Application Procedures

Please ensure that you complete all items on the application prior to submitting it to the Office of Admissions so that review of your application is not delayed.

Critical Dates for Application

We strongly suggest that applications be filed as soon as possible after September 1, and preferably before April 1. Because we have a rolling admissions process, it is to your advantage to submit and complete your application as early as possible.

Application Process

1. Application for Admission

You should complete, sign and submit the application for admission to the Office of Admissions as soon as possible after September 1, and preferably before April 1.

You may submit your application online or you may request application materials from the Office of Admissions (713-313-7114).

2. Personal Statement

A personal statement must accompany the application for admission. The personal essay is your opportunity to address the Admissions Committee. It provides you with the opportunity to highlight information or insights that will assist in the decision-making process.

3. Résumé

Each applicant must submit a current résumé.

4. Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are important in the selection process. You must submit at least two letters of recommendation. Each letter that you submit should be written by someone who knows your academic ability or is in a position to assess your potential for success in law school. We strongly discourage obtaining letters of recommendation from friends, acquaintances, and/or family members. We realize that some applicants, especially those who have been out of school for a number of years, may have difficulty finding an academic recommender. If that is the case, letters from employers or others who have worked closely with you will be helpful.

We recommend that your letters be submitted through the LSAC letter of recommendation service that serves all member law schools. This service is included in your LSDAS subscription. To use this service, follow the directions for submitting letters outlined in the LSAT/LSDAS Registration and Information Book. LSAC letter of recommendation forms may also be downloaded from the LSAC web site. Be sure to fill out and give each recommender an LSAC letter of recommendation form.

5 . Application Fee

A non-refundable $55 application fee, paid by cashier’s check or money order to Thurgood Marshall School of Law must accompany the application form.

6. Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

All applicants for admission as J.D. candidates must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and have their scores reported to Texas Southern University – Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Additional information about the LSAT may be obtained from the Law School Admission Council, Box 2000, Newtown, PA, 18940-0998.

Admission Decisions

Admission decisions are announced in writing only. Information about applicants is not released to third parties. Completed applications are reviewed beginning in December, and decisions are made continuously until all completed applications have been read. The Admissions Committee does not review applications that are incomplete.

Decisions on completed applications may be made in as short a period as two weeks or as long a period as several months. The period of time varies according to the total number of applications received, when in the admissions cycle the file is completed, and the time required to review an applicant’s qualifications and evaluate them on their own merit in comparison to the rest of the applicant pool.

Deposits

Each applicant who is accepted is required to submit a $250 seat deposit. The deposit is only refundable if you matriculate into the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. The deposit is requested in two installments and is due on the dates stated in the acceptance letter. Applicant’s who miss a deposit deadline risk losing their seats in the entering class as well as any scholarship offers that may have been made to them.

Deferral of Admission

Applicants who have been admitted but whose circumstances have changed may ask to defer their admission for one year. A limited number of one-year deferrals are granted each year based on the circumstance. Deferrals are not automatic and, if granted, a non-refundable deposit is required to hold a place in the following year’s entering class.

Students who wish to request a deferral should write a letter explaining the reasons for the deferral request and submit it to Edward W. René, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, 3100 Cleburne, Houston, Texas 77004.