i am a recent law graduate from Nigeria and i intend to pursue an llm program in the u.s later this year but i am really in the dark as to how to go about applications. i would thus appreciate indepth advice as to steps i am to take, which exam am i to start preparing for lsat, gre or gmat ???

i also want to know when is the period that us schools accept applications.

i really need all the enlightenment that i can get in this regard.
Cheers

Hi Akinyemi,

The application deadline for most US law schools have now passed. You may find a few that are still taking applications till May. So if you intend to do your LLM this year, your choices will be limited.

The application period for most schools was from October 2010 - February 2011. Some schools, like NYU and Columbia stopped receiving applications in December. So if you want to start your programme next year, you should start sending your applications from October. The earlier you apply the better your chances of getting admitted.

Depending on the school you are applying to, you will need to submit the relevant application forms, application essays, e.g personal statement and letters of recomendation from academic or professional references. You would also need to submit the transcript relating to your first degree programme. In this regard, some schools may require you to submit you transcript through the LSAC LLM Credential Assembly Service (http://llm.lsac.org). Also, some schools may request a sample of your written work.

You don't need to take any exams and since you are from Nigeria, the toefl requirement should not appy to you.

Hope this helps!

Thanks applicant 25, for the info, its been quite helpful, i am quite surprised that i do not have to write either Gmat or the Gre, i was already preparing for either exam. Since i wish to start my llm program, can you help with names of schools that are still accepting applications. it would help a lot.

Just for clarity sake, what you are saying is that the primary requirement for me applying is my university transcript and sample of my written work ???
thanks

You are welcome.

The only school that comes to mind is American University, Washington School of Law in DC. The application deadline is May 1 but the website recomends that international student should apply at least 1 month to the deadline. You may want to look at the US News law school rankings as a general guide to choosing a school. Although, I should advise that you should not choose a school based on rankings alone. You should also consider your personal circumstances such as the courses you would like to study and whether the school is strong in those areas, location, etc. You should also choose a school that is well known internationally.

With regards to admission requirements. Yes, no exams are required. Requirements vary but generally speaking, you only require your transcripts, letters of recomendation, personal statement (basically an essay about yourself. You will find lots of web resources on how to write one).