Applying for J.D. Admission

Application Requirements

First-year applications are considered for fall semester admission only.  The following is required to complete an application for admission:

1. A completed and signed Application for Admission;

2. A nonrefundable application fee of $65 (check or money order payable to Seton Hall University, School of Law.  Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted);

3. A current  LSDAS subscription with recent LSAT scores;

4. Two (2) letters of recommendation;

5. A personal statement and a current resume, or a signed letter stating that you have never been employed.

Seton Hall Law requires all applicants to have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or a foreign equivalent, prior to the anticipated date of enrollment.  The LSAT is required of all applicants, as is an LSDAS subscription.

Law School Admission Council (LSAC) : LSAT and LSDAS

Seton Hall Law requires all applicants to submit a recent score from the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and to subscribe to the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS), both services of the Law School Admission Council.  Information and registration forms for these services are contained in the LSAT & LSDAS Registration & Information Book, which may be picked up in the Office of Admissions or requested from:

Law School Admission Council
Box 2000
Newtown, PA  18940-0998 (U.S.A.)
(215) 986-1001
www.LSAC.org

The LSAT is required of all applicants, without exception.  We only consider scores from administrations within five years of the start of law school.  Thus, only scores from after August 2003 will be considered.  It is important that your LSDAS file be completed with LSAC as early as possible. 

Letters of Recommendation

Seton Hall Law requires two (2) letters of recommendation.  Letters may be submitted directly to Seton Hall University, School of Law by the writer, sent through a college or university credentials service, or be included as part of LSDAS through the Letter of Recommendation service.  Current students and recent graduates are asked to have at least one letter of recommendation from a professor who has taught them.  Letters of recommendation must be written on letterhead stationery that includes an address. Letters must be recent and must be signed.  We do not use or provide a recommendation form, nor do we use a Dean's Certification.

Foreign Academic Credentials

Every year, a small and diverse group of foreign-educated students enters Seton Hall Law.  Foreign-educated applicants should have their transcripts processed through the  JD Credential Assembly Service for Foreign Educated Applicants (JD CAS), an extention of the LSDAS.

Applicants whose pre-college education was in a language other than English are required to present a recent score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if the LSAT score is below 155.  

Transfer Applicants

Applicants for transfer admission must have completed at least 1 year, or one-third of the credits required for graduation, at an ABA-approved law school, and be in good academic standing at their current law schools.  Transfer applications must be received and complete by June 27, 2008.  The following is required to complete a transfer application:

1. A completed and signed Application for Admission, accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee of $65 (check or money order payable to Seton Hall University, School of Law.  Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted);

2. An active LSDAS subscription with recent LSAT scores;

3. One (1) letter of recommendation in support of the application to transfer;

4. A current resume and personal statement indicating reasons for seeking transfer to Seton Hall Law;

5. A letter of good standing and a transcript, indicating rank in class, sent directly from the current law school.

A limited number of transfer applicants are accepted and decisions will be made by mid-July for applications received and completed by the deadline.

Students who have been academically dismissed from another law school must wait at least two years before applying for admission to Seton Hall Law. Such applicants apply as first-year candidates and must provide complete information and documentation regarding their prior law school enrollment.  Students at other law schools seeking Visiting Student status at Seton Hall Law should contact the Office of Student Services at (973) 642-8707.

Prior Applicants

Candidates who have applied for admission to Seton Hall Law within the past two years will have their previous file(s) made available to the admissions committee. Because most such applicants did not receive a favorable decision, we require that some new information-test scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement, resume--be submitted with the new application.  We recommend that you take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen your application by submitting as much new information as possible.  Prior applications cannot be "reactivated," thus requiring a new application and fee are required.

Fee Waivers

Applicants with documented financial hardship may submit with their application a written request for an application fee waiver.  Proof of hardship--a letter from the college/university financial aid office, a copy of the most recent income tax return, a copy of the letter approving a LSAC fee waiver, or other documentation--must accompany the request.

LSAC offers fee waivers for the LSAT, LSDAS and test preparation materials. Further information is found in the LSAT & LSDAS Registration & Information Book and at www.LSAC.org.

Decision Process

Admission to Seton Hall Law is selective and competitive. More than 3,400 applications were received for 360 seats in the 2007 entering class. Admission decisions are based primarily on the combination of the candidate's academic record and LSAT score. Other factors are given consideration, particularly for candidates in the middle range. These factors include graduate education, work experience, school or community service and other interests. The volume of applications received precludes the use of interviews in our process. Information that would be imparted as part of an interview should be included in the personal statement or as a written supplement to the application.

All applicants are encouraged to file and complete their applications as early as possible.  The Office of Admissions will provide written acknowledgement that the application has been received and will make every effort to inform candidates of missing information.  However, it is the candidate's responsibility to verify that all required materials have been received and that the file is completed in a timely manner.

Complete consumer information on Seton Hall Law is published in the ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools.

Deposits & Refunds

A personalized schedule and policy on deposits and refunds is prepared with the letter of admission. No tuition deposits are required before April 1st. The first tuition deposit of $500 is due in April and the second tuition deposit of $1,000 is due in June. Full or partial refunds are made within specified time frames. This policy is subject to change and applicants will be notified of any changes at the time of admission.

Deferment Requests

Requests for deferments of up to a one year maximum will be considered until August 1 for students who have paid first and second seat deposits.  Requests made after August 1 will not be considered, except for the most extenuating circumstances.  Scholarship awards are not eligible for deferral.