Admissions & Financial Aid

Admissions Basics

 

For your planning purposes, here are some basic application facts that you might find helpful. Of course, each application form comes complete with detailed instructions.

We begin accepting applications September 1 each year.

We require a bachelors degree for admission. There is no required or preferred undergraduate major. We recommend you choose your major field of study based on intellectual interest and ability.

We also require the LSAT and registration with the LSDAS (Law School Data Assembly Service, on the Web at www.lsac.org). Ideally, you should take the LSAT in the summer before you begin the application process. By doing so, you leave yourself time to retake the exam should that be necessary. If you take the LSAT more than once, we consider your highest score.

You do not have to take the LSAT before you apply. You may submit your application even if you will be taking the LSAT at at a later date. Doing so insures that your application will be completed as soon as possible, since we will receive your scores, as soon as they are available, electronically.

Valparaiso makes offers of admission on a rolling basis. This means we admit applicants who meet our standards immediately after their application is complete. We make merit-based scholarship offers at the time of admission, and often have to curtail our scholarship offers as the end of the admissions season nears. It is to your benefit to apply early.

April 1 of each year is our priority deadline for receiving applications. Although we continue to accept applications throughout the spring and summer months, it is to your benefit to complete your application as early as possible. Doing so guarantees priority review for both admissions and scholarship purposes. We cannot guarantee scholarship awards for applicants who apply after April 1.

An admitted student must submit an official, final undergraduate transcript, showing the receipt of a degree or degrees, and all academic work undertaken prior to the date of registration.

The official transcript must be mailed from the conferring institution directly to the Valpo Law Admissions Office to be received by July 31st.

All admissions offers are conditioned upon the receipt of a final undergraduate transcript and may be revoked if the official transcript certifying receipt of bachelor's degree is not received.

[Note: Valparaiso University School of Law requires an official transcript for all incoming 1L student files. The transcripts sent to LSAC for the LSDAS report and transcripts sent to the Graduate school (if you are a dual degree candidate) DO NOT satisfy this requirement.]

Other questions? Please contact the Admissions Office. Our toll free number is 1-888-ValpoLaw.