JD Application Information
The application process to TJSL’s JD program is simple and free. From eligibility, to application status, to important dates and deadlines, get all the information you need to be successful.
Our Admissions staff is standing by to help you through the application process. Contact us if you need help at any point in the journey.
Application Process
Eligibility
To be eligible for admission, applicants must have earned an associate’s degree or higher from an accredited institution by their first day of classes at TJSL. Applicants must submit an LSAT or GRE score.
Dates & Deadlines
Application Available
- Early Start (June): October 1
- Fall Enrollment (August): October 1
- Spring Enrollment (January): July 15
Application Deadline
- Early Start (June): May 11
- Fall Enrollment (August): July 15
- Spring Enrollment (January): December 15
Apply Now
Ready to get started? Applications are completed through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). There is no application fee to apply.
Check Your Application Status
Check the status of your application by visiting the LSAC Online Status Checker. Unique usernames and passwords are automatically emailed to each applicant after they submit an application.
Decision Process
Once your application is submitted through LSAC, it will be sent electronically to our Admissions Office. An application may be accepted, denied, or waitlisted. The majority of the communication and information we send will be via email.
What Comes After Admission?
Dates & Deadlines
If accepted, you must pay a $350 non-refundable seat deposit to secure your seat in the class. The deposit will be credited to your student account and deducted from your tuition. You can submit your deposit online.
Enrollment
The Law School offers traditional Fall and Spring enrollment. Students that choose to enroll in the Fall have the option to begin law school in the summer through our Early Start Program.
Application Checklist
- Register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
- Create a Credential Assembly Service Report File (CAS).
The CAS report will contain your LSAT score(s) (no more than 5 years old), LSAT Writing Sample, letters of recommendation, and all required transcripts. - Take LSAT or GRE
- Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Register for and take LSAT. If taken multiple times, we will accept your highest score. If you choose to take the LSAT, your LSAT Writing Sample must be included with your application to be considered complete.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Register and take the GRE. If taken multiple times, we will accept your highest score. Designate TJSL to receive your scores.
- Apply online through LSAC.
- Provide the following via LSAC to support your application:
Personal Statement
Please upload your personal statement through your LSAC account. We ask that you prepare a double-spaced, two-to-three-page personal statement. We are looking for information about you that distinguishes you from other applicants. Tell us about your life experiences, accomplishments, aspirations and what you can bring to the law school community. We also encourage you to write your personal statement in a narrative style so that more of your personality and who you are will come through in your writing. You should envision the personal statement as your opportunity to have a conversation with the Admissions Committee, highlighting what you think is important.
Resume
Letter(s) of Recommendation
Please have your recommenders submit their letters directly to LSAC. Although we accept up to three letters of recommendation, the recommendation requirement will be considered complete when one letter has been received. Letters can be from college professors who can attest to your ability to perform in a challenging academic setting. If you have been out of school for some time, letters from an employer are also appropriate.
Transcripts
Transcripts from all of the colleges or universities you have attended must be submitted to LSAC. LSAC will process and evaluate each transcript and will forward a report to us.
International Applicants: If your education was received from a school outside of the United States, you must have your transcript(s) evaluated and translated to determine whether you possess the equivalent of a U.S. undergraduate degree. A detailed report from the evaluation will be sent to us from LSAC. Applicants who have earned their degree from a non-English speaking country also must provide their TOEFL or IELTS exam results. Our school code is 4973.
Previous Law School Attendees: Students who have previously attended law school must provide detailed information regarding their attendance at the law school and their reason for leaving. They must also provide a copy of their law school transcript and letter of attendance/standing.
Additional Statements/Addenda
Please upload any required addenda or additional statements in support of your application through your LSAC account. Additional statements should be no more than one page in length—be specific and brief. You are welcome to address anything in your application that might require further explanation. Examples include a gap in schooling or employment, undergraduate GPA anomaly, or multiple LSAT scores.
Character and Fitness
Thomas Jefferson School of Law admissions policies and practices are consistent with the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. To be eligible for practice in California, in addition to successfully passing the California Bar examination, all students must establish their character and fitness. The application includes a series of character and fitness questions. Students who provide an affirmative response to any character and fitness question must submit an explanatory addendum with their application. These may include juvenile offenses. Failure to disclose an act or event can lead to more serious consequences than the act or event itself. Failure to provide truthful answers, or failure to inform the Office of Admissions of any changes to your answers in advance of matriculation or during school enrollment, may result in revocation of admission or disciplinary action by the Law School, or denial of permission to practice law in California. We encourage each applicant to consult with the California State Bar for additional bar admissions information regarding its Moral Character requirements. For more information about the California Bar Requirements, please visit http://www.calbar.ca.gov - Take part in an interview.
The Law School is proud to include an interviewing program as a component of our application process for select applicants. Applicants who are required to interview will have the option to interview in person (on campus), or via Zoom. Interviewing will supplement the Law School’s holistic approach to evaluating each application and allows the Admissions Committee to build a talented and diverse entering class. Interviews are conducted by members of faculty and Admissions Office. They allow the Admissions Committee to assess an applicant’s perseverance, maturity, skills, and aptitude beyond the LSAT and undergraduate grade point average. Required interviews are typically scheduled during the last of week of every month.
Applicants who are not required to interview may request a meeting with the Admissions Office to learn more about the school, discuss the merits of their application and have their questions answered. Meetings can be requested online, or by contacting Admissions by email at admissions@tjsl.edu or by phone at (619) 961-4300. Requested meetings can be scheduled for any time.
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