Dean's Certificate FAQ -- PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING A NEW THREAD

[gnahzmap]

I just checked a few law school websites to verify this list - I believe Columbia now only requires it after you have been accepted and intend to enroll.  Also, I went to the Harvard application requirements site, and it appears as though Harvard does not require this now?

[ClashCityRocker]

Columbia now only requires it the Dean's Certificate if you are admitted. (http://www.law.columbia.edu/jd_applicants/faqs/appdocs#97248)

[rush the rushdie]

from what i can tell, the only top-15 schools that require a dean's certification are Stanford and Cornell.  (this is for the current cycle, deadlines in early 2009).

[redstone]

Forgive me if this has been addressed before, but for schools that require this (e.g. Stanford) do we have to submit it for schools we studied abroad at?  My sense is no, but if you have any special insight, please share.

[dblaamco]

Checking with the Boston University site it now appears that they also have stopped requiring a Dean's cert for each applicant. Admitted students are mailed a dean's cert form to be returned before matriculation.

[sheltron5000]

I'd like to add two things to this discussion:

1. Request these early, like at least a few weeks before you need them. You'll feel really stupid if your application was finished by Halloween, but you don't go complete until after New Years (like me).

2. Several schools also require a Dean's Certificate for disciplinary actions, which I didn't anticipate. In my experience it was Columbia, NYU, Duke, and USC. There are probably others.

Sorry if I'm repeating other people, but this was the major delay in my application process and I think it's really important to think about.

[JoeShmo]

Panicking a little...

Left off from my application something about being put on housing probation freshman year...

Now I have to get a Dean's Cert. If the Dean puts this down, how badly will this screw me?

[LawDog3]

Panicking a little...

Left off from my application something about being put on housing probation freshman year...

Now I have to get a Dean's Cert. If the Dean puts this down, how badly will this screw me?

Many universities expunge charges after a few years, and the law schools will not find out about those b/c the undergrad university has this in one or two databases at most. Talk to the dean. Check and see if it's still there, negotiate a deal for expungement if it is. If he/she won't deal, withdraw the law school application.

[LawDog3]

from what i can tell, the only top-15 schools that require a dean's certification are Stanford and Cornell.  (this is for the current cycle, deadlines in early 2009).

There are others outside of the top-15...Howard, for example.

[sheltron5000]

Panicking a little...

Left off from my application something about being put on housing probation freshman year...

Now I have to get a Dean's Cert. If the Dean puts this down, how badly will this screw me?

Disclosure is better. Don't just give up, if they are going to tell you to take a hike for it, find out first, don't just assume. Mostly they just want to make sure you ACTUALLY graduated and didn't hold any professors hostage to do it.

Yes, call your UG and see if it will be on the letter, negotiate to have them remove it but if they don't budge, just call up the school and see what they say. You're gonna have to disclose it for the bar anyway, and most school administrators are reasonable people.