LLM Waitlist
The University of Chicago Law School
During its initial review of LL.M. applications, our Graduate Studies Committee decides to admit or deny most of the candidates who have applied. Each year, however, the Committee places some candidates on our waitlist. These candidates are considered by the Committee to have very impressive credentials. However, since we want to keep our LL.M. Program small with only about 80 students, the Committee is reluctant to make final decisions on waitlist applications until it has received responses from LL.M. applicants who have already been admitted. Applicants that have been offered admission are asked to respond to our offer by April 1. This means that candidates admitted from the waitlist will generally not know that until after that date.
In addition, some of the people who ask to save places in our LL.M. Program by April 1, are uncertain about whether they will actually enroll this fall. Some of these applicants may be waiting for final decisions from other schools or they may have other contingencies (e.g. career opportunities, financial circumstances or family considerations) which will determine where, and even if, they will attend law school this year. We ask these candidates to periodically inform us of their current plans for next year. Thus, as more applicants are in a position to make definite plans, we are then able to determine how many more candidates we can admit. To illustrate how this process works, I have provided an example of the sequence below reflecting a typical year’s experience:
As of April 1, 55 people say they are definitely accepting our offer and 25 people want to save places but are not prepared to make definite commitments. Thus, we have 80 people who have accepted our offers, but based on our experience in recent years we know that a portion of these people will later withdraw. Shortly after April 1, we offer admission to 7 more people.
As of April 15, 61 people say they are definitely accepting our offer and 15 people want to save places but are not prepared to make definite commitments. Thus, we have 76 people who have accepted our offers. Shortly after April 15, we offer admission to 3 more people.
As of May 1, 66 people say they are definitely accepting our offer and 8 people want to save places but are not prepared to make definite commitments. Thus, we have 74 people who have accepted our offers. Shortly after May 1, we offer admission to 1 more person.
As of May 15, 72 people say they are definitely accepting our offer. Shortly after May 15, we offer admission to 2 more people because past experience suggests that one or two people may withdraw over the summer because of changed circumstances, usually health or finance related.
Since candidates on the waitlist are offered admission to fill places which become available in the class, the Committee often considers diversity factors - such as geographic background and work experience - in deciding which people to admit. Thus, candidates on the waitlist are not formally ranked, and it is impossible to give any individual applicant an estimate of his or her chances of admission. Usually an average of about 5-15 candidates from the waitlist have been offered admission. Please understand, however, this variation from year to year means we do not know in advance how many candidates we can accept or when we can offer them admission. In fact, in 2017, more admitted applicants than we expected accepted our initial offers of admission and no one from the waitlist was offered admission.
All waitlist candidates who are offered admission will be sent an e-mail message immediately by the Admissions Office when that decision has been made. Thus, applicants do not need to send messages asking if a final decision on their application has been made. Since candidates are admitted as space becomes available, it is not possible to predict when an individual candidate will be offered admission. At the end of the process, usually in late May, a final message will be sent indicating that there will be no more offers of admission.
We recognize that many applicants will be tempted to remain on the waitlist even though they have already made other plans for next year. They have completed our application requirements, paid an application fee, and appropriately expect us to make final decisions on their applications. We ask, however, that they not indicate continued interest in Chicago unless there is a reasonable chance that they would attend if offered admission. We make this request so that the Graduate Studies Committee can focus attention on those applicants still seriously considering Chicago.
Applicants are able to submit a statement of continuing interest discussing the reasons why you remain interested in studying at UChicago Law and how our curriculum and academic environment will help you achieve your personal and professional goals. Please limit your statement to two pages and submit it to lawgrad@uchicago.edu.