Admissions Policy, Application Requirements and Procedures

ADMISSIONS POLICY

Delaware Law seeks to admit academically qualified applicants who will bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the classroom and legal profession. We seek students with strong academic records established during their undergraduate years and, where applicable, through graduate study. We use a holistic admission review process that considers not only your undergraduate grades, standardized test scores, and scholarly achievements but also your work and life experiences, extracurricular activities, community or public service, potential for leadership, and the extent to which economic, physical or other challenges have been overcome. We require that all applicants submit a personal statement with their application and highly encourage the submission of a supplemental enhancement statement discussing any other unique personal life experiences that demonstrate your growth and potential and may contribute to strengthening our educational environment. It is strongly suggested that letters of recommendation be provided as well. The applicant’s entire file will be reviewed and considered during the evaluation process.

All applicants who are not admitted are considered for the Trial Admissions Program (TAP), which recognizes potential for law school despite lower UGPA and/or LSAT score. Only candidates that take the LSAT will be considered for TAP. With the exception of transfer students from ABA approved law schools, Delaware Law does not grant JD credit for course work taken prior to matriculation at the Law School.

Admitted applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university before they begin their studies at the Law School unless admitted under one of our special partnership programs.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

We are happy to help you through the application process. Please review the application requirements and procedures below and contact the Admissions Office if you need assistance.

Create an Account and Complete Your Application Online

Get started by creating an account at lsac.org. Delaware Law's application process is paperless and we only accept applications through your LSAC account. Any documents you want to submit as part of or in support of your application must be submitted electronically here as well. Our application fee is waived until February 5th.

Note: Delaware Law does not accept applications from students who have been academically disqualified from and are not in good standing at their previous law school.

Once you submit your application, all communication between you and Delaware Law is handled via our check you application status page on our website and the primary email address you provided on your application.

Take a Standardized Test

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

The LSAT remains the primary admissions test used by Delaware Law and is administered multiple times throughout the year. Please visit LSAC’s website for more information on dates and registration information.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The Delaware Law Admissions Committee will consider a reportable GRE score for no more than ten percent of its entering class and provided the applicant meets the following criteria:

• Places in the top 10% of their undergraduate class or has achieved a 3.5 cumulative grade point average through six semesters of coursework. A letter verifying class rank must be submitted from the applicant's degree granting school for consideration to the Delaware Law Admissions Office.
• Submits all official GRE score reports for the past five years by December 1st of the year prior to enrolling
• Submitted GRE scores are equivalent to the top 50th percentile or higher LSAT score based on the Educational Testing Services (ETS) GRE to LSAT conversion tool
• Submits a completed application, including submission of all GRE results by April 1st of the year prior to enrolling
• Has not taken a reportable LSAT

Applicants can log into their ETS Account and select Widener University Delaware Law School as a recipient of GRE results using the Delaware Law GRE Designated Institution (DI) Code 3550. Please visit the ETS website for more information.

JD Next

The Delaware Law Admissions Committee will consider a JD Next exam score report. All score reports should be sent directly from the JD Next testing vendor to the Admissions Office at delawarelaw@widener.edu. Please be aware that if you have taken the LSAT, your admission decision will be based upon that score.

LSAC LawReady

Delaware Law is an early adopter of LSAC's LawReady and has agreed to consider LawReady materials as part of its admission process.

Register for Credential Assembly Service (CAS)

CAS is a service offered through LSAC. CAS registration is required for all applicants to Delaware Law and simplifies the admissions process. Through CAS, all of your records, including undergraduate, graduate, professional, prior law school transcripts (if applicable), and letters of recommendation, are assembled and delivered electronically to Delaware Law. Specific information regarding CAS registration can be obtained at lsac.org.

Submit a Personal Statement

A personal statement is required and provides you the opportunity to tell the Admissions Committee information about yourself that they could not otherwise learn from your application. Although there is no required topic, information about why you wish to pursue a legal career, your path to law school, how you intend to use your law degree, along with academic and professional skill sets and characteristics that demonstrate the potential to succeed in law school are helpful topics that allow the Admissions Committee to get to know you better. A personal statement allows the Admissions Committee to consider factors beyond your numerical academic indicators.

Delaware Law does not conduct face-to-face interviews, the personal statement is your opportunity to discuss information you might want to convey in an interview. Typically, personal statements are 2 - 3 pages and double spaced.

Submit an Enhancement Statement

We invite you to enhance your application by describing your unique life experiences that you have not already addressed in your personal statement. The enhancement statement is optional.

The enhancement statement is another opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee, background and/or experiences that are distinctive and may add to the varying perspectives in the Law School classroom. We invite you to share your individual personal life experiences, be it discrimination, inspiration or otherwise, that have shaped the person you are today. We also invite you to share any challenges that you have overcome, and would like the Admissions Committee to consider. This may include socio-economic challenges; educational challenges; justice impacted experiences; health issues; disability; immigration status; surviving abuse or sexual assault; complex family circumstances like an incarcerated parent, homelessness, living in foster care or a single parent home; first generation college or law student status; and gender identity and/or sexual orientation status related experiences that you feel will bring a unique perspective or unique ability to contribute to the Law School or to the learning environment.

Enhancement Statements are typically 2 double-spaced typed pages.

Provide Letters of Recommendation

You must submit your Letters of Recommendation through CAS. Letters of Recommendation are strongly suggested but not required for admission to Delaware Law. A maximum of three (3) letters will be reviewed. The most helpful letters are usually written by individuals such as former professors, employers, or associates who have specific knowledge of your intellectual abilities and character.

Forward All Transcripts

Request transcripts from every undergraduate, graduate, and professional school you have attended and send them to CAS. Admission to Delaware Law is conditioned upon successful completion of your baccalaureate degree by the time you start law school. An official final transcript showing receipt of your degree is required and must be sent from your degree-granting institution and received by LSAC or Delaware Law’s Admissions Office prior to your matriculation.

Check Qualification for Admission to the Bar/Character and Fitness

Review the questions carefully in your application’s Character and Fitness section, and answer them completely. You have a continuing obligation to update responses to these questions if they change, even after you apply. 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.