown Law (except Early Assurance Applicants) must use the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) Electronic Application system, which will be available in September on the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) website at www.lsac.org or through the Apply Now page on this website. (Early Assurance JD Applicants must submit a paper application; please click here for specific instructions on how to apply.) Graduate applicants who apply to Georgetown Law electronically must use the Georgetown's Online Application, which will be available in mid-October.
JD applicants (except Early Assurance Applicants) must pay the required application fee using a credit card.
Note: Georgetown Law requires only one letter of recommendation, although additional letters will be accepted. Consequently, an application is considered "complete" after receipt of all other required materials and one letter of recommendation and will be forwarded to the Committee at that time. If you would like the Committee to consider additional recommendations before rendering a decision, please contact the Admissions Office in advance at admis@law.georgetown.edu and ask the Committee to hold your application until any additional recommendation(s) are received.
Choice of Application Process
Please select only one of the following options:
The Early Decision process is designed for those who have already researched their law school options and are certain that Georgetown Law is their first choice of schools. This process allows such applicants a means of expressing to the Admissions Committee their commitment to attend Georgetown, if admitted. Any candidate for whom receipt of institutional financial aid is a prerequisite for enrolling should apply under the Regular Action process (see below for details), rather than Early Decision. Early Decision applications are given priority review in our rolling admissions process.
Early Decision is binding. Because offers of admission extended under the Early Decision process are binding, candidates may not apply to other law schools under similar Early Decision processes. However, if your application is deferred or denied, you are no longer bound by Georgetown Law’s Early Decision commitment and are encouraged to proceed with your applications at other law schools. With Georgetown's rolling admissions process, Early Decision applicants receive the best consideration. Georgetown encourages all applicants to apply as early as possible.
ED Timeline
Please be certain to complete the "Early Decision" application, which indicates your intention to apply under this process.
Please note: This year we have changed the timeline for our Early Decision Process. For those who choose to apply under the previously published timeline, if your application is complete with all required documentation (including application form and fee and personal statement, letter(s) of recommendation, resume, etc.) by December 1, your decision letter will be mailed by December 15. To receive a decision by December 15, you must have taken the LSAT by October 2009.
For all others who wish to apply Early Decision, your application must be complete with all required documentation (including application form and fee and personal statement, letter(s) of recommendation, resume, etc.) by March 1. Your decision letter will be mailed within 3 weeks of when your application becomes complete.
Click here for Early Decision FAQs .
The Admissions Committee reviews applications on a rolling basis, as applications are completed with all required supplemental information. Thus, even within the Regular Decision process, it is to your advantage to complete your application as early as possible.
Timeline
The final application deadline is March 1, 2010 for applicants applying to the Full-time and Part-time Divisions. Candidates are notified as soon as decisions are reached, usually eight to twelve weeks after your file is complete with all supporting documentation.
Early Assurance
The Early Assurance Program is designed to encourage top undergraduates from Georgetown University to apply to Georgetown Law. Early Assurance is designed to give a student the freedom to pursue a less conventional curriculum during his or her senior year and is non-binding.
The Program is for Juniors currently enrolled at Georgetown University only, and students in all majors are encouraged to apply. For Georgetown Juniors hoping to matriculate in Fall 2011, your file must be complete with all required documentation (including application form and fee) by March 1, 2010. Georgetown Law will begin accepting Early Assurance applications on February 1, 2010. Please wait until this date to begin submitting your application and any supplemental materials.
Early Assurance applicants are exempt from taking the LSAT and registering with the LSDAS. Instead, please include with your application an official transcript with at least five semesters of undergraduate grades. Early Assurance applicants must submit two recommendations, one of which must be the Early Assurance Dean's Certification Form. Competitive Early Assurance applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.8.
Early Assurance Applicants must apply using a paper application and pay the application fee by check or money order. Please download the Application Form and Early Assurance Dean's Certification, and submit them via the mail along with all of the other requirements listed above.
For additional information on the Early Assurance Program, please contact the dean of your college at Georgetown University.
Foreign Educated Applicants
Only applicants who will possess a U.S. bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent from a foreign institution prior to registration day are eligible for admission to Georgetown Law as candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor and any of the Joint Degree programs.
Candidates who have either a) received their undergraduate degree from an institution outside the United States or b) were directly enrolled at a foreign institution(s) and the total amount of work completed at all foreign institutions combined is the equivalent of more than one year of undergraduate study in the U.S., its territories, or Canada, are required to use the JD Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Please request that the appropriate documents (e.g., mark sheets, degree certifications, transcripts) be sent directly to LSAC from the institution(s) you attended to be analyzed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (www.aacrao.org).
Reapplying
Candidates who did not gain admission may choose to reapply for admission in a later year. Although it is highly likely that an applicant will receive the same decision in a subsequent year, in some cases, applicants do receive a different determination based upon additional information.
Note: The Admissions Committee will not refer back to materials sent in a previous application cycle. Therefore, if you are reapplying for admission, you must submit new copies of all required documentation.
Last updated 11/10/09
