JD Program

Admissions Policy and Mission Statement

LMU Loyola Law School’s admissions policy is guided by the history and mission of Loyola Marymount University. We seek to advance a society that is authentically anti-racist, and upholds the university's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We embrace our responsibility to advance justice in any and all legal areas in which we practice, which includes efforts to dismantle institutionalized racism in our community and beyond. Loyola’s mission to educate leaders in the legal profession and society, with a deep concern for social justice, is reflected in LLS’ curriculum and learning outcomes, anti-racist initiatives, and training for students, faculty, staff and administrators.

Admissions Process

To apply for admission as a first-year student to the JD program, a prospective candidate must have received or expect to receive a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university before classes begin (August 2025). Final transcripts confirming conferral of all undergraduate degrees and advanced degrees must be submitted prior to the beginning of classes in the fall. Loyola does not grant credit towards the JD degree for work taken in a pre-admission program. Prospective students are also required to submit a standardized test score (LSAT or GRE) and the other application requirements noted.

Admission to the law school is based on a comprehensive evaluation that includes consideration of the candidate’s standardized test performance (LSAT or GRE), undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and academic record, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Professional experience, extracurricular and service activities, community involvement, and qualities such as motivation, maturity, and focus are also closely evaluated. A prospective student may also submit graduate school transcripts, a résumé and optional statements. The evaluation process is a comprehensive and holistic review of the admission file to assess the candidate’s academic capability and readiness for law school, ability to enrich the law school community, and potential to contribute to the legal and other professions.

The Admissions Committee reviews files on a rolling bases beginning in November and this process continues until late-May. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to apply before each program’s priority deadline. Generally, admissions decisions are rendered within 6 to 8 weeks after the file is complete. Some files may remain under review for a longer period depending on the application volume of each cycle.

Application Timeline

JD Application Available on LSAC.org: September 15, 2024

Early Decision Agreement & Application Deadline: December 1, 2024

JD Day Program Priority Deadline: February 1, 2025

JD Evening Program Priority Deadline: April 15, 2025

Standard Review Timeline: 8-10 weeks (subject to variation)

Application Requirements

• JD Electronic Application 
  
• Application Fee 
• CAS Report (includes official transcripts, LSAT scores, and letter(s) of recommendation)
• LSAT or GRE
• Personal Statement
• Letter(s) of Recommendation
• Résumé (optional, but strongly recommended)
• Disclosures
• 2024 Early Decision Program (optional)
  • 2024 Early Decision Agreement

Electronic Application

The application process begins when you visit the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website where you can register for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and complete and submit an electronic application to Loyola. LSAC is also the clearing house for your personal statement, transcripts, and recommendation letters. 

Click here to create an account on LSAC.org

Application Fee

The application fee is waived until December 31, 2024 for all applicants. There is a $75.00 fee beginning on January 1, 2025. The application fee will remain waived for alumni and current students (Undergraduate and Graduate programs) of Loyola Marymount University.

Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report

Applicants applying with only a GRE score must register with the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) for the submission of their application materials. CAS Reports include official transcripts and LSAT scores. We encourage applicants to register with LSAC in the fall; you may register online at www.lsac.org. In order to avoid any delays, it is important that applicants contact LSAC to ensure that all required materials and fees have been received. Learn more about the CAS Report.

LSAT or GRE

Prospective students are required to take a standardized test for admission -- either the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) or the GRE (Graduate Record Examination).

Applicants who take both the LSAT and the GRE must submit their LSAT scores, but can choose whether to submit their GRE scores.

Applicants applying with only a GRE score must still register with the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) for the submission of their application materials. If you are applying with only the GRE (you have not taken the LSAT or do not plan to take the LSAT in the future), please email admissions@lls.edu as soon as possible so that we can manually complete your application in our system. Applicants must also submit a GRE Certification Statement. Applicants who apply using the GRE instead of the LSAT must use Education Testing Service (ETS) to send scores to Loyola Law School. All GRE scores from the last 5 years must be reported. The ETS school code for Loyola is 3692.

We strongly encourage prospective students to sit for either exam by January 2025. We use a rolling admission policy and seats in the class are offered as early as December.

Applicants who take the exam after January may be at a competitive disadvantage because we do not receive these scores until later in the cycle. (If you plan to take a later exam, we will not review your file until this score is released.) Students who sit for these exams later in the cycle may not receive priority consideration for scholarship awards. The last LSAT Loyola will accept for the Full-Time Day Program is the April 2025 LSAT and the last LSAT accepted for the Part-Time Hybrid Evening Program is the June 2025 LSAT. The final GRE test we will accept for the Full-Time JD program is the April 15, 2025 exam. The final GRE test we will accept for the Part-Time JD program is June 1, 2025 exam.

The Admissions Committee will use the highest score for test takers with multiple scores. Prospective students with significant score differences (more than 3 points) are encouraged to submit a brief, explanatory statement with their admissions materials.

Personal Statement and Optional Statements

The qualitative documents in a candidate's file, which include the personal statement (required), background/identity statement (optional), and law interest statement (optional), assist the Admissions Committee in assessing a candidate's readiness and potential for law school and ability to contribute to Loyola and broader legal community. These documents help the Committee in selecting an outstanding class and they are used to: evaluate a prospective student's writing skills; understand the candidate's unique abilities and life experience; assess the candidate's personal qualities (like motivation, conscientiousness, and resilience); and understand the candidate's personal and professional background. The application materials may also detail the applicant's interest in law, as well as the applicant's history of academic achievement and volunteer, community or service activities.

We recommend submitting the following qualitative application materials:

1. Personal Statement (required; maximum length, 3 pages)

2. Optional Statement on background and identity (optional; maximum length, 2 pages). This may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• how your identity and experiences which may include overcoming adversity, disadvantage or hardship, have inspired you toward your present and future goals
• how your unique experience will contribute to a vibrant LLS community
• how your life experience has shaped your character and perspective

3. Optional Statement describing applicant's interest in LLS' mission, clinics or concentration programs, motivation to attend law school and become a member of the legal profession. (optional; maximum length, 1 page)

If the personal statement includes information on the student's background and identity, and/or their motivation to study law and enter the legal profession, the additional statements are not required. Optional statements should offer new information and should not repeat what is offered in the personal statement. Each statement should be typed, double-spaced and submitted electronically with the application. Required font size for these statements is 10pt or larger.

Letter(s) of Recommendation

Only one letter of recommendation is required but we will accept an additional letter for a total of two per application. Letters of recommendation must be submitted via the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service (for more information, visit LSAC.org).

Letters of recommendation offer insight to a prospective student's potential for law school success and provide information about the candidate that is not reflected in other parts of the application. Letters can comment on the applicant's intellectual capacity, analytical reasoning, communication skills, and character traits. Although academic letters are preferred, letters submitted by the candidate's employer or supervisor are accepted. Letters from family members or family friends are strongly discouraged.

Résumé

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a résumé. Résumés should not exceed two-typed pages and may include: education information (including honors and awards), employment history, extracurricular or community activities, student organizations and affinity groups, military service, publications, special achievements, etc. We recommend a traditional resume format with recent or most recent experience listed first. 

Academic or Test Score Addendum

A prospective student may submit an additional statement offering context to their experience with standardized test scores, if they faced adversity in college that impacted their grades or grade trend or any other information that may not reflect accurately on the candidate's law school potential. Recommended length of addendum statements is half-a-page to one page (should not exceed one page), double spaced, 10 pt font or larger.

Disclosures

Applicants must answer questions #1-10 on the "Disclosures" section of the application. A written explanation (electronic attachment) must accompany any "yes" response for questions three through ten on the Character and Fitness section of the application. Applications with "yes" responses that do not provide written explanations are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. 

The application form requires disclosure of any pending charge or conviction of any felony or misdemeanor or other offense, with the sole exception of a minor traffic offense. Conviction for DUI (or any other alcohol or drug-related offense) is not a minor traffic offense. Conviction may be a legal consequence of (1) a verdict of guilty after trial by judge or jury, (2) a plea of guilty or (3) a plea of nolo contendere. You must disclose this information even if your record has been sealed or expunged.

Applicants are advised that bar examiners will receive official reports of convictions from law enforcement agencies. Failure to disclose a pending charge or conviction on this application may result in revocation of an admission offer, dismissal from school, revocation of any degree awarded, and the denial of admission to the bar.

Your disclosure of all academic discipline or criminal incidents allows LLS to identify any incidents that must be disclosed to bar examiners. Disclosing these incidents is not a bar to admission. However, failure to make the disclosures may create difficulties with bar examiners. Please err on the side of disclosing any incident, even if you were told it was informal or would not appear on your record.

Early Decision Program

An applicant to Loyola's Early Decision program commits to matriculate to Loyola if admitted through this program. This program is only for those students who believe Loyola is the best fit and their number one law school choice. This program is not for students who would like to consider admission or financial aid offers from other schools. Once notified of their admission to Loyola, they agree to:

1. Immediately withdraw their other law school applications and refrain from initiating new law school applications
2. Decline any acceptances they may have received prior to their admission to Loyola as an Early Decision candidate
3. Submit their intent to register and seat deposit by the deadline indicated in their admission material.

While awaiting a decision from Loyola, Early Decision candidates may apply to other schools but may not participate in any other early decision program. Early Decision candidates are evaluated under the same criteria as applicants who apply during the regular admissions cycle. Admission to Loyola is competitive and the Admissions Committee will consider Early Decision candidates' enthusiasm and strong interest in attending Loyola.

Loyola Law School reserves the right to revoke an admission offer if a candidate fails to comply with any of the instructions listed in the binding agreement. At the Dean's or Admissions Committee's discretion, Loyola may also provide the names of applicants admitted through the Early Decision program to other schools as requested.

Early Decision candidates will be admitted, wait-listed, or denied admission. Applicants who are wait-listed or denied can continue to consider other law schools, including initiating applications to new law schools if they desire. Applicants not admitted under this program are not bound by this agreement.

If you would like to participate in this program, please submit the Early Decision Certification and all required application materials by December 1, 2024. Because LSAC processing can take some time, we recommend you submit your documents at least 2 weeks before this deadline. Early Decision candidates must take the LSAT no later than November 2024. Decision notifications will be mailed by December 31, 2024.

Application Status

Information on how to access Loyola's applicant status page will be emailed to all applicants. Please make sure the email address you provide on your application is current. Please allow 6-8 weeks, on average, to process your application.

Qualifications for Admission to the Bar

In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Loyola Law School admits qualified students and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), color, national origin (including language and language use restrictions), ancestry, disability (mental and physical) including HIV and AIDS, legally protected medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), denial of Family and Medical Care Leave, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age 40 or over, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other bases protected by federal (including but not limited to Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), state or local law. The University does not discriminate on these bases, or any other basis protected by law, in the administration of any of its education or admissions policies, scholarship or loan programs, athletics, and other school-administered policies and programs, or in its employment policies and practices. All University policies, practices, and procedures are administered in a manner consistent with LMU's Jesuit identity and character. For inquiries regarding this nondiscrimination policy, contact the University EEO Specialist, who is the designated Title IX Coordinator for the University, at Human Resources, 1 LMU Drive, Suite 1900, Los Angeles, CA 90045 or at (310) 568-6105.

Online Application

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Click here to access the LSAC application.