Frequently Asked Questions

1. When do you begin accepting applications? October 1. Due to our "rolling" admissions process, it is better to apply sooner than later.

2. What is your application deadline? Applications must be electronically submitted (or postmarked) by February 15. LSDAS materials do not need to be received by this deadline, though it is in the applicants' best interest to submit materials in a timely manner. Applicants who wish to be considered for merit-based scholarships are strongly encouraged to apply by December 31. All decisions will be made by May 1.

3. I know that the application deadline is February 15. Does this mean that I must submit all of my application materials by then? No. As long as you have submitted your application by February 15, your application file can become complete after February 15.

4. Do you have an early decision program? No.

5. Is it possible to enroll as a new or transfer student during the spring semester? No.

6. Do I need to be a North Carolina resident to attend Carolina Law? No. Typically, 75% of the student body at Carolina Law is reserved for North Carolina residents. If you are not claiming to be a North Carolina resident, then you do not need to submit a residency form with your application.

7. How large is the entering class? 240 students.

8. How many applications does Carolina Law receive? Approximately 4,000 annually.

9. What is your minimum LSAT requirement? We do not have a minimum LSAT requirement. However, our median LSAT for our fall 2007 entering class is 161.

10. What is your minimum GPA requirement? We do not have a minimum GPA requirement. However, typically to be admitted to Carolina Law, one needs to have high grades--the median GPA for our fall 2007 entering class is 3.65. Of course, when evaluating an applicant's undergraduate GPA, the Admissions Committee considers many factors, including trends in one's grades over the course of his or her academic career, how one's grades compare to the grades of his or her peers from the same undergraduate institution, the difficulty of one's undergraduate institution and/or degree program, and whether one was employed while in school.

11. Do I need to have a certain major to apply for law school? Carolina Law does not require that its students have a specific major in college. In fact, our fall 2005 entering class represented more than 70 different college majors.

12. How much does it cost to apply? $70.00 payable to UNC School of Law by check or money order. At this time, we do not accept credit card payments.

13. I can not afford the application fee. How do I obtain a fee waiver? To request a fee waiver, an applicant must complete the Application Fee Waiver Form and submit the form with his/her application. Fee waivers are granted only in cases of extreme financial hardship. Applicants who have received LSAT/LSDAS fee waivers from the Law School Admissions Council for the 2007-08 application cycle will automatically receive a fee waiver from Carolina Law upon submitting a copy of the granted fee waiver with their application.

14. When should I take the LSAT? The LSAT is offered four times a year in February, June, September and December. The ideal time for taking the LSAT is the June or September test administration prior to the fall in which you wish to enroll. To be most competitive for fall 2008 admission, applicants should take the LSAT no later than December 2007.

15. I'm not able to take the LSAT until February. Can I still apply? As long as your application is submitted by the February 15, 2008-deadline, you may still apply to Carolina Law. Keep in mind, however, that the later you apply (and the later your LSAT score becomes available), the fewer seats are available.

16. I have more than one LSAT score. How will that be viewed? For applicants who have multiple LSAT scores, the policy at Carolina Law is to base our admissions decisions on the highest score. Despite this, we generally advise prospective students against taking the LSAT more than once, unless there are extenuating circumstances which caused the student to perform poorly during the first LSAT.

17. I took the LSAT three years ago, is my score still valid? Carolina Law will accept LSAT scores that are up to five years old.

18. How should I submit my application? There are two ways to apply to Carolina Law. First, you may apply electronically (at no additional cost) by using the e-application process provided by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). Or, you may print an application from the law school website using Adobe Acrobat and submit it by mail. Applicants should use whichever method is most comfortable to them.

19. Who should I get to write my letters of recommendation? People who know you well, who think highly of you, and who can speak to your academic and/or professional achievements, your leadership potential, your time management and organization skills, your critical and analytical thinking skills, etc. If you are enrolled in school or have graduated a year or less prior to the date of applying to the School of Law, one of your letters must be from one of your professors.

20. How much is tuition? For the 2007-08 academic year, resident tuition is $13,004.00, while non-resident tuition is $25,422.00. Carolina Law is a great value at both the resident and non-resident rate. Our students receive an excellent education in a supportive atmosphere.

21. How do I qualify for resident tuition? Applicants seeking to pay the resident tuition rate must complete an additional residency form and submit that form with the application for admission. Based on the information reported on the residency form, a determination will be made regarding the applicant's intention to make North Carolina his/her place of permanent domicile. Students who do not qualify for resident tuition during the first year of law school may re-petition for resident status during their second and/or third years of school. Residency decisions will only be made in conjunction with an application for admission. [It is not possible to have a residency determination made prior to the submission of an application.]

22. How much do books cost? Carolina Law students spend approximately $1,000.00 each academic year for case books and other required materials.

23. Are scholarships available? There are a limited number of merit-based and need-based scholarships available to students. The law school's highest merit-based award is the Chancellors Scholarship, a renewable scholarship covering tuition and fees, that is awarded to a small number of students in each first-year class. There is no separate scholarship application--all applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. However, priority consideration is given to applicants who apply by December 31. Need-based scholarships are awarded based on information reported on the FAFSA. Most Carolina Law students are using loans to supplement or completely cover the cost of their legal education.

24. Can I visit the law school? Prospective students are welcome to plan a visit. To schedule an appointment to tour the building and observe a first-year class, contact the Office of Admissions at 919-962-5109.

25. Are deferrals available? One-year deferrals are available on a case-by-case basis. To obtain a deferral, a written request must be submitted to Michael States, Assistant Dean for Admissions.

26. Does Carolina Law offer dual degree programs? Carolina Law offers the following ten dual degree programs:

• JD/Master of Arts in Mass Communication (MAMC)
• JD/Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• JD/Master in Public Health (MPH)
• JD/Master of Regional Planning (MRP)
• JD/Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• JD/Master of Arts in Sports Administration (MASA)
• JD/Master of Science in Library Science (MSLS)
• JD/Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS)
• JD/Master of Social Work (MSW)
• JD/Master of Public Policy (MPP) in conjunction with the Terry Sanford Institute for Public Policy at Duke University.

Our law students do not have the option to customize their own dual degree programs. Each program within any of our dual degrees has its own independent admissions process. Consequently, applicants interested in pursing a dual degree must apply to each program separately. Admission into one program has no impact on admission into the other program.

27. Do you conduct interviews? While we do not conduct applicant interviews that affect the admissions decision, applicants are certainly welcome to make an appointment to visit the law school and meet with an admissions staff member to gain additional information and have their questions answered.

28. Does Carolina Law offer a part-time or evening program of study? No, there is no part-time or evening program at Carolina Law. Our program of study is strictly for full-time law students.