Cecily Zamora
Applying to law school can be a tedious process, and one of the most crucial components of your application is the letter of recommendation (LOR). While some law schools require these letters, others leave it up to the applicant to decide whether or not to include them. In this article, we will explore the ins and outs of submitting law school applications without letters of recommendation and guide you through the process to ensure your application stands out, even without these letters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| LSAC LOR Form | One form for each letter sent to LSAC |
| Recommenders | Enter name and contact information for each individual recommender |
| Submission | Recommenders can submit via post or upload |
| Processing Time | Two weeks for post, immediate for upload |
| Application Status | Incomplete until letters are received |
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What You'll Learn
LSAC LOR forms are required for each letter of recommendation
The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) offers an LOR service where your references will only need to submit their letters of recommendation once to LSAC, even if you intend to include these letters in every one of your law school applications. LSAC will make copies of each reference's original letter to include in your CAS Reports.
When submitting a paper letter of recommendation, an LSAC LOR Form must accompany the letter. This form must be printed from your LSAC JD Account and delivered to your recommender. Paper letters received without the form or without the recommender's signature will be returned. There must be one LSAC LOR Form for each letter your campus service will be sending to LSAC. This is true even if the credential service issues a "packet" that includes several recommendations.
You must assign the appropriate letters to each law school to which you are applying, or they will not be sent. You can assign letters even if they haven't been received or processed yet. However, LSAC won't let you submit until the school's required number of LORs are assigned to that school. You can submit applications to schools that only require one LOR and submit the rest of the applications as soon as the second LOR is processed.
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Recommenders can submit letters online or by post
Recommenders can submit their letters of recommendation online or by post. If your recommender prefers to upload their letter, you can use the Law School Admission Council's (LSAC) LOR service to send them a request via email. Once the LSAC has received your letters, you will be able to see them on your CAS page, but law schools won't. You must then assign each letter to the appropriate law school.
If your recommender is submitting a paper letter of recommendation, you must print the required LOR Form from your LSAC JD Account and deliver it to your recommender. This form must accompany your letter of recommendation. Paper letters received without an accompanying LOR Form or without the recommender's signature will be returned to the recommender. There must be one LSAC LOR Form for each letter your campus service will be sending to LSAC. This is true even if the credential service issues a "packet" that includes several recommendations.
If your recommender is sending more than one letter for you, be sure to emphasize the importance of attaching the correct form to the corresponding letter. Please allow LSAC two weeks from the time of receipt to process your paper letters. The status of each of your letters will be listed on the homepage of your LSAC JD Account.
It is important to note that you must assign your LORs to the schools you apply to on the LSAC website. They won't automatically forward the letters. You can submit your applications to schools that only require one LOR, and submit the rest of the applications as soon as the second LOR is processed.
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Applicants must assign LORs to schools on the LSAC website
When applying to law schools, you must submit letters of recommendation (LORs) as part of the application process. Most ABA-approved law schools accept LSAC's LOR service, and recommenders can submit their letters of recommendation either on paper or by uploading them. If your recommender is submitting a paper letter of recommendation, you must provide them with the required LOR Form from your LSAC JD Account, which must accompany the letter. LSAC will use the contact information on the form to send your recommender a confirmation of receipt.
If your recommender prefers to upload their letter, you can use the LOR service to send them a request via email. Once LSAC has received your letters, you will be able to view them on your CAS page, but law schools will not. You must then assign each letter to the appropriate law school on the LSAC website. You can assign letters even if they haven't been received or processed yet. If you change your mind early in the application process, you can reassign your letters through your LSAC JD Account.
It's important to note that LSAC will not automatically forward your letters to law schools, and you must assign the appropriate letters to each school to which you're applying. Each school has its own requirements for the number of LORs needed, and your application will not be considered complete until the school receives the required number of LORs. Therefore, it is recommended to submit applications to schools that only require one LOR first and then submit the rest of the applications once you have the required number of LORs.
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Applicants can submit applications before LORs are received
Applicants can submit their applications before their letters of recommendation (LORs) are received, but only if they have already requested the letters. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) requires that applicants assign each letter to the appropriate law school. This means that applicants must indicate the number of letters that each recommender will submit and describe each letter's use (e.g., for all law schools or a specific program).
It is important to note that applicants cannot submit their applications until the school's required number of LORs are assigned. Additionally, some schools, such as Berkeley, explicitly state that they will not accept any more letters after the application has been sent in. Therefore, it is essential to carefully review each school's requirements before submitting any materials.
Once the LSAC has received the letters of recommendation, applicants will be able to view them on their CAS page, but law schools will not have access to them. The LSAC will make copies of each reference's original letter to include in the CAS Reports, and applicants can assign which letters they want each law school to receive. If applicants change their minds early enough in the application process, they can reassign their letters through their LSAC JD Account.
It is worth mentioning that some recommenders may wish to write an updated letter when applying in a subsequent reporting year or to a different type of program. Therefore, it is a good idea to contact the recommender as a courtesy to ensure they do not mind their letter being reused. Additionally, if a recommender on file is no longer associated with the institution or has passed away, applicants should still enter their name on the LOR Form and provide the contact information for the credential service office.
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Applicants can waive their right to access recommendations
When applying to law school, applicants are usually required to submit letters of recommendation. However, applicants may choose to waive their right to access these letters. This means that they give up their legal right to review or examine the letters of recommendation submitted on their behalf.
In the United States, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, grants students over the age of 18 the right to access their educational records, including letters of recommendation. When applying to college or law school, applicants are typically given the option to waive this right.
There are several reasons why an applicant might choose to waive their right to access recommendations. Firstly, it reassures admissions officers that the letters of recommendation are candid and truthful. If an applicant chooses not to waive their right, it could signal a lack of trust in the recommender, potentially leading to a less powerful and effective letter. Additionally, some recommenders may decline to provide a letter if the applicant does not waive their right to access, and some colleges may disregard letters submitted without a waiver.
It is important to note that the decision to waive the right to access recommendations is entirely up to the applicant. While it may be advantageous in certain cases, it is not a requirement, and applicants can choose to retain their right to review their letters of recommendation if they prefer.
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Frequently asked questions
No, your application will not be complete until your recommendations are received. However, you can submit your application and assign the letters to the schools even if they haven't been received/processed yet.
If your recommender prefers to upload their letter, you can use the LOR service to send them a request via email. If they prefer snail mail, you can print an LSAC-provided form and send it to them, along with a stamped and addressed envelope.
If you use LSAC’s LOR service, your references will only need to submit their letters of recommendation once to LSAC — even if you intend to include these letters in every one of your law school applications. LSAC will make copies of each reference’s original letter to include in your CAS Reports.
