If you’re among those highly motivated prospective students who are definitely going to law school, you might also have other exciting opportunities that you don’t want to pass up. This may lead you to wonder: can I complete my law school applications early and then do something else like a fellowship or public service project before I go?
The answer is: maybe, depending on the facts.
There are a couple of established junior deferral programs (JDPs) that specifically seek out undergraduate students in their junior year who are committed to attending a top law school and are eager to get through the admissions cycle but also want to defer their actual enrollment briefly to complete some other worthy, exciting academic or professional goal.
In this post, we’ll talk about how JDPs work, which law schools have them, and answer other FAQs like these:
- What factors affect your eligibility for this kind of admissions program?
- How do pre-law advisors think you should prepare to get into a junior deferral program?
- What is the timeline for the JDP application cycle? What is the process like, and are the application deadlines different?
Let’s get started.
Do law schools let you defer admission?
In general, most law schools prefer not to defer their regular admissions process. Usually students who cannot attend when they are slated to start will need to reapply. The reapplication process is no guarantee, even for those who were previously admitted.
However, a few schools explicitly describe some exceptions.
For example, Yale Law School grants a limited number of one-year deferral periods. In some highly exceptional cases such as foreign academic scholarships or lengthier fellowships, YLS might grant two-year deferrals.
The University of Michigan Law School explicitly states that it will grant deferrals for applicants who will be completing Teach for America Corps or AmeriCorps service. Similarly, Cornell Law School grants two-year deferrals only for commitments such as fellowships or military or Peace Corps service.
Other schools grant deferrals to undergraduate students (and their international equivalents) on a case-by-case basis as described here by Boston University Law School, but this is rare. Such deferrals are nearly always limited to one year (see this mention by the University of California, Los Angeles.) Typically if you are granted a deferral you must submit a deposit and retract other law school applications as Stanford Law School and the University of California at Berkeley Law School require.
What is a junior deferral program (JDP)? Which law schools have a JDP? Are JDPs different depending on the law school?
A junior deferral program (JDP) is a binding law school admissions program that allows college juniors to apply to law school and wait to start law school after graduating from their undergraduate institutions through a deferral period. JDPs are designed for undergraduate students who want to experience other opportunities before attending law school, such as: gaining work experience, pursuing unique educational or professional opportunities, or volunteering.
JDPs generally share a few key features:
- Early admissions. Students apply during their junior year of college (or the international equivalent).
- Deferral period. Typically a one- or two-year deferral, depending on the school and the student’s plans.
- Non-traditional work experience. After matriculation, students are encouraged to use the deferral period to gain diverse work experiences through internships or pursue meaningful opportunities such as serving in the Peace Corps, which can enrich their law school experience.
JDPs are beneficial for law schools because they attract highly qualified applicants who are likely to attend. The eligibility criteria for JDPs are the same as they are for students applying in their senior year during the regular application cycle. The one difference is that applicants don’t apply through the LSAC CAS credential service and instead send their standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and other materials directly to the school admissions office.
Some law schools that offer junior deferral programs include Harvard Law School (HLS), Columbia Law School (CLS), and George Washington University Law School (GW Law).
Harvard Law School’s Junior Deferral Program is open to college juniors or their international equivalent. It is highly competitive, so if you’re wondering how to get into the Harvard Law Junior Deferral Program, make sure you follow the guidelines to the letter.
The Harvard Law JDP application process includes:
- An online application
- A law school resume [see how to craft a standout law school resume here]
- A statement of purpose and a statement of perspective [see how to write the perfect law school personal statement here]
- An LSAT or GRE score [check out this discussion of GRE vs LSAT: which one you should take for your law school application here]
- Undergraduate transcripts
- Two letters of recommendation [see law school letters of recommendation samples and tips here]
- A deferral plan
Columbia Law School offers the LEAD Fellowship Program to undergraduate students in their junior and senior year. During this two-year deferral period, applicants in the LEAD Fellowship Program are expected to be meaningfully employed full-time or engaged in a partnership, venture, fellowship, or graduate studies. Some successful LEAD fellows may be eligible to receive funding to enable them to advance their work during the deferral period.
The junior deferral program application process at CLS includes:
- A completed and signed application form
- Three required essays
- An official undergraduate transcript
- A law school resume
- Two academic/faculty letters of recommendation
- A Dean’s Certification, if needed (sent directly by your pre-law adviser)
- Any and all addenda the Character and Fitness application section requires
- A project plan essay, if you want to be considered for a LEAD funding grant
George Washington University Law School (GW Law) offers the GW Junior Early Action Program. This program is slightly different than the other two described here in that it allows college juniors at GW to apply one year in advance to the law school without an LSAT score for deferred enrollment. Obviously this is a more limited program, for GW undergraduate students only.
What are the eligibility criteria for applying to a law school junior deferral program?
Eligibility criteria for applying to a law school junior deferral program or JDP typically include:
- Academic standing and the right timing. You must be an undergraduate student in your junior year or the international equivalent. You must also be on track to graduate and finish all coursework that’s required by the following spring.
- Strong academic record. Both HLS and CLS also expect applicants to have demonstrated academic excellence and shown that they can excel as a law student.
- Letters of recommendation. Your letters of recommendation should be powerful, and you should have requested them well in advance.
- Application components. You must submit each piece of the application materials; both the HLS and CLS programs require multiple essays.
- Test scores. You must submit a GRE or LSAT score; both CLS and HLS accept both of these tests.
- Plan for your deferral period. You must provide a detailed plan for how you will use your deferral period, and it should be focused on achievement and service. For example, pursuing a fellowship, getting work experience at a law firm, serving in Teach for America or the Peace Corps, or starting a professional venture may all be seen as good uses of this time.
How many letters of recommendation do junior deferral programs require?
Harvard Law School’s Junior Deferral Program requires two letters of recommendation, with at least one from an academic source. You may submit one additional letter if it offers additional relevant perspective for the HLS admissions committee.
The junior deferral program at Columbia Law School requires two letters of recommendation, with at least one from an academic source. Again, up to three may be submitted, if they are all highly relevant and persuasive.
More FAQs about Harvard Law School’s Junior Deferral Program
Here are answers to some more common questions about the JDP at Harvard Law:
How long can you defer Harvard Law School?
The junior deferral program at HLS offers a two-year deferral period. If you need to have more time than that, you can request it, but most applicants are limited to the two-year deferral period. If this timing doesn’t work out for you, consider reapplication later when you are ready to attend.
Does Harvard Law School offer a fee waiver of the CAS report?
No, the JDP doesn’t offer a fee waiver of the CAS report, because you don’t need a CAS report at all applying this way. As a junior deferral program applicant, you bypass LSAC and the CAS credential service entirely, and apply with your transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, essays, and other materials directly through the law school admissions office.
Will the committee accept an older standardized test score?
Just like any other applicant, your standardized test scores—whether they’re LSAT scores, GRE scores, or both—must be from the last five years. In fact, junior deferral program applicants like all others must submit all test scores from the past five years.
Will the law school hold my completed file for a future standardized test score?
No, the junior deferral program at HLS requires that you apply with either an LSAT score or a GRE score. Although you may be a year behind in school, the admissions committee expects to review a complete application, including standardized test scores from the past five years.
Can international students obtain financial aid?
Yes, Harvard Law offers financial assistance to international students based on need and treats international JDP applicants exactly the same for financial aid purposes.
Want some guidance through this competitive application process?
Have more questions about law school junior deferral programs, whether they might be right for you, or how to nail your application? Click here to book a Quick Call to see if our admissions consulting experts can help. We offer help with your law school personal statement, choosing which test to take, law school essay editing, and more.
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