J.D. Application Process

You must submit an online application through LSAC for the Residential J.D. or the Online Hybrid J.D. Programs.

Your undergraduate major can be from any discipline, but the acquisition of strong skills in reading comprehension, writing and analysis is encouraged. Your undergraduate GPA gives the Admissions Committee an indicator of academic performance. Our Admissions Committee reviews transcripts in detail, looking for grade trends and type, depth, and rigor of courses completed. If you have extenuating circumstances that affected your academic performance, include an addendum to your personal statement. Your degree may be in progress at the time of application, but must be completed by the start of law school.

You must register for the Credential Assembly Service, the clearinghouse for your LSAT score(s), transcripts, letters of recommendation and evaluations. Visit the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at LSAC.org for instructions and information about the registration process, or contact LSAC at 215.968.1001 or LSACinfo@LSAC.org.

We accept either the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Graduation Record Examination (GRE) or JD-Next score, as long as the score was earned within five years of the expected date of entry into law school. Your test score, along with your cumulative undergraduate grade-point average, are among the primary considerations for admission to the University of Dayton School of Law.

While applicants need only take either the LSAT, GRE or JD-Next, we will consider all scores if you take more than one test. If you have taken the LSAT, we consider that the primary admission test, regardless if you have also submitted a GRE or JD-Next score.

If you apply with a GRE or JD-Next score you must also register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Other than the GRE or JD-Next score, the rest of your application materials—including your transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement and resume—must be submitted to CAS. For GRE scores, please visit ets.org/gre to request that your score be sent to the University of Dayton School of Law (School code for GRE score reporting is 0002-University of Dayton School of Law-Grad). For JD-Next scores, please visit aspenpublishing.com to request that your score be sent to UDSL.

The School of Law requires at least two, and no more than four, recent letters of recommendation from people who can substantively comment on your academic and/or employment record. Letters must be sent directly to LSAC by the recommenders and written within the last two years of the application submission date.

Your personal statement should highlight your law school interest and motivation. We also want you to tell us why you believe you are a good candidate for the study of law, and ultimately, for the practice of law. The statement should give our Admissions Committee additional insight about you and provide a basis for appraising your writing ability.

We recommend the required personal statement be typewritten, double-spaced and approximately one to three pages in length. This personal statement should be uniquely your own with no assistance in its creation from external sources (including AI) beyond basic proofreading or general critiquing.

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.

Applicants should be aware that all jurisdictions screen applicants on character and fitness issues before admitting them to be licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction. The School of Law is under an obligation to provide any information about an applicant's character and fitness to such jurisdictions upon request.

You have a duty to be truthful and accurate, and to reveal the information requested even if you do not have complete documentation. Please disclose details of the results of any criminal charges. Disclosure is required even if the charges were dismissed, conviction was reversed, a conviction was set aside, a conviction was vacated and even if the conviction was expunged or the record was sealed.

Graduate work indicates your motivation and can be a predictor of success in advanced degree programs, including law school.

Work experience, particularly if it coincides with the completion of your undergraduate degree, demonstrates time management and life balance.

Participation in extracurricular activities shows your involvement and leadership experience outside of academics.

Volunteer or community service demonstrates involvement and commitment to the Marianist tradition of helping others in the community.

In furtherance of the University of Dayton’s mission to educate you, as a whole person, your spirit and character upon admittance to law school matter a great deal to us. To help us understand more about the whole of who you are, you can submit an optional statement that addresses any personal or societal challenges that you have encountered in your life, and how you have persevered in spite of those challenges.

We recommend the optional statement be typewritten, double-spaced and approximately one to three pages in length. This should be uniquely your own with no assistance in its creation from external sources (including AI) beyond basic proofreading or general critiquing.

If you have any extenuating circumstances that affected your academic performance or your LSAT score, you may attach a short statement to your application.

Please note, if you have been academically dismissed from another law school, you must wait a minimum of twenty-one months from the date of your dismissal before applying for admission as a new first-year student.