To be considered for admission to Western State University College of Law, each applicant must submit:

1. An "Admissions Application," and all requested information
2. An official copy of applicant's LSAT score and LSDAS report
3. Two letters of recommendation
4. A personal statement

Transfer applicants have the following additional requirements:

1. A statement of reasons for requesting the transfer
2. An official transcript of all work taken at the previous law school(s)
3. A letter verifying student was in good standing from the Dean or the Registrar at the current or last attended law school
4. A letter of recommendation from a professor at the current or last attended law school

The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) is also known as "Law Services." It administers both the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). LSAC can be reached at: Box 2000, 661 Penn St., Newton, PA 18940-0098; by phone: 215-968-1001; FAX: 215-968-1119;e-mail@LSAC.org; and internet: http://www.LSAC.org.

The LSAT is a nationwide, half-day test of general aptitude for law study and writing ability and is required of all applicants to ABA-Approved Law schools. The LSAT is conducted four times a year in June, September or October, December, and February. The application deadline is approximately one month prior to each test date. Western State University is an official test site for all dates as indicated in the LSAT and LSDAS Registration and Information Book.

Applicants must register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). Applicants should submit official copies of their academic transcripts directly to LSDAS. In turn, LSDAS staff members will prepare and send a complete analysis of each applicant's academic history to each law school to which he or she applied. Make sure your subscription with LSDAS is current. Western State will request a copy of your complete file promptly after your application is submitted. For information about this service, you should contact Law School Admission Council (or Law Services) at the address noted above.

Applicants must provide two personal letters of recommendation, preferably from current or former instructors who can affirm potential for graduate-level study. If an applicant has been out of an academic environment for an extended period of time, he or she may substitute recommendations from employers, fellow professionals or others who can address the applicant's potential for law study.

Provide those recommending you with the forms available in the "LSAT and LSDAS Registration and Information Book" and ask them to send their general letters (which will be sent by LSDAS to all schools to which you apply) directly to the LSDAS. For specific letters (which are to go to WSU only), or if you prefer not to use the LSDAS Service, have letters addressed to the Dean of Admissions and sent directly to Western State.

Applicants must send official transcripts of all undergraduate college or university studies directly to LSDAS for inclusion in the LSDAS report. Once admitted, prior to enrollment, the applicant must submit to the College of Law an official transcript showing the award of a bachelor's degree. Transcripts mailed earlier to LSDAS do not meet this requirement, as an official copy must be maintained on file at Western State.

Applicants who have earned a graduate degree must also request that the degree-granting institution send an official graduate school transcript to LSDAS.

Applicants educated outside the United States need not register with the LSDAS. However, they must have official undergraduate transcripts sent directly to, and evaluated by, a credential evaluation organization. A list with addresses and phone numbers of credential evaluation services is available in the Admissions Office.

Although academic history and the LSAT are very important factors in the Admission review process, a personal statement or essay can be a vital factor as well. In a personal statement, an applicant should focus on the accomplishments, skills, experiences and motivation that indicate a potential for success in law school. Include any information such as extracurricular activities, career plans, leadership ability, and anything else which will help the Admissions Committee gain a clear and accurate picture of you as an individual. How well the statement is written will also be of interest to the committee. Note and explain areas that may be perceived as weak or less than favorable. An applicant may also include an up-to-date resume.

Students who have previously attended a law school are considered "transfer" applicants. The transfer applicant must be in good standing and eligible to continue at the school from which he or she wishes to transfer. In addition to a statement of standing and all records reflecting work done at the previous law school, the same academic requirements apply to transfer applicants as to first-year applicants.

A student who wishes to transfer to Western State from a state-accredited law school or a law school approved by the ABA may be eligible for a transfer of credits. The credits a student may transfer cannot exceed twenty-nine units. The Admissions Committee may allow credit(s) for course(s) completed towards the satisfaction of Western State's graduation requirements, subject to the following conditions:

1. The studies were "in residence" or qualify for credit under a program approved for credit outside the classroom; and
2. The student must have achieved a grade of "C" or better in the course; and
3. The content of the studies was such that credit awarded would have been granted toward satisfaction of degree requirements at Western State.

The number of credits transferred for each course will be equal either to the credits awarded at the other school or the credits awarded at Western State for the equivalent course, whichever is lower. Students wishing to transfer from an unaccredited law school may only apply to the first-year entering class. No credit will be granted for courses completed at the unaccredited law school. A transfer student is subject to the same graduation and residency requirements as any other matriculating Western State student.

Students who wish to attend Western State for a semester or a summer session may apply for visiting status. The student should submit an application for admission, a law school transcript, and a letter from the dean of the student's law school stating that the student is in good standing and that Western State credits will be accepted for transfer by that law school. Additional documentation may be required. Contact the Registrar's Office (x2470) for more information on application/registration procedures.

The College of Law retains the files of applicants for two years. To reactivate a file, please fill out a new application form and submit it with the $25 application fee. In addition, we ask you to submit one new letter of recommendation to reflect your newest work (academic or employment). You need to submit new transcripts if additional academic work has been undertaken and a new report of the LSAT if there is a new test score. You must also submit a new personal statement and, if applicable, a resume.

The best way to experience the community of students, faculty and staff is by visiting Western State. We welcome visitors any time during our regular business hours. We encourage applicants to make appointments with an admissions counselor to discuss admissions, attend a class session and tour our facilities. All campus visits are coordinated through the Admissions Office. Contact the office at (714) 738-1000 extension 2600. Out-of-area applicants may call toll free at (800) 978-4529.

Applicants who have completed their undergraduate or graduate work outside of the United States must have their transcripts forwarded to the Credential Evaluation Service for a certified evaluation and grade calculation. CES will forward the evaluated transcript to Western State's Admissions Office for further review. Contact the Admissions Office for further information.

The application form requires disclosure of any conviction of felony or misdemeanor or other offense, with the sole exception of a minor traffic offense. Conviction for DUI, or any other alcohol or drug-related offense, is not a minor traffic offense. Western State advises all applicants that the Bar Examiners in California and other jurisdictions will receive official reports of such convictions from law enforcement agencies. Failure to disclose a conviction on this application may result in dismissal from school, revocation of any degree awarded by Western State, and the denial of admission to the bar.

Western State University College of Law provides quality service to its prospective and continuing students. To inquire about admissions, send your request to the Admissions Office, call (714) 738-1000 x2600, or request information from us on our web-site or by e-mail.

Upon acceptance, entering students must pay a non-refundable $100 tuition deposit, which is applied toward the first semester's tuition. Students who have paid this deposit will receive registration materials. Tuition deposits for the fall entering class paid prior to April 1^st and deposits for students beginning in the spring semester paid prior to October 1^st are refundable upon written request to the Admissions office received prior to these dates.

For first-year and transfer students the first semester starts with a four or five-day Professional Skills Orientation program. This mandatory program includes a series of academic and skills assessment sessions. There is no charge for it. For Fall 1999 entering students, the orientation program will run from Friday evening, August 20, 1999 through Wednesday, August 25, 1999.

Entering students may register in person or by mail. The Registrar's Office provides complete instructions for mail registration at least five weeks prior to the start of classes.