US Education Information Center Інформаційний Центр з Освіти у США American Councils *DOS-ECA/PAS*
vul. Melnykova 63, Kyiv – 04050 Tel.: (044) 483-25-32 / 483-91-38 Fax: (044) 482-02-20 E-mail:
receptionieac@americancouncilskyiv.org.ua
STUDYING LAW IN THE UNITED STATES APPLICATION PROCEDURES: FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEGREE
www.americancouncilskyiv.org.ua
Juris Doctor (J.D.):
Many J.D. programs offer rolling admissions, evaluating applications from late fall through spring or even summer and notifying candidates of admission decisions as they are made. It is best to apply as early as possible. Admission is quite competitive, and the earlier one applies the more places there are available. Law schools generally require applicants for J.D. programs to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) administered by the Law School Admission Services. This examination consists of multiple-choice sections designed to assess reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical thinking. The second part has an essay section which provides law schools with a writing sample. The LSAT is offered in some overseas locations, and it may also be possible to arrange a special testing site. Applicants to law schools from non-English-speaking countries must also take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). International students are required to show that they have earned the equivalent of the U.S. accredited four-year bachelor degree. This degree may be earned from an institution overseas. Undergraduate grades are a very important factor in admission. Work experience is valued—only about 30 percent of U.S. law students enter law school directly from undergraduate study. Some other factors that may be weighed in the admission process include letters of recommendation, the personal statement, class rank and quality of undergraduate program, extracurricular activities, and career goals. Most U.S. students use the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) administered by Law School Admission Services to apply to law schools. LSDAS compiles a report including an undergraduate academic summary, copies of transcripts, LSAT scores, and writing sample copies. Students educated outside the United States and Canada are not eligible to use the LSDAS. They should request application forms from the dean of each law school to which they are applying and complete the individual application for each institution. Admission to the J.D. programs in the U.S. law schools is intensely competitive. Only about half of those individuals who apply each year are admitted. The most selective schools may admit less than 10 percent of their applicants. Some schools admit closer to 90 percent. Each law school has its own admission office and conducts its own admission screening.
U.S. Licensure:
Only the J.D. degree awarded by a law school accredited by the American Bar Association constitutes acceptable preparation in most U.S. states. Admission to the practice of law is controlled by bar examiners and bar admission officers in each U.S. state, and licence requirements are different in each state. Licensure in one state does not automatically qualify lawyers to practice in other states. While some states have residency requirements, foreign nationals may in all U.S. jurisdictions be admitted to the bar (declared eligible to practice law). However, it is unlikely that a non-U.S.trained lawyer will succeed on the bar examinations.
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