To be considered for admission to the School of Law, each applicant (1) must have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, or have no more than six semester hours remaining for completion of the degree; (2) must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.20, as calculated by Law School Admission Services; (3) must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT); (4) must follow all instructions in The University of Texas School of Law Application and Bulletin; and (5) must submit all mandatory attachments described in the application. An applicant who meets the minimum requirements is not assured of admission, because the number of qualified applicants each year normally exceeds the number of new students the school may admit.

The law school provides full-file review to all complete applications. No admission decision is based on numerical criteria alone. In addition to the LSAT score and undergraduate grade point average, the Admissions Committee reviews each application in its entirety. Among the criteria considered are the following:

Rigor of the undergraduate course of study as reflected by the applicant's college transcripts
Graduate study
Demonstrated commitment to public service
Work experience
Leadership experience
Extracurricular or community activities
History of overcoming economic or other disadvantage
Race and ethnicity
Personal experiences with discrimination
Overcoming disability
Disadvantaged socioeconomic background
Geographic diversity, (particularly underrepresented regions of Texas)
Diversity of experience and background
Maturity
Ability to communicate, exceptional writing skills
Foreign language proficiency
Honors and awards
Service in the Armed Forces
Publications
Any other personal characteristics or experiences that would contribute to the diversity and overall enrichment of the Law School

The goals of the admission process for the School of Law are

To identify those students with the greatest probability of success in law school, giving due weight to proven predictors (LSAT score, grade point average, the applicant's undergraduate school and major) and appropriate weight to all other factors in the applicant's file
To identify students who exhibit a demonstrated commitment to public service, leadership, and other qualities valuable to the legal profession
To identify students whose background, experience, and other qualities are likely to be of value in the classroom and the law school
To provide a service to the state of Texas by educating citizens from underrepresented regions of the state and disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds

Application Procedures

Applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which is administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The LSAT is given four times a year at designated colleges and universities in the United States and at several international test centers. Registration materials and complete information about the LSAT are published on-line by the council and are available afrom the Law School Admission Council, P O Box 2000, 661 Penn Street, Newtown PA 18940-0998, (215) 968-1001.

Applicants must submit completed credentials to the School of Law by the deadlines given below. Information and forms are available on-line and from The University of Texas School of Law, Admissions Office, 727 East Dean Keeton Street, Austin TX 78705-3224, (512) 232-1200.

Finally, applicants must register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). LSDAS receives applicants' transcripts, computes their grade point averages, and transmits the information to the School of Law. Additional information is available from LSAC at the URL, address, and phone number above.

Application processing fee. A nonrefundable application processing fee of $70 is required of each applicant and must be submitted with the required credentials. A foreign-educated applicant should contact LSDAS to determine whether that agency accepts transcripts from the universities the student has attended. If not, the applicant must submit the foreign transcripts directly to the School of Law, along with an additional $75 fee to cover the cost of evaluating them.

Deadlines

New students are accepted only for full-time study in the fall semester; admission for the spring semester or summer session is available only for transfer and visiting students.

Early decision admission. Applicants for early decision admission in fall 2005 must submit a complete application to the School of Law, postmarked by November 1, 2004. They must take the LSAT no later than the October administration and should register with LSDAS by October 10. Applicants who fulfill the requirements for an early decision will be notified of their admission status by the end of January, 2005. Early admission is not binding.

Regular decision admission. Applicants for regular decision admission in fall 2005 must submit a complete application to the School of Law, postmarked by February 1, 2005. They must take the LSAT no later than the December administration and should register with LSDAS by January 10.

Enrollment Deposit

Applicants admitted to the School of Law must submit a nonrefundable deposit of $200 by credit card, cashier's check, or money order to indicate that they accept the offer of admission. The deposit is applied to tuition and fees for the fall semester when the student enrolls.

Additional information about admission to the School of Law as a new student, a transfer student, or a visiting student is given in the Law School Catalog and in The University of Texas School of Law Application and Bulletin.

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Previous File in Chapter 2

General Information
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - The University
Chapter 2 - Admission
Chapter 3 - Registration, Fees, and Deposits
Chapter 4 - Academic Policies and Procedures
Chapter 5 - Student Affairs
Chapter 6 - Libraries and Other Academic Resources
Chapter 7 - The Texas Exes
Appendix A - Residency Regulations
Appendix B - Official Extracurricular Student Activities
Appendix C - Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities
Appendix D - Policy on Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
Appendix E - Policy on Sexual Misconduct
Appendix F - Prohibition of Hazing
Appendix G - Policy on AIDS and HIV Infection
Appendix H - Prohibition of Sexual Assault
Appendix I - Nondiscrimination Policy
Appendix J - Prohibition of Campus Violence
Appendix K - Student Travel Policy for University-Organized or Sponsored Events
Appendix L - Student Travel Policy for Registered Student Organizations
Appendix M - Rules of Conduct for Students for Protecting the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers
Appendix N - Use of E-mail for Official Correspondence to Students
Statistical Summaries

Related Information
Catalogs
Course Schedules
Academic Calendars
Office of Admissions

Office of the Registrar
University of Texas at Austin

17 August 2004. Office of the Registrar

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