The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is the gatekeeper of many important documents for law school applicants. The CAS, previously known as LSDAS, is a service provided by LSAC, the producers of the LSAT. Almost all ABA-approved law schools require the use of CAS reports in the admissions process. No school that uses the CAS will consider an applicant until their CAS report is complete.
The CAS is required by law schools because it standardizes much of the information relevant to making admission decisions. Without such standardization, schools would have to sift through a colossal amount of disorganized information. For applicants, the CAS is a helpful tool in the admissions process. If an applicant is able to use all of the services included with registering for the CAS, the amount of work put into submitting applications is dramatically reduced.
What is in a CAS Report?
A CAS report has multiple components:
- Academic Summary Report
The Academic Summary Report contains two important areas:- Undergraduate Summary
The Undergraduate Summary presents multiple calculations of your GPA, including GPA based on semester year and overall GPA. In addition to displaying an applicant’s GPA, the report also shows the GPA in comparison to other students from the same school who registered for the CAS within the time frame the applicant was enrolled at that specific school. This effectively reveals your GPA ranking compared to other law school applicants from your school.
- LSAT Score
An applicant’s LSAT score is also compared to other graduates from their degree granting school, much like the GPA is compared to that same group.
- Undergraduate Summary
- Transcripts
Transcripts from every academic institution you have attended are standardized and summarized. This includes a listing off classes you took and your grade for each class.
- Complete LSAT Score Reports
This section details your LSAT score(s), your LSAT score average, the dates you took the test, and your LSAT score percentile. Copies of your LSAT Writing section(s) are also included.
- Letters of Recommendation
The CAS provides forms for each individual letter of recommendation and certifies the authenticity of each letter.
The options for submitting letters of recommendation are quite extensive. Applicants can choose to have either a general letter of recommendation sent to all schools or have school- or topic-specific letters sent to individual schools.
What Else is Included with the CAS?
- Access to the electronic application service for all ABA-approved law schools. For more information on electronic applications, go here.
How Do I Register?
Applicants can register for the CAS by visiting the Law School Admissions Counsel's website or calling the LSAC at 215-968-1001.
Is There a Fee?
- The registration fee for the CAS is $195.
- CAS reports are accessible for up to 5 years after registration. Each time an applicant registers for the LSAT, his or her CAS access is extended from the most recent LSAT registration point.
- In addition to the one-time registration fee, each CAS report sent out to each individual law school costs $45, which must be paid prior to being sent out.
- The CAS does offer fee waivers for the registration fee and 4 CAS reports. For more information, either call LSAC or visit their website.
One Final Note
The amount of time for the CAS to process and make available each individual component of the report varies, and they have been known to take one to three months for some applicants. Therefore, it is very important for applicants to get their documents into the CAS as early as possible in order to avoid any delays in the application process.