Admissions

General Information

The University of Mississippi School of Law requires that every applicant take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), register for Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) and earn a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university prior to matriculation.

Admission to the School of Law is based on the applicant’s academic ability and aptitude for the study of law. Two of the primary factors considered in the admission process are performance on the LSAT and undergraduate grade-point average. However, these are not the only criteria that are considered. Other considerations are

1. Residency

2. Difficulty of major field of study

3. Job experience

4. Social, personal or economic background and circumstances

5. Nonacademic achievements

6. Letters of recommendation

7. Grade patterns and progression

8. Diversity

Reporting of Decision

You will be notified in writing as soon as possible after a decision is made. Decision letters are usually mailed between January and April.

Entrance Dates

Students are given the option to enter in the summer or fall of each admissions year. Because summer and fall enrollees are considered as one class, the same standards are applied in the decision-making process.

Waiting List

A waiting list may be established and held open until the registration date. Offers will be extended to applicants on the waiting list as vacancies occur. We will make every effort to give each admitted applicant as much time as possible to prepare for enrollment.

Application Fee

A $40 nonrefundable application fee is required.

Admission Requirements for First-Time Law Students

Below you will find the admission requirements for students planning to enter law school for the first time, including international students. Please read the instructions very carefully. An understanding of the application procedure will significantly reduce the number of potential problems that can delay the decision-making process.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS)

Instructions for registering with LSAT/ LSDAS can be obtained from Law School Admission Services, Box 2000, Newtown, PA 18940, or at www.lsac.org. Please read the instructions carefully before you begin the registration process. All applicants must take the LSAT. Although Law Services provides four opportunities each year for law applicants to take the LSAT, you are advised to take the LSAT no later than December prior to the term in which you wish to enter law school (summer or fall). The February test results will not be reported to the law school by the February 15 priority deadline. Therefore, to ensure optimum consideration of your file, you should not wait until February to take the test. LSAT scores are valid for three years. The highest test score will be used for multiple tests.

All applicants must register with LSDAS, a transcript analysis service. To register properly for this service, you should request the registrar of EACH college or university at which you have earned ANY academic credit toward your undergraduate degree to mail an official copy of your transcript to Law School Admission Services. PLEASE NOTE: A cumulative transcript from the last school you attended is NOT sufficient. Failure to follow this procedure will delay receipt of the required LSDAS report and may prevent timely consideration of your file.

NOTE: It is YOUR responsibility to see that your application file is complete, both with Law Services and with The University of Mississippi School of Law.

Steps in the Application Process

1. The law application should be submitted through the LSAC Web site. All LSDAS registrants with LSAC online accounts will have access to the electronic JD application for all ABA-approved law schools. The electronic application process allows applicants to submit their applications electronically along with all required documents. Information regarding the electronic application process is available at www.LSAC.org. If an applicant prefers to submit a paper copy of the law application, he or she should contact the admissions office at 662-915-6910 or at lawmiss@olemiss.edu, and we will mail a paper copy.

2. Register with Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).

3. Submit a personal statement.

4. Submit two academic letters of recommendation.

5. Submit a $40 application fee in the form of electronic transmission (Visa or MasterCard) if applying online, or with a check or money order if applying through the mail.

6. If claiming Mississippi residency, submit the Mississippi Residency Form with required documentation.

Deadlines

The priority deadline by which the application must be completed (including receipt of the LSDAS report and all required items) is February 15. Applications completed after this date may be evaluated but cannot be guaranteed optimum consideration. NOTE: You should not wait until you have received the results of the LSAT before filing your law school application. This could delay the admissions process and a decision on your file.

Personal Statement (typed)

The personal statement is important to your file. It is your opportunity to point out any noteworthy academic achievements, extracurricular activities and or civic experiences. The personal statement also enables you to demonstrate the ways in which you can contribute your talents and experiences to the law school. Successful applicants have also elaborated on meaningful personal and intellectual interests, and challenges and disadvantages met and overcome.

Letters of Recommendation

A minimum of two academic letters of recommendation from professors who have taught the applicant in class, or from professors who have direct experience with the applicant’s academic ability are required. We strongly discourage recommendation letters from friends and family, and such letters do not substitute for academic letters of recommendation. If an applicant has been out of school for a period of time, letters from employers or others who are well-acquainted with the applicant’s intellectual ability and academic potential may be substituted. Applicants should be aware, however, that there is no question that academic letters are given greater significance in the admission process.

Admission Requirements for International Students

In addition to the requirements mentioned above for first-time law students, the law school requires that foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC J.D. Credential Assembly Service. Applicants who completed any postsecondary work outside the United States (including its territories) or Canada must use this service for the evaluation of foreign transcripts. The one exception to this requirement is if an applicant completed the foreign work through a study abroad, consortium or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript. This service is included in the LSDAS subscription fee.

A foreign credential evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into the LSDAS report. The minimum required TOEFL score at this law school is 625 or the equivalent on the computer-based examination. Applicants will be required to contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and request that the TOEFL score be sent to LSAC. LSAC’s TOEFL code for the J.D. Credential Assembly Service is 0058. The TOEFL score will be included in the foreign credential evaluation document that will be included in the LSDAS report.

An application fee of $40 in the form of a United States World Dollar Money Order, or Visa or MasterCard is required.

Admission Requirements for Transfer Students

Eligibility

A student who has completed the first year of law study and is in good standing at a member school of the Association of American Law Schools that is also approved by the American Bar Association may be considered for transfer to The University of Mississippi School of Law. Applicants should be aware that admission as a transfer student is extremely competitive. A transfer student can receive credit here for no more than 30 credit hours of work on which the applicant has at least a C grade, based on the standard in effect at that law school.

Steps in the Application Process

2. Register with Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).

3. Submit an official transcript of the law school record of all prior work.

4. Submit a letter from the dean of the previous law school stating that the applicant is in good standing and eligible to return to that law school. This letter should also include class rank.

5. Submit a personal statement.

6. Submit a $40 application fee in the form of electronic transmission (Visa or MasterCard) if applying online, or with a check or money order if applying through the mail.

We will require a copy of your LSDAS report, which will be requested when your law application is received. The admissions committee will be able to act on transfer applications only when all of the above items are received by the admissions office.

Deadline

Transfer applications must be received by May 1.

Decisions

Decisions on transfer applications are usually made in midsummer after the first-year transcripts are received.

Admission Date

Because of the tightly structured first-year curriculum, transfer students will be admitted only in the fall semester of each year.

Residence

No transfer student is awarded a degree from the School of Law unless that student has completed the last four semesters in residence and has maintained the average required for graduation on all work attempted at The University of Mississippi School of Law.

Admission Requirements for Transient (visiting) Students

Eligibility

A student (1) who is in good standing at a law school that is approved by the American Bar Association, (2) who has earned a minimum of 25 credit hours at the law school to which credit will be transferred and (3) who wishes to attend the School of Law for a summer or regular term on a transient basis only and to apply those hours toward the degree at another law school is eligible for this enrollment status.

Steps in the Application Process

2. Register with Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).

3. Submit an official copy of the law transcript.

4. Submit a letter from the dean of the previous law school stating that the applicant is in good standing and that the hours earned at The University of Mississippi School of Law will be applied toward the degree at the previous law school.

5. Submit a personal statement.

6. Submit a $40 application fee in the form of electronic transmission (Visa or MasterCard) if applying online, or with a check or money order if applying through the mail.

We will require a copy of your LSDAS report, which will be requested when the law application is received. The admissions committee will be able to act on such applications only when all of the above items are received by the admissions office.

NOTE: A transient student may enroll for up to one academic year (defined as one summer, one fall and one spring semester) or for no more than 30 credit hours.

Admission Requirements for Students Who Have Attended Another LawSchool

An applicant who has attended another law school and who is applying for admission as a new student must complete the steps outlined below.

Steps in the Application Process

2. Register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS).

3. Submit an official copy of the law school transcript.

4. Submit a letter from the dean of the previous law school reporting the status of the student at the time enrollment was terminated. Academic performance as a law student will be taken into consideration as part of the overall admissions process.

5. Submit a personal statement.

6. Submit a $40 application fee in the form of electronic transmission (Visa or MasterCard) if applying online, or with a check or money order if applying through the mail.

We will require a copy of your LSDAS report, which will be requested when the law application is received. The admissions committee will act on applications only when all of the above items are received by the admissions office.

After You are Accepted

After you have been accepted by The University of Mississippi, you must complete the following requirements prior to admission.

Seat Deposit

Applicants who are notified of acceptance will be required to submit a nonrefundable seat deposit of $250 by the date specified in their acceptance packet. The seat deposit will be applied toward tuition. Failure to submit the seat deposit by the given deadline will result in cancellation of your admission.

Medical History Form

The University of Mississippi requires that all admitted students complete a medical history form. After notice of acceptance by the School of Law, students must complete a medical history form and return it to The University of Mississippi, Student Health Service, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677-1848. NOTE: Former University of Mississippi students who have a medical history form on record and persons born prior to January 1, 1957, are exempt from this requirement.

Final Transcripts

Upon acceptance into the School of Law, applicants must submit two official transcripts reflecting when the baccalaureate degree was conferred. Final transcripts should be sent directly from the degree-granting institution to The University of Mississippi, Office of Law Admissions, P.O. Box 1848, University,MS 38677-1848.

Reporting of Graduate Hours

Entering first-year law students are required to report any graduate-school hours earned prior to enrolling in law school. If you have completed any graduate courses, regardless of whether or not you received a degree, please provide the admissions office with an official transcript of the course work completed.