Charting the 2021 Application Cycle

The timing of the admissions process can feel mysterious. When will interviews begin? When will you receive a decision on your application? In an attempt to demystify the timeline a bit, we released dates for the 2019–2020 cycle on this blog last summer. After receiving positive feedback on this step from applicants, we are going to try it again this year.

Here is our expected timeline for the 2020–2021 regular J.D. cycle:

September 15: J.D. Application Opens

Early November: First Interview Invites Released

January 11: First Round of Acceptances

February 1: Priority J.D. Application Submission Deadline

February 16: Second Round of Acceptances

March 1: J.D. Application Closes

March 22: Third Round of Acceptances

May 1: Deadline to Respond to Offer of Admission

You will notice that we plan to begin admitting applicants in January instead of December. In years past, we have noted the importance of applying early. With the COVID-19 pandemic impacting all of our lives in 2020, however, we would prefer to give you more time to work on your applications without the pressure of a looming admit day.

If the past six months have taught us anything, it is flexibility. We are aiming to hold tight on this timeline but we hope you will understand if these dates shift in small ways as the cycle progresses. We will be sure to provide any updates on this blog.

For more advice about the application process, we encourage you to explore the Inside the Black Box section of our blog. You might also enjoy listening to the Navigating Law School Admissions podcast, which we launched this past summer with the Yale Law School admissions team (and some special guests from Northwestern, UT-Austin, and Columbia). And please follow us on Instagram and Twitter to stay connected and learn more about HLS.

We look forward to reading your applications soon.