Admission Basics

The admissions process can be stressful. Our admissions team is here to guide you through the process.

Step 1:

Take the LSAT.

Applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and register with the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) by June of the year you are seeking admission.

Register for the LSAT

Step 2:

Request official transcripts.

Applicants must request an official transcript from each undergraduate, graduate and professional school attended be sent directly to LSAC from the school. All candidates must have received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year institution prior to enrollment at OCU Law.

Step 3:

Prepare your personal statement, letters of recommendation and resume.

While waiting on your LSAT scores, begin writing your personal statement, request two letters of recommendation and prepare a professional resume.

  • Personal statement: Applicants are required to submit a personal statement of no more than four, double-spaced pages. The statement is an opportunity to introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee. It should include information about your personal and career ambitions, as well as why you want to attend law school.
  • Two Letters of Recommendation: Applicants are required to submit at least two but no more than four letters of recommendation. References from professors, work colleagues or supervisors who have personal knowledge of your academic or work performance are encouraged. Recommendation letters should speak to the applicant’s potential to succeed in law school. A signature is required on all letters of recommendation, preferably on letterhead. Letters from family members are not accepted. Letters must be dated within one year prior to submission of the application.
  • Resume: Each applicant must submit a professional resume containing information about academic awards and honors, degrees, extracurricular activities, work experience and leadership positions. Applicants are encouraged to focus on activities in their undergraduate years and thereafter.

Step 4:

Apply to OCU Law by July 15.

Applicants must complete an Application for Admission through LSAC by July 15. Applications open in October and are reviewed through July 15 of each year. Read our Admissions Policy.

To apply for admission to OCU Law, applicants must create an account with LSAC.org and retrieve the OCU Law application from the list of ABA-accredited law schools. The application must be accompanied by a $50.00 nonrefundable application fee. Fee waivers are available to qualified candidates by contacting our Admissions department.

Application Deadline: July 15
Transfer Students application deadline: July 1

All applications must be completed and submitted by the deadlines. OCU Law only accepts applications submitted via LSAC. Applications are reviewed once an applicant’s file is complete. Admissions decisions are typically made between three to six weeks on a rolling basis after an applicant’s file is complete.

OCU Law Admissions Calendar

  • February 8 – Deadline to apply for Sumners Scholarship
  • June – Deadline to take the LSAT for fall
  • July 1 – Transfer students application deadline
  • July 15 – Application deadline
  • September 1 – Applications open for next fall

Factors Considered in the Admissions Process

Each year, many highly qualified college students and graduates apply for a seat in the first-year J.D. class. The admissions process aims to select from the applicant pool an entering class of students who will contribute to the mission of OCU Law initially and later to the national and global legal community. The objective indicators of success presented by each applicant, including undergraduate cumulative grade point average and LSAT score, are important factors in the selection process. However, no one is admitted or denied admission solely on the basis of any purely numerical indicator. Rather, all of the information in each application file is reviewed personally by the Admissions Committee.

The Admissions Committee review involves assessment of an applicant’s personal characteristics, achievements, letters of recommendation, work experience, community service, undergraduate and any graduate study, personal qualities, writing ability as illustrated in the personal statement and LSAT writing sample, and life experiences including hardships or difficulties overcome. Every application is evaluated individually in an effort to meet the goal of admitting a class of able and talented students. The Admissions Committee’s decision on an application is final.

Scholarships

All admitted students are reviewed and considered for merit-based scholarships. Learn more.

Transfer Students

Students may apply for transfer to OCU Law if they are in good standing at their current institutions. Transfer credit will not be awarded for ungraded courses or any course in which a student receives a letter grade less than a C. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will determine the number of transfer hours to be credited to the degree and may establish a time for completion of degree requirements.

Seat Deposit

In order to secure a seat in the incoming class, admitted students must pay a $500.00 non-refundable seat deposit fee by the date indicated in the offer of admission. The seat deposit is applied toward a new student’s fall tuition. Failure to pay the seat deposit by the deadline could result in the forfeiture of the applicant’s seat in the fall class.

Rescinding Offer of Admission

Failure to meet the seat deposit deadline can result in the rescinding of an offer of admissions by the law school. Additionally, the law school reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission if: 1) the applicant fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress, 2) final transcripts fail to show completion of courses or degrees required for matriculation, 3) incomplete or inaccurate information was submitted by the applicant, 4) personal or professional conduct issues arise that bring into question the fitness of the applicant for legal study or membership in the bar.