JD Admissions Policy
McGeorge seeks to admit well-qualified students who will succeed in law school and bring broad diversity of backgrounds and experiences to our campus. In this process, we evaluate the applicant's entire record, including the two factors that each applicant has in common: the LSAT score(s) and the Cumulative Undergraduate GPA as calculated by LSAC. We do not use any mandatory cutoff for admission decisions. Nor do we utilize an index in evaluating applications. In assessing an applicant's academic potential, we consider a number of factors, including community service, graduate study, leadership potential, letters of recommendation, military service, rigor of the undergraduate program, significant hardships overcome, socioeconomic disadvantage, and work experience. We believe this holistic review process allows us to identify applicants who will bring a variety of strengths and talents to our law school and the legal profession.
McGeorge applies the same standards for admission to both the full-time and part-time divisions.
Certification of Finances for International Students
Once an applicant is admitted to the law school and has paid their first seat deposit, there are a variety of documents needed to process a SEVIS I-20. One of those documents is a certification of finance form.
The United States Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) of the United States Government Department of Homeland Security requires McGeorge School of Law, 91成人导航 to certify the financial resources of all international applicants. The necessary form is linked to below. Please read the form carefully and ensure that it is complete prior to submission. Incomplete forms may delay processing.
Students who are obtaining an F-1 visa are required to certify that they will have funds available for their first year at the law school. They聽must also indicate that their funds are available to meet their expenses for subsequent years of study. In addition to a certification of finance form, a student is also required to submit an I-20 application form, a notarized copy of their birth certificate and passport, and when applicable, a marriage license. Once all of these items are received, the SEVIS I-20 will be processed.
Change in Division
Students who matriculate as a first-year聽full-time聽or first-year聽part-time student can submit a request to switch divisions after their first year. Requests must be made in writing and should be submitted directly to the Dean of Student Affairs upon receipt of first-year grades for consideration. All changes in division are subject to approval by the Dean of Student Affairs.
Deferrals
Admitted applicants may request deferred admission to McGeorge School of Law by submitting the online . Admitted applicants requesting deferred admission must fill out the form completely and provide a full explanation for their request. The Admissions Office may request additional information and will contact you directly via email if additional information is required.
Deferred admission may be granted on a case-by-case basis. If a deferment is granted, the admitted applicant is agreeing to the following terms and conditions:
- Not to apply to other law schools during the next admissions cycle
- Does not have deferment status at another law school
- Has withdrawn all applications from other law schools
If a deferral is granted, the individual will be notified in writing. Any admitted applicant accepting the deferred admission is required to submit a $300 non-refundable fee in addition to the $800 seat deposit. The seat deposit and deferral fee, totaling $1,100, will be applied to tuition upon fall matriculation the following year. Questions regarding deferment requests may be sent to mcgeorge@pacific.edu.
Moral Character and Fitness
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.
Each applicant should contact the State Bar in the state(s) in which the applicant intends to obtain a license.
You are responsible for updating the Admissions Office during the admissions process and orientation if the answer to any of the questions listed in the Character and Fitness section of the application change.
Upon matriculating, your duty to disclose remains upon enrollment and until the time you graduate from the law school.
Failure to disclose may result in the revocation of the original admissions offer and withdrawal from law school.
Transcripts
All official transcripts for all college work must be submitted directly to LSAC. LSAC will evaluate each transcript and forward a report to each law school designated by the applicant. Please note an official transcript with degree posted is required to be submitted directly to the McGeorge admissions office for all students who plan to enroll.
If an applicant matriculated at another law school, please request that a letter of good standing from that law school is sent directly to LSAC. Additionally, if an applicant sat for an examination at that law school, an official transcript from that law school must also be submitted directly to LSAC.
Decisions
All admissions decisions are final. There is no appeals process. You are welcome to reapply for a future admissions cycle. Applicants who have been denied admission are encouraged to reach out to the admissions office to discuss strengths and weaknesses in their application in preparation for applying to the law school in a future admissions cycle.
Waitlist
We understand the uncertainty the waitlist process brings, and we appreciate your patience during this time. The waitlist process can last several months; you may be contacted as early as May or as late as August. Should you be offered a seat in the entering class, you will be notified by phone and/or email. Please ensure your contact information is up to date. Additionally, please check your online status page regularly as any changes in your status will be reflected there. Please also make sure that your FAFSA is complete at fafsa.ed.gov and that you use school code 001329.
Below are some frequently asked questions by waitlisted candidates:
- What can I do to strengthen my file? If you have any significant updates to your resume, a new letter of recommendation (maximum of three) or updated grades or transcripts, you may submit these to mcgeorge@pacific.edu in PDF form. Additional letters of recommendation must be submitted through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service. We allow for a maximum of three letters total in the application process so this option will only be available to you if you submitted two letters during your initial application.
- Can I submit a statement of continued interest? Yes, the JD Admissions Office will accept one statement of continued interest no more than two pages in length. What you choose to share in your statement is up to you, however you should be thoughtful about what you wish to convey to the committee. Many waitlist candidates will further express their wish to attend law school, identify reasons they wish to attend McGeorge specifically and outline their ability to relocate with short notice if admitted. In addition, waitlist applicants may choose to discuss steps they are taking to improve upon areas of concern. For example, an applicant with limited writing experience may discuss enrolling in an intensive writing course or taking on additional writing projects at work as proof that they are serious about law school and prepared for the rigorous academic program. The statement should be emailed in PDF format to mcgeorge@pacific.edu.
- What is the latest I might hear in terms of a decision? Occasionally we will make an admission offer right before school begins in mid-August. We will send a final release to everyone left on the waitlist once school begins. All applicants will receive a final decision prior to the beginning of the fall term. Please note that your online status checker always has the most up to date information but keeping in touch with the JD Admissions Office via email or phone calls is permissible.
- Can I set up an interview to meet with someone聽in the JD Admissions Office? The JD Admissions team is more than happy to meet with you to discuss McGeorge in general and to answer any questions you may have about the waitlist process, JD program, curricular opportunities, and/or student life. However, please be advised that we do not conduct interviews as part of our admissions process.
