Transcripts and CAS

What is CAS?

CAS stands for the Credential Assembly Service (previously known as the LSDAS). It is a service administered by the Law School Admission Council (the same organization that administers the LSAT) that standardizes your grades and sends them as a part of a report to the law schools you want to attend. Almost all American Bar Association approved law schools require applicants to use the CAS. Your LSDAS subscription is good for 12 months, so sign up for it just in advance of the time period in which you will apply to law schools.

How do I sign up for the CAS?

You may sign up for the CAS through the Law School Admission Council's website.

What’s in my CAS report?

The CAS facilitates the law school admissions process by compiling and disseminating most parts of the law school admission application. The CAS report contains:

• LSAT scores and writing sample
• CAS GPA
• Copies of all transcript(s), including all undergraduate coursework taken at other institutions
• Copies of letters or recommendation processed by the CAS

What is a CAS GPA?

Because of the wide range of grading systems used by US colleges and universities, the CAS converts records into a standard format. Your CAS GPA may be different from your Cal GPA. For example, the CAS assigns an A+ a value of 4.3, while at Cal, an A+ is equivalent to 4.0. Since the CAS also takes into account all undergraduate coursework taken at other institutions, your CAS GPA will probably be different from your Cal GPA if you took classes at other colleges or universities. Detailed information about CAS GPA calculations can be found on the LSAC website.

Do I have to send transcripts to each law school I apply to?

No. Send all college transcripts to the CAS. Once you send a copy of all transcripts to CAS, it sends a copy of your transcripts to each law school you apply to. Each transcript you send to the CAS must be accompanied by a CAS transcript request form, available through the LSAC.

Where do I get transcripts?

To request your official UW Tacoma transcript, contact the Office of the Registrar. For transcripts from other institutions, contact their Registrars.

Should I wait for my fall grades before sending my transcripts to CAS?

No, go ahead and start your CAS subscription without your senior year fall grades. Applying early in the admissions season can be advantageous, especially if you apply to schools that use rolling admissions. So, don't wait for fall grades. Once your fall grades are posted, forward a copy of your updated transcript to the CAS that will send a new report to the schools to which you've applied.