We consider each applicant to be a unique individual and that is how we consider each application to Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Every application gets full, careful and personalized consideration.
We are looking for students who, through their personal, intellectual or professional background and experience, will contribute to the rich and diverse tapestry of our law school community.
Apply for FREE: We have waived the application fee and now it is free to apply! We appreciate your interest in the law school and welcome your application.
Apply Now: Please note that the application must be completed through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). You will be directed to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website and will be required to register with their service. Apply now through the LSAC. Thomas Jefferson does not accept hardcopy applications for their JD program. Only complete applications will be reviewed for a decision. We do not offer an online application status checker. Please direct all inquiries to the Admissions Office.
Choose a Program:
Fall Entering Class (August) Spring Entering Class (January)
Full-Time Full-Time
Part-Time Day Part-Time Day
Part-Time Evening
Online Status Checker – You may check the status of your application by visiting the Online Status Checker. A username and password will be sent to you after submitting your application through LSAC.
Accept Admission and Pay Seat Deposit – Congratulations on your decision to join the incoming class. In order to secure your seat in the class, you must pay a $400 non-refundable seat deposit. The deposit will be credited to your student account and deducted from your tuition. You can submit your deposit by entering our New Student Portal which will require your username and password. Please reference your admission packet for these credentials. Or you can make your JD Seat Deposit here. You are welcome to contact the Admissions Office if you are having difficulties accessing the site.
Questions
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Contact TJSL Admissions Office: 619.961.4300 Fax: 619.961.1220 Email: admissions@tjsl.edu |
Contact an LSAC Representative Office: 215.968.1001 Website: http://www.lsac.org/index Additional Assistance: http://www.lsac.org/jd/help/contact-lsac#csr |
Eligibility
To be eligible for admission, applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution by the time school begins.
Thomas Jefferson School of Law admissions policies and practices are consistent with the ABA Standards for Approved Law Schools. We consider each applicant’s character, fitness and other qualifications in our admission decisions. Each applicant should be mindful of these considerations, as they may impact admission to the state bar in the jurisdiction which you plan to practice. We encourage each applicant to consult with the state bar for which they intend to practice, for additional bar admissions information.
Application Process
Students seeking admission to Thomas Jefferson School of Law need complete the following steps:
1. Register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
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Create a Credential Assembly Service Report File (CAS)
The CAS will contain your LSAT score(s) (no more than 5 years old), letters of recommendation, and all required transcripts.
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Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
Administrated each year in February, June, September or October and December.
2. Apply online through LSAC
3. Provide the Following to Support Your Application
- Personal statement
- Resumé
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Supporting Documents from Recommenders – Maximum 4:
- Letters of recommendation - 2 Required (up to 4 accepted)
- Evaluations – 2 Optional - Transcripts - Bachelor's degree and from any and all other universities and colleges you attended
- Any required addendums or additional statements in support of your admission
4. Deadlines
- Spring (January) Enrollment: No later than December 15th
- Fall (August) Enrollment: No later than August 1st
5. Seat Deposit
- If admitted, you will be required to pay a $400 non-refundable seat deposit. The deposit will be credited to your account and deducted from your tuition.
Decision Process
- Once your application is submitted through LSAC, it will be sent electronically to our office.
- Students will receive email notifications from the Admissions Office once their file is received and again when their file is complete and ready for review.
- Only files that are complete and contain all of the required documents listed above will be reviewed for admission.
- File review and decision process takes approximately 3-6 weeks.
- All formal decision letters will be mailed to the current address on file – please keep your address up to date. With the exception of the formal decision letters, email communication is the primary method of communication – please keep your email address up to date.
Create a CAS Report File
Register with LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS). This service allows you to submit all of the necessary documentation at one-time, regardless of the number of schools to which you apply.
Register for LSAT
Register for and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admissions Council at sites throughout the United States and the globe four times each year: in February, June, September or October and December. The application deadline generally is about one month prior to the test date. You can register directly with LSAC by accessing their website. Students seeking admission in the fall entering class must take the LSAT no later than the preceding June, while those seeking admission in the spring entering class must take the LSAT no later than the preceding December. Please note that LSAC will only release your application to the Admissions Office once your LSAT score has posted to your account. With that said, we encourage students to complete and submit all required documents up to that point. If taken multiple times, we will accept your highest score.
Personal Statement Application
Please upload your personal statement through your LSAC account. We ask that you prepare a double-spaced, two-to-three page personal statement on separate pages. 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 writings. You should envision the personal statement as your opportunity to have a “conversation” with the Admissions Committee, highlighting what you think is important.
Make sure that your personal statement gives the Admissions Committee a chance to know who you are beyond statistics and the context of your resumé. Avoid writing a personal statement that discusses in general terms why you want to attend law school or your views of the U.S. legal profession and our society. Finally, also avoid simply restating your resumé.
Letters of Recommendation
Please have your recommenders submit their letters directly to LSAC. Although we accept up to four letters of recommendation, the recommendation requirement will be considered complete when two letters have been received. These 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 or processional colleague are appropriate. We want the letters to come from people who know you in an academic or professional setting and can speak of your skills.
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 each law school you designate. LSAC will calculate both a major and cumulative grade point average for your undergraduate degree which we will use to determine both admission and scholarship eligibility.
International Applicants: If your education was received from a school outside of the United States, you must have your transcript(s) evaluated and translated by LSAC CAS 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 exam results. Our school code is 4973.
Addendums
Please upload your addendum(s) through your LSAC account.
Previous Law School Attendance: Students that 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 good standing if applicable.
Character and Fitness: Qualifications for Admission to the Bar - In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Thomas Jefferson asks applicants to answer a series of character and fitness questions on the application. Students who provid an affirmative response to the character and fitness questions are required to submit an explanatory addendum with their application. Because of the high ethical standards to which lawyers are held, the 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 School of Law, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek bar admission.
Additional Statements
Please upload any additional statements 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.
Post Application Process
Once your application is complete, it is forwarded to the Admissions Committee for a decision. An application may be accepted, denied or waitlisted for consideration at a later date. Decisions are usually communicated 3-6 weeks from the date that an application becomes complete. The majority of the communication and information we send will be via email, although official decision notices will be sent by postal mail.
If admitted, you will be required to submit a $400 seat deposit and requested to send Thomas Jefferson an official copy of your degree granting undergraduate transcript.